What I love about kids...

I love that they make life exciting for themselves everyday. They see life as a big adventure and they never take themselves too seriously. The fun doesn't always last that long, but the point is they create the fun and excitement consistently each day and truly find the JOY in living. Oh to be a kid again. Hopefully I will learn from their example. If you don't have a sledding hill in your yard, no matter just use the deck stairs. I'm getting old cause that doesn't sound too much fun.

Motherhood defined

Disclaimer this post is an outlet tonight, so if your not in the mood to read some venting skip on by.
Mother:^- a nurse, comforter, laundress, seamstress( for some), designer, chef, maid, chauffeur, mediator, sheriff, CEO, firefighter.

Tonight I'm feeling exhausted, in part from the different demands on time, and in part from the demands of being a mother. As I look around, every room of my house is, well, a disaster. Yesterday I cleaned my bathroom, you would never know it with the toothpaste smeared everywhere, whatever it is that is smeared all over my mirror. I swept the floor earlier today and then while completing some chore in another area of the house Andrew opened a box of cereal and scattered a bunch all over the floor. Somedays I think wow I can hardly keep up, and just feel a little discouraged, then when I look at it from another perspective, I grateful to my Heavenly Father for watching over my home. As I was bathing Anna and Lexie for the second time today, ie Lexie pooped her pants, and Anna is covered in sticky syrup I walked into the kitchen to find Andrew holding an oven mitt with a large four inch flame. I had some meatloaf in the oven and he decided to touch the orange heating element with the oven mitt. I wanted a picture of him with the flame but you know for safety purposes we didn't do that. Even when we feel possibly forgotten by the Lord, he is always watching out for us. I think that Andrew could have been hurt, or the house could have started on fire, or any number of things and know my Heavenly Father is looking out for us. It made me laugh but also left me feeling a little drained, you know why try to keep up with the mess because well with the busy body my boy is, what is the point? All I can say is good thing he is as cute as he is. So to all the mothers out there keep up the good work of being all the things required of you and good luck with the balancing act of well Motherhood.

Seeing the Everyday

Several months ago I subscribed to a quarterly magazine called
"Seeing the Everyday". I think it is a worthwhile production and this is my plug for it. They write about the everyday moments of life which are real, the ones which make life worthwhile. I have found it to be very uplifting. Here is an excerpt from it on marriage. Click on my title to link to there website.
Religious leaders, philosophers, and marriage researchers . . . each emphasize the importance of the prosaic but moral moments in our everyday lives. The philosophy of “prosaics,” created by contemporary literary critic Gary Saul Morson, “. . . Questions whether the most important events may not be the most ordinary and everyday ones. Cloaked in their very ordinariness, the prosaic events that truly shape our lives—escape our notice.” In other words, the big milestones of life, important as graduations and job promotions are, may cause us to overlook what Morson calls “the infinitely numerous and apparently inconsequential ordinary ones, which taken together, are far more effective and significant.”
The prosaic marriage is one that fits our real, day-to-day lives. It’s not one that lives in a fantasy world where we must always be enchanted newlyweds rather than old friends; where Eden-like homes never need to be cleaned. The prosaic marriage is centered in the home and its normal, everyday routines. Hollywood may not find it alluring. But . . . marriages are filled with ordinary moments of grocery shopping, breakfast conversations, and bear hugs that sustain husbands and wives through the heavy burdens of child rearing, earning a living, illness, and life itself. Ironically, it is in the prosaic moment that marriage finds its ultimate meaning and thus becomes the “big deal” universally yearned for.
http://www.seeingtheeveryday.com/
I thought this was very true and something important to remember about marriage. So go give your hubby a bear hug or wife. Hope you enjoy it and get yourself a subscription to this great magazine.

I got this quote off my brother-in-laws blog. I liked it so I thought I would copy it, thanks Matt. I also think this is something he lives and I admire him for that. I am going to try and be more like this. One thing I have always wanted to learn is surfing. Maybe 2009 is the year? What is something you've wanted to try?

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail way from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in you sails. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. -----mark twain

Resolutions 2009

Kim
· Learn from past · Enjoy Present ·
· Prepare For Future · Keep in touch ·
· Run a 3 40 Marathon ·
· A picture a day · a thought a day ·
· be content · play more · worry less spirit ·
· More peace and love at home · quiet my mind ·
· maybe quit soda, maybe · regular temple attendance ·

Andrew
· Learn to write all my letters · be a daddy ·
· play with Lexie · and Anna · and mom ·
· fly a kite · kindergarten ·

Lexie
· Be a momma · make noodles ·
· clean kitchen · make green beans ·
· get milk ·

Anna
· Talk · potty train · happy ·

Jeremy
· Run a marathon · ride a double century ·
· teach Andrew to ride bike ·

Here's to a great 2009! The kids didn't quite get the concept it was fun. Happy New Year!

Christmas 2008

I'm a bit behind and I wanted to post some pictures of Christmas. I love the season and look forward to it every year, but for the first time I was not sad to see it go. This must mean I'm getting old. Jeremy's parents came up on Christmas Eve and slept over. It was fun to have them and the kids loved having them here. Linda was a huge help and without here Santa may not have found our house, I was especially glad she was here. We had a great Christmas, we are very blessed with many material things, wonderful and supportive family, and the gospel. Here are some pics of the season.

Anna with Santa, we were glad she didn't' cry!

Lexie with Santa. She asked for a fixed doll.

Andrew with Santa. He asked for a train to go around the Christmas tree, Santa delivered.

Lexie in her Cinderella dress and crown Christmas morning

Andrew Christmas morning. He looks mad, but he wasn't.

Rory and Anna giggling

The Christmas tree

Putting out candy and carrots for Santa and reindeer

Lexie licking the beater after making fudge. It was a good batch.