My Cup Runneth Over...

I know now is the time to count your many blessings and be grateful for what you have, but when I went to bed the night before Thanksgiving, I just wasn't feeling it. The girls had done nothing but fight all evening, Bode was the fussiest he had ever been, I was up to my eyeballs in sweet potatoes and I was pouting a little bit on the inside that it was not my family's year to join them for Thanksgiving brunch at Little America and instead we were meeting at my in-laws assisted living facility for dinner.
Somehow during the night I had a change of heart. When Bode woke up at 5, instead of thinking about how little sleep I had had I was grateful that it had been five hours since his last feeding instead of the usual 3.5. I looked to my side to find two little girls who had made their way into our bed during the night and instead of cursing the 4 cubic inches of my king size bed that I had been able to claim I was thankful for the opportunity to be their mother. I glanced over at Steve and was filled with gratitude that despite an alarm on it two nights in a row, his CPAP machine was still working so that he could rest. Watching him reminded me of our first Thanksgiving together nine years ago where I watched him with my then 4-year old niece and realized what a perfect fit he was in my life and decided that I wanted to be with him forever. As I tried to drift back off to sleep, I was kicked in the shin by Paige with her solid casted foot and instead of cursing the burden, I was grateful for medical technology that her feet could be fixed and for Shriner's hospital in providing her the best of treatment. It reminded me of my favorite part of the movie Hope Floats when the granddaughter Bernice snuggles up to her crazy Grandmother who simply says, "My cup runneth over". I find myself using that quote so often in my life as I have so much to be grateful for and I truly find my cup "running over".

TAG...I'm it!

This was actually an email and I must admit, I have been tagged before, and I am amused to read them, but I have never actually responded before. But today, the baby is asleep, the hubby is at a football game and the girls are actually getting along, so here goes...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, there is a headstone next to my Grandma Palmer's of a little girl named Brooke Roper, my parents liked it. Also, my dad knew there was no hope of getting a son, therefore Brooke Lynn
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday, Paige told me I was stupid and ugly, a terrible combination!
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Ehhh, not bad!
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Only the three cutest ever!
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Heck ya! I'm a riot!
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? NEVER! :)
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Nope, lost them in eighth grade
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, way too scary
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Do Oreos and milk count? Cracklin Oat Bran, it looks like cat food, but dang good!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Far too lazy
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Getting there from lugging Paige around
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cookie dough or homemade Cherry Vanilla
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Boob size, I'm not a lesbian, just jealous.
15. RED OR PINK? pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I hate the back of my knees.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? This is easy, my mom
18. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Barefoot, I just painted my toenails
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? McDonalds and it is sitting like a rock!
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My daughters calling each other names, so much for getting along
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? periwinkle
24. FAVORITE SMELLS? Anything Bode (except his poop, but even his little breath is cute) and rubbing alcohol
25. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My sister Michelle 26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yep, thanks Manda
27. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Do I have to?
28. Hair Color? Roots or ends?
29. EYE COLOR? Blue
30. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? not anymore, too much work
31. FAVORITE FOOD? Today I am dreaming of Zupas Tomato Basil soup.
32. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, even though they are totally predictable.
33. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The new Tinkerbell, kind of cute
34. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Purple, it barely fits, I should probably take it off, but I refuse to get back into maternity wear!
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? SUMMER, I hate snow!
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Depends on who they are from, if it's my kids I will take whatever I can get!
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Any and all, lately my friend Bethany's Cookie Dough Brownies
38. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Probably no one
39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Everyone I know, after all I never do!
40. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Who has time to read? Stephenie Meyer hasn't written anything new!
41. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? a lot of blue!
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Grey's Anatomy and can I just say...WHAT? I don't get it! He's dead!
43. FAVORITE SOUND? Laughter
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles, especially when my girls sing Octopus' Garden
45. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Germany, although I liked Switzerland better.
46. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? No, when I was pregnant Steve always wanted me to show that when I shook my hips my belly would go the opposite way, but I don't dare try it anymore. I don't want to see what else shakes!
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah
48. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Anyone and everyone, it was actually kind of fun!

Flashback to the Pumpkin Patch

Yes, I realize this posting is nearly a month late.

One Saturday afternoon in October we went over to the pumpkin patch to pick out our jack-o-lanterns. The girls were quick to fine theirs and ran to check out the corn maze. While we were waiting, we ran into some friends from our old ward who have girls the same age as ours. The four girls ran through the corn maze while we chatted. I bet we threatened "just one more time" for at least half an hour and before we knew it, it was dark!

By the way...I don't typically take the girls out looking so lovely. It appears it was a "do it yourself" hair day. Give me a break, I had just had a baby, I was lucky to get my own hair done!

LiTtLe PlAyThInG

I guess this is what happens when you have two big sisters...

You become their living doll!

The End of an Era

I knew when I met him that Steve would be a dedicated, hard-working husband. In our life together he has provided me with everything I could ever want, a beautiful home, 3 amazing children, and a best friend.

Steve's career at G&K Services came 5 years ago as an answer to our prayers. Although the job he had then with Jostens was great, it was requiring us to uproot our family and move out of state with Steve continuing to travel every week. Steve was desperate to find something here in Utah and came across G&K from a referral from our good friends who both worked there. Even though he came home filthy and exhausted, his first week there he was home to see Paige pull herself up for the first time. It was the first "first" Steve had been in town for and it made the career move all worth it! Over the years, Steve was promoted from Route Service Rep to Route Specialist, which really just meant a lot more responsibility with a lot less recognition.

Earlier this fall, just as Steve was nearing the end of his rope, G&K's sales manager approached him encouraging him to leave the service side of things and join his sales team. Steve was apprehensive, but was able to finally turn in his striped shirts and orange truck for a shot at sales. Steve made the change about a month ago and it has been great! He spends a lot more time at home and is so much happier! I am so glad this opportunity came along for him, I know it is a field he will excel in. But most of all, I am so grateful to him for working so hard to provide for us. Your efforts don't go unnoticed, babe...I love you!

Princesses and the Pea

Once again, I have deemed myself officially insane. On top of having a brand new baby and a six year old in half body casts, I committed myself to once again, sewing Halloween costumes. This is a tradition I started when Paige was a baby and every year I end up swearing and crying the night before Halloween and vowing to never sew again! Yet somehow, when the cheesy, cheap looking yet quite expensive costumes come out, I head to JoAnn instead of conforming to the commercialism of Halloween. But this time I mean it...no more!

I had seen the idea of Princess and the Pea years ago in a scrapbook magazine and wanted to copy it forever, but never had a baby small enough to not move so that I could pull off the Pea. This year I thought it would be perfect...Bode made a great Pea and Paige the Princess could hold him in her "chariot". The girls took some talking into, Paige wanted to be the tooth fairy and Claire was dying to be a cat, but no, like an idiot I pushed my idea!! True to years past, I spent all day Thursday making Claire's costume and altering Paige and Bode's to somewhat fit. Why couldn't I have just been happy to let Bode wear his $3 ghost shirt? He looked cuter in it anyway!

We started out with our cousins at the County building and really cleaned up! The kids got so much candy, all without being in the dark and cold. Everyone asked about Paige's legs and she loved the attention! We tried to get her to come up with funny stories about them, but she wanted to be honest and tell them she had club feet. We stopped by to see Grandma Terry and by that time Paige had warmed up to the idea and told everyone there she had either crashed her bike or that karate kid Keaton had karate chopped her legs! By the time we got home, both girls wanted a nap, and poor Bode just wanted food! Steve was really disappointed, he had always wanted to take the kids trick-or-treating and now they were too pooped to go! After a short rest and promises of roasted pumpkin seeds upon their return, the girls loaded up and went on their way. It was really quite nice to stay home and pass out packets of hot chocolate to the kids, enjoying the smell of burning pumpkin from our front porch every time I opened the door.

So...despite the lack of sleep last night due to sugar high, the drama of homemade costumes and the burn of my biceps from lifting that wheelchair and Paige all around town, we had a great Halloween. But really...next year will be a totally different story!