Baby Steps

I was able to put these on today....

to play this....

I went to the Dr. on Monday, because I was still not walking 100% pain free and my ankle was still swollen. It had been 4 weeks. I got them re-x-rayed and all looked OK. She put me on Ibuprofen 2x's a day and ice whenever I am sitting still. It's helping. The sides of my feet are FINALLY not too sore to put into shoes.

For a complete review on the Zumba for Wii check out my Healthy Mamma blog on the left.

Thankful

That last post was a bit depressing...don't get me wrong, it's how I felt. But in an effort to better my attitude about things I am making a thankful list. After all there are many things to be grateful for. You don't have to make a thankful list just at Thanksgiving right?

SO here it goes things I am thankful for:

1. I can have healthy, happy, beautiful children. I may get frustrated with them, but I love them and thank Heavenly Father that I am blessed to be a mother. I know there are many out there that have/do struggled with the challenge of being able to have children.

2. That we live in base. It is rare, and several people I am sure thought we were crazy to have left family/support for a place unknown. For a risk, in a way. But living here has meant that even though Todd got called out again today, he was able to come home yesterday and didn't have to leave until 11 this morning. I got a night with him. Living in UT that would not have been possible and we would have had to pay for a hotel for him to stay in.

3. My husband has a job. I know over the past few years with the hard economy that is a HUGE blessing. He has stayed employed the whole time. I am thankful that he is willing and able to go to work to provide for us.

4. Friends and Family that support us. Even when I have bad days and not very nice to listen to, my friends and family do. They have supported us through all the changes good and bad. They have all been there. I miss them terribly, a lot of the time, but I am looking for new friends here and I know they will come.

5. The most important thing. The Gospel. I am SO thankful that I have the Gospel in my life. My testimony grows each day as I watch the little miracles that come everyday to help me make it through one more night of Todd being gone, or the kids being out of control, or whatever. I hope and pray that I can teach my children correct principles and that as they go to school every day they make good decisions and be good examples. That prayer has taken on such new meaning living here. But I love the missionary opportunities.

That's it for today, but I'd say it's a good start. I am working on changing my attitude, because change comes from me.

Parenting....

I love these stinkers, I really do....

But why does it have to be so hard to raise them. TC has entered the "pre-teen" stage. He is moody, talks back, thinks everything should be his way. It's driving me CRAZY! I know we have a long road ahead...meaning I have 4 more to get through. Tobyn talks back and doesn't want me to touch him. At all. I can't hold his hand. I can't pull him close to me to tell him to be quiet in church. Titus, bless his heart, thinks he knows everything (great what's THAT gonna be like later?) Tate, is just sortta stuck in the middle and feels he gets the worst of everything, and Tanner is 3 enough said. The list goes on why it's so hard to deal with all 5 of them.

I am running out of ideas for what to do. I know there are things to work on. I need to be more patient and give more compliments. I know I need to speak softer and hug more often. I should be more involved and spend time working with them. I know should follow through with my discipline better, I fee like I KNOW so many things and hear them all the time, but it's so hard. It's so much easier to say all of these things rather than to actually do them. They sound so good in theory. Where do mom's get all their energy? Somedays I think when is my time, but then feel guilty for thinking that way. What do you do about a moody pre-teen that thinks the whole world is out to get him....I'm not ready for this!

I know I'm whining for no reason. I know I'm not alone. I am sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that Todd has been gone for 4 days now, and won't be home until hopefully tomorrow (he may not be back until Tuesday). I will get this all settled and one day, so they tell me, I will look back and miss all this cuteness. I'm sure I will. Just keep reminding me so that I make it until then.

Utah

Todd decided Sunday morning that we should take a quick trip to UT. There were a few things that never got done before we moved, because Todd was gone all the time. We decided for a Valentine present we would fly back.

We had a nice time. We didn't see any friends, becuase it was such a fast trip. But we were able to see most of the family. It was nice to visit with everyone. We have missed having family so close. We were able to go on a nice Valentine date with Todd's parents and brother. I loved not worrying about the kids because I knew they were having a good time playing with cousins and aunts and uncles. Monday night we also made Christmas-Valentines day (we didn't have heart cookie-cutters so we used Christmas ones) sugar cookies that we decorated with pink frosting. Tuesday we went up to my mom's house and hung out. It was a relaxing day.

The boys were SO excited to fly on a "big" plane and see what dad gets to do. They were really well behaved. Tobyn was so curious. He kept trying to walk around the ticket counter to see what was going on, and would just point and walk around trying to see all there was to see. Tanner did really well. We left late on Sunday night, so he (along with the other boys) slept on the way there. On the way home he played Leapster, DS, and for the most part just sat quietly next to me.

Tanner waiting with dad and playing the leapster (couldn't get the picture to rotate)

All the boys hanging out in the airport waiting to board the plane.

We were able to get seats together both there and back. The flight attendants were really nice to the boys. They felt so grown up ordering their own drink (soda of course) and reading with the light on.

I think this something we could all get used to.

Texas?

This is why we had 4 days of snow days from school! You'd think we aren't in Texas! Under the snow is a layer of ice, because of the 10* weather and the freezing rain that hit before the snow. You know it was a LONG 4 days when one of the kids says "I'm kind of glad to be going back to school for something to do!"

Also, driving in snow doesn't bother me. Driving with a bunch of people who don't know how to drive in snow on roads that are not salted or plowed bothers me. Oh-well good thing they only get snow once or twice a year....or so I've been told.

Birthday Boys!

These two handsome guys had birthdays a couple of weeks ago. We didn't do anything big for either one. Dad was out of town on Tanner's b-day, the cute kid turned 3, so I took the kids up the road and got kids meals (for them) for dinner. He got a cool new outfit, a fire truck tent, and a bowling set. He plays with them all the time.

Todd was also out of town on his birthday so we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner the night before. BTW, it tastes the same in TX as it does in UT. The boys were SO excited they got steak! And they knew to order some A-1 to go with those yummy steaks. I wish it were a super big party and stuff for such an awesome man....but maybe that will be next year when he turns 3-0 (shh don't tell him I told you)

I love these guys and they are so special to me. I am so happy that I get to celebrate their birthdays and that they are apart of our family! I love you Todd and Tanner.

*fuzzy pic as usual- taken with my phone