Lucky Number Seven

Baby Blessings

2011-07-22T17:57:00.000-06:00

Couldn't have shared this day with anyone better.

Pictures and More Pictures

2011-07-22T17:48:00.003-06:00

Feeling Fat

2011-04-30T12:12:00.004-06:00

After I had Emma,I didn't want to go into my thirties overweight. So, I busted my butt and lost 50 lbs. after I had her. I worked out Mon.-Sat. and was very strict on what I ate. I didn't want anymore babies because I knew I would gain weight again.

Well, surprise, surprise...I got pregnant again.

Now I have to start all over. I feel like a cow compared to all the skinny ladies in my ward. They have babies and one month later, I swear, they are back in their size 2 jeans. It makes me sick. I hate them all ;)!

Easter

2011-04-25T11:52:00.005-06:00

At Home With A New Baby

2011-04-25T11:49:00.001-06:00

Delilah Rhea Porter

2011-04-25T11:19:00.002-06:00

Delilah came into the world On February 18, 2011 at 5:02 p.m. She weighed 8lbs and was 19 in. long. Her story is an incredible one.

Normally I have to be induced. I was for all of the other ones so we scheduled an induction for the 19th. Around 3a.m. I started have regular contractions, about 5 minutes apart. I called the doctor on call because I have never went into labor on my own and we were going to the hospital at 7am anyway. So I called and told the doctor what was happening and asked should I come into the hospital since I was going to be there at 7? He started to laugh and said YES I should come in. We got there and they were busy. They said they would check me, but might have to send me home. Now let me preface this by saying that a week before, I went to my OB and everything was fine. I had been sick for 3 weeks so I thought that was all that was wrong. Okay, so they checked me and my blood pressure was really high and I had protein in my urine. I had pre-eclampsia. It was unusual because normally you have it with your first baby nor your fifth. They admitted me right away. I didn't have to have pitocin because I was doing it all on my own(for the first time). They put me on magnesium sulfate which is terrible. It makes you hot and feel like crap, but I was progressing. Then all of a sudden, every time I would contract, the baby's heart beat would drop and they didn't like it. They asked me to try to push to see what would happen...the same thing would. Dr. Curtis came in and did a check and instead of the baby being face down, she was face up, so he tried to turn her. That was so painful. She wouldn't turn and her heart beat kept dropping. It was decided then that I would have a c-section. My first one. Can you believe that? So they prep me and Nate was there in his little get up. I was out of it because of the magnesium. She comes out and there is a figure 8 knot in the umbilical chord which explains the heart beat dropping.

They started sewing me up and I could feel it. It was burning really bad so the anethstesiologist gave me a whole lot of narcotics. Can I tell you I love narcotics?

I had to stay in the hospital for 3 days. They wanted to make sure my blood pressure would go down. For a while, they thought I would have to have a blood transfusion. Thankfully that didn't have to happen. My blood pressure is still kind of high for me. I need to lose the weight I gained and it should be okay. Here are some more pics of that day.

Christmas

2011-04-25T11:03:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. We were able to save some money and get the kids some presents. My good friend Jenn decided that she would get some angels together and provide our kids with Christmas. I will tell you that Heavenly Father puts people in our lives for a reason. Anyway, the kids got clothes, shoes, toys and games. We were also given movie tickets and snacks and a sitting for family photos. We have been really blessed and appreciate all that has been done for our family.

These are only a few things they received. They are some pretty lucky kiddos.

Angels

2010-10-10T19:19:00.002-06:00

This is a post for all of the angels in our lives, for there are many. I don't know all of their names but I do know some. Kristina and Cam Carter, Kristina's mom, Cheryl and Bill Porter, a girl from Mississippi who I do not know,Brooke, my family and all who have done things for us anonymously . I want to say how grateful we are for your love and support through this bump in the road we call our lives. I have never felt so cared for especially from people who are not our family. I know Heavenly Father has a plan, and lucky for us you have become part of that plan. We love you very much. Thanks!!!!

How much more?

2010-09-11T15:39:00.002-06:00

Nate has lost his job in Oct. of last year and he applies to at least 3 jobs a day, so it's not like there isn't any jobs out there. They are just not hiring my husband. Is this the life that we are meant to have? We cannot take care of our kids and we are having another one. How depressing to know that your kids need jeans and you have no money to even go to the D.I. to get any. We decided that if we wanted Heavenly Father's blessings, we needed to do our part. We started paying tithing again(which is very hard to do when you have no money). We started praying and reading scriptures as a family more, making it more of a habit, having family home evening...etc. So far, what I'm looking at is we are still where we were months ago and having to consider renting our home(if someone will rent it, we can't even sell our treadmill, so to get someone to rent...I don't know)and live with hopefully Nate's family. This is not where I saw our lives. Do you know how much it hurts when your kids want to do something and you can't or when you go to the check out to pay for a $4 item and your debit card is declined? It sucks. I'm trying to stay positive, but week after week after month after month it starts to wear on you. Poor Nate thinks he's not good enough but the kicker is if he was given the chance, no one would work harder or do a better job.

Having A Bad Day...Week

2010-08-22T14:51:00.002-06:00

I'm really struggling today, more like this whole week. I've been pretty good at being positive. Things aren't ideal but they are working. Then, out of the blue, the crap hits the fan. How much can one person take. I know that Heavenly Father doesn't give us more than we can handle but I am at the breaking point. Sarah's birthday is coming up, we will need winter clothes for the kids and then there is Christmas, which is supposed to be a happy time of year. But at this moment, it won't be. We have no money at all. How can I wake up Christmas morning and see my kids faces when they realize there is nothing under the tree. I try to have faith. I try to believe things are gonna get better but i have been thinking this was since Oct. 2009 and things are not better. We are at a stand still. What am I to do? I feel myself being upset at Nate. Wondering why he can't take care of us. I know it's not his fault and that it is satan. I have so much stress on me that it is taking it's toll. We have another baby on the way and we can't even buy the baby diapers. Sorry this is so depressing. It is one of those days. It will be better tomorrow. I just needed to wallow for a bit.

Change Happens

2010-08-08T20:19:00.002-06:00

Life is all about change. The change may be bad, and it may be good. Either way, you go through change in your life. It is how we deal with change that matters. I have definitely learned this to be true. A lot of change has happened to our family. I will start at the beginning. Nate got laid off, I got a job. I got fired, Nate got hired. He is making half of what he was so now we have a home modification, creditors calling us, monetary assistance for our house payment, food stamps because we can't afford to eat, doing odd jobs just so we can get our kids clothes and on top of all of this, Heavenly Father thought it would be funny to see how we would handle having another baby. He does have a since of humor.
I have always been the type of girl that likes to have a plan a,b,c for when things go wrong. I like to see an end result and think I can make things happen. I have been humbled I can tell you that. I have not relied on my Heavenly Father like I should have. I have been prideful.
You would not think all of this would be a blessing, but it really has been. Things are not ideal right now or what I think ideal should be, but we have been taken care of. We have been able to feed out children and stay in our home. We have become closer as a family and I have learned AGAIN that I cannot do things on my own. Nate has a job, I am able to get Medicaid for me and the kids. We will have another precious baby to call our own. We are all healthy. So yeah things pretty much suck on the worldly side, but on the side that counts, the spiritual side, we are very prosperous at the moment. And I plan on keeping it that way.
I have very wonderful friends and family and am so grateful for that. Kristina Carter's mom is even concerned about me and I have only met her one time. In that one time I could tell what a wonderful lady she was. So this post is partly for her to let her know things are going great, and partly for me to write it down and say everything will be fine.

THANKS

2010-01-12T01:06:00.002-07:00

I just wanted to let our families and our friends know that we appreciate all of their support and love. It's wonderful to have people around you that love you for you and don't judge you. So here's a big THANKS!!!!

CHANGES

2009-12-27T10:23:00.002-07:00

A lot has happened this past year. A lot of changes. We were inactive for about 3 months, Nate lost his job, we had some marital issues and I got a full time job. The kids have had to do a lot of adjusting. And if I do say so myself,they have done a great job. Our family is stronger than ever and I have to say it is because of our trials this past year. Our families have been wonderful and we love them very much. We have the greatest friends anyone could ask for. Heavenly Father has truly blessed us. We may not have money right now but what we do have out weighs that ten fold. So here is to a better year, may Nate get a job....please.

Church

2009-09-20T11:44:00.000-06:00

I think I'm inactive.

Long Time

2009-09-06T14:37:00.003-06:00

It's been a long time since i wrote. A lot has happened.We still can't pay for our house. But surprisingly, I'm not as bummed as before. Nate has been looking for jobs, and I found a job. I work at Gardner Village, in a boutique called Bewitched. It has everything you need to be a witch and tons of fun stuff for kids. I really like it and I like the people I work with and work for. I would be bummed about not being able to pay for the house if we hadn't been trying everything we could. So now, we are going to try to sell it. Marlene(I'd like to call her my best friend) is going to do that for us. I appreciate all that she and her husband Russell has done for us. Another one of my friends, Kristina has done a lot for me. She has offered support,comforting words and even to watch my kids while I am at work.If you know my kids, that makes her a saint. She is going through a trying time right now and I hope I can be half the friend that she has been to me. I have two other friends that has been there for me too, Lally and Cammie. I have the greatest group of girls and I love them. I couldn't make it through all the crap that I have been going through without them. So here is a shout out to all my sistas.I love you girls.

who wants to be debbie downer?

2009-08-17T21:58:00.003-06:00

My last 2 posts have been such downers. I'm tired of worrying about things I can't control. I have spent countless hours laying in bed not being able to get up or take a shower or cook dinner. Those hours have been wasted. I want to say right here right now, NO MORE!!! I want to be a tigger.I want to be the girl I used to be,that confident girl that could do anything she set her mind too. I have lost her over the years. Wound up on anti depressants. I say screw that girl and reclaim my life. So here's to all the eeyores,LET'S BE TIGGERS!!!

If you thought things couldn't get worse...

2009-07-10T12:19:00.003-06:00

We found out that Nate's work laid off all except for Nate and another guy. His hours have been cut and we are way short now. I'm afraid we are going to lose our home. We have no idea what to do. Emma has to have $1000 worth of dental work, the kids need uniforms for school and clothes period. Things are really bad now. I have to thank Heavenly Father that Nate still has a job. I feel really bad for the guys that lost theirs. I am looking for a job now. I haven't worked in 10 years. This is gonna be challenging. I have no education and no experience. But I know there is a plan(there has to be right). Heavenly Father doesn't give us more than we can handle. There is a solution we just have to be in tune to the spirit to find it.

Despair

2009-07-08T19:42:00.000-06:00

What do you do when you are in so much debt that if your kid needs to go the doctor,dentist,or needs clothes you are screwed? I don't know how we got here. We have totally screwed ourselves. We have no one to blame but us. I am a horrible mother for thinking about the now instead of the future. I really don't know what we are gonna do. Today was so bad that I fell on the floor begging Heavenly Father to forgive my bad judgements and please help our family. I feel despair and hopelessness. I pray with all my might that my children will be taken care of.

Hair

2009-07-01T15:15:00.000-06:00

I have had alot of hairstyles over the years.>
It just keeps getting shorter. The only thing left is to shave it off. Since that isn't an option I think I will grow it out now.

Noah's Birthday

2009-07-01T15:11:00.000-06:00

Noah had his birthday party at the pool and then we came home and had pizza and cake and icecream. I made his cake like a skate ramp. He is now a big 8 year old.

Ragnar

2009-07-01T15:04:00.000-06:00

I ran my first Ragnar Relay and I loved it. I want to thank Nate for putting up with my whining and complaining during training. I am so proud of myself for doing it. I feel like I accomplished something great. Back in March, I couldn't run 1 mile much less 13 and that is exactly what I did. My goal for next year is to run one of the harder legs. My friend Marlene is wanting me to run a half marathon in August so guess what I am doing? Training for that. Here are some pics of the race.

Mill B

2009-06-12T07:42:00.000-06:00

The girls and I went up Big Cottonwood Canyon with my friend Cammy and her 2 boys. We had a good time. The weather was great. It has been weird here. Normally it is really hot by now. It has been in the high 60's low 70's. It has been raining alot. We actually had some hail and snow the other day. I'm not complaining at all. It's nice to be outside when the weather is like this. Anyway, we went on a little walk and here are some pics.

Park

2009-06-12T07:37:00.000-06:00

Daybreak has this amazing park. However, it is on the other side of Daybreak where all the cool stuff is which sucks! Anyway the kids love going there and I quite enjoy it .

Emma's birthday

2009-06-12T07:33:00.000-06:00

Emma's birthday was in April. I finally got my pictures downloaded. She wanted a Tinkerbell birthday so that is what we gave her.
There was alot of people there. She had a great time.

Skulls

2009-06-12T07:31:00.000-06:00

I have finally been able to find a skull background for my blog. I love skulls. I have alot of stuff with skulls on it. I don't know what it is. I think they're pretty cool.

Updating

2009-06-04T11:52:00.000-06:00

I really need to update my blog. Not alot going on. School is winding down. The kids will be home all summer this time. They will finally be going to a traditional school. Yipee!!! Nate's working hard as ever. I am still training for my race. It is in 2 weeks. I feel a little unprepared. I was not anticipating how hard it would be. I'm not a quitter but if I was... Just recently, when I run, my right knee gets so stiff I can barely bend it. Now that's after my first run. I have to run 2 more times after that. How on earth am I going to do it. I have 11 other girls that are depending on me. I am just gonna have to grin and bare it. Maybe walk it. I don't know. If I'm gonna try to run outside and see if that helps.

Louisa Eunice Porter 1925-2009

2009-05-14T08:17:00.000-06:00

There was never a better woman on the face or the Earth. She loved the gospel,her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Even though I married into the family, I have always felt like I was her grandchild. She taught me how important tradition is and what the most important thing in life is...FAMILY. So we love you grandma and will miss you very much.

Family

2009-05-04T09:41:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday my grandpa died. He was 90 years old. My mom and I flew to Mississippi Saturday to be with him and to be there for the funeral. It was the first time in a long time that I have seen most of my mom's side of the family. Here are some pics.
Starting in the back: Debbie, Cindy. Next row: Karen, Gina and Melinda. Front row: me, Kayla, Courtney and Erica
This is my Aunt Becky. We share the same birthday.
My Aunt Becky and Uncle Johnnie
Me and My mom
My cousin Michelle and her husband Anthony and son Robbie
My cousin Ashley, her husband Scooter and sons, Josh, Corey and Chris
My cousin Dennis, his wife Julie and their kids,DJ and Mikella
Me and my cousin Greg

This is not all of my family. There is 7 brothers and 2 sisters. And pretty much all of their families were there. It was nice to be surrounded by family at that time. I will try to find a pic of my grandpa and get it on here soon.

Yea Emma

2009-04-14T21:24:00.000-06:00

With all of my kids, I didn't force the potty training issue. I let them wear pull ups until they turned three. When their birthday rolled around, it was panty or underwear time. It worked pretty well with the oldest 3. Even before they turned 3 they would at least sit on the toilet. My youngest,Emma,hasn't wanted anything to do with it. She wouldn't even sit on the potty. Well, her birthday is coming up so we decided to start telling her "When you are three, no more pull ups. You get to wear big girl panties." So Saturday we took her to the store and she got to pick out her panties. She has been carrying them around with her everywhere. And guess what, Monday she started using the potty!! Only 2 accidents in 2 days. Sheis no longer my baby.

Easter Party

2009-04-13T13:34:00.000-06:00

This year we went to Nate's sister's house for Easter. We always have so much fun when we are there. Here are some pics of all of us having a great time.

Easter Morning

2009-04-13T13:28:00.001-06:00

Nate's family has a tradition of hiding the kids' Easter baskets and having them find them. So Nate and I have continued that tradition. Here are some pics of the kids after they found them.Sarah was happy as you can tell.

Easter Outfits

2009-04-13T13:15:00.000-06:00

I decided this year I would make the girl's Easter dresses. I don't know what came over me. I figured I could get better fabric and make it for less than I could buy it. I have only sewn once and that was a disaster. This great idea is coming from a girl who in seventh grade failed Home Ec. So I bought the patterns and fabric, cut out the material, and set out on my sewing quest and this is the results.

Noah was "sad" that I didn't sew something for him,so we went to Target and purchased his attire.
I think my kids are adorable.

Park

2009-04-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pics of the kids at the new park that opened up in Daybreak. We had a good time. We were there for about 2 hours. It seemed like the time flew by.

Body Image.

2009-04-06T14:17:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading Dawn's blog and it has given me a light bulb moment(Oprah). How many times have I compared myself to others or thought I wasn't good enough? The answer to that is countless. I used to not be this way.I used to be a very confident person. When did I start to determine my self worth on how many miles I could run or how tight my jeans fit? I have been consumed with my body image. I have comitted to running the Wasatch Back because I didn't want my friend Marlene to think I was a wimp. Who am I kidding, I am. I hate to run. It is the most unenjoyable thing on the planet to me. But what do I find myself doing? I find myself buying running shoes and running on the treadmill for what seems like hours all because of image. I have committed to doing the race but when it is all said and done I will not do that again. I have to realize that I am fine the way that I am. I do want to be fit and healthy but I don't want it to consume me to the point where that is all I'm thinking about. I have stretch marks and cellulite!!! I say it loud and I say it proud!!!

General Conference

2009-04-05T00:14:00.000-06:00

I have struggled with my faith alot over the past few years. I always feel like I'm hanging on by a thread. Watching the Sarurday sessions, has given me alot to think about. For the first time in a while, I have hope. I love this gospel and am very greatful for a loving and understanding Heavenly Father. I am greatful for the atonement and how it has helped me in my life. I am greatful for a wonderful supportive husband and children. I am also greatful for the opportunity I have to prove myself worthy to my Heavenly Father. I pray that He will say to me," Thou good and faithful servant." I know the church to be true. I know it and I know God knows it and I cannot deny it.

Daddy Daughter DInner and Dance.

2009-04-02T10:00:00.000-06:00

For an activity day's activity the girls had a 50's themed dance. They all got dressed up. Hannah wore a poodle skirt and Nate was a greaser. They looked great. Here are the pics from the dance.

Smarty Hannah Banana

2009-03-31T16:02:00.001-06:00

Here is Hannah at her science fair. She did her project on Do crystals form better in warmer climates than cold ones? She did a really great job and Nate and I are very proud of her. Here are some pics.

Dwight Schrute Quotes

2009-03-16T10:11:00.000-06:00

"I don';t have a lot of experience with vampires, but I have hunted werewolves. I shot one once, but by the time I got to it, it had turned back into my neighbor';s dog."
"I am faster than 80% of all snakes"
"Why tip someone for a job I'm capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones."
"If I could menstruate, I wouldn’t have to deal with idiotic calendars anymore. I’d just be able to count down from my previous cycle. Plus, I’d be more in tune with the moon and the tides."
"In the wild, there is no health care. In the wild, health care is, 'Ow, I hurt my leg. I can't run. A lion eats me. I'm dead.' Well, I'm not dead. I'm the lion. You're dead."
"Through concentration, I can raise and lower my cholesterol at will"
"I was the youngest pilot in Pan Am history. When I was four, the pilot let me ride in the cockpit and fly the plane with him. And I was four, and I was great and I would have landed it, but my dad wanted us to go back to our seats."
"I've trained my major blood vessels to retract into my body on command"

I love The Office. It is the funniest show. And if you can't tell, my fav. is Dwight. If you have never seen an episode, it is never too late. I recommend to start now.

TRAINING

2009-03-09T22:04:00.000-06:00

I have never been very keen on exercise. Growing up, I was a cheerleader and in the band. Now when I say cheerleader, it's not the ones that turn flips and all of that crap. I did basic stuff like kicking my leg up and those gosh awful cheers. I maintained my weight until I got prego. In the south when girls get pregnant, they get really fat and they EAT for two. Here in Utah, that rarely is seen. All these girls here gain 25-30 lbs and when they leave the hospital they leave in their biggest size jeans...4. It makes me want to puke. I say give them a ding dong or a ho ho. Anyway I digress. I,being from the south, ate for two. And, when it was over I weighed the amount of 2. I thought in a couple of weeks it will fall off. Boy was I wrong. Finally after 4 kids, I got tired of looking the way I did. When I was younger, I was the hot one. I had to get that back. After I had Emma, I did The Firm. I was on a strict diet, and I mean strict. I exercised everyday and it began to come off slowly but surely. It took me 1 year. I was so proud of what I had accomplished. I did not want to go into my 30's overweight. After I lossed the weight, I kinda slacked a bit. Now thanks to my good friend Marlene, I am training for the Wasatch Back. 2 months ago I couldn't run 1 mile much less 5 and that is where I am now. I am at my 5 mile mark. I am very proud of myself and cannot wait to do the race. I am also doing P90X. If you don't know what that is, you should google it. It is intense but I am liking it. I will be in better shape than I was when I was "cheerleading". I hope this is what I look like in the Celestial kingdom and not the big fat lady.

Clarification

2009-03-08T21:32:00.000-06:00

I have to clarify my last blog. I love my kids and they are great but they can be little devils. I also love babies. But when you get to mouthy little kids, and the ones that cry and won't shut up, and the ones that wipe their noses with their hands and then touch you, I have to draw the line.

Kids

2009-03-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

I know some people will take this the wrong way and get offended but here it goes. I cannot stand kids. They are loud and obnoctious,annoying germ carriers. Kids get on my nerves. What really gets on my nerves are the kids that run all over the place and the parents that watch and think they are the cutest kids in the world. Well they are not. I am not one of those parents that think their kids could walk on water. My kids are devils and I will be the first one to admit it. So come on people your kids are annoying. The first step os to admit they have a problem.

VOMIT!!!!!

2009-02-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, for the people that know me really well know that I have a phobia of vomit. Vomit itself, the act of doing it, the smell, pretty much everything associated with it. I will go out of my way to avoid people that have been doing it to the point where I am sure I come across as rude. My fear and anxiety are so great that I don't care at the time. I am a mom of 4 children which in reality means 4 germ carrying viruses. Now I am sure that the nurse kicks in with moms when their children get sick. But not with me. I avoid them like they have the plague. I cannot comfort them or help when they are throwing up. Thank goodness for Nate. He cleans it up, he cleans them up, he also comforts them. He will sit by them which is something I cannot do. So to moms out there that can catch it in their hands and not think twice, my hat is off to you. You knowwho you are(Lally).

Valentine's weekend

2009-02-16T13:53:00.001-07:00

Valentine's day the kids drew me pictures and Nate got me thesebeautiful flowers. He even handwrote a note. I thought that was very thoughtful. It was a nice change from a card. I have the best family in the world.

Sunday we had dinner at my in-laws. Really my second set of parents. They are really good to me and I couldn't ask for 2 better people than them. Anyway, we were able to talk to Nate's brother Mark and his family. They did skype whatever that is. It was fun. We were able to see his kids and and his cute prego wife. It will be their 4th. After that, were supposed to eat but the cooking was not cooperating with us. So we went ahead and did family home evening. Nate and I were incharge. I thought it went okay. It was on service. We drew names and within the next month before we have dinner again, we are to provide service for the name we drew. I think it will be fun especially for the kids. Nate's sisters,Tami and Stacey and I helped Cheryl put up some pictures. I think we did a pretty good job. All I did was hand a hammer and an occasional nail. Decorating is not my department but I'm good for moral support. Finally we ate and it was yummy. Here are a few pictures from the night.

Bows

2009-02-16T13:45:00.001-07:00

My friend Lally got me into making bows. They are so expensive at the mall. I thought maybe I could do it myself. Tell me whatyou think.

Our Story

2009-02-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

I have known Nate since 1995. He served his mission in Mississippi and in my branch. I could not stand him. I thought he was a know-it-all. And he would say that his mind was on the work that he was there to do. Anyway, I moved to Utah after I graduated high school in 1996. Nate got off of his mission in around April or May of 1997.A mutual friend of mine and Nate's invited me to go to a U2 laser show. He told me that Nate was going to be there and I better be nice. That night I came home and told my roommate that I was going to marry him. Were engaged in July and married by October. Since, we have had 4 children, finished college, buried a grandfather,a grandmother, and a father,and bought a house. We do not have alot of money and honestly we have had a pretty hard time financially. Nathan and I have had hard times. I was a single parent for 8 years while Nate went to school. But through all of this, he is the man I love. I will love him forever. He does so much for our children and me. I cannot begin to explain my love for him. This October we will be married for 12 years and it has been the best 12 years of my life.

My Own Closet

2009-02-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

So, Hannah and Noah begged Nate and me to let them move their bedroom to the basement. We said okay as long as they get along and keep it clean. Now we have an extra bedroom and guess what we did with it? Nate finally has his studio. He can go in there and draw and do computer stuff. He is way excited. He also feels selfish, so I decided I would help him out. I moved his clothes in the closet in his new studio and I have the walk-in. You gotta do what you gotta do. I didn't want him to be the only one who felt selfish. So, now we are feeling selfish together.
My closet

Nate's closet

Uncle Bob's

2009-02-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure of visiting Nate's Uncle Bob. It was alot of fun. We haven't seen him in about 8 years. How horrible is that? He lives near Hill Air Force base. It's not like he lives in another state. Nate and I have decided that we will not go that long again without seeing him and his family. We talked and laughed and ate pizza(yum). The kids played with toys and with Guitar Hero. It was a very nice afternoon. Here are some pics.

Being Sick

2009-02-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

I hate being sick. And surprisingly it is not the sick part that bothers me. It is how everything in the house goes crazy. The kids know mom is sick and they take advantage of that. Poor Nate does his best and he does a good job. But he isn't with them all of the time and they can drive him CRAZY. He also doesn't know my routine. Plus I'm a little okay, ALOT OCD, so if he did know my routine it probably wouldn't matter. Anyway, now that I'm on the upswing, I went downstairs(which I haven't done since Saturday night because Nate has had me in the bed resting. He takes really good care of me.)and there is sticky stuff all over the floor, blankets everywhere, dishes all over the place... It never ends.

My Dad

2009-02-06T14:15:00.001-07:00

My dad was the greatest man I knew. He taught me to drive when I was 12. He taught me how to put shingles on a roof, how to cook and how to work hard. He taught me to be a leader and not a follower. But the most important thing he taught me was the gospel. There was nothing more important to him than missionary work. He was never afraid to open his mouth when it came to talking about the church. That's what I admired about him most. In the late summer of August 2003 everything would change forever.
My dad had been having some issues that started to trouble him. Sometimes he would have a hard time talking. He knew what he wanted to say but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. He drove for UTA and would drive right by passengers he should have picked up. He was sleeping alot. We just thought that he was tired because he worked split shifts and he would come home and work in the yard. He always did weird stuff so we didn't think anything about it. One Sunday he started to have the speech problem again so we took him to the e.r. My mom is an r.n. and she thought he was having mini strokes. The dr.'s took him for an x-ray and while we were waiting we were joking like we always did. I said,"dad at least you don't have brain cancer." We all laughed. The nurse came in and wanted a chest x-ray. We didn't understand because we came in with what we thought was a mini stroke. We asked why the x-ray. Now you have to picture my dad is getting in the wheelchair to be taken to x-ray. The dr. comes in, doesn't say Mr.Fowler we need to tell you something,he just comes right out and says you have brain cancer.

Needless to say we were floored. The next few days were so surreal. He had the best head of hair you have ever seen. He would comb it alot. He would look in the mirror and say you can't perfect perfection and walk away. He shaved his head in preperation for what would come next. CHEMO and RADIATION
He did really well. My mom put him on the macrobiotic diet, he had a blessing and we started to live our lives again. I had gotten pregnant with Sarah, Nate was still working full time and doing the school thing. My mom went back to work. I was a stay-at-home mom and that gave me the opportunityto look after my dad. He had x-rays and the tumor started shrinking. Dad's oncologist couldn't explain it. But we knew. We knew hewas going to get better. A year had almost passed.
Dad woke up one day and couldn't focus his eyes. We immediately took himto the dr. They did a scan and found cancer on his brain stem. We knew that that was it. We didn't have much time left.
I had Sarah September 30,2004. My dad was buried 2 weeks later.
It was the saddest and still is the saddest day of my life. I was daddy's little girl. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. I have to admit I have lost my faith a little but I am fighting my way back. I hope my dad is proud of me and the things that I have and will accomplish.

My Family

2009-02-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Right now I can hear video games, crying, and non-stop chatter, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my family very much. They mean the world to me. I am going to brag a little.

My husband is a wonderful guy. He worked full-time, went to school full-time and when i had our babies, he stayed up with the kids at night. He would say that he did it because he knew I would be with the kids all day and at least he got adult interaction.

My oldest daughter Hannah is 9 years old. She walks to the beat of her own drum. She is nothing like me. And I can say that is a good thing. She has everyting that I am lacking. She is crafty and artsy. She loves to read. She can read 4 books at the same time and know what is going on in all of them. She is also the grossest girl I know.

My only son. What can I say? He is adorable. He is also a little devil. He loves hard and he fights hard. He still likes to snuggle and give kisses. He can play Rock Band and Guitar Hero really well. He also loves the ladies!!!

Sarah is a pistol. Noah always wanted another brother and he came in the form of Sarah. She is just as tuff as any boy. She is hardheaded. She reminds me of me and that can't be good for anybody. If she doesn't like something she will tell you. She tells it like it is. One Sunday she said she didn't want to go to church and we asked her why not? Her response." I hate stinking sunbeams" That's Sarah.

Last but not least is my little Emma. She is the sweetest little girl. She is the mommy of the bunch. She loves babies(can'tget enough of them). She is always following me around the house helping clean or do the dishes. She soaks up everything. She has the best smile too. I wish I could say that she is a mommas girl but I can't. She is totally her daddy's.
Well that is my family in a nut shell. I think I made out allright.

President Barak Obama

2009-02-02T09:23:00.001-07:00

Let's get it out of the way. I voted for Barak Obama!!! I live in a Republican State and am a registered Republican. However, I could not stand 4 more years of the same mentality that has gotten us to where we are now. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful to President Bush for keeping our country safe. But, we are very disliked by other countries, we are in a horrible economic crisis and we are in a war that we should have never gotten into. I believe that President Obama will be able to make the changes necessary for our country to be on top again. I know I will get alot of flack from my conservative friends and family but that is what America is all about... Freedom Of Choice.
So I found this video on YouTube. I hope you like it.

Starting over

2009-01-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

I decided to rename my blog and start over. Before, it was my issue of the day, and I found myself becoming increasingly negative. That is not the person I want to be. So from now on it will be about my wonderful family and friends and the great things that are going on in our life.