Best Cruise Ever...

Our Mexico Cruise ended up being exactly what I was hoping for- totally relaxing and a ton of fun.  When we took the boys to the Bahamas last February, Scott and I decided this is the best way to vacation with kids.  It's actually a vacation.  I was hoping to get a lot of sleep, to eat a ton of great food, and to have time to talk with all the family.  All of my wishes came true!  January is the perfect time for a trip- Christmas is over and there isn't much to look forward to except spring.  It's been such a frigid winter this year, I knew the 80 degree temperatures would be a delightful change.

The trip started out great when Oakley, Eli, and I were able to sit in First-Class.  The boys were THRILLED, I was exhausted making sure they didn't bother the other passengers.

Eating was the main theme of the trip... the food was fabulous!

Oh the joy of quiet evening meals while the children played at Camp Carnival!

It was like having date-night every night!

Oakley LOVED hanging out with cool cousin Austin.

Austin was really great to hang out and talk with Oakley.

It meant the world to Oakley.

Our waiter, Jeffrey, was unbelieveable!

He had tricks or made things out of paper for the kids...

... and even helped cut up the kids food!

We would have loved to bring him home in our suitcase.

The other main activity was SWIMMING.  When we would get into port, we'd ask the boys if they wanted to go to the beach. They always chose to stay on the ship and swim in the pools.  We were glad for that- it made things easier for us!

This hot tub ended up being our private pool for all the kids.

It wasn't too deep for the little ones and the water was warm!

This was our usual "spot," close to warm pool, water slide, and miniature golf course.

The Splash Park was also a fun spot for the boys.

The time the cousins got to spend together was the other highlight.  Lots of fun times for these amigos!

Oakley also celebrated his 8th birthday during the trip.  I decorated his cabin, he got serenaded at dinner with a great cake,  and got to open his presents in the dining room - his favorite gift being a cell phone from Mom and Dad.

Seriously- I can't even go a week without a trip to Wal-Mart!  The first time I've taken a cruise ship to get there, though...and the only time I've worn a swimsuit to go shopping there.  Only in Mexico!

Game time in the Library!

A deep-sea fishing trip for the guys.

Camp Carnival was really fun- Eli especially loved it.  Asher was more reluctant to go, but Eli loved all the activities, crafts, dancing, stories, etc.  Having the boys able to go and give Mom and Dad a break made for a real vacation.

Asher loved riding up and down in the glass elevators.  He would hang on the side and sing the Spider Man song.

All this fun is exhausting!

There weren't enough seats on the flight home, so Asher and I spent the day in Long Beach.  We took the city bus to the mall and Asher thought it was wonderfully exciting!

2010 - Our Word of the Year...

For 2009, the word I chose to focus on was JOY.  I wouldn't call it a complete success, but I did try to find more joy in being a wife and mother.  As I've been contemplating what it is I want to focus on for 2010, the word I have selected is CONTENT.  I waste way too much energy and cause myself way too much stress wanting things to be different- "When I lose 20 pounds...," "When the kids are all in school....," "When the carpet is replaced...," "When I am in good enough shape to do a triathlon...," "When the house is cleaner...," "When I attend the temple every week...," "When those horribly ugly sheds are removed and we have the new workshop built...," "When the kids are old enough to watch themselves at home...," "When I actually get to read a book...," "When I study my scriptures for 30 minutes every day...," "When the basement is remodeled...," ...the list goes on and on.

The other source of my discontent is seeing how much more other women with small children seem to be getting done.  Not only just the day to day activities, but major projects.  Others seems to have all this time for "extras,"; i.e., volunteering for all kinds of different activities, scrapbooking, photography, writing books, making all kinds of crafts, participating in local government positions, training for triathlons and marathons, etc.  I feel like if I do ONE thing other than the very necessities of the day- getting dressed, preparing food, school work, piano practice, laundry, keeping up on the bills- I am stretched beyond my limit. How do people seem to have all this time and energy?!?!  I've come to the conclusion my pace is not the same as others.  I will never get everything done on my "to do" list that I make each morning.  When I'm tired and it's time to go to bed, I'm not going to get all upset about what I didn't get finished.  I'm just going to sleep and rest up for the coming day.  No master artwork completed.  No record-breaking morning run time.  No best-seller book written.  No election to a government postion.

I am blessed and need to be appreciative of just how incredibly great my life is.  I focus too much on how I think things should be and not being grateful for how great they already are.  I need to realize life is moving on and it's time to stop wishing I were at a different stage of it. 

There is no clean kitchen floor that is better than playing Candy Land ten times in a row.  There is no number on the scale more valuable than having Family Home Evening each week.  There is no book more enjoyable to read than making cookies with the boys.  There is no triathlon more important to participate in than the time spent reading to each of the boys every day.  There is no workshop worth more money than the investment we're making in sending our boys to private school for the best education they can receive.


I want to be more content with my life as it is.  Not complacent, just more content.

Cleaning???

Asher came in the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear, with a can of aerosal hairspray.  He announced, "Mom, I'm cleaning!"

An entire can of hairspray all over the walls and furniture in the bedroom.... just how I wanted to spend my Sunday afternoon....

Hmmmm....

I'm not sure what to think when Bishop Hulbert tells us, "You're one of my favorite families to watch during Sacrament Meeting."

Like Grandma, Like Tot...

What I found on the couch when I went to pick up Asher from Grandma's house...

... a sleepy toddler and a sleepy Grandma.

Grandmas vs. Dogs...

Eli had called Great Grandma Moore to ask if he could sleep over and she had told him he could.  While we were getting his bag packed, he told me, "I need to bring my Leapster to play with because Grandma is going to the groomers in the morning and I need something to play with."

The GROOOMERS- he's been around too many dog people I guess.

Too Predictable...

When I told Asher we were going to Target, he asked, "Walmart and Costco, too?"  I guess our errands route is pretty predictable...