I AM happy... thank you very much! :)

I have had the strangest experiences lately.  It hasn't been just one or two, but several, and I don't know exactly what to think of it. 

A couple of weeks ago I was dropping off Nate at preschool and one of the other mom's commented that she could not believe I had 16 kids and she couldn't believe that I looked so, well, rested, happy, not worn down.  Um, okay, THANK YOU!  No really, thank you because that is awesome!  I am happy, thank you!!!

And over the weekend, Kailee and I were able to run away to Time Out For Women in Salt Lake.  I was at the Heritage Makers booth because I had met one of the consultants a couple of years ago and told her I was coming to sign up.  She introduced me to another consultant and told her how many kids I have.  She commented that I look, well... happy!  Not haggard, but happy!  I know she kind of felt like she had put her foot in her mouth (and I promise she didn't, I didn't take offense, I get the whole shocked look when people find out that I have actually given birth to 16 children).  She said that sometimes moms look tired, stressed maybe... something!   I told her with a smile that I AM happy!  Thank you!!!

Yesterday, I went in to pick up Nate.  He had pulled out a puzzle that Kailee told him he would have to put back together before he left.  Because we were needing to get Nate from preschool, to his other class for speech therapy, I got down on the floor with Kailee to help her finish it (because you know, Nate is rotten and decided he was just too exhausted to finish it, Monday's are his busy, tiring day, or so he tells us!).  One of the teachers laughed that Nate took the puzzle apart but mom and sister were putting it back together.  Another lady said, "Wait, you are the... mom?  I thought you were another sister."  Oh I love people like that!  And I promise that I don't look young enough to be her sister... but here's the problem.  People think that because I have 16 kids I should look... old... haggard... tired... unhappy!  I know people don't mean it to be rude, or mean or anything.  I just think it is interesting that lots of kids should equal a mom who doesn't care about herself, or looks unhappy, or something.

I LOVE being a mom to a big, crazy family!  It DOES make me happy, thankyouverymuch!  It gives me a million reasons to smile, to laugh, to enjoy life.  It IS life, it's MY life and I love it!

But thanks for the compliments... I will gladly be Kailee's sister!!!!

Senior Pictures

While Caitlyn was home for her baby shower
she took Kinzee out and took some senior pictures.
There are so many amazing ones that I can't really pick
which one is my favorite.

Here are a few just to get started!
 I love this beautiful girl and cannot believe how hard she has worked
to make sure he is prepared for early graduation.
Not only early graduation,
she also got some great opportunities for scholarships...
Going to be fun to stand back and watch her fly!

Here comes the sixth!!!

I guess if I can't have a baby every year,
the next best thing is that my kids are
having babies every year!
And that means multiple babies again next year!!!
Several weeks ago Gabe started telling his mom
that he wanted a sister.
She asked him when and he informed her that his sister
would come in June.

Maybe he knows something or maybe he doesn't,
but he will either be getting a sister...
or another brother.
Either way, we couldn't be happier for them!
Their 3rd baby is coming next year!
Which means...
six grandbabies for us to love!

Parenthood

The purpose of parenthood is not to raise children to adulthood.
It is to raise children to righteous parenthood.
~ Elder David E. LeSueur

My favorite quote from stake conference this month.
We were able to have Elder LeSueur speak during the adult session
Saturday night and again on Sunday morning.
Saturday night he spoke about marriage and family which just happens
to be my favorite gospel topic!

He talked about not judging our parenting skills on our own children,
but to see how our grandchildren turn out.
I sometimes wonder if I am doing all that I can and knowing that all too often
I fall short in my parenting skills.
But as I sat next to Kimi,
I thought about her beautiful little boy, and how she parents him.
I thought of Garrett and Tiffany and their little boys.
I thought of sweet Gabe, and how much faith he has
in his Heavenly Father.
How well he prays.
How much faith he has in the power of the Priesthood.
And while I know that we are just starting out in this phase of our lives,
it gives me hope that my kids have learned some of the things
that matter the most to me and their dad,
and will give that to their children.

Righteous parenthood...
it's everything we believe.
It's everything we hope for.
It's the purpose of Heavenly Father's plan.

And this is grandpa...

There are a million reasons why I love this man,
but I think the one that stands out the most,

is the way he loves his children and grandchildren.

He kept telling me how much he misses Jared,
and was so excited that Kimi and Jared were coming
for Caitlyn's baby shower.
 This picture makes my heart melt.
They took several naps together while Jared was visiting.
I think grandpa was taking advantage of the excuse,
but aside from seeing him napping with our own kids,
nothing is more amazing than seeing him with his grandkids!

I went out of town over the weekend.
But Garrett and Tiffany needed someone to keep the boys
while they went out of town also.
Guess who did it?
Yep, grandpa!
He managed to hold down the fort with 2 extra little boys
and got a whole lot of laundry done and went through the garage
cleaning out boxes.
Yep... I love this man.
For so many reasons!

Sugar and Spice

 Finding out we are having a granddaughter
has brought out the crazy in me!
I realize some may say that the crazy has always been there...
But Thayne is now thinking I may need an intervention!!!

 

We are having a GRANDDAUGHTER!
Have I mentioned that???
And of course, when a baby is on it's way we must celebrate
with a baby shower!

The big day was on October 20th, and it turned out GREAT!
Cait's mom and twin sister were able to come from Montana also,
and we had a wonderful time.

Maelynn Elizabeth is going to be stylin'...
(By the way... her name is kind of special to her dad...
they changed the spelling, but her first name is the last name of
Jace's best friend, who died their senior year.
It is to honor him and it was so wonderful that his mom came to celebrate
with us at the shower!)
She got so many cute things that she's probably going to have to change outfits a few times a day just to make sure she wears them all before she grows out of them!

We are all so excited for January to get here...
This little girl is definitely going to be well loved.
Everyone is so anxious to meet her!

17

Kinzee Jo is 17 years old!

October 4th...

and I am wondering WHY she has to grow up so fast!

She is so strong, so confident and so determined to accomplish her dreams.
With Kinzee, you just sit back and watch her fly!

She decided she is graduating early and has worked so hard to get it all done.

Even paying for extra classes herself.

Did I mention she is determined???

 

I love this girl.
She teaches me something new almost daily.

She is her own person, who does things her own way.

I can't believe who she has become.
I wonder sometimes if she even comprehends her own strength.

She's amazing!

She's my hero.

I am so grateful to be her mom!

15 months

I don't know why I don't have a better picture,

because this is exciting news!

But, FINALLY, finally

at just under 15 months,

this sweet boy has decided to walk!

His birthday rolled around,

and he had absolutely NO desire to stand on two feet.

We would hold him up and try to convince him it was awesome to walk,

and that he should try it sometime.

Instead, he would arch his back and refuse to even attempt it.

We bribed him.

We cheered for him.

He would bang his head on the ground
(he bangs his head on the tile... an act of defiance???)

and chew us out in his baby talk!

And then one day...

just a few days ago,

he took off.

Our late bloomer has finally figured it out.

Or maybe,

he had it figured out all along

and was just playing us!

 

This little boy is amazing.
He is hard headed, determined, stubborn as could be.

But I LOVE him like crazy

and look at him in amazement every. single. day!

For the past couple of months

we have struggled with keeping him healthy.

He started out with an ear infection.

Days after finishing the meds he was extremely sick again.

Took him in on a Saturday and the dr barely looked in the ear

and told us he had another ear infection.

I had told the doctor that his throat was REALLY red and sore

and that he was coughing.

He told me his lungs were fine.

Honestly, he spent less than 3 seconds listening to his lungs...

but he gave him another antibiotic and I was hoping it would work.

9 days later,

he tested positive for strep.

Positive after 9 more days of antibiotics,

for the second time in less than a month.

The x-ray also showed his lungs were suspicious for a viral infection...

they thought! (?!?)

They gave him a shot and started him on another antibiotic

and told me his tonsils were really pitted and would need to come out

sooner rather than later!
I don't know why I thought he would be different than the other 15.

 

I admit,

I was getting scared.

He was starting to behave a lot like Nate did when he was so sick.

SCARED, probably isn't a strong enough word.

I was on the verge of panic.

He also had 4 molars coming in that wouldn't completely cut through...

he was a miserable baby boy.

But my sweet boy is back. 

Healthy for the time being.

And walking!

He loves to show off now.

Before, he wouldn't walk because he had everyone at his beck and call.

He finally realized that everyone is STILL at his beck and call

only they clap and cheer for him every time he stands up and walks away!

 

Happy 15 months baby boy...

15 months of pure joy being your mom.

I love you little man!!!

Put me in coach....

My update on Thayne's new career is yet another theme song...

I can't help it.

Every day when he tells me about his new life

I hear the words
"Put me in coach, I'm ready to play, today!"

He LOVES his new job.
Except he doesn't know how to sit still.

He doesn't. 

He can't!

It makes him crazy,

and he feels like he should be doing so much more than he is.

The problem is mostly about getting done what needs to be done,

before he can go out on his own.

There are certain requirements for him

to be able to go to each mine site.

It's just a matter of time!

Until then he is at the mercy of someone else.

He said there is so much ready to take off...

and he is just waiting to be a part of it.

It's exciting. 
But he wants to get on with it NOW!

 

The strange thing is that it seems like he has been doing this forever.

But it's only been a couple of weeks.

His new schedule is...

well...

it's strangely amazing,

and I tease him that it's somewhat obnoxious.

I am used to him working Monday through Thursday.

He got up at 3am.

Came home around 6pm.

It's what he did.
Usually he was on the phone with work when he walked in the door.

And it was stressful.
I could see it on his face.

He looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

He doesn't look like that now.

He looks relaxed.

He looks really, really happy.

He is excited about the possibilities.

 

He has gone out to the mine several times.

The first time he went, I asked him how he felt being back there.
He said,
"I feel GREAT!"

He felt GREAT because he got to leave...

leave without the stress that had been his life the past several years.

He said he is happy.

Which makes me happy.

Although it still seems so weird that he is doing something different.

But it's good to see him so excited!

So relaxed.

And I will just have to get used to going to get a hot chocolate

with him before he goes to work...

and him taking me to lunch...

and showing up before the kids get home from school...

and leaving after they leave for school...

and well...

he may end up busier than he was before...

but it will be in a much better way.

Without the weight of the world on his shoulders.

In an environment that is good,

and where he is happy and excited to see how high he can fly!

 

So put him in coach...

he's ready to play!!!