AIden at seven

Aiden Obadiah...you turned 7 this year!!!

And look how much everyone showed their love for YOU!!!

Mimi was gracious enough to have your Birthday at her house because of Mommy's and Daddy's crazy work schedules! 

I still remember the moment in the hospital where Daddy and I held you just like this between the two of us.  You were curled in my arms, and we tried so hard to take a self portrait of you with us...it was hard, but worth it.  Seven years later, you still feel perfect cased between the two of us! 

You enjoyed the presence of your cousins, who all LOVE you so much! 

And I totally enjoyed the FOOD!!! 

Yes, our sweet Maya did too! 

The girls did girl things, like pose for pictures! 

And you focused on the great adventure it would be to blow out seven candles and open a load of presents! 

 You are full of expression, dear Aiden, both inside and out!  We love that about you!

It took many deep breaths to blow those tricky seven candles out! 

Thank you Mimi...for hosting Aiden's Birthday!  We love you so much! 

At seven:

You are still full of so much energy, there are still days when you are the first riser in the home.

You have a heart full of love for your Mommy and Daddy.

You are the first to say sorry when you hurt someone,

But you are often shocked at how rude others can be in their bullying state.

You have a little bit of a temper, but when we show you unconditional love, that temper simmers very quickly.

You do NOT like to brush your teeth.

But...you LOVE playing with LEGOS.

You love Ninjago.

And you LOVE LIFE!

And...We LOVE YOU!!!

Faith Like a Child

I have a sweet son.

I have three amazing, and sweet sons, but the one I choose to speak of tonight is Connor, my first born.

Last night, the weather changed on us in an instant.  We went from hot 87 degree days to 60 degree daytime temps, howling winds, and threats for thunder storms.

The boys were in bed at a decent hour...7:30 ish, it did their tired eyes well.

Lydia was in bed shortly after.  As I layed with her for her nightly routine, she begged me to allow her to sleep in my bed, and we went through the normal conversation that is memorized with each inflection of my voice.  I told her that if she would not cry when I left, and would sleep in her bed for a little while first, she would be allowed to come to bed with me later. (This usually means she crawls into my bed anywhere from 3-5am, and I can deal with a few hours of her piercing toes in my side!)

Last night was a bit different.

Routines were done, the kids were in bed, and around 9pm, I heard Lydia outside of my bedroom door, whimpering.  I walked out, hugged her, and let her know that she would need to go back to bed in her room for awhile still.

She sweetly said, "But Mom, I already slept in my bed for an hour!"

I don't know how her little 3 year old mind grasped time so accurately, but I told her, "Yes Lydia, it was literally only an hour!  You need to sleep a few more hours in your bed!"

I then took her to bed, without a fight.

On my way out of her room, I noticed the boys light was on in their bedroom.  Furious that they had disobeyed bed time routine and started playing, I opened the door quickly, ready to discipline my mothering lips away.  To my surprise, Aiden was curled up in a ball, blankets pulled up over his head, and he was sleeping peacefully.  I looked up at the top bunk where Connor sleeps, and his eyes were red, swollen, and full of fear as tears poured down his face.  In desperation, he explained the events which led to his desperate state:

"Aiden just woke up, was running around the room, turned the lights and fans on, ran around again and then just went back to bed.  Then the door opened and closed right away, but no one was there."

I thought of every way I could gently acknowledge his fears but explain them away as well, "Connor, I know you are scared.   Aiden doesn't know what he's doing when he gets up and runs around like this.  We need to get his surgery scheduled and pray that it helps him, but he doesn't do it to hurt or scare us.  The door that opened was Lydia.  She woke up and was looking for me.  Would you like to say a prayer to ask Heavenly Father to comfort you?" (He was still hyperventilating with endless tears.)

He innocently said, "Mom, I already said a couple of prayers to Heavenly Father, and I asked him to send you to me...and He did!"

Indeed, He did.  I was supposed to be working last night, but fate had planned that I would be placed on stand-by for a low patient census, and in that state, I was able to be an answer to my sweet son's prayer.  It takes the faith of a child to believe Heavenly Father was calculated in performing that little miracle...and both Connor and I have the faith of a child to acknowledge His hand!  I am ever so grateful for my children and the great lessons they teach me daily!

As for Lydia, she walked into my room at 4:15 am...as I was on my second hour of restless insomniac eyes...and she whispered, "Mom, I slept for a few more hours already!"

"Yes dear, you did!  Come here," I whispered, and we both drifted off to sleep for a "few more hours"...literally!

Couponing and Memory Lane!

Lest you think I am about to give you a run down on how to be the extreme couponer....

think again...

I am about to inform you of MY first "extreme" couponing experience!

Last night was NOT like any other night.  Steve has been on 5 nights this week....that's 5 twelve (13 really, but the hospital won't admit that) shifts.  Last night he was lucky enough to go in for 1/3 of the shift and come home.  Since I haven't seen him, well, since last Saturday....I decided to hit the sack at 8pm and have him wake me at 12:30 when he got home.

He came home with a midnight treat...Burger King...and we caught up on all our favorite shows.

We finally got to sleep at 3:30am...and the kids woke me at 6:45!  YAY!!!

I was groggy....and spent half of my day looking at the mess I needed to clean.

Well, the first part of that mess happened to be a good hundred coupons my husband has recently clipped from the Sunday papers which he bought not too long ago so we could become the EXTREME COUPONERS!  

Holy cow, I thought, as I stumbled across a coupon that said $3 off a man's razor and cartridges, and then another that was $2 off a females....the holy cow was caught with excitement when I saw that at Target (ending today), you could get those exact same razors combined and get a $5 Target gift card in return!

So, I organized more "to-be expired" coupons and peeked my head in on my sleeping husband to proclaim, "I'm going to Target!  The deals I need end TODAY!"

He rolled out of bed a decided to come along with me!

Our cart was packed to the brim with all our couponing purchases and 75% more items as well...mostly lean cuisine meals...because we're both desperate to lose weight!  I scratched each item off the list proudly, and started to panic when I saw that the cartridges that you had to buy with the razor combo were $18....EEEKK!!!  But hey, when I bought both, I got that Target gift card!  

I got to the register knowing that my couponing adventure was more like a large expenditure....

I bargained with the woman over ALL the $5 gift cards I was due, and then she asked, "Is that all?"

"No," I said, "I have a ton of coupons!"

She had long grey hair and glasses, and she sure did use those glasses as she read every....single....coupon...while asking with each one, "Now, did you actually buy 2 Sun Chips?  And did you buy 2 lysols?"

I was specific, "Yes, I bought 2 Lysol toilet bowl cleaners!"

And then I thought...with a sweet smile across my face, "The computer is way smarter than you think it is lady, just scan it...if it doesn't work...it doesn't work!"

I was the typical couponer, at the register, tapping my fingers, anxiously watching the total drop....

$303

$302

$299.50

It dropped ever so slowly!

The people behind us must've been thinking, "Oh my gosh, we're stuck behind one of 'them'!"

I wanted to say, "Look away for a moment, I am embarrassed to say, we aren't one of them...but we put a lot of time into trying to be one of them....you know, the one that gets $300 bills for FREE!"

We finished checking out, stoped 2 feet from the register, and both Steve and I examined out receipt to make sure we got all the deals we came for!  Sure enough...we did!  And we saved a grand total of $54.92....but we spent  $272.14...

When we got to the car, I rolled my eyes and said, "I think I woulda rather worked a few more hours over doing this!"  And then we both got a good laugh out of the "I HAVE to go to Target TODAY" experience!

Now, onto memory lane....

Do you remember school field trips?

Being so excited the morning of, and (if you are Connor), thrilled that your Mom is coming along?

 And then when she gets there, she's just alright...

And there to verify that you really do have the skylanders stuff at home?

But there was a moment in the middle of the movie when he reached over to hold my hand....and he did for about a half hour....even across the empty seat that should have been occupied by Maya! 

Do you remember eating at the parks afterwards?

And asking your friends, "What did your Mom pack for you?  What's your drink?"

I witnessed it the other day...memories flooded back! 

Lydia really did love the field trip...it's hard to see here! 

And Maya LOVES life...so she loved it too! 

Another memory....

I just organized the boys rooms for them...washed all their quilts I've made them over the years, and placed them on their beds.  I love seeing this quilt in the house.

This was Aiden's "Big Brother Quilt" when Shane was born....Shane had a matching baby quilt which we buried him in.  What a sweet reminder to me every time I see it. 

More Pennsylvania Fun!

Lest I forget, we did have MORE fun times in PA...and if I don't record them now, I never will!

I spent a lot of time lounging around with the kiddos....who couldn't resist cuddling these cuties? 

And watching the cousins LOVE being together again.  Yes, it was a mad house with 12 children from 22 months-10 years old!  I was amazed at the change I have seen in the girls...which are most of the older cousins; they nurture, love, and protect...I love seeing their innate qualities come out so perfectly!  The boys will be boys....and they LOVE playing and acting tough!

This was one rare quiet moment with three of the boys! 

And this is one of those nurturing moments with Lydia and my dear little Ashley...she is the oldest cousin! 

 I had to throw this pic in because I love Hannah's face!  Often, when I came around I saw her smile a big happy grin of surprise!  She is one sweet and FUN girl!

And then on another day.... we enjoyed the Dansko outlet.  AS a nurse, I have never owned a pair of Danskos....

I do now...

I own TWO pair...

And they are my staple footwear!

Those are my two pair... 

 And Miss Maya was caught often...trying all the shoes on as well!  Naturally, she was born with my fashion loving blood!

Steve captured a few moments with little Lucy (Luc) and Maya...and he had to get Hyrum to "pose" for a picture by the pond.  Never mind the wink on his left eye...he is much like his older cousin Connor, a natural born pirate!

Liddy and I modeled my Danskos at days end! 

 And then, yes...we visited some dear friends....

Rasheed...

The Poplis Family...

And the Henrichsen's.  We could have spent endless days visiting old friends, but time was too short, 

I made a new best friend that day too...Miss Piper had me running up and down their sidewalk just to get one last walk and chat in before we left! 

Later that night, we went to the movies to see The Hunger Games. 

I guzzled our soda... 

And got terribly fat...  

The movie was quite long...can you tell?