What A Weeeeeeek!

I don't really have any cute pictures to post seeing as how I keep forgetting my camera, but this last week has been one that I don't EVER care to remember. I feel like all I have done is run from one event to another! The kids had their Christmas programs at school, which I was totally thankful they still called Christmas programs instead of "Holiday Programs" They sang Hanukkah songs and snow songs though, so as not to "offend". They did such a good job. Caleb's grade sang "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" poor kid, this would be the third year he has sung that and meant it. I'm beginning to wonder if that kids teeth will ever come in. Noah was, of course, ticked off that I made him wear a button-up shirt, but he got over it, and actually had a smile on while he performed. He got sent home a letter saying that he needs to be assessed for the accellerated program, apparently he gets his work done too fast, gets 100% on it and spends most of the day reading in class because he is done. I knew he read a lot at school because he tells me all the books he's read that I don't see him reading at home. When I asked him if he wanted to do it he gave me a very enthusiastic "YES!" Since he doesn't get too excited about much, I figure he must be as bored as his teacher thinks he is. I am excited for him and that opportunity. He won't have to go to a special school or anything, he will just get pulled out of class once a day and given harder work at a faster pace. Sam played the french horn for the band concert yesterday, and did such a good job. There are only two french horns and for the performance that they did for the school, the other horn player wasn't there, so he had to do a solo in front of the whole school, and he did awesome his teacher said. After the performance they did for the parents, his music teacher said that Sam has real talent, and that she was totally impressed at how much he had learned in such a short time. Caleb and Max just finished up soccor, when they first started, they were wandering aimlessly and never got in contact with the ball much, but by the time they finished, they were really good players. They both got more agressive and started to pay attention and understand what was going on. There last game was really a good game, and they played awesome. It helps to have such a great coach!
My first semester is over, thank goodness! Ryan spent most of the week in Chicago, and it was really hard to be alone with the kids and try to get to all their events and finish my school work. Him being gone totally made me appreciate all that he does to help with the kids and house and animals. I am so glad I have him. He got home last night and we ran from one party to another, and came home and crashed. My plan was to go into town to finish my last Biology test, but we woke up in the middle of the night to blowing wind inside our house(the new windows help, but there is still a draft from our garage and attic that really feels like wind blowing in our house.) and the windows covered with snow. The sun room is full of snow and the garage door blew open and the garage is full. Ryan went out and the chicken door had blown open and they were full of snow and the barn was covered in snow as well as the goats. Sam was out there with him and said that the cobwebs in the barn were covered with snow and so there were strands of snow crisscrossing all over the barn. The weather report on the internet says that it is -7 with the windchill, rest assured, it is WRONG! Our temperature gage outside says-30! that is more like it. It is freezing. I won't be going into town for anything today. Not with 3 foot snow drifts blowing wind and snow and ice. I think I will be curling up by the fire in my pajamas drinking some hot chocolate stirred with a candy cane and topped with whipped cream, and relaxing from the awful crazy busy week that I had! Oh, and I will try to get in the Christmas mood since It doesn't feel like Christmas yet to me since I have been so consumed with school work!

Arrow of Light!

I am so bummed that I forgot the camera, but Sam got his Webelos, Faith in God and Arrow of Light tonight at scouts! It was such a neat ceremony that they had for him! I was totally touched and the reality of just how old he is getting hit me full force! Wow, I will have an eleven year old. He is turning into such a good kid who is so fun to talk to and do things with. I love being with him, and hope that his wanting to be with his friends more than wanting to be with me will not come anytime soon! I miss him when he is at school, and am so thankful for him! They had a bridging ceremony where he crossed over into Boy Scouts! My little man is growing up. It is so fun to see the kids grow and become their own little people!

~*Emma Causes a Christmas Laugh*~

We were reading books last night around the Christmas tree, when Emma reached up to grab an ornament off the tree. It wouldn't give, and so it made the branch bounce up and down when she let go. She immediately started bobbing her head up and down. It made Caleb laugh so hard, and between the two of them, we all started laughing. I only caught it really good once on the video, but she just kept doing it over and over. Oh! how I love little babies and the joy they bring to your otherwise mundane existance. It's a good thing I have so many babies so that my life is rarely mundane!

What's fun about winter!

I couldn't leave that depressing post up, so I had to post what is so fun about winter! The kids love the snow, and can't wait to get home from school so they can play in it. The problem here is that we don't get much snow at once. The "good" thing is it's so cold that even a skiff stays for days(that is a problem for one who is now frightened to drive on snow covered roads) Today Sam and Noah took the sled and pulled Mara all over the yard. She was in heaven and it kept her outside for longer that the usual 3 minutes and now I'm cold so let me in.

Kind Of A Dramatic Way To Get A New Car!

We had our first snowfall of the year and I am now one of the stupid people who got into car accidents when the first snow flew. I hate being one of those statistics. GREAT! I will just count my blessings that we are all okay and that everyone was in their seatbelts and we all had coats and warm shoes on because it was freezing. And I am truly thankful for that tree. It really wanted a make-out session with my van. The reason I am so thankful for the tree is because I could feel us starting to roll when all of a sudden, the tree stopped us. At first I thought that Max was hurt because he was freaking out and screaming and trying desperately to get out of his seatbelt. It turns out that he was just so hysterical because he heard the airbags pop, and smelt that awful smell, and thought that our car was going to blow up. That would be my fault for letting him watch too much T.V..

I couldn't find my cell phone, I thought maybe it had flown, but then remembered convienently leaving it by the side of my bed. The road was not a busy one, so when I saw a car coming I jumped out and flagged it down, leaving my kids crying in the car. The really nice man let me use his cell phone to call 911 who proceded to ask a million questions. I kept telling the person we were fine and that I needed to get back to my kids who were screaming in the car, but she just kept asking how to get to where I was. I know the phone had a GPS, and she could have pulled it up, I couldn't leave the guys car because his cell phone was plugged into his cigarette lighter. Thankfully my neighbor came by and took Max and Mara with him so that I could fill out all the paper work and everything.

Ryan came and rescued his damsel in distress, and the tow truck hauled our spoiled goods away. Ryan just said "That was a dramatic way to get a new car." truth be told, I really liked that car. Dangit!

Add an Injury.

I thought that we had all escaped the car accident without injury, but where the air bag exploded on my arm, it is quite sore. You can't see too well, but that is bruising all up my arm from my wrist up to above my elbow. I had it x-rayed just to make sure it wasn't broken. Thankfully it's not. Just really swollen. Max ended up with a seatbelt mark on the side of his neck, but everyone it fine. Thank goodness for prayers that are said each day that we will be safe.

Emma Emma Emma!

While waiting for the tow truck, Emma was so restless and my arm was hurting from holding her, so I just stuck her up in the window and she was happy as a lark. Until I put her in her carseat and she screamed for about 10 minutes.

Giving Thanks

I have been Pondering lately about life and how funny it's twists and turns are. It is amazing to me just how much our attitudes effect all that goes on around us. I have come to realize as of late just how great life can be no matter what we are going through, if our attitude is good. Just the other day, I was really frustrated because I had a lot of homework to get done and the stress of all that has to be done was really getting to me at that particular moment, and the kids would not go to bed. It seemed like everyone had all these needs that had to all me met right then. I was so anxious for them to just get to bed, and I was crabby! I finally thought that I had them all to sleep and Mara woke up Emma with her crying. It was just the last straw. I got mad and used harsh words and unkind actions and swept her upstairs to my bed and said "don't get out again." When I went back down to do some more work, needless to say, I felt awful. I couldn't even concentrate on what I needed to do. I finally admitted that I was being a brat and went upstairs to apologize. She so willingly forgave me and said "will you say prayers with me." Make me feel like a louse. It is really hard to say prayers when you know that you are in the wrong and have hurt the feelings of one of Heavenly Father's sweet children. So in light of the fact that I had just been hurtful, I felt it really hard to then pray with Mara and ask for blessings that I didn't feel that I deserved, so I just gave thanks instead. My whole attitude of having too much to do, and feeling like I was in too deep, gave way to me seeing just how much I am able to accomplish with the help that he gives me. How grateful I am to know that when I do make a mistake I can always try harder and be forgiven as I am learning and growning. What a great time of year to focus on our blessings! And just how much we are watched over and protected and helped on our journey here. I just wanted to list a few of the most important things that I am thankful for. First, Family, what greater tool could we have been given to make it through this life than family? What a great plan that we get to be in a family to help lift us up when we fall, and to know us intimately, know our faults and struggles and still love us, to encourage us and help us endure those times that we don't think we can. I am so grateful to my little family, Ryan is so supportive of everything that I want to do. He is always so thoughtful to ask, "what do you need me to do tonight?" he is so helpful and willing to help with dinner or the kids when I am up to my eyballs in other things that need to be done. He is so understanding, and is such a good listening ear when I just need to "vent" I love him emincely. I truly love each one of my children. This morning we were saying prayers, and Max was still asleep and I just couldn't get over how much of a hole it left in our family to have just one missing. I don't know what I would do without each one of them. I am so grateful for our extended family as well. We are so lucky to have Ryan's great family, his parents are always willing to help us and are great to come and spoil the kids, and his siblings are such great people that I am lucky to get to call them in-laws. I so appreciate their friendship and their consideration with our family. My Parents are so great, and I realize that I am so much who I am because of them. How interesting it has been to me as I see my mom's family, all the cousins and their babies and families, and I see how much we look alike, and what traits and mannerism that we have that are similar. We truly are a product of our families. Next Nature, There is nothing like getting out in nature with my family to remind me of the simple pleasures of life. When we get to take time to be entertained by what was created for us, there is a quiet peace that comes, that doesn't come at any other time. I have been so grateful that since we have moved to Montana we have had so many more experiences with our kids that involve being outside, enjoying nature and working the land. There is a feeling of drawing closer to our creator that comes when we are out in nature that you can't get anywhere else, and I have loved being able to share that with our kids. And Lastly, Our Savior, where would I be without him? I am so grateful that he loved me enough to willingly, and that is the key, willingly sacrifice his life for me so that I can forever enjoy my family and live eternally with my Father in Heaven someday. I so look forward to the time when I will see Christ again, and pray that in all my struggles that I can endure to the end and live worthy to stand in his presence and feel of his love for all. I am so grateful for his example of christ-like love, and hope that I will more fully be able to have that for all men.

Favorite Pictures

One of my friends had on her blog her favorite pictures of all of her kids. I thought that was such a great ideas that I decided to post all of mine. This is my favorite picture of Sam. Up at my grandpa's farm, we had a family get-to-gether for memorial day, and the boys all had to pee. They had no idea that I was taking there picture until Sam looked aroung and saw me. He was so embarrassed I thought it was so funny! I know that I am demented, but I think this was so funny, all of them lined up to pee.

I love this picture of Noah, because it totally captures his personallity! He is such a funny kid. And that pose it just him! Sam's pose here is totally him as well.

This is Caleb's smile. One day we hope to be able to say that we miss this toothless grin, but since he has had it for three years now, we wonder if teeth will ever appear. He can always light up a room with his smile.

Max got this cowboy outfit from my parents for his third birthday and he still wears it all the time. He loves to be a cowboy, and I think that this started it all. I love the innocent look on his face. This, of course was taken before he got attitude, but I am learning to love the attitude, and cute sense of humor that he is developing. It is fun to look back and see things that have shaped who they have become.

This picture of Mara before she was even walking I have always loved. Oh, how much fun it is to dress a girl especially after four boys. I lvoed the bows and shoes and flowers! She was always so good to just let me do her all up! what a good sport. I am afraid that won't last for too much longer, she already has an opinion about clothes and hair. Oh....!

I love this picture of Emma. They only stay looking newborn for such a short time. I love the little wrinkled, loose skin and that smell of a newborn is like nothing else in this world. Emma looks so awake which is rare for a new one, I have just always loved this picture of her. I wonder if I will ever not want to have a newborn/baby in my home?

`/Funny/` Sam Tricks!

Sam thought this was so funny one morning while getting ready for school, he discovered that he has a singing sideburn. I am glad he is so easily entertained!