Doppleganger Week

It was Doppleganger week on Facebook recently and I enjoyed seeing everyone's celebrity twin. I noticed that everyone was posting photos of the most gorgeous celebrity version of themselves so I, of course, had to also...

Chelsea's Farewell

I recently returned from a quick, one night trip to Mountain Home, Idaho for my niece, Chelsea's, mission farewell. She will be serving a mission for 1 1/2 years in Honduras. She enters the MTC on March 3rd. Whoohoo! I am so excited for her and the incredible experiences she'll have! I served a mission in Argentina from '95-'97 and still think about some aspect of my mission experience every day. It is a life changing experience and I am extremely grateful I had the opportunity and that I TOOK the opportunity to serve. I love the people of Argentina so incredibly much and know that Chelsea will gain a love for the people of Honduras also.

Chelsea's farewell was wonderful - she did such a great job and let her personality shine through. She will make a great missionary and will accomplish great things.

It was a lot of fun driving down with Jessi and Mom and staying with the McKenzies. We ate at Wingers and rented some CleanFlick (edited) movies Saturday night... White Out and Public Enemy. So much fun watching movies till the wee hours of the morning! The McKenzies are a really fun bunch and I always wish they lived closer.







Rich took care of all the kids while I was gone and did a TERRIFIC job. They were alive when I came home and the house was not a disaster. :) It is too bad I don't enjoy getting away overnight more! I do NEED and look forward to getting away from the craziness having seven kids entails, BUT... in 1-5 hour increments. :)

PINK EYE

So we are all good now, but the dreaded PINK EYE visited the last several weeks. My nephew had it, then Madi had it, then Jessi, then Sadie, then the twins, then me... UGH. Luckily I started the ointment/drops immediately. That is one very contagious and very unwelcome irritation!!! We are done putting drops in our eyes I think tomorrow. HURRAY! It is like torture pinning the little kids arms down and prying their eyes open to put those drops in. They screamed, they cried, they thrashed and tried their hardest to escape. It was torture for them and it was torture for us!

I tried a new (AND WONDERFUL) method yesterday... I lay each baby down and put a book over them so they had something to look at. While they were looking up at the book, I took aim and quickly dropped the medicine in their eyes. They blinked and squirmed a little, but there was no crying at all! I did this method in the morning and last night and am extremely happy they don't have to go through the trauma we inflicted on them previously. Sigh... I am such a genius. ;) Hehehehe...

Potty Training...

Yesterday Madison asked for her potty seat. I had attempted potty training a few months ago, but found myself not completely dedicated to the rigor of it all. It is very time consuming and requires commitment and dedication and patience. I decided I will NEVER potty train unless I have the patience to do it.

So after a few weeks it kind of fizzled and that was fine with me. I did decide, however, that on Madison's 3rd birthday I would completely dedicate myself to doing away with diapers for Madi and making it a really HUGE and EXCITING deal. Her birthday is on March 3rd and so her interest yesterday was encouraging.

The older kids are extremely helpful and always want to take Madi potty... I know getting a gumball each time they help has A LOT to do with it. :)

Ready to Historify!

I am a slacker, BUT I really need to historify my life and all that it encompasses because there are WAY too many great things going on and I don't want to forget any of them! (And with the rate my brain cells are dying I had better get going on this.)

So... I am ready to HISTORIFY!!!

First of all, I don't want to forget this cute thing Madison does when she finds a toy she hasn't seen in a while. Her tiny princess Dora toy disappeared for a while and when she found it, it was a REALLY big deal. She held it up to her cheek and kind of hugged it with her shoulder, and with her eyes closed said; "Awwww, I fown it! My Cincess Dora! I fown it! Awwww..." (Note: when she says 'awwww', her voice goes up and down and then up again...)

Tribute to Grandma Nova Jackson

It's late so my brain isn't going to be functioning at it's highest capacity (like it usually is... haha), but I just wanted to write a tribute to Rich's sweet Grandma Nova, who is right now finishing this life and heading to the next.

Lonely and searching Grandma Nova... baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just last year by her grandson, Rich (my husband).

Talkative Nova... talked and talked whether we listened or not. She had lots of stories about her parents, siblings, etc. How I wish I had recorded some of them. Nova would talk and talk even with so much going on... I would feel pulled in so many directions as baby or babies cried, kids needed Mommy for this or that and still, Grandma Nova would continue on with her stories. Makes me smile. :)

Macaroni and Cheese Nova... famous for her homemade mac and cheese. Rich, Alicia and Candice rave about it with it's homemade appeal and bacon on top. She always had cookies in the cookie jar. Soda in the fridge. Icecream in the freezer.

Naive? Overly generous Nova... always giving, giving... she couldn't say no.

Tim is on the phone calling to tell us Grandma just passed away. It is 12:10 AM.

Motherly Nova... Phil, Mike, Beverly, Tim, Pat, Shelly and Randy. She loves her kids and she loves her grandkids. She loves company. She talked often of how much she loved her kids and who would call her and visit her. Phil lives in California. Mike is a stranger to the family after distancing himself (per his wife's request?) for so many years. Beverly - so loyal and caring. She took care of Grandma her last several months. Tim - I liked how he joked with her. He took her in the last several months and helped Beverly take care of her. Pat - in and out of jail... Shelly - interesting personality. Addicted. Randy - in prison for life. She loved them and they could do no wrong. (According to her of course).

Loving Nova... she loved so many people. She was the last of I think 13 siblings who I'm sure are meeting her on the other side.

There is a sweet feeling in the room. Is she here? Perhaps. The feeling here definately did change and I feel peace and love.

We will miss you Grandma Nova. You have a special place in all of our hearts and we will cherish the memories we have. I'm sorry we didn't visit as often as we should have. I did think of you often and wished visiting you in your small apartment with 7 kids was easier.

Betcha Didn't Know...

Betcha didn't know that not only am I extremely talented and quick at changing diapers (minimum of 12 a day), wiping boogery noses and all the other 'magical' things a mom of seven must master... but I am also... ready to hear this? Brace yourselves... a HORSE. Yes, sometimes, when I have the energy, I turn myself into a horse. I do it for them. Because they are worth it.