bliSsFulLy hApPy to pure TERROR in moments

Today when I got home, my kids were already home.

I see Emma in the back yard playing with Ellie.

I go in and JJ and Emma have helped Ellie do her homework.

Ahhh, good kids.

Elsie runs to play with Emma, Ellie, and Emma's friend.  Emma gladly lets Elsie play.

Ahhh, good girl.

I was having one of those good kids moments...

The house was clean...very unusal.

Elsie comes in because it is cold.

She hangs out with me.

I hear Emma and her friend come in.

Emma comes up the stairs and tells me Ellie is in the basement

She locked the door so that Ellie could not get out.

Ahhh, good daughter.

About 20 minutes later I decide to go down and talk to Ellie.

No Ellie, I yell up to Emma where is Ellie?  Emma replies she is in the basement.

"NO SHE ISN"T  WHERE IS ELLIE?"

We start running through our house yelling for Ellie.

The door is most definitely locked so she couldn't have gotten out.

Still there is no sign of Ellie anywhere.  In fact her coat is missing and her shoes.

Now I am freaking out.  It has been 20 minutes that I had thought she was playing down stairs. 

I ask Emma if she really brought her in.  Now she says, "Well, I thought I did."  THOUGHT!!!

I run out of the house to the neighbors house.  She is not at any of them.  

I am starting to PANIC.  I go to get in the van...NO KEYS!!

Jeron is out of town and not answering.  I tell JJ to watch Elsie, and Emma to keep looking for Ellie.

Just then my cell phone rings.  I am hoping it is a neighbor telling me they have Ellie.  It was Jeron.

WHERE ARE MY KEYS???

He can hear the panic in my voice and tells me calmly where to find them.

I find them and run our the door.  I see Emma, and she still has not found Ellie.  Panic is intensifying.  

I get in my car pull out and head down the street.  I see a man walking with a little boy and little girl.

I almost turn but thing not to, and head towards the man with the kids. 

As I am getting closer they come into better view.  It was a guy from my ward with his son 

and MY DAUGHTER.

I drive to them and try to hold back the tears.  I actually did.  SHOCKING I know.  

He had just gotten home from work and thought he saw Ellie.  He went in, set his things on the counter, and had a nagging feeling that Ellie was a little too far from home.  When he got back outside she was in the yard that was behind his cul-de-sac.  I never would have looked where he found her.

I can't thank him enough for caring enough to go back outside.

Moments like that make my heart stop.  I seriously went from having a "Life is Bliss" moment to pure terror.  

I am just so thankful that he cared enough about my family to go back outside.

I could cry now just thinking about it. Okay, yes I am.

Later tonight when Ellie took him a plate of cookies he said it wasn't a big deal. 

Ohmygoodness, yes it was.  He literally saved my sanity if not her life.  

Thank you!!!

We are pretty lucky.  We have some great family that seem to always support our kids.  Mama, Papa, Grandma Jan, Grandpa Gene, and everyone else who came thank you so much.  It truly means a lot.  (Those of you who could not come because of distance...we know you would be there if you could...and we love you for it.)  JJ made bank at the party and was hilarious in the ways that he gasped at the money.  He got money to buy a bike.  It was a great time for Jeron and I.  We had so much fun talking with everyone and we truly feel blessed to have you in our lives. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JJ

Happy Birthday to JJ

We can not believe that JJ is 11.  This time is flying by.  This year JJ didn't know what he wanted so Jeron and I were left to figure this out on our own.He did make one request...a homemade Blanket like I made Jeron.  He did get his wish.  Plus a whole lot of weird things like a 12 pack of soap so he can carve it...hmmm

We went to Texas Roadhouse because this is Jeron and JJ's favorite place.  They love the RIBS.  I am not a rib fan.  Just thought you would all like to know that little bit of information. 

JJ had to ride the saddle for his birthday.  He was hilarious.  He was so nervous.  IT was hilarious to watch.  His elbow must have been tied to his waist in some way.  Imagine yourself trying to "rodeo" with your elbow tied to your waist.  Now try not to laugh..

At home we had cake and ice cream and played monopoly. 

Oh ya, we had to light the cake twice or three times so that he could prove to Jeron he got all the candles.  Which Jeron knew darn well that he did, but he has to give him a hard time.  UGH!  BOYS!

1.  JJ is charming

2.  JJ is curious

3.  JJ is wicked smart

4.  JJ has a tender heart

5.  JJ is funny

6.  JJ is interested in everything

7.  JJ is a good brother

8.  JJ loves his grandparents

9.  JJ accomplishes anything he sets his mind to.

10.  JJ love mythology

11.  JJ is my most favorite son in this entire world. 

JJ's teeth are falling out...

Crazy thing tonight, JJ goes to the bathroom and comes back in the kitchen saying "My tooth just fell out." WHAT!! He said he started to just wiggle it a little and it came right out. Then he went to rinse his mouth out and he comes back in the room saying "My other tooth just fell out." Now Jeron and I are starting to get worried. We didn't have time right then but later we found out they are just his 6 year molars

That is one crammed mouth though. Poor kids. We really need to go to the ortho.The tooth fairy forgot to come.  The best part though is when the fairy finally came she left him money but forgot to take the teeth.  She even dived in the water and turned it green but she forgot the teeth.  What is wrong with this tooth fairy.  She must be losing it. 

Happy Valentine's Day

I often hear of people saying they hate Valentine's Day.  This is just crazy talk to me.  Valentine's day is there to shower those you love with love.  Is there anything better than LOVE?  It isn't about who loves you.  It is about who YOU love.  Having kids makes the holiday that much better.  It is so much fun to see their cute faces when they open the door to a suprise or when they ask for the pink balloon at the store, you know the heart shaped one that they ask for every time you go, but you always say "Not today."  Well, not on Valentine's Day.  Today I get to say YES you can have it because I love you. 

Our kids got showered with gifts from their grandparents, cousin Lucy, and of course Mom and Dad and from each other.  The older kids are starting to get the hang of it.  When they got home from school they went straight to their rooms to see what was waiting.  We heart attack their bedroom doors, make them sugar cookies, and get them a balloon.  Simple but they feel how much they are loved.  They even knew to wait by the front door so they could catch Mama and Papa in the act of placing their gift s on the porch.  They were giggling so hard while they watched them place the booty on the porch. 

Jeron got me chocolate covered strawberries (my fav) and a caramel apple.  Lucky girl that I am.  I made him a sugar cookie and got him his favorite treat.  Again we keep it simple but it is what we love.  The kids love their meals to be fun on holidays so we had all the heart shaped food you can eat.  German pancakes colored pink, heart shaped sandwiches, and heart shaped spaghetti pie. 

I just hope that my hubby, kids and all of our family know that I love them the mostest and the bestest. 

Valentine Mailbox's

Our school has the kids make their own boxes for Valentines.  They turned out pretty cute if you ask me.

JJ made a Robot and Emma made a mailbox. 

I just love V-Day!

Psht...

If anyone has a clue what to do about our little sneaky daughter constantly sneaking food out of child locked areas I am all ears. 

Between the eggs and now butter I might go CRAZY.

Pure Joy

There is no better hoarse in the world then your dad

Poor Jeron has to give all the girls a ride at the same time.  They just love these moments with Daddy.

gOod gRadEs pAiD oFf

One of my friends informed me that if your kids get good grades that Krispy Kreme will give them a donut per A up to six. Holy Donut Batman... Elsie had never been so she was pretty excited to see the way a donut is made.  Actually they all were.  We walked out of there with 24 donuts.  Yes, they get very good grades.

Ha, I bet you thought that was all but there is a local donut shop that also gives free donuts for grades.  And yes it is up to six as well.  So who are we to pass up free donuts.  I mean we aren't crazy.  Plus, Tasty's is so much yummier. Yep, that would be another 24 donuts. 

We may be in a donut coma after all this delicious goodness but what a way to go.

Good grades never tasted so good.  48 donuts in one week, 

yikes this probably means I should work out a little harder.  

The best part is once they were all gone Elsie asked when we were going to go and get some more. 

First Valentine's Party

Elsie was so excited for her Valentine party today. We made these stinkin' cute Valentines for her to give to her friends.  She was excited to give them to her friends.  When she got home she told me "I had so much fun. I got candy. "

And yes, she ate every bit of candy all at one time.  Mmmm, got to love Valentine's day.

We have moved our TV room to the back of the house.  We sit in our cave while our shows are on and we never ever leave the room once it sucks us in.  That is because it is so cold in the rest of our house and the TV room has its own heater and it is soooo warm.  The part that makes all of this hilarious to me is that Ellie wasn't in the room one night and she comes in dressed like this.  

See I told you it was cold.

 She is so funny some times. 

And now as you can see Ellie is sucked in to the TV room as well.  She can't take her eyes off of the TV.