Hello, blog friends... it's been awhile. Zeke and I were SO blessed to go out of town for the weekend sans children. (This is a first! Pathetic I know... but better late than never.)
I'll put up more pictures and write more later. Right now, I'm unpacking and dealing with two crazy children, hyped up on albuterol from a rough weekend with their asthma. Oh, my Mom is a saint!
Zeke and I had so much fun... here we are at dinner the first night:
NEXT POST: Anniversary Trip to Manti :)
P.S. Can I just tell you how much I love the temple?
The B Book is one of my all time favorite children's books. We read it at least once a week. I can recite it in my head at night when I can't sleep or in the car when Beck is being cranky and needs a distraction. You seriously need to read it. It makes me laugh every time. Definitely on my Top Ten.
So Thursday was my Birthday. 36 years old. I really like getting older. I feel so Blessed to be alive. This was a birthday full of "B's".
Bladder:
So it's your birthday, what do you do? You go to the urologist of course! No? Well, I did. And I'm glad. Yes, you read that right. I went in early Thursday and finally had the dreaded Bladder scope (Cytoscopy, but that doesn't start with B). I was supposed to do this in November. I feel so Brave and proud of myself and relieved. No tumors or ulcers, just dumb IC. I can live with that.
Book Club:
Yes, total Bliss. Love these women! How did I get so lucky? Thanks, Lora, I will forever be in debt to you. I think at least once a month, you should laugh so hard your stomach hurts. It's good for you. Oh, and Blueberry Pancakes. And Deb gave me chocolate! :)
Breadmaker:
Zeke surprised me with one. I have wanted a Breadmaker ever since we got married. It's been really fun! He is the BEST husband and friend ever. I wish I could tell you all the cute stuff he says to me, but it has nothing to do with bread really, or the letter B. Other than you might barf!
Berry Pie:
After 2 cakes in the last week from Gabe and Beck's birthdays, I had to break the mold. Razzleberry Pie was my "cake".
Bonus:
One of my Best Buddies, Jessica, brought me some absolutely scrumptious Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream. Yes, she loves me! Oh and an almond truffle from her daughter, Charlotte (she's in my Primary class). Thanks you guys, it really made me feel special.
Beautiful Blue Bathing Suit:
This is what I got with some of my Birthday money.
(Thanks, Mom, Patty, Barb, Clyde, and Dani)!
I wasn't actually looking for a bathing suit, but it found me! Really.
**** SOME OF MY PHOTOS ARE MISSING. EVEN PERSONAL PHOTOS... Anyone know why??
It's one of those perfect shopping moments that hardly ever happen: cutest suit ever, my size, on sale, and it fits perfectly!! I can't wait to wear it :) Here's a close-up of the fabric:
I LOVE IT!
Beautiful BlueBathing Suit, Bonus Breadmaker, Best Buddies, Benevolent Bridegroom, Book Club Bliss, Breathtaking Berry Pie, Bounteous Blueberry Pancakes, Belated Bladder Blessings
... and that's what made Lacy's Birthday Beyond Compare!
My blog friend, Hilary, posted this and I enjoyed it so much I wanted to share it with you :) I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the Spirit of hope it brings to our lives. And I love the youth of our Church.
Gabe made his own cake. Those are real guitar picks around the top edge. Oh, and he likes to spell his name G-A-E-B now. :) He says it's the Latin spelling.
We put trick candles on Gabe's cake...
Gotcha!!
Zeke helping Gabe with his new love: I am amazed at how well he plays. He's been taking a class at school. First song he played? "Silent Night" :) And then "Smoke on the Water" of course. I feel like I'm 10 years old again listening to my brother, Jody, play his guitar -- all night long. My theme song playing in the background of all my childhood dreams? "Cat Scratch Fever" from Ted Nugent. Literally. Love you, Jode. You are Gabe's Idol!
Beck wanted a guitar cake like Gabe (of course). He's sampling the frosting and talking to Grandma Patty. :)
I love his face!
Talking to Grandma
Beck loves to get birthday cards. These are the survivors (Sorry, Brooke, yours was well loved!)
Daddy brought Beck 3 balloons:
Beck and his new guitar! Oh boy, what was I thinking? Gabe is Beck's Idol!
Holding still for a moment: Zoe and Gabe telling Beck how to blow out the candles:
My little one, Beck, was born on February 29th, 2008. Leap Day.
A Leap of Faith. We really felt like someone was missing from our family. We waited nearly 4 years for him to come. And now it feels like our family is complete... and really CRAZY! Leap Day makes me think of crazy, unexpected things... Beck is all that and more.
He came 3 weeks early and had a rough start for a few days...
My niece, Angee, took this picture on his blessing day. He was just about 8 weeks old.
Gabe was SO thrilled to finally have a brother! Beck aka "Gune" from Titan A.E.
1st birthday: cake overload (My first baby to actually EAT most of the cake, not just play in it)
2nd birthday: Remnants of the train cake...
He loves music! I would have to say his favorite song right now is "Apologize" from Timbaland/One Republic. He sings it all the time. "...it's too wate to powagize! it's too waaaaaate!"
He loves to dance and play Guitar Hero.
Oh, have I mentioned before that he LOVES trains?
I love you, Beck. You have more energy and attitude than all of your siblings put together. Some days, I wish you would nap longer, but you give the best hugs and eskimo kisses ever. And whenever I say "I love you, Beck", you always say, "wuv you too, Mama" and it makes it all worth it.
Okay, so I am a total LOSER. Really. Really. I am so upset with myself tonight. Have you ever felt so completely stupid that you wish you could go back in time and fix just how completely stupid you are. YES! I am using the word STUPID! I had a good cry or two tonight.
Okay, so here's the nasty details: I carpool with two other mothers and their children for elementary. My friend, Colleen, picks my girls up EVERY morning without fail. And I pick everyone up after school (my two girls, Colleen's daughter, and another girl). Well, imagine being one of those mothers and your daughter doesn't come home from school. Why? Because your good 'ol carpool buddy, Lacy, completely and totally forgets! Yes, I'm serious. I totally spaced it. Yeah, I am really that LAME. Don't ask me to do anything remotely important because I might just forget. I just realized that LAME, LOSER, and LACY all start with L. Coincidence? I think not. :(
So today, well, to plead my case here... I'm a total nutter. Maybe? But today was crazy. Okay, so it was Gabe's Birthday. 4 of us (including me) woke up sick: fevers, headache, sore throat, achy. I called Colleen to tell her not to pick up Kaia and Zoe and I said, "But I'll pick up the other girls at 2:30." Then, I put Gabe back to bed, put a movie on for Zoe and Kaia, and put myself back in bed because Beck was still sleeping and I felt horrible. Anyway, Beck woke up about 8:30 (so much for a nap) and he was NOT sick at all. Which is good -- of course I don't want my children to be sick. But when I'm sick... it's all I can do to function, let alone chase Beck.
Okay, so I spent the day trying to keep Beck from climbing all over the girls, trying to make Gabe's birthday cake, and trying to help Zoe study for a spelling bee tomorrow at school. All I wanted to do was crawl in bed and hold still. And it happens to be the end of the trimester tomorrow for Gabe and he had a few pages of Math homework he had to turn in today by 3pm or else, so all I could focus on was 3pm, go to the middle school at 3pm and turn in Gabe's homework. Poor kid. He's sick on his birthday. He slept almost all day. I wish I could have. Blah.
Anyway, to make a long story longer... I headed over to the middle school at 2:45 and didn't think twice about going to the elementary to pick up my friend's daughters... (Name this movie: I went to get a manicure and I forgot to VOTE!)
So tonight around 6, Colleen called and said, "Are you okay?" She figured I must be dying or something since I forgot to pick up the girls (I wish I had that for an excuse). And I was like, "Yeah, well, I haven't been feeling very good today and OH MY HECK! COLLEEN, I AM SO SORRY!!!!" I didn't even remember for a minute. Can I just tell you how horrible I feel? Colleen was quite nice about it. She always is. She's put up with a lot from me. We used to serve in the Young Women's Program together and we've been carpooling for at least 4 years now. I guess the girls went back inside the school and called the other Mom, Lanette. Thank goodness. Lanette, I'll call you tomorrow and apologize profusely as well. I would die if my girls were left at the school. Colleen and Lanette, I won't blame you for a minute if you come murder me in the night. Really.
Oh man, I am going to bed. I really wonder if I'm losing it. Really. I can't remember anything anymore. I can't concentrate on anything and I just feel slow... do you know what I mean? I know that sounds like an excuse, but I seriously feel like I'm... you know... a few beans short of a burrito or something? Am I just getting old? Is it lack of sleep? Is it hormones? Is my brain turning to goo? I just don't feel good. I have felt "off" for a few years and it seems to be getting worse. :(
Sorry...... I am so sorry, Madison and Makenzie. Poor girls. As soon as I got off the phone with Colleen, this song popped in to my head and it's stuck. I like the song... but honestly this video is so weird! It feels like the dreams I have right before the alarm goes off and I'm kind of awake but not really. Lurpy! ha ha, my favorite new word and now I can't remember where I heard it. Lora? remind me what we were talking about on Tuesday?
Today is Gabe's 13th Birthday! I can't believe he is 13. Wow. I feel old, but in a good way.
This week has been crazy busy, but in a good way. I've been substituting at my friend's preschool, because she has been sick. I really enjoyed being there. Get better, Julie. :)
Zeke's Dad came for dinner on Monday. Zeke's Aunt and Uncle came for dinner last night. You know, I enjoy having company. I am so thankful that they make the effort to come see us. All of them.
Anyway, I'll do a big post about Gabe later (if he lets me). But here's some pictures with his new guitar! His face says it all:
I love you, Gabe. We've been through a lot together and I think for the most part we still like each other. That is very significant. :) Wish us luck as we enter this new phase of life. We're gonna need it.
Thanks to Dedra and Kate for the tag :) You girls ROCK! I figured since I got tagged twice... I'll do eight of everything because I had a hard time narrowing things down to just four. Lucky me!
Four (x 2) places I go:
Smith's Marketplace (on Main always, not the one on 4th!)
Church
Elementary School
Middle School
Doctor's office
Library
Temple
Tandoori Oven
Four (x2) favorite smells:
Rain
Steak
Fingernail polish
My Mom and Dad's House
Zeke
Baby Lotion
Gasoline
Something baking in the oven, especially pie or bread
Four (x 2) favorite TV shows/movies:
Mythbusters
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Elf
Despicable Me
Bizarre Foods
Avatar: The Last Airbender (The cartoon series from Nickelodeon --only this one!)
My Neighbor Totoro
You've Got Mail
Four (x 2) recommendations:
A pet. Any kind. Animals definitely have a place in our human world, and the responsibility learned from having a pet is a good thing. (I had to copy Kate, I agree 100%)
Have all of your recommended cancer screenings done as much as needed no matter what!
Don't ever start playing Tetris. Believe me.
A Library card. Don't leave home with out one. (ditto, Kate)
If you don't feel like being pleasant, courteous, or kind -- Act that way and the feelings will come.
Look for the positive in everyone around you, especially your family.
Married 15 years and you're still the one! :)
Married 15 years and you're still the one! :)
