Six Things That Make Me Happy {TAG}

I normally don't do tags. I don't know why. I just don't normally do them. But I thought, "what the heck" on this one and went ahead and did it. So, feel free to consider yourself tagged if you want to be.

Here are the rules:

Link to the person who has tagged you (Heidi).

Write down six things that make you happy.

Post the rules, tag six others and let them know you did it.

Then tell the person when your entry is complete.

Here's my six:

1: This awesome guy! I get to go on a date with him tonight!! We are going to a movie and Panara for my favorite Creamy Tomato soup. I wish they'd bring the blue cheese steak sandwich back. But still: Panara + Movie + Awesome Husband = a great date night and actually 3 things that make me happy!

2. Cameron outside riding bikes with the kids while I get a little peace and quiet. I'm taking a nap after this!

3. Working on my Project 365 book. I love taking a picture{s} each day. And I love putting the book together. It is turning out SO cute! This is the most simple scrapbooking I've ever done. And at the end of the year I will be all caught up on our family's scrapbooks.

4. This beetle, skunk, or zebra face that is actually, according to Austin, a Siberian Tiger face. This makes me happy because I got to exercise while he was getting it painted. Which also makes me happy because Isaac was in "child watch" too, and NOT crying. I've been able to do my prefered workout {3 miles on the eliptical and 15 min. of weights} almost everyday for the past month. THAT makes me happy!

5. A little paper that hangs on my fridge is my confirmation for the plane tickets I bought to go to Utah at the end of the month. My sisters are going to be sealed to my parents in the temple. I CAN NOT express how HAPPY that makes me.

6. Looking at this calender makes me happy because it shows me when my Grandma is coming. And when Cameron's parents are coming. All three are coming this month and THAT makes me so happy too. I've said this before but it warrents saying again: I love when my family comes and visits me. I get them all to myself!

Need I Say More?

Mom's Best Top Ten

As promised - the antedote to the "Mom's Worst Top Ten" list

(a bonus one) 11 - When they eat all their dinner and they like it

10 - Nap time! Even when my kids look like this I know that nap time is just around the corner. When they wake up everything will be happy again!

9 - Austin's laugh - it's contagious, I just LOVE it.

8 - Cooking with them - My kids love to cook with me. I love it too because it doesn't seem like such a chore. I think they like it so much because we are usually making cookies when they help, but they're great at peeling cucumbers and carrots, stirring, and mixing, and filling pots up with water.

These are banana bread muffins that the kids helped me make. YUM!

7 - One on One time. I love to spend time with each kid alone. It's a whole new world of insight into their little minds.

Landon came in our room last night and "hung out" with us just after the other two kids went to bed. We had a great conversation, filled with Star Wars stories, questions about life, tickles, who Landon's new best friend is at school and things like that. It just doesn't get any better.

This what Cameron and Landon built during their "one on one" time - a ferris wheel that really turns

6 - Snuggles

Austin is the best at this. He comes and snuggles all through the day. I just love it. He usually jumps in my lap and says, "snuggle Momo" the only time he calls me "Momo" (another thing Austin is great at - making up nicknames)

5 - Hearing how pretty I am!! Ha Ha I know, I know, VAIN, right?!

But seriously, I got my hair cut the other day (it's above my shoulders, the shortest it's been since Beauty School) and Landon looked at me and said how beautiful I was. Then at church the next day he was telling his friends how great my new hair cut looked - they didn't care, but Landon made sure to tell me often at least for a few days.

4 - Hearing them say how much they love me! Another self indulgent one!

It just makes it worth all the hard work when they tell me they love me.

3 - Helping them with homework, housework, or other work that's challenging to them.This may sound a little odd because it's more work for me, but helping and teachimg them to do something is so neat to watch. I love how excited they get about what their doing and the final result. I love watching Landon scratch his head trying to think of an answer to a question. Or see Austin's face when he exclaims, "look at my 'S' it's not sideways!" Or listen to Isaac point to each animal in a book and say, "woof woof".

2 - Watching them play sports

There is something special about a kid's smile after a game. They feel so proud of themselves for doing a great job. They love being part of a team. I love watching them acheive goals and get better at something. It's amazing the difference they show from the first game of the season to the last. It just makes me so proud of them. Landon is playing flag football and baseball this Spring and Summer and Austin is finally old enough for T-ball. I can't wait!

1 - Watching their unique personalities develop

Landon is turning out to be quite the social butterfly. He has lots of friends and gets along easily with kids younger and older. His confidence is improving and he's becoming a little leader. He is always the first to tell me he loves me. He is such a little peacemaker; as soon as he feels tension in the air he starts doing all the things he can think of to make things better, from telling me he loves me to rinsing off his plate and putting it in the dishwasher. He won't leave the house without his hair done or at least a baseball hat. He loves to play Wii, read, ride his bike, play sports, watch Star Wars, and play Legos

This is Landon before school. He wears his hat that way so his hair won't get messed up. He likes it flat on top and spikey in the front.

Austin is also, quit social. His friends argue about who is going to sit by him during primary. He's very diplomatic too, as seen in this conversation:
Austin, "everyone dies"

Austin's friend Josh, "no they don't. They live forever."
Austin, " Josh, yes, when people get really old they die"
Josh, "no they don't"
(yes they do, no they don't repeated repeated repeated)
Austin, "ok, Josh, fine. In your family no one dies. In my family we die when we get old. Ha Ha"
Austin can find something funny in any situation. He is constantly making us laugh. He LOVES music. During Sacrament he wants us to tell him the words a few lines ahead so he can sing the right words. During primary he's always belting out the songs. In the car he always wants the music louder. His favorites are Safety Kids, Charlotte Diamond, Hey There Delila, Hairspray soundtrack, and pretty much anything by Taylor Swift.

Austin writing his name on his Valentines - this was supposed to be a picture for #3 but it's out of order. We've been working on this for quite some time. I'm proud of him for finally being able to and wanting to write his name.

Isaac is growing up WAY too fast. I love how much he's talking lately. He still uses the sign for "more" but he says "pase" (please) and "ta-EEEE" (thank you). He loves to dance. I love it when he pokes his head around a corner and says, "Hay-Yo". I love when he puts his sweet little head on my shoulder at the end of the day and snuggles into his blankie. He will repeat almost anything you tell him to. He is fasinated with balls. He calls anything round a ball, from the freckle on my hand to the buttons on his shirt. His favorite thing to do is play catch and he always tells himself, "ga cach" (good catch). He will play "peek-a-boo" on demand. He thinks it's hillarious to turn off the TV when the big boys are watching it.

This is Zac dancing to "High School Musical" - family movie night last Sunday.

Mom's Worst Top Ten

... No pictures - when I'm dealing with this stuff, pictures are usually the last thing on my mind!

10 - sleeping in? what's that?

9 - getting Landon to realize that playing Wii before school will make you late for the bus every time.

8 - vacuuming the floor EVERY time Isaac eats. He's constantly throwing his food. It's a game for him. How do I make him stop - besides sitting right there - you know THAT'S impossible with two other kids.

7 - the smears on my windows and walls and the dirt, grass, food, and broken glass in the vacuum speak for themselves

6 - the stand-off between my baby and I EVERY time I try to wash his face or hands. Imagine two cowboys looking into eachother's eyes, drawing their guns, the music playing in the background, a tumble weed blows by, then one of us strikes - I go in with the washcloth and Isaac covers his face, rubs the goo from his hands into his hair and screams like a banchee.

5 - Austin "playing" with Isaac and somehow pushing him into a wall, dropping him off the couch, or somehow hurting him. And the crying, scolding and more crying that goes along with it.

4 - watching my kids make mistakes. I see my kiddos do things that aren't the best choices. I want them to know how special they are. They don't ever have to do dumb things to fit in, just be the wonderful boys they are. But as they get older they will have to learn this lesson for themselves. Watching it happen (Landon is especially going through this) is tough.

3 - Isaac falling asleep in the car the last 5 minutes of the trip home and then refusing to sleep in his bed. He's awake and CRANKY until dinner time when he can't stand another minute and WE can't stand another minute of his screaming. Cameron or I have to leave our dinner to get cold while we finally get Isaac to his bed.

2 - every drawer in every bathroom is ransaked at any given time during the day - the drawers' contents littered about the house. Or the toilet paper roll unrolled and shredded toilet paper is littered about the house. Or my makeup bag unzipped and the contents thrown in the toilet, tub, shower, or other random places such as Austin's toy bin. Almost always when I close the bathroom doors to keep Isaac out they lock, thanks to my other two bigger boys that like to lock eachother out but forget to UNlock the door when leaving.

And the hands down number 1 worst thing I've ever had to do as a mom - cleaning up throw-up from the van. DISGUSTING... watching, through the rearview mirror, your child litterally "spew" while you're driving down the road and frantically looking for a place to pull over isn't very great either. But cleaning it out of every seat crack, seatbelt, hole where the seats hook in, inbetween the seats, and the booster seat and it's cover, the back of the other seats; not to mention clothes, hair (seriously?) and shoes. No one should ever have to do that. I'd rather change poopy diapers forever than that. It took over two hours plus some tears (on my part) to get everything clean. SO GROSS... plus dealing with Isaac running into the road, climbing into the disgusting van, spilling soapy water all over himself. Not fun. Thankfully Cameron got home in time to at least put everything back together(and clean the shoes) but it was REALLY, REALLY NOT FUN....


Now, that I've read through this I have to admit it seems a little grim - in the coming days I'll definitely be posting a Top Ten Best list just to show that yes, even the puke is worth having these wonderful three boys around. (but again, I could really do without the puke!!)

Bike Ride in January?

Yes that's right! The weather here in the Springs is so wonderful. We get cold days (last Monday it was -4 when I went to work out in the morning) and every couple weeks we get a few wonderful, blissful spring-like days.

Saturday was one of them. It was 62 degrees outside and we HAD to take advantage. So, after a few Saturday chores and some grocery shopping we loaded up the bikes and hit the Santa Fe trail. The kids did great. You should have seen the other trail-goers smiling, laughing, and down-right beaming at the kids as they zoomed by on their little bikes, especially Austin. He was adorable peddling as fast as he could so he could keep up with Landon and Cameron. Hillarious - he looked like a clown on a little bike. Because he was peddling so fast he wore himself right out. We had to turn around just before the place we were planning on turning around. So, he almost made it. But, he was too tired to go back so Cameron loaded him in the trailer with Isaac and put his tiny bike over his own handle bars. If people were laughing at the scene of a family of five on the way up the trail, they must have really thought we were crazy on the way back. Oh well, we had fun, anyway.

Just when we got too hot for our jackets the trail got shady and still had some packed snow on the ground. The kids LOVED the "river" (you can see a little sliver of it in the background).It's so pretty here. Not only is there mountains, there's forests, sand dunes, hills, prairie. It's like a perfect mixture of all the best parts of other places.

Isaac loves the bike trailer. He is already like the rest of my boys, I'm afraid; always wanting some kind of adventure.