School's Out For the Summer!

Posted by: Landon

I've been going to this school since I was three years old. I love it so much and I am going to miss all my teachers and my best friends. Some of my friends are going to transfer to our new school too so I will see them again. These are pictures of my last day at school where we had relay races, water balloon parachutes and sang lots of songs. I had so much fun this year with Mrs. Proctor and I liked singing songs from Switzerland and Germany, where she is from. For the last day of school we ordered chocolate from Germany for her and I think she liked it a lot. I will miss my friends Tyler, Helaman, Ethan, Alex and Olivia.

Mulligan!

Posted By: Mom

Every year around February, Jeremy complains about the Utah weather. Every year, for the last five years, he is absolutely adamant that this is our last year in Utah, and we are moving to a warmer climate. Every year around May, he changes his mind.

Well this year, he hasn't changed his mind and this is the first year I actually agreed with him.

May SUCKED!

We decided that we are taking a Mulligan. May never happened. We never had snow, rain and hurricane wind. We didn't have a sick baby for 24 straight days. We didn't have any stress at work or emotional breakdowns at home. It never happened.

June is finally here!

June has been my favorite month since I was a kid. Two of my favorite things happens in June...No school and my birthday.

Now that I am older, I am still looking forward to June, but for more sophisticated reasons... yea, right...No school and my birthday. Woo-Hoo!

Seriously though, I'm really looking forward to having more time with the older kids. Emma will be in school all day in September and so I need these three months to eat her up as much as I can. Also, I've missed Landon so much this year, he's the coolest kid, and I can't wait to catch up with him. I'm looking forward to warmer weather, splash park, cinema in the park, long walks, and no homework...oh, and my birthday. On that note, if you want to ship U.S postal ground, you need to have my present in the mail by the 6th for it to reach me on my birthday on the 9th. Seriously...

Counting My Blessings

The one break I've gotten this week was spending some time with Landon and Emma at the park. Their kind faces and naturally happy dispositions are enough to make me smile no matter how bad my day was. They really help me to remember what's important in life and to always count my blessings. Here are some shots of two of my four blessings...

Stick a Fork in Me....I'm Done!

Livi has been sick since the 8th of this month. I've made light of it...just to help me get through it. Each day I keep thinking, this has to end soon...maybe tomorrow.

However, This morning at 2 a.m, she started throwing up and had a fever over 105. We went to the doctor at noon and she was at 103.7 and this is with Motrin and Tylenol alternating through her system every 4 hours. We still can't break this fever. After going over the last 3 weeks with the doctor, we realized she hasn't eaten solid foods for 20 days. There was an occasional bite here and there, but not enough to gain her strength or build her immune system. He doesn't know what's wrong with her right now. The ulcers in her mouth have healed, the ear infection from last Friday is getting better and she's still on antibiotics so she can't be developing a new bacteria. He said this high of a fever is highly unusual but has to assume it's a new virus.

Anyway, for those of you that are more experienced with illness or have any thoughts on the matter, I am currently accepting advice. Also, please keep Livi in your prayers for the next few days to kick this fever and to get stronger so we can have our rambunctious little girl back. Oh, and maybe a little"holla" for Jeremy and I to find our sanity again to be able to deal with this for a little longer.

Thanks!!

Memorial Day BBQ

We had a great time at the Memorial Day BBQ. Thanks to everyone for the yummy food, good company and serious competition. Kudos to Stacey and Aaron for continuing their reign as Ping-Pong champions. Jeremy wanted to note that had he been there, the results would've been different ;)

Everyone was so much fun, but I do have to single out Owen and Debbie to congratulate them for joining the virtual world of bowling. Oh, and also for letting Gary bowl for me when I was unavailable. Thanks a lot...cheater.

Anyway, I'm glad everyone could make it and it was great seeing you!

e-stalking

Posted by: Mom

I posted a blog yesterday that Jeremy asked me to take down, so if you caught a glimpse of it, you saw that it was pretty funny. Inappropriate, but funny. All of you that read this know me pretty well, and so nothing I say really shocks you. However, I just need to remember that there are more strangers reading this than I care to think about, so I need to be careful of what I say sometimes...but only sometimes; I'm still me ;)

I wrote a post last week about “why I blog” but this incident reminded me of the flip-side, “Why I love other people’s blog”. I always thought that once I got married and had kids, I would see my friends more often because we could have our kids play together and we would have nothing else to do but go to lunch and hang out at parks. Well, after actually having kids, I realized that was a complete fairy-tale and it takes a great deal of planning to even make a phone call. I am really lucky to see the same girls every month at Bunco and another group of friends for girl’s night out a couple times a month. However, there are old friends from my childhood, High School and even long lost family members that I’ve lost touch with over the years. Sure, there’s the occasional phone call or email, but that’s not enough for me to feel in touch with them.

This is why I am so happy that blogging has become main stream. With gas prices as high as they are today, I can no longer afford to do a drive-by for everyone I’m stalking. I’m grateful that you have all made my stalking much easier by bringing your lives into the comfort of my home, at my convenience.

Most of my friends have blogs now and I love seeing pictures and reading about the things they find interesting. I also love reading blogs of people that have no idea that I’m e-stalking them. I’ve recently found out, however, that I’m not the only one who does this. A few of my friends (you know who you are) have come out of the closet and admitted to being e-stalkers themselves. With that said, I think I give a lot of personal information out on my blog, but it’s usually about experiences, feelings and thoughts. I’m always careful not to give too much specific information such as what city we live in, what school my kids go to, when I’m going out of town and so on.

There are negative aspects of reading so many blogs. First, it’s time consuming, so I would recommend using Google Reader. This allows you to subscribe to the blogs you want to read and it notifies you when a new blog is posted, so you don’t have to go through your list each day.

Secondly, keeping up on my friends this way gives me a false sense of intimacy. I feel like I’m up-to-date and know what’s going on with them on a daily basis. So when I finally see them in person, I realize it’s been a year since we’ve actually seen each other. How can that be? I just saw you and your baby at Lagoon yesterday? Oh, wait, that was on the internet.

Mother's Day

Posted by: Mom

I know I'm a little late on this post, but I was still focused on the whole IHOP debacle ;)

Anyhoo, I wanted to post a quick note about my Mother's Day. It was wonderful, as always. The kids woke me up with their homemade gifts. Landon made me a beautiful bracelet and Emma made me a "MOM" key chain with her fingerprints on it. Livi gave me a smile...which is pretty rare these days. It was awesome. We all went out to breakfast and then spent the day together. Then I took the kids to my in-laws for a party. My sweet hubby stayed home with Livi since she was still sick (which is also why she's not in this picture). I'm so lucky to have him and the kids in my life. They rock.

It's so fun to be a Mom. It's harder than I ever imagined, but so much more rewarding than any success I've ever had. Here is a little poem I found that sums it up quite nicely:

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

The Replacement Mommy

Posted by: Mom

This is going to require some participation from you all, because I'm not sure how I feel about this...I just thought it was odd and wondered what other people thought. Here goes:

Last night, Jeremy offered to wake up with the kids in the morning so I could sleep in. I slept in the guest room so I didn't hear them wake up...Yes, I already know Jeremy's a Saint, but that's not what I wanted to discuss.

Around 9:00, I find my way out of bed and everyone's gone. A few minutes later, the garage opens and the house is once again filled with noise angelic voices. Jeremy told me they went to IHOP and that Livi was a little unbearable, but with her still fighting her whole hand-foot thing, it wasn't surprising. That's all he said about the outing and noted that he was happy that I got some rest.

A few hours later, in passing, he mentioned the following:

Jeremy: "oh, at breakfast, Livi's nose was running so much that the waitress came by with a napkin and wiped it."

Me: "what? the waitress wiped my daughter's nose?"

Jeremy: "yea"

Me: "did you ask her to wipe her nose"

Jeremy: "no, it was just running".

Me: "you didn't find that odd?"

Jeremy: "not really, she also tried to pick her up, but that didn't go over too well with Livi, she kind of freaked out."

Me: "did she ask if she could pick up your baby?"

Jeremy: "no, why?"

Me: "you really don't find that odd?"

Jeremy: "well, Livi was still in her jammies, and she probably figured I was a single dad with the kids for the weekend. she was just trying to help". (note: Jeremy doesn't wear a wedding ring).

Me: "so she litterally just walked by, took out a napkin and wiped your kid's nose, and then tried to pick her up, and you didn't say anything?"

Jeremy: "what was I supposed to say...it didn't bother me, does it bother you?"

Me: "yea, it does"

Jeremy: "why?"

Me: "um...I don't know, I guess...it just does"

So, what do you think?

Move Over David Archuleta

Posted by: Mom

This was Landon's school program yesterday. I'm so proud of my little American Idol. I hope our city has already started making a new street sign for "Landon Lane".

Note: Sorry about the shaky video, I had Livi in one hand and the camera in the other.
I was basically just playing 'keep away'.

Hand, Foot and Mouth

Posted by: Mom

Not to be mistaken for my chronic disease, "Foot In Mouth", we have been battling "Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease" with our little Livi for about a week now. It's been nothing but fever, vomit, poopies, crying, holding, and no sleep. If I wasn't holding her, she was hanging on to my leg constantly. I'm absolutely exhausted.

While trying not to A) Cry or B) Throw my head through a wall, I decided to try and remain positive. So as I was changing her sheets for the seventh time in one day, I started thinking of all the things I'm grateful for. First and foremost, we are so blessed to have healthy children. I can' t complain when I only have to deal with this for a week, when there are parents that live this every day with chronically ill children. For that, I am grateful.

Well, that was all I could come up with before she puked on me again. At that moment, I started to think of how grateful I was for some other things that were helping me on this journey:

A Big Day for Utah

Posted by: Mom

So I'm watching the 5:00 news and see that Governor Huntsman has announced that today is Utah's official "David Archuleta Day". Then, the city of Murray decided to name a street after him... "Archuleta Ave". Surely, this young man I see on the news must have cured cancer or donated a significant amount of money to the Huntsman Institute. There must certainly be a new development coming soon as to how he helped the Utah homeless and fed all the needy children.

Nope. He sang a song on a reality show.

You know, I'm feeling a little slided... I was the 1999 karaoke champion. Yea, that's right.

Guess what I got? $100 bucks. Yup, no street name or anything.

Child Abuse or Innovative Containment?

Why I Blog

I've had people ask me why I blog. How do you find the time? Are you really that bored? Don't you think it's just trendy?

I had to think about it... I didn't just start it one day because I was bored or because everyone was doing it. After a little research, I was reminded how this all got started.

On Mother's Day 2002, Jeremy told me he needed to finish my present because it was "hand-made". He finally surprised me with a family website. Try to remember back to 2002...there weren't very many people creating family websites, so it was a little unusual. But I liked the idea of having pictures of my new baby boy to show off to people who didn't see him every day. I also enjoyed learning website development using HTML, since there wasn't anything like blogger or free templates back then. Here was our very first family blog:

www.palmerfam.com

Then in 2005, it evolved to this:

www.palmer-kids.com

That is why I blog. I have a digital scrapbook of my family since inception, and all of you, our friends and family (and internet stalkers, you know who you are) have been able to watch our kids grow as if you've been here every step of the way. Some of you that lived nearby eight years ago are now hundreds of miles away, yet you still have a way to share our little moments.

So the question is...why don't you blog?

10 Things I'd Never Admit...unless I'm tagged!

Posted by: Mom

10. I secretly watch "Big People Little World" on TLC. When my husband catches me, I pretend the DVR made a mistake. I just love those little guys.

9. I drive a mini-van and love it. Jeremy told me I can get a new car next year and I'm highly considering another mini-van.

8. I love celebrity trash.

7. I'm addicted to Target

6. I cry every time I watch "Extreme Home Makeover".

5. I hate cats.

4. I sing the "Kidz Bop" CD in the car with my kids. I sing it even louder when I'm alone.

3. I wear sweats most days, but get dressed before Jeremy gets home so he
doesn't think I'm one of those housewives.

2. I let my baby eat off the floor.

1. I just bought the book "Vegetable Gardening for Dummies", and I still can't figure it out.




I tag: Erica, Kelli and Nicole....have fun girls!

Reality TV

Posted By: Mom

We've had a hard time with Livi's naps recently. I would set her down and it would be quiet for an hour and then she'd start crying. Of course at that time, I would get her out of her crib. Then, within a few minutes she would be crying and yawning. I kept thinking, "If you are so tired, why don't you sleep longer than an hour?".

Finally after about 2 weeks of this, I decided to buy a video monitor for her room. Turns out she just really enjoys her alone time. After I put her down for a nap, she quietly plays for an hour. She hides under her blanket, throws her bottle, spins around, and all sorts of crazy stuff. It's only really amusing to Jeremy and I, but the point is- I figured it out. She starts crying after an hour because she is tired and ready to sleep. Before, I would assume she just woke up and get her out of bed. Now I can see when she actually falls asleep (I love watching her sleep) and I get an added bonus of an hour of entertainment. I can't believe I didn't get one of these sooner...

Why I Love My Girls

Posted by: Mom

When I was pregnant with Livi, Jeremy and I secretly hoped for a little boy (mention this to her and I will deny it, I swear). We both really enjoyed raising Landon and had a much more difficult time with Emma as a baby. There is no doubt that girls have a more emotional disposition (trying so hard to find the right words). We thought having a newborn was hard enough, let alone if another girl is brought into the picture. Obviously, we were happily blessed with a little girl who came out ready and willing to prove our theory; we were right.

After getting all three kids through the 'baby' stages, I've found traits in each of them that I find absolutely fascinating. Regardless of their gender, they each have unique personalities, likes & dislikes. However, I have found there is one thing that starts at a very young age, that is in fact, a very gender specific trait. Tonight, I obtained proof. These were actual events happening at the exact same moment:

click to enlarge photo

Look carefully at the right hand corner on the floor...Enough said.

Why I Love My Boys

Posted by: Mom

With spring in the air, I've had the organizing itch. I've been working on cleaning out the garage, storage room and organizing the office. Well, meanwhile, the day-to-day stuff hasn't really been happening. So...today I am doing laundry...I estimate about 12 loads. Yeah, I know.

While doing the load of jeans, I checked everyone's pockets, as I usually do. Nothing in the pockets of the girls, but the boys had a pretty good stash. After looking at their piles, I noticed they spend their days in pretty much the same way...computers and candy. Gotta love boys!

Jeremy's Stash

Landon's Stash

We Are Adding to Our Family!!!

Posted by: Mom

While we were in Vegas, we decided to add new cubs to our family...

Okay, I know I'm lame...but I got your attention, didn't I?
As soon as I get unpacked and settled I will post some pics of the trip, it was a lot of fun...I know you are waiting with bated breath ;)

Admittance is the First Step

Posted By: Mom

For those of you that don't know Jeremy very well, you may not be aware that he suffers from a disorder called O.C.G.P.D. This is a disorder common to his line of work, and at first, was quite difficult to understand and accept. It stands for Obsessive Compulsive Gadget Purchasing Disorder.

Last year, he bought me a video camera with a hard drive. Six months later, he bought me one with a DVD drive....said it would be easier. I just barely sold the first video camera when tonight, he came home with another one. He said he wanted it for our Vegas trip and went on about how easy it is and that it's so small it will fit in my pocket. He even got it in pink. I just don't fight it anymore. This disease is too powerful and over the last 8 years, it's only gotten stronger. So instead of saying a word, I just rolled my eyes and took Landon to the Doctor.

Two hours later (gotta love InstaCare), I came home and Jeremy was playing with the camera and told me how much I was going to love it. After I put the kids to bed, I took a better look at the camera and saw that he recorded a couple of videos. I really could give or take the camera, but I do love what he recorded. I guess sometimes the end does justify the means.

Red-Neck Moments

Posted By: Mom

Tonight the kids and I had a great time watching deer near our backyard. There were about 10 of them and it was fun sneaking up on them seeing how close we can get without them hearing us. Wild life is a common occurrence where we live, which is one of the reasons we chose this particular lot when we built the home.

As I took this picture, I basked in the peaceful nature of these creatures and had a moment of serenity...

...that is until I zoomed in on the sign where the deer are.

I'm Going Out For Nasonex

Posted by: Mom


Tonight, like most nights, our little Olivia threw a huge fit over nothing. Each time she does this, Jeremy sarcastically says, “thanks again”, referring to the fact that having another baby was all my idea. As soon as I put her to bed, Jeremy took a literal sigh of relief and said, “I’m going out for Nasonex honey.”

That was at 45 minutes ago and our pharmacy is only 2 miles away. As I sit here waiting, I am reminded of the tv shows when the husband said he was “going out for smokes” and they never heard from him again…

I Got Bangs!

Posted By: Emma

I got tired of my hair always getting in my eyes during tumbling. My mom got tired of always putting it up in hair clips. So...I got bangs! I love them. I like to comb them straight down and put a lot of hairspray on them.



Mom's insert:
I didn't think they'd cut them so short. I wanted them a little longer so I could comb them to the side a little. Don't tell Emma, but Dad and I are looking forward them growing a few inches longer. When Emma can read, this message will self-destruct.

She Likes it, She Really, Really Likes it!

Posted by: Mom


Anyone remember Mikey from Life cereal? He didn't like anything they gave him and finally, they tried Life cereal, and he liked it, he really, really liked it....anyone? Wow, I'm old.

I mention this because Olivia is our own 2008 version of Mikey. She is SO picky about food. It would be easier if she just hated apples. Then I would no longer feed her apples. However, she likes apples on Tuesday, and then hates them on Sunday. So each day, I just put a crap-load of food on her tray and hope she eats something on it. Most of the time, it's only bread-related foods that she finally eats. But, alas, a modern-day miracle....peas, she ate peas. Finally....a vegetable! I will take my mother of the year award now. Thanks.

More Landon "isms"

Posted by: Mom
The thing that makes Landon so funny is that he isn't trying to be funny. He really is sincere when he says these things and has no idea that they are great little quips.

In school, the teacher was trying to emphasize how girls can do the same thing boys can do. They can be Presidents, Doctors, anything they want. There is nothing a girl can't do that a boy can. Landon then raised his hand and said, "Actually, that's not true; girls can't go in the boy's bathroom".

Then, tonight, as Jeremy was leaving for the airport, he turned to Landon and said, "Landon, you are the man of the house while I am gone, do you know what that means?" Landon quickly replied, "I get to drink coffee!"

Landon's First Earthquake

Posted by: Mom

This morning, at 7:15, my alarm went off. I quickly pressed the snooze button. At 7:20, my alarm went off again and at that exact moment, the windows rumbled and my bed shook. Landon then came running in my room and said, "Mom, how'd you do that?"

Superbowl Snow

Posted by: Mom

It started out a lovely Sunday morning. I love fresh snow in the mornings, especially when I don't have to commute. I opened up my front door to see the lovely sight, and this is what I saw...(click on images to view larger).




My entire steps and porch were covered with snow up to four feet in some areas. So then I opened up the garage door...



My parents stayed the night and they were going to leave this morning, but couldn't get their Jeep out. Needless to say, they spent an extra night here.

So I got out my trusty snowblower and started the process of clearing the snow. As I plowed through, a neighbor came out to help.


Pretty soon, it became a neighborhood event. I'm so lucky to live in such a gracious community. The bishop had canceled church services and so he was out digging with everyone else. This is us digging out our porch and steps.




This is the rest of the crew helping out on the driveway. Landon even got into the action until he was nailed in the nose with someone's shovel. Then he was inside nursing a bloody nose for a while. The lesson learned is don't get in the way of an eight-man shoveling machine.






Even though it was a lot of work and certainly not what we expected to wake up to; it was actually a lot of fun. Now Landon and I can make a big igloo!

My Conversation With Mom

Posted by Emma:

My mom thought this conversation in the car was funny so she captured it pretty much word-for-word. I don't see what is so funny...

Emma: Mom, when I grow up, I don't want to be an inventor. There are too many things already invented.
Mom: You can be whatever you want.
Emma: I want to own a restaurant
Mom: What would you serve?
Emma: Breakfast food.
Mom: What is the name of your restaurant?
Emma: Emma's Restaurant
Mom: Can I eat there for free?
Emma: Yea, but you'll have to tell me your name because I won't recognize you because you will be a grandma.
Mom: Oh, are you going to get married?
Emma: Yes. Probably to Kaleb.
Mom: Kaleb Barney or Kaleb from your school?
Emma: Kaleb from my school, except he's kind of a slob. He always has food on his face.
Mom: Don't worry honey, that's how most boys are. You'll learn to love them anyway.
Emma: Yea, plus you can wipe their faces when you are married to them. Maybe I will marry Kaleb Barney instead. Then I will change my name to Emma James Palmer.