Special Drawings to remind me to smile

I have been feeling a little discouraged lately with so much going on in life lately. Yesterday after putting Josie down for an afternoon nap, I told the kids I needed a little bit of "mommy time" so that I could regroup and take charge of my thoughts and emotions. I knew Matt was on his way home and it would only be a few minutes of alone time, so I asked the kids to stay out of my room so I could be alone. Here is what they gave me when I re-surfaced...This is a little picture Chloe made at the beginning of preschool this year. She told me that whenever I need to feel loved I need to look at this picture. She always brings it to me when I am upset or angry and she wants me to know that she loves me. She is absolutely precious.
Carter brings me this adorable picture that he spent drawing, coloring, cutting and gluing while I was in my "quiet time." It really made me feel "special" when he gave it to me. It is nice to know that the kids are getting older and are able to start expressing their concern and love. Carter is too cute for words. :)

If you can't read what Carter wrote he said "Mommy is speshel (special) because she does our chors (chores)."

Going to Flagstaff, AZ

This week the kids were off school for a few days for Fall Break so we decided to go visit Memaw, Uncle Travis, Aunt Rebekah and cousins Spencer, Drew and Bria in Flagstaff, Arizona. We mostly went to hang out and do nothing in particular, so it is amazing that I was able to get so many pictures, and NOT be able to sort out only a "few" of my favorites. I have a hard time choosing which pictures to post when I have so many cute ones. Kids are too cute, so how do you ever decide. Anway, here are the kids eating dinner after we arrived. What a momentous occasion to remember...Shepherds Pie and Salad. :) The next day we went for a short walk downtown Flagstaff. There really wasn't anything exciting to photograph, so I started taking pictures of the kids and came up with way too many pictures to choose from. This first picture was taken when we passed this little bench. Chloe said, "looks like a Queen and a King chair" and then sat down on it. I had to take the opportunity for a quick pic of Chloe and Spencer.
Then we found ourselves in the square area...forgot what it was called and the kids all wanted to climb up on these little rock pillars. Another cute picture with the mural in the background.
Oh, the fun to be had as a child.
Even the little boys Drew and Mason had to take their turn going from pillar to pillar.
All the while, sweet Bria and Josie sat quietly in their strollers. Bria is so precious.
Then the kids found these fancy little hand rails. They worked great keeping people steady as they walked down the 6 inch stairs and luckily we didn't see anyone fall. The kids had great imaginations when deciding what these little green contraptions were. Nonetheless, they were very fun to climb on.
Here, Josie has a great idea...
Yes, a little airplane seat...

...or some kind of seat for a new traveling contraption. Whatever it was...there was serious concentration while driving, or flying, or sliding.
Then the kids found this fun rock-water fountain.
And the really fun climbing ramp...
and they climbed over and over...
and over again...children of all sizes...
...with a little help from Memaw.

Later that evening we had a slumber party at Memaw's watching a movie.
The next morning it was "dress up Josie" time.
Let's see how many necklaces she can wear at once, without weighing her down.
She obviously didn't mind the extra attention.
The most fun was to be had Friday morning...going to chop wood.

Can he chop it??? Yes he can!
The kids sitting down for a great show.
Passing out the "nerds"
Big Cheeze.
Deciding to help pack the wood.

Chloe, the great logging girl.
Carter packing his share.
The little girls wishing they could get out and help, or just enjoying the chance to relax.
Bria little princess.
Drew and his gloves...I think they were too small. We couldn't find the big pair.

Mason happy to be helping.
The wood was perfect size for these little helpers.
Look at those strong boys...making daddy proud.
Wow, what great kids...they were really great helpers.
Finally lunch time.
Mason getting a little territorial with the others.
And the work was so much fun, there wasn't too much time spent on eating the sandwiches. They really were great Rebekah!
The best fun was still to be had...after all their hard work, they found a "little fort" in the middle of the wilderness...
It was time to gather some "pine-cone" food.

The fort provided a bit of shelter from the wind and other elements.
Peeking through the door of the fort. Oh, to be a kid again and soak up all the wild adventure out in the world. Here is the logging gang after a job well done.
Then it was the sad day to travel home back to New Mexico. The kids always hate leaving family and all their cousins. But they were excited to get home and see daddy again.
Here's the crazy lady that drove 5 hours without stopping, so she didn't have to drag 4 kids out and into the restroom in one load. Thankfully we had lots of snacks and didn't have the need to get out anywhere. The kids slept a lot of the way, so that was a really great blessing. It is always fun to spend time with family. Thanks everyone for putting up with all of us for a few days. We loved it and had a really great time!

6 Quirks about Me

Ok, so I have been tagged by my good friend Shannon. This will be fun. I am supposed to write 6 quirks about myself. The hardest part about this tag is that I have WAY more than 6 quirks, so I will have to think hard about minimizing my list to only 6. I won't ask Matt for help because he will get started and not be able to stop rattling off all of my many quirks. :) So, here goes...

1.) Crooked pictures on walls drive me CRAZY! I have an eye for leveling and when things are not level, I go in sane. Matt, on several occassions, has hung chair rail on bedroom walls and on several occassions I have walked into the room and told him that it is crooked. He tells me that his level says it is level, but I tell him that he has to rip it off because it will drive me crazy every time I walk into the room. He now knows that I will not back down and frustratedly takes it down to redo it. Poor guy...I really put him through a lot.

2.) I have this really annoying counting thing that I do with my fingers. Usually I don't know that I am doing it because it has become such a part of me. Someone asked me what I was doing the other day and I had no idea what they were talking about until they pointed it out.

3.) I am an extremely organized person (although it doesn't seem like it with 4 kids disorganizing me) and I have to have all my dresser drawers neat and tidy. I even cleaned out Matt's "junk drawer" that I swore I wasn't going to clean again because he needed one space that was "his" and he kept messing it up. This morning after looking in his drawer, he said "That's why I married you because you can take something as chaotic and disorganized as me and refine it."

4.) My daughter Chloe has a very small bladder so we have been in every restroom of every store. When we find ourselves alone and there is good music playing, we love to dance around and shake a rug. :) If the music is really good, we will just dance in the stall so nobody can see us. :)

5.) I prefer to not wear shoes in the house. I also prefer not to walk on dirty floors. Since I am not able to keep the floor spotless these days, I wear socks or flipflops so I can't feel the grime. When I start to stick I know it is time to mop. :)

6.) I am an early bird. I like to get up early. The problem comes when I like to be a night owl too. I love the peace of the morning and the late nights...so I am usually exhausted, because I can't be both.

There you have it. Those are the tip of the iceberg on my quirky quirks! So, now I tag:

1.) Danielle
2.) Becky
3.) Julie
4.) Kristi
5.) Sara
6.) Memaw

I Am...Matt

After persistent questioning about when is it "his" turn...I am now going to interview Matt for his session of "I AM." He must be thinking about all the funnies he is going to share. So, without further delay, here goes....

I am . . . strong, a dad, a husband, an artist, a chef, a lover - no don't put that, a wrestler, a teddy bear.

I think . . . too much. Um, I think about who I am and who I need to be.

I know . . . I am weak without my family.

I want . . . to help people.

I have . . . the priviledge of providing for my family.

I wish . . . I could go fishing.

I hate . . . to see others struggle.

I miss . . . my brother Mason. (He was killed in a car accident 3 years ago.)

I fear . . . losing my family.

I feel . . . determined to be successful and reach my goals. (He is well on his way.)

I love . . . to make people laugh. (And he does a great job of it I must add.)

I hear . . . Alice's beautiful laugh and Chloe's sweet singing voice.

I smell . . . food. (always! and I will be forever grateful that he awoke my tastebuds to a better life!)

I search . . . for everything because I am not organized. (You can say that again! That's why he married me, so I could follow him around and find things in the places he "already looked.")

I wonder . . . when this world will end.

I regret . . . NOT living my life, as a youth, to the fullest.

I care . . . genuinely for everyone, especially those who are in need or suffering.

I always . . . go to sleep at night in a matter of minutes. (His snoring is usually the first clue that he is asleep. I will be talking to him and he will start snoring...then I ask him if he is asleep and he will say no. I don't believe him.)

I am not . . . a redneck. (At least he is trying not to be. Just kidding.)

I believe . . . in other's potential.

I dance . . . to make the kids laugh. (He doesn't dance enough!)

I sing . . . because I like to even though I don't sing well. (He is so modest...he has a beautiful voice!)

I don't always . . . live up to my potential. (He is way too hard on himself! He is a great man.)

I write . . . in my journal about once a year. (At least he writes once a year...I haven't written in a decade probably!)

I win . . . at losing! Because if everyone is trying to win at winning, someone will always be disappointed for not winning. However, I try to lose cause no one wants to lose, therefore I win at losing. (This is his philosophy that he always shares with our friends when we play card games. He is sticking to his philosophy, even though he is very good at winning if he wants to. Mostly he wants others to win so they feel good about themselves. I can't count the times he has seen my hand of cards (cheater) and puts down cards that will help me advance in the game!)

I lose . . . at winning! See previous comment.

I never . . . give up. (Therefore he will succeed in this life!)

I listen . . . to my inner-self coach.

I read . . . a little of a lot of books. (It must be enough because he knows a lot of things and sometimes I question him about where he learns everything he knows...he still baffles me!)

I am happy about . . . the good choices I have made in my life and the growing experiences of the bad choices I have made, to get me where I am at today.

Matt's answers didn't suprise me. He described himself very well. He thinks and ponders a lot about who he is and worries if he is doing enough for everyone else. I believe that his self esteem is built upon service to others. When he gives all he has to help others, he feels satisfied and successful. He loves to be the life of the party and usually is because he thoroughly enjoys seeing others laugh and be happy. It has nothing to do with pride and "wanting" others to look up at him. He is a leader in the way that he leads. He radiates a positive energy that attracts people to be around him. Others feel a real sense of love and concern when around him. As I look at my life with Matt, I can think of so many people who have looked to him as a parental, father figure, leader role in their lives. He is definately a perfect match for me. He helps balance out all of my quirkiness and brings joy and happiness to my life. I love you Matt! Thanks for choosing me!

I Am...Carter

Today Carter lost another tooth. He is so tough. It seems that his teeth just "fall out." I remember "pain" associated with the falling out of my teeth. Well, it is Carter's turn to answer the "I Am" questions. I will ask him and type his responses. Can't wait to hear what he has to say. (He is reading this as I type and correcting my verbage...I should have put "I...can't wait..." he said)

I am . . . a boy.

I think . . . in my head.

I know . . .I am smart.

I want . . . a toy a spiderman toy, really, really bad.

I have . . . a rabbit.

I wish . . . I lived by Kaitlyn and Michael.

I hate . . . everybody...no just kidding...I hate bananas...(you do?)no, I hate animal crackers...this is a hard one....ok, I hate kissing.

I miss . . . Kaitlyn and Michael (they just came for a visit...fresh on his mind)

I fear . . . dinosaurs.

I feel . . . love for my family.

I love . . . everybody on this earth.

I hear . . . my dad and sister playing.

I smell . . . (eyes closed sniffing the air...) I don't know...ok I smell air.

I search . . . ok this is kind of freaky...I search... the earth. (Nobody be afraid!) :)

I wonder . . . what I do...how do you not look at that and type it? It might be kind of hard for you.

I regret . . . what does regret mean? Um, I wish that I didn't kick my sister.

I care . . . about my lovely, (stuttering for the right word) loving family

I always . . . will be good. (Oh, I hope he never forgets that!)

I am not . . . smart...not really, not really, this one is kind of hard for these questions...(he is so busy reading my responses that he can't concentrate on his answers) I am not being good today.

I believe . . . in Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father, and I believe I can be good at school tomorrow.

I dance . . . super, super, super, super, super, super, super good...really good at the end.

I sing . . . badly. (He thinks so, but I know different!) Sometimes I forget some words.

I don't always . . . get what I want, never get what I want...don't write never get what I want. How come you keep on writing what I am saying...Aaaah mommy, you've got to stop writing...aaahhh!

I write . . . super, super, super (times 5) really good and sometimes I write about dinosaurs, and superheroes and sometimes about spiderman.

I win . . . ok this is kind of hard...don't write it, just write I don't know and thats it. Oh, write gameboy.

I lose . . . gameboy with it...sometimes I lose.

I never . . . get what I want...wait didn't I write that before? I never lose my teeth on the top.

I listen . . . to my goodest teacher from last year. Her name is Ms. Cox.

I can usually be found . . . when I get lost somewhere.

I read . . . at school.

I am happy about . . . ok this has to be the longest sentence I have ever had. What is it? My family and my brothers and sisters and I really want to take care of my baby sister and my brother and my dad and mom and Chloe. I want to be responsible for them and I am happy that I can read books. And I am happy that I have a earth to live on and I'm happy that I got a chance to come to earth. And I'm happy that I have a mother and father. Thats not it...and I'm happy that I can go to school, thats not it...don't write that's not it, and I'm happy that I can write in my journal. And, I'm happy that I have a home to live in. This is long...look how long. (Reading what I type) Can't stop reading it, I love to read. I am happy about that my cousins got to come over today. Um, I am happy that my dad sometimes prints pictures from his computer and I can color them when I am done, when I am done I show them to my mom and dad. I ask them if they want to keep my pictures, sometimes they say yes. Period at the yes. Oh, mommy, you are just crazy...don't write that in! (Are we done?) No, write no please. This is long. (You're telling me!) One last sentence. And I am happy that my mother and father are happy about my cool and pretty pictures. I wish I could draw my sister and me and I wish I can read to my sister sometime and sometimes I can grow up and be a good brother of her and that I can take care of her. My sister Chloe and my sister Josie. (What about your brother?) Yes, write yes. (OK, I think we are done now finally! So much for one last sentence.)

Well, I hope he is happy about the fact that he made that the longest sentence he ever had. :) I really love Carter and I am happy about the fact that he is learning and growing everyday and coming closer to becoming a good man. I love it when Carter talks about having a wife someday and having lots of children he can take care of. He has a kind and caring heart and he is truly a good boy that cares about others. Love you Carter!

ABQ Balloon Fiesta 2008

Saturday morning we got up at 3:30 a.m. and headed for the bus to take us to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2008.

http://www.itsatrip.org/albuquerque/ballooning-capital/balloon-fiesta/default.aspx


It was an amazing experience. There were supposed to be over 6oo hot air balloons launched at this mornings "Mass Ascension." As we got on the bus, with all 6 kids, we realized that there weren't any other kids on the whole bus. We were seated in the very back of the bus. It was dark outside and after the bus pulled forward to begin our ride...Matt starts singing "The Wheels on the Bus" and his voice is never a whisper. We all laughed and some other people thought it was funny. There were a lot of old people on the bus, and I am not sure they found it as humorous. Oh well. It was a great pick-me up, or wake-me up for the morning. :)

Once we got to the field where the balloons take off, we found a spot to sit down in the dark and eat our breakfast burritos that Matt made for us. There were vendors everwhere...I guess there had to be because I think there were over a million people there. I have never seen that many people in one place--ever. There were probably more people at Disneyland, but you don't see them all at once. It was a little overwhelming, but it helped me realize what a neat event we were attending. The ABQ Balloon Festival is known as the "International Balloon Fiesta because it is the world's largest hot air ballooning event. It is also said that it is the world's most photographed event. So, that being said...I went ahead and made this blog post a slideshow because we literally have hundreds of photos. It is hard to pick and choose which ones to talk about, so just sit back, and let the pictures excite you to want to come another year for a visit.

At one moment during the festival, I was happy to think that in a hurting economy, there were still thousands of people getting out to enjoy a breath taking experience. The vendors were not chanting "peanuts, popcorn," they were instead chanting "cameras, batteries." It was lots of fun. Hope to make this a tradition every year. Most of all, we hope that we don't have to experience this alone every year...we want family and friends to take an opportunity to come and share it with us. So, who's turn is it next year? We are booking our calendars early! :) Love to all! Thanks Mike and Kristi for sharing in this great experience!