Why I call 911

Nora decided to eat and choke on a lifesaver today!!!

I remained calm enough to call 911.

After I called Nora finally got it out!!

I cancelled the peramedics..

Thank heavens for the miracle

and no lights or sirens ended up at my house in the end!!

Cindy Lou Who??

p.s. Learn it Share it

I failed to mention in my previous post what I DO

about anxiety....

Exercise....
Sometime you HAVE to move

I have done Wii Fit (Hula Hoop is my favorite!!)
Running....it hurts soooo good
Yoga
my latest is kickboxing.....don't worry it isn't your face I picture!!

I have learned to love meditation

A year ago I could only do a couple minutes...

there are lots of different ways

progressive relaxation

imagine a favorite place

watch a bright blue sky

deep breathing

there are so many different ways!!!

Learn it!! Share it!!

Anxiety,
stressed out,
end of the rope,
ready to lose it!

That is what I thought anxiety was...though true

Now I also know....anxiety

feels like my arms are burning,
I move from task to task without completing anything,
frustration,
pain, really physical pain feeling like it is poured into your veins,
sleepless nights,
foggy head,
an intense need to move.

in the end...anxiety

is uncomfortable but manageable
and doesn't define who I am.

What's Up!!

Family Walk

You know you're my daughter if this happens to you!!

Piano Recital
Allie

Mom helping Reuben

Emma

Faces of H1N1

Lloyd washed the cars...
Nora well.. she had other plans

Pictures 09

For years, Jake has taken our family pictures.
Jake and his family moved, bringing much sadness to our family.
Losing good friends and a photographer is a tough blow.
Luckily, for our family, Ashley moved into the ward.
I love fall pictures!!

A Grumpy Halloween!!

I know I should love Halloween....
the fun started to go away when 8 years ago
there was a knock on my door
"Gottsa candy" the guy had to be late teens!!!
I knew then I was never going to let my kids walk
our neighborhood streets on Halloween night.
We have had amazing friends who we have been
able to share Halloween with in their much better neighborhoods.

Now, I just get a little Grumpy about the whole thing...
The squirrels eat our pumpkins...
Jackson hates beans so no chili....
Any costume worth something costs an arm and a leg...
(I would be out of limbs before my kids had cute costumes...)
Good luck finding a costume that doesn't make
your little girl look like a playboy model!!
Once you do find a costume...no family around to go
trick-or-treating too....
this results in
trick-or-treating feeling like begging from
a whole bunch of strangers....
The whole candy issue is a love hate relationship....
I love to eat it... hate when I eat it!!

We did to trunk-or-treating with the ward.
Does this count?
Can we just do family movie night tonight!!

15 months old

Don't you want to munch those cheeks?

Path

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert. Frost

I have been thinking about daily choices....













The path I travel is determined by my daily choices...

Sunday, Sunday

I know pictures are the best; however, I am to lazy.

So right now in my humble abode.

Lloyd is reading "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson

Emily is doing a blog post (I know a little obvious!!)

Allie has decided she is hungry and is starting to make tuna fish sandwiches.

Emma is sitting on the couch playing with a broken cell phone talking to someone but no one is listening.

Jackson is sitting at the kitchen table coloring a Star Wars picture, yelling he won't eat tuna fish.

Reuben thinks he is helping Allie with lunch, complaining she isn't being patient.

Nora has disappeared....after a scouting report she is found reading a book in the pantry.

Even the most boring moments really aren't that boring.

Now for the what's going on....

Lloyd had an interview with the company taking over the contract in January. If the stars align maybe he just might still have a job. He is teaching Jackson's class in primary. Do you think this has anything to do with Jackson's ability to bolt! Lloyd tries to play Xbox whenever he can inbetween football games and kiddos.

I saw my neighbor sneaking out a girl out of his window in the middle of the day. Have I told you just how much I love this neighborhood!! I am however, loving school. I love the debates on literature and how different cultures view different things. I love sociology and stretching my mind to think of things from a different perspective. I am busy with visiting the wards in the stake for primary programs. Poor Lloyd gets stuck with all 5 kiddos on those Sundays. I am so happy school is full swing. I instantly become a great mother!! So many things have changed the past year. We just have to make it to June 24, 2010 then we can evaluate if we stay here or move on.

Allie is enjoying school. We are working on getting her evaluated to see if there is a learning disability masked by ADHD. She is always willing to cook. Allie decided the flute was for her, she has asked if she can play w/o going to band. We will see how long it lasts.

Emma love school. We have also institutes earning tokins (poker chips) for rewards and Emma is all over it. She is working on earning date night with Mom and Dad. Emma has found the love of reading. If she has a good book she won't be much help that day!!

Jackson hasn't complained about going to school this year. What a difference a year makes. We will have his IEP evaluation this week. We will see what they saw, I love the OT and Speech at his school.

Reuben is so excited to be in preschool. He is considered "at risk" for various reasons, so my child that can almost read, rides a two wheeler, etc.etc. gets free preschool 4 days a week. I am not going to complain, he wants to go to school. He even gets to ride the bus!!

Nora is finally walking a bit more. I think in a couple weeks crawling will be a past-time. She is still allergic to eggs and has asthma. I think we have finally found the right asthma meds so things have been more smooth the last couple weeks.

There you go, our family in a nutshell, or a long blog post!!!

Happy Sunday to you ALL!!

One year later...

today, I went to church...
today, I made bread...
today, I ate food...
today, I've held my husbands hand...
today, I held my kiddos close...
today, I smiled...
today, I laughed...
today, my phone didn't ring...
today, was calm...
today, was peaceful...
today, I played the piano...
today, I listened and heard...
today, I had my husband by my side...
today, only tears of joy...
tonight, I will still have my husband by my side...
tonight, I will sleep...
tonight, I will be so thankful it is a year later...

Cars VS. Strollers

Lloyd and I have a friendly debate.
His position: We have had more strollers in our marriage
My position: We have had more cars

1. 84 Ford Bronco II
2. 96 Ford Contour
3. 89 Dodge Grand Caravan
4. 73 Chevy 3/4 ton pick-up
5. 84 Nissan Maxima
6. 87 Honda Accord
7. 98 Dodge Grand Caravan
8. 97 Nissan Sentra
9. 96 Honda Accord
10. 03 Ford Expedition
11. 02 Chrysler Town & Country
12. 05 Ford Focus

1. Graco Single Stroller
2. Graco double Stroller
3. Umbrella Stroller
4. Umbrella Stroller
5. Costco Stadium Double Stroller
6. Manufacture replace Costco stroller
7. Instep Safari TT double jogger
8. Single Stroller
9. Jeep Single Jogger

I, Emily, find joy in my victory!

First day of school

Everyone in our home was very excited for last Tuesday!!
It was a rainy day but our heart jumped for joy.

Nora, Nora, Nora

Nora is the most tenative, cautious walker we have ever had in our home.
Thus, no pictures yet.
Apparently climbing is a different matter!!

Battle is on

Our family received an e-mail this week...
You know the kind that makes you
want to question why....

I want to tell their family....
WE LOVE YOU!!!
We are praying for you!!
I know there is power in prayer
which is beyond our mortal comprehension.
I also want to say...
Even with everyone helping
there will be days you feel alone.
You are so important to Heavenly Father.
He hasn't forgotten about your family.
The war that began for your soul in the pre-existence
is still being fought today.
The battle has people on earth fighting for you
and even more legions of armies on the other side of the veil fighting.
So, you might have moments or days when you feel alone.
Let's just say
BATTLE ON!!
You are going to win the war.

It's official

I'm so excited to be back in school
Not so excited about the mugshot
2 classes this semester
First class was last night
So, so soooooo much fun
Life is GOOOD!!

Welcome to our home!

After 13 years of living without a piano I could take it no longer.
I have been patient, (at least I think so) but I reached my end.
We have welcomed a little Wurlitzer spinet into our lives.
She is a beauty. She isn't exactly young,
she does come with great experience.

Where does the piano fit in our home?
It is a tight squeeze but well worth it.
Below are pictures of our home office,
family room, living room, entertainment area,
wrestling arena, home gym and now
music room.

The great mouse hunt

Last night while Lloyd and I cuddled on the couch
a mouse scampered from the kitchen to the entertainment center.
Emily: "Get the mouse Lloyd."
Lloyd: "I don't have a weapon."
Emily: "I don't know get it."
Lloyd: "I'll stand on this side on the entertainment center,
you go get something to catch the mouse."
Emily: armed with bowl in hand "OK ready."
Lloyd moves entertainment center.
Mouse runs away from both Lloyd and Emily.
Emily jumps.
Emily screams.
Emily throws bowl in general mouse direction.
Emily stands on chair.
Lloyd laughs, and laughs, and laughs.
Lloyd goes to get mouse trap.
I guess we could have gotten the mouse trap first
but we have a need for adventure at our house!!

Important News

N took her first steps today!!

1 year reflections

My mind is swirling with dates like....
August 3
August 15
August 26
September 7
September 19
September 20
September 22
October 8
November 26
December 3
December 6............
Each of these dates will be an anniversary of sorts
1 year from when events or decisions were made that have
CHANGED MY LIFE.


I think I like the new me a little better.
I am different.
I am stronger.
I care a little more about things that matter.
I care a lot less about things that don't matter.

I know that I had angels on
earth and heaven
fighting
for my family.


Today I will do my own laundry
take care of my own kids
the "Anniversaries" will be dates for me
to realize just how far I have come.

Summer Lists

I love hearing about others lists of fun activities
they would like to accomplish with their children during summer.
I have never made one of these lists but if I did
it would look something like this....

1. End the summer with the same number of kids I started with.
2. Try to have some sense of sanity at the end of August

Yep, that pretty much covers it.
I think I might just make it.
School starts in 25 days

Splish Splash