What this part of my contract????

So, I have been thinking lately of all the things you do as a wife and mom. Here is a short list of things that you need to have done on a daily basis: Laundry, dishes, sweeping, mopping, cleaning, making beds, making breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Cleaning up, again, after you've made all three meals. Getting the husband out the door to work, getting kids ready for the day, getting yourself ready (squeeze that in somewhere) , running errands, paying bills, keeping husband, kids, and yourself all in one piece (difficult if you're married to Curtis.), getting kids to bed. So, when you get married, you are aware of all of these....what no one tells you, or if they do you think they exaggerate, is that you have to keep kids from coloring on walls, putting play dough in or on anything they can find, tying the dog up. They get into any and all things messy, sticky, and impossible to clean. Daily, I find myself following Savanna around telling her "no, don't touch that", "that doesn't go in there", "if you get that wet, it won't work any more", etc.

So, my question is....did I miss the fine print that states all of these things? Not only do I need to do the daily chores that we all love so dearly, but you have to be trained in HAZMAT. Savanna makes all sorts of messy concoctions, jumps off things, stuffs anything tiny into anything not much bigger (then it remains there, cuz how do you get it out?) She constantly ties things together and ties herself, or the dog, or her dad up. Curtis is constantly getting grease on anything he touches, tracking in mud, rhino lining, and anything else he has been working in. Between the two, it is a zoo. I love them both, and am not really complaining, just wondering why you never find out about all these crazy things until you are smack in the middle of them. It is kind of funny (later on) when you think about it; what we must look like while going through our day. We should all start keeping hidden cameras around the house so that the next bride or mother to be can review our tapes and make sure it is something they want to dive into....head first. Just a thought.

It makes you think...

I just read my sister-in-law Jessica's blog; she is a "stay home" mom with 7 kids and Brian (Curtis' brother) is deployed in Afghanistan. This is a truly amazing family! Brian will be away from his entire family for a year, and Jessica is holding down the fort as a "single" mom. She chauffeurs all 7 kids, makes dinner, cleans up after them, keeps them in one piece, and somehow squeezes in book-writing and school. Wow, I have difficulty keeping up with one child. Brian is taking care of patients in a clinic in Afghanistan and flying MEDEVAC. Their blog is so interesting and it makes you realize how much we have to be grateful for. Some of his stories are tear-jerking (by the way Jess, you should put some kind of warning or disclaimer....jeez) but they are all wonderful. Jessica's stories crack me up, even though they may not be that comical to her.

I am grateful to be able to live in the U.S. and have our freedom and rights; so many people don't. I am also grateful to have a husband who is, well, home for one...but that supports me in everything I do, provides for me and Savanna, and who enjoys the same privileges I do. We are all equal and I am grateful for that. When you hear about life in other countries, it really puts life into perspective.

If you have a chance, read some of their blogs. Brian and Jessica are truly amazing people and they have an amazing family. I'm grateful and proud to have a brother-in-law serving in the military and Afghanistan. We will all be glad when he returns home, though.

A little boy on the way...

We went to the doctor today and we are having a boy. Everything on the ultrasound looked good; he is happy, healthy, and growing. I am due on June 7th; so, just in time for a fun summer. Now, we just need to start getting things ready. I have a lot to do but am very excited about it all. We don't have any names yet...but we will work on it. Curtis is very excited; Savanna changed her mind and wants a sister. I guess she has a few months to get used to the idea....it is weird, she's wanted a boy all along until today. I am just glad that the baby is healthy and nothing was abnormal. Now, if I could just get feeling better...oh well, it will all be worth it in the end. :)

Hockey, anyone?

This past weekend, my nephew Denver played in a hockey tournament in SLC. We don't get to see him or his family very often, since they live in Wyoming. Denver is awesome...he is almost 14, 5' 11" tall and 156 lbs. of pain. His younger brother Brenden also plays, but was not in this tournament. He is a great player, also. They both play for Team Wyoming, which is a huge accomplishment, as well as their league teams.

Denver is a killer; he is so fast and strong. I have watched a lot of hockey in my day but there is nothing like watching these kids play. It is so amazing what they can do and how brutal they are are at such a young age. One of the kids from a Utah team ended up getting a compound fracture. That was weird. Denver's team wasn't able to play in the championship, but we did get to see some great games anyway. Here are some pics...

Dance Fever!!!

Savanna has started dance class; she is in love!! She cannot wait for Wednesday each week; they teach her ballet, jazz, tumbling, and most importantly...they teach her to follow directions!!! She is so cute and does such a good job. She is in the 4-5 year old class, even though she's not quite 4. She does so well with the older kids and keeps up pretty well. Here are a few pics of the cutest little dancer this side of the Mississippi!!