Happy Birthday Macey and other big events

Macey is three!! Wowzaa!!! I honestly didn't think this day would come, but it has and she is already getting easier. If ever a child has embodied the phrase terrible twos, it is her!! She is a tough cookie, but boy is she funny!! And adorable to boot!

She loves to sing and dance and sing and dance, and pretend and pretend. She loves princesses, especially tangled, she loves to scream still and wrestle jamesy boy. She won't keep her little hands and mouth off the baby, she also loves to give the dog a run for his money.

BOY SHE SURE KEEPS US ON OUR TOES AND MAKE OUR EARS SORE!!!! But what fun would life be with out her? And what would my washing machine do all day without her?

Today at church (as every week) she had me almost in tears. Not in a good way! There is hardly anything I can do to make her listen. But all week she walks around with her hands on her hips and sings I am a child of God, and says "Mom, Heavenly Father no want you do that!!!!!"

I have just stopped watching Mikes expression from the stand. But sister Gibbs just gives her a little snack and that at least keeps her quiet for a while. Sister Gibbs (mother of 15) just shakes her head and calls her my handful. Maybe one day when I am done with little ones I will be able to do that too. Macey has taught me to develop a thicker skin, and also that a mother who looks calm on the outside while is crazy on the inside is key!

Today at church she ate an entire pack of gum! And also yesterday! Oh how we love her.... PLEASE SAY THIS MEANS SHE WILL BE AN EASY TEEN!!!

Joey is now 4 months old! He is getting more and more mellow (hallelujah!) and is soooo giggly. We all live to make him laugh. When he smiles he does it with his mouth open as wide as can be. Babies are fun!!! He is a cute as can be and even has dimples. I can't remember what life was like before him. He loves to look at books and the laptop. Just studies every little thing.

Sonia is practicing her heart out at piano. She is playing Rockin around the Christmas Tree for her Christmas recital. She is such a help to me. She is soooo pretty and looking into her eyes just melts me. But boy can she sass too! Mike says there is a reason our girls are sassy and boys are mellow, but I refuse to acknowledge it! And she could talk a stranger to death, let alone me!! She tries her best to keep us all in line and let us know what we ought to be doing. She is a lot like me, but soooooo much better!!!! She is incredibly in tune with right and wrong. Loves Heavenly Father and is so knowledgeable about the gospel. She is looking forward to being baptised this Jan. I love admire her like crazy! She is an excellent example to me. And a great communicator.

James is James steady and reliable as can be. He forgets everything he owns, but is as smart as a whip! I am amazed by him daily. He is so sensitive too, never wants any of his friends to feel bad. He cried at night for a month because he tripped a kid at the park! We prayed for the little kid all month. We had to teach him about the atonement of Christ and how it can take away things we have done wrong, and heal our hearts. James is also amazing at understanding the gospel. He also takes good care of Rosie, the girl down the street. I will send him to school and say James there isn't time to pick up Rosie today, yet somehow he always picks her up. He is as loyal as the day is long and always tells me he loves me and gives me a hug at just the right minute.

As I write this I am reminded of why each of these little spirits are here on this earth and how much they have taught me by stretching and helping me grow up. I am one blessed lady! There was a day I worried if I would ever have one kid let alone 4. Children are my greatest blessing, and I am trying to live worthy of them every day.

AND RIGHT NOW AS I TYPE THIS THE LAUNDRY IS EVEN DONE!!! Maybe for the first time in a year or so. Life doesn't get any better than this, and I just had to tell you about it!

Lindsey

PS Christmas is coming!!!

4 babies means 1/4 a parent?

Just wondering why Joey wakes up every night at 10? Is it so he can have me all to himself? He smiles and smiles at me every night and is even starting to coo and giggle. OH i love that!!!

General Conference was great, the whole family took a recharge day. We all sat around and listened. It was so great to be inspired and taught by the Prophet and Apostles. I feel ready to face the challenges ahead with a good attitude.

I have been wondering though...when will we obtain that synergy as a family that all the great people around us have, setting goals, super clean house, feeling the spirit 24 hours a day.?. Some times I feel like we are just keeping our heads above water. I mostly feel like my little kiddos only have 1/4 a mom, instead of a plugged in, focused, driven, amazing woman at the helm of their little lives. Gonna have to pray about this one, but some suggestions in the comment box wouldn't hurt either.

BYU Blue and fall time blue, but in a good way, ya know?

Can you believe how cute little Joseph is!!!!!!!!! We super duper adore him!

Ahh, Here is our team spirit in action!!!! Mr James is "the biggest fan in the world, mom" So we have all caught coug fever. Funny what kids will do....it has been such a fun family tradition, mike took him to a few games last year, so we had to get some seats this year too! When the kids came to visit Joseph in the hospital they brought him that cute onesie, and happened to all be outfitted too...even brought some gear for mom. Love my little family, it is so great to make fun traditions. Now all we need are some for winter, we don't really have a winter sport/activity....and winter is sooooo long, already dreading a little! Although I love decorating for Christmas------lets narrow it down to the months of January and February.

What more to tell???? Everyone is doing great. Joseph got his two months shots today, but don't tell him because he doesn't know he is supposed to be super sad :(

Life is moving along....feeling the familiar nostalgia of fall and loving it. Hard to believe Mike and I have known each other for 12 years this fall, see told you I am feeling nostalgic.....Hurry stop reading before I get really sappy. He has been so good to me through this little adventure we have been on. I have to sing his praises here because I don't even think he knows how to get to our blog. Just for the fun of it lets do a top 10:

Top 10 things I have learned about mike over the years:

10. He is sooooo motivated to do right for his family

9. The most loyal person on the planet I will even include any other planets that may be discovered in the future, thats how loyal of a guy he is

8. Has a deep testimony the Savior Jesus Christ. Is willing to sacrifice anything for his beliefs

7. Can be brought out of any grumpy mood with homemade desserts. Seriously I have made him happy many times with cookies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls.

6. He loves a clean house!!!!! Too bad his wife isn't the best house keeper....luckily he is willing to pitch in when things get tooo bad.

5. Will go to any length to get a job done right. He just won't quit. He is willing to stay up all night is he has to. He is the poster child for our family motto I can do hard things

4. He loves his kids. He can be a tough love kind of dad, the kids listen to him way better than me they love to make him happy. But....whenever he may need to come down hard on one of them he feels terrible after and will stew all day and night about if he did right and is not afraid to apologize of necessary.

3. He is a mans man, he loves to be manly and all the things that includes

2. He is always supportive of me in the end, I may have to do some convincing, but he always wants me to be happy and looks out for my real best interests

1. I love him and that is that, I can truly say he is my best friend.

Sorry I tried to warn you.....

That about concludes it, now I must sleep while I can.

Lindsey

JOSEPH DANIEL=LOVE

HE IS HERE! and we are getting adjusted to life with four littles.

He was born July 20, weighing in at a mere 8.2 and 19 and 1/2 inches.

he is a great baby and still sleeps a lot!

Yesterday was blessing day and Michael gave him a nice blessing. I love having such a good daddy for our babes.

We are all in the throws of school, and are getting busier every day,

Sonni starts suzuki method piano tomorrow we are thrilled for her. She has such a talent for singing and music we can't wait for her to get started. James and Sonia are in soccer and are having a blast, and trying to get used to running again.

Miss Macey is sassy as ever and is loving the time James is at kindergarten and Joey is napping and she gets me all to her self. We have had some fun times dancing and baking and visiting the park or just relaxing, it has been good for both of us.

Life is great, I would love a vacation from our hectic pace, but a late night movie at home with the hubs will just have to do! (at least for now)

Is anybody there? or are we all on facebook?

I've re dedicated myself to blogging!!!
Especially now that the business is closing its doors. Suffice it to say it was an expensive lesson but not our most??? That should cover it. Oh did I forget the Hallelujah???? Can I just say being stay at home mom is something I took for granted. (Next time I blog in a complainy voice about laundry and dishes please remind me!)
Life is trucking along around here. Baby whats -his-name is kicking away in my tummy, and Macey is still throwing fits like crazy. But she is potty trained!!! Which reminds me---hold on I will be right back!
Ok-disaster adverted.
It has been raining for 3 months now with only brief sunshine here and there. Crazy weather...I can't wait to get out and garden and as soon as I do I forget that I can't bend over, so it hasn't been a very productive spring that way.
Sonia is almost done with 1st Grade, she had a great teacher Mrs. Cavin and is such a social butterfly. Mr. James is almost done with preschool with Ms. Mikki. He is so excited to start Kindergarten. I am so worried they will kick him out and tell him he has to go to first grade he is such a smarty pants, but I feel we did the right thing by waiting.
Mike is still working at Apex edi which has been a great opportunity for our family! We are so thankful for that blessing.
And this grouchy old mama is ready for hormones to not be ruling my life!!! But is still grateful I have them in the right proportions :)
8-10 more weeks we will have another member of this family to blog about!!!! I wonder what his name will be? We are stumped!

Allergic to the Dog!!!

There is a slim chance that Sonia is allergic to the dog Rocky!!!! Oh no, my worst nightmare. Don't get me wrong I would love to get rid of that flea bag...but sonia thinks that would make us the worst parents in the world. She is probably right! So he is strictly banished to the back yard. This is the funniest part: he picks today of all days to be obnoxious and naughty! He stood at the garage door and barked for 2 hours straight and then chewed up any thing he could find. Dogs!!!

Life is okay other than that. I just made my mormon.org profile, and I feel really good for doing it! Macey sits on the bed with me while I work and types on her lap top. Ha Ha.

James is still James, all the moms in the area want to recruit him for play dates...but I love having him home, he is a pretty mello jello.

More later,
here is the latest pic from bella grotto.

Love being the MOM

I am writing this in bed as my littlest is next to me snoring away...love that! I can't help but wonder how many more years I will get to enjoy these times...(with little ones under foot) Life has been busy and stressful. But I have felt Heavenly Fathers guiding hand through it all. Just when I think I have a handle on things I realize the only reason I do is because I have His help. Being a mom of all these little souls is such a big responsibility. I pray always that I am doing what is right for them. They have been little troopers through this parents-who-own-a-business transition. I hope that the changes that are happening don't change them. They have been working hard right along side mike and I and I can see their little characters shining through. I cant wait to see what they become...just not too soon. I have always said "If we could just flash forward to see what life will be like in 5 or 10 years that would be great" But experience has shown me that everything will be fine...we have Heavenly Father on our side!
Pregnancy is going good. Other than morning sickness we have had nothing to worry about; another blessing. I have been craving cucumbers..they smell sooo good, about the only thing that does, and start dry heaving every time I walk near the kitchen...sort of a problem when you have a family to feed. If only there was a food delivery service to the couch or my bed we'd be set! I can't believe I was able to forget how hard pregnancy is...The mind is a tricky thing.
Kid Update
Sonia had her first piano recital, she played somewhere over the rainbow, and jingle bells as a duet with her teacher...she is doing great! I love to hear her learning!! Her teacher is great, Suzanne Tingey is a neighbor and I can convince sonni to ride her bike or walk if it is not too cold. She just had her 7 birthday and is soooo big...now we just have to plan her party, hmmm what to do?
James Michael is good, he loves school and we are living with the decision to not put him in kindergarten this year. He would have loved it, but to be honest, I love having him home one more year before the world takes him away. I figure its either now or before his mission...patience was never my strong suite. He is funny and is always saying "mom what can I do that isn't boring?"
Macey has reverted to wearing diapers and not potty training again. I have to admit I am a little happy, but dreading the time when we actually do have to potty train. This gave me a little taste of how hard it is again....booo. She loves rocky and begs me to have him inside. I try to let her (he has a little bed he can lay in) but within minute he smells so much like a dog I have to send him back outside dry heaving. She screams at me "No, No, ocky bed mom!!" Well at least some one likes the dog! He has started appreciating this fact about her and the have called a truce to the knocking eachother off the garage steps...for now.
Life is good! We have each other, Heavenly Father loves us, and we have lots to keep us busy.
Lindsey