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! :)

Sweet first moments

Rose's first moments after birth.....so sweet.......I think she needs her mama and her mama needs her. Complete harmony is a mother with her child.

Rose Diane Muraski!

Rose was born March 8th, 6 lbs 13 oz. She is 2 months old now and she is a joy. I must say having a little girl around is so much fun!!! I love my little girl!!! Sorry I took so long to put pics up, this is the best I can do for now :)

catch up pics.....sept & oct

Halloween

(Eon Kid-don't ask, BELLY dancer, and cowboy....in a sombrero)

Dad behind camera was H1N1 virus

CJ's preschool Halloween party

CJ making shy, funny face and his teacher Mrs. Judi

Oct 23rd I turned 25, happy birthday to me!

Pumpkin carving

Happy child with a knife........

First roller coaster, kinda funny
(Cardinal Health party)

Bumper boats, work party fun

Child I don't recognize as my own....

was his hair really that blond by the end of the summer?

First black eye,

from cousin Carly throwing a disc,

as in a Frisbee golf disc

funny story....

a few months later, Mom, Dad, and boys were playing

and Dad decided to try and collect Moms life insurance money

by hitting me in the back of the head with a disc.

He was driving and threw it as hard as he could and it "slipped"

(it did happen to be raining)

and went flying the wrong direction straight into my.

Down to the ground I go holding my head with my hand which was

covered in blood within seconds (I was wearing a hat too)

so to the urgent care it was

with a two inch long gash, the width of a pencil

and 6 stitches later, Chris was unsuccessful.

It was a nasty big bloody gash, and the only pic is on my phone,

sorry.

I was fine but couldn't do my hair for two weeks,

which I surprisingly liked,

What was I doing playing Frisbee golf 5 months pregnant anyway?

Yay for Swine Flu!!!

Well I couldn't be more happy

Chris has the Swine Flu!!!

Yay! We're so lucky!

I hope we don't all die.

I'll let you know what happens.

(In reality I was kinda scared, but so far, he is the only one in the fam who is sick and he is doing much better, fever broke after 4 days and it is looking up.)

The verdict is still unknown for the boys and I

(did I mention I'm pregnant, yeah I could die)

At the time I thought it a coincidence, but looking back now a blessing, but two weeks ago the boys had a pediatrician appointment and the doc mentioned on her way out "Oh by the way we just got the H1N1 vaccine in yesterday do want your kids to get it?" I was totally unprepared to answer that question, I hadn't done my research and didn't know what to do. So I made a very informed decision and one i felt very sure about and said "uh OK."

I am now very thankful we did get it because it puts my mind at ease and I don't have to worry about them getting infected so easily. (unless it's on every door handle of your house, but I won't remind myself of that)

So I just really worry about me and the babe inutero, hey Mother's can't get sick, we can't rest if we have a fever not with hungry crying children.

But of course mama's here who is pregnant, picking up infected used nose tissues, bringing in meals to the corantined room, washing his viruse infested bed sheets and the whole time wondering "how in the world am I not going to get sick?" (Lots and Lots of prayers :))

I am utterly exhausted from taking care of the boys and the piggy man 24/7 alone, and trying to get to all the Halloween parties (3 this week) alone, getting them in costumes alone (which Chase has to scream and cry like I'm torturing him every time), chasing them around at the parties alone (which means there's no way I can take any pictures), bed routine alone, just every little thing alone. I won't start on the condition of my house from lack of picking up toys and focusing on disinfecting every bathroom and surface and washing every body's sheets and clothes and blankets and pillows and anything you can put in a washing machine.

And I'm sad because Chris is missing all the cute little boy moments of costumes and candy and missing the pure joy and excitement on their little faces, I miss him being around, we are not even sleeping in the same bed, that makes me even more sad.

i'm really ok you just caught me in the middle of the drama not at the end when I have a clear head, so sorry bear with me. Any way hopefully next time I post it is to say we all made it through just fine.

P.S. and we have to miss Phantom of the Opera tomorrow night, which was my Bday present, no one can go with me because everyone has dumb Halloween plans. And I don't want to go with anyone else any way, I want to go with my husband! I think this would all be a lot easier if I lived by family, but I don't, I depend on me and Chris, there is no one else. (ok there are friends but we just moved, meaning I don't have close friends here, and all my old close friends live forever away)

ok ok I'm done complaining, ahh I feel better.

Four + one

I'm pregnant!

I know many of you already know this but, yes,

once again

I am pregnant.

(and this baby will be 28 months apart from my last born,

thank you very much, just for those of you

with your mouth open still)

I am happy but it certainly seems

less

and less

and less

glamorous then your first.

a lot less.

It's just.........I don't know

not fun.

With your first,

despite all the

nausea

heartburn

sleepless nights

sadly knowing where all the bathrooms are in every store

uncomfortableness

can't breath

worrying about every little pain

just constantly worrying

big belly (which you secretly think is cute)

if the baby moved 10 times in the past half hour.......

it really is fun.

because it's all new

and

exciting.

But that's gone

I'm over it (which makes me sad)

As far as I'm concerned, until the baby arrives, being pregnant stinks

and i feel guilty because i have really easy, textbook pregnancies. Shhh

and forget the cute big belly thing by your third

ha

its not cute anymore, just big and big

so in a nutshell my stomach is

well

big.

Like so big that at 10 weeks

i HAD to bust out the maternity pants

Like so big that I'm the same size

as a first timer at 6 months

and I'm only 4

whatever

So.........

the good news is.....

it is a GIRL!

My plans, as far as child bearing are concerned,

are going according to plan,

2 boys

&

2 girls

then I am done

unless there is some divine intervention

bottom line I wouldn't keep having children if it wasn't wonderful

I mean overall

seriously I am very happy and love seeing

my little family growing

besides who doesn't love those little

smushed faces and tinny tiny toes when they come out

and even as they turn into little monsters.

who is the only one who thinks their kid is cute even with snot dripping out of their nose

only a mother

only a mother

she gets to love like no one else............

and that is worth everything.

Our Summer Fun:

Brian's Graduation (of course he spoke at both seminary & his schools Grad, Mr. Valedictorian)

mud puddles at the park,

Chris's brother getting married in the Oakland temple and CJ was the ring bearer at the ring ceremony,

San Francisco,

4th of July camping and fishing trip,

and some bubbles.