Feeling the Crunch

Today is my last day as a "childcare provider." As a nice grande finale, all 4 kids are asleep right now! This is the first time this has happened. 3 have slept at the same time, but guess who is consistently the hold-out refusing to nap.

We are moving this Saturday. We found a nice rental house near where we used to go to high school (north valley). It is 700 square feet bigger than our apartment, and $130 less per month! Seriously what is wrong with the Flagstaff housing market??

Devin is down in Phoenix yet again this week working so that we can actually afford to move. I am trying my hardest to get some packing done, while at the same time being the mother hen to my sweetlings and the 2 extra. I am also going out of town next week. It is my Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw's 60th wedding anniversary, and we are throwing them a huge party. The best part is, M&P have no idea that my parents and my sister and I are coming! I cannot wait to surprise them. This is also the first time in 6 months that I will be seeing my sister, Whitney (who rudely moved away 1 month before Mollie was born).

I am working on a movie/ghetto documentary for the anniversary party. I am having so much stress over this, because I want it to be perfect. I am so overwhelmed with taking care of the kids, packing, and getting this movie done in time that my old friend has returned: MY NERVOUS VOICE. This friend of mine takes over my normal voice whenever I am feeling stress. It sounds like a high-pitched, constricted version of my normal voice. Ugh. So embarrassing. At least I haven't gotten a stress cold sore...yet.

Since I've been working on my Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw's movie, I have been looking through a ton of old pictures. I just love the pictures of them as young parents with their children. Seeing all of these pictures has inspired me to take more pictures of myself and my sweet kids. I know someday Sam and Mollie will want to look at them. So here are some we took yesterday (of course they are all dumb self-shots).

Gogo's 56th

Here is Brenda Barry's birthday tribute:



I put Gogo's "55th" when in fact it is her 56th. You're welcome, Brenda.

Mollie's 4 month video

The Plan (Revised)

We're moving back to Phoenix.

This past summer Devin and I felt strongly about moving up to Flagstaff to pursue school and a new life for our little family. After putting our house up for a short-sale, everything fell perfectly into place. By the second week of November, our house had sold and we were living in an apartment in Flagstaff.

Life in Flagstaff has been trying these past 2.5 months to say the least, one major way being financially. The job search didn't go as planned for Devin, and not knowing where next month's rent is coming from isn't my favorite feeling.

There is always work in Phoenix for Devin working for his dad, and the carpet cleaning company is still in the planning stages (just now with a new location). Devin is still planning on earning his degree, going to GCC most likely in the fall semester.

It took a lot of courage for us to pick up and move, and now it is taking just as much courage to admit to ourselves that it isn't working out. We don't know exactly why we were supposed to move up here, but both Devin and I received answers to our prayers that Flagstaff was right for us at the time. Now we both feel secure in our decision that it is time to come back home.

HIDE YA KIDS HIDE YA WIFE!

We have a criminal on the loose in Flagstaff. He is 2 1/2 feet tall, has blonde hair, and lives down the hall from me.

I don't know what to do about my little boy. Today he spared Mollie (minus one slap to the head) and turned on our new friends.

It turns out Sam is not a fan of balsamic vinegar. He doesn't hate it enough, though, because it doesn't deter him from his life of crime.

I HATE seeing my sweet boy lose his title as "my sweet boy." I payed extra attention to him today. I made sure that when we were reading books that he was always in my lap. I held him more than usual. I praised him for the good things I saw him doing. I don't know what to do.

Heaven help us! (Literally)

Day One

Today was my first day doing childcare in my home.

The kids are so sweet. Seriously. The little boy (4) was such a help, interpreting his little sister's language for me, getting her sippy cup when she couldn't reach it, etc. He even noticed when Sam was feeling a little antsy watching 2 strangers play with his toys all day. Sam was getting whiny, and the little boy said, "Sam, do you want to run?!" Does Sam want to run? That's his source of joy!

Sam was a naughty, naughty boy today. It was horrible. He bit Mollie on the stomach.

Mollie was so upset (with good reason). I made Sam do the usual, "I'm sorry Monnie" followed by a hug and a kiss and timeout. I warned him that if he hurt her again, I was going to put "YUCKY YUCKY" soap in his mouth (suggestion from my sister-in-law).

Not more than 25 seconds later, Sam assaulted Mollie again. I grabbed him, grabbed the dish soap, and coated his little teeth and tongue. Sam thought this was great. He laughed out tiny bubbles.

A few hours later, when he hurt her again, I tried a different kind of soap, hoping it would taste worse. Nope. More laugh bubbles.

I don't know what to do with this boy. I can't even go to the bathroom without being nervous the whole time that Mollie will get injured.

I do not believe in spanking. I never want to hit my child so long as I can help it (I have already thought of one exception when I will spank them: if they run into the street or something else that endangers their lives).

Help me and tell me what to do!!! This really has got to stop.

My Parents' Visit

My parents came up to Flagstaff this weekend. We hung out AND they watched our little crazies so Devin and I could go out on a date.

My mom making Mollie smile. It doesn't take much.

Date.

A beloved friend of ours got us a gift certificate to Black Bart's steakhouse (this was before Christmas...so she was just being extremely generous). The waiters and waitresses sing. It was quite an experience!
Thank you to our sweet donor for sponsoring our date night! I don't want to embarrass you, but you know who you are :)

And just because they are so sweet:
(don't mind the red-eyes)

Sam in his church clothes. The only time when he looks clean is on Sundays. He is all boy.


Look who's big enough for the Bumbo!


Mollie in her Sunday best.

Should I Take It Back?

I just got this shirt with a gift card. I really liked it in the store. Now that I'm home, I'm not so sure. Does it look like it's trying to be like a Playboy Bunny shirt?

A Few Things & New Year's

Stacie and Merritt stopped by on their way up to Utah today. We are right off the I-17. Come visit! We're lonely! While they were here, their little boy, MJ used our bathroom. Sam enjoyed watching, and even told Stacie that he wanted to try to use the "big boy potty."
I was busy holding Mollie so Stacie helped Sam out. (like my blurred censoring of the picture?) It really does take a village.

The low this morning was -18 degrees. Seriously I didn't think that was possible. I have been cold all day, and just took a bath to try and warm up. I noticed that the water looked a little cloudy as it was coming out of the faucet, but I didn't realize just how cloudy it actually was until I got out. It looked like I was bathing in a lake! Gross. (and no the dirt was not from me.)


Well here we are at 2011. Here is my theme for the year. It's a verse I read last night from the Book of Mormon. Ether 3:19: "...and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting." That is the kind of faith I want to reach for this year. Our lives are unstable in many ways right now, and I want to know in my heart, not just hope, that all will work out as long as I trust in the Lord and keep His commandments.

In other news, I have found some sweet kids to watch for some income! We met the family yesterday. A cute little boy (age 4) and girl (age 2). I will have them Mondays-Wednesdays starting a week from Monday. I am very excited about this. I feel peace about this decision. I hope Sam learns to love his new playmates and that this will be a positive influence in our lives. I truly feel like this will not only help out a little bit with money, but also help us to get connected here in Flagstaff. Moving to a new place is hard, but being proactive helps.

The End.

Christmas Highlights

I am going to copy both Anya and Brenda and list this year's Christmas highlights:

1- staying up late with Brooklynn watching tv

2- Sam playing in Gogo's bouncy house
3- Jessica and Ian coming over and their daughter Halle and my nephew Bastian becoming boyfriend/girlfriend (holding hands while walking down the stairs, throwing stuff over the balcony together, chasing one another in the yard). When it was time for Halle to go home, she asked Jessica, pointing to Bastian, "Can he come?"
4- Anya's slide show
5- Having my sister's and my kids together on Christmas eve

6- holding sweet little newborn Vaughn
7- Hearing Sam say, "Basjun!" (Bastian)
8- Sitting in between two of my all-time best friends and our babies during Relief Society
9- Brooklynn unexpectedly feeding me the water during Sacrament because my hands were busy feeding Mollie
10- Mollie having a 9-hour stretch of sleep one night
11- playing a very intense game of Jenga with my parents and Devin
12- going to the movies with Alli and Brooklynn

13- girls' night at Leigh Ann's with my favorite friends

14- watching old videos with Selena and Becky
15- watching the Barrys perform karoake versions of "Glee" songs
16- Going to lunch with my mom and Sam actually sitting and eating
17- having a safe drive home despite snowy conditions. God loves us :)


We are blessed beyond measure. Devin and I have the greatest, most generous families. It was a good Christmas.

Whitney, here is our family slide show. I'll still mail you a copy, but this is to hold you over until then.