Update Part 2 (house pictures!)

I've become so BAD at this! Let's just say that kids and school (mine AND theirs) is kicking my butt! In a nutshell, that's about all that's been going on around here. We've managed to take a couple of trips to St. George as a family, and then I went on my annual Parade of Homes trip with my mom and sisters, but other than that we haven't really had much fun. Sorry so be so boring! My kids are still funny as ever- in fact Brylee is a handful and keeps us laughing! We're all just pluggin along, being sick of winter and anticipating a fun summer- not because we have anything real great planned, but because summer is just fun- right?

So...we're selling our dream home. Doesn't that absolutely suck?! Therefore I'm posting pictures- not just to show those who've asked to see it, but to advertise to those who are looking. Some random picture of Kaleigh got on there and I don't know how to get it off. Anyway, our reason for selling- recession, housing market, husband in contruction, wife in school...you get the picture. Not the time to be "house-poor". Obviously there are more details available so post a message if you want more info. The home is on 7.6 acres.

Not much of an update, I know, but all I have time for today. I really miss hearing (or reading) about all my friends! I'm setting a goal as we speak to blog more often- finals are in 2 weeks and life should slow down a bit!

Update

I'm not even going to apologize or try to explain my absence by saying any more that you will find in this update. I'm sure that will be explanation enough!

So 2 months condensed into 1 post- this will be tough! Brylee turned 2 on Dec. 1st and we had a super fun B-day part with family and friends. She got lots of fun stuff and entertained us all as she discovered all she could do with her new toys. She has been healthy and hospital-free since June and we have high hopes for her health from this point on. Brylee is absolutely hilarious and keeps us laughing ALL THE TIME! She loves make-up, shoes, and clothes (I think we're in trouble!) and we always rush to find her the second we canno longer hear her because she's always in trouble. She's more destructive than any of my kids have been but she's so funny about what's a mom to do?! She's also really sweet, kind of a bully, definitely a stinker, and always surprising us with things we don't think she knows. We absolutley adore her!

We had an awesome Christmas in our new home, filled with lots of parties (4 total!) and for the first time everybody fit! Our kids have loved having their own rooms and a big playroom to entertain all their cousins and friends. It's been so nice to have an afult space and a kids space so everyone's happy. I really will post pictures someday.

I turned 36 Jan. 8! I'm still not real thrilled about it, but feel some consolation that I don't FEEL 36 at all. In fact I can't tell you how many times I'll meet someone and think they are my age, only to find out they're 25! This isn't because I think they look older, it's because I FEEL (not necessarily look) younger!

Logan turned 12 Jan. 21 and received the Aaronic Priesthood. It was an awesome event- so big (as far as we were concerned) that his grandparents, aunts, and cousins flew here from South Carolina to celebrate this special occasion. They stayed for a week, in which we went swimming, to the dinosaur museum, had parties and big family dinners, went sledding in our fields behind the 4-wheeler, and just enjoyed spending time with them. Logan had a good day. He's such a good kid- very obedient, kind and helpful. He loves riding horses more than anything else. We sure do love him!

Last, but not least (and the main reason not blogging) I'm back in school! I've been thinking about this a lot the past few months and decided to go into nursing. I'm going to Utah State, but it's an extension program through Provo College. I have a year of pre-req's and will start the nursing program next January. Abbie and I are doing this together, which helps a ton! I've never had to really try to do well in school like I'm having to try now! Even with 2 years of previous college (which no longer counts) I feel like I've never done this before! It's a challenge juggling school and kids but will be well worth it!

Jonathan and I are celebrating 7 years of wedded bliss today! My how time flies! We've had some fantastic adventures, as well as difficult struggles, but it's been good times for the most part. He never reads my blog so it would be pointless to have some message for him in this post, but he's a great husband and father and I adore him!

That's it in a nutshell. I really will try and post more often but no promises!

Bad Blogger!

I'm so sorry (to those few, faithful followers I have) that I've been such a bad blogger! Not only have I not posted, but I haven't commented and feel very left out of the many lives I've followed. Explanation: new house with computer upstairs and everything else downstairs besides kids bedrooms so it's just really inconvenient! I'm slacking on my email, internet bill pay (yes I've been late on several payments) and my KSL browsing/buying (my husband is happy about this change!). Needless to say I still love my house, the floor plan, the colors, the new furniture- everything- so it's definitely worth compromising my computer time.

Update: Nothing has changed- honestly! Just trying to get ready for Christmas and hold down the fort while hubby works out of town. One new thing- Jace tried wrestling this year and hated it, although he was good. The kids he wrestled always ended up crying, except once when his opponent had him in a headlock and Jace yelled "He's choking me! I can't breathe! I don't want to die!". He was seriously scared to death! Because of Brylee's fragile life thus far, Jace is all too familiar with death, or the threat of it, and worries more than any child should. He comprehends a little too much at 5 and has asked questions, then worried about, divorce, "bad guys", hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and most other natural and un-natural disasters. Poor kid!

Anyway, we'll be home for Christmas (last year we were in South Carolina) and are SO looking forward to it. I LOVE Christmas and am realizing this year how hard it is to get the kids to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. At the same time we tend to get so caught up in the preparations that we don't take time to teach this lesson- we're just going through the motions. The "we" I'm refering to would be "me" and maybe some of you. Anyway, it's something to think about and work on, if necessary. I'm trying so hard to just SLOW DOWN! It's tough...

TWILIGHT!

I'm sure this is the most common blog-subject today among all female-bloggers over the age of 15 so I guess I'll just hop on the bandwagon! A brief descrption of how our Twilight premier night came to be...

I knew I wanted to go to Twilight the moment I saw it advertised at good ol' Spanish 8 and called my mom and sisters immediately. Mom was all over it (for those who don't know her, she is the coolest, most hip and fun mom I know (myself, included)). Abbie later somewhat happily agreed, Alys finally said "OK" and April, after pondering how this would affect her schedule and whether she could stay up that late (she the super-planner, ultra-organized and not-so-sponteneous O'Brien girl- Love ya, Ape!) eventually said "I guess", so we got our tickets. The day before, I got a text from Abbie asking if I'm sure I want to go and April had her regrets as well and even I was doubting my ability to stay awake, but we stuck to our guns and went.

Sooooo....we get there and all of us are exhausted and wondering what we got ourselves into! We get our seats and because we were so early (it was about 11:20ish) started passing our goodies around. Mom and Ape had said they'd bring some candy so April tells us she brought 2 boxes to share and mom said she brought us each 1 mini Nestle Crunch. Are you kidding, mom?! We all were laughing so hard that she had this HUGE bag of candybars at home, and yet brought us each just 1! First she said it was because she was trying to watch what she ate (and apparently what WE ate, as well), then she said she could only fit that many in the pocket of her purse, then she finally admitted that she was pretty proud of herself for thinking to bring any at all and thought that 1 was quite generous. Well, the jokes started from there and continued until the end of the movie ("So if I take 1 tiny bite every 20 minutes, I might have enough to last me until the end of the movie!", and "hey everybody- I have Reeses Pieces- take some but only give mom 1." and so on and so forth. Maybe you had to be there, but we laughed up until the movie started (which wasn't until about 12:30, due to complications and a false fire alarm!).

Now about the movie- loved it! The actor/character choices were spot on, even though Edward, at times, was a little wierd and not as attractive as I had pictured (which surprisingly didn't bother me at all). There were a couple of cheesy parts, but a book about teenage vampires- what do you expect?! I also heard some say there were a few things done out of order, but I hadn't read the first one in a while and didn't notice or care. Definitely worth seeing and not at all a disappointment as far as books-made-into-movies go.

I think the best part of going out last night was being with 4 of my most favorite people in the world. As we were laughing so hard before the movie started, I looked down the row and thought "I love this!". I love the fact that my closest friends all live within 10 minutes of me and I get to see and talk to them every day. I love that we have a mom who is so much fun, taught us well and raised us to love eachother and enjoy being together. I love the way we all just indulge eachother in the ways we each, at times, need to be indulged (maybe "tolerated" is a better word). I love the way we make going to Walmart and everywhere else a "group effort" and actually have fun doing it (when kids aren't making fun IMPOSSIBLE!). I could go on and on.

So then I get home at 2:30, Jonathan wakes up and we talk for a minute, then just as we're about to go to sleep, Jace stumbles in, saying he had a bad dream. He climbs in bed and snuggles up to us, and tells us about dinosaurs, aliens, and other things I can't remember. He literally falls asleep mid-sentence and as I'm laughing to myself at my cute, sweet little boy, I once again think "I love this!". I love my kids and all the things that are unique and special about each one of them. I love my husband and the way he reads for hours to Brylee because he knows she loves it. I love my house (how could I leave this out!) and this wonderful area inside this wonderful country in which I live. I love that my sweet little girl has been healthy for almost a 5 month stretch now (a record for her!). I love that I have the Gospel, which brings me guidance, peace, hope, comfort, understanding, and purpose. So much to be thankful for and I feel so very aware of those things this Thanksgiving season.

Life is good- even if we do have to put up with Barrack Obama for the next 4 years (you should've known that was coming!).

PS Still needing a few of your email addresses (and also stalling from the challenge of figuring out how to actually "go private"!).

OK, people!

This is your LAST CHANCE to be included in my blog invitations- don't miss out! OK, I sound like an advertisement, but really, you'll be sorry! We discuss all sorts of fun things on this blog like politics and religion. OK, maybe those things aren't particularly fun, but you will see many pictures of my cute kids and hear about all of our exciting adventures- as well as the monotony of our everyday lives! Anyway, there are many of my own family members who haven't posted and if you think I have your email addresses and you're just guaranteed an invitation, I don't and you're not! And to anyone else who might read this post, I'm SUCH a blog-stalker and find myself reading about people I'll most likely never meet just because I liked their names- in fact I've probably read YOUR blogs and you don't even know it so please know that everyone is welcome!

Better days

I have been so consumed with the election/candidates lately and after rereading what I posted regarding these two things, I'm realizing how dramatic I was about it all! Not that the future of our country isn't something I take seriously, but after reading a friends blog I'm reminded that we are a great nation and I truly believe that we will continue to be "OK". We are living in difficult times but we are so far from hopeless and I know we will get through this. I hope my passionate posts against our president-elect didn't offend anyone, I've just struggled being positive lately.

With that being said, I went to the temple this week hoping to find peace. Of course I did, as I always do, but as I did sealings there were some missionaries from the MTC also participating. Oh the memories that come flooding back! I remembered as a missionary being extremely happy. I truly loved everyone and never seemed to have a problem finding the good in people and circumstances. I welcomed that challenges I was sure to face everyday, was most always able to give others the benefit of the doubt, and truly loved serving with all my heart. Where did that girl go?! That was such a wonderful, life-changing experience that I'm so thankful I could have.

As if that wasn't enough, our sacrement meeting today consisted of parents in the ward who have missionaries serving now. Several of these parents read letters from their missionaries and their love for the people, scriptures, and the "work" of sharing the Gospel was felt by the entire congregation, I'm sure. Once again I was filled with memories and feelings I had as a missionary. All these reminders of that time of my life left me wondering what I'm supposed to learn from this. Although I don't quite have the answer for that yet, I do know that I want to be like the missionary I was 10+ years ago. I want to have an unconditional love for everyone and give them the benefit of the doubt. I want to be more tolerant. I want to be able to find the good in every situation and always be grateful- even in the midst of difficult trials. I want to serve others and not allow myself so often to be consumed by worldly distractions. I want to uplift and inspire others. I want to be more involed and make a difference in the world. So many things to work on!

Anyway, this was my "wake-up" call this week- to not be so consumed by things I can't change (election) and focus on the things I can. To stop worrying about what "could" happen and just enjoy this great life I have and be thankful for it. Be optimistic and stop acting like this is the end of the world. And last, but not least, stop insulting our next president (and those who voted for him) and pray for him that he will listen to the Spirit as he faces the trials that will be his as our next leader. God Bless America!

PS Going private and would love to add you all to my invite list- leave your email address. I don't mind blog-stalkers at all!

Sad Day for the US

OK, although I'm sure you've heard enough of my political opinions, blogging, for me, is journaling so here are my thoughts this post election day. I'll try (kind of) not to offend.

I think it's a very sad day when a nation as great as ours, who has fought so hard and sacrificed so much for what we have, will very soon be in the hands of Barrack Obama. This man supports killing babies- not JUST abortion, but babies with all their parts and faculties and in a way that is sure to cause these little children great pain. If they survive this monstrocity, he has voted that hospitals are not allowed to give the poor, suffering babies medical treatment- to just let them die. He supports this and WE (as a country) support him- what does this say about our "great nation"?

Not only this but the man has terrorists as FRIENDS, belonged to an anti-white church, his wife wrote her college thesis on how evil the whites are, he hired the top guns of Countrywide and Fannie Mae as his campaign advisors (as you know, both companies are now bankrupt, costing this nation BILLIONS) and we have put him in charge? When has he ever used good judgement and what kind of media do we have that just brushed all of this under the rug as if it were irrelevant? What kind of people are those who knew the above stated facts and voted for the man anyway? FYI did you know that if you've ever known or associated in even a very insignificant way with a terrorist you can't even work for the Secret Service? Strange how we would be more particular about who protects a president than we would be about who becomes one.

Nothing you could find on McCain can even touch the dirt on Obama- not only that but the man has never done ANYTHING worth mentioning except be named the most liberal senator in Washington- good job America- apparently a smooth tongue and charm are the only requirements we have for our leaders. Feel free to let me know if there's anything more Obama has to offer...

I'm off my soap box now and promise to stay off of it for a while, I'm just having a really bad day and hope to never have such a negative, ornery post again!

PS Sorry for the lack of commenting lately- I've only had time to post.