Where has the time gone?

WOW it has been so long since i posted. Sorry about that. You havn't missed much except for a whole lot of fever, throwing up, infections and stitches. It has not been a great time for sickness for out family. We snuck away to San Antonio one weekend with out friend Amber and her kids. It was really quite lovely there, more hills than here but still very green. Riverwalk was gorgeous. Of course the kids enjoyed the time in the pool the most. I enjoyed laying on a lounge chair and reading.
When we came home i had two kids that had fevers and we have been trading it around ever since. Our littlest one finally had to go on antibiotics for crud in her lungs. Then last week at cub souts, Tyrell took a catapult mishap in the face and got five stitches. It was a fun ER night.

Bill work is still weird as ever, there are rumours daily they are going to shut down his center. We will see, now they are talking about switching to 3 12 hr and one 8 hour days to cut down on people calling off sick.

I was braggin at church about how today i would finally have all my kids well enough that they would all go to school today. (monday) Well within the hour i started throwing up and had to come home, now this morning Leelani started throwing up as well. UUUUGGGGHHH!!!

School Break's Over!!!

What a GLORIOUS break from schook I have had. Next week that is all over. I purchased my books and am ready to begin. It always amazes me how EXPENSIVE the books can be. We have another basketball game today and the twins are suppose to go to a Birthday party. They are going to be ticked off when they find out I can't be in two places at once! I hate that part about Bill's new schedule, but the time of feeling like a single mom is for the most part over. He gets off early enough in the day that it is only Saturday's and Sundays that I feel abandoned. In reality it goes smoother without him, it is almost like when he comes it throws off our routine and the kids do dumb things. We just love him and want him to be involved.
Honestly after last weeks basketball games he needs to see the comic relief of the boys playing first hand. Anthony is in Kindergarden, and played his first basketball game. he played the whole game with his hands raised up in the air to block. Even when he was running down the court at full speed. He also was guarding his own team mate quite well. Who can blame him, it was the kid they put him against in practice, so he was still following what he was told. Then there was a boy on his team whose shorts fell down around his ankles but he never pulled them up. He just kept running up and down the court with his pants down. OHHH GOOD TIMES!

The New Year is aproaching!

Another year has COME and GONE! Our family is heading in good directions and I am pleased with the progress we have made for the most part. I have been mulling over my goals and focuses for the coming year. My Christmas attitude has helped me want to make sure Christ is the forefront of my family. I have been THIRSTING for the scriptures and increased spirituality. I find it so hard to get that at church teaching 7 year old's. I have started watching a lot of the BYU channel and found the discussion groups on scripture study. This has helped to water a bit of my thirst. I love & miss discussing doctrine and church history, I have suggested a scripture study group for the enrichment mini groups to help fill the need, but have not seen anything yet. I will have to take matters into my own hands and arrange something to help with this.

I am losing my Paulaness. I am disappearing and Bill's wife and the kids MOM is all that exists anymore. I am trying hard to find her, I need to find her. I am going back to school, but even that is a mothers goal to enhance her resources should something happen to my husband. Where did I go? Every loud laugh or silly song sung that others rebuke me for or become embarrassed by makes my essence evaporate. I feel the spunk and individuality that was me, melt away and drip of my fingers like too much rain water. Does the weight of responsibility automatically crush our heart song? Do we as women mold ourselves around our husband and kids to protect them, yet in the process lose and forget the shape of our souls?

With these things in mind, my two biggest goals for this year are to stop being a lukewarm handmaiden of Christ and find an altered Paulaness that incorporates more of the me I miss. It is almost like I don't know who I need to be so I have created a default stereotypical character to portray. Perchance these two go hand in hand, if I quench the spiritual thirst, I can revive the Paula that I have been dehydrating. we shall see...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Santa brought us lots of fun things but the biggest hit was the trampoline. It was the best thing ever. My house is so much quieter now. However they want to start jumping at 7 am. I make them wait till at least 8:30 and they are bitter. But they are having a gay old time.

School Christmas Parties!

WHEW!!! The week is over and I am so glad!!! I have been out of school and it is a good thing. This week has been crazy with PTA Angel tree pass outs, student behavior incentive stores, teacher appreciate lunches and school parties in 5 different classrooms at 3 different schools. I guess this is good, cause now I am excited for the kids to be out of school for winter break, just so i don't have to make an appearance at any of their schools. It has been good in that i felt like a good involved mom this week.

Now that I look around my house I just don't feel very Christmas-ey. The Christmas spirit always seemed to be alive and well in my mothers house. I might have to reclaim the stereo I gave to Leelani so i can start piping some Bing Crosby throughout the house. Maybe that will help. We have had the tree up and the lights on it for ages but still haven't decorated it. So tomorrow we are going to finish decorating the tree, put out the nativity scene and finally hang the stocking. Currently they are in a pile next to where they need to be hung.

We have been doing the 12 days of Christmas to 5 families, so we have been busy making those everyday and delivering. The kids have been doing great. We love to watch the twins sneak. It is pretty amusing. Bill tells them they do their Native American ancestors proud with their sneaking skills. Kaiyla tells us it is because she is a little bit super hero. I must agree. It will soon be time to break out Christmas Vacation and really start to feel the holiday. I am surprised that the traditional Christmas shows are not on TV. I blame part of not feeling the holiday spirit on that. However my children think Shrek the Halls is a classic, so maybe I am excited about not seeing some of the shows. I am trying hard not to watch anything on the Hallmark channel or USA. Those can be very tear jerking and suck you in even if you don't think you are interested. BEWARE of those hokey movies, they will draw you in and keep you awake till all hours of the morning.

Tiss the SEASON!!!
Finals are over for me YEEEAAHHH!!!

We are moving along nicely and gearing up for Christmas. We are working on our 12 days of Christmas which i might just have to do an email version as well. Thank might be fun. I think i may post them on there as well. Not that anyone will actually look everyday. But i did some cleaver ones i was proud of.

We have a Christmas clip from the kids, it took us hours to get a reasonable clip and even that was interesting. Well they say in the movie business never work with kids or animals... now i know why.

Be Positive and KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR! That is what we have been trying to enforce in our kdis this year. I have had to resort to it is Jesus birthday party and he is so special that everybody knows about it and that we give physical gifts to one another because we can't give them to Jesus. Jesus told us to love one another so we give them gives to let Jesus know we remember him. I feel so corny at times, but i really want them to understand what it is about. All of our family home evening lately have been on the subject. I think tonight i need to google the Christian Origins of St Nick and help them understand why Santa is even involved. I wonder that myself sometimes. We focus so much on him we lose the religious signifigance of him. Have a Happy day and reiterate to your kids what Christams is all about! Love YA!

HAPPY FALL YA'LL

TO translate, That is Texan for

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Bill and Nikki pose for us while Evelyn (his mom)

teaches Leelani how to make a pie.

Grandma Evelyn taught Leelani how to make her famous apple pie. The one that you only get if you are dying or at a funeral. I must admit this is the first time of 89 years of marriage that i was graced to have a piece. I must admit... it is worth dying for. It was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!! So now Leelani should be able to make it for us anytime. YEAH!!!

We traveled to the Cabelo's superstore. They have a taxidermy museum complete with Elephant, and every kind of deer you have ever seen. It was a lovely day!

Justine and Lydia's family joined us. THERE WAS WAY TOO MUCH FOOD!!! It is so hard to see traditions change so much over the years. The way i tried to honor my thanksgivings past was to have every type of pie known to man so the kids could choose. And we had lots of different types of soda. I know that was something that always sticks out in my head as being so cool about Thanksgiving. We are so grateful Bill's parents were able to come and spend this time with us. We are blessed to have so many great things, friends and people in our life. We love our new home and appreciate all that we have in our lives.

We are truly blessed!

Thank you for being a part of our lives.