Gingerbread House

Here's this year's gingerbread house. The kids frosted Savanna's Littlest Pet Shoppe Kitty on it, for a little extra flair. They have had a fun time eating it too for the past couple of days.

Maddox's First Birthday

I just barely got the pictures off my camera of Mad's first birthday. Here are some facts that you might not know about him:

1. He will smile at anyone. He even smiles at me sometimes when I am mad at him.
2. He loves his Uncle Brandt! It borderlines obsessive! He will pick him over his mommy or daddy any day.
3. Mad is the chubbiest baby EVER! He gets sores behind his knees because the skin there never gets air.
4. The only word he can say is "Whoa!"
5. He follows Berkley around like a puppy all day, and when Berks isn't looking, Maddox takes Berkley's favorite blanket and runs (then ends up tripping on the blanket, and crying, while Berkley scolds him.)

Maddox is a little sweetie and it is so fun watching him grow up. WE LOVE YOU MAD!!!

QUESTIONS

My friend Robyn had these questions on her blog, so I decided to answer them and put them in our McEwan Family Record I am working on. After I answered them, though, I realized I am in real need of a break from my children. After reading back my answers, I choose to get a babysitter, and get outta here tomorrow.

I am: tired from a long day with the kids (plus four of their friends).
I want: my family to be happy.
I have: the hardest working husband EVER! (Seriously, I see him for like 30 seconds in the morning and thats all).
I dislike: mean people.
I miss: my sister and mom.
I fear: that I am not a good enough mom.
I feel: like there are so many kids in the world that are suffering, and I want a few of them.
I hear: the sound of the T.V. after the kids are all asleep. Blissful.
I smell: smoke permeating my house because Berkley and his friend Halle started a piece of French toast on fire in the microwave. I almost called 911. No joke!
I crave: a big piece of Thanksgiving Point chocolate cake with fresh raspberries on top.
I cry: when I am overwhelmed (usually on the phone to my mom or sister), when I hear of people who are suffering, when the kids are asleep and I feel like I was a mean mom during the day, when I think of how much I love my precious children and husband. I cry a few times a week. I am OK, I promise!
I usually: try to relax for a few minutes after I send Savanna off to school at 7:15 in the morning, because I know I am not going to get another chance until the kids are asleep.
I search: for clean underwear for Berkley every day. I can’t keep up on washing them because he likes to change them a few times a day. OCD? Maybe.
I wonder: when Mike is coming home tonight. It is 11:00 p.m.
I regret: too many things. I am very hard on myself.
I love: hearing my kids laugh, and hearing Maddox chase Berkley around the house, growling.
I always: tell my kids I love them at least 5 times daily.
I worry: that Maddox isn’t eating enough now that he is off of formula. (I guess he could live on his own fat for awhile, so he should be fine.)
I am not: very good at staying calm when I have a million things going on. I try to keep my life pretty simple.
I remember: my amazing childhood. It doesn’t get better than growing up on a farm.
I know: that families are forever.
I dance: only to make the kids or Mike laugh.
I sing: really loud with Savanna and Berkley to Hannah Montana in the car.
I argue: only when I know I am right, which is almost all of the time.
I write: in my journal when the kids do something cute, in our McEwan Family Record, and Sharing Times.
I wish: I had a maid.
I listen: to Christmas music the day after Halloween.
I don't understand: why any woman would not want to be a mom.
I can usually be found: holding Maddox in the kitchen.
I need: a spa day.

I have been working on our McEwan Family Record this week, and thought I would share a few scans of Savanna and Berkley's drawings.

"A Snowman" by Savanna

"BYU Soccer" by Savanna

"Eyeballs" by Berkley

Savanna's Friend List

Savanna's Favorite thing to draw - Penguins

"A Turtle" by Savanna

"A Swimming Pool With Diving Boards for Everyone" by Berkley

Self Portrait by Berkley

Happy Halloween!!!

I haven't uploaded this years Halloween pics onto my computer yet, and am sitting here at home with the flu, while the kids are out with Daddy trick-or-treating, but I found these from two years ago, and am wondering where the last two years went. I tell my kids daily to eat lots and lots of candy so they'll stay little forever. They just laugh. Why do they have to grow so quickly???

Breakin' My Heart

Both of my boys got the flu tonight! Bless their little hearts, I feel so bad for them.

Berkley: Mom, can I have something that will make my belly better.
Me: You can have some gatorade.
Berkley: Oh, thank you Mom, thank you; thank you so much Mom. (Takes a drink and then throws it all up.)

He is even polite when he is sick. I just want to hold him and kiss him...but I won't since I would rather die than have the flu. I keep going to check on him in the bathroom (where I made a bed for him) and every time I do, he is just staring at the ceiling. SOOOOO SAD!!!

Oh, and did I mention it is our 8th anniversary today! I am celebrating by cleaning up throw-up! Yeahh!

Oh, How We Love Our Uncles!!!

Seriously though, what would life be like without them? I took these pics in Rexburg over UEA weekend. LOOOOOOVE my brothers!!!

All In a Days Work

I am finally catching my breath at 8:00 this morning. I just cleaned up poop from all over the bathroom (Maddox had a blowout), gave him a bath, have a load of sheets in the washer (one of the kids wet the bed), have a load of bedding ready to wash (Maddox wet through his sleeper and all his blankets last night, got Savanna ready and on the bus (by 7:30), comforted a crying child on the way up to the bus stop, organized a closet, and read Berkley 5 books. Sometimes I have to sit back and remember that I love being a mom and that it is all worth it!

Mad's New Monkey

My mom just sent Maddox a new monkey, and he is in love! He always takes Berkley's monkey, and it makes Berkley sad, so it was time for him to have his own. He is so happy and attached!

Soccer Savanna

So Savanna has been doing soccer, basketball, and T-ball since she was three. We definitely started her too early, and she has never been a fan of any of them ... until now. Mike decided to be one of the coaches, and it has made all of the difference. Instead of picking flowers in the field, or re-braiding her hair while looking into the sky, she actually plays. It is so fun to watch her. There are two other little girls on her team, which helps, and she is always excited to get in her "cute soccer outfit". Berkley loves to practice with the team too - benefits of being the coaches son, I guess. Here are some pictures I took of practice last week.

My mom took the kids home for the week (YAHOO!) before school starts. I don't even know what to do with myself! So I guess I'll post some pictures. We had a McEwan Family Reunion every day of last week, so I got a ton of good pictures. It was so amazing being able to be with the whole family. The kids had a BLAST together! Here are some from the night of family pictures.

HAPPY PIONEER DAY!!!

HOT AIR BALLOONS

On July 3rd, we took the kids early in the morning to see the hot air balloons they have every year during the 4th of July. We met with Amy and Scot's family and Mom and Dad Mc, and all went together. The kids thought it was fun, but we had to wake up so early, that we decided it was a one-time event. There were so many different balloons, and it was fun to see them take off. Here are a few of the pictures. I want to mess around with them in photoshop when I get the chance, but I feel like I never get the time to sit down. I hope someday I will have to time to learn how to take amazing photographs and photoshop them beautifully. One name comes to mind: Sheye Rosemeyer. Her blog is listed on the right. I love her style. Take a look, if you've never heard of or seen her photography before. She is beyond AMAZING!

More Rexburg Pics

Finally, here are the rest of the pictures from Rexburg. We miss you guys!!! Thanks again, Dad, for your vision of making a petting zoo for the grandkids.

Hot Dog Roast in the Forest

Berks and Brinley

Uncle Daniel taking them on a ride in the tractor.

Maddox loved the kittys.

Maddox and Ashlan - 2 months apart

Savanna playing "Rock Band" on the Nintendo.

Getting ready to feed the baby goats.

Uncle Brayden showing Berkley his goat "Berkley" (of course Grandma had to name the four goats after her 4 grandchildren.)

Getting rides on the Skidster and snowmobile.

Getting his bottle ready with Uncle James and Brayden, to go feed the baby goats.

Uncle Limey and Mad (babies just gravitate towards him).

The "Goat Whisperer". No kidding, she thought she was their mother, and so did they.

Grandpa Love

Checking out the baby chicks.

Me and Grandma Peck