You give me fever...

This week has been full of fever! Baseball has come again and Aaron is loving it. Aaron started his games a couple weeks ago and Josh starts his this week. It never ceases to amaze me how much joy it provides to see your kids doing something they love. Aaron lives baseball- he eats it, breathes it, and dreams of it. Josh likes it- big difference! Josh is all about the gum and the gatorade and Aaron wants a certain bat for his birthday. So cute to see the athletic swagger even at 11. They had private lessons this past weekend and it just fueled the fire. As soon as they have their season schedule I will post it.
On a more painful note, we are going through strep for the fourth time since the beginning of the year. Tod is getting his tonsils out on the 15th and hopefully that will be a big step in the right direction. He actually succeeded in getting me sick this time. Oh the misery! Combine a vicious case of strep sore throat with my TN, and you get a pain that is nearly indescribable. I had a blessing Friday night and it has been steadily better since. I am so thankful for worthy priesthood holders both in my husband and friends, and a friend generous enough to come over at a moment's notice.
Wish me luck in tackling my immense pile of laundry tomorrow!

Dog update and rumble at WalMart

We have had the new dog for a little over a week and all is well. He seems to be getting used to our schedule and the terrain of the house. He still gets special treatment, including B-12 shots once a week to boost his appetite. Jack just belongs here.
On another note, my friend Anna came down from Oklahoma for Spring Break ( and to watch Twilight on the big screen). We went out to eat before the release and then headed over to Walmart to wait for the movie to go on sale. There was a short line, and we waited for about an hour. The line filled in behind us, maybe 150 people. As the clock hit 12:00 and then passed it, patience in the line was in short supply. All of a sudden a scream came from down the aisle- they were wheeling it out- uncovered! Morons! Don't they know what people are capable of? So Anna ran down the aisle to try and get copies from the display on the other side of the store. As the display approached my side, it was obvious that the masses had picked its carcass nearly clean. Not only were there only a fraction of the movies left, but none of the "special edition" copies could be seen. Panic! Everyone rushed the line and I was pushed and pulled from every direction. Not to be discouraged, I went for the floor. There were copies left on the bottom- they were mine. I grabbed 2 and made a run for it. I was unharmed, thankfully. We got into the checkout and raced home to watch it again in the home theater. It was great. And definitely worth scrapping for!

Lucky Number 7

Okay, that's not his name, but until we come up with one it will do. Who is more lucky- the dog who is past the puppy years but is perfect, or the family that finds him?

This is our new little friend, brought home from a pet rescue today. We finally wore Tod down to the point that he knew resistance was futile. When we called him to tell him we found the perfect dog, he didn't believe us but was willing to give it a go. Number 7 was in a crate away from the other dogs because he was so timid. Even though he was completely quiet and motionless at the time, he was calling us to him. I never knew a young dog could be so calm and patient. There's nothing better than bringing home a dog that is house trained, crate trained, and ready for some love. He is warming up little by little, even wagging his tail tonight. And as an added point of irony, his favorite place to sleep so far has been at Tod's feet...apparently he is on a mission of his own- to bring Tod into the dog lover's fold ;)

Lovin' Laundry

In church on Sunday I was teaching my Laurels about finding joy in our divine purpose. This was a little tough for me. When I started college, I had no idea I would shortly be married and continually pregnant for ten years. There was no way I was going to waste my intelligence on mundane household chores and motherhood. I wanted to be a doctor and help people every day. I wanted to feel the satisfaction of going to bed after a hard day's work, knowing that I had been challenged but not beaten. I wanted the approval and praise of my peers for a job well done.
So here i am trying to sell the experience of wife and motherhood to a group of 17 year old girls.
At first it seemed a hard sell, trying to find a reason to get excited about laundry-
As soon as i began though, it was so clear. My intelligence, although not focused on memorization of diseases and cures is always put to the test. You'd be surprised by what an 11 year old will try.
I do help people every single day.
I work hard, I break a sweat- and I always go to bed tired, never beaten.
The peer I value the most is always proud of me and would do anything to reward me for my hard work.
So as I encouraged the girls, I encouraged myself. Yesterday I cleaned my kids bathroom. This was a challenge to find joy in. It was an abomination. I would have taken a picture, but I'd never get company again. I kept repeating to myself that it was fulfilling. My kids will be healthier if this is cleaner. They will be more likely to brush their teeth if they can spit in a shiny sink. They will know I care about them because I'm taking care of them.
Today doing laundry I looked for more reasons to be happy. My kids smell good when they climb into my lap with their clothes smelling like Downy. People won't think we live in a zoo if they look clean. Wrapping up in a soft towel after a shower is always nice.
So I challenge you to do the same. Okay, even if it is cheesy or really out there, you'd be surprised how much better these boring jobs go if you spend your time doing this. Let me know how it works!

Pants or Capri's

Well, the boys have started baseball, so my life has officially become overly busy again. I was thinking that I don't want to neglect the blog, just because people panic and think that I'm not doing too well health wise. Actually I just started a new medication and I'm really optimistic about its effectiveness. If not, I fear the brain surgery is closer than I'd like to admit.
One of my greatest treasures is this herd of children I've been blessed with. They provide me with sympathy, love and entertainment to temper their bad behavior. I thought I'd share some of their little observations.
One day we got into a conversation in the car about the saying, "She wears the pants in that family". Josh was confused.
"Mom, doesn't everyone wear pants when it's cold?"
"Yes, Josh but that is an expression. Women used to only wear dresses, and men were always in charge, so if someone says that the lady wears the pants, it means she is in charge instead of the man."
"Oh, I see. Who wears the pants in our family?"
"Who do you think, Josh?"
He thought about it for a few seconds.
"I think you do wear the pants, but ..........I think dad wears the capri's."

I love this story. It is Josh in a nutshell.