This is my life. I'm going to write about it.....Today.

In my former life, I was a writer. I writer with great hair...and time....hahaha!

In this life....I am a mom of 3 lovely, attitude filled little ladies and 1 handsome, happy little boy. I am a step-mom to 2 awesome, rambunctious boys. A wife to a pretty great guy named Levi. An ex-wife, (nothing needs to be added here. Well, at least not anything anyone wants to hear). I am a victim, (many something's should be added here but I'm not going there today). A survivor, plain and simple, each and every day. A business owner.  A busy-body (and I mean that in the best way possible). And a gal that gets to live each day under the powers of ADHD (go me). 

After a brief moment back in 2009. Wow. Seriously, very brief. I realize all these things I am....now, here in 2014. I wasn't an Ex in 2009...nor was I a step-mom, or even a mom to a son! I wasn't a business owner....and I was still in full fledged potential finding with my ADHD (this will be an eternal thing I'm afraid haha). I didn't have a pretty great husband....yes, it's true. I didn't. We can talk about that later...maybe. I didn't even have my 3rd little beauty! Wow again! Can't even imagine that! But that's okay....the past is past. And I'm okay that time is gone. I'm okay that it's not 2009 anymore. In fact, I can honestly say....good riddance on those past days. To that past.

I suppose there are always things to miss in ones past. Things like my tiny gals. Oh there use to be just 3 of us...me, Skylar, and Madison. I miss that they use to let me dress them, and do their hair (man they sure were cute). That they use to let me tuck them in at night, and that they use to rely on me for most everything. I made their happiness what it was. I do miss that...but along with the missing comes good things. Good things like the fact they can brush their own teeth. That they CAN dress themselves....even though it's questionable most of the time.....that they know what they want and that they are learning, for themselves how to make their life what they want it to be. And good things like watching them choose happiness! These are just a few great things about my present. So...even though it's been a rough road, through 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 (2013 get's it's own category and will not be lumped in with those "other" years)....here I am on the flip side.

Let's do this thing!

 
 

My very own Mini Me!

Another post, here it comes....you are all floored, I know :) I've just had this blog on my mind lately which in turn gives you all the chance to see how "glamorous" my life REALLY is, you lucky ducks! So, in keeping with recent form (meaning the first post in almost a year) I need to pay tribute to my very own...you guessed it....Mini Me aka Skylar!

Here she is, my little Skylar! 6 years old now and everyday she asks me, or rather, tells me, "Mom... I'm almost 7...right?" I laugh every time! For me, looking into her 6 year old little face, it takes me waaaaay back. Almost like looking into a mirror and well, to be honest, it freaks me out just a little! Who knew I'd ever have a mini me and to tell you the truth, we are alike in more than just looks! This beauty, if I do say so myself, is the biggest goof! She loves to party, laugh, smile, sing, dance and is one of the most accident prone little ladies I have ever met! She dances to her own beat and really immerses herself in life! Sometimes at the risk of walking into walls, counter-tops, poles, tripping over everything from shoes to her own feet, she's got more bumps and bruises than many kids I know but man, does she ever live life with style! To share one of my favorite things about Sky, use your imagination and picture this....

It's late afternoon and we've just gotten home from school/work/Carly's place. The kids run into the living room (I assume to watch some TV before I catch them to protest). As I come into the house, all I hear is Hannah Montana music coming from the living room. Intrigued, I walk in to find this....Sky, as close to the glaring, empty TV screen as she can possibly get while still being able to see her reflection. She has her imaginary mic (her hand) pulled up close to her mouth and she is belting out the Hannah tunes better than the half pint pop star would do herself. Keep in mind, the reflection in the TV, because that is all Skylar is seeing. Herself, on TV, with the best moves in the nation! She watches herself closely as she twirls, shimmies, shakes her booty like the true ROCKSTAR that she is! These are the things of life, the things that make the grueling struggles all worth it! That face, her smile, laugh, her spirit....and the best part is she's all mine!

As she grows (which btw is something I never authorized!) I get overcome with how fast it all has gone. Blair and I were remembering the other night, how we once use to sit and think "gosh, won't it be fun to see her running, jumping, dancing". Seems like that was just yesterday....and yet, here we are, 6 years later. Her running, jumping and dancing all in full force now! It scares me to think what's next....her teeth have even started falling out! Eeeek! The memories though, are priceless. I hold them dear and close to my heart! This gal is my star! So, one last thing before I conclude....this song sums it up for my two, beautiful angel girls. It makes me cry like a baby but the words are oh so true and beautiful so you have to indulge me now....


"In my daughter's eyes I am a hero. I am strong and wise and I know no fear. But the truth is plain to see, She was sent to rescue me. I see who I wanna be. In my daughter's eyes. In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal. Darkness turns to light and the world is at peace. This miracle God gave to me....gives me strength when I am weak, I find reason to believe, In my daughter's eyes. And when she wraps her hand around my finger, Oh it puts a smile in my heart. Everything becomes a little clearer, I realize what life is all about. It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough. It's giving more when you feel like giving up. I've seen the light, It's in my daughter's eyes. In my daughter's eyes I can see the future. A reflection of who I am and what will be. Though she'll grow and someday leave, Maybe raise a family. When I'm gone I hope you see how happy she made me. For I'll be there, In my daughter's eyes."-Martina McBride

Maddie "My" Menace....

Ok guys...here it comes, A NEW POST!! Holy hoot it's been almost an entire year since my last post. I really, really struggle sometimes. Ah well, here's to trying again. And again. And again I suppose. Thank goodness that most of you know me well enough to be able to laugh at my flakiness!! :)

I have decided the theme for this post is gonna be my little Maddie the Menace! Yes, we have actually talked about changing her name to this....




For those lucky enough to know this "FIREBALL" of a kid...count yourself among the lucky. She is one special little woman! From tantrums on the kitchen floor (see pic on the left, these happen daily at our place), to the snap in Z formation while telling me to "get outta my space mom", to stuffing enormous amounts of food into her cheeks until she either chokes or throws it all up (for some reason she thinks this is just hilarious)....this is my daughter! All of 4 years old....she already thinks she doesn't need anyone. In a recent conversation with Maddie, we got to discussing the fact that she wanted to "just live alone". Now keep in mind this wasn't a rational discussion as she happened to be ranting....and somehow, amidst the screams and tears I was able to get this funny conversation out of her....

Maddie: "I just want to live ALONE"
Mom: "Hmm, well, that doesn't sound like fun. Who would make you dinner Maddie?
Maddie, appalled: "I can feed MYSELF"
Mom: "Well, who would you play with? That sounds lonely"
Maddie, appalled again: "Duh mom, my toys"
Mom: "Well, who would tuck you in at night? And who would be there to kiss you when you were scared" heh heh heh (I thought)
Maddie......SILENCE.....

These sure are the moments aren't they! The list of the things this gal says and the things she comes up with well....I could go on and on! (You'll have to post any comments of "Maddie stories" if you have any!) Anyway, with Maddie the Menace in full force all the time at our place, here is what I do know....I know, that despite her stubborn, strong willed, attitude driven personality she is one of the BEST things in my life. To know this kid...is to LOVE this kid! I feel lucky to be her mom and wish that everyone could always see her as I do! She's a tough act but soooo worth getting to know and love. Once in your heart....this kid is there to stay. So today, and everyday, I thank the Lord for my Maddie the Menace! May you all be so lucky to have someone as great as her in your life!! LUBS!

Where does the time go??

Okay seriously, it has been 3 months since my last post...how pathetic! I must give a shout out to Melissa...without her, my off track mind would still be derailed so, thanks girl! Well, as I'm sure you can all attest, there is a lot one can cram into 3 months. I will try not to bore you with ALL the facinating details of my monthly madness....so, here is the highlight real from the last few months.....














Playing in the leaves up good ole Hobble Creek Canyon. This year after General Conference we decided to take a drive up Springville Canyon for some great scenery and oh yeah, don't forget the LEAVES!! This was a great time to be silly, take pics and well...be silly! Madi enjoyed filling her pockets with the little fallen acorns (or whatever they were), she had no time for the beautiful leaves...you can't put leaves in your pocket!! Duh mom! Skylar spent most of her time pulling faces and posing for the camera...she is such a goof and wants all her weirdness caught on camera. I am sure as she gets older she won't be as excited about some of these pics as she is today....a mother's only bargaining chip!! The crazy photos.....I have many from my childhood but we are soooo not going there! Like mother like daughter I guess you could say!














In later October we spent some time at the pumpkin patch....what Halloween adventure would be complete without picking out your own pumpkins. As you can see from the pictures....it felt like winter was here! We were very under dressed for the occasion but thankfully found coats in the back seat of Blair's truck. The kids had a great time even though we were all FREEZING!! Madison was very into the mini pumpkins and it was hard to convince her to pick a pumpkin big enough to carve. Finally though, we gave in and let her get a big pumpkin as well as a mini one! Lucky girl...I must have been in a good mood that day!

We had a sad ending to our October pumpkin fest....our pumpkins got stolen before we even had the chance to get them carved! That's right....they were stolen right off of our front porch. Now, I get the whole "we are teenagers and the only fun thing to do on Halloween night is steal pumpkins and smash them in the street".... but geeze, Halloween was two weeks away and we didn't even get the pleasure of carving the darn things. I was miffed at the hooligans that felt it was their right to take something that did not belong to them.....no big deal I know but, its the principal...right!! Okay, I'll stop...

The other fun thing we did in October this year was visit the Zoo. It was a fun day, just me, Sky, Madi, Tricia and Morgan....a fun girls day! I haven't been to the Zoo in years so it was fun seeing all the changes that had been made. Our fav. spot was hanging out with the monkeys! Oh...and lest I forget, the giraffes. Skylar pointed out that I liked the giraffes the best cause "you are like a giraffe mom!" Ah kids, they say the darndest things! Mostly hilarious to me because that statement is sooo true! I did like the giraffes and I did feel like we had a bond....a freakish, tall bond!!


October ended quickly for me it seems. My favorite month of all! Not because of Halloween either, bah humbug! I love October because the heat of summer fades away and the brisk chill of autumn arrives. All the breathtaking colors, being able to layer clothes and get out all your cold weather blankets (although for me, I have those blankets out all year!) I would have to say......fall is my favorite season and October is my favorite month!

Halloween is not all bad though...as I would make it seem. This year we started "Scary Movie Night"!!! and although we created the tradition late....it's still going strong now into November! There is nothing better than a bunch a good friends, junk food and a really scary movie to bring back all those great High School memories! Maybe that is why I have been enjoying this new tradition so much. With my 30th approaching I find myself reminiscing about the good ole days a lot!! This pic is from a scary movie night....as you can tell, Blair was very scared!! Hahah!!

Last but not least....we had our first visit from the Tooth Fairy! Yup, that's right....Skylar lost her first tooth! Crazy you say? Try being her mother! I was in complete shock. Had myself one of those little mother moments where you say to yourself "I am not old enough to have a child that looses their teeth!!" That was me! In fact, I am still saying that even though the tooth has been gone for about two weeks now!

I loved that Skylar was all about having her tooth pulled out. I didn't even have to convince her that it wouldn't hurt. It was funny, I took a wash cloth (to give myself a better grip on the tiny thing) and gave the tooth a good yank. Sky winced and said "OUCH MOM!!" I thought quick, knowing that if she thought the pain was in anyway connected with the loose tooth and/or my tugging on it....the tooth pulling efforts would have been put on hiatus for the night. I stopped her protest and quickly said "oh, sorry sis, I was pulling on the wrong tooth", heh heh! I gave it one more twist and tug and out it came! Not one tear or one drop of blood even fell, I was so proud!

Next came the tooth fairy! Sky carefully placed her little, white tooth under her pillow all the while assuring Blair and I that the tooth fairy would wake her before swiping her tooth and stay and chat with her for a bit. The way she talked about it you would think they spoke on a regular basis...hmmmm! She was excited for bed but had many, many questions..."Mom, what does the tooth fairy look like? What do you think she sounds like? What do you think she is gonna do with my tiny tooth?" were just a few. The next morning Sky came running into our room with a small bag full of change and....you guessed it.....FAIRY DUST!! I think the fairy dust was better than the coins. She immediately took the "fairy dust" and dusted it all over herself! Skylar also mentioned that she did happen to see the tooth fairy that night and that her dress was beautiful! Blair makes the prettiest fairy!! :0)

So there we have it.....3 months in a nutshell, or well, a novel really! I will try to be better at posting and Melissa....keep proding me along! Thanks for following...we love you all!

Cakes and Presents and Birthdays...Oh My!!!

I am officially ready for this gosh darn month to be over! It has been birthday bonanza around my neck of the woods lately. With not just one birthday princess to please but two....this month has been an exhausting array of princess gowns, make-up, castle cakes, build-a-bear and loads of singing and dancing! Don't they look like the most well behaved princesses you have ever seen? Well, don't let those beautiful smiles fool you, along with being great at posing for the camera they are FULL of attitude. Now, every princess needs a little attitude is what you are thinking...right? I suppose this is true but with my girls, attitude flows like the fountain of youth....they have an endless supply and boy do they know how to use it up! Between Skylar telling me ALL the things she HAD to get for her presents and knowing exactly who was suppose to give her what, and Madison telling me over and over as she flopped on the floor in some sort of tantrum "I'm not having a birthday!!", I'm about to veto the birthday altogether! None the less I have survived, a shell of a woman, but a survivor. You all must be thinking I am being overly dramatic but trust me....I am definitely not! And for anyone that has been around to witness my own personal mayhem you can back me up here.

This month and these two birthdays have not been all bad though. I must look back and reflect at some of the crazy fun I did in fact create. Like for instance, my first castle birthday cake. A feet in itself, made to order upon my 5 year olds request. Wow you say....what a talent I have....haha! It's really hard to see the pure talent that it took to create this work of art, almost as hard as it is to tell that I am being sarcastic about how much I LOVE this cake! It did however get rave reviews from Skylar and all of our party goers! The story of this cakes creation is going to have to be told at another time though. Sorry to disappoint! Drama, drama, drama...what more could you expect! And with that we will move on to Madison's birthday cake. She wanted a necklace cake. Hmmm, not one I have ever seen before. Took me a long time to come up with a design for her request...hours and hours of deliberating on colors, flavors and oh yeah....how the heck do I make a necklace cake? I really wanted to meet Madison's request for the perfect necklace birthday cake so......this is what I came up with....Doesn't this just take the cake? Hahaha! Poor Madison didn't get her necklace cake but what she did get, (which in my opinion is much better than any necklace cake out there), is a sane mother on her big birthday bash! I must say though, as I look back at these cake pictures...YIKES, these are really scary cakes! Oh well, good memories at least, that is really all that matters!

Now in the wake of birthday madness, my home is covered with icing on doorknobs and window panes, dishes that touch the ceiling, barbie's of all types and sizes, balloons, some of which are still floating and others have just enough umph left to skim the floor, various dress up shoes and dresses and half eaten candy which I continue to find in the strangest places. Is this the measure of a great birthday month...I would have to agree with my two girls....who doesn't love a great party!













Skylar's B-Day party...crazy princess faces! Madison being overwhelmed with presents!

Here I go...blabbing, I mean blogging :0)

Okay, I have finally done it, I have a blog! Or at least the skeleton of one. Baby steps, I must remember to take baby steps! This is all rather technical for my puny little brain but more importantly do keep in mind when referring to my so called blog, I have a "mild" case of ADD (for all of you unaware of this fact), in which case I feel overwhelmed by all of the great stuff you can do with these blogs...lets just say I get a bit distracted! So, here's for hoping I can figure this out...here's for hoping someone might enjoy my various, silly ramblings and here's for hoping this may in some way help "My so called life...."