Snow Day

Here's how our "Snow Day" went.
~ Woke up to the kids eating the large bowl of caramel popcorn we made yesterday.
~Looked out the window hoping for more snow or at least a cloud cover.
~Decided today I was going to make a rather large dent in my laundry.
~Made chore lists for my kids.
~Got verbally accosted by my kids. ( for chore lists.)
~Delved into the laundry room.
~Hounded kids every 5 minutes to do their jobs.
~Found Harrison under my desk painting the mat and my laptop bag with my foundation and mascara!
~Realized I will have to buy more make-up because he had done this before and these were the backups!
~Did 10 loads of laundry.
~Discovered broken pen in the dryer!
~Was glad I had some jeans in there and not UNDIES!
~Let Taylor make mac-n-cheese for the kids.
~Realized how nice it is to have my older kids learning to make basic foods!
~Watched hours upon hours of CSI and NCIS while folding and sorting laundry.
~Snuggled with my honey when he got home.
~Remembered Harrison had just underwear on AFTER his nap!
~Found Harrison dry!!!
~Ran him to the potty and had a 15 minute conversation with him. No pee :(
~5 minutes later, change Harrison into dry clothes! Pee :(
~Decided Taco Bell was on the menu; sent Honey to retrieve.
~Hosed Harrison off after poo incident. Threw Lighting McQueen undies in the trash while he wasn't looking!!
~Jason helped kids to bed while I took a breather after realizing that I had been cooped up with kids for 2 days. (going outside does NOT count people!)
~Got my Grey's Anatomy fix even though it was a rerun!
~Read Polar Express to Harrison.
~Blogged.
~I'm off to my bed and book.
I really don't think some folks thought this "Snow Day" through. Did we REALLY all have to stay home from school? We live around the corner from our school. I would've pulled them on the trash can lid just to get 'em there.
"Snow Days" consist of snow. If there had been snow, the kids could've been out in it not in my hair!
I love my kids but I seriously know what cabin fever feels like just a tiny bit.
I go to my bed; I am crazy.

My Sister

Okay, so I lied. It has taken me longer to get back on here than I thought.
So much has happened since Monday.
Yesterday, after picking up lunch with my Mom, she received a phone call from my sisters husband. My mom immediately started freaking out! She kept asking what happened? What happened?
Sparing the details; apparently she had a stroke. A small one. She was slurring her speech and unable to communicate. She was rushed all the way from Delta, Utah (her home) up to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, Utah to have a cat scan.
Within moments my mother, grandma, myself and 4 of my kids knelt in prayer to Heavenly Father, asking him to please bless her and comfort her.
She was experiencing slurred speech, severe fatigue and numbness on the left side of her body.
She had a cat scan yesterday; they found nothing.
She had an MRI this morning; they found nothing.
They will be letting her go home either today or tomorrow.
I cannot believe that a 30 year old woman could have a stroke. It has felt so surreal.
I cannot IMAGINE what I would do if this were to happen to me.
I love my sister. We weren't the best of friends like sisters should be when we were kids but that doesn't keep me from loving and caring about her. We have a great relationship now. We each have 3 kids that were born in the same years. We have lots in common.
I continue to pray for her recovery. I know that she was blessed and comforted by Heavenly Father. I know He heard our prayers and felt our dismay and sorrow.
She has no slurred speech and no more numbness to her body.
I am so grateful her husband was there to care and comfort her too.
My parents left this morning to help take care of her kids until things are figured out.
Family is the most important thing.
Hug your babes and your Honey.

So LAME!

So I can't believe that I haven't posted in over 2 weeks!
My camera flash stopped working; therefore I seem to think I can't blog!
Duh!
Although I have been SUPER busy, I'll get you all updated tonight when the kids are in bed! ( I like typing with TWO hands normally!)

Happy Birthday Autumn!

Today is Autumn's 8th Birthday!

WOW!

The past 8 yrs has gone by in a flash!

Just a short 8 yrs ago Autumn was born an hour short of November 14th.

Born 6lbs 6oz & only 18 inches long but with a mass of hair she entered the world sucking her middle and ring fingers on her right hand.

All of the nurses had to come in and see the little white baby with all the dark hair!

You were such a sweet and tiny little thing! I was so excited to have a girl to dress in pink!

When we brought you home, your brother was interested to meet you but when I said " Taylor this is your new little sister Autumn," he said "Eww" and got off the couch to go play. But he did love you and was soon excited to play with you and teach all the things he had to share.

We love you!

I love you Autumn! You're such a sweet and helpful little girl!

I can't believe that soon you will be baptized! You're Dad and I are so happy that you've made such a wonderful decision and we know Heavenly Father is too!

Oprah's All Time Favorite Things!

In Decembers issue you'll find us! Page93!
Heritage Makers is one of Oprah's All Time Favorite Things!
Many of you know how passionate I am about preserving the stories of your family and now so is Oprah! Isn't that so amazing?
Would you like to be too?
Visit my site and get started now!
Wouldn't a book about your family be the best gift this Christmas? You still have time!

Avery's 5th Birthday Party

What great party we had for Avery! She chose my vintage Witch cake pan and I let her pick the colors for it as well! Hence the blue dress and red hair!

She invited everyone to wear their favorite dress-up or costume; so we had lots of princesses and fairies and 1 transformer! Everyone dressed up, including me, SUPER MOM!

We had a Frankenstein Bounce House & a face painter ta boot! Jason even played Disney Songs on his sax and juggled apples for some entertainment!

She received great gifts and had a blast!
Thanks for all who came and partied with her!
I still can't believe she's 5!
Just 5 years ago I was begging my OB to induce me ( I don't recommend that ) because she had given me a hairline fracture on my pelvis; plus she was way over due.
My induction went fast and she arrived October 7, 2003 2:48 a.m. 7lbs 7oz & 22 inches long!
I don't remember too much because I was high on 2 Ambien! But that morning I was pushing those nurses to bring me my baby!

I love you Avery!
You are so smart, sweet and such a joy, that you're high pitched squealing doesn't seem so bad... most days!

Pay it Forward

What's this you ask?

This is my Excursions front driver side tire.

Where is that you say?

On the 215 just past the Eastern exit.

Today I needed to run to the Scout office for some Space Derby Rockets for my pack. Since it's on the other side of the world for me I took the freeway.
Suddenly I felt my tire pull and NANO seconds later I hear AND feel it shred!
Keep in mind I am driving about 70mph in the center lane during lunchtime traffic.
All I know is I was guided at that moment because it took everything I had to keep my Excursion in the center lane and pump my brakes. It took me a few moments to move to the right emergency lane; all the time trying to keep from slamming into other vehicles.
I go to call Jason when a man and his son pull off in front of me! They helped my change that tire! Can you believe it! Why are there not more good people out there? I couldn't thank them enough! I truly would not have been able to change that tire because the lugs on my Excursion are after market and the wrench I had didn't fit them. I believe it was truly meant for that man to stop.
So people, let's get busy serving others! What do we have to loose?
Let's first start by moving over a lane when we see someone pulled off! What is wrong with people? All those cars flying past is crazy! Here you are trying to fix your tire and then you have to worry if some maniac driver is going to run you over!
I say thank you nice man ( he didn't even share his name!) and his son! I promise that I will pay it forward.

Busy, Busy Week!!

This has been such an insane week!

We have had so much going on and so much to share; so here goes!

Tuesday:

Avery finally turned 5! She has been waiting forever! She has been counting down the days since July! We aren't having her party until this coming Saturday but I still wanted to celebrate it and acknowledge it! So I took her to the mall ( her fave place to shop!) to get her ears pierced and to do a little shopping. I was so worried that she would freak out but she did so well! The only thing she said was, "Ouch!". She whimpered a little and then she was ready to go shopping! I guess she is truly a girlie girl; shopping fixes anything! We had fun shopping and I as so proud when she decided to use the money she got as a gift from her Grandma Great Gale on books! A girl after my own heart! She loves to read! She isn't even in kindergarten yet and is reading @ a 1st grade level! Hey, I'm the Mom, I get to brag! Afterwards, we met my cousins and let the kids run around @ Mickey D's. We had Pack mtg for Cub Scouts; so she got to play @ Grandma Dianne's. That night we were supposed to have my famous lasagna bake but I forgot to get the meat out of the freezer so we had KFC! Oh well! She didn't care! For dessert I made mini cheesecakes for everyone! Yum-o! She is very excited about her party and can't wait to "be in charge"! Gotta love her!

Wednesday-Friday

For 3 days straight my Mom, Grandma Clark & I were bottling maniacs!

We bottled:

26 pints of salsa

18 quarts of pears

6 pints of strawberry raspberry pear jam

9 pints of strawberry blueberry pear jam

3 quarts of applesauce

12 pints of applesauce

6 pints of apple butter

I was impressed w/ the work we got done working together!

I am SO very excited to add these to the quarts of peaches and peach freezer jam we made in August! This winter we are going to be eating good! LOL!

Thanks Mom and Grandma for sharing your knowledge w/ me!

We hope to do a lot of baking later this month and into November!

I love Harvest Time!

Crazy Eights!

I have been tagged by my good friend Andrea.
So it's time to play a good old game of tag.

8 Favorite TV shows...
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Heros
3. House
4. CSI: Las Vegas
5. Lost
6. Dirty Jobs
7. Mythbusters
8. Football

8 Favorite Restaurants...

1. Olive Garden

2. Buffalo Wild Wings

3. Pei Wei
4. Pizza Factory

5. Baja Fresh
6. Red Robin
7. Applebee's
8. Chevy's

8 things that happened yesterday...

1. Finished off the 1st jar of my homemade peach jam.
2. Watched conference.
3. Took my kids to the park to ride their scooters.

4. Laundry.
5. Cleaned up the family room.
6. Made my Digi Crop Flyer.
7. Watched football.
8. Finished my latest Nora Roberts book.



8 things to look forward to...

1. Avery's Birthday.
2. This months Digi Crop.
3. Training for upcoming 5k's.
4. Autumn (not my daughter but that's why it's her name; I love you Autumn!)
5. Halloween.
6. Becoming Director.
7. Autumn's Baptism.
8. Thanksgiving Dinner!

8 things I love about Fall...

1. Cooler weather!
2. Rosy noses and cheeks.
3. Waking my hot chocolate maker out of hibernation!
4. The way the sun shines differently.
5. Crisp air.

6. Caramel Apples!
7. Bottling harvested fruits & veggies!
8. Halloween.

8 things on my wishlist...

1. Loose more baby weight!
2. Help Jason start up his own biz.
3. Visit Tuscany w/ my girls!
4. For McCain to win the election!
5. Pay off bills
6. Finish the backyard for the kids!
7. Keeping my house organized
8. Have Jason take me on a cruise!

8 people I tag...

1. Kirsten
2. Tracey
3. Sabrina
4. Amy
5. Melissa
6. Missy
7. Brittney
8. Sariah

My Latest Heritage Makers Books!

Checkout my latest Heritage Makers books!
Taylor

Autumn

Harrison


Want to make your own?
Click here!

Road Rash

Saturday morning after Taylor and Autumn finished their jobs they took off to play w/ the neighbor kids. They love to ride scooters, skateboards and bikes. They're always doing tricks and jumping off ramps. Once in a while someone falls and gets banged up.
Well, while I was putting away laundry, Autumn comes screaming into the house like a crazy person. She was screaming that she fell of the pegs of Tyler's (neighbor boy) bike. She was freaking out so bad; I couldn't even see if and where she was hurt. She makes me go in the bathroom to see. I couldn't see anything on her hands or arms or her face. Then she turns around. Her shorts had slipped as she fell and the only thing between her and the tire and ground were her undies. Her ENTIRE left bum cheek and part of her thigh had lost a few layers of skin! If you've ever seen road rash then you'll know the wound is black from the road. I had to get her into the shower and scrub the wound with a rag and some surgical soap I had left over after Harrison's surgery. Meanwhile, Autumn is SCREAMING like her leg was falling off! (I wonder what the neighbors think!)
I wish this was the end of the story but sadly it's not.
Autumn can't handle pain... ever. She was so out of control I gave her some Motrin hoping it would help her pain. It did; but only a full hour later. In that hour, she writhed on the couch in pain. Screaming and crying. I was never so grateful then as I was when the medicine took over.
I have to keep it covered in an antibiotic ointment; I have to change the bandage every 5 hours, so the ordeal replays. Sunday was the worst. The wound showed it's true self and at the end of the day she needed a Valium.
I needed a Valium.
Do they make over-the-counter childrens Valium?

Obviously I can't and won't take a picture of my daughters bum.

Back to School

Well, the new school year is off and my kids are very excited with their new teachers.
I can't believe Taylor is a 5th grader & Autumn is a 2nd grader! Wow! Avery starts preschool soon (hopefully) and it will just be me & the lil boys!
Pretty soon I'll be home all by myself... hmmm....

Where did the time go?

I can't believe it's September & I didn't post at all in August!
Shame on me!
I'll off load all the pix on my camera and start sharing!
See you soon!

Look who's 5 months old!

Owen! I can't believe you are 5 months old! Wow! It still feels like I should be pregnant and now you're getting so big! February 28th seems like yesterday! What a sweet little spirit has joined our big family! I'm trying to remember everything you do because I know soon you'll be walking and talking and I won't have a little baby anymore! I love you lil bubba!

Happy Birthday Harrison!

I really can't believe my lil bobo is 3!

July 25, 2005
6lbs 10oz
18 inches long

Time flies! My lil chatterbox is getting sooo big!

You are so excited for your swimming party tonight; you keep asking if it's time yet. You are so persistent!

I love that you're a mama's boy. You always want to hold my hand and sit next to me. I've asked you many times why you want to do these things and you always say, " Because you're cute and I love you."

What a sweet boy you are! I love you!
I hope all your wishes come true!

Happy Birthday Taylor!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY 1ST BORN!!!

1 decade ago, you were born.
Wow!
July 8, 1998 7:07 am
6lbs 15 oz 18 1/2 inches long!

Now you're HUGE!
You've come to discover so many of the talents that Heavenly Father has blessed you with!
You're awesome @ Karate! You love to ride your skateboard, scooter, bike and the ATVs.
You're excellent student and a pretty good big brother!
Thank you for choosing us as your family!
We love ya tons big guy! Enjoy your new Tech Decks, movie and books!
What will the next decade bring? Mission, College? We hope so!
Love ya Tay!
Love, Mom, Dad, Autumn, Avery Harrison and Owen!

Summer Time

I can't believe the summer is here! And boy did it arrive with a fiery vengance!
Wow! It is such a scorcher already!
I haven't had too much time to share w/ you all the fab fun we've been having!
We are leaving tomorrow for our annual Gale Reunion Camping Trip!
I am so excited! I love the mountains! Especially Beaver Mountain in Utah. I have spent every summer there w/ the exception of 3.
I love that I can share this Wonder of God's Creations w/ my kids!
They too love Beaver Mountain. They are awesome fishermen/women!
Taylor out fishes everyone all the time. He's the 1st to catch a fish and the 1st to catch his limit. He can tie, bait, cast, catch and gut is fish all by himself!
Autumn can bait and almost cast her pole herself. She gets so excited about reeling in a catch that she practically screams!
Avery and Harrison are learning now and I know soon they will be little fisherkids along with the other 2!
My kids love learning the names of the plants and flowers and trees that grow there.
Their favorite part besides fishing is riding the Bikes (4 wheelers). Harrison always wants a ride and Taylor is already asking for his own.
I am so excited to get out of this heat! I am looking forward to seeing my family and cooking w/ them, laughing w/ them and being w/ them. Unfortunatly, my lil sis won't be there. She just had her 3rd baby on the 21 of June. Yeah for her family though!
I'm an aunt again x 5, soon the be the 6x!

I hope you all have a fab 2 weeks w/out me! lol!
I will have tons of tales to share upon my return!

Grandpa has Criminals at his house!

This weekend Harrison, Owen & I spent Saturday evening at my parents house. Since My mom has my girls in Delta and Jason had Tay on Beaver Mountain, we decided to hang out.
We took over some oatmeal raisin cookies to share w/ my dad ( they're his fave ). Harrison was sitting on the couch eating his umpteenth cookie while my dad's 2 shelties ( dogs ) sat and waited for a crumb or two. Skampi, the little one, kept putting her paws on the couch near Harrison. He looks at the dogs and says "You guys are a bunch of criminals! Get away from my cookie!"
My dad and I laughed so hard! I have no idea where he heard that word or even knew how to use it!
What's even funnier is that night when he was half a sleep in bed he says to me "Grandpa has a bunch of criminals at his house."
Needless to say, I had a smile on my face that night as I went to sleep.
Guess Grandpa needs to reform some dogs.

The Leavitt Laundro-Mat

For the past few weeks I have been running around here trying to get our travel trailer packed and ready for our big summertime camping vacation. Which means I have to make sure that 7 people have 12-15 days worth of clothes each! Plus, I had to pack 2 weeks worth of clothes for my 2 girls who went w/ my mom to Delta, Utah to visit my sister. So this entailed many extra loads of laundry!! Welcome to the Leavitt Laundro-Mat! Which is shear torture for me because I HATE doing laundry! It never ends! I am so happy on the days when all the hampers are empty and all the clothes are put away only to be saddened at the end of the day when my kids get home and some how manage to fill them back up again! I give up! But I would rather die then have my kids wear the same thing 2 days in a row. So I have sentenced myself to a life of laundry duty. sigh.

What's on your menu?

I love it when my kids misinterpret what we say.

The other day I asked Avery & Harrison if they would like a peanut butter sandwich or a grilled cheese sandwich. Harrison stands up and says, " I will have a "boy" cheese sandwich & Avery will have a "girl" cheese sandwich." Apparently I have been misinformed about the genders of cheese!

I'll Never Clean Again!

I've decided that most of my blogging will be about my kids.

So here's one for the books.

On May 23, the day after my b-day, was a day I won't be forgetting.

It started out to be a "normal" day. While I had Avery and Harrison in the tub my cell phone rings; it's the Asst Principal. Augh! She proceeds to tell me that Taylor used the "penis" word in class and the teacher decided he needed to visit the office! NICE! As she is telling me the details, my kids start screaming BLOODY MURDER! I turn around ( no, I didn't leave them alone in the tub duh ) and see large amounts ( of size and quantity ) of poop floating and bobbing around in the tub! GROSS! Avery and Harrison are hysterical and not in the funny way either! They were crying and trying to claw their way out of the tub! So, I rescue them from their imminent doom, dress them and send them off to watch a movie while I get in the shower to clean it. Eww.
15 minutes later I'm dressed & the baby's up. We walk down the hallway to discover a trail of little tiny white balls. As I round the corner to the family room I think " What the H***!?" Sorry. My children are watching Ice Age 2, naked, making snow angels in almost 4 inches, in places, of tiny white "snow" balls!!!! Not to mention they made just a regular kids mess beforehand. This is the part where I begin laughing due to the fact that my sanity has left me. What creative little stinkers live in my house! They had dumped out the basketball bean bag chair; which apparently had a hole; all over the family room floor. I also discover this chair isn't really stuffed w/ beans.
I was trying to understand why they were naked. I get the Ice Age movie made them want to make snow angels but why naked? I guess my kids have no remembrance that snow is cold and that you would never want to flap your body around in it naked.
After 1 hour of cleaning, I filled up the shop vac to the top. Who knew there was that many balls in that chair.
I couldn't laugh about it that day but I can laugh at it now.
It just goes to show that you can't leave your kids alone. Even if you're just in the other room.

My Kids

I'm a Mom, therefore, I may brag!

Taylor, my outstanding achiever and Karate Master (almost)

Autumn, my Honor Roll babe and stealthy fireball.

Miss Quick Wit herself, Avery

Harrison, my momma's boy

My sweet Little Owen

You're the Honey and I'm the Peanut Butter

So I decided to start my first blog by sharing with you the meaning of "You're the Honey and I'm the Peanut Butter.
A while back our Daughter, Avery (4), was sitting on the couch watching TV with us. I was sitting across the room trying to get Jason's attention. I kept saying "Honey, Honey." After several attempts, Avery jumps up and says, " Daddy, you're the honey and Mommy's the peanut butter; I'm gonna squish you together and make a sandwich!" I was so caught off guard by her creativity and quick wit, I couldn't help but laugh and give her a squeeze!
I came away with that wit, thinking, "Wow, she nailed that one on the head." I love thinking that Jason and I are two different flavors but when we are "squished" together, we make something fantastic! Not to mention Yummy!