Annoyed.

* First of all...I'm aware of how shallow this post is going to sound. I realize that the world is in turmoil and our economy is in crisis. There are people dealing with illnesses and issues that are serious and I am not going to pretend that my life is difficult or that the things that I am writing about are that big of a deal. I just need to vent for a minute.

I am annoyed....and this is why:

My hair is ridiculous and my hair dresser won't call me back to schedule an appointment. So I have resorted to "baby ponies" as Eden calls them. I know my hair has gotten a lot of attention lately, clearly I'm having issues with it.

I have the most annoying cough EVER! Seriously, it is a dry constant tickle in the back of my throat. It is there during the day but really gets bad at night. I have resorted to vicks on the feet, which totally works for my kids and Aric but not me. I had to sleep in the guest room so Aric could get some sleep.

Moving on....

This is what I see when I look out the window:

That is rain. That is gray skies and no sun. That means I can't run outside. That means I have to run on the treadmill at the gym which I HATE.

Yes I just said hate, and I said it in a very strong way. My kids aren't allowed to say that word but sometimes there is no other word to describe how much you dislike something.

Speaking of the gym I have to cancel my membership because they raised their prices and the instructor that I love is moving and I don't like the classes they are putting in which is very annoying. So I only have thirty days left to go to the gym.

We switched laundry detergent and I am not happy about it. You see I am a Tide girl....original scent, powder, with bleach to be exact. I follow up a good Tide washing with a Downey clean breeze scent dryer sheet. Well Aric saw that Costco had a coupon for Gain original scent...liquid.

It was definitely the better deal so we went for it. And I don't like it one little bit. I hate how the liquid drips...notice the towel underneath it. And it doesn't fit nicely in my cupboard.

Please don't be offended if you use Gain. It's just not my smell. I don't care if other people smell like Gain, I just want to smell like Tide. The first load I did with our new detergent was a load of whites which included under garments....so everyday I get a big whiff of Gain when I get dressed. So until my giant Costco sized Gain is gone I will be annoyed every time I get dressed.

Okay so I know it's spring break but did almost all my friends have to leave or make plans! Don't they know I need their kids for play dates....I need them for play dates! Did they really have to go to California and St. George where it is nice and warm? My friends who didn't leave are extra busy with their lives...except poor Amy so she has to listen to me vent. Sorry Amy.

Could my life be anymore disorganized right now? My house needs a desperate dose of attention that I am not able to give.

Even my purse is a wreck! That is the stuff I dug out this morning while trying to find a coupon for Aric...needless to say it wasn't in there.

Oh and my shoulder blade/back has some major issue going on. My range of motion is limited and it has been that way for a good week now. Aric massages it every night and I have found that a racket ball put in the right place helps too. But I am so tired of that pain that shoots up to my head. I really should get it checked out but I hate how one visit turns into twenty and I really don't need that expense right now.

Let's see is there anything else?....Oh yes, we are still dealing with adoption issues. We aren't any closer to finalizing the adoption than the day we left Charleston. I have spent hours on the phone, on line emailing, faxing, filling out forms, writing letters, etc...and I have nothing to show for it! It's impossible to express how it feels to go to bed every night with this adoption hanging over my head. I know with all my heart that Camden is my son but in the laws eyes he could be taken away at any moment. Enough about that, that is more depressing than annoying...

So that is why I'm annoyed. Stay tuned for a more uplifting post in day or two...

This ones for G.

One of my favorite blessings is having my sister live close by with her family...four girls and one little guy.

I love it because I get to be a part of their everyday lives. From school plays to birthdays I get to see it all.

Well last month my niece Gisele turned eight and was baptized. G is a very smart girl and has been preparing for this day. You can ask her about what she believes and she will tell you. She has a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and she was ready to become a member of his church. It was a very special day for G.

We had the usual crew there...

Abuelita and Papa Joe

Tio Marco, Tia Dani, Aby and Pochito

Tia Ines and Manuel

and us of course.

 

G was baptized by her dad, Andy.

Her big sister Olivia played the piano.

 

Gisele asked her Uncle Aric to give the talk on Baptism. He was happy to do it. It just so happened that Gisele got baptized on the same day Aric got baptized eleven years earlier.

My mom, G's abuelita, gave the talk on the Holy Ghost, she also made Gisele's baptism dress. Papa Joe and Tio Marco were witnesses. Her mom, my sister Evelynne, gave a spotlight on Gisele. Her sisters and cousins sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me". Tio Marco and Tia Ines gave prayers and I was the chorister.

Andy confrimed G with, Tio Marco, Joe, Aric and Bishop Braun standing in the circle.

I am so proud of Gisele. Her spirit is strong and she has an awareness of what is right and what is wrong that is truly beyond her years. She seeks out truth and will fight for it. She is a good example to those around her and she is a great blessing to our family.

 

G, I was there when you entered this world, from that moment on I have loved you. I heard your very first cry. I was one of the very first people to hold you and kiss you. I will never forget the first time I saw your precious little face...you are a beautiful girl and I love that I get to watch you grow up. You are so precious to me....

Love,

Tia Jessy

Just Do It!

Good ol' Nike coming up with that little number. It's a great slogan don't you think? Well in the spirit of those commercials that make you cry, I have decided to "just do it".

So what is "it"?


a. Finally learn how to swim

b. Go bungee jumping

c. Run a half marathon

d. Apply for the Amazing Race

Think about it for a minute. Lock in your vote. And the answer is........

Here's a hint.

C. As much as I want to apply for the Amazing Race, I realize it is not the season of my life to do it so instead I will run a half marathon.

This is a huge thing for me. I am not a runner. I never was. In my former life I enjoyed some softball, soccer, tennis, cheerleading, rollerblading, volleyball and ballet. But NEVER running.

I ran a little in college to try and keep those freshman 15 from turning into freshman 20. But my running was pretty hit and miss, and I never ran more that two miles.

Well a year after I had Eden, I had five pounds that just wouldn't go away. That's when I started running again. My friend Dawn convinced me that I could do it. I resisted at first but she is relentless so I finally caved. It took running and ballet to finally get rid of the extra five pounds. But still I'd only run a couple of miles and I kept it up mainly so I could eat cookies and chips without feeling guilty.

As the years have gone by I have pushed myself to become a 3-4 mile runner. I have been comfortable with that for the past couple of years. Then last summer my friend Amy decided she was going to run Hood to Coast, being the good friend that I am I decided I would train with her even though I wasn't running it. She pushed me to go five miles. I thought I was going to die. Seriously...it was hot and we ran up some vicious hills. I was so happy when she finished her race so that I could go back to my comfort zone.

So a couple of weeks ago my friend Meghann suggested that I run in a half marathon with her. I didn't even know how far that was! (it's 13.1 miles....in case you were wondering) Amy was doing it too and between the two of them they peer pressured me into registering for the May 16th race. Meghann trained last summer for one so she kindly gave me her training schedule...I have been at it for almost three weeks now.

Last week Amy and I ran six miles! That is the first time I have ever done that. I actually felt good about our time and my legs didn't fall off like I thought they would. But still six miles isn't even HALF the distance I will be running! Even though I felt good about the run I was still freaked out about this huge (um....$70 registration fee)commitment I have made.

And then as if it were a sign from heaven, The Biggest Loser episode last week had the contestants run a half marathon! It was so inspiring...I totally cried when they finished it. I'm pretty sure I will be crying when I finish my race. Probably a mixture of pain and accomplishment I'm sure.

So while the others that I will be racing with will be running their hearts out to beat their personal best, I will be running to just finish the darn thing. That will be my personal best.

Wish me luck my friends! I have seven weeks to either psych myself out, or accomplish a goal that I never thought I would do in this lifetime.

We'll see how this all turns out on May 16th. Hopefully Amy and Meghann won't have to drag me across the finish line on a stretcher.

My Little Slugger

Here are some pictures from a recent photo shoot we had. I have been waiting for Camden to fit into this outfit so I could blog about it. Prepare yourself for some serious CUTENESS!

Future MVP right here.

What...you want my autograph?

Hey ump he was safe!!!! Get some glasses!

Crying? There's no crying in baseball!

Can't think of anything baseball related for this one. If you have a good one let me know. But this little expression reminds me of one of Eden's recent comments..."Oh Camden you are so cute I don't think I could ever be mad at you!"

*The darling Red Sox onesie and baseball cap is courtesy of my blogger twin Liz (aka calibosmom). I am lucky enough to have found her through cyberspace...she totally rocks! Maybe someday we will take in a game at Fenway together...one can dream can't they...These pictures are for you Liz!

What I know is true...

This post was inspired by a recent activity I had with the girls that I work with at my church. My calling is to be an advisor to the 12-13 year old girls. This means I teach them every other Sunday and I help plan and carry out weekday evening activities. I love being able to serve these amazing girls and work with some amazing women.
So a couple of weeks ago we had our "New Beginnings". This evening happens once a year where we introduce the new girls that have just turned twelve and we focus on the theme for the year. Our theme this year is the scripture found in 1Timothy 4:12

My church has a program for the young women that gives them the opportunity to make goals and do projects. If they pass off all of the requirements they can earn their Young Womanhood medallion which is the equivalent to earning the Eagle Scout award.
The goals they work on are centered around eight values. Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity and Virtue.
Virtue is a new value that was just introduced this year. Each value has a color. Virtue is gold. So why am I telling you all this?
Well, I was in charge of decorating the main table for New Beginnings. The girls wanted to use the color gold and somehow incorporate "treasure" into our decor.
So this is what I came up with:

It was very simple. But as I sat and waited for all the girls to show up with their parents I looked more deeply at the table that I had created and I realized that my testimony was on display.
First, my testimony of Jesus Christ as my Redeemer and Savior of the world is by far what I treasure most.

Second, my testimony of eternal families.

Though my marriage is definitely not perfect, it is one of my greatest treasures. Knowing that the covenants we made in the temple will allow us to be together forever, motivates me to be a good wife and a good friend to Aric. I love thinking that this life that we are building together can bring us eternal happiness with our family.

Third, my testimony of the divine nature of women.

Before we were ever born we had a gender. Women were created with a divine purpose, to bring God's children into this world. My children are my sweetest treasure. I cannot think of anything that has brought me more joy or more satisfaction than being a mom to Maya, Eden and Camden. There is nothing I could do that would be of greater worth than being a full time mom to them. My days are long and my patience usually checks out at around 7pm but I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING in this world.

Fourth, my testimony of the scriptures.

They are true. They are the words of God through his prophets. I love reading the Old Testament. It's so crazy to wrap your mind around how old this record is. In the New Testament I love reading about Christ's ministry. I like to imagine myself there listening to him preach his gospel and watching him perform miracles. I'd like to think I would have been one who believed and walked along side him. I love to read the Book of Mormon which is a history of Christ and his ministry in Central and South America. I love to read about when he finally came and how those people had waited so long for him to come, I like to think that some of my ancestors were there.
The scriptures are a record of people who really lived and the lessons we can learn from them are invaluable. We read the scriptures everyday as a family, the sweet spirit that reading them brings into our home is worth every effort we make.
~
Each of us has our own testimony. Some parts are stronger than others. When life is going smooth it's easy to take our testimonies for granted. It's easy to get caught up in superficial things. It's when things get hard, and life's storms roll in, that our testimonies are really tested.
My faith has been tested many times. Each trial that I have had, has brought me closer to God and given me a greater appreciation for Christ and what he suffered for me. He didn't just atone for our sins, he suffered every pain of every kind so that we could turn to him for peace and comfort. If we truly believe in Christ and that he actually suffered for us, then we can completely trust that he will heal our hearts and comfort even our deepest pains.
That night I decorated the table, I was feeling pretty down. I had been feeling down for awhile. As I sat there seeing my testimony displayed for everyone to see, I realized that it didn't matter if anyone actually acknowledged or even looked at the table. I thought I was decorating for the girls and their parents but I was really only decorating that table for me and my Heavenly Father.
The tears began to well up as I felt the spirit whisper to me that Heavenly Father was aware of me and that he loves me. That he was pleased with my efforts and I felt his acceptance of my small simple table. He has not forgotten me and the trial that we are facing with the adoption. He is perfectly aware of our situation and will continue to support us as we turn to him for help and guidance.
~
Well, I really didn't mean for this post to turn into its own testimony meeting, I just felt like sharing. Mainly because this blog is my journal and I want this documented for my children. I want them to know how I was able to get through my life's challenges so that someday when they are faced with their own storms they will know how to get through them.

Maya's Recital...

Maya has a love/hate relationship with the piano. She loves to play by ear (like the first few bars of the Star Wars theme) and play songs that SHE choses. She hates doing theory, she hates playing the songs that she is assigned to play. And last but not least, she hates that she needs my help when she gets stuck.

Playing the piano is not a skill that comes easily for Maya but she really wants to do it. So we go to bed early on Sunday nights so that we can get out of the door bright and early for her 8:20am piano lessons.

My own piano skills are pretty pathetic. I am more or less self taught. Thanks to my Junior High clarinet playing (I was second chair thank you very much), I have some musical background but that isn't saying much. I can read notes, but my left hand doesn't move as quickly as I'd like it too. I wish I could play more than top hand. I wish I could make Christmas carols and church hymns dance through the air. I try, but instead the songs sound like they are drunk and tripping through the air instead of gracefully dancing.

So...

I will continue to force the practices and listen to the same bar being played over and over and over again.

I will watch piano books fly across the room.

I will be the one who gets yelled at because the piece is too hard.

I will take play dates or snacks away when that happens.

I will quietly listen in the other room ready to praise when she finally masters the tricky parts.

I will sit proudly in the audience while she overcomes her self doubt and plays her piece flawlessly.

And I will watch her take a bow and walk tall back to her seat feeling like a million bucks because she now knows what it feels like to complete a difficult task. Hopefully realizing that hard work and perseverance pays off.

With all that said I am finally I am posting Maya's recital...we'll see if it actually works...

Okay so it didn't work...now try clicking on the link below.

And my video skills aren't that hot because I am still learning about that feature on my camera. But don't worry Maya is only sideways for 5 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCOnyaoEWI

A little bit of random...

So this is Eden in her very blue, very sparkly, very one of a kind outfit.

She commissioned this shirt shortly after our First Friday party.  I was hoping she would forget about it but after weeks of mind numbing begging, I gave in and made this for her. She is also sporting a new sparkly belt she bought with the valentine's money she got from Grandma Kathy and Papa Ron.

She also told me exactly how to fix her hair.  She wore this outfit to school proudly. Her teacher asked her if it was a dance outfit.

 

RaNdoM...

This is what happens when Eden decides she wants to take a few pictures:

This is Maya's turn:

 

She wanted us to make funny faces...Aric wasn't playing. And in case you were wondering...yes I am wearing my down winter coat INSIDE of my house. On any given day between the months of October and March, you will find me from 9am til bedtime in my coat. I am ALWAYS cold.

 

MoRe RanDoM...

This week was Wacky Week at the Kindergarten Center. Everyday they wore something silly. So Wednesday was "Crazy Hair Day".

 

EveN mOre RaNdoM...

Eden picked this outfit out for Camden so he could look  like "Troy Bolton" ...the High School Musical guy...

I thought she meant Chad...

...but nope she meant Troy.

 

Speaking of Troy....

HeRe is OnE LaSt RaNdom ThinG...

I am TOTALLY Hair Hating right now. Seriously,HATING my hair. I'm learning that this hair cut requires MAINTENANCE...I am so LOW maintenance that this REALLY isn't working for me. So now  I look like Troy:

 

I have manboy hair. Oh...wait...you don't know what manboy hair is? It's older teenage boy hair. The kind of hair that needs combing and lots of hair product.   

 

Like I mentioned before, I'm not a high maintenance kind of girl. And if you want to read up on my Hair Hating  go here. I feel guilty spending money on my hair which is why I trade painting/decorating services for my hair cut/color. These days I don't have a ton of time to be trading services, I can't hardly keep my own house on track! So I am living with my manboy hair, resorting to wearing baseball hats, scarves and hankies.

So there you have it...some RanDoM things from our family to yours.

**Just in case there are any score keepers out there...yes I realize that Maya has not been well represented lately. First of all she's been sick and second, the last two things she has done that have been blog worthy are on video, and we all know I am not so "video on blog" savvy so it's taking some time to figure out how to post them. But don't worry I aware of how unbalanced my posts have been. I'm working on it.

Camden's Big Debut

Manuel's Baptism was the first time most of my family got to see Camden. So here are some fun moments...

I love this picture of my Tia Ana. She is seeing Camden for the first time. Aric was holding him in the window as she was walking to the door. I know it's fuzzy but it is so sweet.

And here's Camden with my Uncle Al. I'm pretty sure I heard Uncle Al singing "Beautiful Boy" by the Beatles.

This was his first meeting with Tio Marco.

And here is Pochito introducing himself to Camden.

Here he is posing with Tia Dani, we actually got a smile out of her!

Tia Ana just couldn't resist his cheeks!

Here he is meeting his Tio Jason and Tio Rico for the first time.

Getting some love from Tia Ines.

Getting cozy with Abuelita Hernandez

And of course he still got some quality time with Abuelita Lenna and Papa Joe.

I even caught Tia Evelynne stealing a few moments with Cam-o.

Camden is truly a gift to our family. From the moment we knew Camden was born, Aric and I knew that he was our son and the love was instant and deep. It was so incredible to see him with my family and watch them embrace him and love him just as we do. This little guy will never lack love or attention. In this family there are more than enough fingers to tickle, lips to kiss, hands to hold, and arms to rock him for all the days of his life.

Welcome To Your Family Little Man!

We Have ALL Been Waiting For You!