Day 279

Hello out there, here to blog my happy moments for the day and then head to bed.  Early morning tomorrow and the next day, so I need my beauty sleep right away!

I got to walk Joel to school this morning.  My feet were flaring like crazy, but it is the time when my body is telling me I CAN'T that I usually tell IT, oh yes I can!  So we walked to school and then I did a bit more walking with Connor.  My stroller has speakers on it so I turned on Pandora on my phone, hooked the speakers up to the phone, and walked to dancing music...very motivating!

I got to FINALLY get my hair done today!  My hair stylist cancelled at the last minute, so I went with someone else at the hair place...I was in NEED and I had found the boys a place to be watched for the day, so NOTHING was getting in the way of me getting rid of my gray hairs!

My time getting my hair done was really nice.  I got to read a lot of magazines and relax in a quiet place...so nice!  I went to my dad's work to pick up the boys and we came home and all hung out as I made dinner.  We had a really nice dinner and the boys played so well together while I cooked!

We got the boys ready for bed and I did some dishes....well, the dishwasher gave off a smell of rotten eggs and was making all kinds of noises.  We have known this thing was on its last leg for a while lol, but the happy moment of the night was realizing it is time for a new dishwasher...always nice to get new things....ya know, because we don't have piles of medical bills at the computer desk to pay or anything like that....so I am making getting a new dishwasher into a happy moment and going to ignore all of the rest :p

Well, today is over and I am onto the next day already.  I hope I can keep a clear head tomorrow at work and focus on getting this arm healed! X-ray coming on Friday!

Day 278 Memorial Day

I am certainly grateful that we have this day to remember those that have served our country so diligently and I am so thankful to have celebrated today with my little family by going to Legoland!

We had a great time going on rides, looking at Legos, building Legos, and being together as a family.  Joel got to ride the 6-11 year old ride for the first time today...he was so excited!  Connor got to ride the Dragon roller coaster for the first time today!  It was a day of many firsts!  We had a lot of fun together and today was all about family and being thankful.

After Legoland, we went to a fish restaurant nearby for dinner.  Connor and Joel were pretty tired from the day's excitement, but of course they didn't fall asleep on the ride home lol.  Connor read books in the car on the way home and Joel played with his latest Legoland sword and quoted the pirate movie we saw this past week.

When we got off the freeway, I asked David if we could stop by the stables since it was still light out.  We did and it was nice to see Jazz.  He whinnies as I walk up to him and he lets me open his pen and pet him.  Silly boy kept taking his food tray off of his gate and throwing it on the floor (I think he was not happy that I came SANS apples or carrots lol)

We came home and gave the boys baths and put those two sleepy heads to bed!

I am so grateful for the fun family time we had today!  Lots of pictures taken and LOTS of giggles today!  I love that we can go there and more times than not, ride several of the rides again because they are not crowded.  The boys get SUCH joy out of being able to do that and always say thank you to the person who allows us another go on the rides.  It was a beautiful, sunny, day out today and it felt so good to get out and walk around!  Hoping this week flies by since tomorrow is Tuesday!  Have a great night all!

Day 277

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!  I am so thankful for the brave men and women who fight everyday to keep this country free. 

It was a beautiful Sunday today and I am thankful for all of the happy moments I enjoyed.  Church was wonderful today.  We heard from a young man who is going to Mozambique and Angola on his mission...what a wonderful thing to get to teach others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ for 2 years!  It really won't be long until Joel and Connor head out on their adventure!

I got to share with the women's organization about family history and the Family History Center near us.  I am so thankful that I get to volunteer there and help others find family members!  It is a pretty neat place and so fun to help people connect to their ancestors.

After church, we grilled some hot dogs and had a very nice family lunch around the dinner table.  We are going to try to do that more often...it is so pleasant to be together as a family and talk about what each child learned at church that day.

Of COURSE there was the Sunday nap.....this time my kitty, Sadie, snuggled in under the blankets up against me.  I must say, having a fluffy pillow is a great way to take a nap!

Our home teachers came over and gave me a beautiful blessing.  I am so grateful to have them.  Hoping my arm heals soon, but I have a wonderful blessing to sustain me through this week until my next X-ray....fingers crossed it all works out!

We went to Olive Garden with my parents for dinner tonight.  We haven't been there in forever!  We loved it!  On the way home, Connor asked me if he could play on our tablet.  In a very low mommy voice a moment after asking he said, "No it's time for bed."  David and I got a good laugh out of that.  At least he knew what the answer would be!

I got to talk with some of the family back in Louisiana tonight.  It was great catching up and so nice to hear what everyone is doing out there.  We miss it!

Well, that is my Sunday.  The sun was shining today and it was a day full of happy moments.  We are off on an adventure tomorrow and I am hoping to find some fun filled family happy moments throughout the day!  Have a great night all and blog you around this time tomorrow night!

Day 276 Happy Birthday Ginger!

What a blessed day today!  The puppies have been born!!  I got a message early this morning that the puppies were born!  Daisy is a sister....again!  We feel so lucky to be getting another puppy this summer, but being able to get one of Daisy's sister is just really special.  It is a bit bitter sweet, but I think that is pretty natural considering the circumstances.  I still wish our Daisy was here, but the thought of holding and loving a Golden Retriever puppy is pretty special too!
One of these little puppies is OUR girl!

So I picked up Joel's Birthday cake today and brought it home.  We had a nice brunch with a special Danish from the bakery and eggs as well.  We did some cleaning and then took some naps....AH such a nice lazy Saturday day today!!

My parents, brother and sister-in-law, and my niece came over and we went out to Panda Express for Joel's birthday dinner.  It was a really nice time and Joel really enjoyed his meal and family time!  We came home and had cake and sang to Joel.  Joel and Connor had a lot of fun playing with their cousin and then they ALL got a bit tired and cranky, so it was time to end the fun for the day.

It was a good Saturday today.  My lesson is ready for my Primary kiddos tomorrow, I have a game printed out and I am feeling very accomplished tonight!  I am so thankful for the happy moment of getting the news that our puppy was born today.  That was a great moment and I can't help but smile every time I see that picture of those 5 little ones all snuggled together.  Hope everyone has some wonderful dreams tonight!

Day 275

Happy Friday all!

So today we got back on schedule after a fun filled day yesterday.  After Joel went to school, I came home and washed dishes for the first time in forever!  They were in despereate need of getting done, and the warm/hot water on my hands for 30 minutes felt so goooooood!

After doing some chores, Connor and I walked over to a park and we played for a bit.  I did a little workout with my abs WITHOUT using my arm at all...hoping to do more working out soon.  I have gained about 13 pounds since my last surgery.  Not being able to walk and laying around the house all day everyday is not exactly the best way to keep the weight off!  But, moving a bit more each day makes me feel better, and hopefully I can lose the weight soon!

We got Joel home from school and the boys played together for a while and then EVERYONE went down for a nap.  I think Joel and Connor were still pretty tired from their playing yesterday.  Daddy came home and Connor and Joel snuggled on the bed with me for a bit.

Joel and I went out to the movies and saw Pirates: Band of Misfits.  I am so happy I have a movie buddy!  David is not too fond of going to the movies and Joel loves going with me.  We snuggled and ate popcorn and it was great to hear Joel giggle all the way through the movie!  He REALLY liked that movie!  So it was a really fun night and I feel really lucky to have spent some one on one time with Joel.

Well, off to bed and then the weekend is here!  Hope everyone had a great Friday night!

Day 274

  A picture of Joel and Connor at the Catalina Flyer this morning.  I am going to try and do the happy moments in bullet form because there were SO very many today!

• When I woke Joel up...he was very sleepy.  He finally woke up enough to notice the balloons in his room and he said "wow those are my favorite color and you got my favorite shape!"  It was so cute!  He liked the balloons.  We packed up and were off to Newport Beach to get on the boat
• We arrived in Newport about 30 minutes early, so we found a doughnut shop and did birthday doughnuts for Joel...it was a big hit with Connor as well...let the sugar high begin!
• We got on the boat and were off to Catalina.  It was a really bumpy ride there, but the boys were having so much fun with their stomachs lurching every few minutes.  I can't believe my husband who ALWAYS gets sea sick didn't!  It was a fun ride over!
• We found a really cute park where the boys played for a lot of today.  It was nice to have such amazing family time and they played non-stop for HOURS today!
• We rode a yellow submersible out to the underwater state park and fed the fish by pushing a button and releasing food outside of our windows.  The boys had a BLAST doing that and all of the giggles and oooohs and aaahs that came with it was really fun.
• We did lunch at a steakhouse and the boys behaved and enjoyed their food...our table overlooked the beautiful Catalina bay area and beach.  It was a pleasant time and then afterward the boys played on the beach by throwing rocks into the water....total boys!
• We hit the local ice cream store after our beach time and then headed to a park for more playtime.  Connor ate it about three times today and now has boo boos on his knees, face, and feet, but he was SUCH an amazing kiddo!  He barely cried (which is fine with me if he DOES cry, but he walked off two of his falls) and went back to playing right after I wiped off the dirt....one time wiping the dirt out of his mouth...that kid!
• The boat ride home was very pleasant because both of the kids fell asleep for most of the ride back.  Joel says his favorite part was feeding the fish today.  I am just so grateful for a fun filled family day.  NO flaring today...YEA! 

I am so thankful for David being able to come with us and enjoy the boys outside of our home.  It was so nice to get to post pictures on Facebook as we went throughout the day as well.  We made memories to last a lifetime today and SO SO many happy moments that I don't think I could type them all!  I am thankful for the laughter that my children bring me!

Day 273

Wednesday is done!  I am so so sleepy tonight!  It doesn't help that we have to wake up so early in the morning either lol.  Tomorrow is Joel's birthday and tonight I waited until he was asleep, crept into his room, and put balloons at the foot of his bed.  Can't wait to hear what he says in the morning when he sees them!

Today was long and difficult.  My rheumatoid arthritis is here with a vengeance right now and walking has become more like tip toeing in the morning.  I am grateful I was able to get the kids ready and out the door to the babysitter for work...happy moment and BIG accomplishment this morning!

Work went by quickly, and with a couple of cancellations in the afternoon, I was able to come home in between clients and do some laundry!  It is good to be getting some household things done.  It take a LOT longer to do it all with one arm, but my hip has healed enough now that I can lean in and get the clothes into the dryer.

Family dinner was quick and the kids were off to bed.  We packed a bit and then I did the balloons.  I am really looking forward to tomorrow and celebrating Joel's birthday with him on Catalina Island!  I get pretty excited about family days!  Have a good night all!

Day 272

Hello and goodbye to Tuesday!

Joel knows it is Tuesday because that is the day he does computer lab at school...he is very excited about trying this computer program he calls "Pixie" and making pictures with it.  I am so happy that he loves computers and drawing!

I went to a bakery yesterday and ordered Joel's birthday cake for this coming weekend...I can't believe my lil baby is going to be 6.  I hope he likes the cake and I am hoping for wonderful happy moments with him on his birthday and birthday weekend!

We got some lunch and headed over to my dad's work.  My uncle works there as well and it was fun having a nice chat, laughing, and hearing stories from my dad's and uncle's childhood.  We have a saying that there is a way that some families do things, and then there is our family's way lol. When our family gets together, we usually go for the throat and don't let loose on teasing.  It is really fun and I am grateful for my happy Uncle and Dad moments today!

It was also really nice doing paperwork with my mom and her friend.  We always enjoy girl chatting time, and Connor behaved because I have finally given in and let him have my phone to play Angry Birds....desperate times call for desperate measures people.  Today was one of those days where it was either lose my mind, or have Connor QUIET for 20 minutes.  What did moms do BEFORE their smartphones?  Not a rhetorical question, I really want to know so I can try some of THOSE quiet methods as well!

We came home and Daddy was home.  I had to leave for a Family History Center meeting.  It was so great to be back there!  I miss working there SO much, but with 6 surgeries, I haven't been up to working computers all night and helping people find their family trees.  But I am hoping that in late August I will be able to start back up there.  Fingers crossed!  It was so nice to see the director of the FHC and get a hug from her and my friend Mary.  I am grateful for sweet women who always put a smile on my face when I see them!

Well, I am home now and ready to head to bed for some sleep!  Tomorrow I begin the countdown until I no longer work on Wednesday mornings.  It came as a surprise to me on Monday that I would no longer be working the mornings as of July 1st, but after a lot of emotions about it, I am going to accept it, and hope that I find lots of ways to spend quality time with Connor AND Joel this summer and next year on those mornings.

Have a good night all and we are almost half way done with this week!  HAPPY MOMENT!

Day 271

Happy Monday all!  WHEW! What a long day today!

Connor and I got to spend some quality time together after he was done with playgroup and before I picked Joel up from school.  That was nice to get to hang out and listen to him talk...he is talking SO much more these days and I am so grateful for that!

Our Family Home Evening tonight was nice.  I think Joel understood the message about when you are going through trials, it is because you have something to learn.  He lost his library book (seriously our house is NOT that big but we still can't find the dang thing!) but he told us he has learned from this trial to turn it in on Fridays and to keep it somewhere safe...bless that child!

We got the kids upstairs and into bed.  My happy moment of the evening was getting to give each one kisses and hugs and share some quality time with David after they went down...nothing like watching some DVR TV and getting a foot massage to end a trying day on a high note!

I am grateful for the happy moments that come on emotionally trying days :-)

270

Happy Moment BULLET style tonight folks.

• I had a migraine so I slept pretty much ALL day today...but keeping a pillow over my eyes and the room dark was a happy moment because the headache didn't get worse that way!
• I did come downstairs for a while to hang out with the boys.  We watched Yo Gabba Gabba and they giggled like crazy....reminding me why I need to get this headache GONE so I can be there for them
• More napping later on in the afternoon
• Finally made it out of bed to go to dinner with my parents.  We went to a Mexican Restaurant and had a nice time talking.  It was good to be out of bed for a while!
• We Skyped with my in-laws while the boys entertained them with stories, dancing, and talking.  It is always a great time and a true happy moment to watch the boys be so excited to see their grandparents....the blessings of technology are amazing!
• The boys are in bed and the time to snuggle down for the night is here!  Not much on TV tonight, but I am looking forward to tomorrow and all of the fun that this coming week is going to bring!

I hope everyone had a pleasant weekend and that happy moments were found by all!  We had a solar eclipse today and, as we were driving home, it got really foggy and we could actually SEE it behind the fog!  It was neat for the boys too see for their first time!

Wishing everyone a pleasant week and that this week will bring more healing to my arm, NO headaches, and lots and lots of happy memories...my oldest is turning 6 this week, so that will be a BIG moment!  Take care all!

Day 269 Saturday

Today was a lazy Saturday!  It was nice to hang out with the family, have some fun, and then rest.  I have a migraine coming on tonight, so not sure how well I will be able to sleep...hoping it goes away very quickly!  That would be a happy moment!

So we got up today and I made come cinnamon coffee cake for Connor and me.  David and Joel came home from their fun camp out and they said they had a lot of fun with the other ward members.

After a while, we headed back to the park where we went yesterday and took Joel's bike, his scooter, some bubbles, and all four of us!  We had so much fun playing for a couple of hours out there.  Oh, we also took a plastic ball and kicked it around the big grassy area.  It was a great time had by all and then it was time to come home and take naps.

Joel and Connor were really beat because they both took 2 hour naps!  I got some reading time in and David was able to get some things done for work...so not TOO lazy!

For dinner, I grilled some hamburgers.  Now, I know that for most families, the man of the family is the big griller.  I LOVE grilling!  I have this weird internal timer as to when meat is done cooking.  I LOVE trying out different cuts of meat, and the burgers last night were SO juicy!  I like that I have a talent for grilling and as the grilling season is coming up, I can't wait to see what we do this year!  I might try some strawberries and pound cake and see what that tastes like!

We had a really nice family dinner and then it was time for bed not long after.  David and I got to snuggle in bed for a while and he played with my hair while I tried to get my headache to go away.  We shall see, but I am grateful for all of the fun family time we had today.  Today we made the memories that I hope carry me through the times when my children drive me crazy.  I think it is more so now because of all the flaring that is happening to my body.  I just need to focus on the positive, find the happy moments, and try to be a bit more patient with my little ones.  Hopefully that will bring more happy moments in the week to come!

Day 269 Friday

Today is Friday!  I got to sleep in until 9 AM this morning....9 AM!!!!  That is amazing!!!  Unfortunately for my parents, Connor was up at 5 AM over there, but considering this is the first morning in 6 months I have had the chance to sleep in (that is how long ago the kids spent the night at my parent's) I will TAKE IT!

I got Connor from my mom's house and we did lunch together.  After school and nap time, we headed out to a park here in our community that has a putting green, toddler park area, and a nice circular cement area where Joel can ride his bike around.  The kids had a great time playing there and a girl from our congregation showed up with her dog and played with Joel and Connor for a while.  They had a really great time and I am hoping I wore Connor out!

Later, David and Joel got packed up and headed out to our Ward's annual Father/Son campout.  Connor and I played Chutes and Ladders and stacked some blocks and then I got him ready for bed.  I had a babysitter come over and I went out with my friend, Lori, for a late night movie.

We went and saw What to Expect.  It was a movie that was pretty close to how my pregnancies were with both kids lol.  It was nice to watch the movie, chat with Lori, and get out with another girl.  I need to do that more often!  My goal for the coming week is to get out with other moms and do fun things!

Well that is all for tonight.  Super tired and ready to get in my big bed all by myself and go to sleep!

Day 268 Thursday

So my shoulder has been killing me lately.  Not sure why the hurt, but for days now typing has not been possible.  BUT never fear, I wrote down my happy moments and am now HAPPY to be able to type them down here!

Today I have been married for 10 years!  I can't believe it!  I am so thankful to David and all the love and support he has given me...just this year alone!  In our religion, our vows do not have "for better or for worse" but I can honestly say that we have been through BOTH in the past 10 years and we will keep on keeping on for many years to come!

For most of the day today, I was a mom to a 5 year old and a 2 year old with bad attitudes.  Pretty sure 10 years ago I NEVER would have imagined screaming, fighting children would be how I would spend most of my anniversary lol.  But late in the day, I dropped the kids off at my parent's, went home, spent and hour in my QUIET house, and met David at a movie theater that has VIP seating.  We sat, we had a waiter deliver yummy food, we relaxed, and watched the Avengers.  It was wonderful!  We came home to a quiet house and watched some TV that we had DVRd and have not had time to watch.


 I am super excited to get the chance to sleep in in the morning!  I love my kids, but they have been driving me BONKERS this week! 

So 10 years ago I married my best friend.  He has been my shoulder to cry on, a mother to my kids when I couldn't be, my travel buddy, and so much more.  I am very thankful for today....that we have lasted 10 years.  I know in California that is a long time to last!  Here is to 10 MORE wonderful years together...and hopefully the next 10 are more WONDERFUL than they are trying...a break would be nice!

Day 267

Busy Wednesday today!  Today was a day full of business and fun.  I had a client at 8:30 this morning, so we were up and running, and out the door pretty early today.  The kids were doing well getting ready except for a couple of hiccups...pretty funny ones actually.  Joel came to me at one point and said, "Ok Mom, so far Connor has said THREE wrong things to me!"  The first one was that Connor was sitting on Joel's head and when Joel asked Connor to get off, Connor told him "no."  That pretty much did me in and poor Joel tried so hard to tell me the second and third things....can you blame this mom for getting a laugh in?  I did show good listening though and Joel was happy in the end that I agreed it was NOT nice to sit on people's heads.

After my morning shift at work, I went to my dad's work to borrow his laminator and cutting board.  I made 17 Busy Bags for an exchange I had tonight.  It was a lot of fun getting creative.  I miss that part of me!  It was also nice to see my dad again and get a chance to talk.

After lunch, I picked up Joel from school.  The ducklings in his class had hatched and some of the parents went in to see them.  They were so cute!  It was so fun to see Joel so excited and show me each of the duckling's items and home.  Did you know they put marbles in the drinking water so the ducks won't fall in and drown?  Joel taught me that....pretty neat!

After work this evening, I got the kids in a bath, fed them dinner, Joel helped me stuff the Busy Bags and then the boys went to bed.  I headed over and did the Busy Bag exchange.  It was like getting presents on Christmas Eve!  It was so fun getting other people's creations and I can't wait for the kids to try out some of the other crafts!  It was also really nice to get a chance to talk to people from my congregation.  We all had such a fun time.  What a nice mom time away, and doing something fun for the kids...a good way to get together with other moms AND feel like you are doing something for the kids all at the same time!

I got home and stored by bag of bags lol.  I am going to slowly break out a different busy bag for the kids to play with.  It should be fun!  I am so grateful for fun times!

It was a great night and there were so many fun, happy, moments today.  I feel very uplifted from making crafts and getting out.  I am also really looking forward to tomorrow....it is the beginning of the end of my week, AND a special day for David and me :-)  Have a good night all!

Day 266...or 99 days left!

Well, Tuesday has come and gone!  It was a long day today.  David worked until around 8 tonight so it was just me and the boys hanging out and having fun today.  I dropped Joel off at school and got a hug and a kiss...love it!

Connor went to speech and I went and signed him up for preschool!  If all goes well this summer, and I am really hoping it does, Connor will be in preschool by September.  Oh what a happy moment for me it will be when that kid is potty trained!  Right now I can't do too much of it, but when the Summer begins, the diapers are coming off and the naked potty training is beginning!

I went down to my dad's work and helped my mom with the paperwork.  It was a nice time.  We ate lunch together and my sister-in-law came over to help out as well.  She brought my niece and the boys and my niece ran all over the place and wore my dad out as he tried to run all over the place with them lol.

We came home and Connor took a nap, Joel played on the computer, and I caught up on some DVR time.  It was some nice down time before dinner.  Then when dinner came, the boys didn't eat much, but they sure were giggly together and it was nice to see them happy together!

At bedtime, we read stories, sang songs, and brushed teeth.  It was a good night doing normal things that I appreciate being a part of so much.  Not much else to say.  I am getting so sleepy and I have work in the morning.  I am grateful for my precious happy moments of the day and thankful for my two boys for behaving and having fun while Daddy was away at work today.  Sleep well all!

Day 265...WOW!

So we are down to the final 100 days of the happy blog!  Can't believe it!  Happy Monday to all and onto the happy moments of my day!

Monday mornings are always crazy busy for me, but I am glad that I get to spend time with my kids, make them breakfast, and give them hugs before I send them on their way to school and playgroup.  I had a pretty productive day before all of that at physical therapy as well....oh how I hope this bone is healing!  Sending it good vibes!

I got to run errands, come home, eat lunch, and watch a couple of my Sunday night TV shows during my lunch time.  Then Connor came home and we played for a bit before we had to pick Joel up from school.  After we did that, it was time for naps, and time for me to head to work.  Work was good and the time flew by.  I came home and helped with dinner and we sat down and had a nice family meal.  Now, Joel has this calendar that has various activities that we can do throughout the month.  It is school homework, and I like to look at and pick a question from the calendar during dinner time.  It is fun and helps Joel participate more in dinnertime conversation.  Well, tonight's question was, If you were King of the world, what would be the first thing you would do?  So Joel thought for a second and then says to us, "Well, I would find a castle to live in and a village to tax."  David and I just looked at one another and started laughing.  We couldn't stop laughing!  Where does my 5 year old GET these things?! 

We did some strawberry crepes and Family Home Evening time.  Over all it was a fast day that is over all too soon.  I wish I could spend MORE time with my children.  LOL but when I do that, I end up wishing for a break....can't win either way I guess.  Hopefully there will be more silly things said tomorrow and more happy moments made.  I can't believe that the count down to the day I finish this blog is upon me.  Until that day, I am going to keep plugging along and finding the joy!  Have a wonderful night all!

Day 264

Happy Mother's Day all!  Hoping all you mothers out there got the remembrance you deserve.  I know Mother's Day is a day of joy, and a day of sorrow for some, but here it is a day of happy moments remembered....

• I woke up and did breakfast with my little family.  We start church at 9 AM so it was a quick breakfast, get everyone dressed, and get to church.  The primary children sang two songs during our first meeting to the moms, and at the end of the meeting, each mom got a Sprinkle's Cupcake....doesn't get better than that!
• We had a wonderful 3rd hour meeting with all of the ladies in our congregation and the message was beautiful.
• After church, we came home and David fed the boys lunch and brought me lunch in bed...so sweet!  I got to open my cards and Joel made me the sweetest card from his computer class that said "I love you Berry much"  He wrote "I love my mom because she gives me a kiss and a song."  So happy he loves our bedtime snuggles so much!
• After naps, we did dinner with my parents at a nice restaurant down in San Juan.  We are hoping next year to do a Mother's Day brunch...three years in a row of dinners makes us want something different next year!
• Dinner and dessert was wonderful and it was nice to be with my mom.

• After dinner, we came home and Skyped with David's mom and dad.  It was a nice time and the boys were super excited to see her get the gift we sent to her...too fun!

Well, I am happy today is over and that it is the start of a new day.  It was a long day today.  Hopefully I can accomplish the things I need to this week and keep working on getting my arm better!  One year ago I was lying on the couch with a freshly broken arm from the day before.  It was really nice to get out today and not have a huge cast on....it will be even BETTER next year with a healed arm!

 

Day 263

Right now, at this very moment, I have a king sized matress pad in a bathtub full of water, my washing machine is leaking water like crazy...and thankfully the bright blue towel my husband put IN the washing machine with my pottery barn white sheets and mattress pad is OUT as well....we don't have that large of a washing machine and I am pretty sure it is crying in PAIN from being shoved so full of laundry.  All because when my husband said he was going to DO the laundry, I had a happy moment of not having to put any of that heavy stuff in myself.....oh how I WISH for my arm to heal so I can know what is going on in my laundry room LOL.  Fingers crossed that we still have a working washing machine when this is done and over.....and onto the happy moments of the day....

• I went to a wonderful Tea Luncheon today with a lady who's daughter goes to school with Joel.  It was a lot of fun and there were over 500 women there, 50+ tables all hand decorated trying win the table decoration contest.  It was so nice!  There was tea, but most people just drank water, including myself.  Volunteer men from the church served the ladies and the food was wonderful.  After the lunch, we got to hear a talk from the main pastor's wife.  She gave a wonderful message about being a Model Mom and talked about a mother from the 1600's who was a devout Christian and had many hardships, but still praised God in everything that she did.  There were a lot of really beautiful quotes from that lady and I wish I had brought something to write!
• After the Tea, I came home and changed clothes and headed out to get a pedicure.  I have pretty much given up on getting my finger nails done...it costs so much money and you have to go so often!  But it was great to get a food massage since my feet have been flaring so badly.  Oh how I wish for the day that I can get back on my medication for my RA!
• After bath time for the boys, I got to cut Connor's hair.  I did a really good job, my hands held steady, and I saved 20 dollars doing it myself!  Now if I can cut Joel, Connor, AND David's hair, that is quite a bit of money saved over a year!  It is worth a try!

Well, I am looking forward to Mother's Day tomorrow.  We have to get up early, so no breakfast in bed, but there will be cute cards from the kids, and I love seeing the primary sing to the moms.  Hopefully the washing machine will be fixed by then as well....fingers crossed!

Day 262

Happy Friday!  Not much going on tonight.  I was supposed to go to the movies with a friend, but she got sick. Hopefully she will feel better soon!  No fun when your whole family gets sick and the mommy is last!  Lots of fun had today! 

After dropping Joel off at school, Connor and I headed down to Irvine to what is known as "The Great Park"  what an AMAZING place!  I can't wait to go back!  I am hoping we can have many more happy park days there!  There is a beautiful park for little ones to play and run around.  There is a carosel for children to ride...for free.  There is a giant helium filled balloon that you can get on and it is tethered to the ground and goes up 400 feet in the air!  For FREE!  We also got our hands stamped and they had balls behind the desk.  I just left my car keys with them and Connor got to play with a soccer ball for the day...it was fabulous!  The best part?  Going with a couple of girls from MY church!  I know that sounds funny, but when you go to church every Sunday and feel like you have maybe ONE friend there, it gets a bit lonely.  Well, this girl from my church e-mailed me and other people and we ended up with three of us there.  It was so nice to get the e-mail invitation.  Getting outside was great, doing it with other moms and their kids is even better!

So after riding the balloon once and the carosel about 5 times, it was time to go pick up Joel from school.  We had a great day and I hope we can go back very soon!

So I sort of forgot to make dinner tonight.  LOL I have such RA fog brain right now.  I got caught up in the middle of a project and by 6 O clock I had totally forgot to put dinner in the oven.  Thankfully I have a very forgiving husband.  We headed over to Chili's for dinner with a free kid's meal coupon Joel earned at school.  I think we are beginning to turn the 2 year old corner with Connor.  He is behaving more and MORE now and has been an angel for 2 days!  Could it be the closer we get to three, the closer we get to saying GOOD BYE to the terrible 2s?  I certainly hope so!


So the children went off to bed and I got to watch some of my Thursday shows.  I can't believe there was a plane crash on Grey's Anatomy!  That show always goes out with a bang!  I am so happy it is Friday and that Mother's Day weekend is here.  Tomorrow I am off to a Tea Luncheon with some ladies from Joel's school that invited me to THEIR church....see?  I get invited to other people's churches all of the time lol....I told David I am a Christian magnet....and that is fine with me because those are some awesome ladies!  Have a great Friday night all!

Day 261

WOW!  I guess I still can't believe that I get on here every day and blog.  I also can't believe that I am nearing my 100 day count down!  Amazing!  I am so proud of myself for sticking to this and doing it each day!  Finding the joy has really helped me.  I am thankful for all of the happy moments that happened today...some were totally silly, others very meaningful.

I started out my morning dropping Joel off to school and then heading to a fabric store with Connor.  Now, I had to do this fabric store one armed, with my purse, and Connor, and no shopping cart....and a prayer.  Connor behaved SO nicely!  We made it out (with a couple of extra things thanks to my little grabby hands man lol) happy and ready for our next adventure.  Chuck E Cheese is in the next parking lot over, so we headed over there for lunch.  Connor had such a great time playing, eating pizza, and laughing.  It was really nice to get to do another mother/son lunch and see the joy in his eyes. 

On the drive home from our errands, the song "Rumor Has It" from Adele was playing and Connor was singing so loudly along to it! LOL!  It was so cute to listen to that 2 year old keep up with the beat of the song and sing "oooooh, rumor has it!  oooooooh, rumor has it!"  It was cracking me up!  He was sad when the song ended and wanted me to repeat it....try explaining live radio versus a CD to a 2 year old....yeah...didn't go to well lol.

I got Joel from school and Connor and I went down for a bit of a nap.  I didn't sleep long and headed down to snuggle with Joel while he watched a Disney movie.

Later on tonight, I went out with friends from MOPS.  My friend Michelle picked me up and we were on our way to the mall for the Mom's Nite Out event that they have there each year.  We got goody bags, free food, free lemonade, free hand and neck massages, and so many discounts on things it was hard to count!  It was fun being pampered and being with such good friends!  While we waited for our name to be called for dinner, my friend Christina took me and I helped her do some shopping at GAP.  I didn't buy anything tonight other than some bath salts for my feet....I was very good lol.  Christina and I had tons of fun together and at dinner, I had such a nice time talking with everyone.  It was SO good to get out and forget about my stupid X-ray results for a few hours.  It weighed heavily on my mind this week, but when you are with wonderful people who have some amazing kids and share their stories of life and joy, and who tell you, not because of your arm, but because you are becoming friends that you are "one of the nicest people."  It just made me happy!  It was a nice little break and I am so glad to have found some good friends here.

Well, I got home and blogged and now it is time for bed.  PT in the morning and can't believe it is Friday again!  I feel like I was JUST blogging Sunday's blog!  I am looking forward to the weekend and some nice time spent with my kiddos for Mother's Day.  Have a good night all!

Day 260

Wed blog...bullet style!

• I found a manual that my boss and I have been searching all over for! Relief AND happy moment today!
• Dinner consisted of egg salad sandwiches...on paper plates...nothing to clean up and everyone was happy with the meal...SUCH a good idea!
• PJ run tonight!  We got done with dinner early enough to put the kids to bed at 6:45, get them up and out and do some ice cream at Baskin Robbins.  LOL Connor from the moment I yelled PJ run kept asking, "Mommy PJ run doughnuts?"  Guess he has a good memory!  We did that months ago!  We had a great time eating ice cream and laughing.  It was a good PJ run and the kiddos were in bed with teeth brushed by 7:45...not too bad!
• I had some extra free time so I got to watch a few shows and snuggle in bed.
• David gave me a foot massage...bless him!  AND he watched a TV show with me and laughed...that is always one of my favorite happy moments!

And there are my happy moments for the day!  I was able to find some!  Even on the darkest of days, there is joy to be found!

Day 259

Another day down.  Today was one of those days where, as a mom, I ran around doing lots and lots of errands.  I feel like I did so much, but then I come home and take one look at my house and think...what the heck did I DO today?  My goal this week is to pick up....with one arm....5 things that I see needed to get picked up.  Maybe I can inspire my kiddos to do the same this week and at least we can keep the house looking like a bomb went off and not worse lol.

• I did lunch with just Connor today.  It was a nice mother/son lunch and I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did.
• Joel and I helped make his lunch together.  He loves being in the kitchen and I think he feels a sense of accomplishment when he makes something.
• I got to take a brief nap today....since I have been having bad insomnia lately...I am grateful for any amount of extra sleep I can get!
• After naps, Connor, Joel, and I played in Connor's room with a bunch of different blocks.  For the most part, the boys played nicely together and Joel was so cute as he built a block tower and says, "I am SO creative!" No self esteem issues in that kiddo and I am so proud of him!
• We had a nice family meal tonight and Joel went around the table asking each one of us how our day was...so cute that he gets what family dinner time is about!
• Connor asked for lots of extra kisses tonight.  How can I resist?  Putting my boys to bed is one of the happiest parts of my day...guaranteed snuggle time and kisses, reading stories, and laughing.  It will all be gone too soon....

Well, there are my happy thoughts today in a nutshell.  I am hoping to head to bed early tonight and that sleep will find me.  It has been pretty stressful this week so far with life's concerns, but as we take it one HOUR at a time right now, I am focusing on the good, and trying to accomplish all that this mommy needs to get done!

Day 258...One year ago...

           One year ago, I flew off of a horse named Jazz.  Now, I have not shared this story with many people.  There are many people that will find the whole thing a mere coincidence, and this memory is very sacred to me....but I feel that since a year has past, and this is a happy moment blog....it is time to share this happy moment with as many people who will read this.  The way I was riding, the arena bars were to my left, and the rest of the arena was to my right.  I was "riding the rail" galloping on my horse.  It was a cloudy morning and Jazzie was acting different than usual.  I figured it was because he wanted to go faster, so I had kicked him up into the lope.  We went out to the middle of the arena and made a half circle to cut back to the rail.  We were almost to the corner when I felt Jazz lean really far forward and grunt.  The next thing I knew, I had hit the ground, heard a "pop" and I could no longer feel my arm.  I was yelling for help like crazy because I thought Jazz had fallen down.  As I lay in the dirt, many people came to help me.  One cowgirl...and I still don't know who it was, got there first and held my hand until they put me up on the stretcher for the ambulence.  She stroked my hand and asked me questions.  Another cowgirl (my former trainer) said a beautiful prayer for me as I lay in the dirt.  The horse's owner, Kathy, would later tell me that Jazz did not fall, but was standing up and would not be moved.  It took three people to get him back into his stall and only after Kathy told him that I was going to be alright did he let out a sigh and seem to relax.....and people say animals don't understand us.  Kathy told my husband later on that day that "that horse LOVES your wife!"   I love him too.

It would be later on, after I got to the hospital, that I found out that Jazz had most likely spooked and had "backfired" on me.  Imagine what the rodeo horses do to the cowboys with their heads far down and they kick their back legs up high in the air.....that is what Jazz did.  The amazing part of this story....no one was around to see me fall off of Jazz.  According to a law of physics, an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by some opposing force.  In a few brief seconds that Jazz backfired, I SHOULD have either gotten further caught in the stirrups, or been shoved so far forward that I did a somersault OVER his head and onto the ground...more than likely breaking my neck.  In those few brief seconds with NO ONE watching, my hands somehow let go of the reins, my feet were lifted BACKWARDS and out of the stirrups, and I was flown up and SIDEWAYS off of the horse.  I know there are people reading this that don't believe in angels, but I do.  I believe with all of my heart that some guardian angel of mine lifted me up....knowing I was going to only break my arm, and that would be far less than anything else, and shoved me sideways AWAY from the metal rail and into the soft dirt.  I am so thankful for that miraculous moment in time.  One year ago today, I was given a miracle, and I am hoping tonight that my limit on those has not run out.  I could really use one more to get this arm healed.

Waking up this morning and going to physical therapy was the best thing.  I got to work on my arm and also go to get help with my weekly migraine.  They have some of the nicest patients at the physical therapy group and we all get to know one another from going so much.  I am grateful to meet new friends!

After dropping Connor off at playgroup, I went home, grabbed some apples and carrots, and headed down to visit my friend Jazz.  He has had a rough year too.  He hurt his leg and, according to his owner, hasn't been the same since the accident.  I love how he neighs and snorts when I show up.  If I pet other horses that he can see, he whinnies and neighs louder so I know he is displeased lol.  It was a nice happy moment, on the ground, to have with him today.

I picked Connor up from playgroup and got to spend some time with the mom who was hosting today.  We usually drop our kids off, but don't get to talk to one another too much.  We had a really nice conversation today and it was really nice to get to talk to another mom about "mom" things. :-)

After work, David and Joel made dinner and we had a great time eating and then doing Family Home Evening. FHE lasted about 3 minutes tonight....the kids weren't that into the lesson, so we moved on to making chocolate covered strawberries from our strawberry farm trip.....YUM!  We had so many that we dropped some off at our neighbor's home.  Hope they enjoyed them as much as we did!

All is quiet now as the kiddos are in bed.  I am heading there myself when the blog is done.  How grateful I am for the incredible trials I have had over the last 365 days of my life.  6 surgeries (4 arm, a tonsillectomy, and one gall bladder out)  So many emotional trials that they are too numerous and trying to count.  But we are a family.  We pray together more, we read the scriptures every night, and we are very aware as to what is important, and what is simply not.  I never look back (only on one of our emotional trials, but that is it) and say that if I could take it back and do it over WITHOUT it happening, I gladly would.  The last 365 days have been harder days than we have ever had.  There have been more tears spilled on my pillow than even when I was a teenager lol.  Through it all, I am so grateful to be surrounded physically and spiritually by my loved ones.  With that, I bid you all a good night and happy moments to be had tomorrow!

Day 257

AND...Sunday is done!  What a fun weekend this has been.  I know that this coming week is going to be a difficult one, but I feel like I absorbed all the fun and happy moments I could to gear up for the coming storms of the week.  First off, I am going this week in a sling.  The next four weeks I am going to BABY my arm like there is no tomorrow!

We started off our morning by waking up a bit late.  It was fine though because it was Fast Sunday, so we skipped two meals of the day....more like I fasted for almost 24 hours today, but that was OK too.  So we packed the kid's breakfast in the diaper bag and got ready at an amazing pace this morning.

We had a wonderfully spiritual first meeting.  For the second meeting, I was so excited to get to go to Sunday School...well...it only lasted about 5 minutes because the Primary leader came to get me and told me that there was no teacher for my kiddos.  My team teacher moved and this is how I found out about it lol.  The lesson was on healing the sick and how Jesus was able to do that and still is today through Priesthood power.  Pretty sure SOMEBODY up there wanted me to teach the kiddos that lesson as well as give me a reminder that I need to keep faithful in all that I do, and hopefully this time, my arm will heal.

After church we came home and did the usual lunch and naps.  We got some cupcakes for my mom for her birthday and met them at Outback Steakhouse for dinner.  It was a nice time (other than Connor being his usual 2 year old self....someday it WILL get easier!) We then headed back to my parent's house for cupcakes and toy time.  It is really nice to sit and chat with my mom about our week, other family members, and life.  I really enjoy those moments of catching up on Sundays.

We got home, put the kids to bed, and I got to watch Once Upon a Time.  That is all for tonight.  Hopefully someone reading this needs a bit of a cheering up and can see that even through the darkest of times, if you keep moving forward, keep looking for the happy moments, they will come.  I am so thankful for my happy moments today.  I am happy that I got to teach the 4 year olds and WHILE I was teaching them, I taught myself a lesson as well.  Have a good night all!

Day 256

Good evening all!  Hope everyone had a good Saturday and great Cinco de Mayo.  It was a good day today!  Lots of fun times to keep me distracted and my crazy kids kept me busy as ever!

We started out our morning by doing a Strawberry Picking tour at a local farm.  They take you around the farm on a tractor pulled wagon.  The boys had THE best time riding around.  We stopped at various sites and had some of the veggies they grow on the farm.  Joel loved the carrots and spinach, and Connor liked the green onion and celery.  David had a good time coming along with us, and when we were done, we had three baskets full of strawberries picked!  We also had full tummies of strawberries!

After the farm tour, we headed to a Mexican restaurant for lunch...it was only AFTER lunch that we figured out it was Cinco de Mayo!  Too funny!  We had a great lunch and headed home for naps.  Connor took a really long nap today!

I took a nap, read a book, and did some laundry.  Over all it was a pretty productive Saturday! 

One more happy/funny moment of the day.  When Joel takes a bath, he currently loves to wear swim goggles.  He loves to "take dives" and holds his breath and looks under the water while we throw something in the water (a bath toy) for him to see.  He then pops his head up, gives us a thumbs up, and tells us he saw the item.  Too cute!  I love children's imaginations!

Well, I hope everyone is having a good weekend.  They are never long enough, but I think I got what I needed to done today, so that is a thumbs up right there!  Have a good night!

Day 255

Happy Friday all!

Lots of happy moments today!  Lots of tears too, but, the point IS to find the joy and make the happy moments count so I have something to blog about!

MOPS morning this morning.  It is the last one until the Fall time, but there are lots of MOPS mom activities going on this summer to keep me busy.  I SO SO enjoy hanging out with those ladies and I am so grateful for their love and text messages that have kept me going.

After MOPS it was time to visit with my doctor and get the X-ray.  Well....the news was not good, but it wasn't horrific either, and that is the happy part I am going to hang on to.  There is a chance the bone can still heal.  PART of the bone graft is gone, but there is a CHANCE that this bone can still heal...so it wasn't ALL bad news.

After the doctor I raced home to get Joel from school and then it was nap time for Connor.  I decided after my crazy morning, it would be best for me to take a nap as well.

After nap time, we went out to the grocery store to buy some items for our Friday night dinner with friends.  As I was getting back out to the car and trying to figure out how to get Connor out of the cart and the drinks into the trunk, one of the caregivers from the MOPPET program just happened to be walking by and asked if I needed help....GOD bless the angels of this world!  She helped me get everything in the car and we had a lovely chat.  There are beautiful people everywhere.

We had an AMAZING time with our friends at the park eating pizza, playing, eating cookies, salad, chips, and more playing and laughing.  I FINALLY got to hold my neighbor's baby...she was on my lap in my good arm...OH how sweet she is!  It was so great to see the boys having the BEST time with our other neighbor's little boy.  We are hoping that they can ALL go on the Father/Son campout in the next week.

Happy moments throughout this day made today worth moving through.  I am not going to lie and say it was a great day.  There were a lot of tears and reflecting today.  I pray with all of my heart that I figure out what I need to do to get this arm healed.  I pray that I find the people to help me get whatever that is done.  I can't do this on my own.  I pray for strength and continued days of finding the joy.  I can't stop finding the happy moments.  I NEED to find the joy, think of others, and pray for help through it all.  Hopefully the next 4 weeks until my next X-ray will bring all of that and the next X-ray will show progress!

Day 254

Well, got the kids to bed at 8 tonight and then at 9:40 I hear a little "MOMMY where AAAAARE YOU?!" lol little stinker was out of bed, in his rocking chair, with a book again!  He had THE saddest face as I told him he had to get back in bed.  We are talking full blown lower lip pout!  Hopefully this means he will sleep in in the morning...my crazy 2 yr old!

It was REALLY heavy misty again today.  We couldn't go out and play, and poor Joel woke up SO excited to be the team captain for recess Soccer today.  He didn't get to do that because the school was on "rainy day schedule"  even though it hasn't been raining, it is really really heavy mist!  It makes everything soaking wet, but when the sun did come out today for about an hour, it all dried up pretty quickly.

I went visiting teaching this morning to a new lady in our congregation.  We had a great time chatting and she was so nice to have her daughter play with Connor in their play room.

Connor and I grabbed our Thursday waffle with strawberries.  I eat the berries and he eats most of the waffles...it works out well!

Tonight I was feeling MISERABLE.  Mostly due to the weather, but also due to other physical ailments.  Cooking was NOT in the cards.  I had David pick up some Italian food on the way home.  It was a nice meal and then I headed back up to bed with a heating pad and PJs. 

The boys were SO crazy today.  I am really happy that I kept my cool the entire time.  I took them to Panera Bread for lunch today, and even when Connor was being unkind to Joel, not eating, splashing yogurt all over the table...I kept my cool, wiped everything up, and calmly walked us out the door.  I told David I felt like a Saint, but I am so tired of feeling like the psycho crazy lady who yells at her kids.  We came home after lunch and everyone took nice naps.  If Connor had let me, he would have kept sleeping all the way past dinner...hence the reason he was probably awake at 9:40 tonight.

Looking forward to my last MOPS meeting and my doctor appointment tomorrow!  Lots of happy moments to be had from sun up till sun down tomorrow!  Have a great night and catch the next blog tomorrow!

Day 253

So sleepy today!  Hoping there is some sunshine around the corner for us...it has been grey outside for DAYS now!  I heard the boys got to play at the park because the heavy mist cleared up, so that is a plus!

Went to work this morning.  Two out of my three kiddos did a great job.  One two year old cried for 15 minutes straight with his little fist shoved down his mouth...poor kid has some major molars coming in!  I finally took him out to mom.  Bless his little heart!

After work I got some lunch and went to the mall.  I got a really cute Fresh Picked soap and other things from Bath and Body Works and put together a present for Joel's teacher for Teacher Appreciation Day.  I found an adorable print out that says I couldn't have PICKED a better Teacher! and put it on the wrapped soaps.  SO cute!

After I came home, I book us a trip over to Catalina Island for Joel's birthday.  We got tickets to go over there off of Groupon and we are so excited to get to spend the day as a family!  I am really looking forward to having a day of fun and hopefully SUN while we are over there!

I also booked our reservation for Mother's Day dinner.  I was a busy booking agent today!  I am happy that it all got done and I felt very productive!

We did dinner out tonight.  My poor body is not able to get up and cook right now.  If it gets a bit warmer, I think I can manage to make a little something, so I am holding on to the hope that warmer days are coming so my flare calms down :-)

We did bath, story, and bed tonight.  Connor fell asleep and didn't get out of bed!  They are both so precious when they are asleep.  I also got to snuggle down in bed and watch some Wednesday TV after the kids were asleep.  So nice!  And now I am off to bed to begin my Thursday day.  The week is going by quickly, but I am excited that May is here once more.  Last year, May was the month that began our year of terror.  I am hoping the tides have changed for my little family and this is the May that brings our year of joy and service!  Have a good night all!

Day 252

Tuesday is done!  I bring you happy moments via bullets tonight.  I am SO sleepy and my fingers have been flaring like crazy all day lol.  I have sausages for fingers right now!  Happy moment in the future...80 degree DRY weather!  Maybe I could hop on a plane to Arizona for a weekend for a DE-flare time :-)

• I had a good morning with Connor. Disciplining him is always interesting, but I have started to go the route of mostly ignoring and speaking in soft tones to him when I WANT him to do something.  Threatening, yelling, spanking, and other typical desperate Mom methods have not worked AT ALL.  Well, his speech therapist said he was an angel today, and he was a really good boy while I did paperwork at my Dad's work today....so the soft spoken and ignoring methods are either working, or he was having an OFF day today LOL

• Working at my Dad's work is always fun.  I get to sit and chat with my mom and her best friend for HOURS at a time while we go over paperwork for the government.  Mostly we ask questions about how the paperwork is being done, try to keep Connor entertained, and talk about our families.  My dad went and picked up Joel today and that made both of them so happy!  
•  I was really tired (one more lovely symptom of my RA) but I was able to throw a pizza in the oven and serve up some carrots for dinner.  I am so glad we didn't go out!  We sat at the table and Joel is getting what this family dinner time is all about!  He asked ME tonight, "So how was your day today Mommy?"  and, "What was your favorite part of the day?"  It was so cute!
• I got to watch a few shows tonight, after the kids were in bed.  I came upstairs and found Connor, in his rocking chair, reading a book!  It is 9:15!  I put the little stinker back in bed.  That would explain WHY he didn't wake up until 8:30 this morning!  I am not complaining TOO much...he went right back to bed and hopefully will sleep in in the morning again for me.
• I am thankful for all of the moments that put a smile on my face today.  There were many and I am so thankful for my little children and the fun they bring into my life.  Being a mom of two little ones is SO tiring sometimes, but it is also a lot of fun.  I am also grateful for my sweet cats who love me so much.  They follow me wherever I go and whether I am on the couch, or my bed, they are always snuggling with me while I am resting.  I am surrounded with family love and I am thankful for that :-)

Day 251

We have been having some pretty gloomy days here lately!  What happened to Spring?!  Busy morning rushing everyone around, but I got to be at home, for a couple of hours ALONE today!  I ate lunch by myself, watched TV with the volume at a reasonable level, and had a nice time doing some chores UN-interrupted....I love my children but sometimes it can be very nice to have some time away :-)

With everyone back home after school and playgroup, we got ready for Daddy to come home and made some dinner.  We had a nice family dinner and did a Family Home Evening on "potty language"  I LOVE that we can use our tablet for FHE lessons that include a song, lesson, and even sometimes we do the recipe for the treat idea they provide.  It is the easiest thing in the WORLD to do a 15 minute, or longer if the kids are really listening, FHE lesson, and I think they are getting some great messages!

It was nice to get the kids to bed before 8PM again tonight!  I got the chance to take a really hot Lavendar and Epsom Salt bath.  It is pretty much the only method for me flaring right now.  Hopefully there are warmer, sunnier, days ahead this week.  I can't keep the flares from happening if I can't take anti-inflammatory drugs, and warmer weather sure makes a big difference in how yucky I feel!

Hope everyone had a great Monday!  Here is to a week filled with happy moments!