To simplify or not!

I have been doing really well at simplifying.  Until this month.  

My sister Candace gave me a simple wood plaque with the word simplify on it years ago.  

It has been something I have strived for, for a longtime.  

It is too easy to over due it.  or just do too much sometimes.  

Here is my life not simplified. 

Playdates all the time.  

14 kids at my house... it was fun.  It wasn't too bad.  The kids had fun. 

But when Roxanne Dog, who we were dog sitting for the weekend, becomes so over stimulated I had to laugh.  She needed quiet time in her kennel too.  

 Abby got in some R and R when she could.

We hit up some skiing time.  Abby included.  Ella with her new "ninja mask"/Balaclava. 

Driving back down into the valleys inversion.  

Tyler was Eagle of the month.  You cant even see him, but he's there on the second row.  But he is a great student.  I am so proud of him.  

Ella got her hair cut.  She doesn't love it and wants long hair but we wanted the short sides to be the same as the rest.  (so her previous 3 self inflicted hair cuts are now all even!)

I feel guilty and think I need to do art projects with my daughter.  So we have had 4.  yes 4 art projects going on at one time!

We have our friend Bella over 

The last warm days

We enjoyed a few walks together before the cold settled in.  Abby grows so fast.  It seems like I am always taking pictures because every day she is doing something else new.  

I continue to get the comments that she looks just like Tyler.  I agree.  Their baby pictures are so similar.  

Ella asks me daily what art project or craft project we can do.  She did a million hearts the other day.  I still find some laying around and we just put them away in her special "treasure drawer"/her night stand. 

I cant save every art project but this one made me happy.  I was gone for a few hours and came home to my families art drawings.  Can you guess which ones is Darrens, Tylers and Ellas.  And can you notice the clouds and sun in everyone.  (Ella added those for everyone)

update on my kids...

Tyler is not such a little kid anymore.  He is still getting up at 6:35 every morning to practice piano with me.  He loves to read chapter books,  I hear him laughing all the time as he reads.  He is doing very well in school.  He learns fast, but he also studies to get good grades and understand hard concepts.  The other day I tried to kiss him on the lips and he wasn't sure about that anymore.  So I gave him a big kiss on the cheek which was returned with a big hug!  He has written me several love notes lately, Telling me how much he loves me and loves to cuddle with me.  

He thought it was fun to go on a daddy date to the Jazz game.  He dressed up for Nerd Day at school.  

Ella loves her brother and sister so much.  She gets upset if I ever get mad at Tyler.  She feels like she needs to protect him from getting in trouble.  She loves to do things Tyler does.  She was a tumbler in a Circus skit at school the other day.  She entertains Abby so much.  I couldn't do Abby with out her.  Sometimes Abby gets hurt while Ella is entertaining her but for the most part she is wonderful!  Ella likes to read.  She loves to do art projects.   craft projects.  draw.    (make artistic messes!!!)

Abby is figuring out what she likes and doesn't like.  She smiles and laughs.  And she cries and hollers.  But we love her and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't thank the Lord for sending her to our families.  We are a better family because we have had to stretch and grow with our Abby around.

This video was taken when she could only scoot backwards.  We found her hiding in corners all the time.  She also loves our green smoothies.  She lets you know that she wants some! 

I am so grateful for my family.  So happy I have each and every one of them.  My husband is amazing. and my children are wonderful!

Thanksgiving 2013

It seems like I have so very little time with my little family when we are all together.  So I really love those days when its just us!  Thanksgiving morning we took the kids out riding to the pump park in Draper.  Lots of fun jumps and bumps.  Then we went riding ... about 3 or 4 miles as a family.  Darren got to pull Abby.  So nice!

Then we headed over to my parents to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner.  I have always thought thanksgiving was my favorite holiday.  The food and family and visiting cant be beat.  

Tyler played the piano for Grandpa.  He learned Grandpas favorite song... little drummer boy.

My sister jenny was there and played us some nice music on her new violin.  It was so peaceful just sitting there listening to her and see the sunshine streaming in.  

On Friday afternoon we went skiing at Alta.  It was the first time with Abby but she did great.  We had 8 kids (two of those were babies, 8 months old and 2 months old) and then 5 adults.  It was fantastic.  It was a magical day.  

We stopped to eat after and wow-- Abby is growing fast.  

These two have been friends for a long time.  Rob and Dalls.  I wonder if they imagined this day 20 years ago, when there were terrorizing the poor citizens of Logan!

Saturday we cheered Darren on on his last bike race in Ogden.  I am proud of him.  He had planned to be at the top of this race series, but because he was hit by that car in September he ..... well... he didn't come across last place, but close!  He loves it so thats good!