How the girls fell asleep last night...

Yep, they fell asleep reading books. When I walked into the library and found them like this, I think my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't have been more happy, especially since I had no idea what they were up to. I had been in the other room doing some dishes and cleaning up the kitchen after I got home from the youth fireside, and afterwards I was going to go tuck the girls into their beds. I love that my children love books, and I also love the fact that I have a library that they can fall asleep in.

A couple of years ago, I watched a movie about President Hinckley when he was growing up. One of the things that he had in his home was a library where his mother would read to him. Ever since I heard that, I decided that a library was something I wanted in my next house. So when we moved here we chose to make our front living room, our library. It has been wonderful!!! We use that front room as our room for reading to our girls, rocking our baby, having family home evening, home teaching, visiting teaching, family scripture reading, etc. It has become my very favorite room in our house. It is a room without electronics. No phones, computers, or tvs. It is just full of books, chairs, sofa, family pics, piano, and pictures that remind us that our family is forever.

A room that has become the heart of our home.

Weekend parties, picture of Hailey, and preschool graduation...

This weekend seemed like one big party. We started the weekend off with a party on Friday night for Cory's Sunday school class. Cory and I love having our house full of youth. We had a great time with them. Cory even took them doorbell ditching later on in the night (they were going to go rolling like they did at the last party, but it was supposed to rain that night). Then Saturday we went and helped one of the boys in our ward with his eagle scout project and then spent the rest of the day at one of my laurel's house (she was having a swimming graduation party). We had a relaxing Sabbath and we're now getting ready for another full day of partying.




These last two pictures were taken the other week at Cloey's preschool graduation. We LOVED doing "mommy preschool" this last year. It is seriously the way to do preschool. I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone who wants to do preschool for their child. It was very easy and fun!!! The 7 kids all went to one person's house for 5 weeks (2 times a week) and that mom would teach and then we would rotate to the next kid's house. We had a meeting at the very beginning of the year to decide what themes we would all teach and to choose a schedule so that we would all keep it consistent. Cloey had the best teachers EVER in gospel-centered homes with adorable classmates...what more could you ask for???

Where's the love?

Okay, I am trying to not take this personally, but seriously! Is there no one excited about my exciting news?

Exciting News

No...I'm not pregnant. I know that is what you were thinking. :) This news isn't as exciting [or crazy] as that news would be, but still exciting nonetheless.

Exciting News #1 .....I have found a new love. Bike riding. Last Saturday, Cory and I went on a bike riding date. We hired a babysitter and everything. We left at 8 am and got home at 11. We rode 20 miles...holy cow, right? I don't think I have ever even gone 10 miles at one time before this week. I have been riding on my own as well, and my grand total (including my ride today) since last Thursday will be 50 miles. I love it. I'm not as good as Cory but I'll get there. My goal is to be able to easily ride 30miles on my 30th birthday. I also want to run 3 miles and swim 300 yards on my birthday. Then I will eat the biggest German chocolate cake ever. :)

Exciting News #2....I am the new proud owner of a cricut!!!! FINALLY! I've only waited for like 2 years. My awesome sister-in-law, Amber, called me the other day to let me know that they were on sell for $50 on a particular website. I couldn't have been more excited! The $100 I saved made it totally worth the wait!

Exciting News #3....While we were living in Asheville, I was good friends with an amazing couple in our ward. They were both incredibly intelligent, on a secular and religious level. I loved to just sit and talk with them because they would always teach me SO MUCH from just one conversation, especially when we talked about the Book of Mormon. Just recently, the husband, Grant Hardy, got his book published by Oxford. I was one of the lucky ones because I got to read the manuscript right after he finished it when it was still on individual typed papers. I LOVED the book and I was so excited when he told me that he was going to include me in his acknowledgment page at the beginning of his book. If you click here you can see his book (or you may just want to buy it...I highly recommend it!!) and you can even scroll through the pages and find my name. It will probably be the only time that my name is ever "published" by Oxford (okay, that may be a stretch, but just go with it okay?).

Exciting News #4....summer has officially started. Yeah for sleeping in, no schedules (at least for this week), and long, fun, hot days in the sun and water.

some pics taken in the last week...

[Blogger is driving me crazy!! This comment is supposed to be under the picture of the backpack.] This is what I found in Katelund's backpack last week when she came home from school. I hope she never outgrows her love of flowers/weeds/grass. She is such a nature lover.
[This comment is supposed to be under the last picture.]
So I really need to dye my hair again because I have some gray showing through (what is up with that???!!). So I need some opinions. Do you think I should dye it auburn again or should I do some highlights for the summer? It's curly because it is starting to get humid, and when it gets humid, there is just no point in straightening it...so I let it go wild.

The joys of grocery shopping....

I still remember one of Cory and I's very first fights when we were newlyweds. I needed to go to the store and he didn't want to go with me. I couldn't believe it!!! Why would my new hot husband not want to be by my side everywhere that I went? Why would he want to miss out on an opportunity to grocery shop with me!!!!???? I was so upset! In fact, I remember telling him that I didn't drive well at night so I would just walk to the grocery store all alone (wow, I was seriously so lame!!!). What I actually meant by saying that was, "oh please just go with me, if not, I am going to threaten to walk there so that I will be the martyr and you will be so worried about something happening to me that you will have no other choice than to go with me. Not that I actually would've walked...but...it just came out. I can't even believe that I am admitting how immature I was!! Anyways, I don't even remember what happened. I think I ended up going, but I do remember fighting about it for at least a day.

Now fast forward, 10 years and 4 children later.......

I LOVE going to the store by myself. It is liberating and oh so enjoyable. Especially if it is at Target. But, as much as I love going by myself. There is something else that I love even more...going as a family of 5. Yes, I really did just say that. I don't know why, but it is just something we do. Maybe it is because Cory and I just want to be together and it is the only way, or maybe it is because of the sweet lady at Walmart last week who said to me, "You are such a beautiful family", but whatever it is, I love it. I love how my girls walk together as "BFFs" (Katelund's new lingo), how Hailey looks up at me and smiles the most beautiful smile ever, and how Cory reaches out for my hand as if we were the only ones in the store. Yes, there are moments of craziness with the girls climbing in and out of the bottom of the cart and Hailey crying when she is getting hungry, but the craziness is totally worth it as we are driving home as a family with the windows down, music up, and singing our hearts out together. Those are the moments that matter. The moments that keep me folding the clothes and doing the dishes over and over again every single day. The moments that define my life as "just another day in paradise".

Random

Did you know that when you do service that you experience the same type of chemical response that you do when you have a runner's high? There is actually endorphins released in your brain that give you a "service high". Interesting, right? I thought so. Apparently I need to do some service today because today is just one of those days. Not that anything bad has happened, but it is just kindof a blah, feeling sorry for myself, not so good kind of day.

What would you talk on?

This Sunday is our stake conference. Bishop Edgley ( a general authority from the Presiding Bishopric) is going to be attending. He has asked that all adult members come prepared with a 10 minute talk, all youth with a 5 minute talk, and all young single adults with a 7 minute talk. I have been trying to decide what to prepare my talk on. This weekend I narrowed it down to two ideas, and I'm leaning towards one of them, but I still need to do a lot of prep work before I begin. I'm pretty sure I won't be asked to speak (the probability is definitely in my favor), but I still think this is a great assignment. What a way to spiritually prepare a stake. So....if given the same assignment, what would you write a talk about?

Cory's Surprise Mother's Day Gift

Dear Hailey Jane,

Please STOP growing!!! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the new rolls on your thighs and your sweet pinchable cheeks and your cute little cankles. I love the fact that you can hold your head up on your own and my heart completely melts when you look at me and smile. I don't think that you will ever "coo" without everyone in our family stopping whatever they are doing and asking, "did you hear Hailey? Ohhhhhh...she's so cute!" No, I wouldn't trade any of that for anything, BUT.....3 months has just flown by!! I want you to be my little baby forever! Hailey, I couldn't imagine our family without you. In three months time (well actually it started before you were ever born), you have found your way into that part of my heart where only a select few (5 to be exact)have gone. The part of my heart where I would do absolutely anything for you. The part of my heart that is very vulnerable, yet inescapable. The part that brings joy to my life with just the sound of your voice and heartbreak with the sound of your cry. You will forever be my baby. The one who came after Clairisa. The one who filled my arms with your intoxicating smell and filled my life with joy and gratitude. You will always have a special place in our family. The name Hailey means "hero or heroine" and I believe that is exactly what you are. You have swept right in and reminded us of the sweet reunion that can one day be ours as we come together as a complete eternal family. You have reminded us that the sorrow and grief we experience on earth, is only but a moment. A moment that changes perspective and forges faith. The moment of your life so far, has brought hope for the future and healing for the past... and for that I will forever be grateful.

Love Always,
Mommy

Feeling Giddy

Yesterday morning I loaded up all three girls and went garage sale shopping. I totally bribed my girls with ice cream if they would just stay in the car the whole time and entertain themselves and Hailey. ( I am so not above bribing and it totally worked.) Three hours later, I was driving home with 3 delicious ice cream cones, 2 amazingly happy girls, 1 screaming hungry baby, a WHOLE car full of amazing deals, and 1 very happy mommy.

I don't know what it is about bargain shopping, but it just makes me happy. There is nothing worse to me than leaving a store knowing that I totally spent way too much money on something that I really didn't need anyways. I have the worst buyer's remorse ever!!! But, if I just spent $80 and got a barely used elliptical machine, a brand new bike for Cloey, 2 shirts for me, a pair of earrings, a dress for Katelund, a dress and an outfit for Cloey, 6 children's books (that are really good ones), 2 chalkboard/dry erase/ work center easel thing (I'll have to take a pic of it...it's so cute!!!), a Snow White doll, and ADORABLE clothes for Hailey (8 outfits, 4 dresses, 2 pajamas, and 2 pairs of shoes)....then I am beyond happy. I'm just plain giddy!

I'm also giddy about the fact that I am starting this week with a spotless home, an organized and swept out garage, and a vacuumed out van. (Cory was gone all day yesterday, so I had nothing better to do) AND, I'm finally getting my announcements and thank you cards mailed out (good thing it only took my THREE months!!). This week my goal is to get some major spring cleaning/organizing done. Maybe I'll post some before and after pics. Only if you promise to not judge me!! :) I have some pretty ugly junk drawers (you know...the drawers where everything goes that doesn't have a home?? Please tell me I'm not the only one that has those?! They definitely do not make me giddy.