Monday, November 8, 2010

All summed up...sort of...

Feel free to skip the book and go straight to the pics on the many posts I put up tonight.

Okay, so I think I just need to get this off my chest. This last year, mostly just the last 4 months...
have been far from the best. And I really shouldn't complain because I have all my family here happy and healthy, but I just want to get this out of me. My biggest hope is that I will just cry and cry as I write this and not sleep because of all the crying. Because nothing does more good than a good ol' cry. It is already 12:41 am and I have worked my butt of today(yesterday-whatever day it is) and I am exhausted. I don't usually go to bed this late but I have got to get this done. Please don't judge me for all of my complaining, I'm just a wimp.

Well here goes nothin'. I would like to start off saying how much I HATE hunting season! HATE, HATE, HATE it. If I really were yelling, I would feel so much better right now already.

On June 29th 2010 we welcomed a new little baby into this world and into this crazy little(and by little I mean lot's of little people) family. I couldn't have been more excited about this little doll! I was not really expecting to have a girl and yet I really wanted one so my heart just soared when I saw she was a girl. Even though she looked nothing like her siblings to me(black hair?) I loved her instantly. I have wanted so badly to say that she is a good baby, and all that matters is that whenever we go out people always say what a sweet baby she is and how she never cries. She really is a good baby and gets better every single day.

Mid August Cooper started kindergarten. I am SO glad they don't have all day kinder here because, me and him couldn't handle that. It is hard enough as it is. At the same time Cooper started kinder, Kira started preschool. Just so you know I'm not a morning person. I'm not the usual non morning person though, because I really WANT to be a morning person, but I'm just NOT. It is SO hard for me to get up and out of bed in the morning. Morning is such a beautiful time and I would love to wake up about an hour before my kids do, that would be wonderful. But again-I CAN'T. I wait and wait until children are jumping on me for a while or crying for a bit. I don't just get out of bed(with the exception of a brand new baby-meaning like the first month). Well we now have schedules to keep-EVERY DAY. I realize I'm getting NO sympathy from all the moms out there with kids in school, and that's okay.

With Reggie's hunting he claims "it's only one weekend." PAH!! Sorry pal, you are NOT fooling me. First it's getting the gun ready, which means endless trips to go shoot his gun(sometimes we go, and sometimes it's exhausting, trying to keep ear muffs on everyone). And along with that he's off to his parents house making his bullets. Next he has to go scouting so he goes here and there. He's on the computer and on the phone, talking about 'hunting this and hunting that'. And then comes the week before the hunt when he has to work extra hard and long to make sure everything is taken care of while he's gone. And then there is the weekend or day before the hunt when it takes him FOREVER to pack up ALL his stuff. Doesn't this all sound so exhausting, to some of you this is just normal. It's normal to me but I still HATE it.

Reggie has gone elk hunting this Sept. and deer hunting this Oct., I just had a new baby, my 4th nonetheless. My kids started school and my poor baby is always hungry when I am hurrying like a mad woman trying to get Cooper out the door. I was doing some all day babysitting for someone who really needed it, and I think I also needed to do something for somebody else so I wasn't just having my own pity party, so it was probably a huge blessing.

With all my babies I have not been able to nurse them. I just don't have the milk supply I guess. I dang site don't go with out giving it my all though. I have tried teas and rest(that one didn't work so well ;) and different herbs and you name it. No matter what I do I have had to supplement with formula every time. (I would like to note that I am endlessly grateful to Katie and Sara who have always showed me 100% support and always made me feel good for the effort). Because no matter how many babies I have that I can't nurse, I always go into it saying I am going to nurse my babies. It seems like around 4 months they all just want to be done nursing all together and despite my stubbornness and the fact that they seem to love it, I lose every time. I really wanted to go until at least 5 mo and maybe longer and I knew I was going to. Hahaha, I fooled myself. 4th time around and I should have known better, but again dissapointment followed as almost instantly I was done. Well I made it 4 months, but that's all. But I'm glad I gave it my all. It is really sad for me sometimes, when I see people nurse their babies. And sometimes things will make me feel bad. Even though I know I can't help it, it is still really hard to know that I can't do what I am made to do as a Mother to my children and a Daughter of God. And then there is the regret I feel for carrying it on so long when part of me knew it wouldn't last. The stubborn part of me kept it going at times. Because I look back at how stressed out I was because ALL of my kids were feeling at least a small degree of neglect as I spent so much time feeding the baby. Even the baby got a certain amount of neglect because of it. But now, even though I am very sad to let that part of it go, I am starting to feel free. I feel like the chains are starting to be lifted but they were memory and a part of me. My kids, hubby and house are all feeling much more loved. It's just too bad I chose stubbornness over the feeling of love. If I were to repeat it, I would still do it all over again. My stubbornness must run really deeply.

Okay we're doing good, I am able to get out a few tears :) Let's recap, shall we...New baby, absent husband, neglected kids, crazy mommy, new never before heard of schedule ;) and to top it all off I am the WORST visiting teacher EVER! But I'm going to work on that.
It is important that I get out of bed no later than 7am (not that I do)
Feed kiddos,baby, then me(life of a Mommy, right?). Get some dishes done, everybody dressed(doesn't always happen). Cooper has to eat lunch at no later than 10:30am because he takes forever to eat. All the meanwhile Lacee is grumpy about 90% of the time during this little lunch time. We jump in the car to take him to the bus stop which was coming at 11:05-11:15 until (after we missed the bus for about a week) now it comes at 11am and takes off right away. Very frustrating for everyone involved. His school starts at 11:35am, so if I miss the bus I usually have to run home and quickly change a poopy diaper(morning seems to the magical time) or throw on some makeup(because I'm just a baby about that). On Tues. and Thurs. Kira has preschool from noon till 2pm. I p/u Kira at 2 and then p/u Cooper at 2:15pm What a day. On Wed. for a few weeks I had an extra kindergartener whom was in morning kinder and a preschooler and then a 1st grader after school. I am SO grateful that these kids are just absolute angels. Well all the meanwhile we(meaning I) have been doing an investment that has been a crazy roller coaster to say the least, and my hubby is mister busy man himself.

We have been out of town way too much with everything else going on. I really should have NOT gone anywhere for the first few months, but instead I have taken several trips w/ out a hubby, and like one and a half with him. Holy cow, this chic has no right to complain, she has brought it all on herself! I know, I'm thinking the same thing :)

I really missed Reggie's company and it doesn't help that when he is around he is a huge help most of the time. Just so you know I don't usually have such a problem with Reggie's hunt, or have the need to complain so much, but things have been much different, because he's never gone so much and I have 4 little kids one being a new baby, and now i have school. I love my family, each and everyone.

I bet you thought I was joking about the book:) Well I think it's time for me to wrap it up by counting my blessings...
All this complaining has kind of helped me realize how I just need to count my blessing because they are MANY!
I love my family
My family loves me
My hubby is done hunting now
I have the holidays to look forward to
I can't wait to see Sara(although she will be VERY wrapped up in her hubby), and Katie's house, and Kasiah, and my Grandma's
My kiddos are healthy
My hubby is healthy
I am healthy
Reggie has a job
We have a roof over our heads
We have food on the table
I have the cutest, sweetest, funnest bunch of kids ever
My baby is a great sleeper most of the time(unlike me in the moment)
I get to stay at home with me kids all day everyday and it truly is my dream job
I am glad not to be mad and bitter at Reggie anymore for all this hunting
I really am glad the hunting is behind us right now
I am very glad to be surrounded by the best family and friends ever
I am very grateful to be a mommy
I am very grateful for my parents
I am very grateful that I will have a warm place to be during the winter months
I am very grateful for Reggie for waking up in a freezing cold house and starting a fire so that his family can be warm everyday
I am very excited that they are putting the ditch that runs along our property underground.
I love my sweet little baby and I'm glad I get to see her and touch her and hear her little voice and even smell her yucky spit up
I love to watch me kids play together so much
I love to feel the love that exists in my home
I have the knowledge of the Gospel
I know my Family can live together forever
I know my Heavenly Father is looking out for me
I know my Savior Lives and loves me
I am grateful to know there is a True and living Prophet on the earth today
I am so glad my husband is a worthy Priesthood holder and that we can look forward to someday serving a mission together for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Now that hunting is over and I have a little more time since I am not constantly feeding my baby, I really hope I can have a much better attitude, that is all I really want right now :)
Enjoy the catch up from the last few months, it is now 2:15am and it is well past my bedtime. *Goodnight*





Reg's hunt!


Reggie went deer hunting in Oct.
This pic is the tarantula he saw while out and about. I'm sorry I wasn't there to hear him squeal like a school girl. He HATES spiders. When we first got married I had to kill the spiders. But I'm a mean wife and eventually told him to just get over it and he now does the job.


Although he isn't a creepy crawly lover, he does love the outdoors. He just got this deer while out hunting and he will usually just butcher it and freeze it, and it's a main source of food around here, but this time we turned a LOT of it into jerky and it is delish! He's now ready to take all our game meat out of the freezer and jerky it up! Yeah for me! I love BEEF! Not to mention our freezer is busting at the seems! Even Kira who literally takes about 10 min to chew a tiny piece of meat gobbled up a piece of jerky in no time(at least we now know it's possible).

Good job Honey! And thank heavens your done!(At least for this year)

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Happy Halloween! Oct. 30th


A little bit of pumpkin carving and painting that Cooper has been BEGGING us to do!






Someday Reggie and I will stop embarrassing ourselves at our ward trunk n' treat. We are of a small handfull of people who dress up, and it's not like either one of us are outgoing at all so I think we really surprise people. I actually had a wig too but it was getting in my food so I ripped it off(Reggie was VERY jealous). Every year I pretend like I know Reggie will dress up but I doubt it every year. He always surprises me!!


Cooper was all ready to be a cowboy until the day before halloween somebody told him "You don't want to be a cowboy, you're a cowboy every day." Thanks alot Nate! I'm just kidding- it is pretty funny but only because we had a back up costume (Sorry I haven't given it back yet KT) Well anyway, Cooper changed his mind Sat. afternoon :) So Cooper was Peter Pan, Kira was not just your ordinary witch, she was a Rockin' Star Witch!! Kyler was a clown(we probably should have let him dress up also ;). And my little Lacee Lou was a Bunny!


I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A FUN HALLOWEEN!!

Happy Birthday Cooper! Oct 16th


For Coopers Birthday, we gave him a choice-either we go camping or we just a little birthday at home where G & G Reed come over. And he said he wanted his party at G & G Reeds, well that was not one of the choices, but what the heck-it's not my b-day. Well he also wanted Grandma Reed to help him make his cake. Wow, talk about me getting off easy. I don't have to clean my house or make a cake!! I'm so spoiled!


Uncle Wade with Lacee.


Kyler man really wanting that thing to GO!


Wade is such an awesome uncle! My kids LOVE him!


Reggie get's the fun job...



This is our fun little water balloon fight with Reg's family...









HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIDDO!! I SURE LOVE YOU!
You are an awesome big brother to your siblings! You have such a BIG heart! And I love how much you look up to your Daddy, I hope you always do. Keep livin' life with that adorable -sorry-Handsome smile of yours!
And I can't believe you are 6!!!!

A little bit of Lacee...

LOTS of PICS

BATH TIME! Look at all that DARK hair!




She is LOADS of fun!




My little burrito while we were out camping.


Don't worry Lacee-you will get used to Daddy. You'll probably beg for more. He'll never change or probably grow up(he is after all a boy) he will tease you for the rest of your life:)









My FAV! What a sweetie!


Only the mean mama would let a baby cry and take a picture instead of picking them up and loving them. Don't worry Lacee you get used to me too. I Love You!


That's my little Angel, my little bundle of Joy.


Feel the Baby Love!

Mommy loves baby!


Kyler loves Baby!


Kyler loves Baby!


Kira loves Baby!


Kyler loves Baby again!


and again.


Daddy loves Baby!


Getting ready for Church.


Cooper loves Baby!


Kyler still loves baby!


And these two fight like the dickens' but they love each other too.

So just in case you didn't know-Lacee is very loved, but especially by Kyler. All he EVER wants is Baby...hold babies hand, sit on baby, hug baby, snuggle with baby, sit by baby, lay by baby, kiss baby, hold baby, protect baby, put hand over babies mouth(aaahhhh!!), love baby...it goes on and on. I have never seen a little kid love on a baby so much ever! At least she is loved...