My Mommy, my world...

I cannot even put into words how much I love my Mother. I've tried and I have never been able to capture it. All I know is, I miss her every second of my life and I love every moment I have with her. I feel at peace when I'm with her and that feeling is one I crave constantly but never really experience. I love everything we do and it doesn't have to be thrilling or exciting. My favorite moments are those spent on the carpet reading books to the kids, or when we're talking on the couch, or when she's winning at Yahtzee almost every time! (I don't know how she does it, because I'm pretty good myself, but she goes beyond all the Yahtzee rules and wins constantly.) I love our rides in my Volkswagon because we're practally sitting on each other's laps, or listening to the kids and laughing at all the silly things they are saying. I love it when she comes because we have fun no matter what. As she was getting ready to board the plane ( or go through the gate) she said that I was a good Mother, but compared to what she has been in my life, I feel I will never come close, how could I? She is incredible, couragous and breathtaking. She is my everything, and oh, how my heart aches when it's time to say goodbye. What a wonderful visit, thank you Mama.

G-ma & Daisy reading bedtime stories!

Miss Daisy loves her bed time stories, especially those by: "Mercer Mayer". She's so cute. I think G-ma ended up reading this one a few times, daisy already knows how to smile cute and get her way!

Decorating Christmas cookies with G-ma!

We had fun decorating cookies last night with G-ma! They turned out pretty cute, and yummy too!

G-ma & G-pa Come For A Visit!!

Mom and Brent are probably boarding the plane to return home to Seattle as I type this. We just dropped them off at the airport after having a terrific weekend with them! Why does it always go so fast? We went to I HOP for breakfast this morning, yummy pancakes!

Our 1st day of snow!

Yesterday I went outside to take the trash out like I do every Tuesday morning

(in my bathrobe, of course!) and the weather was normal, just cold, but I hurried inside to finish getting Tristin ready for school. About 25 minutes later, Daisy came up to me and said, "Mommy, I like the Christmas outside." I had no idea what she was talking about so I went to the window to see what her "Christmas" was. Sure enough, it was snowing! The kids were so excited, so they got their warm clothes on and went outside to build a snowman! I don't think they got too far, but they had fun with the 5 minutes they had before he had to get to school. Of course I freaked out for a second as I invisioned my family sliding off the road and getting stuck somewhere, but thankfully the snow was gone in about 3 minutes, and my panic attak subsided quickly. Now they are thrilled for snow and if it melts as quickly as yesterday, I will be fine. I HATE snow, I'm from Seattle, it doesn't snow there so it scares me to death to drive in it!

I scapbooked a page!

Something has come over me the last 2 weeks, and whatever has happened to my brain, I'm loving it! I have read 2 books and scapbooked 1 page! I stoppped cleaning for a few hours and allowed myself to do a few things I really enjoy, but always seem to deny myself. I doubt this will last long, but I've proved to myself it can be done! Yeah!

Grace's 1st Halloween!

Grace looked so cute in her pumpkin costume! I bought it for 50 cents last yard sale season.

No pictures, sick kids and 2 books later...

Well, something has happened and I cannot figure out how to post my pictures, so you get my rambling instaed. Darn, now I need Trav's help, and I was doing so well on my own...
Life has been going well for us. The kids are all sick right now, so that's been a blast. My laundry has doubled this past week from just the constant sheet washing I've been doing. If it's not pee, then it's throw up, if it's not either of those, then it's some other nasty liquid that I do not want on my kids bed sheets, so I'm feeling behind these days.
I have exciting news as well... (no I'm not pregnant)
I have actually read 2 books in the past week and 1/2! Yes, I did! I actually stopped, sat down and read almost 700 pages and it felt incredible!!! Yeah, for Emily!
I know it's sad when I celebrate an act such as this, but in "Emily land", that's fantastic!Now, my next task is to scapbook 1 page. Just one to see if I can do it. And after that, I don't know, I'll think of something wild to accomplish... I'll keep you posted!

My sick obsession...

You know me, I can't pass up a good deal, especially if it invloves HAND SANITIZER!!! My latest deal is the one going on at Walgreens. They have their Purell hand sanitizer on sale for
$ 3.49, and in addition, they have a $ 2.50 off coupon that lasts the entire month! Great deal right? Who wouldn't spend .99 cents for a bottle of beautiful foaming hand sanitizer? But wait it gets better... you know me, I wasn't content with that price, so I had to find a better deal, and guess what, I did!!! i remembered the week/s prior in the Sunday paper coupons, they had 2 coupons for $1.00 & $1.50 off Purell, so I used those right away (of course!) but then I realized I could have got them for FREE at Walgreens if I would have saved my coupons...
(darn right?, don't worry there's a happy ending...) So, I hopped on E-bay and bought 20 coupons for $2.00 bucks! Yeah! So, for the past few weeks I have been religiously hitting the Walgreens near my house (plus a few in Boise) to collect my 20 BOTTLES OF FREE HAND SANITIZER!!! I know it's weird, but I get this wonderful high when I go in my pantry and see my kabillion bottles of it all neatly lined up on my shelf. I swear, it doesn't get better than this! Could I actually be in Heaven?
I think my cracked, sore, and burning hands can testify that I am one sick girl with one sick obession...

Tristin's first day of school!

Yes, I know school has been in session for a few months, but I'm really behind in the "blogging world". I loved this one of Daisy and Tristin, it makes my heart smile!

Tristin with G-pa on his Harley!

I love this picture of Tristin and my Dad. He came for a visit in August, we had a lot of fun. I love it when Dad comes because he always rides his bike out! I love motorcycle rides, I always have. I had a boyfriend with one, a great friend named Ryan with one and other people along the way with bikes. I have always loved the feel of the wind in my hair. There's nothing quite like it. One day I want to go on a road trip with my Dad.I can just imagine the looks we would get now. People have thought we were a couple ever since I was 16,- kind of gross, but funny too.

Miss Daisy in the leaves...

This is one of daisy I took last month. Yes I took it upside down on purpose, but it actually looks cutier right side up- but you know me, I can't figure out how to flip it, oh well. She's growing up.

Yesterday was Trav's 30th birthday! How can we be this old already???....
On Sunday night we had a party for him (and for the kids. You know how they love party hats and balloons), we had a bunch of friends anf family over and it was nice to have everyone over for cake. Last night we went to Applebees with his family ( we are loving having his parents home!) Besides catching a yucky cold, I think the past few days were fun for him. 3o only comes once! We love you Travis/Daddy!

Here you go Jessica... the inside scoop!

My friend Jessica wanted to see some pictures of the inside. She and I have been friends for 15 years, so she knows how crazy I really am- yet loves me anyway!
I had so much fun painting and decorating & finding killer deals! My favorite is probably my fridge. I almost had a heart attack when I found it at a yard sale for $40.00. I've always joked with Travis and my friends that the Lord leads me to good deals, because he does, there's no other explanition to why I score all the coolest things( I even say a prayer before leaving for my "yard sale day"), but it really works, he really does lead me!
My other favorite is my black & white checkerd floor that I've wanted forever. It makes me happy every time I'm on my hands and knees washing it. The pictures are further down...

G-ma & G-pa Berthelson are back from their mission!

Well, G-ma & G-pa Berthelson arrived home safely late last night from their 2 year mission in Virginia. We just came home from "their" house after a 4 hour visit. We are SO thrilled to have them back, and yes, we can't wait for G-ma's cooking again!
They brought home with them a tiny dog named Jenni. It weighes 1 pound right now and I have to admit, is adorable. I ACTUALLY PET A DOG TODAY folks, yeah I know, kind of hard to believe, but she's about the size of your hand and really cute.
The kids and I loved seeing Gramon and Grandpot (as Daisy calls them). We are so proud of them for taking 2 years out to serve the Lord, they are incredible people and I am so blessed to be apart of their family.

Fixing the House...

Last month was pretty crazy for us as we bought and fixed up our first house!
We have so much more respect for those who do that kind of work for a living, or those who have just survived it. We are in love with it now. It was a ton of work for us, who know nothing about how to fix a house, but luckily the projects were ones we could do ourselves. We had fun ripping out all the old, nasty, pee infested carpet, taking down wall paper to find ugly wood paneling behind it, refinishing walls, retexuring walls, removing a corner of brick were a stove used to be, painting the fire place, painting the inside of the house, removing the ugliest wood fan you've ever seen, replacing light fixtures, adding my black and white checkered floor to the kitchen, replacing all the carpet, removing the dishwasher, adding a new one, ripping out the kitchen sink and adding a new one, adding base boards, removing and adding a new front door, removing old blinds and putting up new ones, adding doors, painting wild flowers all over,decorating, removing trees, removing a lot of rose bushes and taking too many trips to the dump. Then we were able to unpack! It was difficult with the kids at our feet EVERY second, a nursing baby, work, church, tristin starting school and normal life- but we survived it.
Audra was right, some days you do go to Lowes/Home Depot 5 times a day! Luckily, we just have to repaint the outside in the spring, and get new windows.
We are loving having a place to call our own and the kids love the huge back yard.
Heavenly Father blessed us beyond belief...

Ode to Audra

One of my best friends convinced me to start my own blog. (Thank you Audra!) I have never been one to follow the crowd, but to me, this was still something I could call my own, yet feel apart of something as well.
My other best friend Jessica and I were talking about how we all need a witness to our lives and it's true. I guess I have felt so lost for so long that I needed this outlet. Now- I have a way I can share my life with you, my goofy habits, pictures of my beautiful family, my passion for writing, my love of art and my joy for life.
My hope is that I will spend less time cleaning and more time embracing what is most important.
My hope is that I will learn to sit down, relax, write and share my life with you. It's true, we all need a witness to our lives, thank you for being mine...