Great Day With Grandpa

Last Monday my dad came and spent the day with our boys while Jared and I both worked!! My dad took them to the city to go swimming and to a movie and finally finishing at McDonald's for supper!! 

Before they left my dad told the boys to go brush their teeth! Without missing a beat Calum says, "we only brush our teeth at bedtime!" Grandpa tells him that while he's here they brush their teeth before they go out too!!  They go into the bathroom and dad notices that there are only two brushes and they are both the same! He asks Calum which is which, Calum told him it doesn't matter! Wondering why there are only two toothbrushes dad asked where Emry's is, Calum answers rather disappointed that she hides it because she doesn't like them using her tooth brush!!! Dad had to laugh at this, it was like Calum couldn't believe that she wouldn't want them to use her toothbrush!!  And just to clarify Calum does brush his teeth more than just at bedtime!!!

At the swimming pool the boys loved the ball!! Calum would swing out and almost immediately let go! Armin would get on the ball, dad would give it a push and out Armin would go and then back he would come!! He didn't want to let go!! 

I'm glad they had such a good time!! I sure appreciate all our family does to help us out! It takes a lot of stress off our minds knowing our kids are being well taken care of while we are working!

32

Last Friday I turned 32!  I think I am a little naive...when I think of myself I really don't see an over weight 32 year old, I see a vibrant fit 22 year old!  I'm not sure if this is good or bad!  Anyway, I was able to spend my birthday at home with three of my favourite little people!  We made cookies and watched Toy Story!  Saturday evening Jared and I went out for supper with Buck and Arren and had ice cream from The Marble Slab!  Soooooo yummy!  In keeping with tradition I want to list 32 of my favourite things!

1. The Gospel.  I am so happy I made the decision to be baptized into such a wonderful religion.  I have witnessed many blessings in my life because of my faith!

2. Jared!  He truly is a wonderful man, so caring and compassionate.  He is very supportive of my many crazy ideas and helps bring me back to earth when my ideas really truly will not work!

3. Our three crazy kids!  I love each one of them more than words can express.  They each have a unique personality and I am so thankful I have the opportunity to be their mom!

4. My home.  It truly is a beautiful home, I love the fact that Jared built it and together we have made it a house full of lots of love and laughter!

5. Books!  I LOVE to read!

6. Chocolate!  Milk chocolate...I am addicted to Bubbly Mint Cadbury Bars, I don't understand why they only come in a family size chocolate bar, I can't stop eating it once I start!!

7. Sweaters!  The only good thing about this unbelievably long snowy winter is the fact that I have been able to wear sweaters everyday!

8. The mountains!  I love being able to see them off in the distance, snow covered and majestic!

9. The flat prairies!  I love looking out any one of our windows and being able to see for miles on end.

10.  Durum Wheat!  I think this is my absolute favourite grain crop!  I love the brown hues on the bearded wheat.  I love it when the wind is gently blowing through the crop making it look like waves in the water.

11. My family...my mom, my dad and my sister!  I am so thankful for them in my life, for all they have taught me and continue to teach me.  I am thankful for their love and support and for words of advice in time of need.

12. My extended family!!!  I am so thankful for the Puzey family and for the way they have accepted me with open arms of love.  They are always there when I am in need, showing support and encouragement.  I am so thankful to have married a man from such a kind, loving, caring and compassionate family!

13. Broccoli!  I am not supposed to eat too much of it because it has so much potassium, which can thin out my blood too much!  But I really do love it...it is so yummy!

14. Walking.  I don't do it nearly enough, but I really do enjoy going outside for a walk.

15. Making cards!

16. My Church calling!  I love teaching the Youth, or actually learning from the youth while I try and teach them!  Their testimonies are so strong which gives me hope for the challenges that will most definitely come.

17. Cupcakes.  I really enjoy making new cupcakes.  I haven't made one yet that I don't like!

18. Baking in general!  I love trying new recipes!  I find it absolutely fascinating to mix flavours and seeing the way things come together from a liquid type form into something so moist and fluffy!

19. Cats.  I have liked them better outside in more recent years but I love the way they like to curl up on my lap and purr.  The sound of their purring is so soothing!

20. Dogs!!  I love how loyal dogs are. I feel safe having Gibson keeping watch outside.  When he barks it lets me know that either a strange car has come in the yard or there is a coyote out in the field.  I like how strangers are leery of him even though he really is harmless!  He has a very intimidating bark!

21. Bread!  I hope I never have gluten intolerances because I don't think I could give up bread!

22. Lego!  I love how the kids LOVE to play with it and will play for hours using their imaginations building things for all their mini figures!

23. Trees.  Though we don't have a lot where we live I love how every single tree is different, how they can be planted right beside each other but they grow in such different ways.

24. Autumn.  I love the colours of fall.  How the leaves change colours at different times and create a menagerie of tones and textures!

25. Cookies!  Any cookie really!  I love baking cookies and eating cookies.  My family calls me The Cookie Monster!  They can be homemade or store bought, it really doesn't matter!

26. The idea of gardening!!  I want to love gardening, I love having fresh vegetables but I don't like weeding it and thinning out the rows.

27. Decorating our house to suit the season or holiday!

28. Movies!  There really isn't a movie I haven't liked.  I always seem to find something I like about it.

29.  Cuddling on the couch with Jared.  Though he describes it more as leaning against him!  I love that time in the evenings after the kids have gone to bed when we can just sit together and watch t.v.!!

30. Music!  I particularly love the Disney music from the most recent movies, but I really love all types of music (except rap!!).  I love playing it loud while cleaning the house.  I love how all our kids sing along and dance.

31. Visiting Teaching!  I am not always very diligent about getting it done but I love going and I also love having Visiting Teachers come see me!  I love the common bond we share in the gospel, raising our families and generally trying to do our best!

32. This list!!!  More than anything I am thankful I was actually able to finish it!

I have so much to be grateful for, I really have a very rich and abundant life one I will never take for granted!  I look forward to this year and all it has to offer!

Not Nearly As Dramatic Today!!

Yesterday was a pretty pitsy day for me!!! And I can't really say it got a whole lot better!  I told Jared that morning before he left for work that the house would be sparkling clean when he gets home!! I think he was truly disappointed that it wasn't any different than when he left!!! Though he did comment on how tidy our kitchen cupboards were!!! Instead of focussing on laundry and bathrooms I reorganized my kitchen!!! 

While I was making supper Jared was laying on the couch with his ankle propped up since it still isn't feeling any better since he rolled it a couple of weeks ago! While he was laying down the kids decided it would be great fun to throw all the diapers I had just picked up and put back in the basket at their dad!! Jared however did not think this was funny which just made them do it more (gee, I wonder who they get that from!!!) I also did not think it was funny but I was totally staying out if it for fear I would snap!  So to say the least, yesterday was just a down right dumpy day :(

This morning I woke up with a little better outlook!!! I managed to get Emry showered, Calum dressed, lunches made, smoothies for breakfast and Calum on the bus without any hesitation!!! Then I unloaded the dishwasher and cut up fruit and put together smoothie packs for the freezer to make mornings easier!!! Then Armin and I had a shower and got ready to go to Vulcan!! I was asked to come into work for a few hours while the other tech had training!! Armin went to daycare!! 

So far it has been much better than yesterday, and I can only see it getting better!! Well, we shall see....Jared is meeting with a doctor this afternoon about his ankle, they only called two weeks later to say they want him to come in as soon as he is available....I'm really hoping it isn't broken because he's been walking on it and could have done more damage.  I guess on the plus side he will know for sure what the prognosis is!!!!

Motivation Depletion

I'm really struggling with working away from home, well at least I'm struggling with the long days at work! I find our house gets totally out of control over the two days I work and then on my day off I want to just cuddle with my boys while they watch a show and when they get up to play I stay on the couch and catch up on my shows or Pinterest!!! I do eventually get the house in order but I wouldn't say its CLEAN! I have a mountain of clean laundry in the laundry room that needs to be folded and put away! With the beautiful weather I should have more motivation, but then I look outside at the mud so I pull the blinds back down and pretend I didn't see! I want to get the outside of our house done this spring but I was informed that it probably won't happen this spring because Jared has to seed more grass and barley and oats for the cows. The cows are also a huge motivation depleter for me. I love having cows, I love it when they calve, I love working with them in every way, but I HATE it when Jared comes home from work in the evening he has another full time job. I hate how they cost us money that we could be using to finish our house or going on trips with our kids. I am also not motivated to exercise...well that's not totally true...when I am laying in bed I try to picture what the next day will bring and I always see myself getting up early exercising, making a nice breakfast for my family, showering and either going to work or cleaning our house!! But the alarm rings at 6 and I hit the off button and then rush to get ready when I finally do wake up more than an hour later :( it always looks so much easier to do in my head! Eating is another motivation depleter for me, all I want is junk and I never feel full or even satisfied with what I do eat. Gee, I feel so...blah.