Wear Sunsceen

With spring finally within reach, I headed out the door to pick me up some of that Jergen's natural glow lotion in an attempt to add some color to my transparent skin that hasn't seen the sun in 6 months.  Every time I put this stuff on and I look at the sun spots on my arms it makes me think of the inspirational verse "Wear Sunscreen".  I wish that I had listened to it 10 years ago.  Now that I'm old it just makes so much sense to me.  I've added it to my playlist.  If you have a second listen to it.  It makes you think.  And I like it.  If you not in the mood, go ahead and skip ahead to "Getcha head in the game" for the basketball post.  But then don't come crying to me in 10 years when you have sun spots.

AND 1

As basketball season comes to an end.  Well kind of.  We just had our year end party for the 4th grade league but Mike just signed them up for a new tournament and the 3rd grad league just started a new run at Marv Jensen so it's not really over but I thought I should post some pics of the season so far.  It used to make me crazy that my husband was so obsessed with sports and coaching my sons.  And one day when I was talking to Mark he said so simply "why would you want to keep him away from something that makes him so happy"  and my whole outlook changed.  It could be a strip club or a bottle of booze, so I guess I'll take the coaching thing and do what I do best - plan the year end party.  I took a cake decorating class once because I wanted all my kids to have fabulous cakes.  Then I realized it's much easier to buy the cake and tell someone else how you want it decorated.   When I showed up with this awesome cake with all the boys pictures on it the boys were so pumped that they got to eat their own face.  Little boys are so funny :)  

So back to the coaching, I have to say Mike is an amazing coach.  I have so many parents tell me how happy they are that they found Mike.  He never loses his cool with the boys and he truly loves teaching them and loves sharing his passion for the game.  

It was such a fun year for Josh because he got to play basketball with his cousin John and his friend Jackson across the street.  The 3 of them were a force to be reckoned with.   The last picture cracked me up.  The boys were all running plays before the game and there was a dad for every kid right there in the middle of it all.  It's so amazing to me that you can't get a man home from work but as soon as there is a little league game, their whole schedule just clears up.  And I finally figured out what AND 1 means!  

What cool mom did that?  ME! With a little help from Sam's
One proud dad
That would be my boy
Joshua following in his brothers footsteps
6 boys 6 dads at practice I guess my husbands no the only obsessed dad in the world

Abracadabra!

For Micah's birthday we hired a magician to come to our house and he put on a show in our theatre.  I've since decided that every kid needs a magician party at some point in their life.  Magicians are magical and funny all rolled into one.  I giggled like a little girl for an hour.  It felt good.  He brought a real bunny and bird and the best part was that he made Micah the star of the show.  It made his birthday so special and it was amazing how he was able to keep the attention of all those little kids for an hour.  We ate pizza, did the pinata thing and at the end of the party each kid went home with a magic wand, a magic trick, disappearing ink, a mood fish a balloon sword and tons of candy.  What a party!  A shout out for Paul Brewer.  Thanks Paul!

Happy Birthday!  Love mom and dad
My birthday boy.  
Plus balloon swords who could ask for more?
He was frozen stiff as a board with the bird on his head.
It was so fun that the magician made Micah the star of the show.  The smile on his face was worth every penny.

Happy Birthday Micah Maikai

As most of you know Micah is our little miracle.  When you come close to losing one of your babies not a day goes by that you don't think about how lucky you are to still have them in your life.  Although Micah is wise beyond his years, he finally turned 5!  Micah has such a sweet little spirit.  He is the one kid that I never need to worry about getting in trouble or hurting some ones feelings.  Micah is so easy going and so easy to get along with that he has a ton of friends.  Girls and boys of all ages love having Micah around.  We are so lucky to have him in our family and we are so blessed that Heavenly Father decided that we might need him down on earth a little longer because he is one of those people that make you be a better person.  Happy Birthday Micah we love you!

The big rollover

I know it seems funny to take pictures of such trivial things but since this is our caboose I feel like I need every little minute documented.   We also didn't have blogs when my other kiddos were in their first year.  The "big roll over" actually happened like 3 weeks ago but my blog runs anywhere from 3-4 weeks behind real time.  So anyway, Sophia was so close to rolling over (back to front)  so I put some little rings on the floor and sat on the floor next to her with a camera waiting for the big moment and all of a sudden there she went.  She was so proud of herself, look at the big grin!   I was proud of myself getting the whole thing on camera.  Two points for the mom!  

But she recovers it and realizes what she accomplished
She missed the rings 
She spots the rings 
On the side 

I love facebook!

Let me say it again.  I LOVE FACEBOOK!  I know there are alot of people out there saying that facebook causes affairs and breaks up marriages.  Lets be honest here, those people were not happy and were looking for something to screw up their lives.  But for those of us that love our spouses and have self control facebook ROCKS!  I have had so many fun reunion lunches.  This one was with my cute childhood friends that I haven't seen for over 20 years!  I've had dinner with my fellow cheerleaders, I had a mid-day play date with my high school girlfriends and I reunited with my very best friend since Kindergarten.  Which by the way has a hilarious blog to the left under Tammy and Jim is you ever need to be entertained.  My thought on the whole situation is this.  Everybody deserves to have a little excitement in life.  And if meeting up with some long lost girlfriends give me butterflies and makes my heart beat a little bit then it works for me.  So thanks facebook for keeping life exciting!

"Get back to the kitchen!"

That is a phrase that I say quite a few times a day.  All my little kiddos seem to think that they need a snack on the hour, every hour that they are awake.  So I try to keep healthy snacks around that they can eat anytime such as apples, oranges and string cheese.  Then there are the running out of the door handheld meals such as the hot pocket for the older kids that are always on the go.  For some reason, Isaac doesn't seem to understand why he can't just eat anything and everything at anytime of the day.  And it doesn't help that the little stinker has learned how to use the microwave.  He especially seems to have a hard time with the "we only eat in the kitchen"  rule.  When the house gets very quiet I start by searching under the chairs, behind the couches and in the closets and this is usually what I find.  I want to get mad but it's impossible,  Isaac has one of those irresistible little faces that you want to kiss all over. 

You're still the one

Twelve years ago I made the best decision of my life.  I married my soul mate, my best friend and the love of my life.   I was 24 years old.  I had been divorced and had been in and out of relationships.  Then I met Mike.  I will have that day branded in my head forever.  I even remember what he was wearing.  I remember thinking how tall, dark and handsome he was and how he towered over me which was a little intimidating yet made me feel safe.   I remember thinking "this yummy guy is quiet a catch" and not feeling like I had a chance.   But for some reason he was attracted to my emotional drama.  He had a thing for my disorganized passion and fell in love with my crazy flair.  Within a couple of weeks we were inseparable. 

There was a short time that I got scared and pushed him away.  I didn't want to get it wrong again and I almost lost him.  It makes me sad when I think about it.  Then I had an "AHA" moment and I realized what an amazing blessing I had been handed.  Here is this amazing man that I was ridiculously attracted to, treated me like a princess and he wanted me!   So he gave me a second change that I didn't deserve and 12 years ago he made me his wife.  

I know that I talk too much.  Everyone that knows me knows that I am an open book.   So I'm sure I've told you that he makes me crazy.  Of course he makes me crazy he's a man!  But what I have also told you is how crazy I am about him.  The truth is I love taking care of him and I love making him happy.  

There is just something about him - he just does it for me.    I love his hands.  We hold hands every night as we fall asleep.  I love his size.  There is nothing like being held by a man that is 6'5 with big strong hands.   His arms are comforting and secure like a toasty warm blanket.  

Cool is such a funny, childish word but he is just so cool to me.  Cool in a smooth and romantic type of way.  He has this amazing voice and I still get a little embarrassed when he sings love songs to me, but I love it.  He has a way with the women.  He sings to Sophia and she can't take her eyes off of him.  It melts my heart and makes her so happy.  

When I see him out on the football field coaching my son there is something just so sexy about that to me.  Sharing something that he is so passionate about with his little boy.  I don't always realize how lucky I am that his first priority is his children.  I'm jealous - but I'm still lucky.

I love his great mind.  I am amazed on a daily basis how intelligent he is.  I love that I never need to feel insecure about the well being of our family because I know that he will always take care of us.  I love that he makes me feel desired and beautiful.  He always tells me I'm beautiful even when I'm 9 months pregnant.  I love that he says it so much that my four sons tell me I'm beautiful daily.  

He doesn't always tell me how great I am but everyone else he tells tells me.  So I know he thinks it even if he can't always say it to me.  I love that we do everything together.  We shop together, we travel together, we Ebay together, always go to bed together and we raise our children together.  There's nobody else I would rather have on my team.   And most importantly I  love the six beautiful children that he has given me, they are my world.  So to my hunky husband on our 12th Anniversary.  I hope you know that you are my "Everything".  You are "Still the one"  and I wouldn't trade our "Love Story" for the world.  I am and have always been totally, completely and passionately in love with you.   

I've added all of the songs that he sings to me.   He is such a romantic:)

My Sophie's little hands

This post is for me.  Ever since my sweet Sophia was born, she has this cute little thing she does with her hands.   She always like to have her hands clasped tight.   It is so feminine and girly, it's one of my very favorite things in the world.  I was looking through pictures of her short time on earth wishing that this time of my life could last forever.  But nothing last forever and one day soon she will stop holding her hands and that little memory of her will slowly fade away.  So this post is just for me so I never have to forget her sweet little hands and how happy they make me.