Typical Sunday.

It was a surprise when Pops came home between meetings for a few minutes. He came home just in time for dinner. I don't know why I bother to fix a big dinner when he's not here. The boys could care less what we're eating. It would've been a perfect night for cereal.
I'm starting to feel the effects of no nap today. Boss did take a nap and is still up. Lovely.
I made a strawberry spinach salad today but didn't make the poppy seed dressing homemade so it just didn't taste as good. I think I'll make it again tomorrow with the homemade dressing, I've been craving it lately.
I must go and get Boss to bed again...

More soccer games today. I only heard Boss say he was hungry 14 times during the game instead of 114 times like last week. We're improving.

The weather was perfect today and after soccer I suggested to the boys that we should go on a hike... so to celebrate the nice weather we stayed in doors playing video games. (I got out voted) I made a promise to Buster that if he got 100% on his spelling test yesterday I would let him rent a video. After soccer we stopped by block buster and he choose a star wars video game. Shocker. We came home picked up the house (for the billionth time) and then the boys had at it with the game. Pop's worked during this time and I went through the mail...it had been exactly three weeks since I checked it. Sometimes I dream about going to the mail box and finding no bills, no junk mail. Just letters from friends about how wonderful life is. Then again friends would probably write letters to me if I was the type to write to them. Maybe that can be next years goal. Anyhow Pops stopped working and played for about 30 minutes while I still continued to go through the mail and then Crate milked me and we headed off with Pops since he had to do a walk-through with a client today. Lucky for us the house that is closing is right across the street from a park so I brought a few soccer balls, a football and a Frisbee. We were thoroughly entertained. Crate loved sitting on a blanket on the grass with me. We watched his brothers play all sorts of made up games, have a few wrestling matches and play a little basketball also. I was able to enjoy the nice weather finally and we were all able to enjoy some time with Pops on the drive to and from. I also toured the house...it was nice with a nice pool. And the nicest thing about it is that it's supposed to close this week! We'll keep our fingers crossed. Came home and fixed cheese crisps for the boys and organic tomato veggie soup for Pops and I and called it a night. There is something that is totally wrong with me, I refuse to cook big meals on Friday or Saturday nights, it's just seems wrong. I was really leaning toward cereal tonight but I did go the extra step and pull out a pan. There were a few tears when I said the "N" word (NO) when asked if more xbox time would be granted prior to bed. Showers were still needed and it was already 7:30pm and I needed them in bed by 8pm for early church tomorrow. Then again what would be a day with out tears? Picked up again and the boys were headed to bed.

Now it's time for me to make few more changes to the YW calendar before our meeting tomorrow.

A big shout out goes to the Boss-man for turning four years old today!

Oh, how I remember this day vividly four years ago. Pitocin drip for 10 hours + no epidural ='s a nightmare. However the end result is fabulous!
Boss, you are awesome and bring such an amazing dynamic to the family! We couldn't imagine life with out you.

Marmie came by and dropped off a fun present, a game Boss will love to play. He opened his present from aunt Jeaniece and was thrilled to make play-dough ice cream. We'll give him is helicopter and a few army men and his favorite box of cereal tonight from the fam.

Now we're off somewhere to find something to do for his birthday. I would let him pick but he has fallen asleep!

In other news...as I was pretending to have #3 fly through the air above my face he proceeded to burp and thus with in 1/2 a second upchucked and it landed in my mouth. Nothing like tasting your own regurgitated breast milk. If you haven't tried it I wouldn't recommend it.

We made cupcakes today for Boss's birthday and he and Captin enjoyed decorating them. I made the frosting homemade and colored it and ended up making some really cute and fun designs on them. The mutual activity a few weeks ago inspired me to try decorating. It was actually fun... a little messy though.

Now it's time to go!

I went to enrichment tonight...I know it's not called that anymore but I can't think of the new name right now...and came home to a completely mopped floor. My jaw dropped when I saw the entire tile floor throughout the house vacuumed and mopped by pops. The amazing part was that I didn't even ask him to do it before I left and I wasn't even mad at him so it's not like he was trying to make up for something. This is like the biggest, kindest act of service he can give me. Because I HATE mopping the floor. I think it has something to do with the amount of tile we have.

I woke up and when I turned on the TV to start my workout the channel that it was on was one of those Evangelical channels. I don't know what's it's called other than a church channel. Anyhow, I was getting my water bottle and I listened to what this female preacher was saying and I found her advice very insightful. She talked about a man who loved God all his life. Then one day he found out is little son had cancer and started praying for God to take away the cancer and save his son. His son ended up dying and he began to question God's existence. She went on to share her own personal story of being molested for 15 years by her father. During these 15 years she would pray and plea with God to have him stop it even to the point she was praying that her father would die. He didn't. She then explained that as an adult she's learned God does have the power to take away our trials but sometimes he doesn't and it's not because he doesn't love us. Sometimes he doesn't take them away but what he does do is give us the strength to endure them. It made me ponder for a brief moment on my own trials. I need to realize that he gives them to me for my own personal growth and I shouldn't necessarily pray for them to be removed but for the strength to endure and to be worthy of the Holy Ghost to give comfort while enduring them. I thought this lady was insightful and made me even more grateful to be apart of a religion that has the fullness of the gospel, the power of the priesthood and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Also, it reminded me to learn to accept and even appreciate the trials that come because hopefully in the end they humble me and bring me closer to my Savior. After watching her for a brief 5 minutes it made me want to share the gospel with my neighbors...just like this lady, I know they are learning good things at their churches but they are missing out on the total gospel that has been restored to the earth.

Today was Boss's "fake birthday" as he called it. We had a little party with friends for him. I can't believe he'll be four tomorrow. Since he was turning four he got to invite four friends over for his party. We made a list of everyone he knows then he went through and decided which four to invite. He kept asking if he could have "just 20 friends, that's all" I thought four was a good, manageable number. I think they had fun. It was during the middle of school so Buster was sure excited to get out early and come home to help celebrate. He wanted and army man birthday so that was the theme this year. We even had army man music playing in the background and decorated the house with red, white and blue streamers...GO AMERICA! He wanted a chocolate cake and helped decorate it with sprinkles and we put army men on top with the candles. No stress for me and fun for Boss. It was a success.

Now it's bed time.

So many thoughts, so little time.

Thought #1 -- Crate is so big already. He's totally out of the newborn stage and growing so fast. It really is sad how fast the time flies by. He loves attention, squeals really loud and loves to be held. He also has some nasty cradle cap going on. Still looking for a solution on that one.

Thought #2 -- The cake I made for the party tomorrow smells really good. I must control myself.

Thought #3-- I'm glad I have good sisters. They are fun to talk to. It's even better when I can talk and work around the house at the same time.

Thought #4-- It's hard to come by good friends. I'm glad for them. I try to always remember to be a good friend.

Thought #5-- Reading in Helaman right now and it's amazing how much the people rejected the prophets back in those days. Then I realized how it is the same today. Then I thought of the little things that the prophet might say and how it's rejected. Then my thoughts always turn back to the Young Women and the responsibility to teach them the words of the prophets. Like not dating until 16, preparing for temple marriage, watching language that is used, wearing modest swim suits and so on. Then I think about how I can better follow the prophet and teach my children to do the same. What large or small things am I rejecting? Who am I judging? If I lived in the Nephite days would I reject Samuel the Lamanite? How is Samuel's teachings different from Pres. Monson's? Or are they all relative? When pondering the Book of Mormon it really opens my eyes to applying it to my own life.

Thought #6--Gratitude. I'm hoping I'm learning from other people's example and mistakes to be more grateful. Grateful when somebody fulfills callings or assignments. Grateful when someone watches my kids, grateful when somebody complements me, grateful when I learn I've been in someone prayers. Ingratitude to God is a sin and I think it's safe to say ingratitude in general is sinful. I will be more grateful to the very large and very small things someone does for me and my family. I've learned I've never walked in any one's shoes but my own...so when someone does something nice for me and I think it is no big deal because it seems easy for them to have done... I must remember I may not know everything that is going on in their lives and be most grateful for the time/talents/money/emotion/dedication they spent while doing something kind for me or my family no matter how big or how small that "thing" maybe.

Thought #7-- Thanks to Erin for pointing it out... Buster now reads the Book of Mormon to the family at night and it's amazing how well he does. Completely amazing.

Thought #8--I'm really excited to go to sleep in my clean sheets tonight.

Thought #9-- Visiting the totally gh-e-tto walmart is like having a out of body experiment. Nothing like hearing the really bad bomb word 14 times before ever getting in the store due to gangster G's music (the word music might be pushing it) comin' fro is pippin spinner wheels sitting 7 rows away fro me. He was lookin like he was ready to pull out is A.K. and bust-a-cap. (Freaky). I got myself in and out of there a quick as possible. I did have to ask where the staples were and as much as I'm a believer in America being the melting pot of the world I was not shocked when I asked a smiley face, blue polo with khaki pants wearing lady, where the staples were and she couldn't answer me because she didn't speak English. I briefly checked my GPS to make sure I hadn't crossed the border. I knew I lived close and sometimes when I drive I get in a zone not paying much attention to where I'm going...I didn't think I possibly could have driven that far before I realized I was in a different country...but alas I was still in the good ol' U S of A! Walmart needs to start issuing a disclaimer not all employees will be able to help you "save money and live better." I didn't save money cause I could never find the staples and I didn't live better cause I was irritated.

Thought #10-- Pops has turned out to be a good man. I'm glad he handles stress well.

Thought #11-- God bless America, land that I love.


On a side note,

This is what happens when you ignore a baby...

A. They slide out of the chair (good thing the chair was on the floor)

and B. They fuss themselves to sleep in the 1980's jumper.
And just because:

If I was a drinker, today I'd be drunk.

My positive thoughts paid off. I felt much better today. I even kicked rear on my weight workout this morning. Up by 5:15am read scriptures worked out with Brando and found time to wash and blow dry my hair all before 9am. I can't wait to chop my mop. It's coming some day soon.

I made some really good homemade french bread to go along with a roast I cooked yesterday. I slow cooked a roast, potatoes and carrots in Costco Raspberry Chipotle sauce. It was pretty descent and gave the roast a little kick. The bread turned out awesome and the best part is that I prepared the dough this afternoon then let it rise while I took the boys on a bike ride so when we got home I just popped it in the oven, warmed up the roast and in 20 minutes a delicious dinner was born.

So we have had this rule for the boys the last year...the rule is after school no TV or video games Monday -Thursday. Some days I kick myself for making the rule. Sometimes it's great because the boys have nothing else to do but play with and entertain each other. Other days, like today when homework is done quickly and I'm trying to finish things up in the kitchen before Crate wakes up I just want to say go watch TV. But alas I stuck to my guns and they found a way to be entertained. It included spilling an entire bottle of bubbles on the back patio creating more work for me to clean it up. But, that is my job right now in my life so there's no sense in complaining about it.

On to other stuff...the person who invented the remote for Crates crib mobile is an absolute genius and deserves big Benjamins. I can turn it on from the bedroom door and he doesn't see me, thus keeping him entertained much longer. For if I was to walk over there and turn it on myself he would see me and expect to be picked up. And sometimes that's just not possible. I can think of a few more things I could use a remote for. Jane...I know you totally understand this concept. Sometimes I reflect on how much more attention child #1 received at this age...oh well #3 will survive.

Now I am going to go indulge in some time-wasting beauty. The literally one show I'll admit I'm addicted to is 24 and it's on tonight. Jack Bauer and I will reunite once again. 60 minutes of intense awesomeness.