Crafting on My Mind

Crafting has been on my mind lately. Thinking of some crafts to do for a church activity. There are so many crafts I would love to do, but so little time. We shall see...
We are just getting started in the planning and are a little behind, but I think we can pull off a great event. I have reached out to some friends and family for help and they have all been eager to help! I am excited to get my craft on!

Time Goes By...

One of my aunts passed away yesterday of an aneurysm(??) and it really made me think about life and family. I loved my Aunt Judy dearly, but in the last few years we had not been as close as we could have been. Being there with my cousins and family in the hospital reminded me of all the moments as children that we shared. Family is so important!
I remembered all the times she would pick me up from school and take me to my grandma's house. She was full of life. Always enjoying current pop culture. She loved music and all things Cubs. My brother and sister are extremely close in age to my cousins, so we did a lot of things together.
It is important to form those close family relationships when you are young. I remember spending all of our birthdays and holidays together. My ENTIRE family: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. It was a charmed life. As adults, you always wish for those perfect, beautiful memories to return. It just doesn't happen. We grow up and start our own families. We create our own traditions and spend our time with our immediate family. The huge number of people prohibits constant togetherness. I miss those idealic times of childhood. I miss the carefree life that kids have, no worries.
I want to create those same memories for my own children. I want them to love each other and their cousins. To be close and share those memories and experiences. Being a mother, I feel that I am the caretaker of my children's childhood. I shape their life and their future. At times, it feels like an impossible task to create that perfect dream of happiness. When I feel like that, I remember it happens one day at a time, one memory built upon another.
I hope that I can create that idealic childhood full of magic and love for them. I try everyday. Sometimes I wish I had a do over, but mostly I am proud of the life we are building for our children. I go forward each day with faith, love, and hope that my children will look back on their childhoods with fondness and a little longing. That they will know that they were loved and cherished. That they will cherish that family bond and it will perpetuate to their children and beyond.
Life is so fleeting. I was reminded of that yesterday. I held my children a little closer and hugged them a little longer. I am so thankful for the knowledge that families can be together forever.

"To you parents, express your love to your children. Pray for them that they may be able to withstand the evils of the world. Pray that they may grow in faith and testimony. Pray that they may pursue lives of goodness and of service to others. Children, let your parents know you love them. Let them know how much you appreciate all they have done and continue to do for you." -Thomas S. Monson

FHE Olympics

Ethan had a great time at the FHE Olympics. One of our friends organized a fun family Olympic experience at the park. There were events like the potato sack race, basketball, shotput, ring toss, 3-legged race and hula hooping. Ethan had a great time traveling around with his friend Owen and participating in each event. Of course, the medals were the best part (and dessert). It was a great way to spend an evening together.

I hope that my children remember the fun times we had as a family just being together. It is one of the things I remember from my own childhood. Family time together builds strong relationships that last and shared memories. I can't wait till the next FHE Olympics!

Birthday Party Extravaganza!

Having triplets means crazy birthday parties. There are always so many people there, no matter how hard you try. After a crazy 1st birthday party with a ton of friends and family, I vowed to never do that again! To make it even more fun, my youngest daughter has her birthday a few weeks after the triplets. What to do, what to do!
This year, we had a kids only party and are going to have a family party in a few weeks. Hailey is having her 1st birthday, which is very special, so of course she needs to have her own party, but we will just do family for that one. Being a mom can be exhausing!
We had a great time at the party and it was nice to split the birthday guilt by having 4 kids parties in one. The places that you rent out can be soooo expensive! Having the party indoors is a must in Vegas, so it was either an indoor place or my house. I loved it from the mom perspective! The girls at Child's Play were so helpful with setting up and cleaning up. It was a breeze. I will definitely consider a party place again.

The munchkins and their friends all had a great time!

3 AMAZING Years!

It is amazing how fast time flies! I can't believe that 3 years ago today I was headed into a labor and delivery room to give birth to my triplets. It seems like only yesterday that I was pregnant and praying for healthy babies. Fast forward to now and I have three beautiful little munchkins that keep me busy!
Motherhood and parenting have to be the two most amazing jobs on the planet. I am so grateful every day that I have been blessed with my children. It is hard to put into words what it feels like to want a baby so bad and yet, it never happens. Struggling with infertility was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life. There are no words to express the loss that takes over your every waking moment. I feel so blessed to look at my children now and see their sweet spirits as they play and dance around. At times, I think about how my hubby and I faced the possibility of having no children, or maybe one and now we have five. I truly believe that the Lord has a sense of humor and his own timetable.
Life is never dull and always a learning experience!
Happy birthday to my little ones; Nathan, Luke & Emily! I love you!