what soda are you?

You Are Root Beer

Ultra sweet and innocent, you have a subtle complexity behind your sugary front. Children love you, but so do high end snobs... when you're brewed right. Your best soda compatibility match: Dr. Pepper Stay away from: Diet Coke

What Kind of Soda Are You?

I just have to say that...................

I LOVE MY KIDS! I had a mommy and Emmalee date tonight. Thank You Shan for watching Peyton so I could do this. Dawson had a sleepover at a friends and so Shanna offered to watch my little man. Emm and I went to McDonalds and got ice cream and then went window shopping. Then we came home and watched a movie in my room and ate.

I just have to wonder: When did my baby girl get so big?? I can have budy-buddy conversations with her. I love her silly personality, she is too fun!! She is so pretty and so feminine..it cracks me up!

I love my little Peyton and his big smile and spongebob laugh, lol. He makes me melt everytime he smiles or laughs. How did I get such an easy baby??

I love my Dawson. He is so smart and intelligient. The boy can read a whole Dr Suess book (Like a 45 page one) and he won't be 6 till August! He can add, subtract, he knows his 5's and 10's tables. He is so fun and so stinkin cute! He is kind and considerate of others feelings...most of the time, lol.

My kids can make me go bannanas at times, but I love them and wouldn't trade them for the world.

I miss Mike so much. It gets lonely at night. I have so much I want to tell him and miss talking to him at night. Thank goodness he will be home on saturday. This is the longest I have been away from him in the 8 years I have known him.

He is the best husband I could ask for!! He has always worked so hard for our family. He is so smart and focused and has come so far at work. He has become a design engineer without having an engineer degree.

He knows how to make me laugh even when I am uspet. He is so cute and just wonderful!!

Sorry I am sappy at the moment!

What's your sign??

I saw this on Tiffany's blog and thought I would pass it on. I guess I am a promiscuous lil' hussie...NOT! Anyways kinda funny. See what it says about you!






SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One
Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found. Loves being in long relationships. So much love to give. Not one to mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone They meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing in the you know where..!!! Not the kind of person you wanna mess with- you might end up crying. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

Subject: Zodiac
Once you have opened this post, there's no turning back. Below are true descriptions of zodiac signs, with traits from book written 35 years ago by an astrologist predictions. Read your sign, then forward it on, with your zodiac sign and label on the subject line, This is real deal, try ignoring it, and the first thing you'll notice is having a horrible day starting tomorrow morning - and it only gets worse from there.

VIRGO - The One that Waits
Dominant in relationships. Someone loves them right now. Always wants the last word. Caring. Smart. Loud. Loyal. Easy to talk to. Everything you ever wanted. Easy to please. The one and only. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

SCORPIO - The Addict
EXTREMELY adorable. Intelligent. Loves to joke. Very Good sense of humor. Energetic. Predict future. GREAT kisser. Always get what they want. Attractive. Easy going. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Caring. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

LIBRA - The Lame One
Nice to everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a> kind. Silly, fun and
sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! however not the kind of person you wanna mess with. u might end up crying... 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

ARIES - The Liar
Outgoing. Lovable. Spontaneous. Not one to mess with. Funny. Excellent kisser EXTREMELY adorable. Loves relationships, Addictive. Loud. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

AQUARIUS - Does It In The Water
Trustworthy. Attractive. Great kisser. One of a kind. Loves being in long-term relationships. Extremely energetic. Unpredictable. Will exceed your expectations. Not a Fighter, But will Knock your lights out. 2 years of bad luck if you do not forward

GEMINI - Irresistible
Nice. Love is one of a kind. Great listeners Very Good in the you know where... Lover not a fighter, but will still knock you out. Trustworthy. Always happy. Loud. Talkative. Outgoing VERY FORGIVING. Loves to make out. Has a beautiful smile. Generous. Strong. THE MOST IRRESISTIBLE. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward

LEO - The Lion
Great talker. Attractive and passionate. Laid back. Knows how to have fun. Is really good at almost anything. Great kisser. Unpredictable. Outgoing. Down to earth. Addictive. Attractive. Loud. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Not one to mess with. Rare to find. Good when found. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

CANCER - The Cutie
MOST AMAZING KISSER. Very high appeal. Love is one of a kind. Very romantic. Most caring person you will ever meet! Entirely creative. Extremely random and proud of it. Freak. Spontaneous. Great telling stories. Not a Fighter, But wil l Knock your lights out if it comes down to it. Someone you should hold on to. 12 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

PISCES - The Partner for Life
Caring and kind. Smart. Center of attention. High appeal. Has the last word. Good to find, hard to keep. Fun to be around. Extremely weird but in a good way. Good Sense of Humor!!! Thoughtful. Always gets what he or she wants. Loves to joke. Very popular. Silly, fun and sweet. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

CAPRICORN - The Passionate Lover
Love to bust. Nice. Sassy. Intelligent. Sexy. Predict future. Irresistible. Loves being in long relationships. Great talker. Always gets what he or she wants. Cool. Loves to own Gemini's in sports. Extremely fun. Loves to joke. Smart. 24 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

TAURUS - The Tramp
Aggressive. Loves being in long relationships. Likes to give a good fight for what they want. Extremely outgoing. Loves to help people in times of need. Good kisser. Good personality. Stubborn. A caring person. One of a kind. Not one to mess with. Are the most attractive people on earth! 15 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

SAGITTARIUS - The Promiscuous One
Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found. Loves being in long relationships. So much love to give. Not one to mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone They meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing in the you know where..!!! Not the kind of person you wanna mess with- you might end up crying. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

The Top Ten Things I Cannot Live without!

I saw this when I was blog surfing and thought I would do it. I am also tagging all of you to do this. What are the 10 things that you CANNOT live without!

1. My testimony in the gospel. It is what has helped shape my life









2. My family. They are my life and I LOVE them so much!



3. My friends they make life fun and I have learned so much from them

4. My Home. It isn't perfect and has a lot of work, but it is our home and I am thankful for it! (I took a pic of my favorite room and only one almost finished, lol)


5. My laptop. MY friends are in my computer lol, my music, knowledge, scrapbooking, games, etc.


6. My iPod..it sure makes exercising and housework more bearable


7. My CHI flat iron..it is a miracle!


8. My dishwasher..I hate handwashing dishes


9. My Van..I would be stuck at home. I also love the room it has and that I don't have to bend to get the kids out!



10. Oh yeah My cell phone..it has saved me quite a few times! PLus it is pretty and red, lol!

Digital Scrapbooking

Okay so I have joined the digital scrapbooking cult, lol. I have made about 20 pages this last week. It is so much fun. I am so thankful that we can do so much with computers now! I am just going to try and figure out how to transfer my pages to photoshop and make them Html compatible. Thanks for the tips Emily! I will try them tomorrow.

The slumber party last night was a success!! Dawson, Emmalee and I made a pizza, then they helped me clean the house. As a reward we made sundaes, complete with hot fudge, whip cream and carmel. They LOVED that! Obviously my diet was put on halt for the night...just for the night though. Then we watched 'The Secret of Nhim' (sp?)and spongebob in my bedroom. It was a lot fo fun!

Tonight bedtime went pretty well. It did take a bit longer to do things without Mike. The kids did their chores, brushed their teeth and showered with just a bit of complaining. Then we read 1 Nephi Chapter 3. I used it as an example of how their complaining was like Laman and Lemuel's murmuring. I explained that if they keep the Lord's commandments then he will help them to have stregnth to do what they are told. I told them that obeying Mom and Dad is a commandment and that murmuring is disobeying that commandment. Then I asked them if they wanted to be like Laman and Lemuel or like Nephi...they both said Nephi!!! Then they went to bed without fighting me.

I was then able to have a good half hour alone with Peyton before he went to sleep. I fed him and then we rocked and cuddled. It was so nice to have it quiet while I did that. Cuddling times are getting to be few and far between with him now that he wants to be mobile and know everything going on around him. I love that baby so much. He has been such a blessing in my life. Today one of my friends told me that I needed to start manufacturing Peyton's for everyone else, lol. He is a sweet, easy baby, plus he is so stinkin' cute on top of that!!! I am biased though.

I do miss Mike though. The nights are lonely and I miss hanging out with him. I will be so happy to have him home on saturday!! This will be the longest we have ever been apart.

Making Changes.........

This year has been a year of changes for me. The most obvious ofcourse, is from going from 2 kids to 3. I love my kids so much and want to be the best mother to them. I know I have to make some changes though. These thoughts have been on my mind a lot for a long time. Actually I feel like they are being amplified in my mind lately. I just haven't committed whole heartedly. I think sometimes it can take time and you need to be ready to make these changes.


I think it all started when Mike and I made a goal to pay a full tithe this year. We have been very spiratic with paying tithing for years. It is strange because when I was younger I never had a problem paying tithing half the time I paid extra. I loved the feeling of peace it gave me.

Ofcourse marriage, mortgage and kids came financial struggles. Juggling bills is no fun and a lot of times tithing got put aside. We promised we would catch up, etc. Never happened. Well in Nov our Bishop challeneged us to pay a full tithe. I am so happy to say that since November we have been full tithe payers. He promised that the Lord would bless us and that we would be able to make it. I am so thankful to say that my faith in tithing has increased. I never want to go without paying tithing ever again.

I have seen quite a few blessing because we have been paying tithing. We are obviously not rich in monetary terms. Instead we are rich with the gospel, family and friends. We have also been making better choices with our money and we always have enough for what we really need (food, clothes, a few fun things, etc). I am so thankful for that.

The second thing was somewhat of a suprise. For a long time I wasn't feeling comfortable in my ward. I guess I was insecure and sort of a hermit. I never put much effort into making friends. I had been in a comfort zone in my old ward and really missed it. I dreaded Relief Society because I sat by myself. I gladly accepted a calling to teach in Primary 2 years ago. I felt included there and I was Happy.

I rarely would go to ward activities or Enrichment Night. Sadly I missed many opportunities to grow and make wonderful friends. There is one girl in the ward (you know who you are) who has become such a wonderful friend and I love her like a sister. I thank her for being such a great friend!!

She never gave up on me. For over a year she tried to get me involved in activities. Finally I felt ready to get out of my shell, partly because of her and partly because I realized that I had lost site of ME. I have been blessed with so many blessing, and friends through this experience.

I also started going visiting teaching again. I didn't have that as a calling for a long time because I honestly had no way to go when we had one car and MIke was working 2 jobs. I have felt a whole lot more involved in the ward since then. I love meeting new sisters and have made some great friends because of it.

Now for my newest change. I am feeling more and more like I am not just going thru the motions with church stuff anymore. I am planning on doing my bishops challenge of reading 10 pages from the book of mormon a week. I plan on doing it alone, with the kids and with Mike. I am hoping it will help me be a better mom, wife, friend and help me to know when I am doing my best at things and not feel guilty. I had more to write but Sir Peyton has woken up, so I better get him....brb......

I am also gonna try to have a better outlook on the challenges that life gives me. I complain a lot, I can't deny that. I was dreading this week because Mike will be gone at scout camp all week. I was afraid I would be fighting with the kids etc.

Someone told me to act like it is a vactaion from heavy chores, etc. I went to a little social for the scout leaders families last night and while the men planned out scout camp, the girls did what we do best...chatted. Our former Bishop's wife commented that times like this she tries to make it fun for her and the kids. She said she lets the kids have cereal for dinner,puts some of the ehavier chores off and finds some time for her to reflect on things. I have decided that is how I will spend this week. Tonight we are gonna make our own pizza's, then go to McDonald's for ice cream and then we are going to have a slumber party in my room. It should be fun!

One thing that I KNOW will help me change my attitude is to read my scriptures more. No more "poor Me" pitty parties either. Another friend reminded me that while Mike is gone serving in his calling I will have extra blessings of patience and help if I put my trust in the lord. I can do that!

Decorating

I am so excited. We started remodeling the house over a year ago and did a lot, but the rest got put on hiatus (sp?). Well Mike is doing side design jobs with his boss and so he will be getting enough $ for christmas from it. So.....

The money we were saving is gonna be split in half. I can use half to finish decorating and Mike will take the other half for the yard, So I can do a bit of decorating each month. I am so excited!!!



I LOVE decorating so this will be fun!

One more post

I am so torn at the moment. Here is some background on my plight, lol:

I was in school for 3 semesters before we had Peyton. I was taking 3 courses for 2 semesters and one in the summer that felt like 3 courses since it was jammed into one month. It was great and I enjoy being in school even with the stress. Still it took ALOT of time away from my kids. I felt bad about that.

So I have been planning on starting again in August when Peyton is 6 mos old. So obviously August is getting pretty close. THe closer it gets the more nervous I am about starting again.

Now I want to get my teaching degree with every fiber in my bones and I will. I had planned on going to Ottawa College where I have enough credits to get into the teaching program. I could take one course at a time and be ready to student teach by the time our last child starts kindergarten.

Now I don't want to start student teaching before our last child starts school since I believe in being a stay-at-home mom and I don't want to jip any of my kids of that if I can help it. So I can obviously go to night school and go slow.

My worry is that now that I have 3 kids I don't want it to take up too much time from any of them. If I could find a balance I will be happy to do it. Anyone that knows me well knows that sometimes I tend to take on more than I can chew and then get stressed out big time. So I worry about finding balance.

Still part of me just loves learning and having something for myself-That is the best part of school! I am so torn on what to do. I know there are benefits and drawbacks on both ends.

Mike thinks I should atleast wait until we have our last child just incase I have to stop while I am pregnant. Still at the same time he knows how bad I want to work again when all our kids are in school.

We decided to fast and pray on sunday about it. I am leaning towards waiting a little longer to go back, but I want to make sure that is the best decision for me and my family.

Sorry I am rambling and if this didn't make any sense sorry. It is late, and I just had to get it out of my head to think it thru some more.

Just some random pics

Remember our new Kitty Serafina. I talked about her a few weeks ago. Well it was a rocky start w/ her. She was an abandoned cat and we saved her. At first I had to keep her in the bathroom away from Tallie our other cat.

She wasn't very friendly and would hiss and spit (but never bite or claw thankgoodness!) when we came near her. Well I followed teh advice of a friend on how to tame a wild cat and get your older cat used to a new cat.

At first I didn't think it was gonna work. Tallie was so mean to Serafina. It took one week and now they are playing. Sure Tallie still hisses sometimes, but they are starting to be friends.

Serafina has changed so much. She is so sweet and playful and we love her to death!! Here are some new pics of her:

Isn't she cute!!??













Here is Tallie or what I could get of her:
Can you tell it was laundry day at our house, lol.


And here is my Peyton. He has discovered his toes and they are the coolest toy to him!! He is so much fun!!


















Oh and I got my hair highlighted!! It is a huge change and I love it. It has taken some getting used to. This pic doesn't show how much highlights I have (I have a ton) or howlight it is, but it gives you a bit of an idea:










Well, night-night!

Ouch My Achin' Feet

I sound like an old lady complaining, but man my feet really hurt! It is sad to sound like an old lady at 29, lol. I know the biggest reason is my extra weight, but there are more contributers to the problem.

Mike, the kids and I have started walking almost every night. I push Peyton in the stroller, Mike pulls Emmalee in the wagon (sometimes Dawson too) and Dawson rides his bike. We walk a total of 2 miles a night and hope to get up to 3.

I was really happy today. I can tell I am getting some endurance and the 2 miles didn't hurt like it did at first. Well it didn't hurt until later tonight atleast. My arches are awful from having kids and gaining extra weight. I was sitting down watching a movie and putting my clothes on hangers. I was down for a while. When I got up I wanted to cry because my feet hurt so bad. This usually only happens first thing in the morning.

So now I am dreading getting out of bed in the morning. I can deal with sore muscles, etc. Sore muscles are a positive sign that something is happening. But add sore feet on top of that and it just sucks.

I guess no pain no gain. I have to keep reminding myself that in 40 lbs or so my weight won't affect my feet so much. I have some really nice addidas shoes w/ the spring cushions in back and Dr Scholls gel insoles in them. Does anyone know of a better shoe or insole cushion?? Any other tips??

O

50 things about me....

I stole this from Tiffany Hunt because I am an insomniac tonight..maybe seeing how boring I am wuill put me to sleep, lol.

1. whats your name spelt backwards? ittap

2. What did you do last night? I went to an Enrichment activity that was about the book LOVE AND LOGIC (some of my old posts talk about this wonderful book!)

3. The last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Adobe Photoshop (for my scrapbooking)

4. Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery? I don't remember

5. Last time you swam in a pool? Last year. I was planning to our enrichment group today to swim, but getting out of the house before 10 am is almost impossible sometimes, plus being in a bathing suit is scary at the moment!

6. What are you wearing? My G's, lol

7. How many cars have you owned? 10. My 85 Mazda 626 (smokey was his name and he lived up to that name!), My Geo Metro, my Jeep Wrangler (I loved that Jeep), Mike and I have had together: an 89 Mazda 626, a Chevy Lumina, Jeep Wrangler, Hyndai Elantra,Nissan Altima and currently a Toyota Camry and Dodge GrandCaravan.. Wow we have gone thru a lot of cars..some were major junkers too, lol.

8. Type of music you dislike most? Super Heavy Metal and Heavy rap


9. Are you registered to vote? I sure am!

10. Do you have cable? Satelite

11. What kind of computer do you use? MAC!!! a dell laptop

12. Ever made a prank phone call? Oh all the time! I feel bad for kids now, because of caller ID they will never have the joy of prank calling, lol.

13. You like anyone right now? I absolutely do!

14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? I almost did when I lived in Provo. I even talked my brother into it. He did it, but I chickened out, lol.

15. Furthest place you ever traveled? Logan, Utah

16. Do you have a garden? Nope, we are still working on getting grass in the backyard. I do have quite the citrus orchard and apple trees inmy backyard though.

17. What's your favorite comic strip? I love Calvin and Hobbes

18. Do you know all the words to the national anthem? Yes I do.

19. Shower, morning or night? Sometimes I don't get one at all with 3 kids and sometimes I take one in the morning and one at night, just depends.

20. Best movie you've seen in the past month? Spiderman 3!

21. Favorite pizza toppings? pineapple and ham

22. Chips or popcorn? Popcorn

23. What cell phone provider do you have? Verizon

24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells? ewwww!

25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? no way not my type of thing

26. Orange Juice or apple? apple

27. Who were the last people you sat at lunch with? If you mean eating out then, Ashby and it was so fun!

28. favorite chocolate bar? Butterfinger

29. Who is your longest friend and how long? Jenny and I have been friends since 7th grade and we still keep in contact somewhat well...as well as you can living miles apart and each having 3 kids.

30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato? I get them all the time from my mom

31. Have you ever won a trophy? don't think so...

32.Favorite artist? Monet and Greg Olsen

33. Favorite computer game? Solitaire, how sad is that?

34. Ever ordered from an infomercial? I ordered a windsor pilates dvd once

35. Sprite or 7-UP? diet sprite!

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work? a chic-fil-a uniform, lol

37. Last thing you bought at Walgreens? a rice cooker

38. Ever thrown up in public? Yes, last year when I was preggo w/ Peyton I was vaccuming out the car at the gas station and the heat made me barf.

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love? Find true love and then get our milli!! I agree with Tiffany!

40. Do you believe in love at first sight? No. I have to know the personality to fall in love.

41.Can exes just be friends? I think it is possible depending on the people.

42. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? My SIL when she had my nephew a couple of years ago.

43. Did you have long hair as a young kid? It was curly so it never looked long

44. What message is on your voicemail machine? This is the Prices....please leave a message.

45. Where would you like to go right now? California on the beach!

46. What was the name of your first pet? Tom my Cat and Sam my dog

48. Last incoming/outgoing call on your phone? Tiffany Larsen

49. What is one thing you are grateful for today? To have my family with me, and for us all to be happy and healthy. I agree with Tiff plus having a baby that sleeps thru the night!

50. What do you think about most? How to keep my family happy and keep myself sane at the same time, lol

I did some changes

I was bored and tired of my old blog design, plus the pics were cut-off, so I changed it. I am hoping to have a new family picture up at top w/ all of us soon!

I also wanted to share some of the jewelry I have made over the last few years. I am sure I mentioned before how much I love making jewelry. It started as something to do to kill time while I was on bed rest with Emmalee. I had no idea what I was doing, I just dove in. Then I found out a friend was starting to make jewelry too and she helped me tremendously! THANK YOU SHELL!

It is something I absolutely enjoy. I use it as a stress reliever and motivation sometimes. Sometimes when I don't feel like cleaning or doing something I have to I will make a goal that as soon as I finish (whatever it is I need to do) I will make a piar of earrings or a bracelet. It works.

Here are a few slideshows that I just made for my ebay auctions. If anyone has any ideas on how to make it all in one slideshow.....(darn you photobucket!)..please share!

Well I am off to bed. I was able to catch up on pretty much all my house work today! Mike helped me put laundry away and that helped a ton. Thank You Dear!

I stole this from my friend Kristen

I hope you don't mind that I stole this from your blog Kristen. I love it and now I wanna do a wall hanging of it! I have been kinda bummed cuz I feel like I haven't been caught up on my homemaking, but then this poem puts it all into perspective. Thanks for sharing it Kristen!

Excuse this Home:

Some homes try to hide the fact
That children shelter there
Ours boasts of it quite openly
The signs are everywhere
For smears are on the windows
Little smudges on the door
I should apologize I guess
For the toys strewn on the floor
But I sat down with the children
We played and laughed and read
And if the door bell doesn’t shine
Their eyes will shine instead
For when at times I am forced to choose
The one job or the other
I want to be a homemaker
But first I’ll be a mother

A Mother's Work is Never Done.

I was sick almost all week last week and man did my house pay. I just barely got all the washed clothes from last week folded and put away. I have yet to hang up all the clothes that need to be hung up. Mike promised that when he gets home from scouts tomorrow he will help. So I will just out them in the play room and live by 'out of sight, out of mind'.

For a long time, probably since Peyton was 3 weeks old, I had my whole system down and was caught up and had the house clean every night before bed. I wasn't stressed and I didn't feel like I was cleaning all the time. One week of being sick screwed that up. I am trying to do one room each day. I am hoping that by the weekend I will be caught up and can enjoy getting out...except for the dang heat, lol. I just feel like my head is congested with everything I need to do if my house isn't in order. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't have to be immaculate, but I like it to be in some order and clean.

On to other stuff. We got a new kitty. She is still freaked out though, so she is chilling in the bathroom for a few more days. She is so cute and I hope it all works out.

A friend found her, but couldn't keep her because her hubby is allergic. I felt so bad for this little probably 8 week old kitty, so I took her in. I decided that if in a few weeks she isn't tamed, I will take her to an animal rescue. She doesn't bite or scratch, but she hisses and spits. I was able to hold her today though. I hope it works out.

My other Cat Tallie isn't to happy though. She has forgiven me though and let me hold her today. She was hissing if I got near her yesterday though. That is out of the ordinary for her because I am her favorite person. I guess she has some sibling rivalry, lol.

Emmalee named our new kitty Serafina. (Sara-Feen-a). If anyone has girls who love barbie movies you know that is Barbie's cat in Princess and the Pauper. Well last night Serafina scaled the kiddy gate I had up in the bathroom. We looked everywhere for her, but couldn't find her. I heard her meow on the baby monitor, but never found her. Well at 3 am I heard some rustling and her bell on her collar and this is what I found:




lol, can you say that she wanted to hide!! Isn't she a cutie??!!

Well, I am off to bed.