free ride

Yesterday we rode on the Front Runner from Salt Lake to Ogden with Ben's friend E. It was a last minute decision we did it because it was free. And as some might say there is no such thing as a "free" ride the train was free but it came with a price. First of all we still had to pay to ride trax to the station. The station in Salt Lake was not crowded at all we got on and found a seat and it felt like we were in Ogden in no time. Getting off the train in Ogden we thought we would find some lunch and ride back no problem. We finally found a restaurant that we could take the kids to, the part of Ogden we were walking in didn't seem to family friendly.
After lunch we took some pictures and played on an old steam engine then headed back to the station. There was a huge line and the train was so late. By the time we got on the kids were getting fussy and we couldn't find a seat so we had to stand the whole way back to Salt Lake.
Ben and E sat on the floor and played their video games and ate pretzel sticks Kendall sat in her stroller. E's mom had to hold little T I felt so bad because her back was killing her and he would not go to sleep. When we got off the front runner and had to get back on a trax train I thought Kendall was going to go crazy. She had been so good all day long sitting in the stroller most of the time, even on the trains because there was not always enough room for us all to have a seat. But the thought of another train ride sitting in the stroller caused a mini meltdown until she saw that she was able to get out. Thank goodness we were the first people on the trax train. She was so excited to be out of the stroller she would not even sit in her seat. She stood the whole way home and loved every minute of it. So the train ride was free but it almost cost me my patience, we had fun and the kids were so well behaved for the most part it gives me hope and makes me excited to take them on more adventures this summer. I am so lucky that I have good kids that will go with the flow and listen (most of the time).

I hope you dance

What joy my children bring me. This morning I was checking my email and I had some music playing. The kids were watching Backyardigans so I thought they had no idea what I was doing and I had a free minute. Ben could hear the music and he ran in and asked "Mom, would you like to dance?" Back in the day any boy that spoke those words to me would spark nervous feelings, sweaty palms, and sometimes fear I never thought those words would bring such joy. Of course I had to stop what I was doing and spin him around the room a couple times. Then Kendall saw what was going on and they both wore me out dancing this morning.

some inspirational words...set to music

Last night my stake had a fireside with Sister Janice Kapp Perry. It was awesome. My mother got to come with me too, I think it is nice when I get to invite my mom to do stuff like that with me. It will be nice I think when my daughter is old enough to really hang out with. Sister Perry is such a family oriented down to earth woman but she is so inspired by the things she says and writes. A line from one of the songs that she preformed really stuck with me. "I can live so all the world will notice a little bit of Jesus in me." Now I am not sure I live like that everyday but it is something to work towards. She talked a lot about talents last night and I really felt like some of the things she said were just for me.
Don't let your fears hold you back - I am always afraid of failing before I start.

Talents give us a focus in life, find a new talent. choose something today or you will forget.- Something I have decided to work on, well OK I don't really have a choice, is teaching. With my new calling in the Young Women's I will be teaching almost every week. Sorry to the girls that get to be my guinea pigs. But I will be trying to improve as much as I can.

Fell the fear and do it anyway- Not much of a choice there but I think the fear will keep my humble

Show gratitude for your gifts- sounds easy enough right, but this is where I struggle the most in life. I am not sure that I am not grateful for the things that I am able to do I just feel like I don't do them well enough and I get down on myself for not doing them well enough and that is not showing gratitude.
One of the last things she said that really hit me was

Let your little ones see how you handle daily challenges. Wow now that is a challenge. My son has been especially bad lately and me getting mad and yelling at him is not teaching him the correct way to handle daily challenges. I need to try my hardest to be a better example and think about things before I react. Most of the time it is just kids being kids.

pretty girl

She finally got to wear her easter dress. After being sick on Easter and this unusual cold weather we broke out the "easter dress" this sunday. She came out of the bathroom after getting her "pretty's" (pony tails) done Daddy saw her and had to snap a few photos. I thought she was adorable myself I especialy love the bows (Thanks Kim) I have been more excited about putting those in her hair than her wearing the dress.

The month of March

being a big brother is hard

Kendall woke up sick today. Ben woke up soon after and he started helping me around the house so I could take care of Kendall. He got himself dressed got his own breakfast helped me give Kendall a bath ( her second in a few hours) and he was helping me wash the sheets that Kendall got sick on when Kendall started crying that she needed a drink and wanted to watch a TV show. All of a sudden Ben was "feeling sick too". For the rest of the morning they both sat on the couch and watched cartoons and drank their pop. Ginger ale for "their" sick tummies. He did keep her happy when she wanted more pop or another blanket he would come and let me know. It must be hard to watch your mom give your sister whatever she wants while you are doing chores around the house. I hope he feels better soon;) At least I hope he doesn't get sick tomorrow.

Month in review

March has flown by, and so many things have happen. Well first I turned 30 it was nothing to traumatic I can not really think of anything that I have to stress about with growing older because I am at such a good place in my life I wouldn't want to change a thing. I completed my first wedding cake from start to finish for my dear sweet friend Jenny who was a doll when I showed up at her wedding just a wreck because I was so stressed, I didn't want her to see me because it was suppose to be her special day and the bride is not suppose to be worried about the well being of the cake decorator. The cake turned out okay or so I think all I could say is it was done, but everyone else said it was great so I guess I should start listening to others. Easter was fun or should I say the week before Easter was fun. We had a family Easter egg hunt we hosted at our house it was really great to see all of my cousins and their kids. The day before Easter we colored eggs and decorated cookies with my sisters children but the Easter bunny had to skip our house Easter morning because poor Kendall had the flu and he thought it better she not have any candy. Not to worry my children were not forgotten their baskets were waiting for them Monday night after family home evening when Kendall was all better. And just a few days ago my mother in law came to visit. She had been out of the country for the last month and she was getting a little grand kid hungry. It is always nice when she comes to visit. I know that I am one of the lucky ones to have the privilege of having a mother in law that is more like a best friend. The kids like her too so that is a bonus. It was sad to see her go her visits are always way to short, but we all look forward to her return trip in May for Kendall's birthday

My baby is now 3

My life is running about 2 months behind it feels like and I am having a hard time catching up let alone finding time to think about updating my blog. This is a very new to me. but I do want everyone to see my baby is now three. He wanted a Diego birthday party so I got to work. It was hard to find any Diego party favors that did not include Dora so I looked long and hard only to hear the day before the party that he didn't like Diego any more and he wanted a Thomas the train party like he had last year. So amid trying to make the cake (Kendall was eating the candy rocks when I was not looking), get him excited about Diego( we watched the show all morning thank goodness for on demand) and double checking I had enough activites to entertain a dozen 3 year olds( why did I let my son make the guest list??) I was a little stressed out. It all went pretty well we made spotting scopes and the bobo brothers took our pinata so we had to go on a scavenger hunt to track them down. First we had to cross Turtle lake then crawl through the bear cave and find our way through snake jungle where the bobo's were waiting with a photo of the pinata set up down stairs. I think we should have a pinata every year it was such a hit (no pun intended) the kids were so great at taking turns and listening I was a little surprised. The kids were all very good but I was wiped out by the time the party was over I was also wondering what had possesed me to attempt such a party for such a large group. When Ben came up gave me a big hug and told me this was his "Best Birthday Ever!" I just smiled and said okay you can have a party next year. I am such a sucker.