Halloween!

Happy Halloween folks!

May the kids be thrilled and HAPPY, not scared.

May the candy be plentiful for a few days...otherwise Mommy always finds it and starts the Holiday weight gain way too early!

And may we parents survive the chaos of the night....

I never understood the nerve wrecking power of this one night of the year until I was a Mommy.  Yes, I love the children and the fun they have, but sending them out amongst so many people scares me speechless!

Pumpkins, Book Reports, and FUN!!!

Mr. Aiden had a rough start to the school year, but he is slowly finding his place amongst everyone!  He is so beautiful in that he can truly be captivated by learning if it involves colors, and textures....art in it's purest form!  

He had a 2 week project he was to work on with me.  He was responsible for reading a book, doing a book report on the book, and making a pumpkin that represented a character in the book.  He chose Skippyjon Jones, Lost in Outter Spice!  We LOVE these books!  

I asked Aiden to do all of the drawings for the story elements first....the setting, characters, beginning, middle (problem), climax, solution, and favorite part.  After he drew everything, I read through the book one more time alone and we continued to discuss what he would write for each of those elements.  I directed him with full complete sentences, but he....through his art...nailed each element so thoroughly!  I was thrilled to see that for the climax there was a picture of Skippyjon Jones on Mars in front of his sock monkey!  The sock monkey was a critical element of the story because it solved the problem to begin with.  You see, Skippyjon Jones was LOST in space, and he got back home by having a tug of war contest with Uno Ojo over the sock monkey.  When Uno Ojo let go....Skippyjon Jones bounced right back to his bedroom, and he was no longer lost in space!  Aiden uses art to understand stories, and elements!  I was so very proud of him, and boy did he know it with all the high fives and hugs I gave him as he presented the book report to me (for practice) the day before it was due!

It was due today!!!

Daddy took Aiden to school, and Aiden was so very proud of the pumpkin and his awesome book report!  These moments with our children are priceless...and I enjoyed every second of making the memory in the moment it was made! 

Thank you Aiden...for being the wonderful YOU that you are!

Mommies toot!

I am a mother...meant to be beautiful and graceful in so many ways right?

Well, a true mother would say, "I only wish", and then they would go on to list the many things that have us look messy, dirty, tasseled, and clumsy in all their amazing ways.

But still...I am a woman...

Meant to be beautiful and graceful in every way, right?

This happens to be the Father of our home.

He, as of late, is very proud of his skills to "beautify" our little girls.  He will do their hair, dress them, and allow them to be the sweet little angels that they truly are.

I was sick this last Sunday, ans he got the girls ready with sweet curls in their hair...ALL DADDY!

He even has curls in their hair the following day, to surprise me after I slept in with the sickies still!

Now this little Belle, the one below...she is beautiful and so very blunt as well.

Tonight, as I was laying with her during our normal night routine so that she could drift off to sleep after Mommy time for a few minutes, she exclaims, "Somebody is in here?" as she sat up and looked across the dark room at the closed door.

"Honey," I said, "I don't think anyone else is in here!"

She boldly stated, that, "Yes, somebody is in here, they tooted!"

I confessed, "Honey, that was me, I tooted!"

She grinned, and so BLUNTLY stated, "You farted Mommy?"

"Well, if that's how you wanna say it, I guess so!" I replied

"I only toot Mommy, and I am not tooting right now....see, you can't hear it huh?" Lydia stated so properly.

Moms are supposed to be graceful right?  Oh ya, we decided that was a woman who is graceful...

I am a Mom...sometimes I toot!

And sometimes little ears hear it, and call you out on it!

Goodbye Grandpa Bobby

My Grandpa Bobby passed away at the end of September.  It was sudden...a heart attack as he was walking to feed the cattle--working, as his life was spent doing.  He was an admirable man.  I didn't know him well, but what I did know was good.  I explained to my sweet boys...on the day following his death, that their Great Grandpa Bobby passed away.  They never met him, but they had an innate attachment to them.

My beautiful Angel Aiden had a grimace on his face as I started to tell this tragic story; it is a coping mechanism I have recognized in him since he was a little tiny babe.  He smiles through pain...sometimes even laughs.  Yet, as the story continued, and the Plan of Salvation was discussed, his smile turned to a full face of sorrow with endless salty tears that draped his beautiful reddened skin.  I laid in bed with him, cried with him, and told him that Great Grandpa Bobby is now with Shane...they are now with Jesus, and WE WILL see them again.

It was already ten o' clock, on a school night, but I took the opportunity to make cards, watch then draw their feelings out, and talk about great ans marvelous truths.  Aiden asked me to cut a home out with a string of people linked together...and then he requested a rainbow over it.  Such heavenly symbols; families are bound for eternity and we are bound through covenants (the rainbow symbol).

Connor desires to have a string of hearts adorning his paper with stamps of celestial symbols...the sun, moon and stars.  He also has to place a stamp of a band aide on the picture.

This was me on the way to the funeral...

And Sunny with our load of l'il ones!

Grandma Amelia was there with ALL of her family to support her in her loss of Grandpa Bobby.

That's my father with his Mother...she is actually his second mother, his first passed away when he was only 12 years old.

We had opened with a prayer amongst the LARGE immediate family before we made the procession to the chapel where all of Bobby's friends were waiting.  While most people bowed their heads, my little Maya did what is natural to her as prayer time, and she folded her sweet little arms.

It is a very humbling thing to have a family member join the next dimension of reality...life with God.

Slumbering

To set the record straight:

after working my nights...

I DO remember this incident...I surely do!

I did her hair, put the cutest Halloween shirt on her, and loved watching her be so unlady like after she was so lady like looking!

But I DO NOT remember this incident:

Falling asleep while my two baby dolls were by my side, just wanting a piece of me that morning. 

I came home form work this morning, so happy to see their enthusiasm as they approached me at the door...no, as they tackled me at the door.  I LOVED seeing Maya in a shirt for a top and another shirt for her skirt as she so gracefully dressed herself at 0345 for Daddy.  She changed her pull up and all...she's learning independence well, but her time skills need to be readjusted, I'd say! 

Day time sleep is so hard,,,but a zebra snuggie, and little girls that WILL finally just sit with me while I doze off for the first time in 2 1/2 years is heaven.  They allow me to rest, and so does Daddy when he's home.

So off to bed I go!

Goodnight my daytime friends...

I will rise when you are about to slumber!

And then I'll slumber again too!  YAY!!!

Mommy Power on Open House Night

Low and behold, to be a mother to four children on open house night, with a husband who works late into the evening, can be quite a task.  I remember open house, I remember being so excited to show my mother all of the new and amazing things about my teacher, my classroom, and I remember praying so hard that my teacher would have something beautiful to say about me--a freckled face, blonde haired, green eyed, dirty little girl.

Teachers were so good back then...

Teachers are still so good now!

Aiden acted just as I would if my classroom wasn't visited first...he pouted and cried.  But wait, he also screamed...I don't think I woulda done something of that nature!

I actually, in embarrassment, had to pry him out of the hallway that held 4 little classrooms and to the play ground because his screaming was so loud and disturbing.  I received many looks of sympathy.  He came back in on his own free will, joined us in Connor's classroom, and literally stood with his nose in the corner while I spoke with Connor's teacher.  It made me look like I know how to discipline with my eyes...that is NOT so!

I absolutely love Connor's 4th grade teacher...she is fun, hip, organized, and she truly cares about Connor.  I recently received a phone call from her telling me of how wonderful and sweet Connor is as a student.  I admire her love for each individual child! 

Aiden's smile came back when he got hugs from his teacher!  She too, is meant for Aiden this year.  She has worked with him through his rough transition into a new school year, and even took the time one afternoon to send me an e-mail to let me know he was having such a good day! 

By the time the open house rounds were complete, I realized I had allowed Maya out of the house with two different shoes.  I hung my head in shame at first, and then I quickly patted myself on the back for tolerating 4 children at days end...walking to the school...and back (which took 30 minutes for 1/2 mile walk due to the tantrums and fits) with grace and kindness.

Just so you know, that takes Mommy Power...and when you dig deep inside, you realize it's there every second of every hour, of every day! 

September 11th

My sweet Connor was only a thought and a hope on September 11th, 2001.  I lived in Logan UT at the time, was dating my husband, who was attending classes at Utah State University, and I worked as a clean room technician in a bunny suit at Hyclone laboratories.  I remember hearing the announcement of a plane crashing into the twin towers over a crackled radio.  I remember the few of us workers who usually busted out tails, just standing in disbelief and horror.  I remember choosing to go home and lay down in my bed, even though all of my roommates were in the living area watching the events of the day.  I avoided all sights of the catastrophe and layed my swollen eyes onto a pillow and drifted to sleep as my blankets soaked up salty tears.  As I slept, I saw towers coming down...and out of the dust, I recall seeing spirits...hundreds of spirits...rising with a happiness and newness I only give credit to God for.  Years later, I watched the documentaries on TV, the pile of ash and debris matched the piles in my dreams.  To this day, the disastrous event leaves me saddened, but the reality of so many souls coming home to their God and their Father gives me joy.

Connor Reid Fultz is innately good.  On this monumental day, the school he attended did the correct thing, and they taught the dear children of September 11th and it's significance.  When Connor came home, he was more quiet and solemn than usual.  He did his homework, got a shower, and retired to his room.  When he walked out, he had shown me and Daddy the replica of the twin towers which he had just completed.  From the hands of a sweet, thoughtful, innocent, and genuine babe, came a work of art.  Dear Connor, your hands will always bring forth goodness if you allow your thoughts to continue in sincerity and love. I KNOW this to be so true about you, my dear.  I LOVE YOU!!!

Sunday BEST!

On this particular Sunday, we did what Mormons usually don't do, and we stoped at Walmart for some odds and ends!  It just so happened that we ran into a few of my friends from High School.  I immediately yelled at my husband to "STOP" as we drove through the parking lot.  He was confused, but followed command, and before I knew it, I was in their car, kissing the chubby thighs of their sweet son, just over a year old.  I hugged them both, was told I was taller...and I graciously gave credit to the shoes!  And a few short minutes felt like a long waited reunion with some neat old time friends!  (I didn't bother to tell my husband that the guy was a high school boyfriend!  Why bother right? Hehe!)

When we got home, I delighted in Sunday treats! 

I thanked Lydia for the sweet goodness she offered me... 

And I savored every last ounce of sugar...on each tip of finger, saturated in a chocolaty mess! 

OUR Sunday BEST does not usually involve grocery shopping, but it often involves treats; reunions with long lost friends will always be a blessing from God!

BUGS at the Park

So, do my eyes BUG you?  I know there are times they hold happiness AND sadness, greatness AND guilt; but THESE aren't really my eyes, they only protect my eyes!

And they look an awful lot like these BUG eyes! 

Yes, it was another park day...

Another day for the children to decide if they were brave enough to slide, or not to slide... 

The girls avoided the BIG slide, but I took my chances to be a kid again! 

This was the ONE and ONLY shot I could get of Aiden standing still, my little fire is always on the move. 

And for the most part, so am I! 

The girls are learning quickly that the best way to atract the boys is with a sweet gentle smile! 

And my beautiful Connor is learning quickly that the best way to attract the ladies, is by serving them!  "Yes, Sir Connor, I would like a large Dr. Pepper!"