Our Harley

This is me a few weeks before I had Harley, the picture was really dark.

Harley right after she was born

Harley's 6th birthday was last week. We love her so much!

We got to do so many fun things for her birthday. We had her party on Monday since they were home from school and then afterwards, we were able to have Kyle and Erin over to play Mario Party with us.

Proof of my craziness

I had to go sit with Novalee today in her class since she like to socialize, no idea really where she gets it, I start to leave and I grab my keys from my jacket pocket! I realized that they were a little more heavier than usual and I realized they are not my keys! I had taken someone elses keys home this morning and I had no idea whose. My first thought was where were my keys since I must have switched keys at the school this morning and while I was panicking about that I realized that was a stupid idea and that obviously I came home so my keys were with me. Then I started worrying about what I might have to do to find out whose they were. Hoping that whosever they were wasn't a parent who was stuck at the school since they couldn't find their keys, I drove over to the school and started asking whose they were. I admit I did feel stupid telling people I found them in my pocket but how was I supposed to explain how I had them? Luckily they were Novalee's teachers keys so she was at the school anyways. I must have picked them up by accident when I was talking to her and had put my stuff down on her desk.
Hmm

Really Quick

Harley: Novalee why did you used to be a man?
Novalee: What I never was a man
Harley: You told me you used to be a man
Novalee: No I didn't
Jason: Harley
Harley: Sorry Daddy

Christmas

So this year our kids were spoiled which isn't unusual but how they did is really sad and my fault since I give in to my kids. Well on Christmas eve, we went to my dad's as usual and we all got enough presents to not need any from Santa, Gunnar got a big mega block dump truck and the girls got Madame Alexander dolls which they are still begging to take from the boxes. No too mention the other things they got.
We came home and let the girls open one of the presents from Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Jerry. Gunnar was so mad we wouldn't let him open anymore but we told him as soon as Santa came he couldn't. The kids went to bed amazingly pretty early and Jason and I were able to clean the house and get to bed before 10. It was amazing!!
The next morning at around 5:30 I heard Harley say, "get up Santa was here!" Jason told her to go back to bed until Novalee was awake, then we heard, "I'm awake!" So we all got up and went out to the living room. Gunnar wasn't too excited about getting up but when Jason showed him what Santa left him by his stocking he was so excited! The kids, we thought, loved what they got. Novalee got a 2008 Holiday Barbie, the Christmas Carol Barbie, two of the books from Diary of Wimpy kid, the queen doll from the TInkerbell movie, a necklace, and a Cinderella wedding Barbie. (I think that is it). Harley got a baby doll that she kept talking about Santa bringing her but she hasn't played with it much since then, a white carebear and a pink carebear, the new Tinkerbell doll from the beginning of the movie, a tinkerbell doll set from the movie, and a necklace. Gunnar got his Spike dinosaur, a huge plush dinosaur from Toy Story, and some pixar figures. Not too mention the toys they got to share.
We went to my mom's house and the girls got cameras and jumping game and a microscope from my mom and Robert and also from Granddad. Gunnar got a flashlight that never needs batteries since he is obsessed with flashlights and a potty chair that he has used!
After that we went to Grandma Kathy's and Grandpa Jerry's where uncle Tim and his family kept giving the kids toys. Their cousins bring toys around with the on Christmas to give to the other kids but they were done going places so they just gave the rest of the toys to our kids.
We got home and started getting the house clean and Harley came up to me and said, "Mommy every year Santa brings us lots and lots and lots of Toys, and this year he only brought us lots" I felt so bad that she didn't have the happiest day so I talked Jason into getting into our stash of toys in the closet to give to the girls, Jason has been shopping at the Disneystore collecting all of the prince and princess barbies so we gave them to him which was around 12 barbies, I think, I didn't count. I don't know what do you think, did they get enough under the tree? I know it sounds so superficial but they got less then usual and I was worried. Christmas was always so exciting and sucha magical day for me, I didn't want to kids to be sad.

School Christmas Parties

Every year at their school, the kids have a Christmas program where each grade sings some Christmas songs. Jason was able to get a substitute for his class and so I actually got to listen this year.
After the program, they had about 2 hours for the parties. Harley's class watched movies and had cookies. Novalee's class was supposed to color and read Christmas stories but were too hyper so I ran home and got "Babes in Toyland" the Disney movie and we watched it. It was funny watching some of the kids in Novalee's classroom. At first I didn't see any treats that we had asked the kids to bring. Then we asked and slowly the treats came out. When it was time to pass them out. A lot of kids only passed out a few and kept the rest for themselves. Then one little boy even was going from desk to desk trying to sneak other kids candy. They are definitely kids. This boy with Novalee likes her, well he did that day and kept asking me to take pictures of them together. Then when I was goofing off with the kids and was dancing with Novalee to the music from the movie, he told Novalee he wanted to dance with her. It was cute even though they are only in second grade.

Stuck in Today

I know I still have so much to write about Christmas since the kids are spoiled rotten but, the girls were so excited to go to church today and wear their new dresses that they got from Grandpa Art and Kathy. We got up and looked outside, our tire has a slow leak and being cold has seemed to make it go faster. The tire was flat. We picked up the phone to call someone to come bring an air compressor to our house so we could leave and our phone was dead. Since our phone, cable and internet are all connected, we didn't have anything. Apparently Comcast was dead all day, we couldn't leave since our tire was so flat, I was not going to walk the kids to church so we were stuck at home, no way to call anyone, nothing to do but watch DVD's and listen to the girls play Barbies. I feel bad because for once the girls actually wanted to go to church and today is the last Sunday of the year which means next year they will have new classes. Oh well I have kids what can I do. Half the time it is just me running to teach my class anyways since our kids are so prone to being sick.

An almost updated blog,

I was so almost going to do a blog tonight that had lots of cute pictures plus some pictures of people other then me, but I just couldn't get around to it since I have been playing around with the background for a while. The new title for our blog is our family joke, and I thought it fit since the kids are being silly in the picture. With the time coming up this week, I plan on updating my blog, until then, I am trying to fight off the urge to gain 50 pounds this week on fudge alone. Hope you are all doing great!

Last night we went to Target because I wanted to buy some more nutcrackers that they had there and we found the most awesome deal!!! This dinosaur (Kota) is usually over $200. They had them at Target for $100. You can't beat that price! We didn't really think because there were a bunch of people standing around looking talking on their phones, so we grabbed one and then went to go see if we really wanted it. They only had 2 left so of course we had to get it. We always give our kids a present when they are potty trained so we decided to give this to Gunnar when he goes potty all the time in the toilet. I felt bad at first because the girl's didn't cost that much but, they are getting their own ipods when they stop sucking their fingers and thumb. Well after we got home, we put the dinosaur together, and Harley, being the little mom, decided to name the dinosaur. After counting the horns, she decided to name him, "Horny" that idea was nixed because he already had a name. After about 10 minutes of playing Kota is in mom and dad's room taking a nap. Until Gunnar doesn't need to wear diapers anymore.

No more wire hangers!

Do you ever feel like you are going to loose it on your kids? Seriously I have felt like Joan Crawford lately, not because of all my boyfriends, but because my kids are driving me crazy! We went to my mom's house on Sunday night and the kids made a gingerbread house with her. We brought it home (fallen apart but then fixed when we got home) and since then its, "Mommy can I have some gingerbread?" no "Mommy can I have a gumball?" NO "Mommy can I have 2 gumballs?" NOOO!! "Mommy can I have 3 gumballs from the gingerbread house?" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

So then when Jason got home they started asking again. I then told them that if I heard another word about the gingerbread house then I would throw it away. Next thing I hear, "Daddy can I have some gingerbread house candy?" I look at Novalee and say, "What did I just say?" She turns to me and says, "Well, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Daddy"

Yeah, luckily I walked in the other room to get a break and the gingerbread house is still alive.

Oh my goodness, what have I been doing?

I know I haven't been keeping up with letting you all know my interesting life
well,
- Gunnar and I have been busy playing North Pole with the Little People Christmas set. For some reason that darn elf wants everyone to know how hard he works (story and pictures to come later)
- I have fallen in love with the free trial games on the comcast site my poor kids are being neglected and Harley told me yesterday that if the games make me mad why do I play them?
- I have been having fun being lazy
- I was getting all my homework done then got burned out and now I still need to finish it
-Well, the other day I was walking down the street and I found a wallet. I opened it up to see whose it was and oh my goodness, it belonged to Josh Groban he must have started stalking me again when he heard me sing along with his Christmas cd. I quickly flew to Montana where he has a home and I knew he was there. I knocked on the door and somehow he knew I was coming. I told him he needs to stop following me but I think I have caught glimpses of him every now and then.
Other then that things are ok. Nothing too much and nothing too great.

My Gunnar and Star Trek

Since it is mostly Gunnar and I in the morning we like to run errands then. We took our friend Jared to preschool and then we went to Allens. On the way home Gunnar was so cute. He kept yelling, "Mommy! Mommy!" I kept asking him what he wanted. Finally he said, "You are supposed to say Gunnar!" Okay so after he again says "Mommy!" I say, "Gunnar" so Gunnar answered "Thank you" Okay.

As I was getting Gunnar out of the van he said, "Look Mommy! Its our birds!"

"Our birds? What are their names?"

"Star Trek and Star Trek."

He loves playing Star Trek with his Daddy

We are opening the front door and he points to the old hose in the corner by the front door.

"Mommy look our snake but its dead"

"Oh what is its name"
"Star Trek."

"Mommy wheres your Mommy?"
"Shes at work"
"My mommy is at work too"

I am glad one person besides me sees this!

What I want

Today I was reading to Gunnar and wondering if my kids are happy with their life. I want the best for them and I want them to remember their childhood as a happy time in their life. I want to be the example that they need and be there for them. I also want to be the kind and patient mother that my kids deserve. I want them to be independent and confident in themselves. I want my kids to love themselves and love their family. I want them to never have their feelings hurt by their friends. I want them to be always happy. I want them to know that no matter what I am there for them. I want them to succeed in the future. I want to be the mom who has fresh cookies on the table when they come home from school to a clean house. I want to always be the mom who is willing to help them with their homework no matter how many times I have to tell them to pay attention to their homework and not to fight with their brother or sister. I want them to feel constant love from us and never feel alone. I want to tuck them in at night and hear a happy good night and "I love you Mom". I want to read them stories on my lap while they actually listen to me and they ask me questions about the story other then "Where is the dinosaur?"

I love my kids so much and sometimes I wonder if I am giving my best effort. Sometimes I just want to lay down and read but since I am a mommy that is my number one job that I am very thankful for. I wonder if my kids are actually happy or if they just tell me they are happy because I buy them candy or toys. I would give anything for these precious kids that Heavenly Father has given me and to think of the responsibilty I have to help these kids have a wonderful life on earth that will affect them forever it is kind of overwhelming. Just thinking of one little choice I might make or one mistake I might make (and I do make many) and what that can do to change their lives forever. Its kind of scary isn't it?

Words from a loving daughter...

Today while getting the kids ready for school, I went get my jacket out of my closet in my bedroom, I then turned off the light as we left the room. Harley who had been asking me a question, said, "Mommy, you look so skinny in the dark"
She must love me!

I have an Idea!

Since I haven't had anything stressful for 2 weeks let get more stress! This is what happened this morning . We don't' know what happened but we have to pay our $500 deductible to fix it which stinks thanks to the fact that our christmas shopping is done.

Halloween! (Finally I know)

We finally decided to carve our pumplins the night before.















The girls drew the faces on their pumpkins and Jason cut them out. Gunnar put his stickers on in preschool and then that night was upset because he wanted to clean out the inside of his pumpkin so he dumped what the girls cleaned out into his pumpkin.






























I first helped at Harley's halloween party. It wasn't as well planned as I thought it was. I was so happy though, there were so many parents there and that was great!














































Halloween 2008















Novalee as Jasmine



















Harley as Belle




















Gunnar as Stitch



















Gunnar with Grandpa Utley



















The girls with Grandma Utley.














Novalee loved her veil!














As usual Halloween is busy and hectic even more so now that the girls are both in school. I did both Halloween parties but I when I got to Novalee's class for her party at 11:30. Gunnar had thrown up and was sick. I feel bad I didn't take any pictures but I ended up having to leave with Gunnar and then coming back for the last 15 minutes. The parties were both so fun and the kids had so much candy that they almost didn't need to go trick or treating.
We went to go pick up Jason from work and headed straight to his grandparent's house. The kids had fun there as always because his grandparents are always so nice and they love their family so much. They get really into Halloween and have a table set up with candy that my kids end up raiding every Halloween.

Gunnar kept having the runny poops in his diaper so I took Jason and Gunnar home then we went to my mom's house and my mom and I took the girls trick or treating in her neighborhood. We finally were able to finish when Novalee got a glow stick bracelet. We then went back to our house and we went to a few neighbors houses to stop by and say hi.

Gunnar was so excited to go trick or treating so we decided to take them around Jason's grandparents neighborhood. So we went back to Grandma and Grandpa Utley's house got more candy from them, and then went around the neighborhood. They ended up with a lot of candy.

The following Sunday our kids went back to Grandma and Grandpa Utley's house and did some more trick or treating and each left with a grocery sack full of candy, chips, and juice. Not to mention I had boxes of juice sent home too.

The kids had a blast and the girls were so excited to wear their pretty dresses. Novalee even put hers back on when a friend came by so she could get a picture with him. I have to get that because it looked cute. Gunnar still is asking to go trick or treating. Everyone gives him candy everywhere he goes so he thinks it is trick or treating. Its so cute.