Thanksgiving to Remember?

This year we were officially uninvited to Thanksgiving at my mothers. Well, it really wasn't that bad, we were just all sick. She was so generous and kind, however to bring the feast to us. She prepared our own plates for me to go get and bring to our family, a plate of Turkey, Bowl of Potatoes, etc. It was delicious and such a treat. It was just our little family, all coughing, sneezing and throwing up. Fun huh? Well, we'll always remember it. And I am SO thankful for my wonderful family that we could all be together, for my mom for supplying us with a feast, and mostly for my dear husband who stayed home with me instead of running to safer (less germ infested) ground to keep me sane!

The Puppies are Here!

Last Friday morning at 5:30 am I heard a squeaky noise, I looked over the side of my bed and saw my cute roxy carrying her first pup! Roxy seemed nervous, I was more nervous, so I followed her, she hopped up on my chair with the puppy and just lay there. I pet her and sat with her for about 40 minutes, but was so sleepy, I finally crawled back in bed. Seriously it could take hours to get them all here right?

Anyway 7:30 rolled around and I woke up to 5 healthy puppies! They are so cute, quite squeaky, and tiny. Taylor, Kate, and Jordan have been enthralled with them, along with any visitor that comes our way! I have had so much fun watching my kids enjoy this experience. I know this is the easy part, Roxy completely takes care of them. As they get cuter, I am sure they will get more difficult. Yikes!

There are 2 jet black ones, 2 brown, and 1 black/brown (each day it looks more and more brown). Now in our home we have 6 females and 6 males. 4 of the 5 puppies are boys. Ryan and Jordan and happy to have the score evened out!

memories

i can't believe how times flies by so fast! i love looking back at old pictures. Today we raked leaves and got our yard ready for winter. I was impressed at how helpful our kids actually were. I guess that means progress right? Anyway, Taylor and Jordan have played so well today, and really I don't think there is anything better than a morning of work for them. That sets them up for such a good day. Physical work, being outside, getting something done, and then feeling really good about it! I am so thankful to have healthy children who love and play with each other.

What happens while mommy is in the shower.... doesn't stay in the shower...

How we got this way you ask... let me tell you the story. One happy saturday afternoon I really worked super hard getting the house clean. By 4:00 I was lucky enough to see Taylor and Kate totally engrossed in a tea party with their stuffed animals... so I decided to make the break... SHOWER!

When I got back upstairs I saw Taylor and Kate in the bathroom. Kate was facing me and looked totally normal and Taylor had the scissors. Oh Phew, I thought, thinking I had saved something, then Kate turned around. I seriously almost started to cry. Taylor cut all of the back of Kate's hair off. She had mentioned a few times that it wasn't fair that Kate had long hair and could do fun things with it.... I told Taylor over and over that she had asked to have her hair short because she didn't like it when I did her hair! Oh how do you please a 5-year-old? So, I think she tried to even the score! And this is what happened.

So I took them to Ronny and Lisa, long time family friend's Hair Salon...they needed a fix.

For some lucky reason we thought this braid grandma did was pretty cute.... her hair was pretty long.

This is what it looked like when I got out of the shower...

Taylor's too... see the chop above her ear? Then below is what it looked like when I cut off the long stuff. too bad it wasn't thick enough to keep it like that, it was pretty cute. Too Bad~

Conference Weekend in St George

We had such a great time in St. George with Steve and Audrey, and of course the dogs. Terra and her mother cleo had a great time together. They totally wore each other out! Occasionally Roxy would try to join in by jumping off the couch, run up to them and bark at them a few times, then get out of there! It was so funny.

Taylor had so much fun with the dogs. They are totally her thing. I have never known a child who loved animals so much.

These colorful strips were like wristbands you get at the fair or something with the sticky tab. Audrey acquired them last year to help her identify the 12 puppies. So she had about 476 left over and it was great entertainment for the children during conference!

What do I do?

I am feeling tons of mixed emotions right now. This past weekend we went with the whole family and the dogs down to St. George. We all had a great time. However, before St. George I had pretty much had it with my huge loving dog. She is a ton of work and a big space taker-upper! I don't claim to be a dog person, I do love my dogs, but I have felt for a long time that my life would be incredibly simpler with out Terra.

Yes, Yes! I remember how much I wanted her. I remember that I missed her and was so so sad when she went to St. George and we almost got rid of her before. I love this dog. More importantly, my children LOVE this dog. They all show her love and affection, but sometimes she is more than I want to handle.

Last night I put an ad on KSL and it was answered. Someone wants to come pick her up today! I just don't know! I had made my decision, I was firm, and now I am totally waffling. I don't want to be this sentimental over her, but this is a really big decision.

So, today she has been a perfect dog, only barked once, not crazy, I am sure I am insane. Ryan says my perspective has changed, I am sure it has, but what do I do. I need you to talk some sense into me! I have made this matter of prayer and I need to know! I don't want to make a huge mistake of getting rid of her.

Jordan already knows and was much more upset than I would have thought. This morning he was so sweet with her.

Yesterday I was so ready, and today I am not so convinced! I am so confused.

one toy at a time

As I am cleaning my house, slower than my daughters are messing it up. I decided I need to collaborate good ideas from other moms and share the ones I have. I am not really a super scheduled person, so I have a hard time committing to anything.

I need to be better, I have plenty of time to get my house clean today! I do, I need to do it! So I have created a new blog, come see me there and be a part of it. it is called onetoyatatime.blogspot.com

I called it that because although there are millions of things to pick up, dust, wipe, scour, and vacuum, it only starts with one toy. So here we go, lets get cleaning and organized!

Come see me.