**Mabey**Mabey Not**

....................................................an insight to the chaos we call happy..................................................................

Thursday, December 30, 2010

SHE'S 6

how crazy is it that i have a 6 year old girl??  she is so great.  always sharing and sweet and wanting to help.  each day she seems to find a way to make my day better.  she is constantly playing with her brothers and making sure others are happy.

so the day before her birthday she and i went to 'the big city' to have lunch.  it was awesome.  chik-fil-a.... yummo!

i cant get the stinkin pictures to rotate!  blah!
anyway
lynn and bailey to jerra to the 'mud hut' and she painted a cat.  purple.  cuz she loves purple.  very logical. =)

  she loved every second.  she is begging to go again!

we then celebrated her birthday on sunday after church, monday (her real birthday was the day of the christmas parade and claysen was singing with lollipop- no sharing thunder.... each was special. =) )
anyway- she loved everything she got.  it all made her so happy.  =D
 
and since we are cupcake people, i work very VERY hard to make each cupcake unique to that babys personality and likes.  its already getting hard.  haha.  anyway, jerra loves stars, and 'everything thats beautiful'.  so i tried.  and she LOVED them.  that made me feel good.  she was so excited to have them, and eat them.  it was super cute.  im am rather proud of them.  =D

 here she is opening a present....

seeing her cupcakes.  i loved her little giggles.  =)

during the birthday festivities, z was playing on the floor and we look down and guess who was crawling around!!!  it was crazy!  very exciting!
 anyway.  she said it was her best birthday ever.  so i think it was a success.  then on monday, for her kindergarten class, i took in cupcakes.  they loved them.  it was awesome.  it got her some cool points.  wahoo!  =)


JeLlYbEaN hIgHlIgHtS
6- she loves to snuggle, help, feed, and love her little brothers.
5- everything she eats, if one of her brothers is whining about it, she exclaims that this is her 'new favorite meal', and each bite she says yum very loudly.  i appreciate it.
4- she got to go to GA for thanksgiving and see some of her favorite people ever.
3-  she went to a water park for the first time ever.  she LOVED it, shes begging to go again.
2-  she is a great artist.  she loves to color, and draw.  but the thing is- she is really REALLY good, and she loves it and she will do it all day if we let her.
1- she is beautiful inside and out.  so wonderful and sweet on the inside that its shocking that she can be that good and sweet. 

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Elder Darais #2 is HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So stevie came home.  and he had a lay-over in dallas.  so i packed up the babies and rowed drove to dallas to see him.  it was AWESOME!!!!!!  stephanie beth thompson- one of the most awesome girls ever came with me to 'help with the kids' aka meet stevie.  it was great.

it was so awesome to be able to see him.  i am so happy that he was able to serve our Heavenly Father.  i hope my sweet boys will take the example of their father, grandfathers, and uncles and serve a mission.
i love my brother.
i love this Gospel.

good job Stevie.  Welcome home.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

so for thanksgiving we surprised the kids with a drive to the big ATL to see my favorite sister ever.  we spent thanks giving with matt, diana, dylan, makenna, and ainsley.  it was awesome.  it was kinda short.  but hey- i'll take what i can get.
here is a picture of the babies at the hotel.  i think z was sleeping....

here is the beautiful jellybean....

and chunky.

can you see their exhaustion?  we sure felt it!   it was 12 hours in a car but it was broken up into 2 days so it wasnt too awful bad.
and typical of a fun filled crazy week- the cameras we just perched on the counter taking up space..... so i one last effort to document our awesome time together, on the very last night we took this while matt made his ever delicious homemade pasta.  the kids thought it was so AWESOME, and the dinner was sooooooo great!  thanks for having us toones!!!!

it was a awesome little vacation, and i hope to do it again soon!
love you guys!!!!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

the 19th on....

the 19th-
this little boy.  He has taught me so much about myself, and about love.  he has shown me love, he has shown me frustration, he has shown me how to be sweet and loving and leery of people.  he has changed me so much for the better that i don't know where my life would be without him!

~20th~
 awe this little boy.  he showed me that i can love more than i thought possible.  he has shown me what i am capable of, which is far more then i ever imagined.  he has shown me how to be mellow, happy and not take no for an answer! =D
-20th-
this boy has taught me a different way everyday to love.  he has taught me that i have no bounds to what i can know.  he has shown me the power of the question, and therefore the power of knowledge, even when you are only 4 years old.
 Twenty One
this beautiful lady has teaches me everyday.  she teaches me strength.  she teaches me love.  she teaches me patience.  she is a rock.  she teaches me to be a better mom and wife.  i could go on, but i am kinda behind....

Two-Two
 where do i even begin to say how thankful i am for him.  Everyday i am amazed at how great of a father he is.  everyday i am so thankful at how he is so helpful and supportive and understanding.  i just hope that i can show him enough how much i love him. 

~23~
 this little girl is the epitome of kindness and sweetness.  she shows me how to stay sensitive and loving.  she shows me every time i see her how to be thoughtful and caring to those around me.  she has taught me control and a whole new level of love.
~24 & 25~
since there are 2 of them, i am doing them separately.
Momma- i am so thankful for her friendship.  her knowledge and all she has ever sacrificed for me.  i am thankful for her talents and the strength it gives me to be proud of my own talents.  i am thankful for all she taught me about life and standards and the gospel.
number 25, my daddy.  i am thankful for the work ethic he has taught me, and the desire to do things well and right the first time.  i am thankful for his thoughtfulness and his brain.  i am thankful for his testimony- and for giving me my standards.

twenty six and twenty seven
26- grandmommy.  i am grateful for her example to me.  her attention to detail, her love for those around her, and her kindness that she shows to others.  i am thankful for her friendship and for her love in me and family.
27- grandaddy.  he is an example of strength and love and hard work,  he shows me relaxation and ease.  he shows me service and love to others. 

-28-
mother, my dads mom.  i am thankful to her for her knowledge of food and  cooking,  and the ever loving love of our Savior.  i am thankful for her knowledge in the gospel and the desire it gives me to expand my knowledge

Twenty and Nine
Papa.  i am thankful for her appreciation for life and all things.  he was always so amazed and thankful for what we have, and i am so thankful for that example.  i am also thankful for the example he set for me with all that he did in coming to the gospel.

30th
last but not least i am forever grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  without His sacrifice, i wouldn't be where i am today.  i wouldn't have the calming reassurance that my family can be with me FOREVER.  without His gospel on this earth, i know it sounds corny- but i really truly have no clue as to where i would be, who i would be with, or what i have or what i could do, if it weren't for our Savior and the Gospel in my life.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Oops. Sunday- Thursday

Sunday:
I am thankful for a support system both near and far. I am thankful for the faith people have in me and the strength it gives me. I am thankful that I trust them, so that way I can eventually see a glimpse of what they see in me.

Monday:
I am thankful for the ability to work. That i know how, and have been taught how. I like that I can be pleased with all I can do.

Tuesday:
I am grateful that my husband has a good, steady, and secure job. I am glad that he is knowledgable and able, and that Scot Industries keeps him around!

Wednesday:
I am grateful for the useless toys that occupy the kids for hours. I am also super grateful for the educational ones or the group ones that allow my babies to play together and have fun and bond.

Thursday:
I am grateful that i have a good relationship with the family that i gained when i got married. I am grateful for all they teach me and the love that we share and the help that they provide and the memories that we make and share.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

The 13th

I am so grateful for my ancestory. I am grateful for their lives, where it took them, and what i can learn from it. I am grateful for the stories from our past and the joy it can bring to life.

Friday, November 12, 2010

# 12

I am grateful for shoes. Both for practicality and beauty. I love how they look, and how they affect my mood. I love that they keep my feet warm, cool, dry, and protected. I like the variety of it all, function, color, shape, size..... Everything.
I <3 shoes. For all the reasons both right and "wrong". =D

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Tuesday, Wednesday, thursday

Exhaustion set in before I could post. I've been super busy.

Tuesday:
I am grateful for new recipes, and the ability to try them, and willing subject to eat them.

Wednesday:
I am glad for early bed times and 'lazy days'.

Thursday:
A good hair stylist. And the energy and excitement getting your hair done provides. =D

Monday, November 8, 2010

More thankfulness

I am thankful for modern convieniences and the things they allow us. So instead of me slaving away washing 4 loads of laundry by hand, I was able to do it throughout the day. Therefore leaving me able to snuggle with my day-light savings time confused messed up little boy. And read wall-e with my big boy, and sing to my little baby, and tuck in my sick not so little little girl. While cooking dinner, doing the dishes, and catching up with my brothers on either coast of this great country. And talking with my mom or sister. Runinng to the store and make some hair things.
Yes.
I am indeed grateful for modern conveniences.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Day 6 & 7

i was tired and i fell asleep before i could write anything......

DAY 6
i am thankful for being able to rest and recharge. 

DAY 7
i am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  without Him, i dont know how to explain how lost i truly would be.  without His guidance and direction life would be so hard.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Thankfulness 5

I am thankful for books and the escape they provide.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

# 4

Hot. Showers.

Need I say more?

I LOVE them!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Thankfulness part 3

I am thankful for the 4 seasons. For without the freakishly hot summers, I would never really appreciate the cold. And if it weren't for the bitter cold I wouldn't appreciate the heat. And the beautiful perfect season in-between wouldn't be nearly as forgotten.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Thankfulness

I am thankful for the ability to vote, and try to make a difference in this country that we have been blessed with.

I just hope things don't get too bad.... Serious prayer is definitely needed for our beautiful America.

But I am still thankful I can vote.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Thankfulness

My goal is to write a thankful post daily, in honor of Thanksgiving. Haha we'll see how it goes.

Today I am thankful for runinng. (I know weird huh?). I am thankful for the release it gives me and how i can work things out while I run. I am also thankful that I CAN!!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

GO LOOK !!!! GO LOOK!!!!!

HERE

its awesome!!!!!!
*am i allowed to say that?*

which is YOUR favorite?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

reconstruction

yeah, i'm working on things here.

just wait, i will get a family picture up.

i think i might like the new look.... we will see.

Zayden's Blessing

So Z's blessing finally happened.  it took awhile, but thats ok, family was able to come, and that was AWESOME!!!!  and these pictures are slightly out of order from when they actually happened, but it was all in the same weekend.  They were here from Sept 10-13, and it was no where near long enough.  but i will take what i can get!


so this is my granddaddy.  he is such an example to me.  he is one of my best-friends.  i named my son after him.  i love this great man so much!  i will never be able to tell him thank you for all he has taught me.

 
jellybean.  what a sweet little angel i have.  here is a good picture of her.  she is always anticipating the flash.... it makes for some funny pictures.  but here is a good one- isnt she adorable?  i hope z knows one day how great his big sister truly is, and how much she loves him.  when she is with him, its almost like you can actually touch her love for him.  its so wonderful to see!

these 2 had a blast.  they couldnt get enough of eachother.  it was the greatest thing.  jellybean still talks about how much fun they had together and how she wants to play with her all the time.  its so sweet to to watch them togher.

it was story time and scripture study.  there were 6 kids all together- it was complete and total mayhem- i loved having them here!!

mom and sweetest little anse listening....

here is jerra at her first soccer practice- she was so excited!!!

was he excited?  haha


here are the kiddos with their coach.  isnt coach a good lookin guy?


check out those eyes!  he is such a great baby!

grandmom and granddad with z.  they are awesome!

grandmom (its a blurry picture i know....  but you can still see how beautiful she is!)  she too is one of my bestest friends.  she is just as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. every time i talk to her i want to be be better and i always learn something.  she is the greatest.

my poppy and baby.  i wont rave about my daddy again, we all know that he is one of the top ten of the greatest men ever.

arent they adorable?  everyone says they have the greatest parents- but the thing is, i really do!  isnt that awesome?

me and momma with z
(dont ya love the drool markes on my shirt.... gotta love it! heehee)

here is 4 generations.  how cool is that?

and then they left.  and here on the counter they left me the sad reminder of them leaving.  it was so much fun to have everyone here.  to share with them, and to laugh with them and just to be with them.

Family. Is. Awesome.


Saturday, September 18, 2010

August..... where to begin?.....

so we all know that i have crafting lately.  well, here is something that i have been making TONS of!  they are so fast and easy, i love it.  so does jellybean.  we are wearing these nearly everyday!  if you want any let me know- i just need color preferences!

and then it became peach season here in east texas.  my FAVORITE fruit ever i think.  the smell is so intoxicating, and the flavor it heavenly!!  now i just need the guts to start canning.  hopefully next year my life will make more sense, and i will be able to get the guts and time to make jam and can some of these golden bits of heaven!

and here is my darling daughters room.  yes she loves pink.  so this room is perfect for her.  well, we decided to move kids around, and that included monkey and jellybean switching rooms.

there is NO WAY ever i would put my boy in this room.

so i primed.
                                                                   
                                                                          taped........

and painted white.... taped again......

painted GREEN, taped again.....

and then painted NAVY BLUE!!!!!  and i LOVE this room!  it looks AWESOME!!!! 

                                                 and here is my tower of tape..... it was GINORMOUS!!!!!

and here are my babies.  my two big kids on their first day of school.  they were so excited for this day to finally come.  they had been begging to go!  i had been dreading this day.  how did they get so big so fast?  were they nervous?  would they like it?  would they do well?  jellybean had implied that she was kinda nervous and chunk suddenly had a tummy ache, but then their marvelous father gave them a special priesthood blessing.  a fathers blessing.  sometimes i think its more for the mom then the kids.  but afterwards, jellybean was not apprehensive and chunk was feeling much better!  it was awesome.  they have does awesomely. 

*DISCLAIMER*  in my folders on my comp the pictures are rotated correctly, load them here, and they switch back.  no clue why!  and i have even tried to load it a separate time!  so from here on out, the portrait style ones are kinda funky.  i will have to see if i can fix it later- or if anyone has any clue of what to do let me know!  SORRY!

he is so sweet, nearly every morning he says he doesnt want to go, he drags his feet and eats slowly.  but, he is the first one dressed, first one with his shoes on, and gushing when i pick him up at the end of the day.  lol  Jan McCoy is his teacher, and she is the greatest ever.

jellybean here LOVES her kindergarten class.  Nesha Cox is her teacher, and they get along great.  at one point she sent a note home saying that jellybean is such a great example, and thanks for that!  it was really sweet.  she is getting along well in her class and thriving.

one day i was putting my groceries away, and i was about to put stuff in my pantry, and there was a snake!!!!  it was tiny.  shorter then a pencil.  pathetic yes.  so it sat there, like that till laura actually came and got it outside.  joe came and released it into the great wild wild wilderness when he got home from work.

see how small?  yes- i am a nerd that it freaked me out so much.  oh well.

she is such a good big sister.  she is so good about playing with her brothers!  and they love her for it!  its so cute- when i have to wake monkey up to get her, he is really upset.  then i ask if he wants to go get sister, and he cant get his shoes on fast enough!  lol  i like that they love each other!

so remember the rained out water park trip?  well- they finally go to go!!!  they LOVED it and talked about it for like 2 weeks!  it was so cute!!  here is the happy bunch....

drink break.....
 so the next day- despite all the liquid they did drink, and sun block they applied and re-applied. they they did ger a bit burned. they were sun sick the next day.  i felt really bad for poor chunk.  he still loved it but kinda miserable.  jellybean was fine though- i guess it was the hair?

then joey and i decided that we needed a little "stay-cation".  we had some friends from austin that we were meeting in dallas, and ghent and ash were meeting in dallas too (this was before they left).  anyway- we were all going to meet on saturday.  so we decided to get a hotel in downtown dallas and have fun with the kids friday night.  cuz hotel are the 'greatest place ever mom and dad!'  here is a picture of sweet jellybean on the way to dallas- the others were sleeping...and i have to say, this is one of her best picture.  she isnt squinting in anticipation of the flash!  i LOVE her!

then, when at a hotel one MUST swim in the pool.  we were at the Sheraton, and this pool was on the 4th floor.  that was cool. here they are!
if you count 9 windows up.... that is our room there on the corner.  it was really nice and awesome.  this was z's view.  he chilled on the cabana bed....
see......
i love that i caught this mid throw!  she thought it was the coolest thing ever to be tossed like this.  chunk.... not so much....
i did get in for a bit...... but monkey likes his dad more right now.  i put him in time-out more..... his dad works and therefore timeouts are done more by me...

that night we went to Mid-Evil Times.  and they LOVED it!!!!  it was sooooooo awesome and fun!  but i totally forgot to take the camera in- so all the pictures are on the phone.  and i am waiting for the phones owner *cough-joe-cough* to send them to me like he said........  but lets just say, monkey enjoyed it the most out of everyone.  it was adorable!

anyway- so saturday we met Brent and Virgina and their little girl Kaylee, and Ghent and Ashely at the Dallas Aquarium.  it was awesome.  (i was going to put their pictures all up and stuff, but i forgot to ask.... so we will add if allowed later).  anyway- here is chunk and jellybean.  they couldnt look at everything fast enough!  we are going to go again next year z will appreciate it then too, monkey even more, and jellybean and chunk can maybe slow down a bit.

the best daddy in the whole world explaining.....
monkeys attempt at a fishie face!  how cute is that?!!?
me....
it was so fun to be able to spend the day with friends!  they kids loved it and the grown-ups loved it too!  i think a repeat is in the works!

now that its september and school has started- its football season.  and in our house- that means more then just college of nfl...... that mean TIGER  football games!!!!!  we are huge fans and are at nearly every game.  here joe decided that we should go out to eat for lunch.  so the 4 of us were eating and i decided to take a picture.... i absolutely love the look of adoration on monkey as he looks at his dad....
how sweet is that?!?!

anyway that night was the first game of the season!

they asked soooooo many question.  it was like they totally forgot everything they ever knew about football!  thats ok.

i think this is a good picture of the 4 of us....
but the weather was PERFECT  for it!  i loved it!  too bad it didnt last!
but i am happy to report that the tigers won that game and has won all games since!  there is a reason we've won state the past 2 years!  =D

well there you go!  the highlights of august!  i will be getting to september soon!
hope you enjoy the novel!   lol

*xoxo*
me