Being a Single Mother

It's true, when we moved here and Doug started working for MasterControl, we knew that travel was involved. However, in the three years we have been here, Doug has never been gone this much! It came out of nowhere, and at a really inconvienient time (although I don't know that there would have been a convienient time to basically become a single mother).
Doug was home for one week in March, he should be home a couple weeks in April and then one week in May, and one week in June. He flys in on weekends for a day or two, just long enough to remind me that I actually do have a husband, and then he's gone again. In May/June he will be going to Thailand, so he will be gone for three weeks straight, and for my birthday too!
Thanks to my wonderful friends, I have still been able to coach soccer, which I love! I suppose I have learned that I can survive without my husband, although that doesn't mean that I like it. I really do miss him. There really is a lot to be said for marriage, having a partner to be there for you to support you and be there help out with things.
I do have to say that it is nice to be able to talk, text, and video chat while he is gone! Gotta love technology!
The hardest thing is to find a balance sometimes when he is home. There is so much we want to squeeze into a weekend, or a day, or even a week. We want to have family time, one on one time with the kids, time for us as a couple and then we have so many fantastic friends that we would like to hang out with, but it is really hard to find a balance with all those things.
I am sure we will get the hang of it......someday. I just have to focus on the benefits and hope that they are worth it. San Diego in June and Florida in November! Maybe someday the bonus checks will go towards something other than debts too! Fingers crossed!

My Chunky Monkey

Today Griffin fell over and Landon went to help him up. Well, Griffin is a heavy boy and Landon looked right at him and very sincerely said, "Griffin, I can't help you, you are too fat!"
Having kids can be so entertaining!

Missionary Madness

Back in December, my brother Jeff opened his mission call. Three weeks later he was off to the MTC. We had a wonderfully crazy few weeks, including a beautiful day where we went to the temple with Jeff when he went for the first time.

His setting apart was the night before he left, and it was an amazing and powerful night, where we all felt so strongly that Jeff was doing what the Lord wants him to do and going exactly where the Lord needs him.
He has been on my mind a lot lately, since he just flew to New York on the 14th of March, and he is currently serving in Queens. We are so proud of him.


Jeff flew out just one day before my brother David came home. Everyone was so excited to see David again! Check out the welcoming committee. My kids had so much fun making posters to welcome their Uncle David home. It's been great to have him home, and he looks great.
What a good example my brother's are to my kids, and myself! It is an amazing blessing to have brother's serving the Lord. I love being able to share spiritual experiences with them and hear the ones they are having as they strive to do the Lord's work!

A shout out to Gavin's birthday

Yes, I know that it was two months ago, but it's still worth writing about.
For Gavin's birthday he invited some friend's to go play lasertag. They had such a great time! It was such a fun day!









The night before, we had gone bowling as a family, with my parents, my brothers, and my niece and nephew. The kids were so cute and had such a great time!






Gavin is thrilled to be 9!

Sledding Fun!

With Spring coming (hopefully) I was reflecting on the winter fun we had. It would have been nice to have a little more. If it is going to be so cold, it would have been nice to have some of the nice snow to sled on or build snowmen with. We didn't get enough of that this winter for me. I know, usually I am saying we got way too much snow and can't wait for it to go away, but I guess that is how it goes. It's either too much or too little. I love to see my kids having fun, and sledding at Silverlake Ampitheater is always fun.




While I was busy taking these fun pictures I actually had a kid run into me and knock me on my butt. I wish I could have got a picture of that. I couldn't help but laugh, although I had a sore bottom for a week.
Well anyway, I am hoping that winter is over now, because I am ready for spring now!

Ringing in the New Year!!

We have a long standing tradition of staying up until midnight on New Years Eve, playing games and eating treats as a family, and we always have fun! Last year was made even better by sharing that with our good friends and we were excited to do that again this year.....until their car died and they were stuck in West Valley with relatives (I shouldn't say stuck, I am sure they had a lovely time, I know we always enjoy being with family).
Anyway, we had just gotten games out and treats arranged when we got a text (no one calls anymore, I guess it is easier to possibly be rejected by text as opposed to actually talking to someone, or else we have all just gotten lazy). We were invited to come over and play with some fantastic friends that we have been meaning to get together with (I have fantastic intentions, I suppose I just need help putting these intentions into actions sometimes).
So, we went over and had an absolute blast! It was a great way to begin a new year, reminding me of all the people I have had on a list thinking I need to get together with and then never do. I realized that I need to take more time to laugh and enjoy time with good friend's more and that has become on of my New Year's Resolutions this Year....I think my next post should be dedicated to those.... (Have you noticed all my little sidetracks tonight, apparantly I have ADD right now.)
Well, we played games, laughed and enjoyed treats with the Minson's and the Wilding's. The kids had a great time too, three of them were still awake and buzzing at 2:30 in the morning. Brayden has since asked me "When can we play with the "wild things" again?" It took me a minute to realize that he was talking about the Wildings!
I have to add that the first thing out of Faith's mouth when the clock struck 12 was...."I'm going to be 13 next year!!" She has tormented her parents all year saying, "I am going to be 12 next year you know." Seriously, why does she have to skip a year and focus on the age she will turn AFTER her next birthday. I wish she would slow down and enjoy being a kid, but I guess that is life, you can't wait to get older for the longest time and then eventually you wish that you could be younger. Personally I am at a point where I am just enjoying my life now. 2011 will be wonderful I am sure!

The kind hearts of the children

I thought this was also worth a mention. I love it when my kids use their own money to buy presents for each other. It is very sweet and I love that they occasionally think of each other more than of themselves. It brings a smile to me and warms my heart to see them so excited about giving than about recieving. It makes Christmas so much better! Of course the gifts I truly love are the ones they make themselves and try so hard to make them perfect. This year Gavin's class at school didnt make presents for the parents and he was so sad, so he made his own card and asked to go shopping for us. Again, it's just nice to see them want to GIVE more than worry about what they are going to GET.