Deer Hunt 2010

Jeff took the boys hunting again this year.  Aden was THRILLED to finally be included.  Which was awesome, because I don't think I could have handled his disappointment :)!!  

Tyler (his nephew) also got to go along for the male bonding!!  Jeff is one brave dude!!!!  One adult, 4 boys-all within 3 years of eachother, a 6 hour trip-one way, a 3-4 day trip, and the freezing cold!! WOW!! I think he deserves a medal.  Then, out of the crew that he met up with there, he was the only one who ended up getting anything. HA!!!! Guess he was blessed for taking all those kids along for the good times!  They all had such a great time and loved every minute with their supercool dad (and uncle).  I am very thankful to be married to such an amazing man!   

  

A year review in pictures...

First day of scool 2010-2011.

A couple of trips to Cali, summer 2010.

Family trip to Disneyland, April 2010!

Jaxon's Baptism, January 2010.

All Hallow's Eve 2009.

The kids first day of School 2009-2010

Jeff's first Big fishing trip at the tail end of our San Clemente trip last summer, July 2009.

Say it with cereal...

He loves me, he REALLY loves me!

You may look at this and think..."what?"

Or..."wow, she really needs to clean her pantry".

You may think "who eats that much cereal?"

Or, you may just think I am weird.

But, when I look at it, my heart melts.

Not because I have some weirdo love for cereal.

But, because I look at it and know that my husband LOVES me!!! Really, really loves me!

Jeff does most of the grocery shopping (and laundry, and dinners, and pretty much everything, but that is a whole other post!). So, anyway, Jeff does most of the grocery shopping. And I usually come in at some point after the shopping trip and rearrange/organize everything he and the kids put away after the shopping trip. You know, all of the milk on the bottom shelf in the fridge, all of the popcorn out of the box and into a bin, if there is a 12 pack of soda I unload all of the cans and throw the box out (why waste energy cooling the box?). I also pour all of the cereal into these oh-so-convient, see-thru, air-tight containers. They are so great for kids. And for me. I can see exactly how much is left, they can see exactly what cereal they are looking for, etc, etc. So, I usually do this. Jeff thinks I am crazy with this stuff. He doesn't understand the compulsion. He doesn't make fun of me, or give me a hard time or anything. He just doesn't really get it. So, I came home from work a couple of weeks ago (knowing he had gone shopping, thinking I had some organizing/etc. to do), and this is what I find. All of the cereals poured into the clear containers. AND, all of the boxes already thrown away.

If that isn't LOVE, then I don't know what is!!!!

Thanks Babe!!! I love you too!!

Meet the Captain...

Have you met Capt. Noble?

I bet you didn't know we had a Captan in the family, did you?

Please, allow me to introduce you.

Capt. Noble
a.k.a. Jaxon

(Jeff has dubbed Jaxon "Capt. Noble" when he is in "super kiss up" mode.

We haven't come up with a name for his "other" side yet. So, if you have any suggestions, let me know. LOL!!)

But, today, he is Capt. Noble.

So, driving down the road with said Captain, the conversation that takes place goes like this:

Jaxon: "Mom, how do you get your hair to always look like that?"

(I am immediately having to fight back laughter and self concious feelings)

Me: "What do you mean? What does it look like?"

Jaxon: "Well, it always looks so perfect. Not like the other mommies. It is so perfect and pouffy & pretty all the time. How do you do it?"

(At this point I couldn't hold the laughter in anymore)

Me: "Well, thanks Jax. I guess it is because that is what I do for my job."

Jaxon: "WOW, mom, you are really good. You have a lot of incredible talent."

(love his vocab)

Me: "Well thanks Jaxon".

What a funny, funny kiddo! I love Capt. Noble. I love that other little monster side too, but Capt. Noble, really knows how to melt a mommy's heart!

Thanks Captain! I mean, Jaxon!

Going on today...

Not a lot.
Just the usual.

Fighting, bored crazy kids.
$1 movie at the "ghetto" theater at the mall.

Work.

Home.

Move 3 sleeping boys to their own beds.

Now, I can't sleep.

So, now what???

I guess I could write in my journal.

I found a pair of earings. Not hard to do in this big city. But these particular earings are special. Not the earrings themselves, but the memory. They remind me of a pair my Nana had. I don't know that I ever saw them in real life. I only remember them from a picture of her. My favorite picture of her. They are roses (Just a little bigger than the size of diamond studs). You see them everywhere now. Tilly's, Target & Walmart, amongst others. They vary in size and are usually plastic black, red, bright pink, etc.

Her's were gold with little diamonds in the centers. Since I first saw them starting to sprout up in stores, I have looked. Everytime I go to a retail store, I look. I found almost the exact same pair a while back. But, they were $54. I couldn't make myself spend $54 on earrings. I am cheap. I thought I could find them cheaper somewhere else (these were at Dillards). If I had known I wouldn't come across them again, I would have spent the $54. I should have. It has been months, probably almost a year in fact. And I finally found a pair. Not nearly as close to hers, but close enough that I couldn't pass them up. They are just plain silver, no diamond in the middle. But, close enough. I wore them today. It makes me feel close to her, like I have a piece of her with me. Weird, huh? That a pair of $5 earrings could do that! I love it!

The infamous (to me anyway) earrings...

So, you may only read this next part if you promise not to make fun of me.
{PROMISE}
I went online just now to try to find an image similar to this pair of earrings I have been looking for for oh, soooo long.
Well, DUH!!!
I just shared that I had been looking for these earrings for how long?
It never even crossed my mind to look online!! I am "slow to learn"!!

I thought my sisters and girly cousins would like to know where to find these. But, any of you chicks that just have to get your hands on a pair...
the pair I got were $5 at Tilly's. They are silver and have no diamond in the center.

The pair in the picture above (which look almost identical to hers) are from Juicy Couture online. They are $36 + shipping. And in about 5 minutes, one lucky pair will be on it's way to my house. YEAH!!!!! To go in my ears!!! :). I am soooo not passing these babies up. I learned my lesson the first time.
And now I shall have a pair in silver & gold!

I will insert that picture of Nana into this post when I can. I don't have it on this computer.


That is all for now. I will be back soon!!!

Maybe today...

...will be the turn around for my non-bloggy ways. Maybe...but probably not. LOL! I haven't blogged in almost a year. How sad is that? And we have had sooooooo much happen. It will take me forever to "catch up". But, I will do it. (Especially now that some of my favorite peeps live so far away!) So, for your reading pleasure, a brief overview of life for the past year:

We celebrated our 10 year anniversary (It goes by so fast, right?).

Then, we bought a house and moved in.

Jaxon was baptised.

Ryker turned 7.

Great hubby bought me a cute little car.

I switched jobs, then switched back.

Finally got to take the kiddos to the "Happiest Place on Earth" (Disneyland...& it sooo was!!!).

Aden turned 6 years old (my "baby").

All the boys "graduated" from their current grades.

Then, SUMMER hit!!

Which mean "summer movie fun" every week.

I started working a little from home for my Bro-In-Law.

A trip to Santa Barbara for a whole week to visit the Goodwins (who moved there in May).

Ryker lost a front tooth.

Aden lost his first tooth & finished summer school.

Family trip to San Diego with the ever fun company of the Mowers and the Kreins. (Many more beach trips to come.)

And to top all of that off, I am about to turn 30!!! I know this is weird, but I have always wanted to be 30. I don't know why, it just sounds good.

So, that pretty much wraps up the last year. Although, eventually I will expound on all of those events and blog each one specifically for this "journal" that I am so fabulously keeping (ha).

I will post more when I can figure out how to get my pictures onto this crazy computer. Posts with out pictures just aren't as fun.

p.s. I still haven't gone private yet...I keep going back and forth. I just can't decide. I will keep you "posted". (LOL)!!!

A while ago...

A while ago ( I don't remember exactly, but I think about a month) the kids and I were in the car.  Jaxon turns on my ipod and puts on the song "Apologize" by OneRepublic.  He got a huge smile on his face as the music started (this has been one of his "favorite" songs for like 2 years).   He is jammin' out and singing, but after the first verse, halfway through the chorus, he got really quiet.  I didn't think much of it.  But. then, after the second verse and chorus he pipes up...

"Mom, what does he mean it's too late to apologize?  If someone says they are sorry, you should forgive them.  That's what Jesus would do.  We are supposed to forgive people.  I want people to forgive me.  I would be sad if someone wouldn't forgive me."

He is just going on and on.  Getting all heart felt and sad himself that the mean guy singing the song wasn't forgiving that other person.  

It was really hard not to laugh.  Kids are just so innocent.

I tried my best to explain that what he meant was probably that whoever hurt him had gone too far.  That he had been hurt too much to be able to forgive them. 

This got me no where.  He tells me...

"Well, I still think that he should forgive them.  It's what Jesus would want him to do."

So, there you go Mr. lead singer/songwriter of OneRepublic, Jesus would want you to forgive them.  Let them apologize and move on with life.   Nothing like advice from a 7 year old!! I wish everyone thought like a 7 year old in some ways!

Warning: reflective & mushy!

The number (and varying degree) of emotions that run through me in single day are unbelievable! This week seems to be more emotionally charged than others. Like I am on an emotional roller coaster all day & night.

These are just some of the feelings that come to mind.

Happiness, anger, fear, wonderment, love, frustration, peace, unease, joy, curiosity, tired, crazy, giddy, worn, full, drained, beautiful, old, excited, silly, sad, lucky, blessed, calm, worried, optomistic, sarcastic, torn, admiration, mean, nice, scared, bold, brave, and that's just to name some!

I am amazed that one person could feel all of these different things in one day.

Absolutely amazed!!!

I was really starting to get tired of the ups and downs this week. Until the thought occured to me that without the downs, how do you recognize the ups? Do ups even exsist without downs?

And, I found my resolve.

This is what I know.

I know...to have JOY, there must be despair.

To feel courage, you must be afraid.

To appreciate health, you must suffer illness.

To harbor hate, you must feel the passion & intensity of love!!

To know peace, you must know turmoil or war.

To truly believe, you must face doubt.

Everything must have it's opposite, opposition in all things.

I pray that I may continue to experience all of the emotions God intended me to.

And embrace it, even when I want to run away!!!

Right now, I am Happy!

I love to be happy!

That is an emotion I would like to share!

Everyday.

what do you feel?

Stupid grass...

This is what happens when instead of walking on the cement, 

you walk across a yard full of potholes, 

while also holding a big box of krap in front of you so you cannot see where your stepping, 

and because of said box, you also cannot catch yourself to help soften the fall.

So, I guess this is what happens when you are a total idiot!!

(p.s. I am the total idiot)

Family Night at the lake...

Granny & Grumpy took the Jarvis family 

(minus mommy, who had to work :( )

to the lake on Monday night!! Here are some pics from the trip!!

All of the boys in the water!! I hope all that weight didn't break the tube!!

Sooooo cute!! Daddy giving Aden a ride!  He looks like a Mini-me of Jeff!!

They are the best of friends!  I love that they help each other out so much!! 

 (most of the time)

They loved, loved, loved the lake!! Thanks Granny and Grumpy for the invite!!

What a good looking bunch of kiddos!!!  They are truly at home in the water!!! 

It's been forever...

but, I haven't really had anything even somewhat interesting to blog about!  Sad, but true!  Life is just kinda normal.  The kiddos are in swim lessons and LOVING it.  I have to say in just 3 short weeks they are already markedly better.  It is impressive.  We have been doing "summer movie fun". They love that too.  It is fun to be able to be with them during the day.  They say and do some pretty crazy stuff... but they are generally happy and helpful.  They have been really good about helping me fold the laundry and put it away.  I am proud of how good they are to each other (most of the time) and can't believe how quickly they are growing up.  

That's about it.  I can't wait for some upcoming Cali trips!! :)  I LOVE the beach!!!  And I need a date with my hubby.  Maybe Friday.  I will have to call my babysitter.....:)

Happy Mother's Day to...

All of the amazing women who inspire me to be a better mom!! I love you all!!!! 

 I hope you all have a wonderful day!!  

For my Mom...

Happy Mother's day....to pretty much the best mom in the world!! She has taught me just about everything I know, and continues to teach me new things too. I love that she is a happy person. She loves to have fun, cook, go out to lunch/dinner, read, blog, design all sorts of random things, sew, can food, make bread, sing, play the piano and about a million other things. And she is amazingly good at ALL of it!! I feel so very blessed to have her for my mom! Thanks Mom for being you!! I love you!!

Ode to THE MAN!!!

Jeff is just soooo awesome!  I started a part time job and I work in the evenings.  Which means daddy is in charge of dinner, baths and bedtime.  Not only does he do all of this, but he always manages to do a little extra too.  Last week we added in Tawna and Nate's kiddos while they were on their cruise!  So, he took on five kiddos, dinner, baths and bedtime!!  And he almost always gets a load or more of laundry done, house picked up, vacuumed, always something other than the "have to's" !  And the boys have LOVED having "daddy time".  They love him so much and think it is awesome that they get to hang with just their daddy.  I just love him, and want to let him know how very much I appreciate what a great husband and father he is! 

 Love you babe!! 

Too cute Hubby!!

I love Jeff!!! His smile always makes me smile!  (if you click on this picture, it will pull up full size and you will understand what I am talking about; he is standing next to Papa K/second in on the left.)  This pic was at Faith's Baptism, these were all of the men that helped to confirm Faith.  I just had to post it, b/c Jeff is so freakin' adorable!! Love you Babe!!

So, I got this idea from a friend's blog.  I hope it is okay that I am stealing it!  (Thanks Tiffany for the idea!!) I thought that it would be fun to try this.  Then, I started thinking, 'Do I even have 75 things to say about me? I feel so very boring!'  So, that made me decide that I had to try it (a challenge is always a great motivation!) I think that this was a tag.  I wasn't tagged, but you can bet at the end I will be tagging others! : )  Well, here I go....75 things about ME...

1.  I Love to cook!

2.  I hate to clean up all of the dishes after I have cooked!

3.  I absolutely love make up!  I am an addict.

4.  I never buy shoes.  I know, it goes against the rules of being a girl.

5.  I can't resist getting little things for people when I am out and about, just because they like them.  (ie, I will be at the grocery store checking out and see a candy bar & it will make me think "oh, that's so&so's favorite candy bar", then I have to buy it and take it to them!  Silly, I know!)

6.  I love to take bathes.

7.  I never bathe my kids, Jeff does!  It is just our system.  He bathes, I get pj's ready!

8. I can't go to bed until all of my kids are asleep.

9.  I have to give them each a kiss and tell them I love them while they are sleeping.  

10.  I love the sand dunes!

11.  I love to ride quads.

12.  I don't know if there is any better vacation spot than a beach.  (Maybe a cruise ship that takes you to a beach, but that is it!! )

13.  I never like food as much when I cook it.  It is inevitably better if someone else makes it.

14.  I love the color Yellow!  It makes me happy!

15.  I love to sing, even though I get unbelievably nervous, every time!

16.  I truly enjoy teaching.

17.  I almost only have church music on when the kids and I are in the car.  (it keeps me calm, even with crazy traffic and kids yelling/fighting/singing/laughing/whatever!)

18.  I am horrible about doing laundry.  At any given time, I have at least 10 loads waiting to be done.  (Unless Jeff has been on a mission to get it done, then there is little or none)

19.  I am so grateful that I am allowed to be a mother.  

20.  I hate shorts/short skirts/capris/basically anything that shows any part of my legs.

21.  Because of that I wear jeans/pants like 364 days a year.

22.  I don't like being stared at, it doesn't even matter why!

23.  I don't like gossip.

24.  I do love that I can always find something good about someone.  (Even though sometimes, it is only one thing :)  )

25.  I love my family, beyond words!

26.  I love to organize things.  

27.  I hate contention and confrontation!

28.  I secretly love it when Jaxon tells me I should be on American Idol! :) LOL!! 

29.  I am a pleaser.  I will grin and bear it, even if later I bawl like a baby!

30.  I would rather crawl naked through the snow than hurt someone's feelings.

31.  I will spend money on a great pair of jeans, but never more than $20 for a shirt (and that is not even often, usually it is $5-$14).

32.  I am obsessed with the Twilight Saga.  Literally.

33.  I love to do hair.  Especially color and updo's!

34.  I love nails! (fingernails, of course)

35.  I don't think that any one else's kids could ever be as cute and loveable as mine!!   (we should all feel that way, right?)

36.  Nothing makes me feel more special than one of my kids hugging me and telling me they love me.  

37.  I love, love, love to swim. 

38.  I love that my kids are soooo close in age! ( Jaxon -7, Ryker -6, and Aden-5 next month)!!

39.  I hate to be babied or caudled (sp??)

40.  I actually liked being pregnant.

41.  I love Mt. Dew.

42.  I love to help others, especially my family and friends!

43.  I could go on a cruise any time to any place and love it!!

44.  I have permanent eyebrows, eyeliner and lips and absolutely love it!! 

45.  I miss my dark hair.

46.  I hate being the size I am right now.

47.  I miss being on swim/dive team.  I feel like I have turned into such a scared-ee-cat!!

48.  I don't regret that I didn't "try" to have a girl baby.  But, I do sometimes see Jax and Ryk playing, they act like twins, and think that I should've had another one so that Aden would have that "twin" buddy!

49.  I really LOVE my hubby!  And I actually like him too!

50.  I like my small feet, even though all of my sisters make fun of them.

51.  I love jewelry.  Not just expensive, nice stuff, but fun pieces too.  I love how different jewelry can make an outfit look totally different.

52.  I am sometimes self conscious, I know what a huge dork I am.

53.  I make up stupid songs and sing them to my kids.  They love it!

54.  I love to sleep!  

55.  Migraines plague me at least once a week, except when I am pregnant! That may be why I actually liked being pregnant, hmm?

56.  I look like my Nana, which I love!

57.  I think the women that I am related to are the most beautiful!  Yes, that includes sisters, mom, sisters-in-law, and soon-to-be-sisters-in-law!

58.  I am excited about getting  prepared for the future (food storage, supplies, 72 hour kids, etc.), even though I am a little afraid of what the future may bring.

59.  I have a hard time speaking my mind, I am always afraid of hurting someone.  It is seriously hard for me to tell someone when they have offended me, or whatever.  I'd rather just get over it, forget about it and move on.

60.  I cannot hold a grudge!  I am so quick to forgive/trust people.  It gets me hurt, a lot!

61.  I have a temper.  I have a really, really long fuse.  But, when it goes it is not pretty.

62.  I love that I am happy!

63.  I love that every week I cry/laugh so hard I cry.

64.  I love pedicures, nothing is as great as someone rubbing your piggies!!

65.  I love music!

66. I enjoy girls night at the movies, we need to get back to doing that once a week.

67.  I am always shaking my booty.  This inspires the laughter of those around me while I am cooking and shaking my booty.  Or walking through a parking lot and shaking my booty, etc.

68.  I like to decorate the house.  From the every day home decor to Christmas and holiday decor. 

69.  I hate it when my kids are sick.  It is horrible when there is nothing you can do for them.

70.  I hate getting flowers.  It is such a huge waste of money!

71.  I love my brown eyes.

72.  I love movies.

73.  I love fried zucchini!  Cheesecake Factory has some spectacular zucchini!

74.  I love to play the piano.  Well, as well as I can!

75.  I enjoy saracasm!

 

I love that I am going to tag Tawna, Taya, Summer, Mom, Stacie, Jennifer and/or Bob, Kasey, Jamie, and anyone else who is up for a challenge!!  Good luck!! It is kinda fun to think about yourself and who you are! 

Transformers...more than meets the eye!

I just wanted to get this down before I forget, again.

Sunday, during church, Aden had a little airplane and was pretending to be a transformer. Business as usual for him.  Pretty soon this is what I hear,  "But he crashed, before he could retrieve the cube".  (It is part of the narration from the movie.)  Too funny.  

Then, yesterday afternoon I was getting ready for work.  Jeff and I are in our room talking, planning and whatnot, when Aden comes in.  He immediately drops to the floor and says, "I must transform" or something like that.  Then, he pulls his arms, legs and head into his shirt and sits there in a ball.  It was hilarious.  Jeff asked him if he was ready to transform and then made the transforming sounds for him while he unfolded himself out of his shirt!!  And I don't know which character he is referring to, but he calls one of the transformers "Ska-ska".  

Good times.  He's so cute.  I just LOVE him!!! 

I love it...

I love these tinted lip moisturizers.  Just a tiny bit of color and peppermint oil.  They double to help freshen breath!  Sweet!

I ABSOLUTELY love, love Clinique Happy perfume!! It is pretty much the best thing ever made!!

I love the eyeliner in Stubborn brown!

Love MAC's Eye makeup remover! It is awesome!

I love their Studio Fixx liquid foundation!

I love their Plush Lash mascara in "brownette"!

I love the pigment pots for eyeshadow!! I love, love the gold color!

I really love their blushes! I get the lighter shades with some shimmer to them to put with any other blush color!

MAC does this really cool program.  When you bring in 5 used bottles/containers of makeup they give you a free product!  Sooo cool. (It's usually an eyeliner, but sometimes it changes)

I am all about anything FREE!! 

I absolutely love this body wash!!!! I love the way it smells, yummy coconut, but not too much.  It's a good clean feeling!!  It also makes your skin "oh so soft" and radiant!!! Love, love, love it!! If your looking to try something new, you should give it a try. If you go to softsoap online, you can get a coupon.

Happy Birthday to both of you...

Happy Birthday to you

You live in a zoo

You look like a monkey

and you smell like one too!!!!!!! 

LOL!!

Happy Birthday to 2 of my favorite people!!  I hope that you girls have a great day.  

Just a few reasons I love them so much:

We always have way too much fun together

They always make me laugh way too hard

They are both huge inspirations to me

They both are nice enough to watch my children (a lot)

They are very generous

They are hilariously funny

They are kind, sweet and thoughtful

They are beautiful, inside and out!!

Love you girls!!  Have a great Birthday!!

(p.s. Girls night, again, soon!! I need more zuchini!!)

Homemade bread!! Mmmmmm....

Mmmmm.....is there anything that smells better than freshly baked homemade bread??? I think not.
I love homemade bread!!  And I really love that I can make homemade bread!!  I am definitely lucky to have an amazing teacher!!  The recipe that she gave me for Christmas, along with the wheat grinder, makes the very best bread ever!!  I will try to get it posted on the cooks blogsite asap!! This pic is from the last time I made bread. It was so very tasty! I need to make more tomorrow!!