Help needed!!!

My hubby turns 29 next week and I just can't seem to think of any ideas for his birthday. The twins want to make him a spiderman cake and Lydia a motorcycle cake I love to bake but am not a cake decorator. Taylie has learned to sing Happy Birthday. 

As far as presents go I am at a loss...I need ideas!!!!

Tator Tot Turner

So recently my children have started talking about when they will get a new brother or sister. Well the older three, Taylie says she is the baby. They talk about what they want to name it, if they want a boy or a girl and if we should have twins again. They even told my friend the other day that mommy is having another baby (which I am not).

The names they come up with are things like Mckenna to tator tot. Tator Tot Turner....

I want more kids, some days I think I am ready now. Other days I am so done! Alex says when Lydia is 12 he will consider having another. He has talked about it more recently. I think though that after we take the kids to Disney next year. The boys will be starting kindergarten and it would just be Taylie and me at home during the day. And she would be almost 4, how old Lydia was when she was born. We have done the 4 under 4 thing.

I worry though about having an age gap.....and jealousy.....none of my other kids had that but they were all 2 years apart.

Any thoughts? Age gaps good or bad.

Wordless Wednesday: Christopher

Christopher Buddle with Christ
by my brother Adam Tolman
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tolman-Arts/118911344857034?ref=ts

Fireman in Training

Have a great Memorial Day!

And remember to wear your seat belts!

They don't want to have to put their training to use!



photo found on https://www.facebook.com/pages/On-Scene-Photography-Video/333402021330

On Hope and a Prayer

Do you ever feel like everything is changing? That everything is a trial....
Sometimes I just want to reach out and slap someone, okay sometimes multiple someones. And ask them what are they thinking! I wish I could make the choices for them. Then they wouldn't hurt, others wouldn't hurt....I wouldn't hurt.

Then I remember that isn't why we are here. They get to make their own choices. I get to make mine. That was decided along time ago.....a choice I made long ago. So I guess I will just have to learn to take it a day at a time. As hard as it might be love those that I might want to slap.

Love one another.....Love one another.....

Guess I better work on that a little better, pray for guidance, and have hope that in the end it will all work out for the better.

Proud to be an American

KUTV.com | News - Local News - Soldier Surprises Children At Assembly

My daughter came home so excited to tell me about their Assembly today! She got to witness a soldier homecoming. She said it was so awesome. I hope you enjoy it as much as she did.

There is a story and video.

Christopher Alan Buddle

Like A Comet
Blazing 'Cross The Evening Sky
Gone Too Soon

Like A Rainbow
Fading In The Twinkling Of An Eye
Gone Too Soon

Shiny And Sparkly
And Splendidly Bright
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like The Loss Of Sunlight
On A Cloudy Afternoon
Gone Too Soon

Like A Castle
Built Upon A Sandy Beach
Gone Too Soon

Like A Perfect Flower
That Is Just Beyond Your Reach
Gone Too Soon

Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like A Sunset
Dying With The Rising Of The Moon
Gone Too Soon

Gone Too Soon.

-Michael Jackson

I misunderstood my friend this morning, it is her cousin not nephew. If you would like to visit her blog to leave your condolences she can be reached at:

http://grumpyjax.blogspot.com/
Love you Jaclyn! I couldn't ask for a better friend! And I am here for you!

A new angel in Heaven.....

My dear friend lost her nephew last night to SIDS. Please keep them in your prayers as they mourn the loss of this beautiful 7 month old boy.

Dance Marathon

So after getting the kids to clean the living room we had a dance marathon. We took turns showing off our skills which range from the boys Karate and "egg rolls", Lydia practicing for her dance recital  and Taylie copying her. And I even participated, it has been awhile but I must say I rocked the handstands, sommersaults, cartwheels and backbends. It was fun.....we will see how my muscles feel tomorrrow it has been at least 10 years since I have done that.

Hearts of the Past: John Benjamin Jones

Hearts of the Past: John Benjamin Jones: John B Jones by Jack O Jones son John Benjamin Jones was born in Cherry Creek on Nov 16 1892 to John Morris Jones and Gwenford W...

Started a new family history blog of letters I have found in my Mom and Grandma's stuff.

Wordless Wednesday

Another fine moment in Parenting.

 Teaching Taylie the word idiot, while cursing out a driver who decided to stop in the middle of the road thinking it was a 4 way stop when it was a 2 way stop. All the way home: Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot. My apologies in advance for anyone she calls that.

Motherhood: A letter to my Daughters, A letter to my Mom

*I wrote this letter for my Mom and Lydia for Mother's Day 2007. And now it is for Taylie too.

Me, Grandma Greer, Taylie (the baby), My Mom and Lydia

 

Motherhood

     Earlier this month I sat watching Lydia play, marveling at how fast she has grown, how much she has learned, and how much joy she brings to our lives. I was struck by a wave of sadness. she won't remember any of this, she won't remember the fun we have, she won't remember us teacher her to crawl, walk, and talk, pray and the less enjoyable tasks of diaper changes, 3am feedings, teething, and potty training. How sad that she won't have these memories of our time together that I will treasure! How will she realize how much I love her?

     Then it hit me. When she becomes a Mother, when she is teaching and loving her children she will remember. She will know how much I love her and she will have those memories to cherish. They will be different but the same, she will be the Mother loving her child wondering if they will remember.

     I have always known my Mother loved me but it was at this moment I realized how much she loved me. How much time, energy, and prayers came my way not out of duty but out of love. The love from a parent to a child, a love you don't fully understand until you are a parent.

     I marveled for the first time how much I had learned from my Mother, and wondered where she had learned it all. She had learned it from her Mother and so it goes back to the beginning, love and lessons passed on from one generation to the next. Starting with Eve the Mother of All living, Eve with no Mother to turn to alone raising her children, but she wasn't alone, She was taught by our Heavenly Father. She was taught by him and she teaches us.

     What greater calling is there than teaching Heavenly Fathers children of his love?

     M. Russell Ballard said "A mothers nurturing love arouses in children, from their earliest days on earth an awakening of the memories of love and goodness they experienced in their premortal existence. Because our mothers love us we learn, or more accurately remember, that God also loves us."

     In Sheri Dews talk "Are We Not All Mothers" she states: Motherhood is not what was left over after our Father blessed His sons with priesthood ordination. It was the most ennobling endowment He could give His daughters, a sacred trust, that gave women an unparalleled role in helping His children keep their second estate.

     Even with that being said being a Mother isn't always easy. Children demand your time 24 hours a day 365 days a year. You do not get sick days, vacations or temporary leaves of absence.

     On the hard days for me I read this quote that I have on the mirror on my dresser. It was given by the First presidency in 1942 and never fails to put my frustrations into perspective. "Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels."

     I am so grateful for the Angels that have gone before me and the Earthly Angels known as Mothers and Grandmothers for their constant teaching and loving. I know that I am a better Mother because of them and hopefully one day I can teach my daughter(s) all they have taught me on being a Mother.

Left: My Grandma Tolman. Top Right: Alex's Grandma Arnold. Bottom Right: My Grandma Greer

Alex's Mom

Alex's birth Mom Ludmilla and his Grandma Vera

Faith, Trust, Hope

Sometimes I wonder why:

This week in our little town 3 young lives were lost, all in separate incidents. Parents now struggling with the loss of their sons'. Life cut short it seems, dreams lost, hope lost.

Or the choice a Mother makes, not only effecting her children, the loss of these children to the state. But the heartaches of the Grandparents and other family members who ache to hold these little ones. But who have no where for them to stay.

A Mother whose child has cancer, Autism, or handicaps.

A woman longing to have a child of her own.

The child in the orphanage.

Why does Heavenly Father let these things happen?

We may not have control of the situation or others choice. 

We have control of  the choices we make.

To mourn with those who mourn, to love one another unconditionally, and to have faith, to trust, and to hope.

Faith that we have a loving Heavenly Father. Trust in Him.

And hope that one day we have proven ourselves worthy to enter into His presence.
To be greeted by Him and our loved ones that have passed.

Faith that the blessings missed here in mortality will be granted in Eternity

"Sometimes God calms the storm,Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child."

Where can you turn for peace? Jesus suffered for us in the Garden. He knows of our sorrow, He has felt our grief, and He has taken our burdens on Himself that he can soothe our broken hearts. And that we may return to our Heavenly Father and come forth in that wonderful day known as the Resurrection. Our hearts healed and every hair on our head. Oh what a great and glorious day it shall be.

Wordless Wednesday

My Dear Friend, please help if you can.

The Perfect Mom

"NOBODY IN THIS HOUSE IS TO TOUCH ANYONE EVER AGAIN!!!!"


I yelled to the kids after the umpteenth tattle tale of she hit me, he spit at me, and the likings.

"Ever again? What if..."
"Never, EVER AGAIN"
"but.."
"EVER"

Please tell me I am not the only Mom who has had this conversation with their children.
Raise of hands....anyone?

Okay so maybe it is just me....now you all know my secret.......I am not a perfect mother.

There I said it. The first step in recognizing a problem is admitting you have a problem.

I swear on days like today I am loosing my mind. All though it could just be PMS. How hard is it to pick up your toys? You would think that I was asking them to climb Mount Everest.

My Mom is so good at getting the kids excited about cleaning and they love to do it for her. That is what Grandma's are for. She will apologize to me when the kids want to her when they are hurt or cry when she leaves and they don't for me. She remembers how she felt sad sometimes that we kids wanted Grandma. But I don't mind. Really Mom I don't. I am glad they have someone else they feel comfortable with and love and look up to and can take their problems too.

And one day I will get to be the Grandma and I can only hope that I do as great as job that she and my Grandma does/did.

Bribery. Now I have stooped to bribing them to clean....
I really need to find a better system.

I wish that I could make them realize that we ask them to do things for a reason not just to be mean.

"Don't play on Daddy's exercise machine you will get hurt" sure enough this morning we had a minor head injury cause they didn't listen.

"No running in the house" slips on the kitchen floor....Get the idea.

I guess that what youth is though learning by making mistakes for themselves.

I know I did.

Right now  I will just have to find comfort in the following quote and try each day to be a better mom.

Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels. To you mothers in Israel we say God bless and protect you, and give you the strength and courage, the faith and knowledge, the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you to fill to the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours. To you mothers and mothers-to-be we say: Be chaste, keep pure, live righteously, that your posterity to the last generation may call you blessed.

                                   -First Presidency of the LDS Church 1942

More things the kids say.......

Me: AJ your shirt is on upside down, come here I will help you fix it.
AJ: Mom, stop ruinning my life. You are ruinning my life.
Me: Because I want to help you with your shirt?
AJ: Yes, you are ruinning my life

AJ: Here I come stinky mango!!!

Taylie has a cold so I asked Alex to start her humidifier. She starts screaming NO NO NO set me on fire!!!

When asking what happened to all my pens:
Austin: Mom, we are secret agents, we have to have a secret agent pen in every room.
I find them all over the place hidden in weird places.

Lydia: Mom! Call the Tooth Fairy! I lost another tooth but I want to keep this one!

Liebster Blogger Award

I have been thinking about this award since Jenn gave it to me almost 2 weeks ago. Liebster is German for  up and coming. That she would even consider my little blog as up and coming was amazing! I love her blog you should check it out sometime!

Rules:

1. Choose five up and coming blogs to give the award to. Must have less than 200 followers.
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. List the blogs you gave the award to with links to their sites. Leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
5. Share five random facts about yourself.

My list of 5 bloggers who deserve this award also are:

1.  a young mom and her Lil Pirate http://agoddessinprogress.blogspot.comng /
2. a twin mom dealing with the loss of a child Ashley http://ashleyquarles.blogspot.com/
3. a guy who is a mom humor blog Eli http://eligetstobeamommy.blogspot.com/
4. a mom and her son http://leslieandaaron.blogspot.com/
5. a mom of 6 Ashley http://3boysn3girls.blogspot.com/

My 5 random facts:

1. Some days I want more kids, some days I am so done!
2. If I could go anywhere it would be Russia to meet my husbands biological family
3. I wouldn't mind having twins again. (Don't tell my husband!)
4. I love to brag about my kids, especially telling people about the 3 that share a birthday.
5. I love cold cereal, could eat it for every meal.

Wordless Wednesday

Lydia 3 years old

Where did the time go..............

I just realized that there is only around 20 days of school left. I feel like I have missed the last 2 months of my life. So here are some of the things that have happened that should have been blogged about before now and have not.

• Lydia learned to ride a bike with out training wheels
• Lydia lost her first tooth
• Lydia started soccer and has made some awesome goals!
• Lydia learned to make breakfast which was a big help when I was sick
• AJ gave his first talk in church. He kept calling it his speech it was so cute
• AJ announced to primary that I was going to help him with his talk.
• AJ also started playing soccer and is loving it.
• Austin gets to give his first talk next week
• Austin loves soccer and has a great dribble
• AJ and Austin love to take care of me and be Gentlemen
• Taylie is talking in full sentences. Having conversations. She is growing up.
• Taylie started asking for her crib back, she hasn't had it in over 6 months
• Taylie likes to cause trouble........
• Taylie loves her Best Friend Lydia and likes to walk hand in hand together.
• Alex transferred to a new concrete plant in Murray to hopefully get more hours.

As for me I am feeling better for the most part, still run out of energy quickly but it is getting better. I miss my friends at work and being able to work there or even around the house and yard. Soon though.

I can't wait for summer fun! No schedules, just family and fun. BBQ's and snow cones, fireworks and parades.