It's a start. Right?

We have to start somewhere, right? I changed my background. Even I was sick of clicking on my blog and looking at that stinkin' ring of fire and same ole' background, ugh! I just didn't know where to begin, so I began with the background and it kind of felt good to look at something different. A new beginning. Most everyone who has been within 10 feet of me knows things have been tough for our family lately, so I wont go there. I feel as though my friends will begin to avoid me for fear of having to "hear it again". Sometimes I want to avoid myself...sleep helps, but I'm even sick of that. Hence why I am up at 2:40 in the morning finally updating my blog. It's time to stop being a sad, stressed (that really may not go away too easy, but it can be alleviated), lazy, non-motivated, weight gaining, missing out on my other children Fool. Heavenly Father has blessed me tremendously in my life and I know he is here for me now. He has blessed me with an amazing family and loving and supportive friends. There is certainly a reason he put us here in Richmond at this time... what would I have done otherwise? My parents are here this weekend for a visit and it has been wonderful to spend time with them. We have helped the boys begin some new ventures by switching each of them to getting their own rooms and the adjustment they are making to the hurtful changes that have happened. But, things are going to be Ok. I am just babbling now and that's just no bueno cuz I am making no sense. Basically, here's to new beginnings, but hanging on to hope and having faith that the future holds much for those we love and care for so deeply.

Jumping through rings of fire!

Something a mother is always willing to do for her children, right? Jump through a ring of fire for them. Yep, that is what my life has amounted to right now, a circus act. Except it's a bit more serious. The stress levels have gone through the roof, which might explain why my typical one day migraine has lasted three days. Let me also preface this with the fact that James has been out of town the last two weeks and will be out of town the next two weeks. He comes home Fri. evening and Sat. only to leave again Sunday. Naturally everything no bueno happens when he isn't here. Last night I spent the evening at the Sheriff's dept. helping to file reports to protect Em from some pretty scary threats she was getting from a person. I was one ticked off momma! I had to drag my 8 year old, who is now scared, with me into all of this! Am I still concerned? Yes. This person is still bugging Em. I don't like feeling uncomfortable in my own home, so I'm trying not to. I also don't like my children to EVER feel unsafe. This person said they were at our house while we were at the Sheriff's dept., so we told them that and they said to turn around and leave if there were any suspicious cars around and call. Thank goodness no one was at our house when we got home, but within 2 minutes of being home a deputy showed up to check on us... apparently they are taking it seriously, whew! Hopefully this person will realize they are in enough trouble and decide to stop the harassment. I will continue to jump through the rings of fire if need be, but it sure wears on you. I think I will try to get out of the house for a bit today. The circus is closed for the day.

Broken

Lifehouse is one of my faves... I love this band and their sound! This song is featured in the movie The Time Traveler's Wife... I am a music freak and could just drive around listening to it all the time, choosing songs for my moods..... this one is a fave right now. You will need to pause my music player on the sidebar, sorry, I debated whether I should take it off or not, but I love love love those songs, too and if you have a few minutes you should take a listen to some of those... Unwinding Cable Car by Anberlin is an all time fave, too!! Such a good song! I like Augustana a whole lot, too!! Like I said I can be a bit of a music goof... kinda like my kids ;)

Inspired by a friend..

After reading a post by a sweet friend and lovely young woman "F" about her wonderful mom I went to the church website and saw this video posted on the home page and how fitting was that!! I was looking for some articles for some comfort myself and found President Hinkley speaking so tenderly about women and how divine and essential they are to us. I felt important and loved. What a great reminder :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkUwh1YUMtE

I haven't figured out how to get youtube videos directly on my blog, so if someone can tell me I will change this from a link, but be sure to click on it or paste it and go watch the short video... it is well worth it.. Because as Aaron was saying that he learned in Deacon's quorum today... we are all "B-DOGs" beautiful daughters of God!!!

ps.. Kristie ask me who he learned that from.. ha ha ha ha......

pss.. I was able to get the video on here but it was too complicated to change to entire post, so I just added it below. Enjoy.. Love... Shel-

Hope this Helps...

I learned pretty fast that my bottom does not like the bike seat that came with my "comfort" bike. It's just too small, or my rear is just too big! So, I found a great website that sells these nice BIG cruiser bike seats. This one is a memory foam one, so I'm hoping it actually bounces back after I sit on it :) Now I get to anxiously await for a visit from UPS, yay!!

CaRaziNess

I love it when the kids get to spend time with their cousins... it just warms my heart. They love each other so much and really look forward to any time they have to play. Well, this Saturday my brother in-law Stan came up and brought three of his kids. We were celebrating sweet little Sam's 3rd birthday (little cutie patootie!). When it was time for them to head back home the kids began scheming on how they could stay together longer, so Aaron and Daniel ended up going home with them. I know one day of playing is never enough, so of course I wanted them to go.....BUT... I forgot about the fact that I have Scrapbooking here tomorrow (if anyone has anything they want to work on or just wanna come visit... it's at 10 am). Why is this a big deal?? Well, because I have a homemade Lego Land in my craft room where scrapbooking is held... I'm not kidding legos everywhere. Then Daniel had built a fort in the family room, so half of their bedroom is in there, oye vey! Oh, they did not stop there, for some strange reason there have been airsoft pellets alllll over the house and I hate to just throw them away, so I've probably picked up hundreds of these teeny buggers today while I've been trying to dig myself outta this mess! I am baffled at the number of these around the house and how they get into everyroom (mine included) when they are only allowed to shoot the airsoft guns outside.... hmmm. I have also been finding nerf bullets in interesting spots.. the pantry, the bathtub (??)..... Ah, yes my life with my guys! I think I just heard James shoot a nerf dart at the T.V. ARGHHHH.

There aren't too many times that they don't have one of these in their hot little hands.

That is why I am thinking I am feeling some of the CraZy coming on! I had great plans of accomplishing so much today, but so far I have been walking in circles picking up ammo. Okee, my break is over.

I need to do Something, SO...

I bought a bike! Now I just hope I can get into a good habit of actually riding it and keeping it up. Daniel helped me research and go to several stores to pick it out, then when I got home and rode around a bit he found it quite humorous to watch. I have a feeling he will be my faithful riding companion and will encourage me to not give up. It's definitely time to step it up a bit in the get healthy department. I just hope I can find my mojo and hang on to it :)

For the Unbelievers....

I thought I would post what Daniel came up with Today. Now this was just today's invention, so Welcome to My World..... In this first photo we show the beginning stance (he is standing on the edge of the couch). He would clap his hands and then raise them up then proceed to jump, yes jump across to the rope contraption he tied across our columns in the living room and land on the bean bag chair he had draped across the rope.....

Ta Da... the landing.... he did this over and over and over again with much success and enjoyment. We were aware of the possibility of an emergency room visit, but I think that is just in the cards for us with this one! You can't see it in the pictures, but he would actually swing back and forth and kinda dangle. It's so dang hard not to laugh at what he comes up with.
Then.... he became a bit more brave (which usually happens with him) and he would jump high enough to hang over the chair... I have to admit this made me a bit more nervous.

Then he entertained us with some fancy rope moves. I'm telling you this guy does not stop........EVER!

We finally had to tell him it was time to take the rope down since it was thrashing the corners of the columns and the paint was chipping away....

Like I said on my sidebar."Everyone should be blessed with a Daniel!" He keeps me on my toes and then some. Life would be sooo boring and dull without him around ;) But, I can say my house would be a whole lot cleaner, oh well.... it's well worth all the laughter and happiness he brings.

Have you ever...

heard something late at night and got up to see what it was knowing it was going to be nothing, but you just HAD to check to make yourself feel better? Well, I'm a little weird that way and always have been... I am the only one up and Em isn't home from work yet, so I keep hearing noises and to make myself feel better I thought I should just do a quick sweep of the house, ya' know check all the rooms and make sure the boys are sleeping soundly. Well, they were. I noticed Em's fan was on full blast and thought that was where the noise was coming from, but I am never satisfied with my paranoia and anxiety I had to continue checking by actually looking out the front window.... WHY, Why do I do these things? I have always said I would probably cause myself to have a heart attack one day if I ever did that and had something looking back at me, well I came close enough to that tonight! I bopped my booty right up to the window by the front door and took a look see and looking right back at me was this bugger....
I flipped out and yes, nearly had a heart attack! (This is a stock photo of course, but it looks pretty similar). Darn vermin! I tapped the glass and it just stared at me like "uh what?" I thought about Jen cracking a window and quickly changed my plans on that one. It wasn't the smartest idea since I was shaking, but I opened the door (my front door is loud, this came in handy tonight) and thank goodness it scared the creepy oppossum away. I have noticed that my mulch has been really jacked up lately, so apparently this little bugger has been a frequent visitor. I noticed that one site said they are freaked out by plastic owls, so if you come over and notice my yard adorned with some new decorations don't be surprised.

Utter Frustration!

Okay, I'm about to throw a fit and it wont be pretty. I have been trying for over a week now to download pictures off of my camera from girls camp and something has gone wrong with my stinkin' computer (well, the program that allows me to download pictures). What's up with that? How is it that something works just hunky dory one day and then all of a sudden nuttin'? My patience with this is nil, gone, zippola. I've tried every program on my computer Adobe, Picasa (doesn't even recognize that my camera is connected) and the Canon utilities, which comes up and says that the program has stopped working. I have read updates and all the "read me" info. I can. I thought it might be cuz I bought a new 4gig SD card before I went to girls camp and maybe just maybe it wasn't reading it, so I put my measly lil' 1gig back in and took a couple of pics. and tried to download those and NOPE again nuttin'! I don't know if I should go postal and throw the computer across the room or the camera! I have to be able to take pictures.... What will I do??? I know what Laura is thinkin'... Buy a Mac! (Am I right or what?) Oh, how I wish. Maybe if a horrible accident happened to mine, hmmm. Naaa, it would be to obvious. James is too busy to help me at the moment, so I will just keep fuming til I blow.

Jumpin' Right In....

Of course I say that, but it's been several hours since the blog has been officially "up and running". I've had fun adding photos of the kidaddles on the side, but I've been a bit distracted by a hubby coming home from being out of town (wahoo!). I haven't broke the blog news to him yet..... hee hee. I'll blog about his response later. So... how shocked is everyone??? About as shocked as I am probably. I am grateful to Jen and Liz who came to my rescue in helping me get going. I wouldn't have gotten my fancy background I wanted on there without help, that's fo sure. You'll also notice that my blogging will more than likely be just like my talking, scattered and not always making a whole lot of sense, so bear with me. I think I will actually enjoy this. Now I'm off to look through my pictures to see what I'd like to post about.... hmmm.