Mommy and Me and Mono Monday

This week's theme is sun protection so I snapped a piture of us with our shades on in the shade. We have quite a bit of shade in our backyard so we try to play out there early or late in the day when there's a lot of shade (not that that always happens) My kids actually don't usually wear their shades and Aria only occassionaly wears her hat and Emma won't wear one at all so we're pretty careful about putting the sunscreen on. Because Emma won't wear her hat I actually put sunscreen in her hair because it's so fair and I don't want her head to get burned!







This last challenge is awe and I think this picture needs no words

Summer giveways

Tammy at Tammy's Two Cents has some great summer giveaways going on right now. Check em out!!

One is a designer summer beach bag that would be perfect for everything from going to the pool, to the library or even to church!

Kids need a lot of fiber these days and unless your kid is like a super healthy eater then they probably don't get enough fiber. Pedia lax fiber gummies would be perfect! I'm definately gonna try these for my kids!

The last one that I so so so want to win is the softlips giveway. This awesome package includes lip gloss, lip butter, lip balm and a neat lip polisher!

To check out these giveaways and more go to Tammy's Two Cents and check out her Summer Essentials!

Sticks and Stones....

may break my bones and names will....hurt worse!!



I'm comin' in kinda late today cause I haven't really posted in a while and wasn't going to but I read Ian's PYHO postand was kinda inspired with an idea (isn't it awesome how blogging can do that) So thanks Ian for the idea

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Why do kids have to be so mean? When I was going through middle and high school I had some ignorant comments (and maybe moreso looks) to me cause I was a little different. Fitting in is sooooo important in those years and if you're different in anyway, you get picked on or rude comments or just ignorance. It's not even about looks either. Pretty people get picked on...because maybe they're shy or have low selfesteem. Maybe it's not that maybe they're poor and don't have designer clothes. I've seen both and looking back it's so incredibly immature and hurtful. Did these people have such low self esteem themselves that they needed to belittle others for being different. Comments hurt and even after 18+ yrs. I can still remember how I felt. Ofcourse I don't give any credence to them now but back then being told you're stupid by a peer weighs more on you than if your mom tells you 100 times how smart you are.

I guess my question is why are the parents not teaching these kids better? Yes I know some kids come from wonderful homes and are taught good things and are just plain bad apples; but the majority of kids who tease have no idea how it affects someone else and need to be taught that. Please don't let your kids grow up to be meanies. Teach your children that it's wrong. Maybe some of these meanies would have changed their behaviour had they been taught that it hurts. Sometimes it's not even a matter of meanness but a matter of ignorance.

Personalized Kids Gifts!

Frecklebox is a company that has awesome personalized gifts for kids. They have lunchboxes, clipboards, puzzles and my fave personlized books. J at Boobies, Babies and A Blog is having a great giveaway for 5 personalized coloring books. What could be better then winning something that will keep the kids occupied for an hour downstairs or better yet keep them quiet in church!

Mommy and "Daddy" Monday

For this week's Mommy picture in honour of Father's Day I thought I'd post a pic. of me and my "BIG" baby :)

Around my neighborhood

I've been such a downer lately I really have nothing to write about and right now I really don't feel like trying. So I've just been sittin' back reading all your fabulous blogs!!

I've been wanting to take my camera out in the morning and take some pictures but am just always too lazy (oh and the three kids kinda puts the kybosh on some things :)) Anyways this morning while my little man was watching his Thomas and the others weren't up yet I decided to make my escape! (don't worry the hubby was home) I'm glad I have a few pictures of the neighborhood because God willing we won't be here forever (although right now things don't look to hopeful) and when we do leave I know I'll leave a piece of my heart behind (as I think you always do when you leave somewhere you've lived and made memories) This house was where my first three kids were born and now it's also the house where Ethan goes to his first school and probably Aria too next year (never thought we'd be here this long)
I kinda wish I had done this around my neighborhood in Edmonton where I grew up. Although I have an image in my head and will never forget the memories it would be kinda nice to have pictures, ya know?
Welcome to my neighborhood...








The school where the kids go (about a block away) and the park where we spend many hours in the mornings before it gets too hot!!




Oh my gosh there's a pioneer ghost in the wheel!


I just LOVE all the trees in our area!


Don't we have the best looking fire hydrants :)





Our little rental with the crappy paint job and the knocked out screen from our crazy kids and the beat up tarus in the garage and the dead tree in the backyard (gotta love it)

Before I was a mom...

Joining up with Mama Kat's Workshop
She has such great prompts!



Before I was a mom...I could be selfish whenever I wanted
Before I was a mom...I never got so frustrated in my life!!!
Before I was a mom...I could be spontaneous
Before I was a mom...I didn't have to worry about when I went in the pool cause my boobs might leak if I hadn't fed my baby
Before I was a mom...I didn't have to worry about whether or not what I wore was gonna work for breastfeeding
Before I was a mom...Getting up at 7 was early not sleeping in
Before I was a mom...I never dreamed how scattalogical I would be (who does?)
Before I was a mom...I never got excited over poo in the toilet, I never laughed at baby talk, I never new how much joy could be found in the simplest things of life
Before I was a mom...I never wiped someone else's butt (that would be inappropriate), never picked someone else's nose (also inappropriate) especially with your bare hand!!, and never spit on someone's hair to keep it down

Before I was a mom...I had a sense of modesty, I used to care if the bathroom door was shut
Before I was a mom...I didn't make a fool of myself (at least in public)
Before I was a mom...I never really knew there would be people that really needed me

But also...

Before I was a mom...I never really understood how much my mom loves me
Before I was a mom...I never understood how you can completely and totally love someone at first sight
Before I was a mom...I never understood how your heart can ache from just watching someone and thinking how much you love them
Before I was a mom...I didn't have as much appreciation for other kids knowing how much their moms love them
Before I was a mom...I was never so completely and totally in love with someone

PYHO-I feel Old

Thanks to Shell for her wonderful meme PHYO! I love reading about other people's hearts and lives. (and it gives me an outlet for all my whining :))




disclaimer: This post is really disjointed and depressing and is spur of the moment ranting and subject to change in the next hour

Dang I shouldn't feel like this? Last night I woke up and I felt weighed down. I've felt weighed down mentally many times before but I actually felt a little physically weighed down. My neck really hurt cause I had fallen asleep on my back with a hoodie underneath my neck so it was crooked. My joints are sore from pushing my kids on a walk yesterday (what the crap??) I used to push 100 lbs. in that stroller almost everyday and be fine? Maybe it's more, I don't know. Maybe I'm too hard on my knees, always wiping the floor.



But much more than physical I feel mentally weighed down. I'm not happy, not really. I've heard many people say happiness is a choice. Well sure I can put on the happy face for my kids and if I try really hard, my husband; but the feeling most of the time is not behind it. Well I just have to keep on doing it and lo and behold I will really feel it. I don't know if I buy it. I can be happy, there have been moments so why is it so hard to keep that going? Sometimes I feel like I'm just swimming and the days are passing me by. Boy am I a flake!! If I could just listen to myself. I know what I need to do, I'm good at self talk....but I can also be extremely stubborn.

I watch the Bachorlette (ya I know it's corny) but I don't think I can anymore. Last Bachelor I was kinda sad when it was over cause in a way I felt I was living vicariously through it. The only romance in my life. But the bachorlette seems like just a reminder of what I couldof had and don't. Oh how awful is that. I feel so awful just typing those words. Ya ya I know it's not real life or even close too.....I'll beat myself up later.

Mommy and me/Mono Monday

Hosted by Krystyn

This picture was actually taken last summer but it is one of my favs. We were at a temple open house and it was so much fun taking the whole family and showing them the beauty of the building. Emma was an absolute angel. She just looked at everything, it was like she was in awe. Ofcourse for Ethan and Aria the highlight was the cookies at the end. I seem to remember hearing a lot of "Are we done yet"?'s :)





This week's theme is happy and although I'm certainly not the best example and continuously fall short I know that living God's word for us will bring us true happiness.




Happiness is also seeing the world through children eyes

Bummer!!!

David Archuleta spoke today at our church conference and I missed it! Now I do go to church every sunday but for this conference they have an adult session sat. night and then the sun. one. So being as it is so much easier to go without kids and you can actually pay attention Danny and I just go to one each. I went last night :( (Not that it wasn't still great :))
Danny said that during the concluding talk the President asked that noone ask for audigraphs from any of the speakers after. Ya....I'm sure he wasn't talking about David cause that kind of announcement is so frequently heard. It's kinda sad that he would have to mention something like that at a church service but you know if he didn't there'd probably be girls lining up in the foyer afterward. He probably still got acosted in the parking lot.
Well I guess you don't go to church because a famous person is speaking, right? Gotta say somethin' to make me feel better. :)

Friday Confessional

It's Confession Time! Come on you know you want to :)




-Oh my little man is growing up; he's done K

-I told him about 1st gr. and how it's all day and he's gonna learn a lot blah blah blah

-his response : "Do I get to eat lunch there?" (all wide eyed) "Yes you do" "Goodie!"

-so at least he's looking forward to something

-I'm thinkin I'm just gonna buy the school lunches for him; he'd probably end up eating better

-Does that make me a lazy momma?

-I think I'm too late to put my daughter in preschool? I hope not

-It would be so good for her: send good vibes please

-I've written two opinionated posts lately and it feels good to get my voice out there

-Some people are scared to be too opinionated for fear of losing bloggers

-If you can't be totally you on your blog where can you be?

-I've been "not" myself too often (still do) so being able to be myself on my blog has been great

-I might do it more often

-I watched Ben Stein's Expelled last night: very interesting

-good watch if you're not pro-evolution; if you are you'd probably just get ticked :)

-one of the funniest lines from one of the super pro-evolution science geeks was that he said Noah's Ark and thinking that full grown animals came over on an ark would insult the intelligence of children: and yet he believe without a shodow of a doubt that every living thing on earth came from a single celled organism! LOL ya that's rich

-.....and I'm feelin'....FRUMPY

Obesity

This post was inspired by
Mama Kat's writer's workshop. To read all the great prompts head on over.



I recently wrote a post about healthcare so for those who read it I won't repeat it here. Another issue I feel strongly about is childhood obesity. I know it says current event which this isn't but it definately is a current issue.

It makes my blood boil when I see obese and overweight children which is far too common in our society. Do children buy the groceries? Do children drive themselves out to eat? Do children put these dang vending machines in schools? Who are the responsible ones?
These are our children and we're slowing taking away their good health by making bad choices for them.
Now I don't profeses to know a lot about this issue. I've never had weight problems, my kids are anything but overweight so please don't flame me for my ignorance. I understand that some have genetic predispositions to weight problems and I know there are many people out there struggling with this issues and that do make healthy and good choices and still struggle. I applaud you.
I'm talking about the family where the kids are eating fast food 3 days a week and junk food and chocolate bars replace all fruit and vegetables. I guess what I'm saying is I get so mad when I see an obese child because they are NOT the ones making the food choices. I'm sure we've all seen the Dr. Phil or Oprah or whoever shows about obese children and the enabling parents. I feel for these parents because I can understand how hard it is to say no to a begging crying child but for goodness sake these parents are slowly killing their children for... love???
Children will eat if they are hungry so ofcourse they are going to grab a bag of chips or whatever after school if it is there but if there is only fruit on the table??? Oh yes they will eat it (and probably enjoy it a lot more that a bag of chips) I'm not saying don't enjoy a treat once in a while and I'm certainly not the best example. My kids could certainly stand to eat healthier but I do try. Many parents nowadays are just too apathetic. Too busy.
Food is such a hugs part of our lives. There are other issues facing youth today that would most likely improve with an improved diet.
I'm not the best with words and wish I could write my opinions more eloquently but this is something I feel pretty strongly about but I'm in no way saying I know much about the issue or I'm not open to change of thinking. JMHO :)