The past six months......

What has Jodi been up to the past year?

Three kids.

Breast feeding for a full year (the boys I feed about 10 months only)

Potty training chase - oh the stories I could tell of poop in public places

Lots of Doctor visits - and I dislike those of you with family around who don't have to take 3 siblings to the doctor

Chauffeuring CJ back and forth from preschool everyday - I think this taxi driver business is only going to get worse as they grow up

I don't even know what else,

its a blur

one magic thing that has happened for me with the number three is.....

total surrender.

Meaning

I don't try to accomplish Jodi's agenda during the day any more,

I am a FULL TIME mom,

all day dedicated to children mom

which actually makes motherhood a lot more enjoyable

when you don't have your

own agenda in the back of your mind that the kids are "getting in the way" of

It has been a good thing for me

I have learned that a prestinely clean house is not worth it

and the evidence of kids are like,

the chocolate covered faces

toys left on the floor the creative way they were playing with them

the constant questions and chatter

the stained shirts

the little hand prints on the back door

I love it

I only want one more baby and so I realized I'm almost done!

I just want to enjoy them

and I know someday I will miss it all,

they really do grow up so fast!

And I don't want to miss any moment

because I was more worried about the house or a project than paying full attention to them

but

I could still use a vacation........with no kids Road trip - arizona to wyoming- 16 long hours

We actually took the time to stop (for 3 minutes) and site see

somewhere in New Mexico?
It was crazy windy

Chase :)

Karina and Mikes' baby blessing, UT, Nov 2011

Left: CJ's fith birthday Party, in my five years of mothering I have never had a birthday party for my kids! Not even their first! (Besides mom and dad with a cake and one present, remember we have no family to invite anyway) But for CJ's fifth we had one. No theme or frills just cheap and crazy fun with the neighborhood! My house was thrashed!

Instead if a romantic V-day this year we had a family celebration. We had pink heart pancakes for breakfast, preschool party, Nana Dianna's package of goodies, homemade sugar cookies to all CJ and Chases' neighborhood buddies, and dinner was all red. Ham with cherries, shredded potatoes, strawberry heart jello, and cherry punch! Kru, Beck, Rosie, and El

THE Babes of 2010

My Roses and Papa

Look at how dark all of our hair is now?

Grandma Johnnie Belle at her ninetieth birthday party

I went ALONEish (she was still on the boob)

Dad and the boys had a party of course with mom gone

they didn't even miss me

but that's because Chris is that good of a Dad

really he is a Dad that pays attention to them and spends quality time with them

like reads them books, plays memory, hide and seek, and even takes the time to feed them healthy food.

He does it all just like mom would, but with more fun and more patience

(and I won't mention how he encourages me to go out without the kids and how he ALWAYS cleans up dinner and how he washes AND folds all the laundry EVERY week

and I never even ask him to.....)

I love that man

any way.......

Until Next Year! :)