When Did She Grow Up?

Ok so Heston and Gillyin had their rehearsal practice tonight at the Events Center for Christmas Tree Lane. I was busy with appointments this afternoon so Rob took Hes and picked him up for me. (he is always such a HUGE help)... I took Gilly at a quarter after 6 and picked her up when she was done. When she got in the car I asked how it went. She said that it went good. That is the answer I get a lot. So of course I try to get some more info out of her. Her dance class will be dancing with some of the older girls for this recital so I asked who her partner was...she says..."Um..well she didn't tell me her name". OK...so..."how did it go...dancing with the older girls"....her answer..".good". Then she starts to finally tell me about it. If you know Gillyin she is kind of a perfectionist and stresses about things. So this is what she proceeds to tell me...."Mom, this is my last practice before the recital. What if I can't remember my dance?" This is the same girl that has shown me her dance countless times in the kitchen and the living room. I tell her she has nothing to worry about. She says, "Well, I really need to work on my leaps!" "You do?" I ask. "YES" she says back. I say nothing. "Mom...I heard Miss Kim (her dance teacher) talking to the older girls and I think that they have one more practice before the recital. What if they have another practice and my class doesn't?"..."Gillyin, you have nothing to worry about."...She then tells me pretty much every step to her dance and which way she goes when she goes under the bridge...how she holds her partners hand and looks at her at the end and puts her hands behind her back and walks off the stage. I think that she was just reassuring herself that she knew her dance. As I am listening to her I thought to myself...When did my baby girl GROW UP! It really doesn't seem that long ago that she was a tiny little baby. A lot has happened in her 6 1/2 years of life. She has become a big sister to 2 little brothers that drive her crazy pretty much every waking second of her day. She has always been very mature and independent. I think I take advantage of those qualities in her. But I realized driving home that things have gotten so busy that I forget to treasure all the little things that my kids say and do. It really is the little conversations and the little things that go on in our every day lives that I need to remember. It is amazing how much has happened since being blessed with Gillyin and here we are 8 weeks away from having our 4th child. WOW!!! Blessed we truly are...I know there are days that I wonder if I will make it, but I learn so much from my children and am incredibly grateful for their tender presence in our home. Just another thing I need to work on...slowing down enough to remember the little things! Because I know that now she may just be worrying about a dance recital, but before I know it will be driving, boys, college...etc.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to YoU!!!

Today is Rob's 29th birthday!!! Happy day dear. It is crazy to think that this will be the 14th year that I have wished you Happy B-day! A lot has happened since you turned 16. I hope that you have a special day. I am so thankful for you and all that you do for our family. You are the BEST!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Life and the Election

It has been a week or so since I have posted anything so thought I would make the effort tonight. It seems like the days fly by. Always going a million miles an hour. I am not sure how life got so dang busy...I can remember when Rob and I first got married and people would say how wonderful the first years of marriage are and how simple everything is and how they now missed those times...I AM THAT PERSON...I now would be the one telling a newlywed couple that same thing. In fact Rob's little brother just got married in August and I am pretty sure I have told them that. I guess 3 and half kiddos later...WE ARE BUSY! With Gillyin in 1st grade, Heston going to pre-school 4 days a weeks and Fisher being a busy little 2 year old...plus me being pregnant and trying to work and keep up with running kids and picking up kids and laundry and meals and.....I am pretty sure I have made my point! I used to look at my aunt Lenita and wonder how on earth she did ALL that she did...now I have found you just do it and kind of get used to doing it. It is not always easy or fun, but we do it as wife's, mother's and women because I guess that's how we are programed. Maybe..I don't know! I do know that time flys when you are FLYING! And I think some days I am not a very good pilot.


ELECTION story
This past week as we all know was the big election! And I was ready for it to be over. Gillyin came home from school and said that they would be voting at school. I asked her who she was going to vote for and she said Obama. I asked her why. She replied...He is going to give money to the poor people! She had a little friend at school inform her of that. As the whole family was sitting on our bed I explained to her that dad and mom were going to vote for John McCain. I wasn't sure how to explain the reasons why...but I tried. I told her that Obama thought that it was ok for pregnant ladies like me to kill the babies in their tummies. Ok I know... probably not the best choice to tell a 6 year old...and the fact that Heston was on our bed too...ummm...I think I wanted to eat my words...because then the rest of the night that's all Heston talked about. He said..."but he (Obama) lives in a city far away from us so he won't come and kill or baby, right?" I said "yes, but he doesn't kill babies. He just thinks it's ok to have special doctors do it if that's what the lady wants." No matter how many times I explained it to him he still didn't understand it. I thought that would something they would get more than some of the other reasons would be voting for McCain. Anyway...the next night we have the t.v. on so we can see how the election was going and Gillyin would check and see who was winning and would get very discouraged when she saw Obama winning. When they announced Obama's victory she burst into tears. She is very dramatic anyway, but it was a sight! I couldn't help, but chuckle. I told her everything would be ok. She sobbed "but I don't want to be poor". Rob had her told her that Obama was going to take a bunch of money from his work and he might not have a job if Obama won. Again something that a 6 year old probably didn't need to hear. So we had some consoling to do and had to mellow out the whole situation. I told her that she doesn't need to worry about anything...and then Rob said to her very enthusiastically..."We will be fine because we are MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST!...and we will be taken care of!" I had to chuckle at that too. He is an interesting man! Anyway, it was good to realize that even though we weren't happy about the outcome of the election we knew we would be fine because we have the knowledge of a Heavenly Father and Savior that loves us and will take care of us!

Halloween

HaLlOwEeN!

Halloween seemed to last ALL week long...but we got the use out of the costumes for sure. Fisher finally decided it wasn't so bad to wear his monkey costume after all and he ended up not being so scared of every little thing. The Burger King was a hit in the neighborhood...except people were expecting whoppers and fries when they came trick-or-treating to our door. Heston wasn't a huge fan of the whole trick-or-treating thing...he decided it was funner to watch Scooby at aunt Joanna's and uncle Sean's. And Gillyin got quite the loot of candy as Daphnie. All and all it was a successful Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving

PUMPKIN CARVING TIME!!!
Gillyin and I carved this Smiley Traditional pumpkin. I was impressed with those little carving kits. I found that if you follow the directions it works out...how about that!

Heston and Rob Carved this Pirate Skeleton pumpkin! Rob was so proud becuase it was more difficult than mine and Gillyin's....

Grandma hepled Fisher carve his pumpkin. Or I guess Fisher played trucks while Grandma carved his pumpkin. Notice the one he picked...it was a goofy double pumpkin! Leave it to Fisher to be the goofy one! Such a silly boy! Thanks Grandma!