Update

Okay, so I was going back thru all my old posts, tagging everything so it would be organized and I realized that I really suck at this posting thing. Thanks to all who have stuck by my side as I muddled my way thru the past two years.

So, best news first. Shawn has finished the semester and if all goes according to plan, he will graduate with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice next December! The end is in site!

Thanksgiving was spent a little differently. Due to scheduling difficulties on my part, we were not able to spend it together. The kids and I flew to my parents house while Shawn stayed home with his family. I forgot the camera, so as soon as I can get my parents and my sister to send me pictures I will post them. We got their a couple of days before everyone else, so the kids got some great time alone with their grandparents. Kirra has decided that she is going to marry Grandpa B because he's such a good husband to Grandma B "'cause he gives her lots of sparkles and I like sparkles."

The kids were able to meet their cousins for the first time since my older sister and her family drove up. Their oldest is Magnolia (7), Donovan (2), Juniper (9 mo.). Kirra and Magnolia hit it off right away and the only time we could get them to leave eachother alone was at bed time. Since Juniper and Collin are only two months apart, they played really well together until Juniper decided that she wanted Collin's Binky (which was usually in his mouth), then he would get mad and wander away. Poor Donovan went between the two groups. He would try to hang out with the older girls, but when they were sick of him, he would come and play with the babies.

At the first of November, our beloved dog Andrew passed away. This was really hard on us, since we had had him for so long. I bought him for Shawn for our First Anniversary, and he has been a wonderful addition to our family. He was a wonderful protector and cuddler.

Since Andy was the only dog that Kirra has had, she took his death really hard. It still makes her tear up when she talks about him dying, so now she has come up with a way to deal with his death. She has decided that he just faded away. She will tell people that her Andrew was old and he just faded away. Since we feel that it is necessary for all children to have a pet, we got another dog less than a week after his passing. THIS WAS NOT MY IDEA. I wanted to wait and greave, but Shawn and Kirra were lost without a dog.

So, meet Toby.




I found him on the KSL ads. He was with a family in American Fork, who due to health issues couldn't take care of him. He's 6 months old and 60 lbs. already. He is one of the most cuddly dogs I have ever met and he really doesn't act like a puppy (to much of the time!).

Okay, I think that's enough for this post.

Collin's Birthday

Monday was Collin's Birthday. I can't believe that it's been a year already. It always amazes me how much they change.

Here is Collin the day he was born.



All ready for his blessing.



His First Haircut.



Digging into his First Birthday Cake.



All nice and clean and ready for bed.



Happy Birthday Little Man! We love you and can't imagine our lives without you!

The past week

Last Thursday morning as we were getting the kids ready for school, Kirra started to complain that her legs were hurting. Since she's been eating like a horse, I just chalked it up to growing pains and gave her a dose of Tylenol. I guess it got progressively worse though out the day, since when I went to pick them up, Kirra wouldn't even come up the stairs and was sobbing. Teresa said that Kirra wouldn't play unless she could do it sitting or laying down and really hadn't moved all day. She cried as we carried her out to the car 'cause she couldn't even walk. By that night, she would cry in pain if a blanket touched her legs. On Friday, she was a little better if I kept up with the Tylenol/Motrin every 4 hours, but even then she could only hobble around and it got worse at night (as every illness does!).

On Saturday, I finally took her into Urgent Care to see what was wrong, and the doc said that it was an upper respiratory infection that was causing the leg pain. Gave her a shot of antibiotics to clear it up and she said that she felt better that afternoon, but she still wouldn't walk around. So, now it's Sunday and 24 hours after the antibiotics and she STILL isn't better, so I finally cave in and we take her down to Primary Children's Emergency Room. I have to carry her in 'cause she still wont walk, but she's being really good. It's only 20 minutes or so before they get us into a room and Kirra's sitting on the bed with me reading stories, while Shawn and his dad sit in the chairs.

About 20 minutes or so after we get into the room, Kirra starts crawling on the bed, then the nurse practitioner comes in and checks her out and does all sorts of contortionist moves with Kirra's legs and she just lays there. The legs aren't really hurting now mommy. After the NP leaves to go get the doctor, Kirra decides she wants to try standing, since she really hasn't done much of it the past few days. So I stand her up in between my legs for support and she decides to walk to Shawn and Grandpa. After she goes between us a couple of times, she discovers that her slippers slide on the tile floor. "Look mom, I can ice skate!!" Right as the doctor walks into the room. Can I tell you how hard it is to tell a doctor that your child has been crying in pain from her legs while said child is 'ice skating' across the floor?

Needless to say, she got all better in the Emergency Room. Why do they wait until you are in the Emergency Room to get all better?

Now Shawn has what ever virus Kirra had and has been sitting in pain in the bathtub and on the bed. He gets to go to the doctor tomorrow 'cause now the pain is in his arms, so we will see if this is even the same thing.

Shelf Reliance

Okay, I so want one. It would make me feel so accomplished on this path to food storage bliss. I know some of you out there have them and I secretly hate you for it! Shelf Reliance is doing a give away for their big Harvest 72". It would look so pretty in my basement! So if you want a chance for your own, head on over to here and take a gander, but you only have until June 26th!

Conversations with Kirra

Mom: It's time for bed, don't you have an off switch?
Kirra: No, (Sigh) Heavenly Father didn't give me one. I only have ON. He ran out, so I went to the switch store and tooked him more switches.

A couple of weeks ago:

Kirra: Mom, Jesus made the sun.
Mom: Yes he did. Do you know why?
Kirra: He looked out his front door and it was dark so he made the sun so he could see, huh mom.

Over Due

Okay, I know that this post is long over due, we have been really sick at our house and I just haven't felt up to posting or doing much of anything.

So, I have started using coupons for grocery's. In light of everything that is happening with the economy and what not, I feel that it is time for me to step up and get my food storage in order. Now that I have put my mind to it, I am amazed at how fast it's coming along. I have to get more shelving units to put everything in! So I discovered this site The Obsessive Shopper, that is teaching me how to do this. I have also been using the Everyday Food Storage to teach me how to use food storage, especially wheat.

On to my Grocery Shopping. I went to Albertson's, on my lunch break and was in and done in less than an hour. Granted, everything does go faster when you don't have kiddies with you.

Shawn didn't want me to take a picture (he hates stuff on the counter, even for a few minutes), but here's the list:

2 Cans Tomato Soup
5 Boxes Popcorn
3 Boxes Crackers
3 Boxes Golden Grahams
3 Boxes Trix
3 Boxes Kix
6 Tubs Frosting
4 Cookie Mixes
6 Boxes Muffin Mix
4 Bottles Ketchup
6 Cans Rotel
6 Cans Pork n' Beans
2 Bottles BBQ Sauce
5 Bottles Kraft Dressing
5 Boxes of Pudding
2 Egg Beaters
10 Heathy Choice Dinners

Paid $76.04
Savings $132.82
Saved 64%

Shawn was really sceptical of me getting all the coupons and accused me of just hoarding them all, but when I came home with all of this, he was okay with it all. I just saved enough to pay for my newspapers for the rest of the year and then some!

I am getting better at this and I will try and keep you guys posted on everything!

Brian

My brother-in-law Brian is one of the funniest people I know. I have spent hours laughing as he taped a message for the answering machine, or laughing as he did one of his funny jigs, which many didn't see due to their "poor situational awareness". Another thing that Brian did was to send out a daily email to his friends called 'daily remarks'. What he didn't know was that I saved all of them to keep for a rainy day when I needed a laugh. Here is a taste from November 7, 2006:

-I hope everyone will vote today. If it were my sole choice of who to be in the Congress I would definitely pick either Snoop Dog or that one guy from the movies, ya know for some flava.. and bling. For Senate probably my dog; Loyal, Caring, Courageous, Patient Listener and of course Furry all over.

-I mix Rice Crispy and Luck Charms, I like the rhythm.

- I think if the Drive Thru went the other way the world would be a better place.

-My nasal's were all clogged last night.

-He lives long that lives well; and time misspent is not lived but lost.
Thomas Fuller

-I like my daily remark.


He also has a blog. To visit, go here.