lots to say....

This post was dated as of  2011.. lol.. yikes

As everyone who knows me can attest, I am really bad at updating my blog when I get busy.  And wow have we been busy.  Just a few weeks after my last post our little girl decided it was time to come.  The story is not a super long one.  At five am. my water broke with a sudden pop(!).  It was so loud it woke me from a complete sleep.  Of course only being 34wks 6days we were not exactly packed and ready.  But one our defense we had stayed up till about 1 am working on our birthing plan.  Something in me felt a really strong drive to get it done- much to Brandon's chagrin.  I woke up B, again not thrilled with the timing, and asked him to get me a towel.  He was so funny running around in circles because his brain had not woken up enough to remember where they were.  After a few seconds he composed himself and was able to fulfill my request.  Hobbling to the bathroom, I noted we needed to pack.  ooops.  Long story short we were a bit of a circus on the packing detail.  We had to call our friends the Allred's and drop off a very sleepy older brother.  Finally around 6:45 we made it to the hospital.  We checked her heart, which took a bit to find.  When we were walking down the hall labor finally hit.

Almost a year... ooops~

Wow, it's been almost a year since my last post.  I cannot say how many times I sat down to the computer and tried to update.  The longer I waited the more updates I needed to post.  Trying to think of all the wonderful things that have happened without missing anything got to a point of overwhelming, until now.  Now it's past that point.. now I feel like I can just list some of our highlights. So here goes- my list of super awesomeness for the year (please excuse if I miss any events).
*Pine Wood Derby
  - our very last one for Seth's cubscouts.  So sad but we made it a big one and had a blast!
*Seth got his Arrow of light
  - pretty big accomplishment for our little man
*Brandon's birthday/Cinco de Mayo Bash
*Our big Utah/California trip
  - Alyssia's highschool graduation (so awesome!)
  -Visiting Sabrina and her family
  - and ofcourse Disneyland! (I can never get enough)
*Seth finishing an awesome year of 5th grade
*Seth's 11th birthday
  - in may we surprised him by not going straight home from Utah but heading to California instead.
  -camping at Boulder Cave with his bf Connor
   -horseback riding for the boys (they loved it)
   -went into 11 yr old scouts
*Seth's horseback riding lessons
  - his bday was such a hit we had him do a few more lessons over the summer.
*We finally got pregnant in July! We're due on April 8th
  -we are currently 32 weeks along (again, really bad on the updates)
  - lots of ups and downs, too many to count really. so i'll sit down with a separte list sometime
  -it's a girl!
*My 35 birthday
  - ugh.  Not something to write home about, but noteable just the same
*Moved, again!!
  -We're still here in Bothell, actually only 3 minutes away from what I refer to as "the rat hole" (named for catching 16 rats in the last 3 months we lived there)
  -living in a beautiful home, I'm very pleased as a side note
  -Seth is now attending Fernwood Elementary in Mr. Weaver's class.  I'm still loving the Northshore school district
*All of the holidays were awesome
  - I'll update pics separately
*Seth has started piano lessons again.
  -he's now taking lessons from Sister Gould who is wonderful!
  -I still cannot believe how talented he is
*Brandon has had another successful year with his business and trading
  -side note I am sooooo proud of him!!!
*The overrall year was fantastic!
  -I am more in love this year than last to my sweet husband
  -I feel so blessed to have such an amazing little man for my son
  -anxious, but excited for my little girl on the way (so weird I'm having a daughter)
  -love my friends and family and could not feel more blessed by my loving Heavenly Father

Easter and so much more...

Thank goodness for Easter Sunday,  we've been so busy these past few weeks that it's hard to keep up with everything.   But Easter weekend came right on time and along with it came general conference.  thank goodness.  i am so greatful to have a prophet of God here on this earth as well as many other leaders placed in my life to help guide me when i've gone off course.  it's so funny all the many different things people hear directed specifically towards them during conference.  this year for me was forgiveness and listening to my children.  i know there are many other people who listened intently to conference and probably didn't hear those things at all, but trust me when i say- it was screamin' loud and clear in my ear as if Heavenly Father was thinkin' i'm deaf.  i'd like to say i usually don't have a problem with the first, but those who are close to me know that i've struggled with one situation in particular recently.  so i did what i've was asked and i'm so thankful for His patience with me.  i love the feeling of weightlessness and freedom from the adversary's grasp when we do as were asked.  as for the second, i can see this as an answer to my prayers.  raising seth the right way so he can make wise choices and return to our Heavenly Father has been weighing so heavy on my heart lately.  i feel that i am ill prepared to protect him from the dangers of this world.  i think of my girls often, and want to be close to them.  i want them to know how important they are to me and feel i am there any time they need.  but instead i find myself living so far away and feeling like i cannot help them at all.  but the answers are there, they always have been.  And just like always, Heavenly Father patiently reminds me.  Read my scriptures, have daily prayer, and listen to my children.  Crazy how simple it is. 

On Sunday  LaRee and Chloe came over for conference and between the two sessions we had lunch and an easter egg hunt.  Lunch was simple and perfect.  Nothing too fancy- just potato leek soup with roast beef sandwiches.  The egg hunt continued the easy going pace of the day.  If i could sum up my Easter in one word, "perfect"- just the way i like it. 

easter egg hunting

yes, sometimes the bunny lays eggs in trees.. lol

my sweet boy

my silly niece

ninety

On April 3rd my granny turned ninety years old!  i cannot explain how blessed i am to still have a granny.  i love my granny!  she is one of the neatest people i know.  alot of the time when someone starts getting older they start losing some of their faculties... but not my granny!  not only is she the super sweet granny that makes you eat every time you stop by (hot chocolate and cookies are a must), but she is as sharp as they come.  she keeps up on current events and her memory is so keen that she can throw a story at you regarding most things you'd ever want to know about.  she is physically healthy and has an unprecidented love and devotion for her family.  there are many great and amazing people in this world  that i'd like to have similar trates to.. but i'd be thrilled if i could even be a hint of the woman she is. 

her name is Florence Emily Totten, and i'm lucky to be her grand daughter and have her name.

April Fools Day

Last Thursday about an hour before seth came home from school i realized it was April 1st,  and thought to myself "holy crap it's april fools day!".    i had two gullable boys primed and ready to be my fools and absolutely nothing planned.   So i called my friend Diana and this is what we came up with-

our faux dinner

the mashed potatoes and gravy were actually vanilla icecream, caramel, and a lemon starburst for a pat of butter.  the fish sticks were just vanilla wafers covered in peanut butter and crushed cereal.  the peas and carrots were candy i found in monroe. and the ketchup (not pictured) to go with the fish sticks was seedless strawberry jelly.  Had it not been for the potatoes melting from the "hot gravy" my boys would have been none the wiser.  We found these on a Disney family fun website- just one more reason to love Disney!

this was my faux"dessert"

Cupcakes made from meatloaf with mash potato frosting. They are a bit on the ugly side, it was a really bad back day.  These were awesome.  Shockingly my boys didn't even know they were fake while they were unwrapping them for their first bite.  Words cannot do justice in explaining seth's reaction- i am still giggling inside.  He was so excited to have a dessert dinner and then to get dessert afterward as well! what could be better!  As he sinks his teeth into what looks like a delicious strawberry frosted chocolate cupcake, the flavor of meat, potatoes, and onions envelopes his mouth...  lol.. he spit it out so fast and exclaimed "mom! there's something wrong with this cupcake! what did you do!".  He didn't even realize that it was meatloaf (one of his favorite meals).  i was laughing so hard i could feel the pain in my back pulse- but i didn't care... this was priceless!  I love April fool's day and i am so blessed to have such great guys to make my life complete.

the fastest dinner he has ever eaten!

my sweet hubby- finally getting to the meat of the dinner

Seth enjoyed the dinner so much that he requested a faux breakfast.  Here is another great Disney idea.  Eggs sunny side up on toast? nope.. toasted pound cake, with vanilla yogurt and an apricot half on top.  lol.. i loved his one and so did seth!

What a ham!

A few weeks back, Seth told me he had a speaking part in a musical the fourth and fifth grade classes were putting on at school.  A little bit in shock, my immediate response was, "really?".   Up until now Seth has always refused to do anything onstage, with exception of the school concerts where he is just another face in the crowd.  He's always said "i can't, i have stage fright".   So i assumed it was probably a small class project.  I was quite surprised when we showed up to the 1:15 program and the entire school was there.  And again at the 7:00 program, in which the entire auditorium was filled with standing room only.  The program was wonderful.  All of the kids did such a great job, the music was fantastic.  (So much so, that i woke up this morning with the song "go west" still ringing in my head)...  And there, right there, smack in the front of it all was my little monkey.  He was so excited to be a part of it,  that somehow he found his way to the front of every scene.  What a crack up.  The best way to describe it is just that he was a total ham!  I was laughing so hard the entire time that i had to brace the video camera on the chair in front of me just to keep it from shaking.  I am so proud of him conquering his fears.  I love my sweet boy!

Seth (middle) and two friends before the play-

seth was a trapper, cowpoke and a pioneer man

In the pictures below, look for him in the brownish-red vest

singing the "go west song"

seth as a "trapper", his favorite role

the finally, front and center...lol

(sorry it's blurry- blame it on my crappy camera)

Our post St. Patty's Day Party

 The weekend after St. Patty's day we had a small family style get together.  There ofcourse was lots of food but even better lots of friends!  The party started around 6:30pm and went on throughout the night.  We totally lucked out with the weather.  It was so warm/dry outside that we were able to host the get together on the back patio (with my new pretty lights).  It was great, lots of space for the kids to play- and no mess!  (lol... i know i'm not the only one who stresses over that). 

My Sweet Husband

Until now, i have always had a view of the mountains from my home.   In our last home this was the view from my kitchen.  I loved it! I always felt inspired to cook, clean and just felt alive!>>>

Since we moved to Bothell, this is what the view from my kitchen looks like>>>

Granted it is not a view of the side of some ugly building or some cranky neighbors, but still it's a small cement patio.  And i love the trees, i actually really love the trees.. However most of the time it is not sunny, but gloomy and depressing.  This was a rare moment today with the sun shining through the trees.   At night, instead of seeing the beautiful sky- i get nothing.  It's so dark,  it's like looking at a view of outer darkness.  On that note, my dear sweet husband took it upon himself (probably tired of hearing me fuss) to make my back yard just a little magical. 

he filled two of my trees (more to come) with white lights.  no, it really doesn't look like christmas.. but a magical wonderland (when i get some good pics i'll post them).  i am  so lucky to have such a wonderful hubby and now a beautiful backyard.

Our Last Pack Meeting

Seth (B and I)  has been working so hard on his scouting to finish all of the activities in his webelos book... and he finally did it!  Last Tuesday Seth was awarded his "super achiever" award in the pack meeting!  It really is quite cool, from what i've been told most kids don't finish all of the activites.  Although Seth looked a little embarrassed getting his award, I could see the excitement in his eyes.  I am just so proud of him!  Kickin butt in the pine wood derby is next and then on to 11 year old scouts!  woohooo!

Spring Concert

Seth has been working so hard and having a blast learning the trumpet.  We are so lucky to be in a school district with a band instructor that loves teaching.   Last week we were able to go to Seth's spring concert and see this first hand.  Seth is in first year band, but the concert also had 2nd and 3rd yrs as well.  We are so proud of Seth and can't wait to see how far he will progress.

all dressed up, what a cutie

waiting for the concert to begin (someone is sitting behind him and making it look as though he had huge side burns...lol  nice optical illusion)

the music was really great

after the concert with some of his bandmates/friends