I Feel Like I can Breath Again . . .

I know we all have those times when we seem to be running along side the busy side of life huffing and puffing to keep pace. I feel like I just finished a really big race and for the first time in along time, I can kick my feet up and rest with a cold drink n my hand. And when I say cold drink, I mean like a lemonade or something:) Now lest you think this is a complaining post let me correct you . . . it is not, this has been a good race and a fun race . . . well most of it anyway.

It all started with a wonderful ward "Fall" party. I had more pictures to put up but this particular post is causing my computer to have problems . . . so maybe I will add those late.

We went to Hafen Ranch and had a wonderful evening.

I made my favorite dessert, peach cobbler and it was well received.

Kai's dad made enough Kalua pig to serve a small army and then came to enjoy the party with us and brought Koko along as well. We are happy to have him back from Kansas.

Raia really enjoys getting into her food.

You know my mom was sick. Well those of you who read this do. And to be honest with you, I thought she was going to die. All I could think about was that I was so happy that the last visit we had together was so meaningful and beautiful. It was short but it was extrememly sweet and if that was the last time I was to see her, then I was glad it went the way it went. Was I ready to lose her, not at all, but I was preparing myself for the worst. After a week of holding my breath and waiting for answers that never seem to come, we decided to have a family fast.It was a Friday. I kid you not when I say that things changed for the better that very night. My Aunt Wendy was encouraged by her mother in law and best friend (who both happen to be nurses) to go in and give the doctor a once over. She told them that they needed to change her meds according to her symptoms among other things and they did. She improved almost overnight. You may say that the fasting and the advice from my aunts mom and friend are merely coincidence, but I say there is no such thing. I say coincidence and luck are merely God letting us know that her really is aware of us. On Saturday, she ate for the first time in a week and actually felt a little better. She even called me (and I reminded her that it was the eve of my birthday- ti which she replies, "What day is it?") She was well enough to go home on Monday and we went to visit her on Thursday. She was really weak and had lost 10 and a half punds but everyone assured me she looked so much better that she had. We cleaned her house and pampered her like crazy. I am so thankful to have my mommy and I am so thankfull that she has almost made a full recovery.

These are some pictures we tool at a pumpkin patch after we had spent the whole day cleaning. It was a great end to a busy day!

We had a fun low key Halloween party with Aunt Lisa and Gigi.

Then we had Halloween. I never really know what to expect from this small little town. Sometimes we have a few trick or treaters. Sometimes we have none. Sometimes we have a huge trunk or treat, sometimes we don't. I bought three bags of candy because usually we end up with tons of left overs. This time we ran out. That has never happened to us before.
Cambira was Belle, Kiera was a Fashion Fairy Tale Barbie, Malachi was Captain America, and Raia was a cute little cow. Yeah, the same cow all the other kids were. It's the family cow. I just love the costume:) Especially from the back. I should have taught her to say "moo." Thanks Aunt Lisa!
Now here is another "coicidence." We had gone trick or treating around the block and had decided to head back home before deciding if we wanted to go out again. When we got home we decided to take one more group picture by the garage even though we had already taken one. Cambria hung out by the garage after we were done with pictures and had spread bout the yard and low and behold she notices a fire start in our sensor light right above the spot she was standing. It was an electrical fire and by the times Kai figured out how to use our fire extiguisher it was burning pretty good, though luckily not enough to travel up the wires into our garage. (Lesson learned, have a Family Home Evening lesson that teaches us all how to use a fire extinguisher so that we don't have to learn when time is of the essence).
I am so thankful that we were in the right place at the right time to extinguish that fire before it ruined our night and our house!

The fire was in those wires that got cut off of the top of the picture. It was really dark. I couldn't see what I was doing.

You can see smoke and mist from the fire extiguisher.

I made Halloween skirts for my girls . . .

We ran the annual Pumpkin Run . . . one loss and one win. I am sure you can tell from the expressions on the face who won and who lost . . .

Cambria also lost as a first grader. Though losin gisn't fun, some good life lessons come out of it. It is good to learn how to deal with disappointment when you have so much love and support around you.

More to come . . .

Tis the Season To Be Busy!

I have so much to talk about but for now . . .

This is how you do not want your face to freeze:)

I will also just say that my mom is on the mend! Thank you to all of you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers. They don't know what the cause of her illness was, but she is improving. We had a great time in California visiting taking care of her and visiting her and the rest of the fam! More to come!

Big Red

My mom, bless her heart, has been in the hospital since Monday. They have done a million tests but so far all they can figure out is that her blood pressure is way too high and that she might have diverticulitis. She is in immense pain and can't eat. She's had a fever, head pain, neck pain and a sensitivity to sound. I wish I was closer so that I could help do something, but it seems like there is nothing to be done. My mom is such a wonderful person. I think "selfless" might be a word that describes her well. She is always doing for others. She gives of her time, energy and talent. She is the kind of person who makes are world a better place to be in. My thoughts and prayers are with her and I hope that yours will be too.

Fun Photo Shoot Of the Klug/Cook Family

Two years ago when Kai was sick and having seizures and we were unable to travel for Thanksgivnig or Christmas. The Cook Family took us in and made us feel like we were part of their family because they didn't want us to spend these special days alone. They even bought small toys for our kids so that they would have something to open just like their little ones did on Christmas Eve.

Good People are everywhere. I hope you know some. I hope you know a lot.

To see more, go here and here.

Listen to Your Mama!

Being the ever obedient daughter that I am, I am updating my blog so that you don't see the caterpillar in the corn anymore. I guess it was disturbing my mother's sensitivities:) and she asked me to do something about it.:) My new post will show you what I made to go along with my Relief Society Lesson on Sunday passed:

I saw something like this in a magazine and wanted to try it, but where they used a cake, I used cup cakes. Easier to distribute ya know. The funniest thing is that my lesson was on "The Postmortal Spirit World." (Which is actually a very short but VERY amazing chapter and I recommend reading it:) Anyways, though I was a little embarrassed to hand these out at the end of class for fear the sisters might think me sacrilegious, I though it was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at these cupcakes:)


I've got a "how to" on my blog, Amy's Craft Bucket/Made from Scratch if you are interested:)

Sunday was such a great day. It was the primary program and it was the first year that Malachi participated. Our family was asked to sing "A Child's Prayer". The best part was that my Mom and Dad made the trip to come see us. They weren't even at our house for 18 hours but it made us feel special that they would attend. Kai's Mom and Dad and Koko also cam and that was very special too.

You Know You're A Mom When:

There is no one else around to clean up the milk that spilled all over the floor.
kids pile on top of you when you are on the floor attempting to do sit ups.
You have an entourage that follows you into the bathroom.
You get up once every single hour of the night to help your kid vomit in the toilet.
You can carry on a somewhat meaningful conversation that cuts through the squealing and screaming (happy or sad sounds) that are all around you.
You push the grocery cart at the supermarket that is shaped like a race car.
All your shirts have stains from little mouths or hands that seem to think you are a napkin.
You start singing theme songs from cartoons when you are all by yourself.
You linger at the grocery store or hair stylist just to have a little alone time.
are so exhausted and wiped out at the end of the day but you know you'd never trade a single moment of any of it for all the money in the world.
You can get four small children bathed and ready for bed in less thn an hour.
Your heart melts because you just heard "I love you Mamasita!"
The sight of your sleeping babe makes your heart swell ten times bigger than it's normal size. You read the same bed time story over and over and over and over again, because it brings a smile.
When you dance like a maniac in your living room to silly songs.
When you sing opera style with your kiddos because no one can hear you, at least you hope.
your heart forever walks around on the outside of your body.