5 Things

My 5 Favorite things I can't live without right now:

My body pillow...I realized last night that if our apt started on fire..it would be the first thing I'd grab. Sad, but true.

"FiberPlus Antioxidants Berry Yogurt Crunch Cereal" - A.M.A.Z.I.N.G...I think I should own stock in this cereal for how much I buy it.

Long hot showers...no need for an explanation on this one

Clorox cleaning wipes. I use these to clean EVERYTHING now. Floors, bathrooms, spit-up..etc. No need for spray bottles and rags anymore.

...and of course the 3 loves of my life. What would I do without these faces to wake up to each morning. They each bring so much to my life...and I can't imagine going even a day without them.

Chris might kill me for posting this, but it's the only one with all 3 of them. It was early in the morning on our last day up at the cabin. Kids woke up early so we brought them in bed with us.

Humbled

On the 10th, I was sitting out on the sidewalk with my friend Holly that lives below us..just watching the kids run around. I stood up to go inside, and I got a sharp pain in my back. I passed it off as just a regular back pain and went up the stairs. By the time I got inside I couldn't stand anymore and fell on my knees. I tried laying down and popping my back, but that didn't help. I tried to stand and walk it off, but I literally had to hold onto the furniture to walk anywhere. Mason was crying and I had to get him out of his crib, I almost dropped him because it hurt so bad. I finally called my mom and she left work to come pick up Addy. I was having to crawl at this point to get anywhere. I made an appointment with the Chiropractor and then layed on the couch with Mason until it was time to leave. I was told I pulled a disc in my lower back and it was extremely inflamed in between discs. I had to go back in 2 hours later because it wasn't feeling any better after icing it and taking anti-inflammatory medication. He adjusted me again and said the inflammation just needs time to go down. Everyone kept saying you have to take it easy and stay down and do no lifting...which would have been fine 3 years ago when I had no kids.

I can't really explain what it was like, when Mason was crying and he wasn't more than a couple feet away from me, but I couldn't move to pick him up and comfort him. It was such a horrible feeling...I felt so helpless. As a mother, you take pride in being able to take care of your children and knowing how to help them and comfort them... that's what we do 24/7. So when I was lying there helpless with Addy trying to crawl all over me and Mason lying there screaming - I just lost it. I prayed and prayed that there would be a solution and that I wouldn't have to deal with this for very long. I was completely reliant on others for help, which I hate. I hate that I had to pull my mom away from work and that the rest of her day was spent helping me walk and carrying my kids around and putting them down for naps etc. I hate that at the cabin I couldn't run around and play with Addy and that Chris's mom was always holding Mason for me, when she could have been relaxing and having fun. It's just such a hard thing to swallow your pride and let others take over sometimes. It has been a really humbling week - and I am more grateful than ever right now for health and strength and for family that is always ready to help at any time. My back feels a lot better, but it still hurts to bend over and pick things up. I am still praying that it will heal completely and that I won't have chronic back pain.

I don't know why this happened, but I know that it's important in life for us to be humbled to this point at different times in our lives where we are completely reliant on others and our Savior for help. It's important for us to be able to accept help and to allow others to serve and be blessed for it. I know that I had taken my health for granted and was used to doing everything on my own. I am more aware of things to be grateful for....like being able to pick up my children and roll around and play with them. Being able to exercise and doing housework. These are things that so many aren't able to do on a daily basis and I had completely taken them for granted. I know that my Savior has felt these pains both physical and emotional...and through Him I can find strength and be healed and be forgiven for my pride. I am grateful for an amazing and worthy husband who is always able to give me blessings at any time and leave work to come help in these situations. I'm grateful for family close by who are always ready to help. I'm grateful for my beautiful, sweet children that fill me up with so much joy each day. I'm grateful for a Father in Heaven that is always aware of what we are going through and is waiting for us to come to Him at all times. I know He lives. I know He loves us. I know that we can always find comfort in Him.

Rose reunion at the cabin!

August has been crazy busy! On the 7th we went with Chris's parents to Lagoon..WITHOUT KIDS! It was soooo much fun. I am so grateful to my parents for watching the kids for 12 hours...and to Chris's parents for all they did to help us getting there:) We had a blast riding rides, and just hanging out. I sadly didn't have my camera with me...I'm still bitter about that. Then from the 11-14th we were at the cabin in Island Park with Chris's family. The day before we left I pulled a disc in my lower back..SOOOO extremely painful, but I'll save that for another post. I have about 90 pictures from the reunion, and it was hard to decide which to post..but here's some of my favorites. We've been gone the past two summers and have missed going to the cabin. It was a blast and I loved seeing Addy have so much fun with her cousins. It's getting crazy now that there's 14 grandkids. The weather didn't cooperate with us..it was in the 60's and too cold to play in the river. But we made the best of it and had fun in the cabin and Chris and Addy still braved the cold water and got in a couple times.

I'm quite proud of this picture I took at sunset...




on the last day, Shawn did a Kid Olympics - great idea, the kids had so much fun. Here's them doing their warm-ups:)


and singing the National Anthem to kick off the Olympics


nothing better than smores around the campfire






Addy has turned into a fish..she LOVES water and didn't care that it was cold.






First time in a river ..


the sunshine lasted maybe 5 minutes


This is what Mason did most of the week...love his bright blue eyes!


One of Addy's favorite people on earth..Marley

The Best 3 Years..

Chris and I celebrated our 3rd Anniversary on July 27th. So much has happened in the past 3 years. We've moved 8 times..traveled across the country in the summers and lived in Connecticut and Indiana. We absolutely love our life right now. Chris has gone back to school and will be done next August. We are finally in an apt that we love and can call home...in an amazing ward where have made so many great friends. We're by both our families who we see all the time. Best of all, are the 2 incredible additions to our little family. Addison on 6/28/08, and Mason on 4/23/2010. You can't express in words the happiness that comes with having children, or the bond it brings to your marriage. We are SOOO happy right now and feel so incredibly blessed. I love Chris more each day, and am so grateful that I can be with him forever. He's the best person I know and he's truly my best friend and my favorite person on earth - I miss him when he's gone long hours at work and school and can never get enough of being with him. He strengthens me and is always helping me be a better person. Thank you Babe for the best 3 years of my life..I love you!

our dating years..


engagement




married..


first family picture..


current family picture..


now...

like mothers, like daughters..

One of my best friends, Lynette, has been able to come up and stay with us a couple times in the past few months. It's great, because both of our kids are just a couple months apart in age. Lynette and I met in the 7th grade and have been friends ever since. Were hoping that someday we'll be able to live in the same town and have our kids grow up together. Brooklyn and Addy have a blast together each time we see them. It's so fun to watch you and your friend's kids become friends.

around 6 months old..their first time meeting..


it started out a little rough:)


around 15 months old...they still didn't know what to think of each other..


But now that they're 2 and know how to play..they were immediate best friends


Brooklyn calls Addy, "Annie"..and Addy calls Brooklyn, "Brookyn." It's very sad when they have to leave, and Addy walks around asking for her.


for Mason and Lily it was love at first sight:)...