CAUTION pissiness ahead...

Need to vent. I'm pissy today. Why? Yes. It may or may not be that time of the month. Never been the one to have PMS though so this whole having to TRY to be positive and nice and not bite off people's heads is kinda hard. I'm stressed about everything. Doesn't help when you just find out about your husband's health problems. Doesn't help when your schedule for date night gets all screwed up. I guess that's where it comes in that I have to get used to having a teenager type thing and still adjusting to the schedule. Don't regret having Toby here -  he is awesome - just still adjusting. It's only been a week. So anyway. I'm tired. I have to still go grocery shopping. Wanted to get it done this morning before picking up Kyla from school, but between taking too much time in the shower to do it before 10 (left my house at 10) and then my friend not actually showing up until 11:30 instead of 10 (Still LOVE you Alicia!) my day planner is off. Which means what...? Just go after Daija gets home which is any minute now...? No. Because I have a piano lesson to teach at 2:30. Which won't be done until 3. Which leaves me only 30 minutes (if we're done on time) to get my kids to a sitter (which I still haven't been able to find) before leaving at 3:30 for Toby's football game. Which he won't finish and get home from until after 6:45 which means we don't get to go to the movie tonight cause it starts at 6:30. *sigh*. I could get a sitter for like 6 hours - BUT that would cost me like $25 and I don't have that kind of money. Speaking of which. I guess sitters cost more than I thought - that's what having four kids does to you. I know $1 per kid per hour isn't a lot. I suppose if my kids were absolute nightmares to watch and Daija wasn't almost 8 and more of a helper than someone you have to watch I would understand. And I also understand that I'm cheap/poor. So between the two I am going to have to cut WAY back on my date nights. Like every other week or less. Really sucks. I'm going to have to figure out a way to make this work because my sanity is at stake here. Dumb. Like I said. No offense to anyone who may read this or hear about it from friends who read this...(no one leaves comments anymore anyway so maybe I'm in the clear with anyone reading this at all... haha) but I'm just being pissy. I need chocolate....

First Day of School

 First day of school! "First day" for Kyla and real first day for Daija. Driving to school in the van and StYLiN!

 Daija has Mrs. Olson this year. I heard mixed reviews but so far we really like her! Daija loves her friends in her class and seems to be doing really really well.

 Kyla only had a couple hours for her "first day" but it was fun to go meet her teacher and her classmates. She is thriving at school and LOVES to learn. I am very pleased because she showed very little interest before. She gets so excited to show me the new things she's learning. I love that they have homework every day. It really helps me see what she's doing in class and how she's doing.

 Collin was having fun getting some attention from all the kids everywhere. :) Who can blame them?

 One week later...was Kyla's real first day - riding the bus and everything. I was up early to run and this ornery little guy was outside to greet me when I got back. (Like saw me out his window and came outside to be with me....not just wandering outside...)

 Kyla and everyone waiting for the bus. Of course neither of my kids would actually smile for me or even look at the camera as they were getting on the bus - so these are the best pics I got. Go figure.

 Kyla making the big step onto the bus! I can't believe she's in Kindergarten. She has grown up so much and matured already since she's started.

If you can see her...Daija is sorta smiling out the big window. She is my little mini me. She even talks like me. Which I don't realize all that much until someone tells me and then I notice. I had a friend tell me the other day that Daija is going on 16. *sigh* Just like her mom. :)

Dinosaur Museum

Alright I am WAY behind in my blogging. My life has been simply put - insane. So here's some stuff we did this summer. (yes that's how far behind...)
We had some tickets I bought for super cheap online to the Dinosaur Museum. Of course the day we decide to go it's a FREE day being hosted by some group that I don't remember! Which also meant it was super crowded! We had fun anyway though. Apparently I'm a lame mom because I had never taken my kids inside to the actual museum part. (don't laugh...) It was way cool! We had a lot of fun (and it was A/C).

 I know it's pretty common, but T-Rex has always been my favorite. Besides Petree on Little Foot movies. Don't know what she is but she's my real fav - then T-Rex. :)

 The kids had a blast! This time Daddy even came with us. Which is rare since he works every day and we go do our fun things without him and with friends usually. So it was fun to have him there!

 Scary Daddy!

Daija trying not to laugh while acting scared. :) hahaha

Welcome Toby Haensel!

Last night was our first night with Toby here. He is our 16 year old, not crazy, German foreign exchang student. :) He is a great kid and it's been fun to get to know him so far. We were lucky to be able to meet him a few times before he came to live with us, which was nice.
Little notes...: He's from Berlin. The east side. I think it will be interesting to learn more about his family and their history. He likes butter on his sandwiches instead of mayo - I'm a Miracle Whip fan myself. He plays football on the Layton Christian Academy High School team. We are going to go watch his game tonight! It should be great, even if he says he probably don't play much because they have really good players. The other team is undefeated - but it's on LCA home field. GO EAGLES! :) It will be great to have someone to cheer for! Chad and I like to go to HS games on dates sometimes anyway, so it will be fun to have a "home" team. hahaha McDonald's is one of his favorite places to eat. ...We are going to get along just fine. :)
Side note... I spent ALL day cleaning out the girls' old room yesterday so I could move Chase and Collin into their old room. I swear the other room they moved out of felt bigger with all their things in it, but the closet is twice as big so they need that room. Toby is in the boys' old room. I will get pics later today or tomorrow when I get the decor more under control. Neither room has curtains yet. hahaha...one thing at a time. :)

Best Birthday EVER

Unfortunately I don't even have ONE picture of this birthday but it was the best one I've had in a lllooonngg time!
After getting ready for the day after my run in the morning I was able to get my chores/errands done before running to get Kyla and Jed and X from Kindergarten. Dropped off the boys and zoomed over to meet one of my besties, Liz, at Tai Pan to do some fall decor shopping! Found some of the cutest things and between birthday monies I didn't spend anything! LOVE IT Then we went to lunch and let the kids run ragged until we had to go to pick up our big girls from school.
I was able to come home and clean up a little bit (the house has been a disaster zone ever since we started finishing the basement room so it needed it) and my friend Katie came to see me. It was nice to catch up and she kept me company while I waited for Chad to get home who was late. But it didn't matter because my babysitter didn't show up. Yep. Totally forgot and was gone camping even. Nice. LuCkiLy for me Malulani was available (hmmm...still owe her more money...oops!) and she came over on the spot and Chad and I left for dinner. On our way out we dropped off Jasmine at my uncle's house. He is going to take good care of her and I know his little girl loves her. Hopefully it will solve Collin's health issues and all of us will be a little healthier without the cat hair all over. Then we headed over to Maddox. It's one of my favorite places. I could eat about 100 rolls with that raspberry butter! Mmmm!!! Dinner was worth the 40 minutes wait and we had a GREAT time!
Saturday I went to Park City with my two newest friends. They are hilarious and have truly accepted me into their friend circle faster than ever. I've only known them a couple of weeks. hahaha Met through the foreign exchange program - they are kinda in charge. I feel like they are kindred spirits and I've found some long lost friends. It's kinda awesome. We had a great time shopping! And I only fell on my butt once trying on shoes. LOL
Sunday was stake conference. A nice relaxing day and had all afternoon since we didn't have 1:00 church to just hang out until the family showed up for my birthday dinner. I had requested pulled pork sandwiches. Kelly and Debbie make the BEST. They were nice enough to make it for me and we had a great dinner and cake and ice cream.
Nothing too exciting. Just good old fashioned fun! :) Thanks to all who helped make it unforgettable! I had gifts from unexpected friends and felt the love all weekend. THANK YOU

it's MY day

O ya! It's my birthday! Gonna party like it's my birthday!
It's my party and I'll dance if I want to! And sing!
I LOVE birthdays!!! Always have. You have to have a cake and blow out candles ON your birthday. I have slacked with the ON part though. I suppose it's still your "birthday" on Sunday when the whole family can come over and celebrate. Especially when there's pulled pork sammiches involved! :)
Don't know why - especially cause I'm creeping ever so much closer to turning 30. I have a goal to turn turning 30 into a very happy occasion though!
I will be one sexy "cougar" by the time I turn 30. :D HA!
Beat that Father Time! And all you other natural forces that try to drag me down - literally - I refuse to be a saggy bottomed, droopy boobed woman of the ripe old age of 28! So here's to a great year and a great goal before 2013!
*Even then dear Gravity....there's always plastic surgery! You can't keep me down!

Broken Plateau

This morning I broke through a plateau that has been mocking me for weeks.
I started running every morning at 6:00am. I've only missed a couple of days and it feels great! (Don't ask the scale - dirty little traitor...)
I haven't been able to go for longer than 20 minutes though. I run with Debra Miller. She's amazing and very patient with me because she could go so much harder and longer than I can but she waits until I'm pooped and then keeps going by herself for a little while longer. I push myself until I just can't do any more. Then I ask Deb what time it is and it's always been after we've been going for 20 minutes. Frustrating - especially on days that I think we've gone longer...
Today I woke up determined to push myself. I told myself that when I got to that point that I want to stop I have to keep going for a little while longer. So I did. We went up around the park today and it was just that. UP. But I prefer going uphill first because it makes the return trip so much more bearable. So on the hard hill push up I kicked it into high gear and booked it up to the trail where we cut across back to 2300 and down to home. It's not that long of a uphill fight but I really pushed hard.
When we were almost back home I asked what time it was. I made it 25 minutes!! :) YAY I know it's a very small victory but it's a victory all the same. I am pleased with my progress and hope it's a sign that I have at the very least hit a new plateau. I wouldn't mind sticking to around 25 minutes for a week or so and then climb up to 30 minutes. I can handle that!
So here's to breaking plateaus. What plateau have you busted through recently???