Guitar Invasion

Those of you with boys may be familiar with this invasion. It's called Guitar Hero. Christian got it for Christmas (which means everyone got it, since he is pretty good about sharing). I wasn't sure how big of a hit it would be, but from the looks of these pictures you can see that they are officially hooked. They love playing it and it's pretty fun to watch them. So I have mixed feelings...


First of all they have lots of fun and they especially love to play it with their dad. And since they get more practice time then him they love that they can beat him on harder songs. But some of the songs are just a little much and I don't always love the background graphics. There is nothing like hearing your 5 year old singing in the other room..."Here I am, Rock you like a hurricane." Whatever happened to twinkle twinkle little star. Say good bye to nursery rhymes and hello to a little guitar hero.

So I am trying to embrace this new trend and let them enjoy this. I am hoping that I am not letting them get too corrupted. Although Jacob says he wants to be in a rock band someday, so maybe it will help him with his new career choice. The good news is they only get to play electronics on Friday after school and Saturday. Maybe they will come out with a version of guitar hero that is less hard rock and maybe some fun 80's songs or recent songs that aren't quite as heavy metal.

Carson turns 5

Carson turns 5. My little baby had a birthday. He was so funny about his birthday this year. He insisted on not having a party and he didn't want anyone singing happy birthday to him. When I asked him why, he responded, "I might be too shy when everyone sings to me." So on the day of his birthday when he went to preschool I told his teacher to make sure they didn't sing to him, but he still wanted to pass out treats to everyone in the class.
Well we can't have a birthday without a little celebration. So last minute on his birthday I called a few of his friends and neighbor and had them come over to eat pizza and cake with us. We called it the unbirthday party. There was no singing or talk of a birthday party. Although he still managed to score some fun presents and he happily opened them with out being to shy, funny how that happened. After everyone left he said that next year he wanted a party and that he wouldn't be too shy.

50 things you may or may not know about me

1. I am a mother of 3 boys and soon to be 4.

2. I actually love staying home and taking care of them.

3. I think I would have a panic attack if I ever had to go back to work while my kids were young.

4. But someday when they are all grown up, I'd love to do some kind of fun business or work somewhere interesting.

5. I have a really great husband and he is my best friend. He makes me laugh every day.

6.I love to run.

7. I like going to the gym (except when I am pregnant)

8. Someday I want to do a triathlon.

9. This is my last baby and I am looking forward to savoring each moment with a baby in our house.

10. I am nervous of how I am going to juggle four kids and every one's schedule, with a husband who travels and works a lot.

11. I am tempted to get a part time mothers helper to help me. Does that make me a bad mom?

12. I like to have fun and take my kids on fieldtrips to museums, zoos etc.

13. I love to go out to dinner and sometimes go too often.

14. I am a person who feels guilty a lot about the things I should be doing and haven't done.

15. I loved being YW's president and cried and threw a bit of a tantrum when I got released.

16 I am over it now and realize that somebody knew I needed to simplify my life, but I didn't know that. Good thing someone is looking out for us.

17. I love to cook and entertain.

18. I love a clean house

19. But my closets are a little messy.

20. I love to travel.

21. Mark and I plan on traveling all over the world when our kiddos are out of the house (18 more years)

22. I like to read.

23. Sometimes I have 4 half read books sitting on my nightstand and I take turns finishing them.

24. I worry a lot. I even have worry lines on my forehead.

25. I worry about things that I have no control over.

26. I like to be around people that make me laugh

27. I have lots of unfinished projects.

28. I love having hobbies, but don't always have time for them.

29. I love to snow ski.

30. I use to dream of being a gold medal gymnast. (Mary Lou Retton)

31. Even though I am not very flexible and never got better then a back handspring in gymnastic class.

32. I love to play tennis.

33. And dream of the day when all my kids can play a real tennis game.

34. I am a terrible swimmer

35. My 10 year old can out swim me any day.

36. I love to sit on the couch at night and talk to Mark about life.

37. I love to sit on the couch at night and indulge in watching a few of my favorite shows. (the Office, Grey's anatomy)

38. I don't want my sweet 10 year old to go to middle school next year.

39. I secretly want to hold him back so he doesn't have to go to middle school and be exposed to all that stuff.

40. I worry that I haven't taught my kids enough or given them enough experiences to prepare them for real life.

41. Sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep at night.

42. I have pregnancy insomnia and it sucks.

43. I love taking naps on Sunday.

44. I worry that I do too much for my boys

45. I am working on that.

46. I am 3 quarters German.

47. I have green eyes

48. I want to be on the Amazing Race someday.

49. When I wake up in the morning I usually remember my dreams from the night before.

50. I cry easily in movies.

Coming to grips with 4 boys

I must be honest with myself and everyone that's it's taken me a little while to come to grips with the fact we will be having a fourth boy. I'm not going to lie, but the truth is I was a little disappointed to find out we wouldn't be having a girl. I was holding out that it could be a real possibility and then of course after the ultrasound it was confirmed that we were having a boy. Although Jacob informed me "it's okay mom next time you can get a girl." So I kindly told him there wasn't going to be a next time. Anyway, most importantly is that the baby is healthy. I look at my sweet boys and think I am so lucky. I tell myself I won't have to deal with the PMSing, the emotions, and all the other good stuff that comes with teenage girls.

Here are some of the bummers of being a mom with only boys. I will be a mother in law to four girls.(that sounds kind of scarey) Which means I don't get to plan weddings, come in the the delivery room when babies are being born and we all know that the mother in law doesn't get to see the grand kids as much as the maternal grandmother does. It's just the way it works.

Then there is the pressure of being a mom to four boys of raising them to be good men, to be smart, hard working, honest and faithful. I am grateful that they have a wonderful example to watch over the years. If they can be the kind of husband and father that their dad is then they will be amazing men.

So, until they are out of my house I will do all that I can to teach them, love them and mentor them to be wonderful boys and men.

Here are the four boys in my life and soon to be a fifth!!! It's a lot of boys to love. How can I not look at this picture and be so grateful for these handsome boys I've been blessed to have in my life.

Christmas Vacation

Things we loved about our trip to Utah

1. The snow!!!Carson was loving the snow and played everyday in the bitter cold and was so excited when Mark made three snowmen with him.

2. Cousin sleepovers, cousin playtime and being with cousins all the time!!

3. Flying instead of driving

4. 2 weeks of nonstop time with Mark with very few interruptions from work!!!! It was a truly a Christmas miracle!

5. Skiing of course!!! I skied very cautiously with the boys. I was amazed how well the boys skied and how quickly they remembered from last year.

6. Time with my sisters, my brother and my mom. Holding my new little newphew who is just about the cutest baby ever.

7. Staying at Mark's parents house they were so kind and gracious. Thanks for feeding us, cleaning up after us and loving and playing with the kids.

8. Spa time at my sister's day spa that she works at in SLC.

9. No schedules, sleeping in, relaxing and spending time with both of our families.

And last but not least, coming back to beautiful warmer weather in CA and find that all is well with our home after the wicked rain and wind storms.

It's a boy!!!!!

Looks like we will be raising a basketball team. We opened up the ultrasound results on Christmas Eve. We decided it would be our gift to the family to open up the envelope together as a family. The boys were very excited to find out and kept asking all day when we were going to open our Christmas present. I think they were more excited to open the ultrasound results then any other present. Some of us were more surprised then others. I actually had come to grips with the fact that the chances of having a girl were probably less then having a boy. I had been calling this baby Lucy for the past 5 months and then the week of the ultrasound I started thinking that it probably wasn't a girl and I should stop calling my little boy Lucy. After we had the ultrasound we told the technician not to tell us and seal the results in an envelope, but after we left the appointment Mark and I both looked at each other and said "You know it's probably a boy." We are all really excited and now we need to come up with boy names. We kind of ran out of boy names when we named Carson. So if any of you have any wonderful names we are open to ideas and suggestions.

Mr. Christmas Cheer

Somebody is obsessed with Christmas decorations at our house. He can be seen wearing Santa hats and actual Christmas stockings. Everyday since Halloween he has been asking to put up our decorations. He couldn't understand why all the stores are decorated, but our house isn't. But now that it is officially a month before Christmas I can finally appease him with Christmas cheer around the house.

Carson and Santa bonding together getting ready for the Holidays.

I laughed so hard and ran to get my camera when I saw him outside playing wearing the Christmas stockings on his feet.

This is a picture he drew to show Mark and I how he wants the Christmas lights to look on our house. He did mention that we didn't have to use blue and yellow lights, any color would do. So now Mark has a job to do this Saturday. Don't disappoint us, Mark!!!!