Ivan, how do you do it?

Last night I asked Ivan "how do handle taking all 3 kids out? How do you do it, Ivan?" His reply was "I don't handle it, I just do it!" That is just what I needed to hear. Since I have had Morgan, I have spent all of this time at home only going to places I am invited to or have to go to, avoiding any outing without my sweet hubby. He takes the kids to Lagoon on his own every week, to the store etc... I always wonder, how does he handle it? Why can't I handle it? I love his answer, it made me feel so much better about my abilities as a Mother of a teenager and 3 very small kids. So today I took the kids on my own, I didn't wait for Ivan to go with me, I just did it.

We went to get hair cuts!

A couple of weeks ago, my nieces McKoy and Kennedy told me that Janika needed a A line hair cut. I agreed so here she is....

Carter got his cut too, but it is the same as always.....

1. Whitney has friends that give good haircuts

2. Ivan making the video for my YW lesson

3. McDonalds 99 cent cokes

You have to watch this! It is worth it!

My friend from NC, Stephanie had a lion named Lucy she grew up with it. When I was in NC the City made them get rid of her, people were complaining about them having a lion after all of those years. They took her to a place to live. It was so sad!

1. Ever Lasting Love
2. Coconut syrup from Hawaii
3. Long talks with Whitney

Whitney is Home!

My Morning

1:49am- Phone call from Whitney telling me she is leaving Oahu.
4:00 am- taking my oxygen off because I have a huge headache.
4:15 am- Feeding Morgan.
7:00 am- Is Whitney is LA yet? My mind starts to worry like Mother's do.
7:30 am- up checking on Whitney's flight.
7:44 am- Whitney calls and she is in LA.
8:02 am- Whitney calls and is ready to leave to Salt Lake.
8:03 am- Shower and get ready.
8:40 am- Wake up the kids and get them dressed.
9:00 am- Put sign on front door and left to buy balloons for Whitney.
9:22 am- Came home, plugged in Whitney's Sensy candle and put yellow balloons on the door.
9:40 am- Picked Ivan up from work so he could go with us.
10:09 am- Arrived at the airport.
10:22 am- Whitney is home!

I totally forgot to bring the camera inside and knew if I went back to get it I would miss her. Here she is safe, sound and very tired.

Janika asked Whitney "Did you stop to smell the flowers?" Whitney said "Yes I did!" CUTE!

Whitney giving us our gifts

Whitney asked me what I wanted her to bring me home and I told her "go through the house and find something of mine that I didn't get to take home when I moved to Utah" She brought me some of my old CD's It feels so good to have them back and now I don't have to keep saying I used to have the Bob Marley collection, because I have them back!

Her Step-Mom, Lani sent me some Mary Kay stuff! AWESOME!!

They sent this darling dress home for Morgan

Whitney gave Carter this necklace and Lani and Randy gave him a cool shirt!

Whitney got Janika a Hawaiian pearl necklace and Randy and Lani sent Janika this cute hula outfit.

Ivan got this pineapple thing for his birds from Randy and Lani and Whitney brought him some macadamia nut chocolates. She will give them to him when he gets home from work.

1. Whitney is home!

2. Being spoiled by Whitney and her Hawaiian family

3. My Father-in-laws sweet phone call today. He always makes me feel great!

Whitney Sent Photo's From Hawaii

Whitney and Michael at Dole. We would go their almost every day after school to feed the fish. We lived about 5 minutes away. They have the best pineapple ice cream.
Michael and Whitney jumping off a cliff together.
Brother and sister, together at last.
Michael
Whitney and one of her step sisters
Whitney, look at that black sand....Amazing!


1. Photos from Hawaii
2. Laughing till I cried on the sky ride with Melanie
3. Fish oil

My sleeping buddy!

This is not the actual one I used, but it looks exactly like it. This is a little machine that you put on your index finger to test your heart rate and oxygen levels. Per my Drs. orders this machine was dropped off to me yesterday to sleep with. Well needless to say, this is not the best sleeping buddy. It drove me nuts. I just keep watching it, it was actually freaking me out. Those of you who know me well know about my little heart thing. When my heart would do that thing the machine would start flashing yellow instead of green and my heart rate would drop way low, then catch back up. I was hooked on watching this happen. I woke up suddenly in the night and looked at it and my oxygen level was really low. FREAKING me totally out. Finally at 7:30am when Morgan woke up for the third time I took it off and had Ivan put it out on the porch for the guy to pick up this morning, I made it through the night (sigh)! If the results are bad, I have to go to a sleep center. Poor Morgan!!!

1. Modern technology

2. 2nd car fits in the garage (thanks Ivan)

3. Carter is potty trained (knock on wood)

Memory Lane......

My friend Holly had this on her blog and I couldn't resist to participate. Leave me a comment!

Leave me a memory about you and I! First time meeting, funny, sad, crazy events etc.
Here is how you play:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

1. Ivan took the kids to Lagoon and I am alone

2. Snuggling up with Ivan, watching a chick flick until 2:30 am

3. YW/YM Activity was so fun, until someone got hurt :(

Umpa dupa

1. Laughing past midnight on the phone (love ya Mel)

2. Carter pooped on the potty

3. Talking to Whit

Happy Birthday.......Michael

On July 13, 1993 a cute little baby boy was born that would change my life FORVER!

Happy 15th Birthday!

I wished I could be with you today, but know you are always in my heart!

We all love you Michael!

Happy Birthday Katie

Happy 35th Birthday Katie!

Look at us!

Friends since 9th grade and friends forever !

Finally Carter has a professional photo......

Janika's professional Dance Photo's

4th of July Weekend

HIGHLIGHTS

• Concert in the park and fire works on the 3rd
• Children's parade on the 3rd
• Breakfast at my house on the 4th
• Parade out side our house on the 4th
• Mom and dad coming over for breakfast and parade
• Bryce transforming into Newsy the clown
• Whitney and Bryce tying balloons and making bank at the park
• Fireworks in Brigham City on the 4th
• Payson on the 5th hanging out with family, eating, hiking, visiting, swinging.

Library Fun!

Today we went to the library. The Ogden nature center came and brought a couple of cool birds for the kids to see. One was a pelican he was so big and the kids were amazed by him. The other one was an owl. It was so cool to learn all about these birds.

Carter did really well with the crowd for about a 1/2 hour, then he started bugging other kids really bad, so bad I had to pull him away from the kids. I talked him into sitting in Morgans stroller so he could play with my camera and that lasted him about 10 minutes. I swear when Carter gets like this time seems to stop. So it was an extra long hour for me and I was glad to leave. Another child about 2 1/2 was screaming all through the library and the Mother was struggling. It was not a normal type of scream, it was a Carter type and my heart ached for this young mother as she struggled with a baby about 10 months old and a child about 5, trying to get the heck out of the library. I know that feeling all to well and no one ever offers to help, they just give you dirty looks and you feel all alone and embarrassed. I wished I could have helped her, but I had my hands full trying to keep Carter from having a melt down.

This is the look Carter gets when he is done, this is his "Autistic Look" It breaks my heart.

1. Ivan's fixing a toy room for the kids

2. Friends inviting me to the library with them

3. Whitney got a cell phone in Hawaii

I remember this day well.....

I remember the day this photo was taken. I made a decision that totally rocked my world, the decisions I made this day took me to North Carolina and Hawaii. The decision I made this day brought me a lot of new friends, jobs, and opportunity's. The decision I made this day brought me a lot of pain and heart ache and at times I thought it was the worst decision I had ever made.

But..... A lot of good came from this day too... If not for this day I would have.....

• Been married to a cowboy (I broke it off with him on this day too)
• Never met Michael and had the opportunity to be his Mother
• Never met Ivan
• Never had Janika, Carter or Morgan
• Never have experienced the trials that make me a strong person today

It is funny how things turn out in life. I must say the pain this decision brought me was well worth it. I have so much now and wouldn't change a thing. My most important thing in my life is my darling husband and beautiful children. I am so thankful for the gospel and how knowing my saviour has made me a stronger person. I am so thankful for supportive parents that have loved me all along the way no matter what my decisions are in life.

1. All day phone calls.

2. Talking to Whitney

3. Carter peed in the toilet

Bye Bye Whitney...

Whitney, all ready to go...

Whitney Left for Hawaii today! She will be gone until the 23rd. What will I do without her? We had so much fun last night shopping at Target. She was "out of control crazy" and I was too. We couldn't stop acting funny and laughing. EVERYONE looked at us like we needed medication.

On the elevator at the airport (embarrassed that I was taking a photo)

Sweet Whit and Mom

This is Whitney at the security line, this is the place I totally embarrassed her. I purposely started fake crying really loud and hugging her and kissing her. It was so funny EVERYONE was looking at us. Then she made me stop and promise not to do it anymore. This is the last time I saw Whitney's face. The rest of the time I saw her back side going through security. I waited until she was through security and I could no longer see her.
Then my mind starts thinking about getting on that little thing that rolls that you can stand or walk to go faster I had to get on that because she made me promise her. Then I am thinking P3 and C9 that is the place I parked the love wagon (aka mini van) After that I get into the van, Morgan goes to sleep almost instantly and I get a text that reads "I am on the plane now, tell everyone I love them" Then I cry off and on all the way home. The silence of the car ride was a constant reminder she was gone.

When I got home the first thing I noticed was two pair of her shoes sitting at the door, something that was a pet peeve is now something I will miss. Oh her towel was on the bathroom floor too.

I love you Whitters you are the best daughter and friend in the world. It will be a long two weeks without you!

1. Ivan for working at home and tending Janika and Carter

2. Whitney for being such a fun daughter

3. That cool soap dispenser at the airport that was automatic so you don't get someone else's poop on your hands

What do we do at our house at 11:34 pm?

I was extremely bored last night, so I grabbed the camera. This is what we were doing at 11:34 pm last night.

Whitney, just got out of the shower.
Ivan going out to Whitney's car to get her Ipod transmitter thing working for her.
Carter Sleeping, so sound and sweet (sigh).
Janika feel asleep during her movie Matilda (the secret shhhh don't tell Carter)
Morgan, playing in her crib waiting for me to nurse her to sleep.Me, in my chair (this is the place I spend a lot of time), done taking photos ready to nurse my sweet baby to sleep. I was so tired, it was a long, hot day.
What am I doing tonight at 12:10 am? Blogging I just needed some down time before I go bed, plus it isn't 1am yet so I still have time left.

1. Lunch with Melanie

2. Renee making Whitney's apron

3. Seeing Whitney with Zach, they look so cute together (photos coming soon)