Classic Connor Statement!

"Mom, old people aren't cute...they're just all gross and moldy!"

Families are Forever...

I know we all find comfort in these three words but there are days when I really have say..."Do I really have to deal with these kids for an eternity?" Let me explain. Getting ourselves out the door for church each week is quite a feat when we start at 9am. Well, getting ourselves back home from church has proved to be the more difficult task these days. No matter how simple we try to make it...(everyone meet at the exact same spot each week after church)....it never seems to happen. Today was no exception. After rounding up the gang, Connor caught wind that Noah and his friend were walking home from church and of course he wanted to join them. We knew that would not be a good idea so we told him "no". Well that didn't fly. He threw a major hissy fit in the hall, kicking and screaming and calling his dad an "idiot". One of kids from a more "righteous" family turned to him and said "hey..that's a swear word at our house!" So, while Alan is dealing with him, Abby has decided to take this opportunity to show her independence and insists on walking by herself all the way to the car. I picked her up kicking and screaming and put her in the car along with another kicking and screaming child who by now was saying he "hates us!" Alan and I both looked at each other like... "and our family is supposed to be better from going to church?" After arriving home it was child abuse time. That consisted of Alan and I holding Connor down and putting tabasco sauce in his mouth. I felt kind of bad but not really! He was then sent to his room where he proceeded to scream more obscenities at us. (These included more of I hate you's..shut ups and an occasional you idiot!) So back upstairs for more tabasco! Back down to his room and then back up for this time..cucumber melon flavored soap! (obviously the tabasco wasn't working!) Well after about 45 min of this, he finally conked out and went to sleep. He woke up an hour later and said "the bad Connor had gone away and the good Connor was back!" So, as much as I love my darling family pictured above, there are days when I wonder if I can really endure this for an eternity!

There, I have just "aired my dirty laundry" for the week! Just in case you were thinking we were PERFECT! ha ha

Chicken Tacos with a Twist

Dinner tonight was a "slam dunk" as April would put it. I was feeling unmotivated to do anything that took effort so I pulled out the crockpot, put in some frozen chicken breasts, dumped some leftover salsa from the fridge and decided "hey, why not throw some brown sugar in it as well!(knock off of Cafe Rio pork) Well about 4 hours later after some pinto beans, sour cream, cheese, romaine and of course homemade tortillas from Costco--voila...the best darn chicken tacos I've ever made! Everyone loved them! Sometimes the least effort provides the best results, huh?

This post is dedicated to all of my "new recipe starved friends"

What's a girl to do without good friends?

As a young girl, I don't remember my mom "hanging out" with friends. She seemed like such a "mom" to me and "moms" just didn't do that. Well, either times have changed or I haven't started to act like a "real mom" yet. I often think about the wonderful friends I have in my life. I feel so blessed to have so many. They all have such unique personalities that have truly helped to shape me into who I have become and still want to become. Every close friendship that I have is an influence for good. Some friends help me to become more spiritual, some to be less critical, some to laugh a little more, some to be a better homemaker, some to be a better listener, some to serve more and all of them help me to be a better mother! (If you're reading this and trying to figure out which friend you are...don't!) I honestly don't know how you get through this difficult yet beautiful life without friends to share in your sorrows as well as your joys. I am just grateful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with such great friendships that I know will last a lifetime! I hope I can always be deserving of this wonderful blessing.

Now enough of the mushy stuff..did you guys have a great weekend? Because I sure did!!!

Happy Birthday Princess!

Today is my baby's 2nd birthday and I am sad and also glad at the same time. Sad because she is growing up way too fast and she is my last baby. Glad because she is finally old enough for me to buy her "girly" things. As of tonight, we have a pink doll stroller rolling around our house and I could not be happier! This is my chance to "play house" as an adult! We had such a fun evening with her running around in her "princess" outfit. She was pushing her new "Merdaid" doll around in the stroller and drinking gatorade out of her new tea set! (I had no idea about the gatorade...Connor apparently put some in the teapot!) Anyway, I love this little girl with all of my heart and only hope that when she is older she will still love me and want to be my friend. I hope she still won't be hanging on my leg and calling me "Kristen" all day! I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane...so here's to you Abby!

Tonight on her 2nd birthday!
These are her "Look Connor..I'm a princess!" poses.
Is she cute or what?

Happy Halloween!

It's Halloween night and as tradition goes, Alan is out with the little kids trick-or-treating and I get to be the one home passing out candy. (I love that part!) The big boys? Well they are on their own this year. Later we will head over to the campfire and homemade donuts at the swim club and then on to our neighbors "haunted garage" for ice cream and nachos. Yes I am hating it--no self control! Oh and just wait for the kids to fall asleep tonight so I can rummage through all their candy and take out all the snickers bars and almond joys. yum yum! Oh I just love the holidays! As you can see, my kids look pretty cute this year. Noah insisted on being "Hannah Montana" (in case you couldn't figure that one out) but I think he pulled it off okay. Zach pretty much just looked in our costume closet and found something he could put on to justify going trick-or-treating since I told him this is his last year. Connor, well let's just say he can play up ANY PART to the "T". At his preschool parade today, all the other kids were pretty reserved and were all in these cute costumes and Connor was running around scaring everyone with his fangs! He had all the moves down and believed completly that he was a real vampire! Abby is just as cute as a "bug"!

Pumpkin Carving at its Best!

The kids wanted to carve pumpkins the other night and Alan and I both looked at each other with dread knowing it had to be done but neither having the energy to accomplish the task. Thank goodness for an ambitious, excited and overzealous 12 yr old who immediately put newspapers out on the driveway, got out all the appropriate tools, and even thought to set bowls out to put the guts in. It wasn't long before they needed help cutting and scooping and before we knew it, Alan and I were right in the thick of things carving our OWN pumpkins. Thanks to Alan's parents for growing enough for everyone in the family. Anyway, for what seemed like a daunting task, it actually turned out to be quite fun and was a bonding experience for the whole family. No one was fighting. Zach and Noah were actually complimenting each other and encouraging one another which is a rarity in our home. Connor of course picked the biggest pumpkin and as you can see drew the face all by himself... and Abby? She just drew all over herself with marker.