PERSPECTIVE

Perspective is an interesting thing isn't it? It seems like every time I start to self pity, life has a way of putting things back in proper perspective again.

This past week I have encountered endless green boogers from three little noses compounded by a massive case of the stomach flu for mom. YUCK! Sounds horrible until my blog snooping led me to a mothers daily account of her four year olds battle with cancer. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing while I thanked my Heavenly Father for good health for me, my husband and mostly my children. THANK HEAVEN FOR PERSPECTIVE.

I have spent countless days worrying about the health of my grandfather and have tried to spend as much time as possible with him every time I go to Logan. Recently, one of my friends lost her grandmother in a sudden and unexpected death. No closure, only questions. THANK HEAVEN FOR PERSPECTIVE.

I always have a list of "wishes" and "if I just had" items on my mind. Take for example, the fall centerpiece that would have looked amazing on my kitchen table. Last night I watched in horror at the thousands of homes destroyed in the California fires where they literally lost EVERYTHING. That fall centerpiece just doesn't seem so important anymore. Again, THANK YOU FOR A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE.

I think the Lord has a way of directing my path to help me appreciate what I have; it's just a shame he even has to remind me. I have a wonderful healthy family. I have a home with all of my basic needs not only met but in abundance. I have friends on every hand that are always willing to help in any way shape and form. Life is good. I am truly blessed. Sometimes, I just need a little PERSPECTIVE.

Jami's Dancing Days

I just thought I would share one of my old videos from when I was performing with the ballet in China. Yes, it was a few years back and I look a little different but hey- three kids will do that to you. Make sure to fast foward closer to the end - it gets more and more impressive!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5lN96dgt_Y

All I can say is....WOW!

Betty Crocker- I think not!

So when we lined up for talents in heaven why is it that I bypassed the "domestic" line completely? I'm sure there must have been some great sale going on that lured me away because I am one heck of a shopper!? The problem is that when I do feel the urge to be Betty Crocker I usually end up with a kitchen that looks like a tornado just hit, the need for an on-call assistant and a semi-decent finished product. If I am lucky - every once in a while I might hit the jackpot. While Adree was here last weekend I thought she would be the perfect assistant in making my moms famous cinnamon twists BUT I was mistaken! She is no better than I (okay, really she is far better than I but in this particular instance she was not). We ended up calling my mom every five minutes and second guessing our every move. In the end, we did have a mess, a phone covered in flour but a fairly good product.

Too Cute!

Do not attempt to adjust your screen - it is true to size! Caymbree is ALL GIRL and Bridger is ALL BOY! While they are only four weeks apart in age there is a distinct difference in size. Aren't they cute? (Bridger is my sister's little boy).

The Best Day Ever!

"This was da best day EVER!" These are the words that make every parent wish they could freeze frame time and space and savor the moment! Hope and Hallee were ecstatic about our last family outing to the pumpkin patch where they got to run around wild looking for the perfect pumpkin. Add a small corn maze to the mix, dinner at Costa Vida, and a night of creative painting and WA-LA! you have it...the best day ever!

CEASE FIRE

What do you get when you put two incredibly strong headed, spunky, and determined three year olds together? Normally, a lot of screaming, hitting, crying, tongue-sticking-out, WWF take-downs leaving their moms on the verge of Hitleristic punishment! Hope and Adi (My sister's little girl) usually have a really tough time getting along so the idea of them spending a few days together required a little creative thinking, as few as "no's as possible, and about five back-up plans. However, I am happy to report that they must have called a CEASE FIRE because they did great together! Nothing that a huge bowl full of candy (that is now 3/4 gone), a lot of make-up and dress up clothes, and adding 3 other toddlers to the mix couldn't fix. Yes, that was part of my plan...add more toddlers to the picture to create a diversion. The jury is still out as to whether I am brilliant or just insane!

Too much confidence?

After getting Hallee ready for school today she looked at herself in the mirror, smiled and then said, "Mom, you know what? Sometimes when I am at school I think I am the prettiest princess in the whole class but I don't ever tell anybody that cause I don't want them to feel sad." Ya know what Hals...I agree!

What you say CAN and WILL be used against you!

Hope has a new game plan. She has decided to give me a taste of my own medicine and use my commonly used phrases back on me. Just today I have heard... (I'll do my best interpretation)

• "Are you lis-nen to me mom?"
• "Use gonna lose a mable (marble) mom!"
• "Look at me when I's talking to you!"
• "Use gonna go to time-out!"
• "Are use kidd'n me?"
• "Dis is mazing!

Nothing like hearing yourself through your child!

SOLVING THE WORLDS PROBLEMS

Intrigued by the title hey? Well, it's true...my friend and I solved ALL the world's problems yesterday during one of our regular theraputic-ignore-the-chaos conversations. I'm a little shocked at how simple the answer is actually and even more amazed at how long it has taken me to realize it. So are you ready for it? It's KINDNESS! Just think, if we all were kind to each other there would be no more wars, no divorce, abuse, road rage....

So here is the hard part; How do I instill this in my children? How do I teach them how absolutely critical this life skill is? (I'm accepting any and all suggestions!)

I had to put my money where my mouth is today when some not-very-nice (I'm not allowed to say "stupid") trucker honked and threw up his arms when I pulled out LONG in front of him after waiting to get across the road for five minutes. I was proud of myself for whispering "kindness...kindness...kindness" in between gritted teeth and you'll be happy to know I even mustered up a smile, a wave and mouthed the words "sorry".

So moral of the story...be kind today...Pass it on!

I'm In Love!

I'm in Love....with baby Caymbree. Maybe it is the fact that she can't talk back to me, tell me that I "am a mean mom", or whine? Or maybe it's those bigger-than-her-head BOWS that put me over the edge? Whatever it is...she's got me hooked!

DANCING DIVA'S

Hallee has been taking dancing and tumbling from Elite Academy for the last year or so and loves every minute of it! She spends countless hours at home perfecting her toe touches, leaps and back bends.

This year we signed Hope up for a class even though she is a little young (the class is for 3-5 yr olds; Hope turns 3 in November). According to Hope, Hallee "gets all the fun" and she constantly was asking us when she would be "tall enough" to go to school, ride a school bus, and go to dancing. Not much we can do about the first two requests so the third was a done deal. I was a little nervous about sending my I'll-do-it-when-and-how-I-want-to daughter off to a structured class so I popped in the other day to check out how things were going.

I got some great video of Hope but I can't figure out how to flip it the right way. Oh, well... you'll get the idea. Notice how Hope is facing backwards while the rest of the class faces forward? Like I said, it's her way or no way :)

So long Harry!

I'll admit it. I am a Harry Potter fan. It is with very mixed emotions that I say so long to Harry after finishing the final book this week. (I have to be very selective when I start a Harry Potter book because I neglect pretty much everything; kids, husband, housework,....) while I read.

It was an emotional journey and I'll even admit to shedding a few tears along the way. This book gave me serious anxiety and I even found myself thinking/worrying about Harry and the gang during the day as well as in my dreams.

I feel relieved that it is all over, sorrow that I will never get to do it again and awe at one who can write such a novel.

It's Time to Pray!

This morning as we were driving Troy to work Hope looked up and saw the sun's rays shining out of the clouds and yelled, "Look guys, It's Jesus! He says, "time to pray!" Then she folded her arms and began "Hav-Fa-la-leen, tank you for dis day." Then something else caught her eye and that was the end of that. By the way, for those of you who have need for an interpreter, "Hav-fa-la-leen" is Heavenly Father. She has said it that way since she could talk and no matter how hard we try to correct her, it hasn't changed. That's okay....it's pretty cute if you ask me!

10 years and counting...

It's hard to believe that Troy and I have been married 10YEARS! One cozy little cottage, two houses, two college degrees, five jobs, too many cars to count, and three kids later and here we are.

We celebrated our anniversary with a quick get-away to California . We indulged ourselves with some of our greatest loves in life; the theater, the beach/ocean and spending time with each other. (I would have to add to my list; sleeping in, reading a book undisturbed, a conversation without interruption...)

The highlight would have to be seeing WICKED at the Pantages theater in LA. Words cannot describe how truly amazing this show is. We left the theater wanting more and wondering when we can buy tickets for the SLC show.

Although the weather was only 68 degrees it did not stop us from hanging out on the beach. There is something so rejuvenating about sitting on the beach watching and listening to the ocean. I think there may have been a split second that I thought about how much my girls would love to be there but it was quickly replaced by my selfish indulgence of peace and quiet.

It was a much needed getaway made possible in part by my parents bravery of taking on a nursing baby and two little ones. We can't thank you enough and love you lots!

All about Hallee

Yesterday I found myself sitting among a class full of kindergarten kids as I volunteered in Hallee's classroom. It was a thought provoking experience as I watched Hallee interact with her peers and gave me a new insight to what I think I already knew about her.

Hallee is a people-watcher. She stands back with a huge grin on her face and is content to watch the mayhem around her. She is very obedient and eager to please. She has a sensitive heart and easily gets her feelings hurt. When confronted with a group setting she doesn't burst right in but slowly and quietly works her way in without ever saying a word. She is content with one close friend and doesn't require an entourage around her.

I watched with mixed feelings as I realized that these traits will be her greatest asset or her greatest challenge. How am I as her mother going to make sure they become the first rather than the latter? It's a lot of pressure!

I also realized how amazing it is that I, the social butterfly, party chairman, conversation monopolizer, the-more-the-merrier, strong headed, defiant, ect...") got a daughter like her. I have so much to learn from her. Thanks for mellowing me out Hal's!

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

FIVE THINGS...

I WAS DOING FIVE YEARS AGO

• Enjoying life 10 pounds skinnier
• Getting ready to celebrate Hallee's first birthday
• Living in Logan
• Just completed my Masters degree and received offer to teach at Utah State
• Ah heck, I can barely remember yesterday let alone five years ago

ON MY LIST TODAY

• Unpack bags from trip
• laundry, laundry and more laundry
• Mow the lawn (it's sounds cool but it's the first time I've mowed in about a year)
• Try to figure out how to get the beautiful bloody design off Hope's new bedspread from her middle-of-the-night bloody nose
• Update the blog
• Clean and organize Hallee's toy drawers
• (Do I only get five on this one? I'm just getting started...)

Just for kicks I'll add in Monday's schedule -

Wake up, fix breakfast, exercise, get myself ready, get girls ready, fix lunch, clean up lunch, take Hallee and carpool to kindergarten, take other girls to friend, go to Hallee's school to volunteer, go pick up girls, go pick up Hallee, come home, get Hallee a snack and changed into dance clothes (this all must be completed in 1/2 hour), take Hallee and carpool to dance, come home, get Hope in dance clothes, take Hope to dancing, pick up girls from dancing, come home, get in tub and jammies, brush teeth, bedtime story and yipppeee my day is finally my own. Oh crud....I forgot dinner.

YOU'LL NEVER WEAR AGAIN

• Never say never! Who would have thought that I would be wearing the big, colorful, plastic jewlery again. You know, the same one's that were in our dress up boxes when we were 3.
• Larger than life maternity clothes.
• A size 4
• bikini swimsuits

BAD HABITS

• Picking at any and everything
• Sitting on the counter while putting on my make-up
• My Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, anything with carbonation addiction
• SHOPPING
• Troy is soon to say "blogging"

SONGS I KNOW THE LYRICS TO

• The ENTIRE soundtrack to Highschool Musical. I'm still working in HSM2. (Pathetic isn't it?)
• "Live like you were dying" by Tim Mcgraw
• "My Girl" by the Temptations
• "Since you've been gone" by Kelly Clarkson
• "Bad Day"

AND FINALLY, "Tag! Your it!...

Tara S. , Josie, Evelyn, Brooke, and Tara W.

Time to Milk!

I will apologize in advance to any men who are uncomfortable with all the perks that come along with motherhood. With a house full of girls, there is no room for that at my house. In preparation for my upcoming trip to California I have had to pump every morning for the last three weeks in order to have enough milk to leave for Caymbree. Hope has gotten used to the routine and even depends on it as part of our morning schedule. The other day I was running late when I heard Hope yelling for me downstairs. As I turned the corner there she was - she had set up my breast pump and said "Hey mom! It's time to milk!"

Today, I came downstairs to see that she decided to give it a shot herself. She had even turned on the pump and when I asked her what she was doing she said, "I's milking!"

LESSONS LEARNED

It was bound to happen. Every morning while I am getting ready Hope comes in and pretends like she is going to touch my curling iron and every morning I tell her that she is going to get burned. She has even gone as far as touching the handle or cord and then looking at me with those "whatcha-gonna-do-about-it" eyes. So this morning while I was in the other room getting a bow for her hair - she finally pushed it just a little too far. You would expect a breakdown, a scream, a terrified look or something but her pride just wouldn't let her do it. She calmly walked around the corner and said, "mom, I hurt my finger...i need a bandaid." When I asked her how she did it, her eyes started to fill up with tears and she shrugged her shoulders. I looked down at her little red finger and I could feel the heat coming off of her skin. The tears started to flow when I asked her if she touched the curling iron. Finally, reluctantly, she said yes. With Hope, lessons learned will come the hard way. Hopefully, tomorrow she will think a little harder about pushing the limits....but then again, maybe not.

Happy Birthday Troy!

There is no doubt in my mind that Hallee , Hope, and I had more fun preparing for Troy's birthday than he did receiving it. Hallee got the idea from a friend to spray him with silly spray and that is all she would talk about for weeks before the big day. My unintentional procrastination led to a day of chaos as we wrapped all his presents, made a birthday cake and went to three different stores to find the silly spray I had been promising for weeks. However, it was SO WORTH IT. The girls were totally hands on (and I mean literally) in making the cake and while it was somewhat scary to look at it was actually one of the best homemade cakes I have ever made (ok, that is really not saying much). Watching the girls squeal with delight every time they thought the garage door was opening was priceless and I'm pretty sure they had the cans in their hands a good hour before I even expected him to be home.

Sweet Sweet Baby

I think one of the best payoffs of weeks of sleepless nights with a newborn is the moment you get a glimse of that first true SMILE. It's the moment your realize they are a real little person with feelings and emotions just like you. It's when you wonder if they are as happy to see you as you are to see them. It makes the endless poopy diapers, the cries in the middle of the night, and the spit up all down your shirt all seem pretty harmless. In that moment you realize that you must have the cutest baby in the whole world because nothing or noone could possibly compare to your sweet baby.

The Bloopers

What would a photo shoot be without the BLOOPERS? Just thought you all might enjoy a good laugh!

Photo Shoot

With all of the kids out of the house my mom has finally got to pursue new passions in life...photography and digital scrapbooking. Both of which I get to reap the benefits (thanks mom). However, the last photo shoot we did was when Caymbree was only a week old and it was a nightmare. I thought newborns were suppose to be easy to shoot - they just sleep peacefully while you mold them into any position you wish - NOT THE CASE for us. Caymbree pretty much cried through the entire thing, Hope and Hallee wanted to be in the middle of it all and after three hours I was on the verge of a post partum meltdown. Last weekend I went to Logan to visit and we managed to try it again. After over 100 shots we got some great pictures! Thanks mom!

Okay we are on board!

All right already, we will join the bandwagon! Thanks to all of you for sharing your blogs - you have FINALLY motivated me to give this a shot. I am trusting that it is as easy as you all say it is. Tune in next week (okay, let's be realistic - next month, for pictures and etc.).