Look at my Flowers

Wow!! Summer has finally arrived. My yard smells heavenly!! My mother-in-law has helped plant roses everywhere in my yard- but only ones with the best smells!! They are beautiful!
This is the front of my house. Any of you that live near me if you want some of this purple flower it spreads like crazy!! Come this fall or next spring take some. If you have a flower bed you just want it to go everywhere in. It is hearty I haven't killed it yet!! And it is really pretty!
Roses! Roses! Beautiful Roses!! I have every color. Red, yellow, pink, orange, purple, and white! Love it!!

What a Stinker!!

Connor had been playing all day outside, with sunscreen on, so I put his hair in a Mohawk. I thought it looked so funny I wanted to take his picture. So I ran and got my camera. As soon as I aimed my camera at him he ran away!!
Can you believe it? He ran and put his head in the corner so I couldn't take his picture! He stood there laughing and every so often would turn around see me with the camera aimed at him and turn back around. So I have about six pictures of him in the corner trying to catch him when he turned!!
What a personality!! I finally caught him but his hair is so light against my wood counter top you couldn't see his hair!! My little stinker he is a joker already!!

When the Cat's Away...

You know I really feel bad for my OVER worked husband. So I thought I would blog a day in the life of Monte at work... He has important meeting with big wigs all day long. Such high stress!! Never sure which lane he should be in to be on the "fast track" for his career!
He started out behind in the game. But he is such a hard worker willing to do what it takes to get ahead!!
But in the end my husband is victorious. And just BLOWS AWAY the competition!!
Honey, thanks for your long hours with your team making sure I get to stay home and change diapers, make lunches, do laundry, clean house (but I digress)!! Thank you for your hard work so I can stay home and PLAY all day!!

My Dad!!

I couldn't let this time of the year pass without thinking of my dad. Sorry girls I was given the best dad there is. He has always stood by me and is proud of me and done everything he can to provide for me.

I love him so much. I am the only daughter in my family so I have him wrapped. I don't mean I HAD him wrapped when I was younger, oh no, I STILL have him wrapped. All I need to say is Daddy and he will do anything in his power to be there for me. For this I am completely grateful for. (I do not use my powers for evil-- okay maybe in my teen years but not now).

Thanks dad for being my hero, my friend, and my biggest supporter! I knew what I wanted in a husband by having watched you!

Lagoon!

Monte and I took the kids to Lagoon a few weeks ago and I haven't had a chance to blog it. The kids keep wanting to see the pictures from then so I am going to blog it now. Thanks to my friend DeDe we didn't have to bring Connor so the kids had a lot of fun and no need for baby stops! Sydney loved the carousel. She and I rode it about 8 times that day. She would pick a different animal each time. This is her first time she has come and really got into it. She loved all the rides. She got the hang of it right away and went from ride to ride.
Kaitlyn did her first roller coaster today! I couldn't believe it when she left to go with her dad and brothers. When she got off she ran over to me and said she was never doing it again. So we went and rode the carousel again!! That made everything better!!
Because we have 2 boys and then 2 girls breaking up and going on rides is easy!! Dad takes boys on rides and then I take girls on rides and then we switch. So it makes for a fun day. Chandler loves the roller coasters, I am amazed how well he rides these rides!!
Britton is all about the big rides. He likes to sit in the front and back for maximum exposure. Here he is humoring his sisters on the train ride. What a good sport!!

We had a really fun day with the kids. We were all tired but had a blast that day!!

Fun Night!

Last night I had a really fun evening. A friend of mine called and invited me to go see LeAnn Rhimes perform downtown. Monte was wonderful and stayed home from mutual to babysit for me. Thanks honey (and thanks Brett for taking on the boys by yourself!)

We had a really fun time. It was a smaller concert and she talked about some of the songs and why she likes them. She has an amazing voice!! Incredible!!

Thanks Jody for thinking of me! I loved it! It was nice to get out and be Kim for the evening!

What Happen??

You know that on the inside I still feel like I am about 22. I mean when I took my 12 year old into a teen store to buy clothes and pulled out my American Express (don't leave home without it!) I felt like, what am I doing being the mother? I should still be young enough my mom is here with me. That is how I feel on the inside!

So the other day I took Chandler (9) on a mile bike ride, he had to do for his Bear Badge. I thought no big deal. I walk 3 miles ALMOST every morning this will be fun and a good time for the two of us to share! I got 4 houses down and could no longer breathe let alone talk with my son!! In fact as we rounded the corner a neighbor family was out for a walk I could only wave to them I was too embarrassed if they heard me wheezing to try and talk to them. By the end of the ride I was on shaky legs and wasn't doing so good.

What happened? What happened to my body that I had that could walk all over BYU's campus and not break a sweat. Where did the girl who did the RB stairs daily go? She is inside me screaming to get out. But she doesn't realize she now has 5 children and is better off in my head!

My Little Girl

I had a moment of pride today -please excuse me. (I have already been called a dork for taking this picture by the way- you know who you are!) I am very proud of my Sydney.

When Sydney was a year old we found out she wasn't hearing what was going on around her because of fluid in her ears. We got her tubes and she started changing and hearing what we were asking of her - but she didn't talk to us.



In the last two years Sydney has gone through quite a bit of speech therapy, trying to get her speech. Now don't get me wrong Sydney is the queen of letting you know what she wants or what she's thinking without ever opening her mouth. Her speech therapist was amazed at this as she would often hand over the reward to Sydney without Sydney having spoke like she was suppose to. We would often hear her therapist exclaim, "Give that back you didn't say what I wanted. I don't know why I gave that to you!"



Syd's speech has improved in the last year or so but she was diagnosed with "selected mutism" a fancy word for Syd only speaks when she wants to and to who she wants to. She is quite capable of going hours without saying a word if she is uncomfortable in the situation! She has done this many times!



But in the last few months she has improved so much. Her primary teacher informed me a couple of weeks ago, she had to tell Sydney to be quiet in class. She gave me a hug as tears formed in my eyes. Never before have I been happy to have a child told she needed to be quiet.



Today was another leap in Syd's development. She gave the scripture in Primary today!! She got up there and in a great big girl voice said the scripture. Way to go Syd. She is wonderful. I also wanted to say thanks to friends and primary teachers who know whats going on and always make a special effort to talk to her and not forget just because she is silent that she is not there!

My Gracie!

I am posting this video of my niece for everyone to see what cute kids are in my family. I am also posting this for my brother who is far from his family right now. I thought he could use a "Gracie Moment".

I love my brother (even if he is the favorite)! He is a great guy who has come a long way!

We love you and our prayers are with you. All will be well soon!

Cute!

I had to put this picture out there. Isn't she adorable!! Man I make cute kids!

Thanks DeDe for the pic!

Please Help Me!!

Okay I am in need of some counsel and advice. I usually keep my blogs pretty upbeat but not this one. I need help! If you do not share my same religion you may not understand my duress but I need help!

Connor is 15 months old. For whatever reason, he is my 5th kid, but I don't know what to do. I can't get anything out of church. Monte is usually pretty busy 2nd and 3rd hour so it is just me and Connor. I feel like I take the Sacrament and spend the rest of the time in the hall. I just want to go home. I have 11 weeks left before he starts nursery. I don't remember ever feeling quite this bad. I was trying to remember the others but I either had a calling that made Monte take the kids at this age or a calling (like library when Britton was this age) whereit didn't matter. I remember wanting my kids to go to nursery but never have I needed my kids to go. I finally have a calling where I can go to all the classes and have a spiritual moment-but NO!

Today I spent the last two hours in the nursery at church that isn't being used right now and I read the Ensign about the Savior. I enjoyed the articles - but I can do that at home. So why not just stay home? What will I miss having Connor yell and scream in my arms or chasing him down the hall? I need help. What should I do?

Sorry if this is so down but I am so tired of hearing nothing in Church!! I got the Sacrament, one testimony, and the opening prayer is Sunday school.

Love ya!