Our big number 10

Before November is over I need to write about our tenth anniversary. Ten years ago I married my best friend. These past ten years have been the most meaningful, fulfilling and happiest years of my life. To celebrate, we did the one thing that we have wanted to do ever since we moved into our home--enjoy it! We farmed out our children, went out to dinner and a movie, and came home. With no responsibilities at home, we stayed up late and we slept in until our backs hurt. The next morning we had breakfast in bed and went for a peaceful walk through the neighborhood holding hands. It was perfect.

Thank you, John, for being who you are, and sharing your life with me.

This was TERRIFYING, but I did it!

John and I have been talking about how we have been doing so much work lately and not having enough fun. John is very good about combining the two, but I had a hard time with this until yesterday. Maybe I wouldn't go straight to "fun" but it was the same terrifying feeling that I got last month when we went to Cherry Hill on a date and climbed the rock wall. I am not sure that I picked the right color of stain for the project, but I think that it does make the house look better cared for.

And in the end, I was very proud of my self, so I gave myself a big ol' sticky brown pat on the back.

Sometimes it's the little things that make a house a home...

...and sometimes it is the really big things. John decided that he wanted to do our back patio himself. He has divided the job up into three separate pour sessions and Saturday was the first one. We did it with the help of a very talented cement truck operator and a generous neighbor. Our neighbor and I screened the cement while John operated the rake and did the finishing work. It was exhausting work, but he did a great job despite the freak rainstorm that coincidentally started up minutes after he finished smoothing the last piece.

Sweet Thirty-One

Only when you are the mom, can you celebrate your birthday for 4 days in a row. I had such a wonderful birthday this year. It started on Thursday when John showed Johnny the birthday present he had gotten for me. Neither of them are very good at keeping secrets, so before I knew it I was opening my first birthday present--a GPS. Friday, John gave me the gift of going shopping for some new clothes, so he spent the day at home on child duty while I had a day on the town. Saturday, we had cake and went on a dinner and movie date. We went to Teppanyaki Grill and then to the new Star Trek Movie, it was such a fun evening. On Sunday to celebrate my actual birthday we gave talks in church and I was able to take a nap, thanks John! I had the perfect excuse to make another chocolate cake this weekend, but for some reason I was in the mood for Whoopee Pies. They took more time to make than the usual chocolate cake, and were much more unhealthy--if that is possible. They were so worth the pure unadulterated fat and calories. I stacked thirty-one little pies to make up for the one candle that I could find, we must have packed the others. I had to add this picture just because it shows Lucy,
and the silly look on my face made me laugh.
Here is the Tom-Tom GPS that John gave me, I have never been very good at directions, and he has been threatening to give me a GPS for a few years now. It will come in very handy. Now John will be guaranteed a wife who can always find her way home. This picture was taken after my Sunday nap, but unfortunately my hair looked like this before I laid down.


I just had to put in a plug for the D.I. I have made a goal to always go to the D.I. or Kid-to-Kid before I ever go clothing shopping at regular stores. I used to be embarrassed to shop at the D.I., but now I realize that it is just smart. I found some great clothes! Women go through so many size changes throughout their lives that I am usually able to find some pretty great clothes. Here is one of the cute skirts that I found, brand new for 5 dollars. I did have to go to some of my favorite clothing stores (darn) to find what I didn't find at the D.I. I was so excited about all of my SWEET finds that I had to try them all on one more time when I got home.

The Honest Scrap Award

If I fail to make this interesting, a picture of my kindergarten class might help. I am the shrinking violet in the lower right hand corner. You'll see how this fits in later.

All right Heather, here it is finally, thanks for this tag. By the way, thanks for inspiring Hannah's note, that made my day, I'm so glad she has good primary teachers.

Here goes the tag:It is called the honest scrap award and these are the rules...

A) First list 10 honest things about yourself--and make it interesting even if you have to dig deep.

B) Pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of Honest Scrap

I was painfully shy all through school, K-12, I remember walking home from school one day thinking to myself that I could count the words I said out-loud on one hand. When I went to college I made a huge effort to reach beyond myself and become less shy. It took a lot of work but having 40 roommates (I kept a list of names) all but cured me of that.

I get embarrassed when people ask me if I have a College Degree because it kind of has a hokey name. I have a bachelor's degree in "Enhancing Children's Development through literature". It was a degree made up by my counselor when I told her that I didn't want to be a teacher half way through student teaching. I dropped out of student teaching, took a few art, literature and poetry classes and tada! a new major was created. I am so glad that I took the classes that I took though, they have been so helpful to me in my life.

I am a hypocritical mother. I will run outside in my bare feet to tell my children to put shoes on.

I have a love, hate relationship with my body. I love my eyelashes and my feet, but I would trade them in a heartbeat for my sister's (Kathleen's) thick, beautiful platinum blond hair and the Loveless family behind. I am just barely succeeding in convincing John (after 9 years) that a "curvy" body is a good thing--I am still working on convincing myself.

I played the Alto saxophone in Jr. High and High School. There wasn't an official high school band class, so I played with the Jr. High throughout my high school years, that was a bit humiliating. I loved the Saxophone though and someday want to learn how to play "blues" style.

I really, really, really hate riding horses. They are beautiful creatures and I can fake calmness around them, but inside I am quietly freaking out. Every time I ride one I can't believe that I am putting my life in control of an animal that I hardly know, so much less predictable than a machine. Maybe that's my problem, I have never gotten to know one.

In my life I have permanently disabled and/or totalled 5 vehicles and a boat on a trailer, miraculasly nobody was hurt. I have become much better at driving in the past ten years besides a little fender bender last year. I have pondered many times the insanity of human beings in creating cars, we weren't made to travel at high speeds, were not that indestructible.

I am smarter with my glasses, make-up and clothes on. I just can't think until I am completely ready for the day, so if you see me dropping my kids off at school and I don't look like I have had a chance to get ready--don't ask me any complicated questions.

I laugh when I watch Curious George with my kids, I love that show.

I think it's cute when my babies suck their thumbs--that's hard to admit:/


I'm not sure if my Bancroft friends check in very often or if you have time, but if you do: Kim, Carla, Tanya and Kendra, I tag you!

New Years Resolutions

January is almost over so it is high time I write down my new years resolutions. The sad thing is that as I am writing this, I have already broken a few of them more than a few times. I know, what is the use of resolutions if you are going to break them? For me they are there just so that I know what I SHOULD be working for, and then I can break them at my own discretion.

My first goal is to have a yard this beautiful by the end of the summer. Think we can do it? We are going to try our hand at xeriscaping this year. John has already started diging holes and building up dirt where we want it. A little snow can't stand in his way!

My second goal is to do Hannah's hair more often, at least on Sundays. She tells me that she likes it "just straight" but on the days that I spend a little more time doing it, I can tell that she loves looking pretty. She won't admit that she likes it (heavens no) but I can tell by how she smiles at herself in the mirror and then asks for lip gloss. I have never been a hair person, but I plan to use this blog http://www.shedoeshair.blogspot.com/ to study up.



My third goal is to get the laundry done before it becomes a crisis. I have talked about my laundry struggles quite a bit, but I had a breaking point in December when I decided it was time to make a change. John had come home from work and I was telling him about my thoroughly exhausting day (thanks for listening John) when I looked down at his socks and almost started to cry. John, realizing he was going to have a mess on his hands if he didn't say something nice fast said

"I don't go by color, I go by thickness"

I have come up with a new system that seems to be working a little better, but it does require that I do a little bit every day instead of having one laundry day a week.

And what a wonderful 9 years it has been

John and I celebrated our 9th Anniversay this week! I feel so lucky to have spent these past 9 years with a person that I love so much.

Why do I love John Loveless? Let me tell you--

He is so willing to put himself "out there" I can always count on him to be the first to strike up a conversation, offer a hand to hold, a hug, a kiss, or a joke to break the ice.

I have never met a man who would actually run to open a door for me before I get to it, he still does.

He can make me laugh until I cry, nobody has ever had this effect on me.

He is passionate about so many things. Always learning and working on new things, I knew that life would never be boring with John around.

It is hard to put a finger on the moment that I really fell in love with John Loveless or the exact reason why. I know that it must have had something to do with the way he made me feel. I have never felt so important, capable, and happy than the times I have spent with Him

Thanks for being such a wonderful husband and dad, John!

We love you!

Cut me some slack Yosimite Sam, I'm not a real nurse

I'm not sure how many people remember Yosimite Sam from the Bugs Bunny cartoons, but I will never forget him now. He was the nurse who treated Hannah at the emergency room on Halloween night.

After the trunk-or-treat we headed home to change our clothes and unwind from our eventful Halloween night. It was a Friday so we let the kids sleep on the couch bed and watch a movie. I popped in our Corpse Bride DVD and went upstairs to clean up. Soon Hannah was sound asleep, she had been a bit hoarse all day and had been complaining of not feeling very well--but not bad enough to skip out on trick-or-treating. About 30 minutes after falling asleep she woke up gasping for air. Instead of getting better after a few minutes, it started getting worse, and she was really struggling to breathe. I had no idea what was wrong--this had never happened before. John gave her a blessing and we decided to take her to the emergency room. As we were heading out to the car, Hannah started to cry and asked in-between breaths, "If I die, will you bury me?" I was trying to stay calm so I gave her a hug while John and I gave each other worried looks. I just told her, "you won't die, the doctors will know what to do, and they will make you feel better." To make a long story short, Hannah had croup. They gave her some oxygen and some steroids and soon she was bouncing all over the bed. I should have known, my kids have had croup before, the thing that threw me off was that she wasn't really coughing very much, just gasping for air. I have done the steam and cold air in the past, but in the past croup has never effected any of my children so badly. The doctor said that I made a good choice in bringing her in, because croup can be very serious if not treated. The Yosimite Sam nurse wasn't nearly as tactful, he kept telling me how I could have treated this at home. I just nodded, but what I really wanted to tell him was that I can do home remedy's unless my children think they are dying--then it is a little beyond my realm. Luckily Hannah was fine, we went home, and she didn't have to miss out on sleeping on the couch bed that Friday night--that would have been devistating for her:)

Tagged by Kelly, your turn Valerie!

A-Attached or Single: Attached
B-Best Friend: Sister, Kathleen
C-Cake or Pie: As long as it goes with ice cream I love it.
D-Day of Choice: Sunday after the kids go to bed. Day of rest = no projects=our time together.
E-Essential Item: I think it should be my cell phone, but having it charged and where I can hear it is another story.
F-Favorite Color: Sky blue. Not the crayon sky blue, the real sky blue.
G-Greatest Accomplishment: Setting up a blog was a pretty big accomplishment for me.
H-Hometown: Bancroft, Idaho. Population 340 I think.
I-Indulgences: Chocolate chip cookies and a big slice of cheese, any kind.
J-January or July: July if I had to choose, but I really like the months in-between better.
K-Kids: Hannah, John (Johnny), Madeline, and Lucy.
L-Life is incomplete without: My family
M-Marriage Date: November 6, 1999
N-Number of Siblings: 10
O-Oranges or Apples: Apples, and now I can eat them without cutting them up first--one of the simple pleasures of life.
P-Phobias or Fears: Forgetting one of my children someplace, that is one of the reasons we think we should stop at 4.
Q-Quotes: By John; "Laughter is the crazy glue that holds us together."
R-Reason to Smile: When I get a random hug.
S-Season: Spring
T-Tag 5 Friends: How about just one? Valerie Illguth.
U-Unknown Fact about Me: My mom used to call my older sister and I her little blonde headed Eskimo's and give us Eskimo kisses (something I just discovered she didn't invent) because we were born in Alaska.
V-Very Favorite Store: Kid to Kid, (should I be embarrassed about that?)
W-Worst Habit: Staying up late
X-X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasound, I guess?
Y-Your Favorite Food: Anything with the base ingredient of cheese.
Z-Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Tag!!!

I don't really know how Tags work because I am new to this whole blog thing, but Jessica said she wanted everyone to do this, and I'm game for anything. Thanks for the idea Jessica!

I am... my own worst critic, and the biggest fan of my husband and children.
I want... to remember what life is like right now, forever.
I wish... I could say the 's' sound without lisping (see previous post)
I hear... babies crying, even when everybody is sleeping soundly
I search...for the one lost shoe, marbles under the oven, missing school papers
I wonder... how long the leaves will stay beautiful and vibrant this fall.
I always... check to see if I have my keys before I lock the doors.
I usually... take a short nap every day
I am not... ready for winter.
I dance... when nobody is watching
I sing... "old McDonald had a farm" to Maddie...over..and...over...and...over
I never...thought I could be as satisfied as I am with being a wife and mother.
I rarely...go an entire day without laughing about something John or the kids have done.
I cry...only when laughing isn't an option.
I am not always...the best at returning phone calls, I'm working on that.
I lose... track of time, often.
I'm confused... about how to tackle daily tasks until I make a list.
I need... to make a list for tomorrow.
I should... Hug my children more.
I dream...of the day when I have time for my hobbies.
I TAG... everyone that is on my buddy list

To Bling or not to Bling...

...that was the question two years ago. In the end, I decided to go ahead and bling (get braces) for the 2nd time in my life. You may wonder why I would go through the humiliation of having them put on again at the age of 28. Well, when it comes down to it, the answer is that I inherted a very large mouth. The usual 28 teeth that are sufficient for most people weren't sufficient for me. It turns out that extra teeth (dental implants) can be pretty expensive and we didn't have the funds for them 10 years ago-- so I am on my way to getting them now. Yay! I got my braces off on Tuesday, and was given two monsterously thick retainers to keep my spaces secure for the implants. I now have a really bad speech impediment. I need to call my orthodontist and ask if this is normal to not be able to talk, in the meantime John has been introducing me as his "very special" wife.

Finding Joy in the Journey

"Be aware that the tiny finger prints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled, will disappear all too soon and that you will miss them profoundly."
--President Thomas S. Monson--
October 5th 2008
Sunday Morning Session

I love conference weekends, there always seems to be something just for me. I am so grateful for our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, and I love to listen to him speak. He was able to vocalize the feelings that keep surfacing in my heart every time I start to get even the tiniest bit discouraged about the never-ending cleaning, cooking, wiping noses, changing diapers, and then starting over again. In fact, this is the very reason that I decided to start this blog, to record the small moments that bring me joy, or would bring me joy if I had the time. Sometimes it seems like life moves at breakneck speeds, so lately I have felt an overwhelming desire to take the time to record the small moments. I know that someday they will mean everything to me. I think that I would cry if I ever actually wiped the jelly off the table, or cleaned the fingerprints off of our living room mirror for good. I will gladly continue to do this if it means I can enjoy the blessings of motherhood. In the meantime, yardwork isn't even on my radar...maybe next year.

Commy Mommy

Hannah is studying coinage this year in second grade, and for some reason she has shown very little interest in it. I decided to try to make it more fun for her by getting a few rolls of "the real stuff" to sink her fingers into, play with, sort, and actually buy something with. Since most of our purchases are digital these days, we really don't keep many coins around. We have had a tradition for the past few years that the kids are able to pick 3 sweet snacks at 3:00 (now it is 4:00 since they are both in school at 3:00). Usually it is three chocolate chip cookies or something. Well I decided that they love their sweet snacks enough that they would probably be willing to buy them from me (so I could keep the money of course). I decided to make it super enticing by getting a few bags of Halloween candy and labeling them with different prices. They still only get 3 snacks but they have to buy them with the money that I put on the table. When I was telling John my plan, he smiled and told me that I was running a Communist government. I didn't really make the connection before, but I guess there are a few similarities. I didn't mean for it to happen this way, but for this purpose it works. Eventually I may convert to a Republic, but in the meantime the kids really loved buying these treats, and didn't seem to mind that I kept all of the money for myself.

Zumba what?

I try to steer clear of the workouts that require any sort of civilized movement to music because I tend to look a little silly. When my friend Marcia asked me to come with her to a free class of Zumba I was a little apprehensive. Part of the reason is because Marcia is from Brazil, and has told me in the past that Americans don't know how to move their hips. Well, I am one of those Americans that doesn't know how to move her hips. Needless to say, we went and it was SUPER fun with really catchy music. Yes I did look silly, but with a little coaxing I discovered that I can move my hips in more than one direction! I can't wait to try it again.

Hand-me-down Patty Cake

I don't usually get sentimental about hand-me-downs, but this is one that got me. Maddie was recently sifting through our stuffed animal bin in the toy closet and latched on to my old doll, Patty Cake. She is the only toy that I have saved from my childhood, my mom made her for me when I was about 4 years old. She has little Velcro circles on her hands that make them stick together, a little hand embroidered face and yellow yarn hair. I remember shortly after my mom gave her to me for Christmas I took a pair of scissors to her hair. I have always felt a little guilty every time I look at her because of that. It is funny to see the resemblance between my Maddie and Pattie Cake, and I am a little embarrassed to say that I cut Maddie's hair myself too.