New Attitude!

Every night ends with my nerves about to explode! While watching American Idol with my kids there was a McDonald's commercial on and it was about a big brother and a baby brother. The big brother shared everything with his baby brother and played with him. The mom took the older boy to McDonald's by himself for a treat. While the dad stayed home with the baby. As they returned home dad and baby were waiting in the window with big smiles and big brother was excited for his time alone with mom. This is a very cute commercial. After it was over my second oldest son Carson said, "How come our family can't be happy like that". I tried to come up with every excuse and say because you kids don't listen or you fight with each other, you mess up the house and so on.. Later that night I was talking to Dayson on the phone about how bad the kids are and that I can't take it anymore and I'm always in a bad mood. I went to bed crying to my Heavenly Father to help me have more patience with my kids. I started reading blogs by some of my friends this morning and on one blog she had mentioned her friend who had been dealing with some hard things in life but was doing great. She said she had changed her attitude about life. This was a big lesson for me. It's not at all my kids fault that our family isn't happy. It's because of my attitude. I've decided to change my attitude and love my kids no matter what. It shouldn't matter if my husband is gone durning the week or my five year old acts like a sixteen year old. The way I live reflects on my children and their happiness.

So today, I PLEDGE ( I know this is dorky) to be a happy and loving mom to my kids!

I am going to have a new attitude.

I love you Dayson and miss you very much!

A Great Weekend With Dad!

Carson and Clayton both had basketball games. Carson's team won 14-8 and Clayton's team tied 12-12 in overtime. It was the perfect ending considering he was playing his cousins team so they could both say they won.

After church on Sunday Dayson took his usual nap and the girls decided to play doctor with him.

They really love having their daddy home and Dayson is a very good sport. He woke up to many band-aids on his body.

After Dayson left for Mesa we went to my sister Rita's house to sing happy birthday to my niece Christie. She turned 18 on March 5th . I can still remember the day she was born. We thought to ourselves "another girl". We wouldn't have it any other way even though we desperately wanted a boy in the family. GIRLS ROCK!

Christie was tormenting her mother and trying to blow out the candles before she could get them all lit. Her dad stepped in, and him and Christie had a boxing out match.

Happy Birthday Truse! (nickname for Christie)

A Better Day!!

9 Weeks Down & 9 Weeks To GO!!

After having a very lazy day I decided to clean my house. I got everything ready for Dayson to come home. I can't believe it's already been 9 weeks. We are halfway there.

The stake presidents wife who is in my ward brought me some cinnamon rolls. She said it must get gloomy in the house without a husband all week long. She was right. It was just what I needed.

Adam, Aarron & MacKenzie enjoyed the rolls too.



My nieces came over to hang out with me. They are so adorable.
Cammie, Kylie & Christie



"More bars in more places". This was our way to show our height difference.
Kim, Christie, Cammie and Kylie

Christie's boyfriend came over with the girls too.

He is really good with my kids they love to play with him.

Just a few days of my CRAZY life without a husband!

After seeing Daycee's haircut Aarron decided he wanted one too. He took it upon himself and luckily a haircut to him is spraying down your hair and slicking it back with a comb. Grandma was very impressed with his style.


Grandma delighted us with strawberry shortcake. MacKenzie and Daycee helped with cutting the strawberries.

Grandpa made his famous burgers and Harly was his little helper with forming the patties.




After Grandma and Grandpa left MacKenzie decided she too wanted a haircut. She took it upon herself and a little off the bangs and little more off the side. It's not that noticeable but she said she was sorry. I told her that Grandma was the only one who can give haircuts. She said "okay".


Clayton came home from school with a "Student of the Month" certificate in Science.He is a very good kid and gets all A's & B's. My kids are smarter than I am.Clayton amazes me when it comes to math. He'll ask me how to solve a problem and he has it figured out in his head before I can do it on a calculator.

I just wanted to throw this picture in for posterity sakes. Daddy is far away during the week and Adam forgets who he is. By the time Sunday rolls around he is warmed up to dad and Dayson leaves again. The poor kid is very confused.

Okay, I decided that I wasn't going to clean my house today. I sat around doing nothing. I am so sick of cleaning my house so I went on strike. The only cleaning I did was wash the dishes because we needed bowls and spoons for breakfast.

I know what your thinking, "What the H---!" But, I don't care. My favorite motto is from the movie "Gone With The Wind" by Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow. Yes, I will think about it tomorrow."

Some of you are probably saying, that's not that bad. But I'm only showing you the family room.

Daycee's Haircut

We are so very lucky to have Grandma & Grandpa Merrill here visiting us this week. Grandma has done the dishes and Grandpa watched the kids while I took a very much needed nap. Grandma also gave Daycee a very cute haircut and she also trimmed on my hair. It's been a lot of fun having them here. Dayson probably wants his mommy and daddy to come home and take care of their son, but Aunt Judy has taken him in and is feeding him. He is very spoiled. We wish Grandma & Grandpa Merrill would move up here to Springerville. We love you and thank you for helping us out this week!

8 Weeks Down & 10 to GO!!!

We're almost halfway there! It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. The kids definately keep me busy. With school, scouts, activity days, basketball and baseball right around the corner we have a lot to accomplish before Dayson graduates from the academy. These extra activities only help pass the time. Clayton and Carson are doing very well in basketball. At their last games Carson scored the winning basket and Clayton assisted in many baskets that lead to their win also. During these games it's all I can do to keep Aarron off the court and still film the games for their dad to watch on the weekends. After both games were over we were excited to watch the exciting plays by both boys. But to my surprise (not really) the kids were playing with the video camera and erased everything on it. So much for dad watching these great games. Oh well we have next week to do it all over again.

We are very excited for this week because Grandma & Grandpa Merrill are coming to visit for a couple of days.