Rearranging things

I'm not sure if anyone else gets this way, but sometime it just feels like the house is caving in on me. It usually happens with place is just a mess, and nothing is in it place. When this happens I start to clean and rearrange the furniture. I'm becoming my mom... she was always rearranging the stuff when I was growing up. OK, she still does. I was over there today and the living room furniture had been moved around. So, the kids' room has been bugging me for a while. We moved most of their toys out of the playroom to make it Beka's room and into their bedroom. It was just a mess:

I had already moved all of the toys out.. The space just wasn't usable. The kids were never in there! So here's what I did:

Look the beds are even made!!! It created a larges space in the front of the room for playing! Go me!

Happenings around here

I thought I'd post some of the pictures from my picture project here for you all to look at and give an update on what going on around here.

I told Emma that she looked like a lady that lunches... she thought Mommy was really funny! She wanted her pictures taken, and then ran away from the camera. Silly girl!

Riley is such a good big brother! I loved how this shot turned out! I wasn't sure when I had them both down on the floor (Emma was still napping) But when I pulled this up on the computer later, my heart melted! Beka loves Riley. I wouldn't be surprised if her first words were: "wi..wi" (Riley in baby talk)

Finally for your viewing pleasure. Beka has been sitting up all by herself today! You go girl!! I LOVE the faces she's pulling!


Notes on Beka:
Monday Beka had her 6 month check up. Poor baby got some shots.
She is 11 pounds 4 oz and 24 inches long (I think, I could be off on the height). Doctor isn't too worried about her being kinda small, she's is perfectly proportional. This means her head, weight, and height are developing at the same rate. Which is good. She on her own line on the growth chart, but following it faithfully. She's developing normally, but has still has a heart murmurer. We have an appointment with the cardiologist to have it checked out. She loves to blow raspberries and babble. Beka is all over her crib and is holding herself up well. I'm afraid it wont be long before she is crawling! UGH!!!

So, there's the low down on our little Beka Sue.

Emma's has turned into quite a handful... She is testing boundaries and wanting to do everything "by myself!" Oh, and everything is NO! If you ask her something, you can bet that you are going to get a negative answer... and then she changes her mind.  It's been tough, but we love her, and know that this too will pass!

Riley has been a real delight! He told me today that he really likes church because it teaches him how to be closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus. This makes him feel happy and good on the inside. He love to listen to "pretty music" in the car. This is either the Primary songs or Erin Hatch's compositions. He loves her song about the temple and Warriors of Light!

I was so proud of the way he acted at church on Sunday. He was so reverent! He also can't wait to start school. Allen downloaded a Leapfrog video that teaches kids the sounds of the alphabet. It's been crazy hearing Riley sound out words!

Riley's also been trying to help me out. He sets the table and helps clear it too. I've been so proud of how he's acted with Emma. She hasn't been very nice to be around lately, and he's been a really trouper trying really hard to take care of her! It's been a real blessing for me to have him being so kind and helpful! I'm not sure I'd have made through the last week or so if he was going through a grumpy Riley cycle!

I've been CRAZY busy. I've had a photo shot every weekend this month. It's been wonderful! We have been so blessed with this. I've almost payed off my camera... Almost, so anyone out there interested in a family portrait.. let me know and we can talk price.

Allen's studying for  the bar... enough said. We hope to have our loving hubby and daddy back before Riley's birthday.

Well, that's a little update on us!

Cuties in the Pool

I babysat my niece today. We played in the pool. Afterward I had them all sit in the sun to warm up. They were so cute!

Emma's singing: Once there was a snow man! She was really making me laugh today!

Dude, Where did the last two weeks go?

It has been a crazy couple of weeks for me! My sweet friend Rach got married the first weekend of May, and my life has been crazy nonstop ever since. Rach asked me to be her photographer! I was excited and nervous but the pictures turned out great! I was so excited.

 Then we had Allen's graduation/convocation, which I've already posted about. Sunday was mother's day, and Allen's friend Kelly had her open house. She got married on Monday by a singing Elvis at the welcome to Las Vegas sign!

Cool shot huh? After the reception we joined them at XS (a club in Encore) I discovered that I haven't been missing anything not going to clubs. Think single adult church dances with alcohol instead of soda and you've got it about right. Well, close. There are the go go dancers and less modest dressing but the same kind of dancing and the music wasn't much better. But it was fun. We got home around 1AM. It was crazy.

We also hung out with my Aunt Kim on Monday morning! It was a very busy day! We were down on the strip more on Monday than I've been in the last 2 years! We had a blast walking around the Palazo. I loved the umbrellas. It had a kinda magical quality to it! Riley was smitten by the gondolas and the inside canals. He really really wanted to go on a ride.

Tuesday we spent the day at Allen's folks' house. We took the car into the mechanic to get the AC fixed. YEAH!!! It was an easy fix, and now our car gets COLD! So blessed!

Saturday we took the kids to Tule Springs Park. We wanted to check out a farmer's market that was being held there. The market was kinda a bust for us, but we had fun petting the horses and goats. Plus I got some way cute shots of the family:

Can you tell she's spent her whole life in front of a camera? And then there's this one:

How did that happen? She'll be six months old on Tuesday! UGH, it's going way too fast!

Final event for me was Saturday afternoon I was the photographer for another wedding... So if you are keeping track, that 3 weddings in 2 weeks. No wondering my head is spinning! Picture from that are coming.

He's been hooded!

The most important event today was:

Congrats to the UNLV class of 2010! Well done!

 This was a super cute shot of Beka. She LOVED the organ music. She's the only kid that came with me to Allen's graduation. I was so glad! The ceremony was 3 hours long... they would have been bored, I know I was!

Law School Done!

So, the finals are done and today we watched Allen walk at the convocation ceremony. I'm so proud of him! We made it! Congrats sweet heart.

Today

Today I finally took the time to clean my home. Well, part of it anyway. I cleaned the kids' bathroom and the front room/dinning areas. I got a call about mid-morning asking if we could feed the missionaries today. I almost said no... Allen has his last ever final tomorrow and I was watching our niece Faith most of the day. But then I thought that Allen needed the blessing of having the sweet spirit that those young men bring. I hoped that by sacrificing our time and resources to feed God's servants, perhaps we can call done the blessing of heaven and get this school thing done. Of course Allen still has to pass the bar, but one step at a time. 

I guess I needed it too. Over the past few years I've struggled with my testimony. It's not that I have changed what I believe or know is true, but that my spiritual connection to my Heavenly Father has waned. I gave myself the excuse that I was too tired to read my scriptures at the end of the day (or at the beginning, I'm SO not a morning person) and that it was to hard to get out of bed and pray. Knowing why things have happened, doesn't make it easier to change. But, I feel so blessed by my Father in Heaven. He gave me this weekend.

This weekend was amazing! I was able to see one of my very best friends sealed in the temple. I have watched helpless as she struggled through the hurt and pain of an ugly divorce ten years ago. I worried over her as I saw her making painful decisions. And I marveled that as she worked to find her footing and make it back to full fellowship in the church. My heart leaped for joy when she told me about her sweet guy, and I knew he was special. It was wonderful to watch as they took hands across the alter of the temple and became a forever family!

I was asked a couple of weeks ago by one of the ladies I visit teach if my spiritual connection feels strong. I told her is waxes and wanes... I could feel she has been struggling a little too, and that she wanted to know that she wasn't the only one who feels that way sometimes. It got me thinking about my own spiritual health. How I can get so busy doing things that don't really matter (sorry facebook but you are WAY up there on that list) and not take the time I need for me. I have 3 kids under the age of 5, the demands on my time and attention are many. Often, I've felt my well is going dry. And then I attend an activity of some sort... And I feel so much better. I know my Heavenly Father knows my needs, loves me and wants happiness for me. I just sometimes forget to listen... ugh!

Several months ago, I had an epiphany. I looked around at the women I knew, and realized we are all struggling with something. That I'm not alone! Sometimes we all feel isolated, and it's OK. Be you fat, thin, cute, not so cute, old, young, somewhere in the middle... we all need one another. And that's why our kind Heavenly Father put the Relief Society in place. He knew that as sisters we need one another. And the greatest thing of all is that all the great and wonderful women I know are my sisters! And I am so grateful for that knowledge. I had been stuck worrying about how I wasn't good enough to do things. I was so busy comparing myself to others that I forgot all the wonderful talents I've been blessed with. But guess what? Heavenly Father hadn't forgotten... And he forced me to quite hiding those things.

First I got an email from an old professor of mine. His wife runs a tiny private school and they needed someone to teach middle school science. I sat on the email for almost a week. I was scared, we had just had Beka. I didn't want to burden anyone with having to watch my THREE kids! And what did I know about science anyway... (I just got my degree in that stuff! Duh, stupid little voice in my head) Self doubt sucks! But with encouragement from Allen, his parents and mine, I took the job. And it has been great. It's forced me to think about the stuff I learned in collage, trying to remember the math and ideas. It's fun to teach someone something more than abcs and colors.

Second I got a new calling... and I was terrified! They wanted me to play the piano in primary. To some this may not seem like a big deal, but to me it was. I hadn't practiced much since Allen and I got married... OK, let me be completely honest, I hadn't really practiced since I changed degree programs a year and half before Allen and I got married... At the time of my degree change I was suffering from a bad case of performance anxiety. I would start to shake so bad I couldn't play. Not good for a music major huh? I also have a little bit of carpal tone in my right hand, so if I sleep on it wrong my fingers go numb randomly. But I took the call anyway. I'm still muddling my way through many of the songs, but my performance anxiety is getting so much better. I'd never played for people singing, so this experience is really making me grow! In such a good way.

Third, getting a calling as a visiting teaching supervisor. This means making phone calls... Something I HATE to do! My stomach starts to hurt, I get all shaky... it's bad. But the call is making me more aware of this sisters around me. And forcing me to confront my fear of the phone!

Finally, becoming friends with Erin. She has pushed me (she may not know that, but she really has). She has pushed me try in things with my photography and to improve myself.  To learn how to do things better and try new things. She also helps me to remember that my babies wont be little for long so I need to enjoy this time when the still really need me. I feel blessed to have such a wonderful girl in my life.

So, for today I am grateful for all that I've been give. I am working on things I need to do. I have faith that some how some way the Lord knows what he is doing with our family and I just need to hold on. Life is getting ready to change for our family. I pray it involves many of you. I'm trying very hard not to be so scared anymore... The future is a little scary. We don't know where we will be in 3 months or where Allen will be working (He will be working! I have faith that something will happen for him).... It's all kinda weird and up in the air. But my Father in Heaven will be watching over me and my family and we will be great!

And that's today.

Riley in the Sling Shot!

Riley had WAY too much fun on this ride!

Must be doing something right

A couple of weeks ago Allen shot this video while I was at work. I figure we must be doing something right.

Seriously long post

So the last couple of weekends have been kinda crazy around here! Allen's been trying to finish up his writing requirement for school (it's FINALLY done!) which has meant I've need to find things for me and the kids to do. That coupled with a nasty cold/allergies has made me one crazy mommy. Any who, we've had some fun adventures this month! I would really like to know what's happening to this year? It's going by WAY too fast!  So to recap (and I'll try to keep up in the month of May)

General conference weekend we went geocaching. We took the kids up passed the temple to check out anther side of town. Allen let me guide the group and I found the cache! (hey look it's me!)

We also went to our wonderful friend Erin's house for the morning session Easter Sunday. They set up a little Easter egg hunt for the kids and we enjoyed so yummy food.

The following weekend one of my cousins came to visit and my dad finished the brand new tire swing set in the backyard. Can we say LOVE it!

Friday April 9th we went with Erin and her boys to the fun McKee's ranch. She was scouting out places to take engagement pictures and invited us along. It was so much fun. Riley helped the folks brush a couple of horses and clean their feet. He was in HEAVEN!

I thought the above shot was SO cute! Emma was really being cute that day! The kids are looking at a big pig. This place was AMAZING! They had all kinds of animals and things to look at, signs all over. It was really cool (thanks for the invite Erin!)

We also went to the Clark County Fair. It was fun, crazy windy though. Riley and Emma had a blast riding the pony ride and Riley LOVE the sling shot. Thanks so much Mom and Dad Leavitt who paid for us to go and helped so much with the kids... I would have been very stressed out if they hadn't been there to help.

The weather around here has been so weird this month! On Monday the 19th, it was almost 85... Allen was done with his internship and only had classes Tuesday and Thursday so we took the kids out to find some treasures. (of course)

Allen thought this particular cache had a really cool box! Riley and Emma got really hot. They ran and ran!

The next day we went with Allen to school. Beka had been invited to participate in a study to see what languages babies seem to prefer and if they recognize changes in pitch. We got a cute free onesie out of the deal. It was a beautiful day, and I got some amazing shots, like the one of the bird in I posted earlier.We had fun in the museum they have on campus, and then we played outside. That's the day I realized I needed UV lens for all my lens. These shots have a clarity that I wasn't getting with my other lens, and were taken with my big telephoto lens.

So, with the weather being so crazy hot. We got a little pool for the kids to play in. The water is still a cool 65 degrees, but they don't care! Of course this week the temperature outside has been in the 60s so we haven't really had a chance to play in the pool. And have I mentioned the wind? UGH! We had 60 mile hour wind gusts!

Finally (for tonight) we attend the Bird Sanctuary's fund raiser. We love Gilcrease Bird Sanctuary. We've been there many times. But a couple of months ago they had a fire there. They lost a bunch of birds and a housing. They are planing on rebuilding, and we went to support. It's just done the street from us too,which made it such a great outing with the kids. Emma and Riley got a really kick out of feeding the goats.

Beka was a particular pain on this adventure. The only time she wasn't fussing was when I had her in the snuggly... that's kinda where she hangs out during outings, hence there are few pictures of her! But I had to take at least one with the three kids. They are pretty cute!

Riley was very worried about the peacocks, which we learned later they had lost most of. The few that remained are what the kids are looking at in the picture below:

 

Well, thanks to anyone who read/look through this long post... mostly I did it so I wont forget what happened in April... Oh, and we had Dad's birthday (no of the pictures were that good) So, Happy May everyone!