House Hunting

We've decided to make AZ our home permanently.  So we are buying a house.

Where:  No clue.  We've narrowed it down to the East Valley
When: By the end of June...hopefully
Price: More than I want to spend
Needs: A large pantry and open space for my kids, all 5 of them, to run around like crazies (no, I'm not pregnant, Craig is included as my kid)
Wants: a great school, a pool, my sanity back.
No Fixer uppers!  We are not handy people.  Crafty, yes.  Handy, no way!  Unless I can google it.

We've seen 10 houses so far.  I'm not impressed.  Maybe I have high expectations.  Hopefully our search tomorrow will be better.  Maybe my kids won't irritate our real-estate agent this time.

Soaring HIgh

My father-in-law is the King of the dollar store.  Every time he comes to town he brings all sorts of $1 goodies for my kids.  His neat find of this visit was kites.  With a little handy work, some staples and scrapbook stickers (I was out of tape) he got those kites to fly.

They finally got it up in the air!

I think she is happy.

Makayla's turn.

The happy audience.

 Just because they are cute.

Evan was around somewhere, in the dirt probably.

May 8, 2012: Best Day EVER!!!

Going through the Temple was the most amazing experience!  I cried happy tears all day.  I am so thankful for my mother-in-law for being my escort, even if she was completely unfamiliar with the Mesa Temple.  It made for a fun day!  I will forever remember this day.  How I felt, how happy my husband was, my kids.  My sweet husband.  He is such a softie and I love him for it.  I'll remember sitting with him, him holding my hands.  The way he looked at me and then tearing up.  Him telling me that he has never seen me more happy or more beautiful.  I was radiant.  I've never been more happy than that day. Oh my kids.  When they were brought into the sealing room I lost what composure I had remaining.  Seeing them walk in with beaming smiles would melt any ones heart.  I'll remember Leah, with her silly ponytail, smiling and listening intently to every word.  Makayla, with hair bows clipped on both sides of her head, eagerly running up to Craig to hug him when she saw us.  Evan running up to the alter so excited for what was to come.  How each of them were able to listen and answer (correctly) the questions asked of them.  Little Halle's smile.  I'll remember how the sealer was inspired to talk about the primary song Little Purple Pansies, which was Grandma Thompson's favorite.  Because of this I know that she was there with us in spirit.  I am thankful for the gospel.  I am thankful for my Savior and I am thankful to have my family in heaven.  

My Eternal Family

To celebrate the day we went to the Cheesecake Factory.  Craig ate 3 loaves of this bread all by himself.  

Since it was our anniversary we ditched the kids with the parents and saw a movie.

Loved it!

Ended the night with some delicious frozen yogurt.

I wish every day could be like this!!! 

(FINALLY) Going to the Temple

On May 8, 2012, on my 8th wedding anniversary, I will enter the Mesa, Arizona temple and get sealed to my husband and family. I have waited for this day to come for a very, very long time. I have met with bishops in the past and taken the steps needed but have always felt that I needed to wait for my husband to be ready rather than push him to make the steps on his own. These past 8 years have NOT been a cake walk. They were hard. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be with me. We have had many storm outs and even separated for a shot period our first year. We were young and our beginning wasn't ideal, definitely not what I had planned for myself. I met Craig at college. I had only been there for two days and he was asking me about my friend's roommate while at a campus social event. I remember randomly running into him everywhere. At a institute basketball game he started asking my friends about me while I was sitting right next to them. It was odd but he did get my attention. After that we were inseparable. We got engaged in October but didn't tell anyone just because we knew what their reactions would be. It seems silly now. New Years Eve 2003 I found out I was pregnant. Again we didn't tell anyone even though I think people knew. I finally got up the nerve to tell my dad, over the phone, when I was 4 months along. I couldn't tell my mom. I was too much of a disappointment to her. My dad told her though and they were banging on my dorm room door the next morning. That was a fun day. I think the high point was when my mom threatened to kill Craig for ruining my life. Good times. The first Saturday after we finished our semester I did what any scared, pregnant 18 year old, foolishly in love girl would do. I married Craig. The only people that came for me were my parents and brother. No extended family. No church family. No friends. My dad didn't walk me down the aisle. There was no music. No celebration. We had meat platters from Costco and a pregnant bride in a black maternity dress. It wasn't my dream, by far, but it did the job and Craig and I were married. I always said that when Craig and I got sealed I would finally get my white dress and we could really celebrate. But that's not happening. I'm not getting a wedding dress and we are not having a party. The only people who will be in attendance is my mother in law and my father in law. Again no friends nor family. I was perfectly happy with this until my temple recommend interview with my Bishop. He asked about my parents which hit a nerve. The feeling shocked me. I stopped it and locked it inside. It hit me again after meeting with the stake president. Here I was holding my very first temple recommend overjoyed then instantly overcome with sadness. It became very real that my parents will never see me in white. They won't get to be a part of such an important day in my life. I won't have anyone there for me, no one from my life to share this wonderful day with. But I will have someone, Craig. He was the one who supported my decision to move away from New Mexico. He was the one who decided we needed to make the dedicated effort to attend church after almost 5 years of inactivity. He is the one that always came back to me to give it another go at our marriage. He has given me four beautiful children. He loves me unconditionally. He is my rock. He is my best friend. He is more than I could have ever asked for. He is giving me the greatest gift he could possibly give me, my family eternity. So on May 8, 2012, on my 8th wedding anniversary, at 12 noon, I get to be sealed to my wonderful husband and our amazing children. Everything else just doesn't seem important.

Too little

Evan is so fascinated with how boys can pee standing up. When daddy got home from work yesterday Evan followed him into bathroom. After spending some guy time in there Evan came running to me crying. I asked him what was wrong. He said "my pee pee is too little". I couldn't stop laughing. Poor guy.

Wii

Do you ever have days when your kids have more energy in that moment than you have patience for? Yeah, well it was one of those nights. You know, the one where they've eaten, bathed, and daddy still isn't home from work to pawn them off on so you can dig into your chocolate stash. What is my saving grace to get the wiggles out before story and bed time? High School Musical Dance Along Wii game. And bonus: I don't have to play with them! Dance away monkeys!!

He is just too cute for words, sometimes.

Apparently Makayla finds "digging for gold" more entertaining than the game. Classy.

She isn't the most coordinated kid either.

Twins?

Yes, they wear the same size in clothes and shoes and even weight the same but do they really look like twins? It seems everywhere we go these days that is what the general public thinks. I especially love the "You're having ANOTHER ONE after twins?!" Please feel free to jump off a cliff, random stranger!

I don't think they look like twins. Just two pretty cute siblings.