Ella turns 6!

I grew up always having birthday breakfast cake on my birthday.  I look forward to it every year still. But my kids always choose something else.  Ella wanted oatmeal with fruit in it for her birthday breakfast! So we stuck a candle in a banana and called it good!

 Ella had a small little party.  (It grew and added a few kids at the last minute, but that was ok!) We had a treasure hunt.  At each clue they had to do something to get their next clue.  Like make it through the string maze.  Blow bubbles for Abby.  Walk the board without falling off.  Balance the ball all the way up the stairs.  It was raining outside so we had everything inside.  We also had pretty much the entire house packed up so it was a fine line of balance for this party!

A few simple treats, and some Cheetos makes any party a go!

I really didn't want to bake a cake for this party.  So I was delighted she chose a donut cake.  Even with all the packing and moving going on, I think she enjoyed her day.  Friends, food and presents.  You bet! She was happy!

Ella is an amazing helper.  I don't know what I would do without her.  I asked her the other day if I could steal some of her freckles.  Maybe put tape on her face and maybe her freckles would stick to the tape and then I could put them on me.  She looked at me with her cute smile, and said, sure mom. You can have some freckles!  

Being a strong mom and person

Ive had a lot of great moments lately.  Some starting way back when.  I wanted to remember these moments when I felt like I was really a strong person.  Sometimes I feel like I am just a girl, or just a mom with three kids and a mortgage, or even just like a silly person who needs to slow down and think 12 times before I say or do anything.  But then I have some moments where I remember I can choose to be what I want to be.  And what I think about my self and how I feel about myself trumps!

This was  a little camp fire we had standing in the backyard of Katies house.  4 friends came together from 4 different places in a time of need.  It was late at night because thats when we could do it! But the big thing is that when one of us needed each other we were there.  We just had a few things to burn and get ride of.  

This picture reminds me of so many books.  Persian Pickle club, A little Traveling Pants, and some Ya Ya sisterhood!  I plan to be friends with these ladies for a very long time.  

Another proud moment was this chart on my fridge.  It is a lot of work to loose weight.  I lost over 20 lbs and am feeling good.  I can look back over that and see the progress and see how being the boss over what I put in my mouth is a lot of work and I am strong for taking control and doing it.  

And I had another good mom moment on Friday night.  Ella and I went skiing.  We did the fun race series at Sundance ski resort. It was just her and I, just zipping around the mountain.  Me and my little shadow.   As we drove home and cranked up a little Sara Barellis and sang our little hearts out- I thought, this is a great moment.  I was seeing and enjoying the rewards of hard work, being a good parent, having fun with my kids, bundling them up to go skiing every week.... All that work pays off and we can love and enjoy our kids

I do think that our lives have been very blessed lately.  The cliche phrase, seeing the Lords hands in your life... truly applies.  This strength in our lives, I think, is due in part to reading the scriptures as family every morning.  We start the day off right and put the Lord first.  

We had a several large answers to prayers lately too.  Abby had tubes put in her ears. Through a small miracle the surgery got bumped up 7 days.  Having a baby with hurt ears is hard, so 7 days is big! I am grateful we can have the Lord in our lives and have a church that teaches such good family principles.  Families are amazing!

I also think there are good friends in your life.  People come into your lives for many reasons.  And many times they have to leave our lives before we are ready.  (I have moved too many times!)  But I am a people person.  I talk to work things out.  I am grateful for the good friends in my life!  

Highlights of February... the ER visit

February was such a busy month.  I knew it was a month that wouldn't last forever but at the time it sure seemed like it wasn't going away very fast.  There were lots of moments that were mixed in with good, crazy, rushed, and a few tears.  

We got to go to Nielsons frozen custard with my Dad.  An old favorite from our childhood.  That is ice-cream/custard worth eating!  Abby really enjoyed it!

 My friend brought me dinner and roses for Valentines. It was oh so thoughtful! As much as I love flowers it made me sad to see these die.  Darren knows to buy me a plant.  It won't die.

 We made it up skiing a few times.  I love to see the pay off finally.  Kids can ski, Parents can ski. We all have a great time.  There isn't too much snow up there.  It has been a slow winter but it makes it easier when its so warm to keep kids happy!

Whats not to love about this little baby.  We have been battling ear infections since mid December so these precious sleeping happy moments are wonderful!

 I did have to go to the Emergency Room on the 21st of February.  That one hit me pretty hard.  I had pressure in my inner ear, pushing on the balance center in my brain.  Causing major vertigo.  I couldn't walk, I couldn't open my eyes.  I mostly just felt like I was spinning in circles and threw up so much I had to go to the hospital.  I kind of looked like death.  Pale and lifeless.  It was so amazing to have so many people drop everything and come help me.  Including my neighbor who had to help carry me out of my house with Darren like a limp 2 year old throwing a tantrum.... I was helpless.  I am grateful that is over.  I occasionally have spinning moments, like going on a Lagoon ride, or rocking on a boat, but for the most part ... I am recovered.

This was me the day after at the park.  That was about all I could do was sit there.  But all the cousins were together and I wanted to be part of the fun!

These are my kids.  There are many times a day I think how grateful I am for my kids.  They are good kids.  They work hard and play hard.  They have their own personalities.  and some of my personality in their too!  

Hogging the sunshine

Ella the photographer, always stealing my camera for some reason

Abby who makes our little family just perfect. When I set her on the grass the other day, she wasn't sure what to think about it.  

 Blue and Gold banquet at scouts.  Tyler and I love scouts.  It has been one of the most fun callings I have ever had!