Indulgences

1. Holly asked me to post three indulgences I have... Well, as a mother I think time is an indulgence. Since time is never free, I'm talking about short notice open time when I am suddenly presented with the proposition of an extra 30 min before I need to get the kids or even time at work where I actually have space to think of "me" things, I get an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, I sputter out a list of things I want to do with that time, so I'm never really prepared to spend it, because I spend it planning how to spend it, but it's an indulgence none the less.
   
2. Another one is my favorite magazine "real simple" Every article I read has some great "aha" tip or recipe idea or road test of some every day products from sunscreen to pencil skirts. I think I love it because I don't feel like I don't measure up.
3. Talking with a good friend. Whether it be on the phone or in person, just taking time to talk and not have a reason or something to talk about. I have never been a good "caller"meaning I don't just pick up the phone to chat, even worse so me working all the time and having 3 kids the rest of the time. I love when I can just have a heart to heart talks and wish I would do it more with so many people who I know feel the same as me. I feel connected when I talk to people, and it is rejuvenating. Now it's an indulgence, but I plan to make it a habit.
   

The Harper Infirmary

Well, I always thought when someone in the family gets sick, might as well all get sick and get it over with rather than volley the coughs, boogies, grumpies, no sleepies, feel yuckies from person to person. I regret ever thinking that because when everyone is sick, there is nobody feeling well enough to take care of you. So, this week, we all got it. Tim and I got it worst with me yuckin' out with a nasty sinus infection that affected my tear ducts making my eyes look like this (yeah, that looks professional!) and Tim getting the everlasting cough and aches and sleeplessness that even Nyquil won't help. Kennedy got her first taste of ear infections, a double shot! Audrey has serious grumps because she can't sleep without snoring or eat without coordinating chewing and breathing at the same time with her mouth. Emma has a cough not too bad, but just enough runny nose that she has licked the tar out of her upper lip to her nostril it is so chapped I don't know what to do. So, Kennedy is on antibiotics, I'm on antibiotics (2nd time this month!) and we have blasted through 2 packages of Halls throat drops, Advil PM, and Sudafed and now we're burnin' through the claritin. I'm ready to go back to enjoying the occasional Airborne for preventive measures. May we all survive each other, and feel better soon (cough, cough).

Kennedy toes...

Baby toes are so cute and tiny, I had to get a picture of Kennedy's toes painted. This doesn't last forever, so I take as many pictures as I can!

We've got a fridge down, I repeat a fridge is down...

So, our fridge... um ... took a break. I thought it was down, out and ready to send us to the limit necessitating the purchase of a new fridge (I was thinking on the upside, water dispenser in the door would be handy...) but we were blessed with the accidental discovery of a manufacturer defect and the implication of a handy 5 year warranty that expires in less than 6 months (whew, skin of our teeth!). We were out of food on a Thursday night and and were planning on stocking up the old fridge when we noticed it wasn't cooling right. Of course on Friday, weekend we have to wait through the weekend! I was feeling much anxiety about this, but as usual Tim took it in stride and knew somehow it wouldn't be the end of the world (he balances me well in that regard) Rather than go and buy stuff, we waited a day and of course, still no repair on faith, so action took course and we called GE. They came out, said "it's $xxx.xx and let us know if this part doesn't do the job." Okay... ouch on the wallet, and we wait... so meanwhile the stuff we had in the fridge was, all casualties of room temperature (and well, age too apparently, four year old fridge, with four year old stuff I didn't know was in there, yes I'm guilty of procrastinating cleaning out the fridge on a regular basis, but hey, we might need cocktail sauce someday, and I didn't want to throw out a perfectly good half full bottle...) Fortunately we were the benefactors of a mini-fridge bequeathed to us by my bro and sis-in-law who skirted the "lower 48" for some real adventures, which helped us survive the 4 days without a working full size fridge. It was cute, and quiet and well, actually matched the other appliances in the kitchen, given it was just parked on the island... It fit 1gal milk, salad dressing, costco tub-o-sour cream (I'm a sour cream junkie, I admit it) and some other "refrigerate after opening" stuff I didn't want to sacrifice. Needless to say, we got to call GE again, because after the day we gave it, it still wasn't cooling. Next GE guy came and as he and Tim were sliding the fridge out a glass jar fell off the top (okay, I store stuff in wierd places, I didn't even know that was up there...) and it shattered! Not the glass, but the water line to the ice maker. So what? As Tim was gathering towels to clean up and mop (such a great multitasker) he and the repair guy heard hissing... from the coolant pipe! Covered under 5 year warranty, and with his verification, should get some money back for the part we bought the day before. Quick fix, a little solder and flame and voila! We have fridge working like new. Okay, this was so long, thanks to all of you who endured it, and I'll get a new post up later, that is cuter...
The big fridge with stuff that fit in the little lifesaver and cooler
The little life saver. Tim is now going to employ it in the garage for sodas with Sally, the Mustang, I mean.

6 weeks to get ready, get set...

GO!!

I am planning on running the 5K at Kiwanis park for Care For Life, the foundation for life improvement of the people of Mozambique, Africa. My mother-in-law is involved with this, and it is such a good cause. Check them out here. I would love to see lots of people there I know, and there is a mile walk and kids dash so the whole family can get in on it.

On the Move

Kennedy is on the move now, and she is into everything. She started crawling on New Year's eve, and now she is all over. On to the next stage of fun and challenges!

Fun in the ... SNOW!

We had so much fun up in Flagstaff last weekend. There was snow and so much fun! We were able to wrangle up some winter weather clothes for the kiddos and we bundled them up to play in the snow. The resort we stayed at had great access to a private sledding hill just the right grade for kids of all sizes. A good time was had by all! Highlights from the trip:

• Excellent sled hill behind the condo
• perfect sled (after searching in Flagstaff at Target, Walmart, Walgreens, and eventually jackpotting at Bashas'-- who'd a' thunk?)
• good friends for sharing the hike back up the hill (thanks Tara, Rob!)
• Ice skating at Flagstaff public rink
  
• Hot chocolate every 4 hours
• push button fire in fireplace
• guitar hero
• the game of life... need I say more
  
• awesome food prepared by the resident chef Tim (I swear he better open his restaurant "Taco Tim's Enchilada Palace serving whatever you feel like!)
• Less than stellar beds- the kids had the best bed in the place! It is good to be home to our bed!
• Hannah Montana on I pod doc and Emma and Audrey rocking out to "Best of both worlds"
• Having time off of work and away from home to spend quality time with them.
• Emma saying, "we can do this again after next Christmas Mom!" after seeing me shed some tears on the thought of leaving to go home.
• Only 2 1/2 hours from snow to our doorstep.
  
• Good Times!!
  

Tim and Kellie take a Run

emma and audrey huggin' on the balconyKennedy in her snowbunny garbDUCK!!Future Sasha Cohens in the worksWarmin' by the fireKennedy, so cute!She didn't want her picture takenEmma's got a good armkennedy on Daddy's shoulder

year in review 2008

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Playing catchup

We had such a wonderful whirlwind Christmas and New Year. We had so much fun with everyone together. It was a really nice Christmas. On Christmas night as I was getting ready to go to bed, I remembered the scene on "A Christmas Story" when Ralphie's parents were sitting quiet alone by the Christmas tree, enjoying the moment after all the chaos of preparation and planning and shopping for Christmas, and I went outside and had a quiet moment where I felt peace, and I knew clearly in my heart the true meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful for my Savior, and the gift of life and salvation he has given to me and the opportunity I have to have to be with my family eternally. It was a really good Christmas feeling of gratitude for my family and my life and all the blessings I have been given.

Here are the girls when we went to Temple lights in Mesa. I love these pictures, Audrey is actually smiling!


As for the late post, after my new year partying and then recovering from the partying, I managed to get sick. Not unlike many of my family members before me (3 trips to E.R. for fevers, vomiting and the like) I had to go and get an ear infection and mastitis. Hit me like a steam engine. Now that I'm vertical again, or partially, I get to catch up. I took today off work because I am sick enough, but well enough to do some catch up on the computer.

On Christmas Eve, we went to Tim's family for a sweet nativity act with the kiddos and family gift exchange. I loved seeing Audrey play the part of Mary and she held the baby doll so sweetly.

Emma was a shepherd girl and I could see in her eyes she understood that playing that part was important. Then we had a drop by of Santa! He took time out of his busy schedule to see us. It was great! Everyone sat on his lap!!
We went home to catch Santa in the act of leaving presents at our house! As the girls rushed to bed so he would come back to leave more, we heard him laugh, "HO! HO! HO!" outside the window. It was so exciting for the girls. Here is typical Audrey...Here are all the kids watching Santa on the radar. They were mezmerized!

Christmas morning the girls tore through their presents in only 30 minutes. Emma surprised Tim and me with a calendar she made at school with her handprint on every page, decorated for the month. It was so special, she kept it a secret and Tim and I were both so touched. Audrey got a killer doll house, and Emma got a really cool art Easel.



Christmas day and for the next few days we spent at my parents house with all of my family. We have a huge family now! 39 and counting. Amazingly nobody was pregnant (or didn't say they were when asked). It is amazing. We had family pictures taken by my good friend Aften Wright and we discovered she dated one of my cousins years ago and has even been to Mack's Inn with us. Silly coincidence huh?

We went to Rawhide with everyone, and Emma acutally wore her "cowgirl" hat and loved it. We then went to my sister's church for dinner and an amazing game of "office chair hockey" My stomach still hurts from laughing so hard.

I went over to my folks house on the 30th and played games with my mom and nieces and it was a BLAST! Thanks to Sam, Tess, Molly, Zoe, Bryn, and Baylee for a great round of Scrabble (my first 48 point word score) and Skip-BO. You all rock!

For New Years Eve we had Tara and Rob over for munchies and Guitar Hero. It was fun and I can't beleive a new year has already begun. All the while playing, I noticed Kennedy wasn't where I left her! She started crawling on New Year's Eve! Wahoo!

On New Years Day we went to see Tim's folks and we played a little "Wii" and that was fun too. Video games have come so far since Atari, man I loved Atari.

I got a tip from my sis-in-law about potty training for Audrey, and 3 days and only 2 accidents later, she is there! We are so excited she is out of diapers finally, and she gets offended when we want to put a pull up on her for night time. Next week we'll ditch the pull ups, they are my crutch, not her's and I don't have energy right now to wash sheets everyday.

So here we are now, and Emma is back in school and as life starts to get back to a routine, I hope I can keep the spirit of the Holidays with me, all of the thinking of others and spending time with family, and shaking up the routine just enough to keep me out of my comfort zone. It makes me think of the saying about the Gospel, it "comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable" May that be my mantra as I teach my kids about missionary work and being good examples. Until then.