Crocodile Tears

This is what happens when its naptime and Mom tries to have a photo shoot.

Its enough to make you cry.

The Day the Bandage Came Off

One week after the trip to the Emergency Room. Not for the faint hearted. Its actually looking really good now, sorry I don't have a new picture.

Randomocity

One rainy day I took Levi outside to play and take pictures. Eliza wasn't too thrilled being left inside...

Levi was plenty excited to have Mom all to himself for a few minutes, though.


He wanted to jump on the trampoline and he had a blast pretending it was a slip 'n' slide.

Meanwhile, the older boys were tearing apart the garage sale signs and attacking their Dad.


Just another day in the life.

More Soccer

OK, all you folks that wanted to see me in uniform, here you go. I don't know why I got stuck with the ugliest color, but I did. Not to mention that they only ordered Ethan's size, so I totally look pregnant (which I'm NOT, though I've been asked plenty lately). I love that all the boys are on the go in this photo. It captures the essence of our family.

Eliza likes to get in on the action too.
Jonas is finally playing and not hanging onto my legs! Look at him go! He actually had a breakaway down the field during this game, but Ethan was watching Bryant's game on the next field over so no picture. But we were all very excited for his active participation! Yay!
I just love that he's trying to stop the ball and he thinks this is the way to do it! He is so cute!

Preaching the good word

I found Jonas in the front yard the other day like this... would you let him in, if this missionary knocked on your door?

Cinderella's Slipper

Eliza LOVES, loves, LOVES shoes. Whenever she encounters shoes on the floor (which is pretty frequently round these parts) this is what she does...

Bend over, pick it up.

March toward Mom grunting and begging.

Hand the shoe to Mom and lift up foot with those big blue eyes, "Please, Mom."

Can't say I blame her, really. At my baby shower I remember getting my first baby girl shoes and revealing that shoes were the thing I was most excited for having a girl. When we were at the mall play area yesterday, she went around taking shoes to random people, she was in Heaven! It was pretty funny chasing her around.

Garage Sales are Fun!

That is definitely what the kids think, at least. What could be more fun than seeing long lost toys that mom confiscated months ago for not being picked up (I know, I'm mean). Oh, I know what could be more fun... all the distractions mom provides to keep me away from said toys...

Our helpers really loved these chairs and I thought they were so cute...

Do you notice a difference in how she is holding the rope compared with how you see my boys play? She is so girl and my boys are SO boy! Funny.


Beautiful Brandi.
After the tree incident (see below) I was really trying to keep Levi happy. I pulled out this bubble wrap and it did the trick. I mean, who doesn't love to play with bubble wrap?
Again, see the difference? I can't tell you the last time my kids were happy with just a pen and paper.
Once the bubbles were all popped, our little 3 year olds turned into the cutest frogs you've ever seen. Oh, they had fun.
Saturday, after soccer, the kids were really excited to open their first ever lemonade stand. People were SO generous! We had 6 customers, I think, and they made $8.75 to split between the three of the little entrepreneurs.

We made some money, got rid of some things and had some fun to boot, all in all it was a success!

The Tree

Remember how Jonas fell out of the tree a week ago? My mom asked to see a picture of the tree, so here it is, although I should have put a person in for scale... oh well!

This past weekend I had a garage sale with a friend. We were here with 5 of our 7 kids all day Friday and they did quite well, however, come afternoon they were getting a little restless. I pulled out the stroller and began giving rides to 2 kids at a time. Of course, there was much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth for the kid left out (only 3 kids were restless). So when it was time to pull Levi out for the next girl's turn, he let it be known that he wasn't happy. Of course, we happened to have a customer at the time, so in a quick rush to appease him I placed him in the tree. Little did I know that he would be so good at climbing. He kept getting higher and higher, but still where I could climb up to get him if need be. Well, need there was. After a quick run of the stroller across the street, I looked up and saw about 18 feet up (to my horror) feet dangling! Poor Levi was hanging on for dear life with both hands (one of which was still wrapped up like a mummy due to the cut last week). I shot up that tree so fast, I surprised even myself. I grabbed him and he clung to me for dear life. That is, of course, until I jumped out of the tree... then he tried with all his might to push himself away and back into the branches. If I thought his fit was bad when he got out of the stroller, it was absolutely nothing compared to the fit of making him get out of the tree. At least I knew he was OK.

Wow! I love Conference!

I understand that not all of you share my beliefs, but I'd love to share my feelings with you. Many of the messages can be applied to all, no matter what your beliefs. Please read these words with an open mind and heart, knowing that I love you.

General Conference was nothing less than spectacular! I was busy having soccer games and a garage sale during Saturday morning's session, so I'll have to go back and listen to it soon.

During President Eyring's talk Sunday morning, I turned to Ethan and said, "This seems like a great talk, I can't wait to hear it." Our kids were being CRAZY!!! Although I did get a few things out of it that I really needed.

"Selfishness is the absence of love."

He explained the basic principle that the root of problems in family life are almost always centered on selfishness. I am a selfish person. Ethan and I have talked about how we really enjoy the kids and its quite easy to be a parent when we're totally focusing on them. It gets hard and tempers flare those time when we're trying to do something for us... or being selfish.

The above statement really hit me hard. I need to do better and I am committing myself to be more full of love. I also loved the statement that we need to pray that we can be loving enough that we will not see the faults in our partner. And we need to pray that we're loving enough that our faults will be diminished to our partner.

This talk was all about living our lives more like Christ, no matter what your religious beliefs, you can't argue that changing our lives to be more Christlike would improve our lives significantly. Only good can come from making those changes in our hearts.

I also really loved Elder Jeffery R. Holland's powerful message that

The Book of Mormon is a true Testament of Jesus Christ and the word of God.

His moving testimony brought tears to my eyes. Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith laid down their lives because it was and is true. I know that it is because I have read it prayerfully and sincerely asked my Father in Heaven to know of its truthfulness. I have felt the spirit confirm that Nephi was real, Alma the Younger truly did seek forgiveness and receive it, and most of all that Jesus Christ truly is the Savior of the world. He came to Earth and lived a perfect life, He sacrificed that life enduring immeasurable pain and grief so that I can repent and be clean. He honestly did break the barrier of death and was resurrected and he really did reveal himself to the people on the American Continent after his resurrection. I can not deny that these things are true. I love The Book of Mormon. Reading it brings me closer to my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I am more able to understand their great Plan of Happiness, and thereby better able to live my life righteously. Elder Holland's words stirred a fire in my soul as the Holy Ghost testified that he was speaking the truth.

I am so thankful for General Conference where we get to hear such meaningful words to help us through this life. I know some of you don't believe as I do, but I urge you to seek out your Father in Heaven. He loves you and he wants you to be happy. That is why its called the Plan of Happiness. That plan is centered on Christ because the only way to find true happiness is through Him. As we turn our hearts toward Jesus Christ, we will find happiness. I know that to be true.

What do you think?

OK, its no secret I think my kids are pretty darn cute. I've often thought of entering them in cute baby contests, but never actually done it. I don't need validation from some random people to know that my kids are major babes. However, wouldn't it be fun to see if they did win? I came across a contest today that caught my eye and I'm seriously considering it. Is that totally silly of me? Many of you have adorable kiddos too that would certainly be contenders in the contest... the link is here. Would entering my kids make me cross a line into prideful-mommyhood that I don't want to cross? What do you think?

Vote in my poll and/or leave me a comment to tell me what you think.

If I decide to do it, I may ask for opinions on what photos to submit...