It's official...

85% Chance of a boy...things are really looking that way but it was an early ultrasound.

So with four boys this must mean one of two things, either:

1. The Lord thinks I'm really good at raising boys

or

2. I haven't got it right yet and he's giving me a fourth chance.

Either way this means more wrestling time, more Lego's, more hats, more white shirts to iron, more light sabers, more sports, lots of savings needed for their mission, college savings needed...

It also means...when the father and sons weekend comes around I GET THE ENTIRE WEEKEND FREE!!! And it means out in public I'm still off the hook of taking the boys to the bathroom if Pops is around. No spending money on hair stuff or jewelery, no matching shoes needed for outfits, less drama (hopefully) and I can't wait to have four wonderful daughter-in-laws that I will learn to love no matter what...for they may be the closest thing I ever have to a daughter. And granddaughters, there might be a lot of spoiling going on when that time comes.

This new one came as a "planned surprise" I like to call it. We knew we weren't done but we had no idea this one would come so fast considering the other three took their own sweet time to enter from heaven. We're excited and are anxiously saving our dollars for another cash paid delivery...blessed insurance companies...don't get me started.

Four boys...I'm still trying to swallow that.

P.S. I know there are people that hate finding out about these things in a social setting like this but honestly I didn't know how else to advertise the big news! :)

I just finished preparing my YW's lesson for tomorrow. The YW's manual always has really good lessons. It would make for a great study companion to the scriptures.

I think about blogging much more often than I actually do. Sometimes life is moving to fast and I don't want to forget any of the great moments or small miracles we experience day to day and other days there is stuff I want to forget. One more area in my life I need to find balance in.

I feel like I'm a pretty darn patient mother...until bed time. I really need to work on that. I need to remember that I was once a kid to and didn't like when bed time came around. Maybe I should feel loved that they want to stay up to "spend just one more minute with you" as the boys say. Too often one more minute turns in to 5 or 10 or 30 more minutes. Alas, one day all to soon they won't be saying that anymore. I must cherish the moment.

I've read several blogs lately of people who have been in some major serious trials. Like this moms or this girls or his and once again I feel beyond grateful for the small trials I face. At times they might seem like mountains to steep to climb but when I count my blessings I realize they are little hills that I've been carried over by the hand of the Lord. I have my husband who loves me, I have my children, I have as much food a day that I could ask for, a roof over my head and we all have our health. We're not to shabby.

I hope my lesson goes well tomorrow. I'm also thankful I'm not a teenager these days. I'm nervous for my boys to grow up in this world. My young women really are great girls. It's a humbling experience sitting in the temple with them like we did this morning. Sometimes the calling gets a little busy and tiring but it's moment's like today that makes me grateful I'm in this position and can serve them.

I'm hoping for a Sunday nap tomorrow. I hope it's still raining too...napping while raining goes together like a bagel and cream cheese. That sounds good right about now.

Tub Time with Crate

Cannibalism instincts once again...you'll see why below.















He's like one big ball of joy.

Valentine's Day 2011

Since we've had our boys join the family we've always made Valentine's Day a day the whole family shows their love for each other. Usually I fix a nice dinner and we enjoy an evening together.

This year Valentine's Day went something like this...

Buster and I painted blocks a few days before so we could have a center piece for the table. (Which, come Valentine's night I forgot to put them on the table. Go figure.)


Then Valentine's Day morning I prepared the dessert everyone likes. Well, except Boss, he really doesn't care for any dessert. Not sure yet where he got those genes from. I made a homemade Oreo ice cream cake.

The table got set, nothing to fancy but each member of the family did get a little love note on their plates prior to dinner being served.


Then the rest of the night may or may not have gone something like this...
Pops calls and says he'll be home at 6pm.
I start dinner at 5pm knowing it'll all be ready to come together at 6pm cause that's when Pops said he'll be home.
Child #1, 2 and 3 all have a melt down at 5:15pm.
5:18pm I look everyone out side and kindly tell them to use their imagination until further notice. I may or may not have said; "DO NOT ASK TO COME IN UNTIL PERMISSION IS GRANTED." Of course I said it so kindly since it is the day of love.
I cut up the potatoes and slice my finger at 5:19pm. I may or may not have said choice words.
5:25pm I head out side and fire up the grill while telling the sweet children to continue playing and that no, permission has not been granted to enter the home.
5:35pm Rosemary rolls are put in the oven.
5:40pm Steaks (good ones that I rarely buy)are placed on the grill.
6pm I pull rolls and potatoes out of the oven.
6:02pm the asparagus is done and turned out perfect.
6:05pm I hear screaming as I'm cleaning up the mess I've been making the last hour. I may or may not have ignored it.
6:06pm I realized the word "fire" is being yelled while screaming.
6:07pm I check the clock and notice that Pops is late. It's the day of love so I don't get ruffled. Meanwhile I calmly walk outside to see what all the ruckus is. And there I see flames. Large streams of red and orange blazing over my precious and expensive slabs of fresh beef. Quickly I pull the steaks from the burning grill and while doing so I may or may not have thrown Crate half-way across the yard so he doesn't get burned, for he was very intrigued by the burning grill.
Once I realize my steaks, that would have been cooked to perfection, are burnt to a crisp, I may or may not have stood at the grill and shed tears.
6:20pm I come inside and make sure all the other food is wrapped so tightly in foil as to avoid any of it cooling while we patiently wait for Pops. By this point I'm sure he's late because he was swinging by to pick up the beautiful roses I was sure he was bringing home for his Valentine.
6:45pm Almost all of us are washed up and ready to eat. We were just missing one person.
6:55pm Still sitting at the table patiently waiting for someone.
7:02pm Finally, the door opens and the guest of honor arrives.
7:05pm Pops looks at the steaks and says we can salvage them. I may or may not have agreed.
7:08pm We read the letters each family member made for each other and everyone feels loved and is happy.
7:10pm We bless the food and dig in. It may or may not have been cold.
7:30pm It's time for dessert and now all is well.

Even though the night didn't go as planned I really was thankful to be sitting next to the people I cherish. They love me and I love them and we are happy. That's what it's all about. Although, once it came time for dishes I realized why people might choose do go out and have a night off of the typical cooking and cleaning. Maybe next year we'll rethink our plans.

Here we go again...time to play catch up with the Blog.

Boss' birthday pics...

Boss was so excited to open in package he got in the mail from his Aunt J. I was thankful for the package because I knew it made him feel special that she would remember his big day.


Here he is wearing what he got...notice the number 5 since it's his 5th birthday. Clever huh! Thanks Aunt J.


Here he is closing his eyes very tightly as we brought in his big present...his new bike.


We had a great morning and then headed over to Amazing Jake's for an amazing time celebrating his birthday.

On to a typical Sunday morning. It goes like this...Pops at

meetings, me getting ready and the boys playing in the play room.

Crate loves to climb on his Lego table and try to find some action outside.


Once again, Boss is loving on Crate but Crate has already had enough...


No pics of Buster, he was shirtless and refused to have his picture taken without his shirt on. So far he gets modesty.


Now we're moving on to a Saturday afternoon a week or so ago and the boys are showing their silly faces for the camera.




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Here's Crate enjoying his first girl scout cookie. He preferred the chocolate ones.




And finally...Crate learns to say "cheese" for the first time.

Valentines Day is coming up...I always wonder if I had three girls would it be much more festive around here? My boys defiantly are not into wanting to create decorations with me. In reality it makes my life easier.

Boss was very excited to celebrate his birthday again today with his cousins. It was a combined birthday with Saige and as always they had tons of fun playing at the park. They get so excited anytime they know they get to play with the cousins. I'm pretty sure they'll grow up being best friends.

We pulled weeds today and cleaned up the front and back yard. The boys were pretty helpful. I did mention to them that if they choose to not help I had no problem calling a babysitter and they would stay home from the birthday party. I was serious and they knew I was. That motivation worked great.

I think I asked Crate 26 billion times today to please not scream. That seems to be his one form of communication at the moment.

My motto the last few months around here has been; "I don't raise my voice at you, please don't raise your voice to me." I think they truly understand this concept. We've avoided many possible shouting matches and they've learned to not raise their voices at each other when having a brotherly moment.

Everyday Crate will try to copy a new word. The last few days his favorite word seems to be Papa, meaning Papi. He's constantly going around the house calling for Papa and every time the phone rings or someone knocks on the door he smiles and says "Papa?" He sure loves his Pops.

I been studying patience in the scriptures lately. Enos was amazing and the Book of Hebrews has some amazing scriptures towards learning patience. Patience is a God-like attribute I hope to one day prefect. It will take lots of work...patience can be manifested in so many aspects of life. Patience with people, patience with family, patience with careers, patience with obtaining knowledge, patience with children, patience with circumstances, patience with technology, patience with education, patience with temporal things...the list can go on and on. Like I said it will take a lot of work but the scriptures will be a huge help.