A day to be Excited

Today is a happy day.

Why?

Because after a billion hours typing in every. single. thing. I donated to the DI and various organizations, calling dr offices, hospitals, surgical center, HR departments...

Well you get it.

I HAVE FILED MY TAXES!!

So imagine  my excitement when figuring it all, out, digging out my debit card to pay for it and receiving this wonderful message...

If you are expecting a tax refund, keep in mind that the IRS won't be able to issue a refund until they have processed and accepted your return, mid- to late February at the earliest

WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!

Ugh.

So now my filed, beautiful done return will sit in cyberspace until someone at the IRS decides that it's time to process returns!

Oh well.

Atleast I was able to check it off my to-do list while I lay on the couch trying to deal with this yucky cold right?

Yeah that's what I'll be telling myself!

:)

A Moment To Be Thankful

Last night two of my neighbors suffered ultimate tragedy and loss. The moment I heard about it my heart just shattered in peices for both families.

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I am the first to say that I don't deal well with loss or tragedy. I was up late in the night and early in the morning just agonizing over the sadness of the whole situation.

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I talked my husband's ear off about it. I laid there trying to sleep, unable to get my thoughts to subside.

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Then I finally turned to my Heavenly Father. I pleaded with him to allow these families to find even an ounce of comfort today and for the long hard days, weeks, months and years to come. I prayed for those around them to feel comfort and know that Heavenly Father is in control.

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It is times like this that I am so very grateful for the knowledge of the gospel. I am ultra thankful that both families have the same knowledge. There are so many hard things that we are faced with here during our earth life. Each trial we encounter seems so hard, and yet our Father in Heaven is aware of what we can handle. I personally have felt pushed over the edge several times, but only then have I seen true and ultimate growth.

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I am grateful for my testimony. I am grateful for good parents who shared their knowlege with me, and encouraged me to find out for myself. I am thankful for priesthood blessings that can comfort when nothing else seems to help.

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My heart is still broken for these poor families, but I hope that their relationship with their Savior is able to help them and get them through day by day. My prayers are with them.

xoxoxo

The Par-Tay

Judd's birthday parties were super fun...and yes he had two!

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On his acutal birthday we had a family celebration!

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We made homemade pizza (no cheese of course) and a new recipe for a cake I found that he could eat!

He so loves being sung the Happy Birthday song!

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I sang it to him more than a dozen times throughout the day!

Oh man...my baby is FOUR!!

Mr. Judd hasn't had an actual cake since his first birthday when we didn't know of his allergy yet.

Not that I haven't tried...but finally this year I found a vegan cake for him.

Poor kid...trying to find a cake with no egg or milk products wasn't easy!

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But alas...thanks to the lovely internet...we had success!

But I dunno...

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Do ya think he enjoyed it haha?!?

The next night we had friends and family over for cake and presents!

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Big Brother Coop always has to be super close on the action...ya know just to "help" Judd out if needed ;)

One of his favorites was this toy... even if he didn't understand what it was right away!

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It throws the ball for a dog so he can play fetch without actually touching any dogs!

PERFECT!!!

Our friends were so generous and gave him a whistle and gum...which he loves!

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And as long as he plays in the basement...I don't mind either haha :0)

He got all sorts of fun things...but as always...loved his cologne.

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Some kid I have here....at 4 already thinks he needs to smell good for the ladies!

What am I getting into here?!?!

He had fun, as did we!

Happy birthday buddy!

We ALL love you!

xoxox

And then He was Four

Happy Birthday My Darling Judd Bugs!!

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Today is my baby's 4th birthday! I can hardly believe it is already here!

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Birthdays are so fun and special, and yet I cry each year for each child. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that my children are getting older and more independent and able to do things for themselvses. But there is always that small part of me that realizes that the time is gone and never coming back. Ugh. Sad for me!

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I have yet to make it through singing Happy Birthday to any of my kids without choking up, having to pretend that I am still singing and that I got something "in my eyes". This will be the 18th time I have sung Happy Birthday to one of my OWN children...and not once have I made it through without choking up!

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But enough about me...

Today is about my

Juddie!

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Four years ago yesterday I went into labor with my Judd. It was about 9 at night when I knew it could no longer be denied that the day was here. Judd was not due until February 11th, but I was quite certain that like it or not, labor was ON!

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I was tired of looking at pictures of me post labor looking like a person who had nearly died, so when I realized I was in labor with Judd, I jumped in the shower, shaved my legs and suffered (and I did suffer) through blow drying my hair and doing my makeup. I was literally hanging on the counter during contractions, and then picking up the blow dryer between em! Nuts huh?!

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Kiki came over to watch Madysen and Cooper, and my Mom and sister Ashlee and my hubby drove me to the hospital. I was obviously only 36 weeks but was far to dialated for them to stop the labor. I laid there from 11pm till about 6am, dealing with contractions but not getting anywhere fast. At 7am they gave me PIT and within 45 minutes, Judd was here! The only problem was I was 100% certain that Judd was a GIRL. I had decided that I wanted to be surprised at birth, but I just KNEW it was a girl. I didn't hold him for about ten minutes just trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I had another son, NOT a daughter. The moment I held him, all else was lost. I was IN LOVE with him.

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Because the gender was not known, Matt and I had not totally settled on a name for him. We had it narrowed down to: Jack, Andrew and Judd.

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About an hour after I was put in my recovery room, Grandma and Grandpa stopped by to see us both! Grandpa asked what his name was and I told him the 3 we had narrowed it down to. OVER and OVER he told me how much he liked the name Judd, so I called up Matt and we decided...

JUDD MATTHEW

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Judd has been a joy since the moment he arrived. He was a very easy baby, and let us sleep right from the beginning. He has had a rough time, dealing with asthma and allergies, but the bottom line has always been if he is rested and fed, he is the MOST pleasant boy!

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Here is one of my all-time favorite Judd pics...this was his very first birthday (before we knew he was deathly allergic to milk haha) and his excitement of his first cake!

 WOW how time flies right?

 Don't you just wanna eat up those CHEEKS?!

And here is my darling boy today! He has grown up so much! He is such a joy to my heart that I can't really put into words how much I love and adore him. He will forever be my baby, although I try really hard not to treat him different than my other kids, but he is the only one who still likes to snuggle and give kisses so I am FORCED to allow him these guilty pleasures :)

Happy Happy Happy 4th Birthday my sweet boy!

You are the most wonderful JUDD in the whole wide world!

We all love you VERY much!

**Farewell 2010**

Ok ok...

So I clearly know we are now 4 days into January...but we never really bid 2010 a proper goodbye!

 It was a great year and I wanted to reflect a bit on our families top ten highlights

(good and not as good)

1. ALL THREE kids were in school this year. Miss Madysen in 3rd, Coop in kindergarten and Judd in preschool. This has been weird for me and yet wonderful! All 3 of them are super smart and it is so ABSOLUTELY fun to watch learning happen. I remember being young and not realizing that certain activities or tv shows were educational, then later realizing how much they had taught me, and it is great to see my kids playing games and seeing them learn even without their knowledge its happening!

2. Judd and I both experienced our first surgeries. NOT fun for either. Mine was kidney stones, his tonsils and adenoids, and I think we both agree 2010 would have forged ahead happily without them, but both were needed and both turned out just fine! We thank our Heavenly Father for good doctors and good nurses who cared for us both! And of course, loving family and friends always willing to step up when needed...you know who you are :)

3. All of my sisters are now officially married. This was a HUGE accomplishment! More for my parents obviously, but helping with 2 back to back weddings was a huge chunk of our spring! We love having men, well cmon, boys, in our all girl family now. Brothers definately add a totally different dynamic! Love em all!

4. Miss Madysen decided that she wanted to be baptised after turning 8! This decision made us very proud and happy for her. She has a powerful testimony for an 8 year old and is a sponge for doctrine and knowledge! She is a great example to her family and most especially her younger brothers who look up at her in every way!

5. Cooper became a human bullet on the soccer field. Year one...mostly us yelling at him to pay attention. This year...he OWNED that field. It was absolutely joyful to watch him develop his talent. He understood what he was doing and is seriously a full 3 strides faster than all the other kids his age...just like his Daddy! :)

6. We phased into a whole new world in 2010...after nearly 8 years of diapers...we left that phase in the dust! Judd's learning to potty in the toilet seems like an eternity ago...but oh the joys of not dealing with that are so monumental! I almost forgot until yesterday when I was tending and changed a diaper how NOT SAD I am that we are SO over that one! So it had to make the list haha :)

7. We took my mother, grandparents and Madysen and Cooper to Disneyland this year! I have honestly never had so much fun in my life! It is a memory I will forever cherish and love for OH SO many reasons! You never know how long people will be around, and having my grandparents go with us made everything so much more fun! My kids will hopefully always remember that trip too. Disneyland is so very magical to me. I wouldn't even mind going without kids, although truly they make it so wonderful! Hopefully someday soon we can take our little Juddie! Just gotta figure out what he would eat...

8. Matt's store was hit pretty hard in 09 with the recession. Thankfully 2010 proved to be much better for him and continues to go in the right direction. What a blessing that is and we couldn't be more thankful for a good job with the benefits our family needs. I think of all the others, this blessing is of utmost importance. I hope I never take his job for granted as I have watched SO many people go through loss and hardship.

9. Lame as it may sound, a highlight for this year was buying an SLR camera. I know it is bulky and not as easy to carry around, but in the end, my kids change so fast and so much I wanna capture it as best I can. Taking pics with an SLR has changed my world. And I don't even have a clue how to REALLY use it. I just shoot on auto...and yet it has changed everything!

10. Lastly, this year marks TEN YEARS of being with my wonderful husband! We started dating in April of 2000 and were married in August of 2000 so it has officially been ten years since we MET, fell in love and were MARRIED! I couldn't love him anymore than I do and although it hasn't always been smooth sailing every minute of everyday, I wouldn't trade a moment of what we have been through. We have both changed SOO MUCH in ten years, but hopefully all for the better! Love you babe!

So that's us in 2010!

 There were huge ups and crazy downs but we made it! It flew by really.

 Doesn't that make me sound super old...talking about how fast time goes by. Guess old people really DO know what they are talking about!

Hope everyone had a great 2010 and that whatever is in store for 2011 is AMAZING!!