Macie's 6th birthday

I feel awful. It has been an entire month, and not a mention of my babies birthday.
Every year I freak out that she is one year older. This year was just as hard as the last. SIX!!!

She is the best thing ever! Every single day of the past 6 years (plus one month) has been my favorite. I love how the older she gets, the more I can talk to her about, relate to her and teach her (as well as the countless lessons she has taught me)
I have never seen anyone get MORE excited than she does when she learns something new. She BEAMS when she reads a word/sentence right, and jumps for joy when she understands math. Watching her understand basic school subjects is awesome, but I especially love teaching her gospel principles. BUT, above all of that, my very favorite is when she turns around and teaches Hazel those, oh so important, life lessons.
She really is the BEST big sister. She deeply cares about Hazel getting into heaven, and Sawyer not going down the stairs... what more could a mother ask for from her 6 year old.

 Birthday pancakes

 We got to put together a BIRTHDAY POSTER of Macie,

and then present it to her class, it was so much fun!

 We celebrated at CHUCK E CHEESE with some cousins

I think the kids especially liked putting the coins into the machines, who cares about actually playing the game!

Macie with her AQUA cake.

I LOVE YOU MACIE!!!!

January- UGH!

I'm totally having one of those days... ok, WEEKS!
I had so much energy though the holidays, even getting super sick right before Christmas, I was able to just keep going. Then to ring in the New Year I joined FLYLADY.com (highly recommended) and was super motivated to do all kinds of things around my house, I discovered PINTEREST.com and have enjoyed learning all kinds of hair do's and fun recipes, decorating tips, DIY art projects, and outfit styles. I was super excited to finally be out of the "I just had a baby" stage, and GET GOING!
Friends of mine started the INSANITY workouts, and I was sweating like a pig, IT FELT SO GOOD!
I was using my TRUTH TOOLS to avoid any PIT OF ILLUSION, trying my best to LIVE IN TRUTH (see here) Things were going really, really well. I felt like a new person. ready to conquer the world (by taking on 3 small kids, keeping up with the YW in my ward, and taking care of my house and husband, nothing too big)

This week--- it died!

Is it just January?

How do I get motivated to keep going? I swear today I checked my email half a dozen times, sorted through Pinterest for a good hour, started a new book for book club, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS (wow!) cleaned my house, did a new hair style on Macie.... but I'm not feelin it.    HELP!!!

I've got the January/winter blues. The after holidays blues. The I JUST DON'T CARE ANYMORE blues.

Good bye Christopher

 My little-est brother left for his mis, last week. LIMA PERU SOUTH. It feels so weird that the twins could possibly be old enough to serve a mission, but here it is, wow! He will be an amazing missionary. Go get 'em tiger!!!

 Saying good bye to Elder Koller. 6 nieces and nephews that will dramatically change in the next two years.

Christopher (Max) and Anna, the twins, this will be the longest they have ever been apart, how sad.

Any suggestions on things to send to this guy? We have been told that a lot of the time he won't receive any packages, and they are really expensive to send anyway. Let me know if you know of any tricks, good things to send. So far I have put together a photo book of pictures of the fam. Lame?

Halloween was, once again, a week long event.
Starting with the TRUNK OR TREAT at the high school, followed by the 3rd birthday celebration of Hazel Marie, and the fire station Halloween party, and then Halloween Day! My neighbor, Kevin took these pictures of the kids, I LOVE all of them, but Hazels is STUNNING. Don't you think?

Hazel the Angel

Macie the witch

and, My little pumpkin!

Hazel's birthday celebration
Our traditional birthday pancakes with candles, that was for sure her FAVORITE part. And for three weeks she was adamant about chocolate cake, with marshmallow frosting and pink flowers (thanks for the pink frosting flowers Amber)

Visiting the pumpkin patch







Halloween night. See Hazel's devil tail. This describes her personality so perfectly! I couldn't resist.

Witch-A-Palooza 2011!!!

So I think that Halloween is the most unimportant holiday EVER! I don't like the SCARY aspect of it, only the fall aspect of it. I understand that it is SO fun for kids, so I comply to the some-what competitive costume making, although, for the most part I am all about just buying something from Costco and calling it good. Then there is the massive amounts of candy that is consumed, mostly by me!!! UGH, it is so obnoxious.

This year I got a phone call about 6 weeks ago about a Witch-A-palooza down at Gardner Village, its dinner and a show, all put together by my friend, Amanda, the extremely creative, beautiful freak about Halloween, woman, on the planet. So I said I would go, thinking it would be a fun night out with the girls.
Wow! I had no idea what I was getting myself into! But here it is. I paid someone to paint my makeup, and Amanda helped me make my skirt, and decorate my hat.



Amanda's group of LADIES!

My kids weren't sure if they liked it.. they thought it was just cool.

Brook, Me and Amanda

Me and Amanda, I wish I got a better picture of her hat, the creativity and details were amazing.