Terrible Two's

I'm sure every other mother of a two year-old boy has complained of this "stage." But I have got to share because I am in absolute shock of how actually terrible he has become.

Let me just re-cap the highlights of last two weeks--keeping in mind of course, that this is not all-inclusive:

1- An entire gallon of paint spilled on the office carpet. Why was there paint in there anyway you ask? Because he had colored with permanent red marker on the walls that even mr. magic eraser couldn't touch and I had just finished and thought the lid was on tight. It was a full 24-48 hrs before I discovered this debacle.

2-He flushed a large bouncy ball down the toilet...I'm sure that will only be part 1 of a much bigger story in the future, but let's hope I'm just being pessimistic and that I have fabulous plumbing. (haha, chuckle as I type that because lets be honest, every single builder cuts corners and its usually on the stuff you can't see inside the walls...)

3-He dumped bubbles in the toilet, oh joy.

4-He can put everything in the toilet except for his own #2. He constantly poops his pants. I have thrown away more underwear than I care to admit because I get so sick of cleaning up that particular mess. I'll spare you the details.

5-He found our electric toothbrushes, pulled the heads off and went around with the pointy metal end punching holes in the walls.

6-He spilled half a gallon on chocolate milk on the carpet and while I was cleaning that up, he jumped over the carpet cleaner breaking one of the attachment holders. It still works but only adds to my frustration.

7-He squirted white creamy desitin on Hannah's carpet and rubbed it in. This was harder to clean up that the entire gallon of paint. Desitin is oil based and resisted all carpet cleaner attempts.

8-He climbed into the fridge, pulled down two cartons of eggs, smashed them on the floor then came to me with yolk all over his hands saying "eggs, eggs."

9-While eating and Kneaders, he accidentally bumped his chocolate milk sending it spiraling all over me and the bench. I was so done with the child at this point I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I really just wanted to crawl into a little ball and roll out of that place without anyone seeing me .

10-I found a bobby pin sticking out of his electrical outlet...not sure when he did this or how it worked out for him. I just hope he learned his lesson. (I'm sure he didn't, but one can hope can't she?!)

Now you may think this is evidence of bad parenting. While I am not mommy of the year, this kid can find trouble in seconds, literally, SECONDS! He puts Dennis the Menace to absolute shame!

Easter

Easter came, Easter went. I don't have pictures of the excessive amount of eggs that Hannah got at my brother's neighborhood hunt, but trust me, it was more than I could carry as it was overflowing the basket. The kids liked dying the eggs, I was honestly worried about what Maddax might ruin just knowing there was permanent dye within 10 feet of him. No damage done=miracle!

Sunday afternoon before church and Hannah was mad about whatever her problem was for that hour and Maddax wouldn't put down the nerf gun the Easter bunny brought. It's un-likely he will bring any other sort of weapon for Maddax ever again. 'Nuff said.

Life has a funny way of working out

It is very interesting for me to reflect on the last few months of our life. I can definitely see how faith has paid off. The renters of our townhouse moved out May 1st and we had listed it for rent for a month before that, with nothing promising. This meant paying two mortgages this month-ouch. Not long after, a position opened at work that I'd been working towards but there was another candidate also applying for the position who was well qualified.

Then our ward split---well split isn't the right phrase. It's more like we were plucked from our ward and put into a ward they formed just for us. Now, if anyone really knows me, it takes me a while to get comfortable with people and become friends. I wish that weren't the case, but it is. After only living in this ward for 2 years, I felt robbed and deflated that I'd be starting over again.

BUT-

I took the attitude that I needed to Trust in God, then go and do. (A lesson I had taught in Relief Society not more than 2 months before.) It was much easier to teach the lesson than to translate into my actual life. However, I decided I'd experiment with it anyway. I gave my best efforts to listing the townhouse, I made changes to the requirements as I saw fit. I gave 100% to my job interview, doing research before, polishing my resume and going in with all I had. As for the new ward, I decided that things would work out and I needed to just give it a chance.

And what happened?

Well, I got the promotion (see previous post). In my new ward I was called to the Young Women's Presidency as the first counselor, meaning I will be working with the 14 yr old girls. (mind you there are only 3 or 4 young women TOTAL...but let's not get into that just yet.) The other ladies in the presidency are going to be great to work with and I can tell we are going to be really good friends. Finally, a high school friend referred someone to our townhome and we are signing the lease this week.

These may not seem to be a big deal to most people, but to me, I can see that my Heavenly Father is looking out for me. Even if things had not gone this way, I know that it would have meant something just as good, if not better, down the road. This doesn't mean that new trials haven't popped up in the last 7 days to replace the ones I had before...because trust me, they have. With that in mind, I will continue to trust in God, then go and do.

Promotion

This last week I received word that I had been offered the promotion I've been working on for quite some time. Being employed for such a large company, they have several steps to even qualify for management. I have had to take several tests over the course of a year, pass 2 behavioral based interviews and finally win them over in the actual job interview. It seems I passed! I will now be a supervisor over a team of 5 adjusters doing what I've been doing.

I am excited and nervous at the same time. I've loved the job I've had over the last 4 years (there have been times when I've loved it less, but that comes with any job I suppose). I can honestly say that A) I've never been bored with my job and B) No two days have been the same or repetitive and C) I've traveled more in the last 4 years by way of driving than the previous 23 years of my life.

Anyway, I begin the transition in about a month and then off to a 2 week symposium in California in July, and then the first of August I take the reigns.

Unfortunately the promotion means no more company car and company gas :( So we are on the lookout for a replacement vehicle...

Family Pictures

We had family pictures done by Nichole Burdett Photography.

I think family pictures are always money well spent because as everyone grows up you forget the little things about how they all looked.

Thankful Thursday

I can't help but look around and feel so blessed. With so much going on in the world, I am so grateful to have clean air, clean water, indoor plumbing, a quality built home, vehicles that are reliable and most of all, my family.

It can be so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day as if we are wearing blinders. Sometimes those blinders only look at the bad parts of my life and the best parts of others, and the world seems un-fair. It takes a lot of recognition to realize that comparison isn't really true. Comparing only hurts the one doing the comparing and benefits nobody.

This may sound silly, but we've been generally aweful when it comes to scripture study, I mean like really bad. But, in the last two weeks, I've made a point to read the illustrated Book of Mormon with the kids every single night. Sometimes it's one chapter, sometimes three. (Depends on how tired I am and their attention span.) But that small 10 minutes every night has made a world of difference for me. I am more compassionate. I think more of others. I reflect more on the spiritual of not just my own salvation, but on the spiritual needs of others. I can't quite describe the small change that has taken place, but it's been enough to lift the "fog" that had me down. I am ambitious about making positive changes in my parenting, my role as a wife, a neighbor, a friend.

*And by the way, Ammon cutting off people's arms and dragging them back to King Lamoni...how crazy would that be in today's society?

Catch up for the lame blogger I am

This kid loves being outside...he BEGS to go to the park every stinking day!

Not sure why boxes make the best toys...but hey, cheap entertainment, I'm not complaining.

I turned 27 and got an ice cream cake...so yum!

Maddax L.O.V.E.D. little Noel...but, we had to wish her the best as we found her a new family who adored her and planned to make her an inside dog where she will likely be pampered and loved more than we could ever give her.

Spring break...we headed to Thanksgiving Point and discovered the gardens (above) and the Dinosaur Museum (below). We are loving that place and looking forward to spending the summer between the various attractions there.

Right before saying good-bye to Noel...she wouldn't stop climbing on them and they were so frustrated.

Everyone that went on the cruise: