Is It Naptime Yet

1. I am so grateful to have my car back, though as I drove around yesterday evening I think I can see tape and paper lines where they taped my windshield only halfway to paint and the paint is on the windshield just barely. You can’t see it except at the special twilight hours. Will be going back to show them….not so grateful for that.
2. Visiting with my mother-in-law. We don’t see them nearly as often as we should, so even though I should have come home and cleaned or made cookies,  I stayed and visited and let her feed me and the girls lunch. It was a nice morning and afternoon.
3. Well visits. I’m so thankful our insurance covers well visit check-ups 100%, even if they’re tripling our deductible…ick.
4. Thankful for little girls who seep in, Eden, but not so thankful when one starts yelling from her room “It’s time to wake up Mommy!!”, Lilah.
5. I’m thankful to be in Windows for at least today, and we’ll see if I get any pictures uploaded or edited. I’m not so thankful for the chores that were neglected yesterday that I have to do today so we can have plates to eat off of for lunch and can’t be neglected anymore.
6. I’m also thankful to have food and a home. We helped feed the homeless last night and it makes me thankful that I can also choose my food and I have enough money to buy good healthy food for my daughters.

1. Husbands who watch your children so you can get away with friends.
2. Notes from your daughter when you return home.
3. Friends who stay up late to talk and  meeting new friends who help you feel completely open and yourself.
4. Running in the rain to collect yummy blackberries for your daughters.
5. Cuddling with babies while on the girls weekend.

I’m also excited to go back with my girls for a girls weekend with their best friend in a couple weeks. I know they’ll love it there.

1. A helpful and supportive husband in my crazy candy making adventures. He puts up with the children I’m neglecting, the messy house and helps when he can.
2.Little girls who also put up with a crazy  mommy, I’m not always a crazy mommy, but they put up with me when I am.
3. Insurance. I’m grateful for auto insurance.
4. Understanding husbands when you need to use that auto insurance.
5. I’m grateful for the talents Heavenly Father gave me. I often wish they were better or don’t think they’re enough, but I’m trying hard to excel and better them when the opportunities arise.

We just returned home from visiting my sister Andrea and her family in Ely. My sister Carolyn came also came with us.

So here are my five things I’m thankful for that happened on the trip

1. Jon had to sit in the back seat because his hips were the smallest ones out of the three adults, and were the only ones who could fit in between the two booster seats. I’m so thankful he was willing to sit back there with squished legs and hips and put up with two silly girls who kept putting the toy snakes they bought in his ears.

2. Andrea and Brien for letting us invade their home all weekend.

3. Andrea and Brien for cooking such delicious food, even if they didn’t have everything a buffet would have.  😉

4. The beautiful outdoors. We went canoeing and it was absolutely beautiful, even if I felt like I was going through menopause because the weather couldn’t make up it’s mind. It was windy and cold, then calm and hot, windy and cold, than calm and hot, etc.

5. Carolyn who came with us and drove when I was sleepy. She also helped with all the children and I hope had fun with my silly family.

1. Trustworthy mechanics.
2. Happy children.
3. Morning cuddles with my daughters, really I love any cuddles, anytime.
4. My intelligence.
5. A husband who helped a demanding, stressed out wife at their daughter’s party.

1.  A clean living room….even if it only lasted a day or two, at least it’s less dusty.
2. Jonathan who worked so hard cleaning and doing laundry while I was gone with the girls. He folded everything too, which is usually my downfall.
3. Facebook. I was so not liking it at first, but now I find I probably need to stop spending time on it. It’s fun to connect and see what’s going on in friend’s lives.
4. A happy child. Eden was so happy to open her Aladdin DVD, thanks Carolyn, and you could see the excitement in her eyes even if she was reserved and not easily showing it. I guess that goes with having a shy child.
5. Children who share, though it’s not easy for them all the time, when they’re willing to it’s wonderful.

Eden turns four this week. FOUR! I really can’t believe it, but it’s been fun. So my five things will be centered around Eden this week.

1. I love the way Eden talks. She uses phrases like : “Hey guys….!”, “Uh, I don’t think so.” and “Yiyah” (Though this is more because she can’t pronounce her sisters name just yet.)
2. I love that Eden is a Mamma’s girl and is mostly willing to give me cuddles anytime, though she does love her daddy and chooses him at times over me.
3. I enjoy our afternoon nap time together. We play and sing songs and get some needed rest, though this time is fading since she won’t need naps for much longer.
4. I love her sense of humor. I think Eden is so funny and she reminds me of Carolyn. If it weren’t for the fact that Eden looks like me, I would say I got the wrong child.
5. I love watching Eden’s imaginary play. I love listening to the situations she makes up and I love the cute shy look she gets on her face when I catch her playing. (Anther reason I think she takes after Carolyn, she’s shy.)

Happy Birthday to my Eden Bee-den. I’ve enjoyed our four years together and hope to enjoy watching you grow some more!

1. Being home with the girls. Some days it’s fun other days not so fun, but I usually like it. (Right now I get to go swimming everyday for swimming lessons, which is fun.)
2. Good friends. I sometimes feel like I only have my sisters as friends, not that that’s a bad thing, but I like having friends who don’t have to be my friend, or who aren’t stuck with me, though some of my friends might debate that.
3. A wonderful husband who is willing to let me leave him and the children for a full 24 hours. Only 38 days till my first girl’s getaway. I can’t wait! (Strange to think I’ve only been away from Lilah when I had Eden, and I’ve never been away from Eden.)
4. A husband who works hard to support us and is willing to “take one for the team” and do something he has never wanted to do because he works hard and supports us.
5. Summer fruits. I just love the fruits we get in the summer. Watermelon, cantaloupe, nectarines, I love how summer tastes.

1. Being able to help teach my daughters to swim. I love watching them be so brave and seeing them try new things.
2. Good friends who are far away physically, but e-mail back and forth about the things we would talk about if we were close together.
3. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m thankful for Playdough. Lilah got some as a gift with a fancy toy or two and it occupies them for around an hour at a time. I just wish it never dried out, though it makes sweeping it up so much easier. (This is not a sign that I want more, please do not purposely buy some for Eden since her birthday is coming up.)
4. Sweet girls who love me unconditionally.
5. Air Conditioning. The heat has finally hit us and it is HOT.

1. The play to be over and done with. I am sad it’s over, but I’m happy to have my life back!
2. Friends who watch my girls just because their daughter wants to share her new movie with them.
3. Husbands who help clean the house on their day off.
4. A more together home. It’s not completely recovered from it’s 8 weeks of neglect but it’s so much nicer already.
5. Water fights with little squirt guns in the front yard, even if your daughter and husband gang up on you.