Happily Ever After...

Wednesday evening was my sister-in-law (Neal's youngest sister) Angela's wedding. It was beautiful and she was a gorgeous bride. I have known Neal for 10 years and have therefore known Angela since she was about 10 years old. I love her like my own sister and I am so happy for she and Josh. We wish them both ALL of the happiness that life has to offer them. They are a great couple and I know they will do well together.

In the SINGLE DIGITS!!!

9 Weeks AND counting...thought I'd post a 31 week picture so ya'll can see the BABY BUMP! It is quite a bit more then a bump, but I don't know a better word for it. We are SOOOO excited (especially me) for this little one to get here. People keep asking me if I think it's a boy or a girl. My gut says boy, but I don't know if that is just because I don't want to get my hopes up for a girl. I will be ESTACTIC regardless of the sex, but obviously a girl would be a perfect ending to our family (we are 99.99999% sure we are done after this one :) but I love little boys and how much they love their mommies, so I will be happy either way. So to answer the inquiries, No, I really don' t have much of an inclination as to what it is. What about you? What are your guesses?

"Family Cookies"

Noone's around, Let the PREGNANT LADY EAT...

It seems there is a rarely a Sunday when we don't go to either the Gatherum's for a birthday or birthdays or to my dad's for Sunday dinner, so when we get the opportunity to just stay home and relax after church, we relish it! Boe's Sunbeam class did sharing time in Primary yesterday and his cute teachers made "Proclamation to the Family Chocolate Chip Cookies" and each one of the Sunbeams got their own apron to help create the cookies. Boe was estactic and he and Gage came home wanting to make our own "family cookies." So after dinner, we did just that. I have to say they were delicious and thought I'd share the recipe with all of you-Hope you enjoy!

1 c. butter or margarine softened

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 1/2 c. oatmeal

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. Add chocoate chips. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Yields 3-4 dozen cookies.

"When I Grow Up...

...I want to be a cowboy. Because they ride horses. And catch cows. And they get to live on a farm and grow fruits and vegetables. They get to wear cowboy boots and jeans. My uncle Dan is a "real" cowboy. I went to his farm and rode the horses. That's what I want to be when I grow up." Today was dress-up day at Preschool. Gage was SOOO excited to wear his cowboy get-up. I was proud of him for daring to leave the house this way! (Just kidding, I think he looks adorable.)

These Boots Were Made for...

wearing to school, apparently. This is how Gage and Boe came down for school the other day. My controlling instincts immediately kicked in and I told them to go back and put on flip flops but then I saw the look of sheer joy and pride on both of their faces and I just couldn't do it. So, they both walked around like this for the entire day. I told Gage that we don't wear cowboy boots all the time, that they are just for "special" times and he said, "no, they are to wear whenever we want and I guess you owe Grandpa a big fat thank-you for that!" So, THANKS A LOT DAD!!!

Mother's Day...

As Mother's Day approaches, I find myself slipping back into a slump. It has happened every year for the past 3 years. This year, I decided that since I have my blog to vent with, I would try to avoid the slump and actually try to find some joy and happiness in Mother's Day. Instead of just being sad and missing my mom, I am going to try to remember the good times, the things she taught me, look forward to the future and try, TRY to even celebrate the few victories I have as a mother myself.

If there was one thing my mom taught me it was to pick my head up despite hard times and move forward with as positive of an attitude as I can. She was the ultimate optimist, even in the midst of the not so good times. This concept is sometimes hard for me as I tend to be a "glass half-empty" kind of a gal, but I am really trying to find the good in all situations and to be positive and try to focus on all of the many blessings that I have in my life.

I remember the last Mother's Day we had with my mom. It was 2005 and she was just a few weeks from passing away. We all knew it would be our last with her and in preparation for it, my dad and the doctor's put her back on steroids to try to keep her lucid so she could participate in the celebrations. We spent a quiet day going to my parents Sacrament Meeting and eating dinner and being together as a family. It was the first time in a long time that she had been to church. We bought her a bright pink shirt (her favorite color) and a linen skirt. Ashlee did up her wig and make-up and I remember thinking how beautiful she was, despite the effects of the steroids and the cancer that was engulfing her body. Going to church wore her out and she spent a lot of the afternoon sleeping. My sisters and I were at a loss as to what to give her. We realized that she was still herself and still loved the things she always had so we gave her some bath and body works stuff, a few cd's and some dvd's to help her stay entertained during the day because at this point she was bedridden. She loved it and to this day Warm Vanilla Sugar reminds me of her and that day :) She told me how much she loved me and told me to "be happy..." that is what she ALWAYS told us and even though it is hard sometimes, I am happy and I know that she is happy and wants me to be as well. It was a very difficult day, but I consider it a tender mercy that we were able to celebrate and focus on HER one more time. It is definitely a day I will never forget and as I look back now, I am filled with love and pain at the same time remembering the women who has influenced me more than anyone else. I am so grateful to have been blessed with such a women as a mom and even though I miss her, I am trying, TRYING SO HARD to be more like her and to be the kind of mom to my kids that she was to me and my siblings. Those are some HUGE shoes to fill and I don't think I'll ever get there, but I am grateful for the opportunity to try.