Let the body building begin....

We got a door frame pull-up bar yesterday from a friends yard sell.

Gabe's been using it faithfully.

Favorite related quotes of the day:

"I think I'm going to like this strength."

"I can feel my muscles getting bigger."

"Mom...can you come here and coach me?"

"Is there anything you need me to move for you."

and...the best one (to some random unknown man who opened the door for us at church this morning):

"We got a pull up bar yesterday...I've been using it all morning...do you want to feel my muscles?"

Finding strength in the scriptures...

Life is hard.

I feel very "afflicted" as of late.

The stresses of life are getting me down and the adversary is working very hard on me...trying to thwart my every effort to stay positive and upbeat.

Our home is often filled with contention (screaming, yelling, fighting, hitting, unkind words, unkind deeds, stress, stress and more stress) and it's not just the children. Rob and I are RARELY on the same parenting page anymore. Who has time to keep the lines of relationship communication open let alone the lines of parenting? Seriously....

I'm tired....he's tired....we're both tired....physically, emotionally, spiritually.

Our home seems to be falling apart....AGAIN!

I feel like I am utterly and completely failing at my job (after all, the home (and the spirit in it) is my #1 responsibility, right?).

I can't go there.

I can't let our lives fall to pieces AGAIN and yet...

I feel worn out and uninspired.

That makes for difficult change implementation. Really difficult.

Fortunately this time around (probably because of the medication) there is a part of me...buried deep down...that surfaces every once and a while. A part that refuse to give up trying.

Today just happened to be a good day.

As I prayed this morning I asked Heavenly Father to help me feel the spirit and receive inspiration as I read my scriptures.

I was reading in the Book of Mormon. In Alma...chapter 31. I came across a passage where Alma is praying to the Lord for himself and his brothers/children as they head out to preach to the Zoramites.

His words truly hit home and I found myself offering up a similar prayer to the Lord on behalf of myself, my husband and my children.

31:31
O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which [have and] shall come upon me...

31:32
O Lord, will thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborer (Rob), who [is] with me...Yea, wilt thou comfort [his] souls in Christ.

31:33
Wilt thou grant unto [him] that [he] may have strength, that [he] may bear [the] afflictions which [have and] shall come upon [him]...

31:34
O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing [our children] unto thee in Christ.

31:35
Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious...therefore give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our [children],...unto thee.

And in answer to Alma's prayer...

31:38
And the Lord provided for them...He also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of affliction, save it were swallowed up in the JOY of Christ...and this because [they] prayed in faith.


As always...He answered my prayer.

This passage of scripture was the healing balm I needed today. It's not that we wont ever have adversity (life is FULL of adversity). But...the Lord will give us strength to bear our afflictions. And they may be hard but they can be SWALLOWED UP IN THE JOY OF CHRIST...if we but pray in faith (and never give up).

A true tender mercy of the Lord.

I know that I am not the only person struggling with "life".


Our Heavenly Father loves us. He wants us to succeed.


I hope by sharing this someone else can see the "glimmer of HOPE" I saw today.

I use-ta could....revisit "A boy, a girl, and a football jersey"

I used to have all the time in the world. I used to have creative thoughts....funny stories...and good things to say. When did my blog become a "picture" blog? I used to use it as a creative outlet for my love of writing. What happened? Anyhow...I was thinking about fall and how much I love fall. I was thinking about what REALLY started my love for fall....and then I was thinking about HIM. I love HIM. Who HIM? My one and only Roberto. Then I was thinking about how we met....the thrill of it all. I wrote the story once....two years ago....right here on this blog. In memory I decided to re-post it. For those of you "long time followers" you may have already read this. For those of you who are new to my delightfully boring blog...enjoy this new tidbit. The story of "the beginnings" (PLUS UPDATES ON THE ORIGINAL).

A boy, a girl, and a football jersey (aka Melanie's most regrettable blunder)

I love fall. LOVE IT. Something about the smell, the drop off in hot weather, school starting, and yes, FOOTBALL. It's not that I am a HUGE football fan I just love to see my husband get so excited for it (although it is a little bitter sweet for him now that he doesn't play anymore). His enthusiasm rubs off on me and we enjoy watching games together, which always brings me back to the college days. The first days of Rob and Melanie. And then......the story of the white football jersey. It is such a happy story. I wish I could say the same for the ending......no, no, don't worry.....the boy does get the girl.......and then the girl.......gets......I mean, really GETS the jersey (Whi, Whi, Whi, Whi....imagine the shrilling sounds from one of Alfred Hitchcock's films, I think it’s Psycho).

There once was a girl named Melanie who fell madly in love with a "hot" football player named Rob. He sat in front of her in Spanish and, although she was dating someone else, found herself smitten by his charm. She vowed, to her roommates, that one day she would marry him. All she had to do now was convince him of her love. (Let's face it.....Rob was pretty dense back then. Girls flocked to him and he didn't even notice. I have never flirted so shamelessly before.....and believe me.....that is saying A LOT).

Each day Melanie would come home from class and sit at the front window of her apartment (which happened to be located across from the field where the football players practiced). She would happily gaze out at the field (I'll admit it......I love football pants and the wonders they do for a nicely shaped backside) and dream of her beloved Rob, even though she did not know which player he was. This all changed one day, when his helmet came off. She had finally found him in a sea of white jerseys (Rob has just tried to bleach his hair blond and it had turned a flaming orange....lucky for me)......and #40 was never far from her sight or mind again. A week or so later, Melanie returned from country swing dancing (that's right....laugh it up) to discover something lying on her bed. It was football jersey #40. It had been ripped down one side (oh no....was her beloved Rob hurt?) and a note was attached. It read, Dear Melanie, I love you. I have always loved you. Will you marry me? Love, #40 Melanie knew this could not be real, even though her heart longed for it (I mean.....we had only know each other for a few weeks and no one writing a love note would have signed it #40 instead of using their own name....seriously). She was broken hearted that someone would play such a cruel joke on her. Who was it? She wanted answers. She needed answers. She set off to investigate. After much tribulation and, still more heartache, she discovered the truth.

The boys that lived downstairs from her (who knew she sat day after day watching #40 from her window) happened upon it, just lying on the ground, while walking across the practice field on their way home earlier that evening. They couldn't believe it. What were the chances? They plotted their evil plan and waited for the girls in apartment "B" to leave for the night. They wrote the note, broke into the apartment, through a side window, and put the note on Melanie's bed. They confessed immediately upon questioning, without conscience. Melanie was furious. She returned the jersey to the villains and fled to her bedroom. They did not give up on their cruelty that easily. Once again, they returned it to her. So instead of playing a game of tag.....Melanie had an idea. "Yes.....that will do”, she thought, as she tacked the jersey up to the front of the apartment building (That's right......the apartment building directly across the street from the practice field). The next day, Melanie went to class with a brilliant idea. Melanie (boldly): "Hey Rob, what is your football jersey doing on the front of my house?" Rob (looking confused): "My jersey? I don't know? What do you mean?" Melanie: "I mean, your jersey is hanging on the front of my apartment building. #40, right? How did it get there? Did you put it there?" Rob (even more confused): "NO! I don't know how it got there. It got ripped off of me in practice yesterday. I gave it to one of the managers (who was this really cute girl Rob had a crush on......too bad she was too tall for him). She took it. I haven't seen it since." Melanie (smiling inside....her plan was working): "Well, it's there. I guess you will see it at practice today." And sure enough, at practice that fine day, Rob did, indeed, see the jersey. In fact, the whole team saw the jersey and began their inquiries. "Rob, how did your jersey get over there?" "I thought it was destroyed yesterday." "Ow Ow Rob....way to go," etc, etc, etc. A few days later, who should show up at Snow College, but Rob's parents. They had come to watch Rob play in the Homecoming Game and were all astonishment when, walking to the stadium, Rob points to the Stadium View Apartments and says, "See that jersey.....yeah, it's mine." "How did it get there?" "I don't know." "Well, do you know anyone who lives there?" "Yeah, this really cool girl in my Spanish class lives there. Her name is Melanie." Thus ended the conversation about Melanie ……but not for long. Within a few weeks Rob and Melanie were dating. The jersey had been retired from the front of the apartment building and after several washings (including a two day long soak in a garbage can of bleach water) it was lovingly stitched back together and hung on the wall in Melanie's room. This treasure of hers soon became the centerpiece of what was known as the "Shrine De Rob" (there was a sign and everything). A year and a half later, Rob and Melanie were married. Melanie knew it would happen and the #40 jersey was the means that brought them together. So as you see, the boy got the girl (or should I say the girl got the boy) and things ended Happily Ever After..............actually, not so much (I'm not talking about the marriage....that's happy....of course.......but about the jersey.....not so happy........man, I suck). Four years of marriage, two kids, and two moves had taught Melanie that life was simpler without clutter, no matter what that clutter may be. As preparations unfolded for move #3, Melanie decided a bit of de-cluttering was in order and when Melanie gets going......she doesn't stop for anything. The jersey......YES! THE #40 Jersey vanished.....and has not been seen since. Melanie can not believe that she would have been so uncaring and unfeeling to have banished it from the house but, alas, Rob vows that she did (seriously, we kept some of Rob's practice jerseys from high school. Why would I have gotten rid of the white #40 and kept those?). How could she be so un-sentimental as to do such a thing? As time goes by she holds on to the hope that it will turn up somewhere. In a forgotten box, or suitcase perhaps (even though we have moved twice since then)? So, every fall (and many, many other times during the year), Melanie is reminded of the fate of the jersey and wonders: oh where, oh where can that jersey have gone. Oh where, oh where can it be? If anyone out there is ever wandering in this woeful world and comes across a white #40 jersey (blue numbers and gold outlining) that has a large, lovingly mended rip up one side, several small holes, several blood stains (that still did not come all the way out even after the bleach soaking), and smells like a locker room, please.....oh, please return it to it's rightful owner. It longs to be home and Melanie and Rob long to be reunited with it.

(Hey Steph, Tressa, Jessica or Leslie if you have pictures of the "Shrine De Rob" I NEED one. Alas, that may be all I will ever have). Update: Since posting this my lovely room mate Tressa found pictures of the "Shrine De Rob" and sent them to me. Bless you Tressa....bless you.

This was on the wall of my bedroom and it was only the beginning. The Shrine grew and grew as the year went on. :)

I still makes me sick to my stomach when I think about it. How stupid could I have been to get rid of it?

10 years, 1 break-up, 1,000,000's of kisses, 1 marriage, 4 babies, 4 jobs, and 8 moves later...we are here.....we are surviving....and sometimes, we even laugh together like the weight of responsibility has been lifted from off our shoulders.....like the good 'ol days. It's crazy! I love this boy.

Teeth, teeth, and more teeth.

We have been dealing with a lot of teeth lately.

First Kian has been teething CONSTANTLY for a while now.

It makes him sad. Mostly at bed time.

"I'm sad. Don't I look sad?"

I have never had a kid with such a funky pattern of teeth growing in. It's funny.

First tooth....left lateral (next to the left front)
Second...right bottom
Third...right lateral
Fourth...in the works...left bottom

Our little vampire....just in time for Halloween.

Now....Gabe has been anxiously awaiting the loss of his first tooth. It FINALLY came out. FINALLY! He's SO proud.

"Mom...look it still has some blood on it!"

"Oh...Gabe-y smiled at me...I will be happy."

The family who went up a hill....and came back...well, tired.

Rob and I decided to take the kids hiking up Badger Mountain this weekend.

The kids have been begging us to take them since Labor day when I crazily decided to jog it.

It was a lot more than any of the boys bargained for, Rob included, since I was the only one who knew what to expect.

A lot of hard work but totally worth it.

Beautiful view!

The Columbia River

The back side

Calves any girl would die for...

We are ALWAYS getting comments about Isaac's legs...particularly his calves.

THEY ARE HUGE!

Especially for a three year old.

So today when he put on my heels...we just had to get a picture.

SASSY!

Calves any girl would die for...

We are ALWAYS getting comments about Mini Rob's legs...particularly his calves.

THEY ARE HUGE! Especially for a three year old. So today when he put on my heels...we just had to get a picture.

SASSY!

"Wook Mommy...I make my oawtmeaw"

It's not the first time I have come into the kitchen and found this:

(Makes it like his daddy....1 part oatmeal....3 parts brown sugar)

He's VERY independent....and thinks he's invincible.

Scary combination!

Hopefully he wont burn our house down!

YUMMERS!

A little cold

+ a bit of teething = 's (Just in case you can't see it well enough) YUMMY!

Family Friendly Soccer

We found this awesome program in our area called Family Friendly Soccer. A mother and father started it because they had two children in soccer and another child that wanted to play. They weren't sure how they would fit in 6 practices a week and 3 games on Saturday...let alone the $$$ to do it all. This way the kids get enough experience and are ready to play competitively when they get to middle school/high school. AND...it's $8 per child PER YEAR. That's right! $8 A YEAR!

It's every Saturday at 9:30. Because of their age our boys only have 30-40 minutes of "practice" and another 20-30 minute scrimmage. One hour....ding dang DONE!

It's amazing and a definite answer to a prayer.

We had Gabe in an area soccer league. It was really competitive and WAY too intense for him. Two practices a week...one hour game...etc. He hated it. We wouldn't let him quit. It was a huge mess. We prayed for an alternative...to EASE the tension in our home....along came FFS. Plus...we could afford for Cael to do it too.

Cael LOVE IT!

He's so cute. Whenever he does something good and/or scores a goal I cheer for him. He gets this little grin on his face then ducks his head all embarrassed like. I LOVE IT!

I didn't get any pictures of Gabe this time. He was being a little less than co-operative that day. But...he's liking it now and we are MUCH happier.

The Lord DOES answer prayers. That I know.

Mega-exhausted

Driving home from Spokane late tonight Gabe pipes up from the back and says,

"I'm about to get WAY more than exhausted."


Super funny!


Later I questioned him about the name for "way more than exhausted."

"Mega-exhausted," was his reply.