So big!!

Ellie had her 15 month well check today here are her stats:

weight: 20lbs 3 oz she is in the 10th percentile

height: 30" 15th%

head: I can't remember the measurement but she's in the 75% she has a big noggin!!

She is now walking all over, she holds the record of the oldest walker out of all my kids which is fine by me!

She can say, mom, dad, no, mine, what's that, ouch, more, nana, and some others I just can't think of what they are right now.

She loves to chase Ryne and Kaleb around the house she is more content now then she use to be which I LOVE!!

I can't believe she only weighs 20 lbs cause she eats a TON, she loves bananas, yogurt, grapes, strawberries, mac and cheese, hot dogs, just about anything ya give her oh yeah and she LOVES shrimp go figure!!

Ellie is always happy and giggling, she really makes my day, we just love her!

So that's the update on Ellie. On to other updates, my sister just emailed me today her husband is in Afghanistan, and the military base Bagram Air Base is at was attacked yesterday, he is ok and things are calm for now but please keep them in your prayers. Sis I love you, I wish I was closer to you so I could give you a hug, you and Joey are in our prayers.

Music to my eyes!

A few months ago a family that lived across the street moved and left a couple of dressers the managers of the park here were going to throw them away, they were nice and sturdy and had some style and I just couldn't bare for them to get thrown out, so I saved them even though I wasn't sure were I could use them or how I would paint them. One of them I thought I would put in my front living room, and use it for linens and towels, I just wasn't sure how to paint it, I had toyed with the idea of fabric and Modge Podge but I wasn't totally sold on the idea. Finally I had a thought that I would love to incorporate music into the room and since getting a piano isn't an option right now I thought I would use music sheets and Modge Podge.

My inspiration for using music was my Grandpa, he played the organ, I can remember dancing around his living room to his music some of my favorites that he would play were Tea for Two and The Indian love song. My Grandpa went blind do to cancer but that didn't stop him he had a lot of music memorized, I admired him for his love of music and I think that's were my love for music started. I called my mom and asked her to make some copies of the music he played, I then went through my stash of music from high school choir, church hymns and some other music I have sung throughout the yrs. I made copies of all the music, except one book that for some reason I had 2 so I just used the music right out of it.

I wanted the dresser to have an antique look to it, so I tea stained all the music, some darker than others, I just played around with it. After the music was dry I started with the drawers and Modge Podge it on, I wasn't being to picky about how flat it was, some of the paper even tore in spots, but it just added to the look I was going for. Once my surface was covered with music, I put a layer of Modge Podge over the top, while it was drying I worked on the other drawers and then the top of the dresser. Once it was dry I used Dark Walnut wood stain, I painted it on then wiped it off with a paper towel, again playing with it and making some areas darker than others while that dried I painted the dresser black, then ruffed it up and then I brushed the stain over it and wiped with a paper towel. Here are some pictures it turned out awesome!!!
Here's the top it isn't completely finished I am still waiting for the music my mom is sending, but regardless I think it looks awesome!!
I just love looking at it and remembering how music has been such a positive thing in my life. Hopefully a piano will come soon but until then, I am finding other ways to incorporate music in our lives.

Acting out

Ryne had started having really bad behavior around the time that Grandma and Grandpa Lamps got here. She was having constant tantrums, she would want something and want it right in that moment if she didn't get it she would throw a tantrum, if we told her she could have it but later she would throw an even bigger tantrum. I have been at my wits end trying to figure out what the problem is, I have tried to talk to her only to get a programed "I'm just tired" answer for the bad behavior. Last night she was mad cause she wanted some root beer, I told her she could have it with dinner (which was about 15 mins away), she yelled and screamed, we told her to go to time out she just yelled and screamed some more and refused, finally we resorted to taking her kicking and screaming to her room. After about a 1/2 hr in her room she came out calm, when we tried to talk to her she just started goofing off so we sent her back to her room, finally after about an hr Dana went in to talk to her. Like any mother would do I cranked up the baby monitor in hopes to hear their conversation, but they were talking to soft. When they came out Ryne still wouldn't talk to me, that's when it finally clicked that she was for some reason I didn't know mad at me personally. Dane took her to return a movie so they could talk some more cause she wasn't ready to talk to me yet. Later when I tucked Ryne into bed she told me she "was mad at me, cause we are going away and leaving daddy" this surprised me (if ya didn't know we are going to Idaho for the summer)I didn't know that it mattered to her. The more we talked the more she told me how much she would "miss daddy" and "I am always with you, I want to stay with daddy, we already went to Grandma J's and I want to stay with daddy". After some more talking we worked it out, and everything was fine and her behavior has been so much better.

Last night while I laid in bed I thought about how I never even thought to ask the kids if they would want to go visit Grandma J, I hadn't included them in the decision and I should have. How many times we as mothers, and parents make decisions for our kids without even talking to them about it and askin them how they feel about it? My answer would be more than I should, they are people too and they have the right to put in their opinion it doesn't mean that they will always get what they want, but they should still be included and recognized. I told Ryne that I will try harder to remember to talk to her first, we decided we will start having family meetings before any major decisions are made, that way we can talk about how we all feel about it and make the decision as a whole.

Errand of Angels

Dana got me this great great book for mother's day Errand of Angels in Honor and Praise of Mothers. As today approached I have thought about what motherhood means to me and what my mother means to me, there is a poem in this book that expresses my thoughts perfectly.

A Mother

When God set the world in place,

When He hung the stars up in space,

When He made the land and the sea-

Then, He made you and me.

He sat back and saw all that was good.

He saw things to be as they should.

Just one more blessing He had in store.

He created mother. But, whatever for?

He knew a mother would have a special place

To shine His reflection on her child's face.

A mother will walk the extra mile,

Just to see her children smile.

She'll work her fingers to the bone

To make a house a home.

A mother is there to teach and guide.

A mother will stay right by your side.

She'll be there through your pain and strife.

She'll stay constant in your life.

A mother will lend a helping hand

Until you have the strength to stand.

She'll pick you up when you are down.

When you need a friend, she'll stick around.

A mother is one who listens well,

Will keep her word; will never tell.

A mother never pokes or pries,

But stands, quietly, by your side;

Giving you the strength you need,

Encouraging you to succeed.

A mother is one who can be strong

When you need someone to lean on.

You're more than a mother to me;

A reflection of God, in your face, I see...

A love that knows no boundaries.

I'm glad that you chose to be

All this, and more, to me.

You share a love that knows no end.

You're more than my mother.

You are my friend.

-Kari Keshmiry

Thank you mom for teaching me so many things, to care, to love, to cry,to laugh,you taught me about my Father in Heaven and his son Jesus Christ, you taught to give service to those in need, you especially taught me how to forgive myself and others, I love you.

HI-YA

A couple weeks ago Ryne tested for her yellow belt, she worked really hard and practiced a lot. We had to wait 2 weeks to find out if she got it, it was agonizing more for me than her! We reassured her that we would be proud of her no matter what, we knew how hard she had worked for it and if she didn't get it this time then she could practice some more and try again, she seemed ok with that. Thursday night was the night, she had a regular class then the parents(and grandparents in our case) were able to come in and watch, they demonstrated all the things the kids had learned. Marryne was the loudest out of 30 + kids, I was pleasantly surprised, there was a moment when she was so focused on her HI-YA's that she forgot to do the punch that went along with it!! Her punches and kicks were right on the money, I never thought that my little girly girl could pack such a punch, she is definitely a lot stronger than she looks! We were all so proud of her, she was the last one to receive her yellow belt, and boy did we cheer for her!! Here are some pics, my camera is out of commission so these are from my phone, not the best but it's better than nothing.


We are taking a break for the summer but will start again in the fall, Kaleb really wants to try it out so I think we might enroll him too. Marryne can't wait to work hard to earn the next the color belt, she has really enjoyed herself and it seems like she has more self esteem as well she is a lot more confident in herself. I am so proud of my little girl.

Vacation Days 1 & 2

We got to Dave and Becky's around 1, we spent the afternoon at their place, then we went to the hotel. We laughed about the hotel cause, from the minute we entered the room things started falling apart! The dead bolt to the door came off in our hand, the drain thing on the bathtub came off, the hook on the back of the door fell off, and then the plug in the sink fell apart!! All we could do was laugh, the manager of the hotel was very nice and took care of everything right away so it was all good!The next day we had some breakfast and then went to the beach. The kids were so excited, as soon as they saw the ocean they took off running!

There first little dip in the water! They weren't prepared for how cold and un-predictable the water was, a wave came up and soaked them I have never seen Kaleb jump so high!!!
My feet, the sand felt so good in the cold sand.
Ellie watchin the water, this was her favorite thing to do, she didn't like the cold water and tried her best to stay away from it.

READY, SET, GO...
Ellie eatin the sand and rocks!

After we changed our clothes we headed over to see our friends Dan and Shae it was sooooo good to see them!! We stayed and visited for a couple of hours.
After Dan and Shae's we went back to Dave and Becky's, Ryne couldn't wait to hold Andrew!
We walked down to a huge park just a few minutes away from Dave and Becky's. When we got there Kaleb came up and told me "Now this is what I call a park!!" This picture doesn't do it justice, just to the left of the swings there were some more slides and stuff, the grass was so green and beautiful!
It was windy so we had to bundle Andrew.
Becky and Andrew.
Grandma and Papa Lamps
Ellie was having a blast!!
I really liked this picture she was singing and turning around in circles I called it her "the hills are alive" moment it was classic!!
Dave pushin Kaleb on the swing.This was a very pretty and fragrant flower bush I wish I new what it was cause I love it!
Ellie fell asleep on the way back from the park poor thing.
Grandma and Andrew, isn't he adorable!?
After the park we headed back to the beach but this time we walked the Pier, it was COLD but so worth it. This Pelican was lurking behind the fisherman hoping for a fish! The kids enjoyed watchin him.
Family pic by the water.
I thought this was HILARIOUS!!! Can ya read the sign? It says.......
NO FISHING ALLOWED!! I think those fisherman deserved their fish gettin stolen by the Pelican!!
We also bought a cool chime from a place called the Shark Attack I will have to take a pic of it. We had so much fun we were all exhausted by the time we got back to our room, the kids went right to sleep it was great!!

Vacation days 3 & 4

On Sunday we went to church for Andrew's blessing, I didn't get any pics of him in his outfit cause he pooped though it.

After church we went to Dave and Becky's for lunch and also to visit with and old friend of Dana's Matt and his family. All of our kids are very close in age, their oldest Gabe is 3 months older than Marryne (they are in the back behind the stroller), Kaleb is about 3 months older than Hyrum(he is in the orange shirt), and little Johnny (he is on the ground kinda behind the stroller) is 3 months older than Ellie, they had so much fun playing together. Dave, Matt and Dane.
After lunch we hit the beach since we were leaving on Monday. We did all the norm beach things, buried kids in the sand...

watched the water...
"borrowed" some kids board and pretended to be surfing!
Even Andrew came to the beach for the first time.
Kaleb loved these rocks..
Kaleb's view of the ocean from the rocks.
Ellie kept asking "what's that?" pointing to the water.
Day 4 we packed up the car and headed home, Ryne fell asleep about 20 mins before we got home.
Thank goodness for portable DVD players!