How could I forget

I had my birthday this month! Yep I am now 30. I cannot believe it. I never ever pretended to be this old when I used to play house growing up. It didn't think I would care and mostly I don't but a couple of days before my birthday I was reading my patriarchal blessing and felt like what the heck have I been doing the last 30 years! Nothing apparently. The good new is I won't be fulfilling my mission here on earth any time soon. The bad news is I'm not getting any younger it's time to kick it into gear. I don't like to draw attention to myself so on my birthday I prefer to lay low. I secretly think I married an accountant for that reason. (just kidding) But my b-days on Apr. 16th the day after taxes. So there's not time to really think about what to do for Julie's birthday. However, Daren doesn't do taxes but if he did..... Anyway this day was full of craziness so I was kind of looking forward to play the we'll get to my birthday later card. Daren had meeting all night and I volunteered in Abby's class to name some of the day's itinerary. Well some friends came and woke me up at 6:00 A.m. and took me to breakfast. It was so fun and they each made sacrifices to be up that early and come celebrate and it meant a lot to me. I really have good friends. Then I had to run to Costco later in the day because we had already gone 1 whole day with no milk or fruit. While I was gone some more friends came over and put balloons and a card with a gift in my house for me. It was so fun to come back to it. It took my a few minutes to figure out what it was and how it got there. But I loved it. Daren left work early brought me home dinner before heading to his meetings. I realized that night as I received 6 texts, opened some cards from the mail, and a answered a few more phone calls that sometimes it feels good to be remembered. I really am blessed to be around so many great people. Thank you to all who love me. If you forgot, thank you because a little to much would push me over the edge and make it uncomfortable for me.

moving on

I am getting bitter about all the candy that goes along with every holiday. I feel like our house has been full of holiday candy non-stop since Halloween! So I didn't want to do any of that this year. Daren felt they needed some so we compromised. They each got to find 5 plastic eggs. Then we gave them some small gifts i.e. a hula hoop, slinky, truck, and blendie pens. Daren did this scavenger hunt for them to find their baskets with their small gifts in it. He used scripture references to Christ and had them find different things or area's in our house. It was fun and I felt a little bit better about how we recognized this holiday. So in the past week or so we were reading D&C 56 which talks about Ezra Thayre and his refusal to go on a mission. We were talking about being rebellious and what that means why it's not such a good idea, etc. Later in the day I asked Meg to do something and she told me no. Then she stopped and said what's that word.....you know that one word......rebellious. I'm being rebellious right mom? Yes I guess you are. Okay now I know what that word really means but I'm not cleaning that room still. Super Lemuel. Daren and I are getting closer and closer to going to Vietnam and I am getting more and more excited. Our kids, however, are getting more and more nervous. They keep asking how long we'll be gone, if we die where will they go, and how will grandma know what to pack in Abby's lunch. I feel really bad that this is so disruptive for them. Every few years we leave for a week or so (Abby was 5 last time) but now they all care where as before it was going to be a "vacation" for them too. I haven't quite figured out how to settle them down. Lizza has already cried about it thrice (which is one of Abby's new favorite words). So now I feel really bad for my mom (I already felt bad for her) she is going to hear a lot of crying I think. Lastly, it's that time again. I need another enrichment idea. I am no good at this stuff! I have spent weeks cultivating a mock Amazing Race idea but the presidency wants this to be a mother daughter one and I just can't work out all the kinks in my head. So I am looking for ideas again.

why I love Daren

These are projects I have looked at and contemplated doing something about for a long long time. Apparently to long. So Daren organized both of these places plus did the dishes and made our bed. All before heading outdoors to do his"normal assignments" for Saturday. Sadly as you will see below they are daunting. We need a fence to keep Max alive this summer. We have a bit of a weed problem and some trees and grape vines that need some love and attention. I don't know why this stuff falls on Daren but then my kids remind me that he's smarter than me. So Daren can do it all and I love him more for it.

catch up time

Where to start. I would like to just make a clean break and start from here and move forward but I can't. I fear the last child has no record of growing up complaints. I do however,see how it can happen now. So I will step back and start from where I left off. come with me. MAX IS 2!!!Our little man turned 2 and we didn't even need the date to tell us that. He has the fun quirks that come with this age. He repeats everything we say and do, he comes up with some pretty funny things to do on his own, and he totally gets everything that is going on. We also have the bipolar mood swings. I don't know who can say that girls are worse than boys emotionally at this point. Max can freak out just as well as the rest. He also throws things as an added bonus and possibly freaks out on you with some kicking and hitting. I sometimes step back and watch and think holy smokes! I don't even have any words to describe it. Bear with me as I do one of my favorite things. Take a trip down memory lane.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I tried to make that painless but I love pictures. Anyway Max is now 2 1/2 he says. But everyone else is quick to remind him he is only 2. Which promptly turns into a debate and usually end in tears when Max hits or pulls the hair of whomever it was that was trying to argue with him. Max is fun. He still loves his daddy and when he leaves in the morning max wails and when he returns Max comes running and yells tackle me! He loves books and will sit and listen as you read them to him. He is always singing. Usually it is songs like High School Musical or some current song but he has a repertoire of primary songs he can belt out too. He loves "shooting hoops" and will do it with anyone who is willing. He makes me laugh everyday with things he tells me to do. I switch babysitting with someone and we watch her little Livie and Max will do anything in the name of Livie. I can say Livie coming over we have to do ____ and he will immediately stop and do it. We are so grateful for our Maxwell. Next spring break. We had a great break. It was so fun to have my kids at home and just be on our schedule. We saw Mands and most of the Wallace clan and manage to do somethings on our own in between. What you may ask well look and see.....

We did artist for a day it was fun. Meg opted out which was fine one less sitting fee.

Last for tonight (I'm tried)

We just got home this evening from conference. Daren and I had decided we wanted to make it a tradition to take our children to conference when they turn 8. Well in October we had just returned from Tahoe so we pushed it back to spring. I was so fun. Abby listened and said she liked being in the same room as the prophet and listening in person. It was fun. We got to spend time with our cousins Tanner, Anika, Brynne, and Aimee too. They met us down there. We also got to see Josh and Natalie and their cats-always a treat and our good friend k-k-k Dirstin. Kirst thanks for driving up to us it was fun to chat. So I think I've covered the basics for a while.

How could I forget the butterflies!

For Christmas we gave Lizza this butterfly house and she sent away for caterpillars which we watched turn into butterflies. It was so fun. One of the best presents I gave this year. So we watched them grow from tiny caterpillars and she released them into the wild

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Elizabeth

In my mind I have already written this post and that is my excuse as to why nobody but I could see it until now. Lizza had her 7th birthday this month! I know everyone always says it but I cannot believe she is already 7! Lizza decided to have a friend birthday this year and knew exactly how she wanted things to go. She is a party girl. She loves the planning and execution of it all. It was so fun to watch her in this setting. I see her in social settings but they are usually while at school so she has to keep composure or at church which requires the same thing. But here with a group of girls she was crazy! She was screaming her hello's and thanks-yous. She was very aware of how everyone was doing at the party. She wanted everyone to have a good time. One of the girls is very shy and she made sure to sit by her for the first game and introduce her to everyone. It was cute to watch her. She was so loud and bubbly and spasy (if that is a word). Lizza is my helper. If I can convince her that it is fun or that no one but she can get this job done right she is all over it. She will organize the bathroom, her closet or whatever I ask. She is my best bathroom cleaner. When we have guest coming over I always try to put her in charge of at least the main bathroom if I can't get to it myself because I know she will do a good job. She has such a love for babies it is sweet to watch. She is naturally drawn to them and they to her. I love to listen to her as she tells you some story that gets more and more elaborate and she starts to pace and throw her arms around as she tells the story. You all know what I'm talking about if you've ever listened to her. She makes my days brighter and easier. Elizabeth Ann we love you.

what the heck

Seriously I just spent 20 minutes writting that post and editing it because the pictures came in as text not pictures. So in my preview everything look perfect. What am I doing wrong? Please help. by the way thanks to all who posted enrichment ideas for me.

what have those Wallaces been doing?

Quite frankly we are surviving. This is busy season for Daren, which is going much better at Boise Inc. than at the last place but still busy. We are in cold gloomy weather (though we had temps in the mid 40's this week and had to play outside with no coats on because it was "hot"). We hit up Engineer day at BSU which was really fun. It got Abby and Lizza very excited about going to science camp again this summer. We learned the important skill of making gumdrop domes. Fabulous. There were some other really great things there too. We watched Daren participate in indoor ride in the mall here in Boise. They all thought that was fantastic. I'm not sure if Daren did. They peddle for 1 hour on their bikes (because of busy season Daren hasn't done much riding) but he pulled through. Aside from that we are trying to work on hands are for helping not hurting and screaming can be done in the house only when there is a fire. Did the ground hog really see his shadow? Can I say I love this little man? This age is such a fun one. He wants to help me with everything. We have a vacuum that Lizza got around this age. One of the best gifts we have ever gotten. Max must be apart of it. If I am in the kitchen he has to have the stool out and help me. He will not drink his hot cocoa unless he gets to help me stir it. I'm an not being sarcastic either! I love it. He wants to clean up his own plate at dinner! I don't' even remind him once! He vacuums and sucks papers off my fridge because eventually the stick turns into a sword and must be swung around. Also they have their own ideas a opinions. He demanded to wear the bike helmet for dinner. Who am I do tell him other wise. So fun. p I have fun girls. They love everything Max does and they help him (which usually helps me). We are living a good live here in Boise and I wouldn't change it for anything.