Here we go again.......

Nothing like a crash on your bike to change your plans for the day...It's funny how I was just saying in my last post that your day hardly ever goes as planned.
So here's the most recent injury in this household of boys:

Apparently, Jacob and Joseph were racing their bikes down the driveway. Joseph was in the lead until he crashed his bike and nosedived into a stump. He had a mild concussion, got a couple of stitches and busted a tooth out of it's socket. They gave him the star treatment though with the neck brace and all (just as a precaution ). He also got to ride in an ambulance from the urgent care clinic in Port Orchard to Harrison hospital in Bremerton. I have to take him in tomorrow for a follow up tooth removal with his pediatric dentist. Aside from some scrapes and bruises he's doing fine......nothing that a strawberry milkshake from McDonalds couldn't fix. He's such a tough little guy, a real trooper.

I've been tagged.....

Okay, Lexi tagged me so here goes……

What did you do 10 years ago?

10 years ago I was an intelligence analyst in the Air Force living in Hawaii. I was dating my soon to be fiancé who 10 months later would be my husband.

5 things on my to-do list today

This will actually help me organize my day, so thanks Lexi. (:

If it’s a good day, I’ll actually get everything done on this list, but as many of you know sometimes it just doesn’t all get done and so there will be things on this list that will probably be on tomorrows list.....

-Swing by the school to sign a paper for Joseph’s Kindergarten registration

-10am Visiting Teaching appt.

-Drop off Aaron’s suit at the dry cleaners

-Pick up flowers for another VT sister, (it’s her birthday today)

-Drop off flowers (in McCormick woods)

-Go to Wal-Mart to get stain/ paint to start refinishing our new “old” porch furniture.

-Get bread from Mary Felts house

-Go home get kids lunch, stories, down for nap

-Run/ lift weights (while they’re napping)

-Scriptures

-Register the boys for Soccer in the fall (I’m already going to have to pay a late fee because I should have done this last week, it’s online but I just don’t feel like paying $240 right now, ouch!))

-Clean bathroom

-Finish cleaning the upstairs

-Make dinner

-Dance Festival practice

Snacks I enjoy

I’m not really a snacker, (mostly because snack foods are too expensive). But I’d say a favorite snack food of mine is Sun Chips, and I do love fruit snacks (probably because I never got them as a kid)………I like the kind that cost almost $4 a box-rip off!!! Now my kids hardly ever get them either.)

Things I would do if I was a billionaire

Pay someone to fix up this old house & do some landscaping. Set aside money for the kids college & missions. Make sure we’re set for a comfortable retirement. Give the rest to a really deserving charity.

Places I have lived

Forks, Washington,

Salem, Virginia

Maple Valley, Washington,

Sedro-Woolley, Washington

San Juan Island, Washington

San Diego, California

San Antonio, Texas

San Angelo, Texas

Honolulu, Hawaii

Port Orchard, Washington

I hereby 'tag' Jessica Washburn and Tiffany Jones.

"A Father"

For Father's Day this year I made a photo book for Aaron containing the many random pictures taken throughout the year of him with the kids. As I was sorting through all of the many pictures and choosing which ones I wanted to use I decided to write a poem to go along with the pictures in the photo book. I had over 100 pictures carefully placed throughout the book. The last few pages had multiple pictures of him with the kids from the time he first became a father (they were used on the last few pages put to the text from the last few lines of the poem). I thought I'd post it here because I put so much time into the project and to honor my husband who is such a wonderful father. It makes my heart swell with joy and pride when I think about the wonderful father my children have. When you are dating you don't really think about what kind of father this man will be (at least I didn't, I was only thinking about what kind of husband he would be). I never could have known what a blessing it is to have such a wonderful father for my children. I know that Heavenly Father knew though and that may well be one of the reasons I felt so strongly about marrying Aaron when I went to Him in prayer. Thank you Heavenly Father and Thank you Aaron. I love you so much. Happy Father's Day!

"A Father"
Written By Andria Laws
Inspired by my husband, A wonderful Father

So young in years with only our dreams,
we may not know about bills and things.

We don't understand the sacrifices made,
or appreciate the labors you perform each day.

But in the shadow of your love,
we learn more than it seems.

And as we grow we come to know
what being a Father means...



A Father means JOY, we see it in your face as we come running to be held in your loving embrace.....






A Father means LOVE, in unspoken ways snuggling and squeezing each and every day.







A Father is a TEACHER, as you patiently instruct, Whether casting a line, throwing a ball or working on the truck.




A Father means SHARING, in so many ways. Giving of your time and love, your energy and pay.






A Father is a BUILDER of childhood dreams. From tree forts, to pirate ships, rope swings that soar you're building wonderful memories and so much more.

A Father is an EXPLORER showing us the world. Holding crabs, making trails, touching a salamanders tail.

A Father means FUN in so many ways: Games and Tickling, boxing and more, football & catch, wrestling on the floor.








A Father is a LEADER, showing us the way. Leading by example, living your faith.





A Father means MEMORIES, though countless now they are.....

(This is where I put a collage of all of the pictures of him with the kids over the past 6 years)

too many to remember so we hold them in our hearts.

And though with time these moments may fade

the warmth and love they leave behind

through the years will ever remain.

My last hours of being in my Twenties....

So I just got home from "Ladies Night" (Enrichment), and saw that while I was out Aaron and the kids wrapped my presents for my much anticipated birthday tomorrow. Seems crazy to think that when I wake up in the morning I will be embarking on a new decade. I am happy to be turning 30. I really do think that the older a woman becomes the more assured and content she is with herself. I know that I feel much better about who I am than I did when I was turning 20. Hopefully 10 years from now I'll look back on myself at 30 and see even more change and growth. Happy Birthday to me!

Benjamin

I was just making lunch for the boys and Ben (as always) wanted to be the one to bless the food. When he was saying the prayer he hid his head down under his folded arms so it was hard to hear the muffled words. When he finished Jospeh and Jacob told him that he needed to lift up his head next time because they couldn't hear the words. To which an aggravated Benjamin replied, "Guys, in my class (Sunbeams) my teacher told me that when I pray I have to close my eyes and bow my head!!!"