2......How on earth did that happen?!?

On Sunday, my baby, Slader, turned 2. I quite honestly don't know how that happened.

My nostalgic, emotional mind spent all day recounting, hour by hour, what was happening 2 years ago. You know..." This time 2 years ago we were heading to the hospital." & "this time 2 years ago he was 2 hours old."

He is a VERY determined, independent little being. He does not like to be directed or forced to do anything. I think that a huge part of that is that he has 3 big brothers that he is hell-bent on keeping up with.

All of my boys have been really great sleepers, but this guy is amazing. When we were trying to put him to bed around 11:00pm, he started wanting to go to bed earlier. Now he starts to melt down around 8:30 is usually in bed around 9:30 & generally sleeps 'til 10:30 or 11:00+ in the morning. I am now able to put him in his bed wide awake & he falls asleep on his own.

Anyway.....We sure do love this little monster.

Christmas Torture

So, to alleviate a huge swack of the Christmas stress, Monty & I decided to wrap ALL (except for 4 that will be "from Santa") of the Christmas Presents on Saturday (December 10) & put them under the tree. (We were up 'til 1:00am wraping.) Let's just say it will be the ultimate test of restraint for the boys. I actually had to point them out to Haiden on Sunday morning.

It was also Slade's 2nd Birthday on Sunday, so we were really concerned that after he opened his birthday presents; that he wouldn't stay away from everything under the tree, but he hasn't touch them at all.....YET!!!!!

Soooooo.....on Christmas Eve when everyone else is stressin' about Santa coming down the chimney to deliver presents.....I'll be done & in bed....maybe.

15 Fantastic Years

Back on October 25, my sweet & amazing husband, Monty, & I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary.

We were Sealed together for Time & All Eternity in the Cardston, Alberta Temple.

That day, as a 20 year old young woman, I knelt across from him & looked into his eyes & into the farthest fathoms of the mirrors behind him.......I was incredibly excited & insanely nervous about all the prospects that life held for us. We have been blessed beyond comprehension.

15 years later, I am a Mother to that wonderful man's 4 sons, a beyond proud, supportive & loving wife, a home owner & so many other things far too numerous to list.

I love you Monty.

That Baby is Havin' a Baby

I've been planning to blog about this for quite a while, but have repeatedly put it off for a couple of reasons....laziness & out of respect. Well, it's out now so I can say. So here it is.

When Monty & I started going out, his sister, Rhonda was pregnant. In early November she had a little girl, named Jenna Marie. You might remember from a past post about Jenna & Blake getting married. Well, if the event of that "little girl" getting married wasn't crazy enough....Well....I'm excited to blab that........Jenna & Blake are expecting their 1st little mcnasty in February.

We are super excited for them. Originally, they weren't going to find out whether it was going to be Pink or Blue, but have since changed that. They know.....& we know...but I probably shouldn't blab that part.

Anyway......so I'm well on my way to being a "Great Auntie"....again. Soooooo exciting!

California Dreaming

So, we spent 11 days in Sunny Southern California. We flew out the afternoon of October 1st.

Monty's company sent him down to Anaheim for the SharePoint 2011 Conference, & we were lucky enough tag along. We used our AirMiles to "pay" for the flights for the boys & I & for a part of our rental vehicle.

We stayed at the Marriot-Residence Inn...just 4 California blocks from Disneyland. It was fantastic. They put on an amazing breakfast...waffles, eggs, sausages, potatoes, toast, muffins, 4 different juices, cereals. We had a full kitchen back in our suite..which was also great so we didn't have to eat out for EVERY meal. Monty & I had a king bed & our own bathroom. Chayse & Brigham shared a room with a bunk bed & its own 2nd bathroom, Haiden slept on a couch hide-a-bed & Slade was in a crib.

During the 5 days that Monty was in his courses; the boys & I wandered the shops of Downtown Disney. I NEVER drive when go places, but having the GPS has given me a liberation & confidence that I have never had.

We also drove passed the Crystal Cathedral. It was pretty, but nothing compares to the beauty of one of our Temples.

On Friday, October 7th, we met my best friend, Heather & her daughter, Natalie, at Downtown Disney. She had purchases our (radically discounted) Disneyland/California Adventure tickets. She saved us a small fortune. {Thank You AGAIN Honey} We have never actually bought Disney tickets...we have always "paid" for them with AirMiles.

We spent that day (until early closing...due to a Halloween Party) in Disneyland & then wandered across the divide to California Adventure for the Water Show "World of Color".

We were all aching from walking all day, sandal footed in 29 degree + humidity. I honestly have no idea how so many of you wear flip-flops. It's like walking barefoot on the pavement....OUCH!!!! Beyond painful feet; I have a not-so-great back. Once I go past the pain it just goes a version of numb. Oh well....self-inflicted "Happiest Place on Earth" pain & memories. It's all good.

Everything was decorated for Halloween. It was so different from the Spring time normal of Disney that we have visited 3 times in the past years (2000, 2006 & 2008).

We spent our 2nd day in California Adventure. It was equally fun.

We spent our 3rd & final day back in Disneyland.

On Thanksgiving Monday, we met Heather, Nathan & their girlies, Emma & Natalie, in San Diego at SeaWorld. We had a great time with them. I wish the same thing that Heather said she wishes for; which is "I wish we lived closer to one another....but closer on the Southern end rather than the Northern end."

On Tuesday the 11th, packed up, hit Downtown Disney one last time for T-shirts for the boys, & headed to LAX.

We arrived home just before 9:00pm, where Blake picked us up from the airport. We were in bed before mid-night.

Oh by the way. THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH Jenna & Blake for house, cat & frog sitting for us. I'm sure that without you staying at our place, someone would have broken in & ran-sacked our stuff. We appreciated it a bunch.

Man, I miss the sun.

20 Years....So Far

So Monday, Monty & I "celebrated" our "20th Year of Togetherness".

Though we had been "hanging out" at town & Church dances for a while, we became an "official" couple on August 15, 1991, when he asked me during an evening phone call, "So....How far do you want this relationship to go?" Just as he asked that, my Mom walked into the room.....all I felt like I could say (so she wouldn't know what we were talking about & what he had asked) was..."Way Far!!"

I was 15 (& a half) & Monty had just turned 16 the month before. As per Church Standards, we didn't actually go out on "dates" until I turned 16.

I'm not afraid to say that I'm 35 years old now.....OH WAIT...'kay..that was a little scary to say, but anyway.....We have been together for more than half of our lives...in one form or another..High School Sweethearts, College Guy & High School Girl, Missionary & Pathetic Counting-EACH-AND-EVERY-DAY (we were apart) Girlfriend, Engaged Couple, Newly Weds, New Parents, & now......Settled & Still in Love Lovers.

I love you Baby!!!!

3 Old Ladies, a Wheelchair...& Some Tears

After you read this post; I hope that you will appreciate the fact that I drove like a crazy woman to get home in order to rant about it. So you better buckle up & hold onto your knickers.....this might get nasty.....or not...I don't know yet...we'll see.

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So, a week or so ago Marni did a rant about (a maybe not so newly acquired) "Pet Peeve".....(Read Here) Well.......Here's my waaaaaaay amped up version.

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Disclaimer ('cuz I figure I almost always need one whenever I open my mind & mouth).

I sometimes.....& usually don't mind old people....BUT.......

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'kay...here it is....in all it's splendorous rantiness.

"Just because you're old it doesn't (or at least..shouldn't) automatically entitle you to one of those handicapped parking passes."

THE STORY behind that statement......

While getting myself together to go into London Drugs, a zippy little silver car pulled into the handicapped stall 2 cars away from me. 3, very attractively dressed, spry as anything, old ladies literally jumped out of the car. 1 of the ladies (that was also the driver), actually skipped like a school girl, up to the door. Not a single one looked to have had any type of a "physical disability" that might impede her ability to walk across a parking lot. Hanging on the rear view mirror was a blue handicapped parking pass.

I was not at all impressed!!!!!!

Meanwhile, a large van pulled into the stall on the other side of me (farther away from the door) & left an over sized space between his van & mine (which I thought was strange at the time).

A handsome, middle-aged man, actually IN a wheelchair, disembarked from the driver's side door of his beautiful modified van. He DID NOT have a handicapped parking pass.

He acknowledged Brigham, who was standing on the curb watching the lift as it lowered him gingerly to the pavement, with a kind wave.

I said good afternoon to him & expressed to him my newly formed adoration for his very cool van & my frustration about the 3 ladies that were probably romping joyously around the store.

He gave me a sweet pat on the hand, & tickled Slader knee, & just shrugged. "Some people just don't know the true heights of their abilities, Sweet Girl." "Judge not." he said to me in the most velvety, sweet voice.

I just about fell on him in tears.

Pfffft.....I judged & still am...& I'm still ticked that those old (quite agile) gals parked in that spot. I hope the driver has a husband with diminished physical capacity so as to justify that parking pass.

Online Scandals

I'm still alive...but just barely. Our 2 oldest sons are giving us a serious public, online run for our money. There are so many things going on right now that there is no possible way to do it justice & the details are just far too.......ridiculous & slightly explicit (are the only words that I can think of). Just know, we are saddened, disappointed, frustrated & confounded by what has & is going on in the minds & actions of our children. It's not bad bad bad...just stupid bad. My best advice....."Hug your children.....so you don't throttle them."

An Epiphany..that brought me to my knees

So, I had a thing (an epiphany...a light bulb moment) very early this morning, while getting ready for the day, that caused me to have to grab the counter to stop myself from completely buckling at the knees in shock & to have to redo my just applied makeup from the crying that came. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Here's some background...some....airing of dirty laundry if you will.... Some people know that I don't have the greatest relationship with my Mom & very oldest sister. Believe me...it's not entirely a bad thing. I'm a huge advocate for getting "disowned". It's amazingly liberating not to have to bend to demanding & commanding of someone's toxic reasoning. I have a really wonderful relationship with my other older sister, Veronica, of whom got ousted from "the family" at the same time I did. We've always said; that the simple ability (of most of the Mothers in our family) to cast their daughters (that's the key word here) aside; must be "genetic". As of right now, we are at 3 generations of women that have done it. #1. My Grandmother (temporarily) disowned my Mother. #2. My Mother (temporarily) disowned my oldest sister...(they are good now), &, as mentioned, Mom has now done it to Veronica & I. #3. The oldest sister has done it to her only daughter. Geesh...it was hard to admit all that. Did you follow all that stupidity? So here's what actually knocked the breath out of me in the silence of the early morning dawn... I only have sons. 4 sons. Will that help me break the cycle that has been repeated over & over.....& over in my family? I pray that that will be the case. Here's also praying that I get 4 amazing, daughter-in-laws that don't bring out toooooo much crazy in me. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Don't get me wrong...I have felt that welling up of frustration that has made me want to drop a smallish blond boy off on a street corner & just drive away....but that's just my big talk & then the moment passes. The fact that I have a husband...that my sons have a father....that help keep the potential child ditching in check is an amazing blessing that I have acknowledged numerous times. Veronica also has that kind of man in her life too....but she also has a daughter, so she is going to have to be extra vigilant so as not to repeat the past. From my lips to God's ears.

2010

It was never my intention to put pictures on the blog...but when you get a good one I guess you have to right.Here we are at Todd & Becky's Wedding in August.

And just the boys.

The boys at Jenna & Blake's Wedding in June.

4 boys....

(my undeniable proof that Heavenly Father as a sense of humor)

How stupid....!!!!! / We're opening up a can of "you-know-what".

Have you ever uttered the phrase... "How stupid is that person?!?!" Well....allow me to tell you how stupid I am. We just signed Chayse (7) & Haiden (9) up for legitimate "beat the crap out of one another classes"......& it was ALLLLL my idea. Here's the description in the community publication. "Aikido....is a non-competitive traditional Japanese martial art. Students work in partners or small groups taking advantage of a nurturing yet challenging learning environment. Advancement is through a colored belt ranking system beginning with yellow belt, moving toward black belt. Course objectives include; demonstrating respect, having good manners, showing discipline and having fun." TRANSLATION.... Bring your can opener.....'cuz we're gonna teach ya how ta open up a can of....well.....you-know-what....on your siblings. They will not be in the same class (thank goodness), but because they are both beginners they will likely be learning the same things at the same time. Please believe it was the "demonstrating respect, having good manners & showing discipline" is was caught my attention & what I am trying to achieve. Wish us luck & feel free to donate to our boy's funeral fund. I'm investing in a whistle & a black & white striped shirt.....I'll probably need a helmet too right?!