If you want something....

you've got to work for it! (I think Adelle might have just "tasted" the dirt?)
I think hard work is really respectable. It gives purpose to life and builds confidence.
The problem with society today is that kids are inside watching video games instead of manually picking up the grass that was just wee-deeded in the yard and dumping it in the trash. We did not ask him to do this but I was impressed by his desire to help. Happy as a little clam.
Happy Helpers!
When I am old I want to be able to know that my children are leading productive lives. I feel really passionately about teaching them to be hard workers and to enjoy tasks that challenge them. What happened to this concept?
So at the end of the day when they lay down their body feels exhausted (I felt this way Saturday after a long day of yard work and it was awesome).
I really don't tell them to pose for these pictures. They are really just happy to be helping. Will this continue through the teen years? I think I know the answer to that!
After a hard days work this is Braxton laying on the wet ground catching the rain drops on his tongue. What a great life. I want to be a little boy.

HANDBOOK 2010

My Aunt Angela (I love her too) sent me this fantastic email. I bolded the goals I am really going to strive to improve on this year. I printed this list off and hung it in my kitchen where I will see it every day. I loved it. I think it's a great list.

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

On a positive note their are some things on this list that I have already been practicing and they are blessing my life. Last week I spent a morning with each of my grandmothers, individually. While Braxton was in preschool I decided to visit my grandma Mary on Wednesday and my Gramy on Monday. It was so wonderful. They are both so wise and have so much to offer me and my children. It was wonderful for Adelle, Emmett, and I to just sit and visit. They spoil us when we come over and I can tell it means so much to them. I can't imagine being a widow, as they both are, and I am happy at the joy we are able to bring when we stop by to visit them unexpectedly. I always feel welcome at Grandma's house.

Games have also re-appeared on our agenda. We are good about playing games with our kids but some of those games can really make you crazy. When Jeff's family visited they taught us some new card games and we spend a lot of time playing games with them. We invited my parents over Sunday night to play games with us and our kids, it slightly broke up the monotony. Also, Jeff and I have started our own poker night. Just the two of us in our living room. It's a real kick.

Prom already?

So a friend of ours from church (high school boy)
wanted to ask a girl to PROM
He borrowed Braxton and Adelle
gave them a bouquet of red roses...
with a note "will you go to PROM with me?"
sent them to track practice (of course I was there too)
they used their cute magic and delivered the flowers with the note
She accepted (how could you tell these two "no")
He has a date

small stuff

Emmett is nine weeks. I can't believe it! The last nine weeks have been...challenging. You might want to take note of this because I don't usually admit to things being anything but "perfect." Don't get me wrong, the last nine weeks have been wonderful but it has definitely been an adjustment and as much as I have kept up with everything to a point.... this week I think I crashed.
It is not my baby. He is healthy and happy and absolutely wonderful in every way. He sleeps good, eats good, and loves being with his family. He smiles and coo's and brings me so much joy.
It's not Braxton. He is a huge help! He is smart and enthusiastic and the sweetest boy I have ever known. He is thoughtful of the whole families needs and the first person to continually tell me how much he loves me.
It is not Adelle. She is my sunshine every day. She loves to be the big sister and is anxious to do any responsibility I ask of her. She is spunky and daring and adds so much spice to my life. She is always on the go and always trying new things. She makes me smile.
So the problem? Me! I know it's me. It has been me the whole time. I have this standard I have set for myself to have everything in order, all of the time! It's become a bit draining. I will proudly say that with two kids I was pretty much on the ball. I will humbly say that with three, I have been struggling with how to balance all the many needs of my family and my home, my calling at church, my social commitments,my friends...

It has been difficult. I am hard on myself. I have a do-list that every single day is left with something that did not get done.How do I do everything in 24 hours? What do I leave un-done?

Yesterday my mom (I love her) sent me this inspiring email that was exactly what I needed to read to start my day. The quote below was spoken to my heart at the perfect time.


“Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” – “Favorite Quotations from the Collection of Thomas S. Monson,” p. 273

It changed my perspective. It helped me to appreciate that time outside with my kids is worth leaving the lunch dishes in the sink. It reminded me that my husband doesn't care what the house looks like when he gets home as long as I meet him at the door with a "kiss me like you mean it" attitude. And life....well it's busy, and if you waste your time stressing over the small stuff you miss out on the simple pleasures.

With that....I am still Andrea. I still like things in order. But I am working on being gentle with myself. My priorities are set and aspirations are high and although I may not be able to master everything TODAY. I will master everything in time.

Aa: Annoying

O.k I am going to vent a minute.
It really bugs me that there are two different ways to make a lowercase "a". Why do we write it one way, but we read it in text a different way? Why can't they just be the same? It's really "annoying" when your little 4 year old is learning to read and he can recognize the letters for what they are until he gets to "a". How am I supposed to answer him when he asks why the "a" looks like "that" but we right it like "that" Ugh!

When we count our many blessings....

we count these people twice


The grandparents


Always happy when the grand-kids
are around



Always happy to help the parents



Always full of love for ALL the kids



Always ready to spoil



Always willing to listen




Always missed when they are gone





Always tolerate the worst...with a smile

Always willing to read books




Always wanting to help

to love

to listen

to laugh



Always sending packages



Always giving kisses



Always singing songs



Always in our prayers



Always in our thoughts



Always we are thankful for our kind and loving Gramy Bama Umpa Papa

simple joys

We had just finished dinner last night and Braxton asked if he could watch a movie. I said yes. After I got dinner cleaned up I could tell that Adelle was not wanting to sit and watch the movie so I asked her if she wanted to read books. Of course she did, but she wanted to read books on the couch "right here!" I didn't want to compete with the movie and I didn't want to tell Braxton he had to turn it off so I asked Adelle if she wanted to come in momma's bed and read books. This was really exciting for her. I grabbed Emmett and Adelle and we hopped up into bed, covers and all. Adelle brought two books with her. A couple minutes later, Braxton came and hopped up with us to read. He had left his movie. Then, a few minutes after that Jeff hopped in as well. He had left his homework. My whole family in "my" bed reading books together. It was special to me. I love moments like that. It reminds me of the simple joys.

Mr. Popular

Emmett is Mr. Popular around here. The kids are so in love with him. It's really sweet. Adelle always lays as close to him as possible on his blanket. Emmett was 6 weeks yesterday! He is smiling and cooing like crazy. I can't believe how fast time is flying!
I love this picture of this sweet boy. It really captures the person I see in him. He has the most peaceful, gentle, countenance.
Here he is 4 weeks old. One month and 11 lbs. even. Growing like crazy and filling out those cheeks.

This is Adelle at 4 weeks. They both weighed exactly 11 lbs at 4 weeks old....she started a little bigger than Emmett.
Can you tell they are related?
Here is Emmett and Braxton sporting their "ball" clothes for Bryce's basketball game. Braxton insisted Emmett wear this to the game.
This is Baby Braxton....long, long, time ago. 4 weeks old. He and Emmett have the same receding hair line!
Where did the time go?