Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Mantle is Finally In!
The Wisdom of a Child

Saturday, March 1, 2008
What a women ~ Happy Birthday Grandma
Today we went out to dinner with the family to celebrate Grandmas Birthday. The kids love these family dinners. Not that we don't eat out enough. LOL
I wanted to take a second to brag about what a great Mother In Law I have. Since I am trying to document more of my feelings about my loved ones and my blessings I figure a birthday is a great time to do so.
Obviously she raised the bestest kid ever, and then sent him out to rescue me from my self, and to raise my kids and all that other fun stuff. But seriously she is so amazing! She hasn't had an easy life. She has seen much tragedy and still just keeps her head up and keeps on, keeping on. She lost her mother at the age of like 12 or 9 yrs old. (yikes I forget exactly) Her 1st marriage was not an easy one to say the least and her second husband passed away after a long and hard battle with cancer (my Samantha is named after him) and her oldest son died within 6 months of you loosing her husband. Can you even imagine loosing your husband and child within 6months. I have no idea how she did it. It was hard to say the least. She worked grave yard shifts at the hospital for years so that she could be their for my husband and raised him on her own. And like I said she did a fabulous job!! Jesse's sister too is an amazing loving and giving person. Ultra organized, mondo spiritual and has the same ability to let he kids be kids and they are turning out great. I think she learned a lot of this from her mom too. I look at Jen and she is the kind of person that you just drop your jaw and think "Hey, can I have some of that too, please?" Grandma Pat just plain raised great kids that is all there is to it!
My mother in law is the kind of person that really keeps her nose out. She lets you live your life and do your own thing yet she is there for every single event we ever have and she is always there to help us and to give advise when it is asked for. I really really lack this ability with my own children. I am always telling them exactly what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. I really need to back off and let them make choices and learn to live with those choices. I am slowly learning this. I can see by her example and by my moms that letting your kids live and learn is the way to go but boy it is so hard for me. I am a ultra control freak especially when it comes to my kids.
She re-married when my husband was on his mission and so they have only been married about 2 years longer than Jesse and I. They are so completely cute together! Super wonderful grandparents, my kids are so blessed to have them living so close to us. (my kids have 3 sets of grandparent's within 10 miles of us) I was blessed with the opportunity to be there when She and her hubby were sealed together for time and all eternity. That is something that was so special and so sacred to me. I can't even think of that day with out getting a little teary. It was so amazing to see the change that came over them as they started to attend church, and how much closer our family became as they found that family bond and strength that comes from the church.
I am so grateful for this amazing women and for her love for me and my family. She opened her arms and her heart to me from the very beginning and I love feeling a part of her family. I was only 18 when I met Jesse and I am absolutely sure that I was an obnoxious know it all young and naive girl. But she loved me anyway. This would be a great time to mention that she totally fixed us up on our 1st date. Yes, I met my husband on a blind date arranged by our mothers at work. But that is another story. Thanks for letting me brag about her. I love this blogging thing. I know that I am not one to show emotion in public, she said tonight at dinner that she wanted to give me hug but didn't know if I would want her to. (note to self,, quit being so rigid about touching people.LOL) I did hug her and I did tell you it was ok. I think she understands that I am just not the touchy feely type. Hugs aside, I do love her and I hope she had a very very happy birthday!
Leaping for Leap Year!
Jaden in the Wax Museum as Gordon B. Hinckley
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Fish Heads, Fish Heads, Rolly Polly Fish Heads! ~ My Tuesday Tell All

Monday, February 25, 2008
Man Vs. Wild, Adventures in House Land
Just had to throw this picture in here. I thought is was so cute. I keep finding little notes written in the dust all over the house. In cupboards on the counter tops and this one on the stove top. Samantha is so excited about getting the house done. When the contractor comes across these little notes he tells me where they are so that I can get pictures. It is really cute of her. Yesterday while we were painting her Uncle Kenton told her that she should write a note and put it under the carpet so that whenever we pull the carpet up to change it she will have a note from her 9yr old self. Kinda like a time capsule. So she did it. It was so cute it says some of her favorite things like her favorite foods, color (pink duh), sports, shows, and etc. But the funny part was this:
"I am Samantha my room is the pink one, I am 9 because I was born in 1998 it is now 2008 February the 24th and it is 8:15 pm, so I better hurry and get this done because the carpet is coming tomorrow." She is a doll!! She colored a picture and put it all into a zip lock baggy and we went over and put it under the carpet pad in her closet. The carpet guys probably thought we were nuts, but my contractor was nice and said it was a cute idea. Thanks Uncle Kenton for the great idea. She was very excited about it! I wish I would have had time for them all to make one.
Man, this was a long one, but it has been a very long weekend. Not to mention a very Sh*#y one! Will, will not leave his diapers on and he has diarrhea and keeps leaving surprises on the floor. UGH! He did it at Grandmas last night while we were finishing the painting!!! UGH UGH UGH! SO Missy may be Pi$sed off but my Sh*#Y weekend beats her! LOL KIDS! I finally got to the point that I taped across the diaper straps but he still got if off so now he is wearing PJ's with the top of the zipper safety pinned shut. OK I am finally done thanks for reading about my Crazy life it is no wonder I feel like a tornado all the time!!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tagged by Sunny!
You must post the rules before you give your answers. You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name. After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).
My middle name is Jo! HAHA easy I am Natalie Jo. Hence the Nat Nat Jo :)
J- Just can not ever put the camera down
O- Only have one girl. & Only have one sister
OK there you have it! So I tag hum... who? ok I guess Missy, and Amy.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Water, Water, I Have Water!!!
Yeah I still haven't healed from that one. YIKES! They had to bring in about 7 poles to reach our house. But in the end I will have lots of space and I will enjoy sitting on my big ol porch watching the birds. LOL Here are some of the pictures of what is going on at the house these days. Now that we have water we can quit holding our breath and actually start packing to move. Here are the pictures:
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Will is a Pill again! & Some Random Thoughts From my tornado mind
I have said it once I will say it again this kid is such a pill. Here he is getting into food coloring! And the worst part is he totally knows how to smile and look so inocent which (again) he is not. Just thought I would post his anctics from last week.Some Random thoughts from my tornado mind:
Once when I was getting mad and scolding Jaden about something, (he was probably 3 or 4 at the time) he stops me mid sentance and says "hey I can see myself in your eyes" I couldn't stay mand and had to laugh at him for being so perceptive and also was at the same time so mad at him for focusing on his reflection in my eyes instead of listening to what I was saying. Yet another reminder that getting mad and resorting to my yelling de-humanizes me to my kids and I become just "angry robot" mom.
Will pluralizes everything when he talks. He doesn't say very many words and when he does it is all pluralized. I find this very cute. I know he will grow out of this so fast and I want to enoy it while it lasts. He used words like: Colors, dinners, kisses, cups, and etc. it is so cute and it is so fun to listen to him at 2 yrs old learning to talk. Its also sad realizing this will be my last kid to go through this learning to talk stage. :(
Samantha is trying way to hard to grow up. I was listening to her go through her valentines on our way home from school thursday. She kept making little comments about every valentine and then I hear her say "Oh I can't belive some people are still giving Barbie Valentine's" Like this is just oh so dumb. She is only in 3rd garde! UGH! I totally remember taking Cabbage Patch Dolls to school to play with my friends until 5th grade. So I tell her that and her response is "Well you must have been a baby." UGH! How did she become so cool? and judgemental? What happened to my little girl? And where did this Pre-teen attitude come from.
I had to keep Samantha home from school on Friday to make her rest and eat. She hasn't been felling well and thanks to Alyssa for tattling on her I know she hasn't been eating lunch at school. I noticed too that she only picked at a few meals at home. She gets so upset over things. We had the Daddy Daughter Dinner on Wed. and I think she got so nervouse that she made herself sick. Then once she felt sick she didn't want to eat because she was affraid she would throw up. On top of her having a cold she just needed a day off. Once I got her to sleep and to eat some good foods she was feeling much better and acting a lot happier. Poor kid is such a worry wort. I have to remember that she needs a gentle touch and to watch her closely. I really hope that this is the only reason she was not eating. I hear eating disorders start early these days.
Why won't my blog let me spell check anymore? I am the worlds worst speller and it isn't spell checking me! It makes me mad!
Friday, February 15, 2008
So close I can taste it!
Painting is done, yes I love it! The colors turned out great. the downstairs and upper hall is 2 tone, lulled beige with Ricks White trimming. I can't believe how great it turned out and for those wondering no it didn't end up looking like a that cave I thought it would. LOL Boy, does it smell great. I love the smell for new paint. The appliances arrived today. They aren't in yet but they are at the house now. Woo Hoo! And the countertops are done. LOVE LOVE LOVE them! I can't belives how much I love them. I picked up this little 2 inch sample and carried it around for months. Totally know thats what I wanted it as soon as I say it. It was love at 1st site, and now they are in I see that I was totally right! My mom wants the sample so that when she gets sick of hers she can copy. Cute huh?
Now, for the final look of the house. They finished up the outside today as well. Check out my totally cute shutters. I am also loving these. I am very excited to see that the stuff that I picked is really coming together for me and that I do like the finish look. :) Here is what you will see when you come to bring me cookies. ;) Minus the yellow dumpster I hope.
Little note: It keeps snowing and snowing and snowing which make pouring concrete impossible so we are also hoping praying that all will work out with this part as well. We wouldn't be building if we didn't have a few snags right?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Poor Little William and Garyn Sick AGAIN!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Best of Both Worlds - Another Great Night for the Kids
Either Samantha is totally spoiled beyond all repair, or Disney is a corporation of evil geniuses, or I am a total sucker mom, or ..... OK fine all 3! Not only did this Little Miss Montana Wanna-be get to go to the concert but then I also shelled out $15 a seat to take her to the concert-movie. She totally is getting the best of, The Best of Both Worlds Tour. LOL Have to admit I would totally do it again. YES I am a sucker mom. Ya know, they are only going to be little once, And this time we got to take Jaden too. But, he was embarrassed because, he and his friend were like the only boys in the theater other than the poor dads. LOL
This was so much fun. We took Jaden, and his friend, Samantha and her cousins. (Since someone else bailed on us. Not mentioning any names NIKKI) They had such a ball! This was not like any other movie experience we have had. (good thing too at that price lol) the kids were actually all up dancing around the theater and having the time of their lives. For Samantha it was like reliving the concert only better because you could actually see it. LOL Yes we sat on the roof at the actuall concert. ;) At one point I walked down to see the dancing frenzy going on in the front of the theater. I counted at least 50 people up there dancing. Girls, Teens, moms and oh yes 2 of the cutest 11 year old boys you will ever see. ;) What a night. I wish my kids could always find this kind of family fun night to be so exciting.
Again totally cool we were the 1st ones in line,
so we got great seats and I got to take pictures before the theater filled up!
It almost killed me not being able to get a picture of all the people dancing in front of the screen. So after the show was over I had to snap one of the few stragglers left there chatting.
After movie excitment: It was totally snowy and I hated the drive home anyway, but with the kids being all excited and loud it was nuts! I took them on a school night and my kids did not have an easy time winding down afterward. I am sure it didn't help that we stopped by the house so see the new paint. LOL at 10:00 pm yeah we are crazy like that sometimes.
Glenn Beck talking about Gordon B. Hinckley
I use to watch Glenn Beck, but don't really get the chance to now because of working nights. (I so need Tivo) But I was sent this video of his tribute to President Hinckley and I found if very moving. I thought I would post it here since so many of my family and friends wanted to see it.
One of the neat things about Glenn Beck is the way he has changed into a better person and has really moved away from his past mistakes but how he realizes that #1 those are part of what has shaped him into who he is and that #2 he is still a work in progress. I like his down to earth way of speaking. Though if I watch his show or listen to his radio show too much it can get me scared. LOL
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
I love Marshmellow Kids in the Winter, but not that Groundhog
Super Bowl Party
Samantha and Jada. Oh yeah they are totally here for the comercials. LOL!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Groundhog Party! & That Groundhog Better RUN!
Eeewww! That damn groundhog better RUN! I am not happy with him, and if I run into him in a dark alley he may be in trouble! I am so sick of Winter this year! And of course since I am building a house and trying to get my dang well drilled, we are having one of the worst winters in who knows how long. My stupid luck! (The well guys were trying to un-thaw a hose and caught the whole rig on fire friday so they had to pull off and will be back with a different one monday. They are already 380ft deep and no good water yet! UGH!!! They keep saying it's too cold for the equitment. Thats a whole other story) And so then this STUPID!!!! groundhog has to go and see his stupid shadow! OK so I don't really belive that a rodent can predict the weather and I usually just have fun with this holiday. But since I am so sick of winter I am going to blame this poor defenseless creature because that is just the way I Roll.
RUN PHIL RUN!
On a not so sinister note: I am so lucky to have the mother that I have. She does the funnest and ok the funniest things. Every year for who knows how long my mother has celebrated Groundhogs Day. She celebrates everything. And I think it is so much fun. This year she wanted me to plan the brown festivities but since the painters have too much stuff in the new house I decided to plan it for her house. (poor mom! she got stuck with all the mess because I had to get home to work)
So this year we had everyone come in winter clothes so we could have more fun tubing behind the 4 wheelers. We ate sandwiches, chilie, and groundhogs on a stick (also known as corn dogs) with baby ground hogs (also known as tator tots). After much eating and playing grandma sat down at the table and helped the kids make a groundhog candy bar treat. This is a picture of them making the treat. She does it with a small candy bar then they add ears made out of almonds and eyes of cloves and a tiny sweet heart for the nose. They are really cute. I didn't get a close up of them. BAD ME!


