Eliza's Bday

Eliza turned four. Wow how the time seems to be going by fast.

Her birthday was a hit even though it rained and she could not go to the zoo with daddy. So she took him to the mall instead- what a good daddy-o.

I made her the ugliest birthday cake known to man. Something went seriously south with the frosting but she was perfectly happy. It was pink and that was all that mattered!

She had her first friend party (oh how I love friend parties. . .) but we made it through. There are no pictures of the party because in between cleaning up painting fun for 12 four years old and serving blue juice the Kodak moments slipped past me! We painted pots and then planted flowers in them. All the kiddos got to take home their flowers and their own garden shovels that I scored at target on clearance for 50 cents! Love a good deal!

She had fun and now can't wait to be 5 so she can go to kindergarten.

In years past I have had a specific vision of what I thought my Mother's Day should be . I usually end up a little sad and disappointed at the end of the day because it didn't go as I had hoped or thought it would. For example. the whole idea of asking my five children to have one day with pure happiness, kind words, and zero and I mean zero fighting is totally unrealistic. Try as they may (and they do really try) there are just too many pressing issues to set aside for one day. Such as who sits by who at the dinner, or one sister wearing the blue and white polka-dotted head band that belongs to the other, but she has completely forgotten that she even owns it until this very moment and therefore can not live without it!!!
So as I sit here late on Mother's Day night with my house torn to pieces, dessert still sitting out on the counter and a sink full of dishes; I realize that today doesn't really matter. I love the cards, I love watching my husband spend all day in the kitchen making turkey with all the fixings, I love all the extra hugs and kisses but it is the everyday things that make me appreciate my role as a mother.

Each of my children have taught me something, each one has made me laugh and cry. They age me and they keep me young. So for them I want them to know what I love about being their mother.

Eve

I love this girls spirit. She is incredibly wonderful and giving, she always thinks of others. Eve sees the good in each person she meets. She already at a young age has a strong testimony of the gospel, and the desire to learn and study so she can do what is right in her life. I am grateful for her strength and example.




Anna

I love this girls drive. She is smart and clever and loves a good challenge. She is inquisitive and driven and because of that she is always successful at whatever she tries. She is a teacher and a little mother in the making. I love watching her work on homework and reading with her younger sisters. She is patient and tender with Jensen even when he fusses. I look forward to the kind of woman she will become.


Julia
I love this girls wit. Julia can make any one laugh. She has truly been our families comic relief and always when we really need it. She also has a compassionate heart and a creative spirit. She is willing to help and serve where we need her and she works incredibly hard (usually harder than anyone else). I love her creative mind, her art, her ideas and her thoughts on the world around us.



Eliza
I love this girls sweetness. She is fun loving and brings out the child in me- we dance, we sing, we play and we laugh. She helps me to remember to still have fun in life. Her big blue eyes melt my heart but her sweet way of showing her love and making me smile brings me the greatest joy.




Jensen
I love this boys tranquillity. He has reminded me of how great this time is we have with our children. Late at night when it is just the two of us- I sit and ponder the many blessings I have in my life, the great joy I have found in being a mother. Of course I just can't get enough of those chubby cheeks. What's not to love in that little face?



SO tomorrow is back to the regular old grind of a stay at home mom. I will do my best to not lose the mother of the year award yet again!! I will remember on those not so glamorous days of mothering that this is the best job in the world.

Locks of Love

The Locks of Love campaign is currently under way at the girls school. For those of you who don't know- Locks of Love is an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer or alopecia.

This year the girls jumped on board. Anna has been growing her hair for two years so she could donate. Eve on the other hand loves, loves, loves, her long hair and has never had more than a trim. So she really struggled with this decision. It was pretty touching to see her work through her internal struggle. She loves her hair and was nervous about cutting it but she also wanted to help another child. I am proud of her for making a hard decision and thinking of someone else (she does that quite naturally- but this time it was a real sacrifice for her).

Eve and Anna were selected to have there hair cut at the kick off assembly in front of the whole school. That was pretty fun and of course the girls loved it! Anna cut off 6 inches and Eve donated 12 inches! I did shed a tear when they chopped it- the staff at the school were laughing at me. . . sad to see the hair go but so proud of my girls.

Today when we were talking they both spoke of how they felt once their hair was cut- that warm feeling of the Spirit telling them they had done a good thing.

Spring is in the air

This is how Bret and I celebrated our 11Th anniversary. Just a little front yard demolition- one ugly giant bush down four more to go. Now I have no idea what we are going to do with the two huge empty spaces at the end of my driveway. Any ideas?

Just one year off. . .

Well I have not posted in a year. . .oops! I found myself planning to post about one thing and not getting it done. Then the next event would come up that I wanted to post on but I couldn't post because I had not posted about the previous event and so I found myself with a years worth of posts- left unposted.

So I will try again! The plan is to post as I go no more back logs if I don't get posted what I planned then oh well onto the next. As far as the past year goes I will leave at it has been crazy, hectic and fun. I had better mention that I had a baby boy.

Jensen Matthew Waters joined our family in February weighing in at 8lbs. 15ozs. He has been such a joy to have in our home. The girls of course love him to pieces and mother him constantly. I didn't realize that having a boy would be so different- but it is. I can't say what it is about a son but it is just different than the girls.

We recently took pictures of the kiddos together and I plan to post those as soon as I get them in. Until then here's to hoping I can keep this up!

bad dreams

I have often wondered what little ones dream about, what constitutes a bad dream for a three year old. Well early this morning Eliza woke screaming in terror for me. I ran in she was so distraught and trying to tell me what was wrong. All I understood was "Julie, Julie, Julie." I showed her that Julia was sleeping next to her and was ok. Julia woke up and Eliza just threw her arms around her neck and said “oh Julie."
Once I got her calmed down a bit she finally said, “Mama the gingerbread man caught Julia.”

thanks to my kiddos!

Wow where has the month gone? Life has been a little crazy but who's hasn't, right?
I have spent a great deal of time in meetings for the past month. This of course meant that my girls have had to be very well behaved and left to their own "quiet entertainment" in the church gym. Directly across the hall from my meeting. They have been fabulous! Especially Julia and Eliza (for anyone that knows Julia this is truly a divinely bestowed blessing!) the two of them are not in school full time yet so they have been pulled along for the majority of the ride. So here are some of our meeting house adventures. . .
Eliza-

• in the process of potty training has pooped once on the sunbeam room floor, once on the bathroom tile and only one episode of pee!
• She sat perfectly quiet, ate her picnic lunch and waved to me at least once every 30 seconds while I helped prepare and serve a missionary zone luncheon.
• She said hi to every missionary as they walked passed and said look mama another missionary- that made them smile (OK me too)
• Every week she has sat in my lap for at least an hour meeting. None of my other 3 years old were capable of that.

Julia-

• while playing in the gym was asked by a sister who had come in to help set up for enrichment, "what are you doing in here?" Her reply, "mom's in another meeting but it's OK we are doing the Lord's work and I guess we will get blessed!" (Julia said that?? Are you sure?)

Eve and Anna-

• Bret had another meeting scheduled on the same night as my welfare/ward council. I carefully placed them in a room close enough to still hear them, but far enough away that the Barbie movie playing would not interfere. BUT the bishop moved the meeting directly next to their room with only the accordion door dividing us. So a very spiritual meeting, great things accomplished all with the barbie princesses serenading us in the background!
• Eve said, "Mom we were super quiet like you asked but you guys were not! We could barely hear the movie." Julia said "yeah, I don't think you get a frosty for being quiet" (yes I did use some bribery for that meeting)
• Anna striving not to raise her voice asked "next time can I just wear regular clothes- I don't want to be seen by the bishop in my pj's again." I should of known- but I was just trying to make the transition for our late bedtime easier for me. . .
• Eve says, "Mom I know you are supposed to do this job for Heavenly Father but I kinda liked it better when dad had to do it."

My girls and my hubby have been great while I wrap my brain around how to properly divide my time between, family, calling, school and all the other errands of life!