Impromptu Photo Shoot

Now that I have 3 kids, I have had to RE-LEARN how to divvy up my time. I just feel like I don't give each of them enough time. Savvy got some one-on-one today while Finn was at school and Neelah had a nap. We decided to take some pictures.

Trunk or Treat

Last night we went to a trunk or treat. The kids get so excited about putting their costumes on.

This skeleton would laugh and move its jaws telling jokes and whatnot. Neelah loved to touch his teeth.

hmmmm

So I recently opened myself a facebook account. Big mistake. That thing will SUCK THE TIME RIGHT FROM YOUR BONES!! It is worse than this blogger. As a mommy of 3 my internet time is precious and Facebook is monopolizing it. I see all these people who I once knew and wonder what they are up to.

I have a tendency to hold on to memories from years ago. Good and Bad. Along with this facebook thing, I have wondered about past boyfriends and what they are up to, past childhood friends and if they are married with kids of their own, people I worked with back in the day...that kind of thing. Some of these individuals I think about more than others. I can't help it. You spend so much of your life with certain people and then BAM! you never hear from them again.

I wonder what they are REALLY doing. I wonder if they think of me or if I am the weird one, looking up random old friends on facebook.

3rd child syndrome

I feel pretty crappy about the fact that I haven't even begun a baby book for Savvy. Finn has this entire scrapbook of the first year of his life, Neelah has a scrapbook that is in the process of being completed (for her first year) and Savvy has nothing...well, nothing more than this blog.
Today I am thankful for this quiet moment where Savvy and I had together. I am still trying to get her to giggle on a regular basis. Finn was at school, Neelah was asleep and Savvy and I bonded. Now she is also asleep and I plan on finishing my book.

Tonight I am feeling very lonely and well just .... BLAH! I haven't blogged much lately, not much real insight into my life. Mostly just pictures. When I was younger I used to journal a TON but not so much anymore. I still find journaling very therapeutic though. So here I am, seeking therapy, without the slightest clue what to write about. Amie Tagged me and I should follow through but I don't have the drive right now (sorry Amie, thanks for thinking of me).

I guess I will share some irony with all of you.

Some of you know that my dad wasn't around for most of my life. He left the state when I was 6 and I didn't see him again until I was 28. We have been working the past 2 years to develop a relationship and I am grateful for that. We talk about once a month and although I was angry at him for a VERY long time, I am happy with what we have now. Anyhow. I was talking to him this last week and we were discussing Eric's new job and our move to Hawaii. He said to me that he was going to give me one piece of advice...that he never took the "dad" role of telling me what to do until now and I had better listen up. He told me to support my husband and move to wherever it was that he could provide for our family. He told me that Eric and I and the kids are the "family" that are most important now. Basically he told me to be loyal to Eric and in turn to my kids. Hmmm.... coming from someone who split on his "family" so long ago....

Ironic isn't it.

I am not excited to move back to Hawaii. Each day that passes makes me a tiny bit less enthusiastic. Nevertheless, we are moving to Hawaii. Eric and I can't do the APART thing very well. It scares me how easy it is to not have anyone to whom I am accountable. I do whatever I want and don't have to okay it by anyone. What I say goes. My kids have my way and my way only. I can eat all the chocolate ice cream and no one will know but me. Giving up this is going to be hard but OH SO WORTH IT TO HAVE ERIC AROUND.

What's Eric up to?

The beach of course...I stole these pics from the Vensko's blog. Eric is hanging out with their cute little boy Jake who is 2 weeks older than Savvy. He has to get his baby fix somewhere.
Off Surfing. Eric said that he spent the majority of the time paddling his way out but didn't catch any great waves. Practice makes perfect honey!

Scarecrow Festival 2008

Here we are at Thanksgiving Point with friends from the ward. We had such a good time today. Again the weather was wonderful. The kids enjoyed the bouncy houses, games and food. The best part was the train, for some reason my kids ADORE the train. Maybe because we have a BILLION of them to play with.

This is one of the main reasons I don't want to move from Utah. The family-oriented activities are such a great part of being in this state. I love Utah.

Accident prone

I have discovered that Neelah is accident prone. Yesterday she took a flying leap off the trampoline (not my tramp). She seriously relocated one of her bottom teeth. It is still in her mouth, albeit not in the same spot it was before she just RAN off the tramp. So after we got the bleeding stopped she seemed to be fine, at least not in much pain.

Skip to tonight.

She crawled up to the table (she climbs where ever she feels the need, I can't stop her), and is playing nicely by herself while I make dinner. Then just as I am about to set the table, she falls off the chair while trying to get down. She seriously bit straight through her tongue folks.

More blood. More crying. More pain.

Poor girl! She has her first dentist appointment tomorrow and I am expecting more drama. How they are going to get her to open her mouth, I don't know. It should be interesting.

These pictures are from tonight. She has bananna squash and blood all over her shirt.

So last night after the first incident we distracted Neelah with books. But she wanted to read Grandpa's deer hunting magazine instead. I thought that it made for a good picture for Eric since he is missing out on hunting season this year.

Free Fall Fun!

Yesterday my sister Lyndsay came over with her hubby Jon and their kids. We went for lunch at Cafe Rio ( thanks Mom!) and then we stopped by Maceys Grocery Store for their annual "Harvest Fest". Isn't my sis so pretty?!
Here is Lynds helping Neelah color her picture frame.
Lyndsay's kiddies Felicity, Reagan and Gabe. Crazy Kids.
Felicity and Gabe hamming it up.
And of course Lyndsay and I had to be silly too.

fall 2008

Since Eric isn't here to take pictures of me, I took a self photo of Savvy and I. We so much enjoyed yesterday and the BEAUTIFUL fall weather. It was like 75 degrees with a fabulous breeze. No Fall is complete without playing in the leaves. Finn had a blast and Neelah was enjoying herself until she got pieces of leaves in her diaper. Then not so much.

BLISS!

Halloween Cookies

With those cheeks and chin, you would think she ate 20 Halloween cookies! But alas, she will get hers later tonight after it goes through me.
April, Nate, Amanda and Janae came over tonight to make cookies. April and Nate made us yummy pizza and fun was had by all. Thanks for the fun FHE guys!

Four years ago...

Four years ago, we were living in Hawaii. Eric and I had just bought Maile (our beagle) and we were so excited for a baby. I was SWOLLEN in the October heat of Hawaii. No trade winds. No air conditioning. I was so ready for the baby to be OUT that one night after Eric went to bed, I called my friend Jamie. I asked her to make a trip to Walmart with me. Mind you it was 9pm. We went and I bought 4 oz of Castor oil. Then we went to her house to make a shake. But her husband was asleep so we didn't want to wake him with the blender. I decided to shoot the nasty stuff and chase it with a Dr Pepper.

2 and a half oz later I was gagging and almost threw up. But alas, I kept it down and went home to bed. Fast forward to 2:30am. In the bathroom from then till 4:30. Literally, I did not leave the toilet. Thought I was going to DIE. Got back in bed and slept till 6:30 when I woke up with contractions.

After 23 hours of labor and a delivery that was the utmost painful thing I could ever imagine possible, I was blessed with a little red headed boy! Since then my life has not been the same.

I am enrolling Finn in pre-school tomorrow because he is driving me nuts. He is so dang smart that he needs to be challenged every min and I just can't keep up with him. He loves to play with Neelah and is such a big helper to me. He is the sweetest, most sensitive little guy. He wakes up in the morning and runs to me to give me a hug and a kiss. He tells me periodically throughout the day that I am "beautiful". He wants Savvy and Neelah to grow up faster so that they can play rough with him but he is quick to kiss Neelah's ow-ies.

Finn brightens my days and makes me laugh. I can't wait to see what he will grow up to become.

Savvy, Savvy, Savvy

She is BEAUTIFUL!! I adore it when she smiles! She talks and talks but mostly only at night.

Happy Birthday Eric!!

So this year Eric and I turned the big 3-0!! ulgh! We are old! And since Eric wasn't here for us to serenade him, we did it on video. I wanted to do it over the phone first thing this morning but since Finn was in the middle of a massive tantrum, it wasn't the best time. I love you honey, you are the best. I just wish you were here so that I could give you a big birthday KISS!!!

Gardiner Village

Today we met up with Mandy and her kids and went to Gardiner Village. We love it there in the fall and I am really going to miss it when we move. Here we have Neelah, Grady, Finn, Daxton and Tabitha in the stroller.

I am such a dork! I forgot to get a picture of Mandy and I!! It was so good to see them while they were in town visiting! Old friends are the best!

Whole lotta bday pictures.

There are so many that I am just going to give little blurb about each one. Above is Finn in his costume...AGAIN...and the bday cake I made (this is that FANTASTIC chocolate cake I wrote about earlier. Finn, Grandma Sharlene, Savvy and Aunt Amanda.
Ya-ya and Neelah
Uncle Nate, Aunt April and Grandpa Rick
Neelah, Gabe, Aunt Lyndsay and Finn eating birthday cupcakes.
Frosting goes directly into the mouth

Felicity with frosting on her nose
Reagan and Gabe are enjoying the treats
Neelah's loot from the piniata
Since it rained, we had to host soccer games in the garage
Finn and Alex

Before cupcakes, we ate pizza. Here is the entire gang
The soccer spread
Savvy and Aunt Amanda.
Ya-ya and Neelah
4 years old