In a good place

So I was talking with a really good friend today about my kids.

I mentioned "They are all just in a really good place in life and I am grateful for that"

After she left, I got to thinking about it and how grateful I am for how far they have come.

They had the past week off school so I got to spend a LOT of time with them and get to know each of them a bit better.

I am grateful for this past week (sickness aside).

I got to bond with my kids and get to know each of them better.

(please ignore the filth, he licked the bowl after I made cupcakes, the LINDT ones!)

I was talking with a really good friend today about being a mom and how grateful I am that my kids are all healthy and happy. I was thinking after about how much I really love being a mom. Being a mom was not something that came easily to me. It's been a hard road with a lot of learning curves. I think sometimes I am too hard on myself, sometimes I am not hard enough. 

I would like to believe that I am a good Mom but there are some days I really doubt it. But then, my kids do something really amazing and I think, "Well, I guess they were taught well or else they would not do that" Like this week. The boys were off school. Oh Thursday, Mr. M had teachers convention. On Thursday morning I forgot to eat until about noon. At about 1 we decided to watch "Despicable Me" (Such a cute movie!) I was on the couch with the kids and then all of a sudden a migraine hit. and hit HARD! All of a sudden I could not think straight and felt ill. This is what happens when I do not eat breakfast. L looks at me and says, "Mom, I can tell you are not feeling well, just lay down and close your eyes. I will watch the kids." The kids being his 7 year old brother who really does not need watching and M, his 3 year old sister who gives anyone a run for their money. But no fear, as he said, I will watch them and let you close your eye. He watched them while I slept. Then when Mr. M got home and made supper, I slept after I puked. When I woke up, I woke up to my supper being on the pillow next to me and L wanted to make sure I had food in case I was hungry. It's times like that that I think, "I am doing something good. I am teaching him to care for others. And he in turn is showing his siblings how to do it too." Makes me proud.

My middle man B teaches me what I need to know about myself. I watch him be determined to be healthy and physically active. I have never craved healthy food. He does! He will kindly remind me before I go grocery shopping what fruits and vegetables he likes. He will happily do any form of physical activity with me and he will encourage me. He has no problem coming to me and having a frank talk with me about my weight. "Mom, you know you are fat. I know you are fat. What do you think we can do about that?" Pretty much, that's how it goes. No jokes. I think it takes a sort of courage to talk to someone you love and be that frank and honest. NOW, don't think that everyone can go around doing that to me. He can do it because of who he is and how he does it. I appreciate that he loves me enough to do it and that he has enough confidence in our relationship to do it.

Little Miss M is the little lady I prayed for. And still pray for. There are some moments when I pray as I cuddle her and Thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with her in my life and Thank him for her blessing me with so much joy. Then there are moments I pray and ask for strength as I deal with her and her little type A personality. She is really what our family needed though. She brings so much laughing and joy to our home. I really love it! From the moment she gets up until the moment she goes to sleep it's non stop, but she is loving and kind. I thought when she came around that there would be a honeymoon phase with her, that soon her brothers would just push her to the side and want nothing to do with her. It's been over 3 years and they love her more now than the day she was born! She is so kind and considerate of others. She worries about her family or friends who may be hurt or sad. She loves like there is no other. To me, I feel grateful.

Everyday as a mother is a challenge. Somedays I feel challenged beyond what I can handle. That's typically when one of my children will sense it and do something to help me along my way. I cannot count my blessings enough when it's them I am thinking or talking about. I am really grateful we are all in a good place.

Can I get an ORANGE???

We have waited for a LONG time for this.

And by me, I mean B but really, it was a family thing. 

And what do you mean by ORANGE? 

THIS is what I mean by ORANGE!

He started out as a little ninja and went from that to white to yellow to ORANGE! 

To say I am proud would be putting it mildly.

I might have shed a tear or two. 

Or maybe more.

This is a huge accomplishment for him.

He takes his Karate very seriously.

At any point and time he will practice his moves, walking down a aisle in the mall or store, at church or home, at a relatives home.

So this accomplishment is something he has practiced for. 

This is B and his Sensei D.

His Sensei is one tough Sensei.

 Don't let that smile fool you.

He told B he is well on his way to his Green Belt. 

B understands that there will be as much work and then even more. 

But one thing that made me really proud was when he said, 

"I am really proud of him and his hard work too!" 

As a parent, it's really easy to be proud of your child but to see his Sensei who has worked so hard to teach B his skill and to see him as proud as I am made me so happy.

We are blessed to have a great Dojo for him to train in and a Great Sensei to teach him as well.

Here are just a few other fun pictures.

M's tongue sticking out is just for you A.

She refused to put her tongue in her mouth for her pictures. 

She wants to be just like you.

How cute, eh?

And her little friend is just the cutest.

They start Little Ninja's next month.

POST EDIT:
His goal is to be in the next Karate Kid.
I think they would be lucky to have him!

This year

The beginning of a new year where typically, I would make resolutions up ying yang.

I always fail, so this year, I decided not to.

I'm ok with that.

Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of areas where I could make resolutions in.

Oh my, the list is endless.

So instead of making resolutions, I resolve to not resolve.

I just want to make changes as I see the need for it.

So for instance, if I am out with my kids and feel myself losing patience, decide at that moment that I will be more patient with my kids than I would have been. 

I am hoping this will work better for me.

I just don't want to decide all these things and then let myself down.

sweet.

100 DAYS FOLKS!!!!

100 days

really, seriously? 

I remember wondering when I gave up diet coke that I was going to die.

NO jokes, seriously, going to die. 

Why not?

The headaches were h-e-l-l, I needed my diet coke, why give it up.

But I knew that with how much I loved my diet coke and drank it that it was not good for me.

There was a running joke around the house that I would need to have a 1 year supply (food storage) of my diet coke and that our house was not big enough.

It was all or nothing.

So, I went for the nothing.

I am actually kinda proud of myself. 

When I started this, I thought I could never do it.

There were many days I didn't want to do it.

But, I decided I was worth it.

I was worth teaching myself a lesson that I am worth giving it up.

That I can do something that was hard.

This year has been a year where I really felt like I got nothing accomplished and let myself down on so many levels, so I am glad I did this ONE thing and I taught myself to do something hard.

To me, 100 is a big number.

It's HUGE really.

The next time I get to add a digit is when I hit 100.

And I WILL do it.

December 21st

Dear Dec. 21st.

I loathe you

I know, like you care.

Why you may ask? 

I am pretty much nuts by now but really, to give me so little daylight on a day like today is pushing me beyond what I can handle as a human being.

I usually really cannot stand you.

But today, I think I might find a bit of love for you. 

Why you may ask?

Well, this Dec 21st brings a family member closer to me!

WOOT WOOT.

That's about the only thing I like about you today.

Oh yeah, and the fact that I don't have to see you for another year!

(I really detest the lack of sunshine, can you tell?!)

"Things gone right"

This year has kind of sucked.

I know, just what you want to hear.

But really, this is not a rant, I promise.

There has been a lot of crappy stuff that has happened this year.

It has been so stinking hard on me, physically, mentally, emotionally.

I just feel drained.

I am SO ready to kick 2010 to the curb and start off a new year and pray it's a gooder.

So one morning as I was out doing my morning papers, I was thinking about it.

I was thinking about how much had happened and how I was kinda at a point where I didn't want to even deal with it anymore.

Just wanted to hibernate until January 1st. 

Am I allowed to do that? 

So instead of focusing on the bad and crappy year, I decided I would focus on what seemed like the few shining moments of the year. 

And then I was quickly adding up how many wonderful things I had been blessed with in my life this year. 

And then I was quickly overwhelmed with all these amazing blessings and felt so grateful for them.

In a totally non specific order of  "Things gone right"

Was able to go to the Temple to do a session multiple times this year.

Was able to go to the Temple with the youth twice for them to do Baptism's for the dead.

Celebrated each of my children's birthday's, what blessings they are, happy and healthy and grateful to be blessed with amazing little ones.

Got released as YW teacher (NOT happy UNTIL)...

Got called as YW 1st counselor! WOOT WOOT!!! (Have I mentioned before that I LOVE my calling, if not, let me tell you, it is the BEST calling out there, honestly. My YW ROCK!)

Got to go to YW camp and there were NO bears! (That was literally an answer to prayers!)

Went camping in Banff with the family, once again, no bears, answer to prayers!

Got funding for our flood in our basement, once again, answer to prayers!

Got to spend many a day and night snuggling and cuddling with my kids, seriously, the best medicine that anyone could ever have. No prescription needed! 

Had my niece/almost daughter come and visit for 2 1/2 weeks in the summer.

Had my niece/almost daughter come and stay here since the end of December.

Got a job that works for me and is flexible.

As I have mentioned before, my niece A has been here since the end of November. What a blessing she is in our lives. My kids LOVE her. No, not just love her, they NEED her! They really do. She really fills some part of their life that no one else can reach. To say she is amazing is putting it mildly. Really. As I am typing this, she is teaching my 7 year old B grade 5 math ( I let B skip the afternoon of school today. I think it was a great choice!) She is so smart and perceptive of things I have been missing with my kids. I am amazed at how she picks up on simple clues my kids are giving to me that I am missing.

Fact is though, I LOVE her to bits too. Not just LOVE her but NEED her too. She fills some part of my soul that no one else can. You know how each of your children have a special place in your heart that no one else can get to? She has her own special place in my heart too. Just like my kids. There are times I refer to her as my daughter because honestly, I feel the same way to her as I do my kids. I love her as a daughter. I don't know why we have the relationship we do but I know I count it as one of my biggest blessings in my life. Right up there with my kids! 

To say she has been good for me is putting it mildly. She has come with me for work since she has been here and lightened my load. She loves my kids just about as much as I do. She has helped to lift a dark cloud that has loomed over my head and put the sun back in my life where it should be.

I am grateful for you A. I love you more than you could ever know. Really.

A went the WHOLE WAY around the board saying our names. Love that kid! 

New Hardware

Yeppers, B got some new hardware this weekend.

It was the fall Karate Tournament this weekend. 

He competed with the 6 and 7 year old yellow belts.

To say he did amazing is putting it mildly.

I think back to when he started karate 2 years ago and I thought back to when he first started.

There was this flailing little kid who could barely put 2 moves together.

Coordination was so not there. 

It was cute to watch him cause he really didn't have any clue what he was doing but had determination.

We have watched him progress into a little master on the court.

He really has his own style but ROCKS his style!!!

We watch him practice all the time at home. 

And he practices a LOT, at least 3 times a day for his Kata.

Heian-Niedan

A Kata is a series of moves that is put together quite nicely. 

Every time he gets a new Kata I think, "he is never going to get this!"

They just look so stinking hard!

But he gets it.

He listens to his sensei, the senpei's and practices like crazy at home.

About 3 weeks ago his Sensei Dean told him he needs to get deeper into his stances. 

Him getting deeper into them is what helped him kick it at the tournament!!

2nd place!!!!!!

WOOT WOOT!!!!!!

We are so proud of him. 

He also got 4th in weapons sparring!!!!!

He had to fight 2 very tough kids, both much bigger than him and one a belt higher.

But this has brought on some really good discussions.

He is determined to pick the toughest kid in the dojo to practice points and weapon sparring with! 

He knows that if he only fights the littler kids and those that are not as experienced he won't learn at the rate he wants to.

That is what he said! 

I am really proud of him for finding a sport he loves and gives it so much!

I am really proud of him and all the hard work he puts into it!

I am really proud of him for seeing what he needs to do to improve and be willing to do it. 

It's not always easy to fight the toughest kid in the class but he's willing to do it so he can get better!

As a mom, that makes me so proud of him, of who he is and all he does to better himself.

I love you B!