Mommy Tag!

1. Typically what time do you wake up? Usually around 7. (Which is normally sleeping in for me, but this last year it has become the norm. This three kid and a dog thing wiped me out!)

2. On a good night what time are your kids in bed? 8:30.

3. How long have you been a mommy? 5 years, 10 months -- my how time flies!

4. How old were you when you became a mommy? 22

5. What is your favorite kids tv show/movie? Favorite?? Too many to name, but I'm really liking the ones on PBS right now: SuperWhy, Curious George, Word World. I love the educational shows! I think they're so cute!

6. What is your least favorite kids tv show? Spongebob Squarepants -- but for some reason, Sydney LOVES Spongebob so I ususally end up hearing it at least once a day...

7. What is your favorite chore? Vaccuming!!! I love the straight lines and the nice clean floors!

8. What is your favorite meal to cook? Biscuits and Gravy.

9. What is the meal you cook most often? Waffles, Eggs and Sausage.

10. What is your kids favorite meal? Besides the above, Oatmeal. We have a thing for breakfast in this house!

11. What is your favorite thing your husband does with your kids? Daddy daughter dates. The girls love knowing that they get one-on-one time with their daddy and that makes me happy!

12.What are 5 things that make you smile when you're being a mom?
1. When I hear them for the first time in the morning! I love when they wake up!
2. Listening to Kylie teach her sisters. Especially about the gospel.
3. Playing with them! They think of the funniest things to do.
4. Watching them color. My girls have always loved to draw and color at a really young age. They are so deliberate in their drawings and concentrate so hard!
5. The things they say! I don't know how they got to be so funny, but they are hilarious! For example yesterday Taylor was rubbing her eyes like she was tired, so I asked her if she was. She so simply, "No. It's just all this staring with no blinking that's making the tears come out of my eyes!" :) How funny is that???

14. When was the last time you went out without your kids? Saturday! We went to General Conference!

15. What is your favorite past time/activity to do with your kids? I love to read to them!

16. Name 1 thing you said you'd never do as a mom: I agree with Alisa on this one, so I think I'll quote her: "Drive a mini-van. Didn't we all say that before having kids?" Well, I gave in to this one and for all you "anti's" out there, give it a try. You'll be grateful! Lots of room and pretty good gas mileage! :)

17. What is your favorite quality that your mom has? Her purity! When I talk about her, I always call her my "Angel Mother!"

18. What is your advice for new moms? Live IN and FOR the moments! And write stuff down! I am developing a horrible memory and wish I had written more down!

19. What is the scariest or most heartbreaking moment as a mom? About three days before giving birth to Sydney, I took Taylor to the Dr. because I was concerned about some symptoms she was having and was told we needed to do some blood work because a three year old who, just weeks before, had the same symptoms and was diagnosed with leukemia. Yes, LEUKEMIA. So of course my world falls apart at that moment and my mind wanders into worse case scenario: How in the world was I supposed to be laboring in the hospital with a brand new baby and enjoying those moments when my other little angel is in the hospital in Salt Lake fighting for her life? That, by far, was my scariest moment as a mother! But how thankful we were when all the tests came back normal!!! I am so thankful for the support group I had during those excruicatingly terrifying days before getting the results back! (Our parents and my dear friend, Wendi!)

20. What is your most joyful moment of being a mom? Living in the moment and enjoying the sense of humor they have all developed.

21. When was the last time you were told 'I Love You' by one of your kids? Actually, just moments ago! Little Syd just said, "Wuv you Mom!" :)

I tag Casie, Brooke, Sherrie and Julie S.!!! Have fun! Any chance us moms get to talk about our kids is a fun one!!!

For my children . . .

Girls,
I love you so much and really just want to share my testimony with you so that one day, when you want to know for yourselves what life really is all about and if it's all true, you can know that I have a testimony of our Savior and His gospel and use that as a building block for your own testimonies.

Daddy and I were able to go to the Conference Center Saturday morning for the Solemn Assembly and sustain Thomas S. Monson as the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He IS the true and living Prophet of the Lord. I know he has been prepared for this time to lead and guide us. Joseph Smith saw God and His son, Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove on that beautiful spring morning when he prayed to know for himself what was really true. In a couple of months we will have the chance to visit Nauvoo and I don't know if you're going to be old enough to remember the spirit you will feel there, but I pray your hearts will be touched and you will always have a testimony of the Prophet Joseph. He and his brother Hyrum are very dear to me and our family -- I hope you will always feel the same and respect them and their lives and sacrifices.

During Conference, I felt the Spirit testify to me about the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that my Savior atoned for me and the mistakes I make every single day as a wife, mother, daugther and friend. How grateful I am to know that He loves me enough to have suffered and sacrificed His life for mine. I know that He was resurrected and that He lives again. He has blessed our lives more than we can ever really know and much more than we can ever give back.

During this session of Conference, I had prayers answered through the voices of His servants. I have a testimony of the sacredness of motherhood. I am eternally grateful that I am a mother and that God has blessed me with three of His most beautiful, choice daughters. I feel so unqualified to be your mother and to teach you the things you need to know. Being a mom is something I have wanted to do since I was a girl and I am so grateful to have been blessed with a calling so sacred and important . . . but it's so hard. There are so many things about being a mom that I don't understand and there are so many things that as a mother I wish I could do over and try again. I hope as you get older you understand that your Dad and I are not perfect, and that we are just trying to humbly do what the Lord wants us to do to raise a righteous family.

I love you girls. You are so good and so pure. Each of you are so different and have such wonderful spirits about you. I look forward to watching each of you grow and build your testimonies.
The Book of Mormon is true. It was written for us to guide us back to our Father in Heaven. Read it often and cherish every moment you spend reading it. The Savior lives and loves us. The Plan of Salvation is real. We can be together forever as a family because of the sacred ordinances of the temple. I love your daddy and am so grateful for him and the priesthood he holds. He his such a sweet, loving, thoughtful man whom I admire and respect. He honors and respects me and will always be the man of my dreams!

Always remember that you are children of a King and that makes you princesses! I love you!
Love,
your Mom

Any New Kids fans out there?

So I just read on Yahoo today that The New Kids on the Block are reuniting and going on tour. I admit, I was a New Kids fan back in the day. . . and I can still sing "Hangin' Tough" . . . but I don't know how I feel about this. Mostly, I think it's kinda funny that they're going to do this and even more funny that they are probably going to make millions . . . what do you think?? Here's the link to the story in case any of you die hard fans want to check it out!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080403/ap_en_mu/new_kids