And for that I am Happy...

Last Friday I spent all day packing Kyle to go on the Klondike campout with his scout troup. I stressed out that he wasn't going to have enough dry clothes. I worried that he wouldn't sleep warm enough. I panicked that he would somehow get lost along their hike and not be able to find his way back. I guess that is what mothers do...they worry. I overpacked, and overworried. When I dropped him off, his scout leader (Pres. Morton) asked if anyone could think of anything that they had forgotten to pack. I joked and hugged Kyle from behind and said, his Mom. I am sure I may have embarrassed him just a little bit. As I drove away I wanted to break down in tears. When did my baby get old enough to go on a winter campout without me or Chad (he had to work)? When did he get old enough to go snowboarding with friends? When did he get old enough to show interest (slightly) in girls, and when did he get old enough to go to the Jr. High State Wrestling finals? When I got home I went in my room and knelt beside my bed. I said a prayer for Kyle, but as I was praying I realized that I was the one that needed the help. I felt comforted in knowing that Kyle was going to come home okay from the Klondike campout. I also felt very peaceful that Heavenly Father cares about me as a mother. It is okay for mom's to worry...it's what we do. But, we can find peace with Heavenly Father's help. Kyle came back the next afternoon happy as a little lark. He was soaked and smelled like campfire, but he had the greatest time, and for that I am happy!

It is a New Year!!!

Happy New Year! I am not one to make New Year Resolutions. I am not that great at keeping them, so I would rather make short term goals that I know I can accomplish. You know like not eating Chocolate for a day. There is no way that I am going to last more than that, so I like to take things day by day. But there is one New Years Resolution that I am gonna work for this year...and that is to Laugh more! I feel like I get lost in the day to day things and get so uptight about my house being clean and my kids being perfect that I forget to have fun and laugh! Bedtime usually isn't that much fun around our house. It usually isn't terrible, but I am usually pretty tired and just want them in bed. The other night I decided to start our routine a little earlier. We were all ready for prayers by 7:40. So, we sat in the boys' room and talked. I told them about when I used to speak the bubble gum language with my friends in High School. I tried to teach it to them and we laughed and laughed and had so much fun. There was a warm spirit in our house and I know that Heavenly Father wants us to have fun with our kids.
Okay, I guess I have one more goal this year. That is to blog more. Not for you people that may be reading this right this second, but for future "generations". My sister in law Lisa just printed her blog off into the most beautiful book. It is the most awesome journal I have ever seen. So, I hope to blog more often (not going to say how much), but more often and print it off yearly so I can have a beautiful journal!
So, last Sunday Kyle woke up really super sick. He had a fever and he threw up and his throat was killing him. I knew exactly what is was. We get strep at least two times a year at our house. So, I took him into Insta Care (Uncle Glenn happened to be working and that was fun to have him as our doctor), and sure enough it was Strep. Well, the only good thing about strep is once you have the antibiotics you seem to feel better within one day. Well, not this time. He was really sick for four days. The day he finally went back to school Landon woke up throwing up. I thought it was strep at first, but his throat was hurting and by lunch he perked back up. So he went to school on Thursday and Friday. Well, Friday night he had gone to a friends house to play and when he got home he said he felt like he had something stuck in his throat. Sure enough he woke up the next morning fevering. I took him in and now he has strep. So, we have missed church for the last 5 weeks because at least one person in our house has been sick (I think it was one boy or another coughing before that). So, I am ready for sickness to be gone from our house, and ready for normal routines to start again. Landon is a trooper and is the toughest kid I have ever met. He and I had a great Sunday together (I sent the other boys to church with Chad). He makes me smile and warms my heart!

Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Santa visited our house a day early, because Chad had to go to work on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. The Wise family had us over for their traditional Venezuelan dinner on the Eve of Christmas Eve. It was so much fun. Randall spent so much time making all of the yummy food! The boys were very excited as we drove home from Ogden in the fog. They just knew they saw Roudolf guiding Santa's sleigh to our house! They kept asking what time they could wake up in the morning. I told them anytime they wanted, knowing that they wouldn't wake up early (they never do). The next morning, I woke up at 6:00 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. I laid in bed until 7:30 and heard someone get up, but they didn't come in my room. I couldn't wait any longer, so I went to see who had gotten up. It was Kyle and he had gotten back in bed. I went in and asked him what he was doing. He said, "I don't know." I asked him if he knew it was Christmas morning, and why he wasn't waking up his brothers. He is such a laid back kid. He helped me wake up the others so we could go downstairs and see what Santa had brought. I remember being so excited as a kid, that I couldn't go to sleep at night and then I would wake up at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. Not my kids! I just don't get it. Once they had been woken up they were very excited!


Randall Wise and Chad making the final preparations for dinner


The boys walking in the room to see what Santa had brought


All of my boys on Christmas Morning. Chad was looking at the photo book I had made him to put in his flight case.


Spencer with his loot. He got a Dsi and a game and a carrying case...and a few other things...


Landon with all of his stuff. He too got a Dsi and a game and case.


Jared already had a Dsi, so he got a couple of games...and a few other things...


Kyle also got a Dsi with the stuff to go with it. Not sure if he loves it or not. He doesn't love Video games, but at least he will have something to play on on our long road trips.


Grandma Julie always makes them their Christmas Jammies. This year she found these darling shirts in Florida! Uncle Steve got them all new beanies!


Every year I try and do something special for Chad. This year, I had a friend make a quilt for him. He has talked about wanting a quilt for a long time, but I knew I just couldn't do it. I can't sew and never will be able to. So, I called our good friend Cherish Moore and she had it done within a week! She is so amazing. I got the reaction that I wanted...TEARS! He wouldn't put the quilt down to get them on camera...although I think you can see his red face! Love it!


Santa brought the kids a Wii and quite a few games including Mario Kart with the wheels and Super Mario Bros. They also got a Tony Hawk Shred game with a cool Skateboard thing. Chad and I always get the kids one toy, on book and one movie. So their toy this year was their Dsi! I guess you could say we had a video game Christmas. I might regret it later, but for now it has been fun! The other items in their loot are from Grandparent's! They got a haul! The Trammell's always get the kids a new Hess Truck. We only let them open one of them because they are collectable. This years truck was had a jet on the back. Pretty Cool! A mysterious person also brought them a new 2 in 1 game table with ping pong and air hockey! They sure got spoiled rotten!