Friends...and a heck of a lot of laughter

I'm pretty sure that having friends in my life makes me a happier person. Yes, I am happy being a mom and a wife too, and cherish like you wouldn't believe my date nights with just Chris and I, but being able to be with other people and have fun and create friendships, to me is awesome. I was watching BYU last night and there was an interview with John Grey, Author of Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus and he talked about that when women get together, the hormone oxytocin is released and it makes women actually feel happier. I believe it. The husbands are fun to hang out with too though. But without other girls in my life I think I would go a little cray cray.

Have you heard the rumor?

Well guess what? It is actually real...I am officially the mother of a teenager. How did this happen you ask? Somebody please tell me.

The day Halee bug was born, I refused to let the nurses keep her in the nurses station so I could sleep. She would remain with me no matter what they said. I may have barely been 20, but nobody was going to talk me into having my baby away from me for more than 5 minutes.

I swear to you, that it seems like a minute ago Halee was just starting Kindergarten. I remember when she started I couldn't bear the thought of having her away at school for full day kindergarten, so I asked the teacher if I could pick her up at lunch and bring her home after. The teacher said okay, but after a few days Halee spread her wings and flew. She asked to stay at school during lunch. I tried!

When Halee hit 8 and it was time to get baptized I now had 4 children and with that comes (at least for me) a more relaxed parenting style. I didn't follow her around anymore and instead of trying to keep her close, I started doing what I knew was important, and pushing her to do hard things.

When Grace was born, Halee was almost 11. I didn't like that she was getting older, but, she was still young, and had many, many more years to grow older. That was two years ago.

The part that really hits home, or should I say a sensitive spot, is that it has been 8 years since she started Kindergarten, and like I said it seems like a minute ago. Guess how many years until she leaves the nest? 5. Yep, you saw it right...5 more measly years. What a beautiful, wonderful child she is to me. Her testimony of the gospel is so real and so big. She may be young, but she is a wise soul. She is learning that she really is capable of doing hard things< I feel truly blessed that even though life is so short and it really does fly by, that I have been chosen to raise these beautiful people to adulthood. My advice to mommies of really little ones? The same advice all the sweet old ladies gave me...enjoy it. It really does go by so fast it's almost like you're watching a movie and you want to hit the pause button, but you can't. I am still learning...and I still have many special little people to raise...I am so thankful for that. Now when they all leave the nest?? Hmmmm...I may be taking up meds by then. Not sure how this little heart will handle it.

Happy 13th my sweet Halee....



Halee had just turned 7 here.

I grew up...

Today Grace and I were talking about when she was born. She loves to hear all about this kind of stuff. I told her how cute she was, and that she cried a lot for the first several hours because she was in a big, new world, and that I cuddled her to make her feel safe. She then pipes in and says "and then do you know what happened? I grew up." I smiled and laughed a little at her cuteness, but also felt a little sting, because she is right. In a few short years she will grow up. For now though, she is little, and I will love every minute of it.

Family Portraits...

Chris was outside this morning taking the trash out when he found a drawing of our family. One of the kids had drawn us on a piece of wood. He came into me and said "I have a problem. Do I really look like that?" I assured him that he doesn't at all resemble stick figures, and that his beard is much hotter in person, and he doesn't look 80 years old. We both got a great laugh. Thanks kids.

Hiding from Mama...

Yes, this would be the feet of my little Scarlett hiding. I am thinking she loves to torture me when she knows I am worried because I cannot find her. Luckily though, this hiding spot wasn't her most clever choice for being invisible.

Football With Papaw...

My parents were here the weekend, and we had such a great time. I absolutely love that my children have wonderful people in their lives. I need more than just myself to teach them and help them to understand important life things. It's great to have parents that love my children and have fun with them too!

The Tale Of A Butterfly

A social butterfly that is. Grace absolutely loves socializing. She is always begging me to have friend's over. Whenever her friends arrive they seems to transform into Princesses within minutes. I love to hear the "click, click, click" of their princess shoes running across my hardwood floors. If I could make this age last forever, I would do it in a hear beat.