I'm Not a Boy!!!

Being a boy is apparently a very bad thing in our house. I was helping Lexi get dressed this morning in the above outfit when she suddenly burst into tears and cried out at the top of her lungs "That will make me look like a boy!!!" Talk about picky-that shirt has ruffles on it which I calmly tried to explain to her but to no avail. The above picture was taken THREE HOURS LATER!!! That was after she had taken out her piggies as well because I didn't know that they also make you look like a boy. WOW! No more of this llama drama-PLEASE

Winter is NOT over . . . .

This is the scene we woke up to this morning. I couldn't believe my eyes, were almost to June and it is snowing!!!! Talk about crazy weather. Cory came home for the weekend from Driggs and we talked last night about all the fun stuff we were going to do with the kids. Most of the ideas we had involved being outside, just not in the snow. We changed our plans to the max but still had a fun Saturday. My children were ecstatic about playing in the snow. They stayed outside in it until they were soaked inside and out! Sledding and trying to build a snow castle seemed to be the major hits. I on the other hand had cleaned out the fireplace and washed off the inset rocks to be ready for summer weather, boy was I wrong. It is almost midnight and it is 23 degrees! Winter is defiantly not over. . . . . the forecast for the next few days is cold and snowy. I sure hope the weather man is wrong on this account.

Fun VACATE!!!

Okay these pictures are soooooo out of order it isn't funny. I'm trying to multitask and it isn't working to my advantage this time. Here are tons of pictures from our fun trip we took to Pocatello and to Utah. We went to see family both places and made many fun memories, I just can't put up all the pictures I want too!

We traveled to Pocatello to see Aunt Angie and take our dog Fudge to her. We stayed there for a night and the girls got to play with cousin Abbie. They enjoyed the things they don't get to do at our house; like swing on the swing set. And playing with new toys.

Then next day we finished our journey to Utah to visit my little sister. (Sorry Sar you still get to be little :D ) Her three kids and my three kids played SO HARD they tuckered themselves out by the third day. We enjoyed a little R and R that day while they all slept!! Sadie was so stoked about going to the dinosaur museum, again, but I think all the kids enjoyed it immensely.
They played dress up, colored, did puzzles and then on the last day we decorated some foam visors which were a huge hit for all the kids! (Even Nathan) Playing chefs, and going outside on the play house were a must as well. We always enjoy our time spent with family.

Play, Play, Play the day away!!!

End of April

I have a little catching up to do in the next few days so bear with me please. In the last part of April two things stick out in my mind. The first is that Cory is working on an elk fence project in Driggs, ID so he is gone all week long and comes home on the weekends. When he is home we try to do something fun as a family like going for a picnic, or a drive or just play the day away! Our plan was to do a hot dog roast the last Sunday in April but the weather didn't cooperate, so instead we improvised:

My kids absolutely LOVED flying kites. The wind was perfect and they ran everywhere in the field. Elmo and Barbie did well for dollar kites. Sadie and Lexi have been asking every day since when the next kite day will be.

The second thing about the end of April was Cary and Julee's wedding. It wouldn't have been such a stressful event if I hadn't been making their wedding cake for them. This was only the second wedding cake I have made in my life! Make a theme cake, or a birthday cake sure now problem but a wedding cake that 500 people will take a close gander at . . . . . . AAAHHHHH! I was going crazy! With Cory gone, basically my children went on autopilot for three days for me to make this thing. They went outside a lot and played in the yard with the dogs or stayed in the house grounded from the kitchen where the cake making was taking place. It turned out pretty well for my lack of experience with this sort of thing. I used fondant for the first time and it was fun to learn the tricks to shaping it. I do enjoy cake decorating a lot, it just stresses me out before the final product! Here is how the cake left my house; before the glass temple was put on the top and the flower petals were sprinkled around it:

Surrounded by Paperwork

Okay, I will admit that my one MAJOR fault is. . . . . . . . . .

I AM NOT ORGANIZED!!!

I would really like to be and I try, but it is a weakness. My paper work suffers the most. Our business requires filing and keeping of every piece of paper imaginable but if you want me to actually find it HA. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Okay maybe not that bad because I have a general vicinity of where the paper may be if you need it.

So I got a notice from the IRS last week stating that they never received my 3rd Quarter tax report from 2008. Are you kidding me? You are just figuring this out now? Like I remember if I filed that report or not! All my tax stuff and papers from 2008 are in a manila envelope marked 2008. It would take me hours to search through it and find all the right reports.

I finally decided enough was enough. I bought a second filing cabinet and have spent the last three days organizing all my files and paperwork. What a joke! Separating all the different pikes of categories I needed I realized, I was surrounded in my paper work. I did this to myself so I have nobody to blame, but I kept my sanity long enough to get things in order. I'm very proud of myself to finish organizing something. I eventually found my quarterly report for the IRS and sent them a copy of the one I already sent them, thank goodness. But my goal is to now not ever let my paper work get the best of me like that. At least now my files are nice and neat. Whew!

That Song In My Head

After the kids were put in bed tonight, Cory and I were enjoying our time just sitting in our chairs watching a little TV when we suddenly hear a thud, thud, thud from the girls' bedroom. Cory got up, ready to pounce our children for the third time becuase they apparently didn't feel like it was time for bed yet. He entered the girls' room to find Lexi sound asleep and Sadie bee-bopping on her bed. When asked what she was bee-bopping for, she replied "I have a Chucky Cheese song in my head that I like and I can't get it out!" Hee, Hee! What a kid!

April Fools'

How's this for April Fools' Day? My kids were soooo excited that they stayed outside for two hours!!!! Sadie was turning cartwheels in the snow she was so happy. We retreated finally to the house for some hot chocolate and marshmallows. What a fun day!!!!!

Blessings in Disguise

It has been said that the mother of the household sets the tone of the rest of the house. With that being said, I was having a particularly hard day a week ago or so and was having difficulty putting it behind me so I could be a happy mom that day. It was a day that I didn't get in the shower until 1 p.m. because of business demands, crying and tantrum children, etc. So as I was in the shower, contemplating how I was going to snap out of this mood and get happier when I heard the door to my bathroom open. I just sighed, asked Lexi what she was doing. Nobody answered me so I hurried to finish my shower and go check on the girls, who were supposed to be coloring at the table. I came out of the shower and there on the counter were two folded pieces of paper. I opened them to see Sadie had helped Lexi draw and color a heart on the paper for me. The other piece of paper Sadie had colored a heart with my favorite color and tried to spell out I love you on the paper. I just stood there as the tears started to fall and I realized I have much to be happy about , which two of those reasons just did the most thoughtful thing for me. When I later asked Sadie why she did that for me she said "I just thought you needed a picture to show you I love you." What a blessing she is for me!

What a weekend!!!

Last weekend was really crazy around here. I somehow got asked to help with the Super Saturday crafts from my friend Aubree. We did some cute simple crafts but it still takes lots of effort and time to get everything ready as many of you probably know. We took a trip to Idaho Falls to go get all the supplies which ended up being an all day trip. We left about 8:30 a.m. and got home about 6 p.m. Four hours of that was driving time but the rest was running around finding everything. Of course getting the right amount of everything is the key here. We had sign up sheets but you just never know who might show up and want to do something so be bought plenty of extras as well. I turned out to be a great day on Saturday. We had a good turn out and sold most of the extras we bought. My kids were neglected all day at the church getting to eat snacks of all kinds and watch movies but they had fun running around the rooms and playing with Aubree's kids. We were the only ones with kids there. My two big girls and little Haylee were SOOOO GOOD though. Haylee was just a happy baby all day even when I thought she should be getting hungry, she never screamed or cried too much all day. Sadie and Lexi played and had a few moments of disgruntlement but all in all they did pretty well. And it was another long day too, we were at the church from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ( 6 must be the magic number to get home by). Now I just have to have a day at my house to do my Super Saturday crafts, I was helping people or cutting things out with my Cricut that day!

On last Sunday we finally blessed Haylee. We had plenty of family come and friends that traveled too. I have never seen a bigger circle around an infant, and they were all family. We even had a few family members missing because of being sick. But we had a great time visiting with everyone afterwards and having a nice lunch. I love the fact that we can use the church for having those kinds of gatherings, there is only one ward here so it works out rather well considering our house wouldn't fit everyone anyway. Here are the best pictures from the day. Again my camera needs to be fixed or broken so I can get another one-the pictures are dark again. We took LOTS of pictures to get some good ones but you know how it is to try to get some with kids-they don't always turn out!!!

Below: The five birds in the Bird's Nest!

Below: Engberson four generation picture.

L to R- Cory, Grandma Engberson, Jan, Haylee

Below: Bird four generation picture

L to R-Kurt, Cory and Haylee, Grandma Bird, Grandpa Bird

Red or Pink?

I finally had a somewhat warmer day to get our bully barn painted! I have been waiting for a day when it got warmer than 35 degrees by 10 a.m. this last two weeks and it eventually came! Last Tuesday and Thursday I taped up the windows and doors to go out in the wind for a wet look :) It took me two days to finish it and the help of dear Susan who came the second day to make it go TONS faster! Cory thinks it looks pink, I might need a second coat to make it darker red, but I think it still looks red. Some agree with Cory and some agree with me. Tell me what you think! The sun makes it look a lighter color, so I can't decide. The name of this paint is High Drama, the perfect name for Cory's "Man Cave" as he calls it and Sadie's "Playhouse" as she calls it. We'll see who prevails on that account later when it gets finished (I'm not holding my breath for that one).

Why we aren't in potty training . . . .

Update

I took some more pics of Haylee and they turned out pretty cute. I like this one because she looks like she is waving!





We went to a garage sale of some neighbors and got some really cool stuff. Cory sometimes has to push the girls on the battery operated 4-wheeler so he used a board so he didnt' have to bend down to there level. Our dog Tuff likes to chase them on it and they think it's great!

I have never had the lovely experience of dealing with thrush before so I guess now I get to. I noticed a red, spotty rash on myself that was particularly painful the other day and decided to call the doctor. It was decided that I had thrush or an bacterial infection. Without seeing me they wouldn't get a prescription for me without determining which one. I called my sister Sarah and she was a major help in helping me determine that if Haylee had patches in her mouth, it was thrush. I checked Haylee on Thursday and she didn't have anything. I checked again on Friday and nothing so I was thinking I should just call and get the prescription for the infection bu the day was so crazy I didn't get it done. So Saturday morning I was in such excruciating pain I new I couldn't wait until Monday. I checked Haylee's mouth one more time and there were little white patches in both her little cheeks. I noticed at our three am feeding that morning she wouldn't eat much and should have thought to check her then, but at least we figured it out. I got a prescription called in for me but had to call a family doctor for Haylee. The one in Salmon is closed on Saturday and would have had to pay an emergency visit fee, even though the doctor there just saw Haylee on Monday for a checkup. I wasn't thrilled to realize if I wanted to get Haylee her medicine, we would have to go to Idaho Falls and see another doctor to get the meds she needed. Thus went our Saturday, a fast trip to the doctor and then to Walmart to pick up both of our medicine. I was so annoyed but I guess that is a price we pay for living out in the wilderness! Needless to say, we both are doing better now and the pain in bearable now.

Sadie is so jealous of everyone in school. Leadore started school Tuesday this week, but the pre-school doesn't start until next week. She is way excited for another year of pre-school and can't wait to get her back pack ready to go. She still is my helper, just in the fact that she keep herself occupied with things to go while I feed Haylee. I love that fact that she can entertain herself with her toys, a box or anything available.

Lexi still is loving her little sister. She mauls her about every hour. I have to put Haylee in the pack and play to sleep or sometimes just for a break from her big sister! Lexi has now figures out that she can climb up the steps to Sadie's bunk. I have to keep it blocked off during the day so she doesn't get up there and fall off! Last night however, I went in the girls' room to check on them after feeding Haylee to discover Lexi had climbed up again onto Sadie's bunk and they were both asleep up there. I asked Cory to beef up the boards on the sides so we have nobody falling down in the middle of the night. We shall see if that keeps me from worrying.

Haylee is growing like a weed and doing pretty good. I just wish she would get her nights and days switched back already! She sleeps so sound during the day and a lot of the day. Nights she is content to let you hold her and talk to her. If any of you have any great ideas on how to help this process, I'm all ears.

Cory is working diligently on the bully barn between helping his Dad and brothers on the ranch. He has a couple jobs lined up for the next few weeks so that will keep him busy. He is great to check on me during the day and see if I need help. I had to have him rescue me yesterday for a while and take the two older kids outside with him. I was loosing patience with the three demanding my attention all at once. But he is great to help out.

I am doing well, and getting it all together. I am figuring out how to spread my time between three kids and keep up my chores as well. Some moments I have to just breathe and tell myself to get through the next hour before I scream, but most days are great. We take walks or go outside and play. I just have to remember that I don't have to do it all, all the time. It's okay to not have all the toys picked up, or a throw in a frozen pizza for dinner, or just to play with my kids and let everything else go for a while. I'm definitely not perfect, which is okay.

Yea, I'm that bad-

I really have gotten in a bad habit of not getting my pictures on the computer and posting them. You all know that since the last post I had was two months ago or more. But I'm on track and I will be doing some back dating so bear with me as new posts from May and June appear as well as the current ones. I'm sorry for the lack of communication and ask forgiveness to all those I have not kept updated.
Today was a typical Sunday. We all get up and I work on breakfast/kid occupying while Cory gets ready for church and leaves the house by 8:30 a.m. Then I get the kids ready and put them in front of the TV watching a Living Scriptures movie while I fast and furiously get ready for church. We leave to get to church a little early so I can set up the Nursery for my class and be ready for kids at 10 a.m. I have eight kids in my Nursery and usually have a helper there but not always. Then I wrestle two girls who try to get candy out of Grandpa, Grandma and two uncles during sacrament meeting while Cory sits up in his appointed chair for his calling as Ward Clerk. By the time church is over I am beat, being 36 weeks pregnant does not help either. However today I had to be so grateful for my Sadie and her take on life. She is so smart and has such a sense of humor that gets me through these long days.
We were all outside this afternoon playing in the rock pile out by our house. Cory and I have resorted to spelling words we don't want Sadie to hear (I'm sure you have all done that). We were trying to decide what to do the rest of the afternoon and Cory said "Let's go for a D-R-I-V-E" Sadie pipes up casually "Yea, let's go for a ride." So then Cory said to me "Should we go to K-U-R-T and J-A-N?" Thinking he was outsmarting his daughter who had probably heard grandma and grandpa spelled out numerous times, little did he know that he was outsmarted anyway when Sadie replied "That spells Grandma and Grandpa's right daddy?" I couldn't keep from laughing when the shock registered on Cory's face of how he didn't fool Sadie at all. Little girls know more than we think!!