SPRING BREAK START!!

Yesterday I took my boys, along with 2 friends and 8 other kiddos for an adventure. We got ALOT of funny looks as we walked down the street to the light rail stop but who cares what other people think. My husband thinks I'm crazy or glutton for punishment but he doesn't understand punishment until he is stuck in a house with 4 stir crazy and bored kids all day with all of them either picking fights for something to do OR getting into some other mischief OR complaining about being bored. This was a cakewalk compared to that and besides it was fun, mostly. So our adventure started out riding the light rail to the Heard Museum. We wandered the museum for awhile and then the light rail back to our trucks and then to a park for a picnic lunch. It was a perfect 75 degree sunny day with a slight breeze and almost no arguing the entire day. Who could ask for more? After that I exchanged Ryan's new CTR ring, I got the wrong size, then off to Dr. B for, you guessed it, two kids with ear infections and still more antibiotics and a referral to another ENT for more tubes for AJ, his third set. Levi won't be far behind if he follows the pattern set down by his brothers. Then to Dr Davis to get adjusted and then to Sams much to Ryan's dismay. He thinks I did too much already but the dogs need food you know?! Last to Fry's to drop off prescriptions. It was a very long day but all in all... After all of that, on the way home I asked the boys if they had a good day and still they all said yes. Above are some pics we took on the first half, the funner half, of our adventure. Today we did some visiting teaching but mostly, rested and packed for our camping trip. Have I mentioned that I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I think the boys are at least as excited as I am. Hopefully, Ryan will be able to get his homework done so that he can come up with us and not have to bring a second truck. What kind of teacher gives homework over spring break? They obviously don't understand the concept of a break and if anyone deserves one it's my husband. Anyway, so far I'm not doing too bad at keeping my resolution of making happy memories but the year is still young, I have to keep it up! Oh yeah, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

My garden is growing FINALLY!

So, granted this isn't the best picture but I'll tell you what it is... It's my garden and it's growing stuff. I have spinach and swiss chard and cilantro and some aloe vera growing. I'm so excited. I think tomorrow we will have spinach salad with dinner to celebrate. I love fresh vegetables, it's so satisfying (is that spelled right?) to grow your own and when you want some, to just go out and pick some. Ryan told me to just pave over it but I didn't give up. He called me out the other day to "pick my weeds" AJ believed him and started pulling them up but Ryan quickly stopped him. What a good helper AJ is. Have I mentioned I love my kids?

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE!! NO SERIOUSLY

I haven't blogged in awhile, mostly because ALL of my kids have been sick and it's been a little rough to put it lightly. I wasn't going to blog tonight but I was just checking my email and one of my wonderful sister-in-laws sent me a great message that made me think about how much I love my kids. They make me crazy, they are 100% all boy and non stop action and goofy and rough and tumble. They also amaze me. They take care of each other. They look out for each other. They care about others. They are caring and loving and FUNNY and I absolutely love them. There are no words to express just how much I love them and I'm so proud of them. Even Levi when AJ is hurt or upset will stroke AJ's hair, the same way I do, to calm him. AJ, if any baby is crying will take him/her a toy to calm them down. Jake loves to show off his brothers and carry them around and teach them things and play with them. Caleb is often taking them around and playing with them, talking with them. They take time away from their games and what have you. I love my kids!!! I was talking to a friend from High School the other day and he asked me what I was up to. I had no exciting answer just 4 kids and a husband. He hit the nail on the head when he said, you wouldn't trade it for the world would you? He was right, not ever.

Another day in the life of a blessed mom

Today started out fair, got rough in the middle and then miraculously ended wonderfully. Some days I am so tired that I can't wait for bedtime but that isn't why today ended wonderfully. Today I dragged myself out of bed exhausted again, I haven't really slept in almost 8 years but it's not really that bad. Anyhow I rolled out of bed and got the day started with my favorite boys, all but the oldest. They got off to school and the little ones and I came home to start the rest of my day. I got a little exercising done but Levi and AJ both were clingy and crabby so it was obvious that it was going to be a nonproductive day. AJ told me there was something in his ear. I have an otoscope and so I looked. He was right. It's draining pus from his tubes. I have to take him in to see Dr. B again. Levi's ears looked good, just more teeth coming in. Nothing I did made them happy except holding them. I have come to realize it does no good to fight it or stress about all of the things being left undone while I sit and hold them so I don't. Anyhow about noon my dear visiting teacher came to visit. I had forgotten. I was still in my pj's and my house was a wreck. HOW EMBARASSING!!!! She said "you look different." One of those minutes I wish I could freeze time and clean up quickly. At least my teeth were brushed. That's pretty well how my afternoon went. But later she called me and said she remembered what it was like to have sick kids and she was bringing me dinner and already had it in the oven. She is so wonderful and it was so nice to be able to take care of the kids instead of worrying about what to fix for dinner. Jake and Caleb are great helpers too and took the babies to play so that I could sew the patches on Jake's scout shirt for scouts tonight. I took Jake to scouts and the babies fell asleep on the way home so when I got home Caleb and I had some one on one time. We don't get that very often and I'm so glad we did tonight. We played basketball and 2 square. We laughed and just enjoyed each other. I actually felt like a good mom. The babies woke up of course and didn't want to go to bed on time, imagine that. I don't care, it was worth it. I love my kids so much and I have so much fun with them. I am so grateful for them and the lessons they teach me. Sometimes I have to remind myself of a favorite quote, "cleaning the house while children are growing is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing." Phyllis Diller. I can't expect it to stay clean for more than a few minutes.

Partying

We had our ward Christmas party last night and of course Santa knows what a great time it is every year so he always comes and hangs out with the kids. AJ wouldn't sit on his lap this year but I thought he might this year since we have been talking about it so much this year and he has been saying that he will tell Santa he wants candy for Christmas. He calls Santa "Christmas" for some reason. As you can see from his face in the picture, he wasn't trusting him enough to take his eyes off of him even for the picture. He definitely wasn't going to sit on his lap. Caleb got a santa hat from my mom and was having a blast with that, as you can plainly see. Tonight was our annual Maher Christmas party and this year we did it at our house. Considering that we have a pretty big family and a not so big house, it went pretty well. The food was delicious, the desserts were delightful, the gift exchange was fun (we got Wall-E, sorry Karla), the kids had fun playing upstairs and if the quality of the fun correlates to the noise level, they were having fun. Considering how many kids were here and how loud it was, the mess is, actually, not bad at all. I love Christmas. Not for the gifts although it's fun to give and nice to get. I love Christmas for all of the opportunities we have every day to celebrate the life of our Savior. I am so grateful for his atoning sacrifice. I am thankful for my husband and children. I am thankful for all of my family. I am thankful for wonderful friends. I am thankful for more blessings than I can ever name.