My Guy Came...Again!!

Last weekend my guy came...aka, my FIANCE!! I love saying that!! He came for three days and it was HEAVENLY!!

On Friday I got a babysitter so that I could pick him up from the airport alone and then we could go directly out for dinner/date night. We went to 'Texas Roadhouse' because I was craving their amazing rolls with cinnamon butter, and I think he was just craving any type of meat!

On Saturday Lily had an extra ballet practice in the morning. Then we picked Lily and her friend Morgan up from Ballet, and headed to Morgan's house to drop her off. Brandon mentioned that we should invite Morgan's entire family to go with us to lunch and shopping at 'The Legends' (a big outdoor shopping center) here in Kansas City. Our friends gladly accepted and so we all headed to the 'T-Rex Cafe' for lunch together. It was the same place that I brought Ash for her birthday, but it was Brandon's idea to go back because he wanted to see it, and he knew how much the kids loved it! I love that man!! He's so great!

At the 'T-Rex' cafe you can buy tickets to dig for dinosaur fossils. Brandon got the kids tickets and they began digging away and playing in the kid area, while my friend Chantel and I went to the 'Gymboree Outlet' next door. Let me just say how nice it was to have a little break from the kids to shop with my girlfriend! Even if I did only barely spend $25 and shop at one store for some summer clothes for Lily. It was just nice to have a little break! And, just so you know, my sweet guy, and Chantel's husband offered to keep all the kids so that we could! They are great!

Lily, and friends Max & Morgan

Noah buried himself next to the dinosaur fossils.

Noah and Max

Brandon and Lily

Ash and Morgan

Me and my guy

Eating dinner...Lily and Morgan

Noah and Max

When we got home we did baths, dinner, and a Redbox movie night. Then all 5 of us went through all of our family scrapbooks, so that Brandon could see me preggos, and see pictures of when the kids were little. It was so much fun to reminisce! And a little embarrassing to see have chubby I used to be...who knew someone could have 3 chins!! :)

What's funny is that we got the kids in bed by 9p, and then I went upstairs to get some art supplies to work on 'Sharing Time' that I was in charge of the next day. Well, Brandon laid down on the couch, I turned on the movie 'Monster in Law' and sat in front of him on the floor and got to work on my sharing time. Well, within minutes he looked like this...

snoring away...with Daisy! It was so funny! It was barely 9:30p!! It took me about 2 hours to get sharing time planned, and after I was finished I went to turn the lights off and go upstairs, but he woke up because he heard the floor creaking (a common annoyance in my house!!). He looked at me and asked how long he had been asleep, and told him that he fell asleep within seconds of laying on the couch! We agreed that he must have just been so worn out from being a "dad" for a day! It's hard work going from being single to instant "daddy" of 3!! How funny!

Sunday we went to church where the love of my life spent all of sacrament with his arm wrapped around his favorite girl...Lily. After church we went to my cousin Matt & Bev's house for dinner, and then we had my friend Chantel and her family over for dessert. It was SO much fun!! We all laughed so hard!! They are both amazing couples that I have idealized them both for a long time! They have amazing marriages, and great family dynamics. What great examples they are to me!

Monday we did pretty much nothing because I was starting to feel sick (I ended up getting the flu that night at work and was sick all the next day!). Brandon was fabulous enough to get the kids breakfast and off to school, and then he played with Ash in the basement until almost 10:30a so that I could sleep. Have I mentioned how much I love that guy?!? Then we did go to 'Jose Peppers' for lunch...one last date before he left. Although not the smartest choice when you feel a sickness coming on!

By late Monday afternoon my friend Katie came down from Minnesota with her four kids to spend 3 days with me, and to meet Brandon. We all sat around and made small talk for a little bit, then I had to drop my sweetheart off at the airport. Insert frown.

It was so nice having him here! The kids had such a great time! In fact, when I got back from bringing him to the airport, a little more than an hour after I had left, Ash ws crying hysterically on the living room floor. I scooped her up and asked Katie what happened. She said she was crying for Brandon. I hugged Ash and asked her if she misssed Brandon already? She just cried and said that she wanted "her Brandon" and wanted to give him kisses. SO CUTE!!!! She loves him so much already!! He is such a blessing in my life! I can't wait to be married to him and to have our family together all the time!

Lily Lost a Tooth!

Lily lost her FIRST tooth!! She has waited a long time to lose one...she will be 7 in May! Almost daily she would whine about how she hadn't lost one yet, but yet all her friends had. But not any longer!!

We were out on the driveway playing and Lily ran up to me laughing hysterically with blood tinged drool running down her chin. Shs screamed, "Mom, I lost my tooth!" She kept jumping up and down and screaming!! Who knew that losing a tooth would be such a big deal?

Anyways, she got $1 from the tooth fairy and she spent it on her own pack of candy...which I find ironic.

Now everyday she checks to see if any other teeth are wiggling...I think she is a little anxious for more money AND candy!

Spring Break

Day #5-Making a tent...it had a maze underneath it. I thought it was very creative.

Day #3-Lily Got Hi-lights...she needed them! Her roots were so long from where the sun bleached her hair out last summer. It was nasty looking. But not anymore! Now she color is all blended.

The after shot...

Doesn't that look better?? And it's really natural, you can't really tell I hi-lited it. I actually have done it the last two winters and no one has ever noticed, or said a word. Probably because she is a natural blond anyways, and all along her hairline is practically white! She just gets a little dark on the winter. I love it though...much better!

Day #2-In the evening...Noah made this at Cub Scouts

Day #2-Picnic at the park with the cousins, playing in the culdesac later that day.

Lily and cousin Lauryn

Ash an her tractor, and Noah with his electric scooter...Lily was taking the picture. Notice me in the background in the trunk of the van with my laptop? I was checking my e-mail while they played.

Lily washing the neighbors car.

At the park...

The four girl cousins, and Auntie Bev.

Day #1-A walk in the neighborhood before dinner. LOVE Ashlyn's hair...her babysitter did it.

Playing hopscotch with our friends from our ward.

Last week was the kids spring break, and although we didn't go anywhere this year, we did spend A LOT of time outside! It was gorgeous weather here, so everyday we picked an outdoor activity...whether it was a picnic in the park, or just a walk in the neighborhood with friends. On the last day of spring break it rained, so the kids had the idea of making a fort in the living room...I remember making them when I was a kid and thinking how cool it was. Man do I feel old!!

Anyways, enjoy the pictures!

Sometimes I think that people are just waiting for me to say how hard things are. To say that it's been rough the past 4 months. To just admit to one negative thing. Maybe my blog seems too cheery at times, but the reality is that I have a REALLY great life! This is the best I have felt in say about...13 years! I have rough days. Yes. Who doesn't? But overall, I feel amazing!


But you want reality?


Here it is...


Yes, sometimes it is hard!

I have worked the past 4 out of 5 nights, and I am therefore EXHAUSTED!! Exhausted like I have never felt exhaustion before in my life!! 


I woke up on Wednesday morning, and then by the time I went to bed on Friday night....62 hours later, I had only had 9.5 hours of sleep!!!!!!!!!!!! I was a walking zombie. Literally. I think I was just going through the motions of most things...cleaning, loading the dishwasher, vacuuming, even bathing. Sad, I know. But it's the reality of being a single working mom that works nights! I try to sleep 7 hours the day after I work, but sometimes that doesn't work out. Maybe appointments can't be moved...people ring my doorbell...the neighbor is loud...or I am just unable to sleep because I have too much on mind. But I do try to get some sleep in!


And it really hasn't been bad up until now. Not that it is bad now either. It has just been a long 5 days.


I slept 10 hours on Friday night, and felt mostly caught up. 


Then Saturday work called and wanted to know if I could pull a 12-hour shift that night for in-home continuous hospice care. I agreed because not only do I need the income (another post/another story...maybe), but also because I really do just love what I do!


Well, I worked a 12-hour shift, then I went home and slept for 4 hours before I had to get up and get ready for church. Then I worked last night, Sunday.


And this morning I only got 4 hours of sleep again. So I am at about 8 hours of sleep since Saturday morning...give or take the few winks I got during my in-home shift on Saturday.


So, today I am sitting here...unmotivated to do anything! Literally, the idea of even getting up to pee doesn't thrill me. At this point I am trying to convince myself I can hold it longer. 


So TIRED!!


BUT


No regrets!! 


I love what I do, and I love that I have such amazing kids that just roll with it! They love to go to people's houses, and they are very easy-going about it all! That is truly a blessing! Plus, the fact that my kids are AWESOME sleepers!! In fact, when I go to my friends house to get them in the morning, after I have worked, they are almost always still asleep, and I have to wake them...at 7:30am! They sleep all night, and then go to bed easily! That truly is a blessing! It makes it easier on me while I am gone, and it makes it easier on my friends, who volunteer to help watch the kids so that I can provide for them. 


I have AMAZING friends!


So, there you have it.

Life is sometimes hard.


I have three sweet little Spirits who rely on me for EVERYTHING! I provide for their every need, and although it might seem overwhelming for some, I LOVE IT! I love knowing that I am dong it! I am doing the whole single mom thing! And I think I am doing a great job at it...if I do say so myself. My kids are healthy, happy, doing great at school, and are really well adjusted to all the changes. They are amazing! It's a pride thing, I guess. It makes me so happy knowing that I am doing it! The whole working mom thing, housekeeper thing, holding a calling thing...I am doing it!


So, yes, it's hard sometimes. I am sleep deprived, and I have a lot on my plate. But the blessing far out weigh everything else!

Wedding Dress!!!!

I am so excited that I HAD to post this!! 

No, I don't believe in those superstitions that the groom can't see the dress, and anyways, he isn't seeing me in the dress, just a picture of it.

This is what I just purchased...MY DRESS!!! 

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday ASHLYN!!

My sweet baby girl turned 4 today!! Where has the past 4 years gone?? She looks so grown up! I just LOVE my baby girl SO much!! I can't imagine my life without her!
For her birthday I just let her have whatever she wanted...quite literally. It was her day to be pampered. Earlier she had requested to have a DS, puzzles, friends over, to go to 'Fun Run,' and to have 'Hello Kitty' cupcakes. So, she got it! Enjoy the pictures...I went a little crazy taking them!

The Birthday Girl!! Ashlyn turns 4!!!!

Brandon sent her two puzzles...here is one of them.

I got her two more puzzles...puzzles are her favorite things ever! But they didn't come in on time, so they aren't in the picture. Ash also got her own pink DS, and a 'Hello Kitty' carrying case for it.

Noah joined in to help with the DS game, and Lily wanted to do the puzzle with her.

As a tradition, the person who is having their birthday, gets to have breakfast in bed, and have anything they want for breakfast. Ash asked if she could just have 'Cheerios' at the table. Easy enough!

After I dropped off Noah and Lily to school, Ash had three little friends over for cupcakes. She got more puzzles, some cute princess sunglasses, a purse, and her very own candy!

Her request was 'Hello Kitty' cupcakes.

After she made her wish...

I brought Ash and her friends to 'Fun Run' here in Liberty. It's a indoor inflatable fun park.

Coming down the slide...

Jumping in a bounce house.

These next pictures are blurry because she was coming down the slide so fast...sorry!

Later that afternoon I picked up Noah and Lily from school, and we headed straight to the 'T-Rex Cafe' for a family birthday dinner. Me and the kids had never been there, and we had lots of people recommend it, so we thought we would try it out! Plus, kids eat for $3 on Wednesdays...always a plus!

This is the first thing that you see when you walk in! Reminds me of something you would see at Disney World!

This is the giant octopus that is over the bar...it's really impressive in person because it moves it's legs!!

Our table was by this giant aquarium!

The dinosaur behind our table kept moving and making sounds...it was so funny!

Noah kept taunting this blow fish to try to get it to blow up!

Birthday girl's dinner of choice!

This was a tropical themed room upstairs...

This was the ice cave themed room upstairs...complete with mammoths that moved!

This was a favorite of Noah's...the kitchen had a HUGE fire!

Free birthday dessert...she even got sang to, but she was really shy about it when a bunch of the staff came out clapping and singing!!

Random video...

It was really special to have Grandma & Grandpa Harrington, and Brandon call and sing her the 'Happy Birthday' song. She loved getting mail from them, and getting sung to. She was so cute about it when they called her. She was super excited to have someone call just to talk to her! She's so cute!

Happy Birthday Ashlyn, I love you more than anything! I feels so blessed to call you my daughter, and I am so glad that you choose to come and live with me, you were meant to be here at this time! Our family wouldn't be the same without you! Your happy go-lucky personality is contagious! Thank you for being you! LOVE YOU!