Forget Me Not Friday

*Believe it or not, I have not forgotten about Forget me not Friday’s!  I have just reached a point in life where I feel like I am treading water to stay afloat! Jon has been gone WAY more than he is home.  The kids have had a ton of projects, Braden is pushing every button he can and let’s be honest, I have been stuck in my house potty training a two year old and  house breaking a dog.  There was a time that if I had to clean up one more pile of poop or one more puddle of urine, (dog or child), I was going to blow my top.  Things are much better now.  I think both the child and dog are grasping the routine.

*Having said that, I have now closed another chapter in my life.  No more crib and no more diapers…ever…or at least until the grandkids come along!  When you know you are done, it feels so good to move on and enjoy the new adventures that come with the new stages of our growing kids, like middle school, the second child gets to feel like the oldest now at the elementary school, a kindergartner and back to only having one child at home during the day when school starts up again in the fall. 

*Every morning I walk our neighborhood loop. At about halfway we have to cross a four lane road that is a four way stop.  Without fail EVERY morning, we will make sure it is safe to cross and as we begin our journey across, we will get someone that is such a big hurry that they will come to a half stop and then jet across the street in front of us or literally clip our heels.  One day I called the cops to find out what the law is.  My recollection is that the pedestrian has the right of way and that traffic should wait until we have reached the sidewalk before crossing. A police officer came to the house to follow up on the compliant and guess what his response was to me?  As long as they didn't hit me, it was considered yielding.  What the heck?!  Are you kidding me?  He told me to stop wasting energy on it and to get on with my day.  He also told me that I should be teaching my children the safe way to cross the street.  Last time I checked that is exactly what I was doing and it's the morons that are in such a big hurry they can't wait for us to finish crossing.  If these drivers are in that big of a hurry maybe they should leave five minutes earlier. He also told me it wasn't a priority for them to monitor that intersection.  It wasn't an emergency.  Well, I guess when someone has killed me and my two children in a crosswalk it will become important enough for them to monitor that intersection.

*I have decided that once you have served in Primary, you will always serve in Primary.  I got a six month break and now I am back.  I have been called to serve as the Primary Secretary.  Why they called someone with NO experience with Word, Excel or Powerpoint I will never know.  I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night let alone keep track of which classroom each of the children belong in.  Heavenly Father has a way of teaching us doesn’t he! 

*When I told Braden that I would be serving in the Primary and that I would get to see him every Sunday in sharing time, his response was, “Oh no, that’s not good.  Now you will get to see me when I make bad choices.”  

*Braden absolutely loved his little preschool he got to go to for the past six months.  One day before preschool he asked me what the letters were to spell best friend forever.  I told him some people say you are my BFF.  He says, “Ya, I have a BFF and her name is Savannah.”  

*Jaycee’s speech is sloooowly coming along.  What kills me is that she can say butt head, butt crack, I hate you and shut up, but yet she can’t say the simple things like drink or milk. (I am not proud of these things just so everyone knows!  She has her older siblings to thank for this language) 

*How on earth did I get old enough to have a child that just had the maturation program in school?  What is even harder to believe is that next year I will have children going to different schools, with very different school schedules. If I thought life was crazy now, I think I am going to feel sideswiped in a few months.  I am so proud of Morgan and how well she does in school.  She has excelled in so many areas. I am terrified that she is going to middle school in a few months.  I guess this is one of those times when you hope and pray that you have taught them well at home, that they have good friends and that they will make good choices. 

*Braden has an eye for finding bugs and lizards.  He can find them in the dark, from a very far distance and from way up high!  Because I know how much joy he finds in catching bugs and I knew this was important to him, I bought three tomato plants to plant in the garden for him.  Every day he runs outside to check on his budding tomatoes and checks each leaf for a tomato worm and then comes in and reports what he has found. 

*I am savoring our last few morning walks before my little man heads off to kindergarten.  He will always race ahead of me to the next corner so he has a minute to get off of  his bike and check for any living creature he can bring home to put in his bug cage.    

*Can I just say how much I love New Mexico skies!  There is such a beauty about the sunrises and sunsets here.  I love the blueness of the skies and the big white fluffy clouds.

*Miss Madi enjoying her freedom in the back yard!

* Even though he pushes me to my limits, his smiling eyes melt my heart!

*I have been busy with a few photo sessions these past few weeks.  I have done engagements, bridal/groomal, another bridal and one outside the Temple after a sealing.  I am also the proud new owner of a second camera body!  Now I don’t always have to be switching out lenses!   Here are a few of my favorite pictures from each of the shoots. 

*The kids and I are headed on vacation for the next month.  I think I will need extra prayers on my behalf that I will survive as a single mother living out of a suitcase, keeping everyone entertained and happy, keep a routine with the dog (yes, she is going with us!) all while having fun!