I'm Off....

Tomorrow I am off to Women's Conference in Provo, Utah. My sisters, mom and my sister's mother in law are all going. We have all been looking forward to this since January! I am excited for the break and to just have a girls weekend. I am also looking forward to all the wonderful speakers and uplifting messages that I will hear. I have been feeling lately that I am in a spiritual slump. Like there is SO much to DO and that I just can't do it ALL...and I feel like I am failing. So hopefully this will be the boost that I need. There is just so much pressure I find when you are and LDS women. All of it is good...but can be overwhelming at times. There is always more to be done and so little time. I am also looking forward to some fun shopping. I am however on a bit of a budget...YIKES! I have a goal in mind of how much I can spend and I really want to stay within that. I don't want to come home to a bunch of debt....which I have done in the past...and it isn't FUN! I will be asking my self if I REALLY need that or if I can live without it. Hopefully that will help. So wish me luck on the LONG drive...thank goodness for good company...lots of snacks...and some fun DVD's to watch...oh and a few good magazines. I will update when I get back. So until then...enjoy the SNOW! LOL! I think it is supposed to be +18ish in Utah. YIPEE!!

What We Have Been Up To...

We have had a couple of busy weeks here in the Pilling home. Here are a few of the highlights...

Carson had to have tubes & adenoids take out last Thursday. We have been on the waiting list for a LONG time and finally the day arrived. He was in GREAT spirits. I was nervous...this was our 2nd set of tubes bur first time for adenoids. The surgery was going to be longer and require a longer stay at the hospital. He did great the first time so I was praying we would have the same experience the 2nd time.

Here he is with his special blankie. He was smiling from ear to ear and wanted to go to the play room which he remembered from the 1st time we were there.

Checking out his I.D. bracelet.

He did great and was such a brave boy when the nurse came to take him to the operating room. I nervously waited in the waiting room. The surgery was quick and he was out after about an hour (including recovery time.) I did however hear him SCREAMING at the top of his lungs when he woke up. I guess he was disoriented...but who could blame him. The gave him a shot of morphine to calm him down. Poor little guy. Over all he did very well and the 4 hours we had to wait after went by fast. He was very thirsty afterwards...and then very hungry. He managed to eat 2 banana, jello & some Popsicles.

Carson post-op with a Popsicle. He still had a smile on his face. But was a bit groggy. Right after the surgery he said he could hear better...what a GOOD sign. Another good sign was that he wanted to drink...LOTS! That was to help with the removal of his adenoids. So all signs were pointing towards positive. I was happy to take him home when our time was up. I took him to Toys R Us to pick out a special toy for being so brave. He picked a Diego truck...he was a happy boy. We have been home now for a few days now and he is still doing well. He has however been quite tired in the afternoon and has been napping...which is a nice break for mom. I am so thankful for modern medicine and for knowledgeable Doctors who care out our kids. I am thankful for the power of the priesthood (Tyler gave Carson a blessing the night before) I know Heavenly Father was watching out for Carson that day.

We all have been enjoying the BEAUTIFUL Spring weather the past few days....minus the wind on a few of them. But I am NOT complaining. It is great to see the sun shining and the grass turning green. I was happy to get out in my yard and rake up all the dead leaves and branches from a LONG winter. I was happy to see some green poking out of my flower beds and can't wait to start seeing the tulips bloom.

Tyson has been talking about wanting a tree house for a long time. But our yard just isn't suited for one....so we have been putting it off. But my ingenious husband figured out a way to make a small tree house in the only suitable tree in our yard. So Saturday the project began. It was fun to see Tyson helping Tyler and watching them make progress on it. I took the kids for a few hours in the late morning for our annual Easter egg hunt at the park. The kids had fun playing with their friends and gathering the eggs and seeing what surprised were in each one. Here is the gang that attended this year. It was fun to have new kids there that weren't there last year.

All the kids lined up getting the final instructions before we turned them loose to hunt for their eggs.

One...Two...Three...GO!

When we got back Tyler had made good progress on the tree house...but there was still LOTS to do. So we all helped with the building. Even I was up there helping to hold the spacer boards and put in a few screws. It was fun, and we all enjoyed working on it together. So after about 12 hours of labor, several trips to the hardware store we were done our project. The kids were THRILLED!

This Little Girl...

This little girl is the sunshine in my dreary days, the song in my heart, one of the joys of my life! Gracie is almost 9 months old now and I can't believe how with each passing day I love her more and more. She is developing a sweet little personality. She is always smiling and kicking her legs. She continues to develop and reach her baby milestone. She can now FINALLY sit up all by herself with no worries about toppling over. She can roll from both her back to tummy & tummy to back. She is slowly starting to get a bit more mobile. It won't be too long before she is crawling. She is starting to giggle...just a little bit and it is SO cute! Her brothers continue to adore and dote over her. I love seeing they love they have for her. I know they are going to always have a watchful eye on her...and I am SO thankful she has big brothers to do that. I often wonder what it would have been like to have an older brother....and I think I would have liked it! I think Heavenly Father knew that we needed a little girl to complete our family. They boys are so fun and rambunctious and FULL of energy & little Gracie is FULL of smiles. They all seem to balance each other out.

Things have been good around the Pilling house lately. We have finished skating lessons for the year and I am happy to report that I am GLAD they are over. It was a long season...but the kids had fun. Saturday was their Carnival and they both did such a good job. This will be Tyson's last year as he is getting board with it and it quite a good little skater now, but Carson will continue for a few more years....so we will have more Carnivals to come. We have a few weeks will less running around until soccer & gymnastics start & then it will be back to the crazy buziness...but I LOVE it that way....most days. LOL!

We just finished having a Japanese student live with us for a week. Her name was Saki, and she was a really sweet girl. She loved the kids and was more than happy to help me make supper & clean up. I think she had a fun time here in Canada which is good. She was 15 years old and this was her first time away from home. She spoke very good English and could communicate well with us. We were sad to see her go, and they kids were even asking for her for a few days after she left. I have found it rewarding to have these students in our home. It is good for me to be on my guard more when someone is around. I find that I am more conscious of how I react to the kids and am more patient because I know someone is watching. Sad I know...that it takes a foreigner to make me more aware...We will be having 2 more girls come in May and I am looking forward to that.

Well this post is getting long...so until next time...have a WONDERFUL day!

I Was Featured...

I'm so excited, I was featured on Sugar Doodle. It is a GREAT LDS site that has lots of cool things. Check it out!

Spring Is In The Air...

Today was finally a nice day...without WIND! How I curse that blasted wind. It can be a beautiful, warm sunny day and then the WIND has to come and ruin it all. So today I am thankful that it finally felt like SPRING and there was NO wind. Yipeee...

Today I had PPP with Carson and it always makes for a great day. He is so excited to go and see all his friends at "little school." He always asks if Hunter is going to be there...and I always say YES. Hunter and Carson are joined at the HIP! They always want to be together and they miss each other terribly when they don't see each other every day. It is going to be a very traumatic and a very sad day when my sister finally moves to Magrath...but I don't even want to think about that right now. I know it is going to be a VERY hard day for me too. Usually after PPP we head in to do our regular Costco shop. Today though several mom's from the group all met at Costco for lunch. Let me tell ya...there were kids running EVERYWHERE...mostly little rambuncious boys. We were all doing our best to keep them under control and behaving themselves...but boys will be BOYS! I thought the kids did quite well, but an elderly man did not. He informed the kids that they were too loud. I mean seriously does he not remember what it was like to have little kids...and boys at that. Oh well, I just made light of the situation and carried on. It was nice to get together although I spent most of my time wrangling a hungry 4 year old at the same time trying to feed Grace french fries...I know BAD mom...but she loved them!

I have been thinking a lot lately about a close friend of mine who is struggling and I just don't know what to do. She has struggled with in-activity in the church her whole life and when she moved to Coaldale she finally decided to come back and that is how I met her. She is the sweetest, most fun loving person I have ever met. She would do anything for you. But I am so worried about her. She seems to live 2 lives one here in Coaldale when she is around the girls from church and then is different when she goes back home. I have tried to give her advice and be sensitive to her situation...but it is getting to the point where I think I have to be more bold and blunt about some things. I would hate to offend her and hurt her feelings and put a strain on our friendship but at the same time I feel that because I care about her and want her to be happy and be the best she can be I have to be up front with her. So I am torn and don't know what to do. I guess this is just another one of lives little challenges. I'm sure that things will work out and I will know how to approach the situation, but only time will tell I guess. Anyway enough serious talk for today...Make today (tonight) a GREAT one!

Whewww...I finally have a few minutes of peace and quite and time to sit and blog. Needless to say blogging is taking precedence over laundry...LOL!

So at the end of February my friend and I decided we wanted a quick little get away and we chose Las Vegas...mainly because it was cheap to get there. I was able to talk Tyler into going and made all the arrangements for the kids. It was a total spur of the moment trip...from the time we booked to the time we left was 5 days. So that was fun to just book and go...not have to save and wait. The few day prior to leaving I was SO crazy busy trying to get the house clean, meals made and the endless lists for all the kids. I was having my Grandma come to watch the kids for 2 days, then my mom was coming then she was taking them to my in-laws. So there was lots to get ready. But it all came together and I felt comfortable leaving them, I knew they were in good hands. This trip was also exciting cause 2 of the people we went with had never been on a plane before. It was fun to watch Nicole go through security and then the plane ride.

I'm not going to give a day by day account of the trip cause that might be too boring. But we did have LOTS of fun and were really busy. It wasn't a really relaxing trip it was pretty much go...go...go, but we saw lots and walked LOTS. We went to a Vegas show, something I have always wanted to do, and it was a Cirque Du Soliel to boot. We saw KA and it was amazing. I would totally recommend seeing a Cirque show...so worth the $$

We ate at the AMAZING Cheesecake Factory 3 times! It is THAT good! We also went to the outlet mall and it was awesome! Every store you could ever think of was there...from very high end to you average kids stores. I bought way too much...but it was so fun.

We also went to Hoover Dam & the Las Vegas temple. Hoover Dam was really cool to see, I had forgotten what it looked like. The Las Vegas temple was beautiful. We were there and night and it is nestled right up against the mountain. The angel Moroni is facing away from the city which I thought was very ironic.

MGM Grand Hotel Lobby

Outside Caesars Palace

Inside Caesars Palace

Overall it was a GREAT trip, time alone with Tyler and time with great friends and family.

I'm Back...

It has been awhile since I last blogged...much has happened. I am home from Las Vegas...a quick spur of the moment trip. It was nice to get away. I have kids that need to get to bed and other kids that are needing my attention...but I just wanted to pop in and let you all know I am still alive...I'll post more tomorrow.

Taking the TIME...

I find that way to often I am TOO busy to take the extra time with my kids. I find myself saying over and over again..."In just a minute," and then letting the minute come and go and forget what it was I was supposed to do for one of them. Every where around me there are things to be done...laundry, dishes, meals to cook and then clean up, bed to make, floors to sweep, the dishwasher to unload, the school work to go through, the toilets to clean & the mirrors to polish. Everyday is different and yet so much the same. My morning routine is pretty much the same everyday with out much variation. (even as I write this Carson is reminding me that I promised to put a movie on for him...this is about the 10th time he has asked...) This morning as I got Tyson off to school and started cleaning up the breakfast mess I tried to put Grace down for a nap. She wouldn't have it. She has been teething and just wants to be snuggled. So I took the time to sit down and just rock her. She usually doesn't like to fall asleep in my arms but today she just loved being snuggled by mom...so that was what I did. As I sat there and looked at her sweet angelic face I realize how quickly she is growing and how fast the time has gone. I also began to feel quite guilty for not taking more time to just play with my kids and leave all of the OTHER stuff for later. There will always be superficial things to do that have do be done everyday and over and over, but the time we have with our kids is so precious. I remember when I had both boys home everyday all day long and how LONG and drawn out some of those days felt. Now Tyson is in school full time and he sees his teacher more than me. I feel jealous of her and how much time she gets to spend with MY child. He has even caught himself a few times calling ME Mrs. Kerr. Carson is now in pre-school and his time with me is also getting shortened. I remember the days when I couldn't wait for the kids to be in school...I am finding now that I miss all of our time together. It was great to have the kids home all week last week. We really didn't do much but it was just nice to have them home. They each had a few play dates and really played well together. It was nice to have Tyler home too and just have some good old quality time as a family. Our time to so very precious to each one of us. We really don't know how much TIME we have on this earth. Will it really matter how clean our house was, or if the laundry was all caught up? Or do you think it would be better to know that when our kids asked us to do a puzzle with them, or read them a story that we stopped what we were doing and gave them our attention? I want my kids to remember that their mom was a devoted mother, that I took the time to listen and to love them each individually. I really don't think that a 6 1/2, 4, & 7 month old really care if there are a few dishes in the sink. What I hope they remember is the TIME I took to snuggle them, to listen to their frustrations & to comfort them when they were hurt of sad. So I am going to challenge myself...the next time anyone of my kids is wanting my TIME I will drop what I am doing and give it to them. This may not come easy for me...but our TIME is so short and I want to make the most of it!

Now for something kinda fun! I found this on my friend's blog and thought I would give it a try. Follow the instructions if you want to PLAY.

A Gift for You
For all of my blog readers I am offering a gift to you!

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

What I create will be just for you.

You may get this gift in a week or a month...

You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be something crafty or store bought...but it will be something FABULOUS!

When you get the gift post a picture with you & the gift on YOUR blog

Now for what you have to do:

1. Be a FOLLOWER of my blog

2. Post a comment on why you like reading my blog

3. You have to OFFER this GIFT on your blog.

You have until FRIDAY to post and then I will pick 2 winners! Sounds pretty fun eh? Okay lets see how many posts I can get for this...

The BIG Picture...

Sometimes I feel like I get so caught up in the HERE & NOW that I forget about the BIG picture. A few days ago Tyler gave me some very good news (sorry I can't share) and I was just so excited. Although this "thing" will happen if 4.5 years it was still thrilling and it really got me thinking. I tend to focus on today...this hour...this minute and what I have to do and what needs to get accomplished. I really am a person who loves gratification NOW. I don't like to wait for things to happen I like to MAKE them happen. When it comes to monetary things I have an attitude of buy now...PAY later (I know totally NOT good). I'm not excessive in that area though, which is a good thing. I tend not to look a the BIG picture of the gratification which comes from saving for things you want. It is hard for me to visualize the results at the end of the road. I am totally envious of people who can SAVE for things they want. I know I could do it but it would take SO much self control...something I am working on.

I have found myself thinking about what life will be like in a few years. What the kids will be doing, who their friends will be, if they will be doing well in school & if they will still be the GOOD kids that they are. I wonder what Gracie will look like with her hair all grown in and how she will toddle around when she starts to walk. I have been wondering about our economy and how scary things are getting. Tyler hasn't been to work ALL week...which has been kinda nice. He has been so sweet to let me sleep in ALL week and has gotten up with the baby every night. I have been totally spoiled. But staying home = no $ which = a grumpy wife and a rough life. Ha Ha...that rhymes. LOL! Thankfully he is back to work today.

I am so thankful for the knowledge that I have of the plan of salvation. To me that is the BIG picture in life. We know where we came from and where we are going when we leave this earth. That gives me so much comfort. We also know all the steps we need to take in order to reach the end goal. We have guidelines set for us to follow to help make life easier, and a Saviour who is there to help us take each step. How thankful I am for this knowledge and guidance in my life. I am also thankful for each new day...each new sunrise. I am so happy that I have each day to start over, to re-group and do things better than I did the day before. I am thankful for friends and family who NEVER give up on me and my imperfections, who help me want to be a better person. I am so grateful for a husband who loves me unconditionally and PUTS up with me. I know sometimes it isn't easy. I am thankful for children who are so forgiving and pray for their mom. Tyson said in his prayer the other night, "please bless mom that she won't be grumpy anymore." After his prayer I said, "I wasn't grumpy." and he replies with, "then why were you yellin at us?" Hmmmm...I guess they really do notice. I am thankful for a healthy body and the ability I have to be active. I think too often I take good health for granted. I am thankful for this beautiful February day...the sun is shining, there is NO wind, and I have a feeling it is going to be a GREAT day!

Photo Friday...Week 8 (I think)

Here we are again at another Photo Friday. I think I am on week 8.

Pictures of my new hair color...compliments of Tiffany. LOL! Not too sure what I think yet.

Finally managed to snap a picture of Gracie's teeth.

Grace LOVES her jolly jumper. She spends lots of time in it.

I'm ticked cause I had a REALLY cute picture of Carson outside shovelling the snow and I thought I downloaded them off my camera card onto my computer...but I guess I didn't and I erased the card. AGHHH...

Photo Friday...A Few Days Late...

I know I am a few days late but I wanted to get a picture of Tyler & I on Valentine's day...so that is why Photo Friday is a few days late. To celebrate Valentine's day we went out to supper with my sister Tiffany and her husband Trevor. We went to the Keg, one of our favorite places to go for a really nice supper. It was a nice evening out with great friends/family.

Some people may think that Valentine's day is an unnecessary holiday to celebrate when you are married. They think that you should show your significant other that you love them EVERY day not just on Valentine's day. I tend to agree somewhat. I know that we should show love always to those we are married to but I think Valentine's is just a special day to tell them AGAIN how much they mean to us. I always look forward to V-day cause I know Tyler will give me a card expressing his love for me and how much he appreciates me. I know he does this on a regular occasion but there is just something about having it written down that I love. I too love picking out a card for her and expressing to him how wonderful he is to my and the kids. This V-day he didn't disappoint me and I loved reading my card.

As a wife and mother sometimes I feel like I just get run down with everyday life. The running here and there, the endless meals to cook and clean up. The piles...and PILES of laundry that is NEVER done, and the continual housework. It is easy to feel un-appreciated and overlooked for all a wife and mother does. I have to admit I have felt this way often. But it doesn't' take much to turn those hum drum feelings into ones of admiration and appreciation. Just a simple, "I love you mom," can change the most monotonous day into a wonderful day. How is that out kids seem to know exactly when we need a little pick me up? It seems they are so in tune to us they know when we need a little extra boost. I also think my husband is quite in tune with me and my moods. He can almost sense when I need a "Girls Night Out," and doesn't' complain when I go and leave him with the kids...and all the supper to clean up. He often surprises me with flowers to show me he loves me. I don't take this for granted that I have a husband to physically shows me how much he appreciates me. He really does know my LOVE LANGUAGE. I read a book called, The Five Love Languages awhile ago and it really was an eye opener for me. It was such a good book and I recommend it to everyone. You may think you know your spouse but by reading this book you may find out you didn't know him as well as you thought. It was definitely food for thought for me.

As this V-day has come and gone I have made a mental note to not let the next V-day come around again before I give Tyler another card expressing to him how much he means to me. It shouldn't take a holiday to make us remember those we love and to express that love by writing it down to them. So here is to many many more LOVE letter to come.

Going TOTALLY CRAZY....For Valentine's Day...

So this year I went CRAZY with Valentine's. OVER THE TOP out of
control with all the projects I did...but it was SO fun. Although spending at least 8
hours making these gorgeous creations caused me to have a severe back ache...I
really don't have anyone to blame but myself. LOL! So here you go
step by step instructions on how to make these yummy cupcake/cookie
creations. BEWARE photo overload!

First you need one FABULOUS baker...my sister Tiffany. Honestly she is a better baker than me and I'm not afraid to admit it. She has the ULTIMATE sugar cookie recipe...but it is TOP secret! You'll have to ask her for the recipe...even I don't have it.

Cut our sugar cookies in various sizes and insert lollipop sticks. You need to roll out the dough quite thick so the stick will be completely covered with the dough when inserted.

Decorate cookies as desired. Note to self...DO NOT USE store bought icing. It won't set up and therefor it will "slip" on you when you stand the cookies up. Use butter cream icing. Tiff made the recipe off the icing sugar package and it is GREAT, so nice and fluffy!

Next bake cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Assemble cookie "pop" into cupcake. Viola...you are done!

Here they are all ready to take to Tyson's grade 1 class. I was going to wait until Friday...but that darn icing was "slipping" off the cookies, so I took them today. Seriously...DON'T use store bought. LOL!

This is a cookie bouquet that I put together for Tyson's teacher...Mrs. Kerr. She is the BEST grade 1 teacher EVER!

And here is a little something I put together for the ladies I visit teach. Super easy, cheap and CUTE! The vinyl my sister and I designed. She has a vinyl business in case you didn't know. Go check out her blog...The Vinyl Boutique.

Carson's pre-school class didn't celebrate Valentine's day, what they did instead was have a Friendship day. So I made these cute flowers out of paper and then you stick a sucker through the middle for the stem. SO CUTE...and EASY to do. Here is the link for the template if you want to download it.

Carson was excited to take them to his class. So for friendship day they were told to bring a healthy snack to share with a friend...I was bummed cause I made the cute cookie cupcakes for it. But I ended up sending just the cookie on a stick along with mandarin oranges. So the kids can have the something healthy...and NOT.

I hope everyone has a GREAT Valentine's day tomorrow. Whether you stay home or go out...make sure you tell those you love that YOU LOVE THEM!