life is short, but sweet for certain

post-baby belly

2012-01-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

Since I "let-it-all-hang-out" in my last post...I figured I might as well do the same in this one...only this time, with pictures.

Warning, the following images are NOT pretty, BUT they are real. REALLY ME.

ever heard the term "spare tire?" well, yeah, I have a FEW. check out my lumpy back fat. EWWW.


this is what i see when i look down. it would make me smile if there was a baby in there...but it's just blubber.

So...there ya have it. If you don't live locally, and aren't able to see me on a regular basis, this is how I look. I'm honestly uncomfortable in my own skin. Yes, I've had 4 babies and I have zero abs to speak of, but seriously, this belly is huge and I hate it!

Now, I know you all don't want to waste your time reading about me complaining, and that is not why I'm posting this. I'm kind of posting this as "before" so that I'll be motivated to show you an "after" a year from now. (and maybe some "in progress" images along the way.

A few weeks ago, my neighbor and I started walking (almost every day M-F) and it feels SO good. I even jogged about 3/4 of a mile one day! My main problem is eating. Sometimes I have days where I want to eat ALL DAY LONG. It's really bad. Also, it's the type of food I'm eating. I know you can all relate to this - we've all been there and most of us have a life-long battle with trying to eat healthy and exercise consistently.

I was reading The Dailey Method Blog today, and came across a post entitled "You Are What You Eat." Here is a snippett from that blog:

Drink Green Juices: vegetables are the most nutritional part of our diets. Eating the recommended 4-5 servings a day in whole form is optimal, however most of us don’t do that. Therefore what I do is add a green juice whenever I can. In juice form, you absorb the vitamins and minerals quickly while giving your digestive system a break.

Eat Organic (produce, meat and dairy, wheat…) whenever possible, that way you will minimize your exposure to the traces of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics that are so prevalent in our food. Eating organic not only benefits your body, but also the globe. See My Potato Project; The Importance of "Organic".

No Fake Food. This includes all processed foods, artificial sweeteners, soda (especially diet) most store bought

cereals, cheetos (duh!), and the list goes on. See "Diet Soda Linked To Weight Gain".

Whole Grains. While we are not a gluten free family, we do moderate our intake of refined flour and try to find alternatives whenever possible, such as: quinoa, steel cut oats, brown rice, barley, sprouted breads. Jamie G. Dougherty, a certified holistic nutritional and lifestyle coach in Berkeley, says: “Whole grains are ideal foods to help combat food cravings and help sustain energy. They are also loaded with chromium and B-vitamins that help balance blood-sugar levels.” Here’s one of her favorite recipes: "Black Bean Pilaf with Cilantro Lime Dressing".

Stay Hydrated. Every single cell in your body needs water. Drinking water on a regular basis definitely helps you look and feel better. I carry a big bottle around with me all day as a constant reminder.

Eat When You’re Hungry. This is an example of listening to your body, which is something you should ALWAYS do. I find my hunger varies from day to day and through the course of the month and eat accordingly. Some days I eat a big lunch and sometimes I replace that meal with a juice depending on my level of hunger.

Enjoy Eating. Focus more on what you will put in your body (make an effort to get your veggies in) rather than what you will not. I won’t deprive myself of something I love. Everything in moderation are words I live by.

My biggest struggle is the "No Fake Food" category -- AHHH it's so hard.

HOWEVER, in my desire/determination to THRIVE, I am going to work toward eliminating most "fake" foods from our home/diet. I also really want to get back to eating the diabetic diet that I ate during my pregnancy.

I'd like to end on a funny note...

Source: cafepress.com via Tori on Pinterest

I can't wait for this post-baby belly to disappear!

I have no lid upon my head, but if I did...

2012-01-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been reflecting over the past 2 + years since we made the decision to move to a more affordable/budget friendly home - I mean, APARTMENT.

I knew that we were doing the right thing...the ONLY thing that would help us SURVIVE financially. And as much as I don't like to admit it, it has been a sacrifice, and a struggle.

I know now, looking back, that I was depressed...even though deep down, I KNEW that we made the right choice to move.

Evidence of my depression:

I stopped planning/cooking meals for my family. We started eating fast food almost every day.

I stopped exercising, and quickly (within 3 months) gained about 30 lbs.

I was struggling with how to handle Jakob's issues with ADHD/Anxiety/Depression. I felt completely hopeless as a mother...I didn't know HOW to help my baby. (This had been going on for a few years...but came to a HEAD when we moved...due to NEW school, NEW situation riding a bus, NEW situation being gone from 7:30-2:15 every day, etc. etc. - the poor kid was having a really, REEEEAALLLLLLY hard time, and so was I.)

Even though we were saving money on rent, we were still barely scraping by... I was embarrassed and ashamed of our situation.

Because we lived in (and I'm being frank here) an OLD, RUN-DOWN, UGLY apartment, I didn't want anyone to come over...and didn't care if it was a mess or not.

I continued to struggle with my photography business...insecurity isn't good for business...and wasn't helping me progress as a photographer at all. I felt like everyone around me (in the photog biz) was succeeding and I was just a fumbling, floundering mess... I felt like a failure not being able to help out financially...

The list could go on...but the point of this post isn't to make you feel sorry for me or whatever, it's just to show you where I've been and what I've been through and how I've grown, and changed.

Here's what I've learned through it all:

Prayer can give you hope.

I am SO blessed with an amazing husband who LOVES me and our babies dearly...and he is my partner in all of this. Fat and flabby, messy house, crazy emotions, happy days, bad days, laughing till we cry, crying till we laugh, etc. I am so grateful I have him. I know I COULD do it alone (thank you Gillian for pointing that out!) but I am SO thankful I don't have to...

I am so blessed to have 4 beautiful boys...who are so sweet and adorable and who are such good boys...I see the future in them...I am in awe that Heavenly Father would allow ME to be their mother. They amaze me with their wit and ability to love and forgive me for my weaknesses. They are my treasures.

I have learned that I DID care what people thought about me...where I lived...what kind of clothes I wore...if I had a nice house...and once I realized that, I hated myself for it. I realized that I needed to learn from this humbling experience...and let go of pride.

I learned that Heavenly Father loves me and puts me in places where I am surrounded by people who will love me no matter what. I was given a calling to be the 2nd Counselor in the RS Presidency a few months after we moved in, and as overwhelming as that was at times, I am truly thankful for the opportunity it gave me to learn who everyone was, and to serve them. Otherwise, it would have been very easy for me to retreat into my home and hide away from everyone. It forced me to make new friends.

About 7 months after we moved, there was a unique situation where my sister and 3 of her kids ended up staying with us (in my TINY 2 bedroom apartment) for almost a week. I have a very vivid memory of a conversation we had, where she told me that I was in "survival mode." I will never forget that...it was like the first of many wake-up calls. Yes, I was taking care of a bunch of little boys...but I was only doing the basics. She was right, I was just surviving...doing enough to just get by.

I've gone back to that conversation many times over the past 2 years, and am happy to say that now, I am not just surviving, I am starting to THRIVE.

So, my word for this year, is THRIVE. To me, that means I am making the decision to BE HAPPY with where I am...and to BE HAPPY with WHO I am...and to BE HAPPY with my children and my husband. I want to ENJOY this crazy life and stop feeling sorry for myself. I want to pursue my goals and my dreams...even if that means I fail along the way. I want to provide happy memories for my family by making meal time top priority, by making sure they are taken care of and feel loved 100% of the time.

I am ready to THRIVE.

Are you?

thrive

1: to grow vigorously : flourish

2: to gain in wealth or possessions : prosper

3: to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances —often used with on <thrives on conflict>

happy new year!

2012-01-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

we had a fun trip to utah for christmas break... more pics and details coming soon!

10 years

2011-12-29T06:51:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago, Brad and I were married!

I am still amazed at how we were brought together. We met through the internet on a website called LDS Singles Online. My roommates and I had joined it over the summer and had been on a lot of fun dates, but none of us met anyone that we were super excited about. Then about a week before my "free trial" was going to end, I got an email from Brad. He told me he was from California, but that he wanted to move up to Utah and was looking for a good place to live in Salt Lake and asked my advice. I obliged him and even looked at the roommate board at the Institute for him...after a few back and forth emails, we decided to chat on AOL Instant Messenger. During our conversations we both quoted a few Adam Sandler movies...and I know this is so cheesy, but that was what really hooked me and made me want to know more about him! It was a really stupid thing that we had in common, but it worked. :) (Stop looking at me SWAN!)

It all began at the end of August 2001...then we spent hours (added up probably equaled DAYS) on the phone...and I flew to California to meet him at the end of September, a month after the first email. I will never forget how nervous I felt...I was already 99% sure I wanted to marry him (even though I had NEVER met him in person)... As I came down the escalator at the airport, I spotted him at the bottom waiting for me. We made eye contact and as cheesy and dramatic as it sounds, the instant I saw him I knew I would marry him. I was shaking and grinning from ear to ear and he gave me the best hug ever! We were both elated. Two grinning goobers so in love and so oblivious to everyone else. That time really feels like a dream now that I look back on it...

The 2nd night I was there, I just couldn't contain myself any longer, and I told him I wanted to marry him. I will never forget the look on his face...and how his eyes looked like they would pop out of his head! I totally shocked him! But then he just smiled the sweetest, most happy and contented smile...and I knew for sure that he wanted to marry me too. :)

My brother-in-law took our engagement photos and I love how happy and YOUNG and skinny we both are...look how adorable:

This is the one we chose to send out with our announcements.

We met online in August 2001, met in person September 2001, officially engaged October 2001 and married December 2001! Talk about a whirlwind romance! Some people (in fact probably MOST people) thought we were crazy...we hardly knew each other. Well, as cliche as it sounds, we felt like we had known each other our whole lives...we just KNEW we were meant to be together.

We were married on a drizzly, cold December morning in the Los Angeles LDS Temple. The same temple that his parents and my parents were married in. It was beautiful. I remember just being so happy...I didn't even care that it was raining and that we had giant golf umbrellas in our pictures...I was married to my best friend, soul mate, partner...and that was all that mattered.

Now here we are, ten years later... We have four handsome sons and are enjoying every minute of our crazy, chaotic life! I am so happy I married him...he is an awesome husband and such a good daddy... I love knowing that I can rely on him 100%...and trust that he will ALWAYS love me and take care of me and our babies the best way he can. I love how hard he works to provide for us, and how dedicated he is to his family. I love that he tells me I'm beautiful, changes diapers, helps with dinner, folds laundry, bathes the kiddos, tucks them in, helps with the dishes, etc, etc. I am so lucky to have him and so proud to be his wife. Even though sometimes I have to put up with THIS:

I wouldn't have it ANY.OTHER.WAY.

I love you babe, Happy Anniversary!

Here's to many, many more years of happy memories filled with lots of love and laughter!

compassion

2011-12-07T21:16:00.000-08:00

Source: tumblr.com via Shari on Pinterest

There is a woman at church who I have recently become friends with. This woman is a little rough around the edges...someone who on first glance most people don't give the time of day. (sad to say, but true. I'm sure you all know people like that...) I sat with her at a Relief Society dinner earlier this year, and learned a little bit about her.

Since then, I'd smile and say 'hi' but never really had another conversation with her. Then after I had Aleks, I came to Relief Society night and chatted with her quite a bit about babies. I found out that she had a still birth -- the baby had Trisomy 18 (I think that's what she said), and then her other son (now an adult) is autistic. Of course hearing about her trials made me feel sad and almost guilty as I listened to her share these hard things with me all while holding my perfectly healthy new baby boy. My heart ached even more when she went on to tell me how badly she wishes her autistic son could get married, because she knows he would be a great father. He just loves babies and has a special way with them. As soon as she said that, I told her that the next time I saw him at church, I would ask him if he wanted to hold my baby.

Well, I did just that, and you should have seen her face light up when she saw how happy he was to hold my baby. I could tell that it really meant a lot to her, and that made me so happy! I really, genuinely wanted to show love and compassion for her and her son, and felt like that was the perfect way to start.

Well, 2 weeks ago, as she was leaving Sunday School, I noticed she looked really down. I asked her if she was going home, and she said yes, and I noticed she had tears welling up in her eyes. I asked her if she was alright, and she said that she had asked her mom if she was a burden (she and her son live with her mom right now) and that her mom replied, yes, she was a burden and that she had no idea how much of a burden she was. She told me that she tries really hard to help out and to make life easier for her mom, but it never seems to be enough, but she just can't afford to live somewhere else.

Wow, it took a lot for me to not start bawling right then and there!!! I just reached out and gave her a huge hug and told her how sorry I was to hear that. I also told her to please call me anytime she needs someone to talk to... She seemed a bit shocked when I hugged her...but then she hugged me back and then she left and I sat down and wiped my own tears away.

Ever since then, I have had the above quote running through my head. I have heard it before, and I have had it pinned on my pinterest board for a while now...but I really believe it is true. Even if she hadn't shared those personal things with me, I still think I would have been her friend.

There have been others like her that I've met in my life, people who have seemed lonely and maybe didn't have many friends...and I've always been drawn to them. I just can't stand the thought of someone thinking or feeling like no one likes/loves them or thinks they are worth being friends with. I truly believe that Heavenly Father puts those people in my life for a reason...and I hope they feel the same way.

Knowing that we are ALL His children, is all it takes to open up my heart and give someone a chance.

I hope that my new friend from church knows how special she really is... and next time I see her, I plan on telling her...just in case she doesn't know.

2011-12-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

I just came across a magazine called Seeing The Every Day. Wow, I am so intrigued! After browsing their website, I kept coming back to the "Why" tab, because I just love this poem-like explanation of their magazine:

Why Seeing the Everyday

Our lives are the sum
Of each moment and interaction.

Each day we work, eat, laugh, teach, play, read, remember…
And work at it all again the next day.

Within seemingly small moments we find opportunity
To build relationships, develop character, find joy
For the price of our time.

Life's most essential possibilities are realized at home.

Where we share, teach, grow, learn, serve, give
Our best without praise of fanfare.

Because every effort, every moment matters
In the development of a person.

Nothing is really routine.

To all who see the everyday.

I think I would like a subscription to this magazine :) Click HERE to read more about it.

helpful tips

2011-12-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

I was looking through an old notebook from Time Out For Women (2006), and came across some helpful tips for the home...so I thought I'd share! (I didn't write down who this is from, so I am sorry I can't give credit where credit is due! If any of you know who gave these tips, do tell!)

1. No meals on wheels. Sit down and eat at the table. *Keep the crumbs in ONE place.

2. Stop dirt at the door. *Sweep walkway, porch and entryway.

3. Don't make 2 jobs out of one. *Use splatter guard, cover things in the microwave, etc.

4. Make the moment count:
-Clean as you go
-Wipe as you work
-Pick up as you pass
-Look back as you leave

5. Leave any area better than you found it.

6. Clutter attracts clutter.

7. Develop a system rather than conduct a search. *Short-term filing, long-term filing, everyday purge/sort/select.

8. Assign a home to everything in the house. "Pick up is part of play."

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." -- William Morris

9. Do today's work TODAY. *Mothers must be of good cheer before they can expect their family to be.

10. Skim before you scour. *Don't scrub anything before you wipe off everything. *Surface clean & then go deeper when you have the time and energy.

11. Be prepared. There is NO substitute for preparation!

12. Put the house to bed before you go to bed. *An ounce of evening is worth a pound of morning!

13. Keep house, don't clean house.

14. Revitalize your life by keeping the Sabbath.

15. Develop good habits. *It's just 3 weeks to a better me! (You know, they say it takes 21 days to develop a new habit! Don't give up!)

Friends, I found ALL of these tips to be useful back in 2006, yet what did I do with them? Not a darn thing. Closed the notebook and put it on a shelf never to be looked at again until 2011. Well, I think Heavenly Father knew that I would need them again and that's why He led me to them today. I am (and have been for a long time) completely unsatisfied with how I run my house...from laundry to dishes to meal planning/preparation to decorating it to make me happy to be in it. I know it's not January yet, but my resolution for 2012 is to start KEEPING my house. Making it a home that we are happy to be in and love to look at!

What are you planning on changing/adding to your list of goals for 2012? I'm curious to hear what y'all are going to be working on!

xoxo, Shari

give away on my photoblog

2011-12-05T08:22:00.000-08:00

I know not all of you out there follow my photoblog, so I wanted to increase my audience for this give away that I'm doing right now. Go check it out HERE and please, nominate someone! Thanks!

xxoo, Shari

accepting/loving/being grateful for my body

2011-12-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

I read this on another blog this morning, and it truly hit home with me. I am NOT loving my body after 4 kids and lately have been feeling pretty sorry for myself and very insecure. This short article - especially the parts I highlighted - were exactly what I needed to hear. I am 100% sure that there are others out there who also need to be reminded to love/be thankful for our bodies. xoxo, Shari

From Dr John De Martini

The greatest art form that exists on this planet is the human body – a magnificently structured temple of sacred architecture. Are you grateful for your body? Some people are but most people take this wonderful gift for granted. Many people complain about the shape of their body – I’m too fat, too thin, too short or too tall. They spend a great deal of time in front of the mirror focusing on what they perceive as imperfections of their body rather than focusing on its magnificently balanced perfection. Being grateful for your body and for the multitude of its powerful gifts can make the difference between experiencing wellness or illness in your life.

One of the reasons why some people beat themselves up about certain areas of their bodies is because they are comparing themselves to a fantasy of a magazine cover they think they are supposed to look like. After working with thousands of people, I am convinced that for every part of our body we don’t like there is a part we admire. If we are putting ourselves down in one area I can guarantee we are proud of another area. We may not like our thighs, but we admire our eyes. We may not like our thin hair, but we admire our skin. We may not like the shape of our body, but we like the shape of our lips and our smile and so on.

Begin to train yourself in becoming grateful for all parts of your physical body that you currently dislike. Think about your head – How can you be grateful for it? For your hair? Your scalp? Your eyes? Your skin, nose and lips? Ask yourself, ‘How does this serve me?’ When you are grateful for all parts of your head, work your way in your mind through your body from head to toe, identifying each and every part inside and outside of you. Keep asking yourself how that part of your body serves you until you are truly grateful for every part of it. (I LOVE THIS IDEA!)

No matter what your physical body looks like, you have things you like and dislike, or even admire and despise, about yourself. Everyone practices the same math of fifty-fifty, right down the middle. Both things you like and dislike are going to serve you in your life and the wisdom is appreciating this balance and being grateful for it. When you do this and take the time to see all parts of your body are serving you in your life to appreciate it for what it is, you empower yourself. Recognize the magnificence of your physical body and find a way to look at it in a new way – with awe and gratitude.

trimming the tree

2011-11-29T11:59:00.000-08:00

Last night, for Family Home Evening (aka "Hamily Fone Evening"), we decorated our Christmas tree.

Joshy was cracking us up as he commented on each ornament, "Oh, this brings back memories from so long ago..." in a dreamy voice. Love that kid!

Our cheap-o artificial tree looks MUCH better all dressed up...even if it isn't very organized...I love how it looks knowing that the boys pretty much did it all by themselves, and TOGETHER! :)

Here are a few cute pics from the night...

Since we are heading up to Utah for Christmas this year, I am not going all out with the decorations...to Joshy's dismay. He is the one who cares (and gets the most excited) about the decorations the most! He reminds me so much of how I was when I was little... Jakob and Drew get excited too, don't get me wrong, but Joshy seems to be SUPER into all the holiday decorating...it's fun!

2 months young

2011-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Aleks is 2 months old...here's a quick update on him as well as some pics to show you just how adorable he is :)

25.4 inches long; 15 lbs, 11 oz

Sleeps REALLY well! we've been putting him down between 8 and 9, and I end up waking up between 2 & 3 totally engorged, so I have to wake him up to feed him... then he goes back to sleep until about 6:30 or 7...

Generally happy and easy-going. His DR said she wished all of her patients were like him... :) He is a really mellow kid!

His hair seems to be getting lighter...who knows, we may end up with another blondie!

His eyes are definitely blue...and so pretty!

He has a dimple in each cheek...and he loves to give us lots of smiles!

Here he is...see for yourself how handsome he is!

automatic sprinkler

2011-11-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

here he is...my little "automatic sprinkler" (ha ha...all you moms of boys know what i mean!) fresh from the bath (which he LOVES) and looking so cute! it was at night...so crappy lighting...high ISO...lots of grain...it called for a black and white edit. :) hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do. and OOOH those cute little baby toes...i can hardly stand it!

drewbie-drewbie-drew turns 4 + halloween

2011-11-07T20:52:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that this little sweetie is now a 4-yr-old! How did that happen?

Drew is such a sweet boy...he loves his big brothers and wants to do everything they do! He is so gentle with Aleks and fascinated with him...and still, almost daily, asks to see his belly button. :) He is a fantastic big bro. (and yes, he likes to use the word "bro" these days...)

Lately we've been playing Mario Kart together, and I must say, he is pretty good! I need to brush up on my skills!

Here are a few pictures from his birthday...we had family come over for dinner and cake and ice cream. He really wanted candy corns on his cake...so, I tried to be creative!

big brothers are great for helping you blow out the candles :)

Drew LOVES his new camera! maybe we have another photog in the family???


he loves this new swimshirt and swimsuit - he slept in it that night and wore it for 2 days!

he's a big BRO now :)

Halloween was fun...I am ashamed to say that we never even carved jack-o-lanterns! BUT, I did put up decorations at home, and all the kids had a costume to wear...I even had a costume to wear! So, we'll call it good!!!

Pumpkin Patch

our little sweet pea!

Ash Ketchum - from Pokemon

Drewbie-Drew -- I mean Scooby Doo

i wish i had a better pic of my hair - i had a bump-it in and it looked awesome!

who let the dogs out???

Shadow the Hedgehog

Uncle Todd and baby Aleks

TWINKIES


My little trunk-or-treaters!

announcing...

2011-11-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

I could have (and probably should have) posted this (and mailed these out) about a month ago... HOWEVER... #1- I wasn't 100% happy with the few images I took when I attempted a photoshoot with my little one... #2- I just plain forgot about it... #3- He's completely covered with baby acne now (face/head) and I don't want to wait any longer to try another photoshoot to get this announcement finished... So...without further delay...

Some of you lucky readers will actually receive a physical copy in the mail one of these days... :)

and P.S. he looks SO different now! He will be SIX weeks old on Thursday!

happy tuesday!

2011-10-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

Source: sweetpeachblog.com via Kelly on Pinterest

4 weeks old

2011-10-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who counts months by every 4 weeks that passes? I know a month is typically longer than 4 weeks...but it's just easier for me that way...!

So...Aleks will officially be one month on the 22nd, but today he is 4 weeks...which in my book, is the same thing! :)

He is getting nice and plump...sleeping in 4 hour chunks at night...and is starting to be more aware of us and occasionally makes eye contact which is so wonderful!

Here is a series of cute pics I took this morning...I loved the morning light coming through the window and seriously, how can you go wrong with an adorable little baby??? I am a proud mama. :)

We sure love this sweet little butterball!

increasing our capacity to love one another

2011-10-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

I browse Pinterest daily...sometimes more than once a day...ok, ok, it's my guilty pleasure...but I frequently come across REALLY great ideas...and today i came across this:


(click to see original blog post)

It intrigued me. Not only do I crave more love and service in my life, but I crave those special experiences with my boys... So, I am planning on talking to them about this idea tonight, and then we will brainstorm some ideas for ways to be kinder and to serve more -- to our family members, our friends and even strangers.

I love that the challenge begins on November 1st...so that by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, we will be fully immersed in more service and kindness...which will in turn allow us to feel more love toward one another and also more gratitude for our abundant life.

What do you think? Have you ever tried to incorporate something like this into your family life? Any ideas of things we can do? Do you want to join in? The more, the MERRIER! What a great way to bring the Spirit into our lives...and to increase our capacity to love.

I'm a Mormon too!

2011-10-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF MY BLOG AND PAUSE MY PLAYLIST BEFORE WATCHING THIS VIDEO! :) ENJOY!

LOVE the part where he says "there's an extra chamber in your heart that opens up when you have a baby..." SO TRUE!

Annnnd....the fire is still burnin for me too!

Want to know more? Go to www.mormon.org!

Happy Moms

2011-10-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

Family Volley is a blog that I've been following for a while, and really enjoy the uplifting posts and ideas on how to make family life happier and run smoother! Here is a recent post about Happy Moms that I really enjoyed:

Being a mom is tough. Being a mom is even harder when we are miserable.

Being a Happy mom not only makes our lives better, but it makes our families happier also.

Here are 8 things that Happy Moms have in common.

1. Happy Moms Avoid Comparisons
As mothers and women we have a tendency to compare ourselves to others. If we want to be happy, we have to stop. We are usually comparing our weaknesses and shortcoming to someone else's strengths. It is not a fair comparison. And, when we compare, we foster feelings of jealousy and envy. Those feelings will make us miserable. There will always be someone skinnier, with a cleaner house and with kids that seem more behaved. Always. SO what...comparing will not make us skinner, or our house cleaner. Don't waste energy on comparing.
It is the same with our children. Don't compare our kids to others. When we do, we miss all the magic that is in each of our own children. We overlook how wonderful and unique they are. And we put unfair pressure on them.
When we find ourselves longing for someone else's life, sit down with a piece of paper and pen and start listing all the things you are thankful for. List all the blessings in your life. When you feel yourself starting to compare again, get out the paper and re-read all that you are thankful for. We will quickly realize how blessed we really are.
The other thing we can do to stop the comparing is to serve others. Serving others brings humility and helps us recognize our many blessings.
Lastly, we have to be careful with social media. It is easy to read about all the recipes and refinished furniture and beautifully sewn cloths and feel inadequate. Just because we don't do all those things, doesn't mean we are less. Nor should we compare ourselves to all the "ideal" posts we read.

2. Happy Moms Stop Worrying
I am very guilty of this. I am a worrier. It causes stress, and then I am not happy. It will take practice, but think about it this way: If you can't change it or control it, then there is no need to worry about it. Instead think about what you can control and put your efforts there. The other thing we can do to stop worrying is to turn off the news. I watch the news filled with all the negative and horrible and I worry more.

3. Happy Moms Recognize Their Worth.
There comes a time when we have to accept ourselves, as is. We need to love ourselves. Instead of wondering what we are good for, we need to know that our role is THE most important role. We are raising and influencing future generations. We are primarily responsible for nurturing little human beings. It doesn't get more important than that. Even if we don't have children of our own, there is nothing that compares to a women's loving influence.
Take a minute and write down all the things that you are good at. Don't be shy, write them down. Maybe you are a good friend, patient, a talented seamstress, or creative. Own them, find strength in your strengths and use them to help others. The sooner we can recognize our true worth, the happier we will be.

4. Happy Moms Have Faith and Pray
The act of being faithful, in and of itself raises our spirits and gives us hope. Hope is happy and healing. Couple that hope with prayer and the sun will shine happy rays. :) Even on the worst of days, having faith that we are trying our best and that tomorrow will be better, can help us feel happy today.
Prayer can help us lead happier lives also. It gives us a chance to express gratitude and ask for help. When we pray, be specific. Yesterday I prayed that I could be more creative with our 3 year old. Lately she has wanted me to play zoo, and make animal sounds. Sometimes that is hard for me, so I asked for help. Pray for more time with your family, pray for stamina to get through a long day. Sometimes my prayers are that I can get through the next 15 minutes. Happy moms have faith. For me, faith helps because I know that I am never alone.

5. Happy Moms Choose Good Friends.
We are quick to preach this to our children, but do we realize how important it is for us. We need to surround ourselves with people who lift us up, who believe in us, and who support us. Avoid relationships that are one sided and draining. We want friends who don't compare, who revel in our successes and who believe in lifting others up, not putting others down. That is also the type of friend we want to be for others.

6. Happy Moms Make Time For Themselves
As mothers and women, we tend to take care of ourselves last. I have caught myself more than once saying "when the kids are older then I will have time for....". We need to stop thinking like that. We should find some time for ourselves to cultivate our gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn to do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. It is not selfish.

7. Happy Moms Simplify
We need to clean up and clear out. Take a look at your schedule and make sure it is not too full. Don't over schedule our kids, or ourselves. Juggling a million things doesn't make us better moms with cooler kids. It just stresses us out. We are not happy when we are stressed. Our kids only need one or two extra activities, same with us as moms.
We should simplify our homes also. Too many clothes and toys in our homes and cars add stress. It can become overwhelming to manage so much stuff. Simplify. Cut down to what is manageable and spend less time keeping up with all the stuff, and more time with those you love, doing things you want to do and being happy.

8. Happy Moms Laugh and Smile
Laughing and Smiling naturally brings happiness. Let your face light up and let out a giggle. In fact, smile at someone else and watch their face light up. We can get so rushed and serious that we forget to be happy. So even if you have to force it at first, smile.

ARE YOU A HAPPY MOM?
DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH ANY OF THESE?

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU ADD TO THE LIST?

I would like to add a few things to the list:

Get enough SLEEP!

Exercise regularly

AND

Eat right - be healthy so that you have the energy/stamina to take care of your family!

Have a great week!

XOXO, Shari

the birth story

2011-10-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting around to posting pics and the whole birth story! Hooray! I know some of you out there have been patiently waiting to see pics, and so here ya go!

First of all, I want to give a little recap of the weeks leading up to delivery day... At 37 weeks I had an ultrasound to estimate the size of the baby. When a woman has gestational diabetes, it increases the chances of having a big baby. Well, that is all relative considering the fact that I NORMALLY have big babies...(i.e. Jakob: 10lbs 1.4 oz; Joshua: 9lbs 8oz; Drew: 8lbs 12oz.) So, I was worried that would mean my baby could end up being a 12 pounder! Anyway, at that ultrasound, they estimated the baby's weight around 8lbs, 4oz. Ummmm...with 3 weeks to go, that had me a bit worried. So, at my 38 week appt., my Dr. says, "Well, we don't want this baby to get TOO big, so at your next weeks appt. we will talk about scheduling induction."

UH-OH. I felt like I was having deja vu. That word, "INDUCTION," had been mentioned to me before...by 2 other doctors, with 2 other pregnancies...and guess what? Yes, I was induced...but not EARLY...it was only because the babies were a week late! So, I had a really hard time believing that THIS Dr. would actually follow through and induce early.

So...week 39 appt. comes along, and guess what? Dr. says that since I'm not progressing at all, we will wait one more week and to make sure I schedule an appt. 1 week past my due date to make sure I don't go too far OVER DUE.

SERIOUSLY? I wanted to punch him in the face. Even though I think he's a rad guy, I was NOT happy with that decision. Oh well. Nothing I could do.

So...I go to my 40 week appt...and this time, I see a different doctor. She says she is really surprised to see me still pregnant at this point! I start to see a glimmer of hope, that maybe she will schedule the induction! Then, she checks to see how far dilated I am and then says, "OOPs! Your water broke!" Ha ha. She totally did it on purpose! Love her for that! So, we went home, got my bag and made arrangements with my mom and for the kiddos and then headed to the hospital.

Here is a pic of the family right before we left...the last picture of us as a family of 5!

Brad and I were completely shocked that she broke my water in the office...we never would have imagined that being a possibility, but needless to say we were pleasantly surprised! That was all around 2:30pm... we made it to the hospital and I was in my bed around 5 or 5:30...not exactly sure.

I was put on pitocin at about 6pm, and that really got things going...they took me off of it at about 7pm and the contractions just kept coming harder and stronger. Thankfully this time, the epidural was placed in time -- well, I mean at least it helped take the edge off the contractions, and then a few minutes later it was time to push! OUCHIE! Let's just say he didn't fly out like JOshy and Drew did...but definitely came easier than Jakob did! We were all blown away when they called out his weight... 10lbs, 7.2oz!!!!!

I never thought I would have a baby bigger than Jakob! Holy cow! I am so thankful that the dr. broke my water...because he very easily could have been 11 or 12 lbs if I had gone another week!!!

I love that they encourage skin-to-skin contact right after birth...it was so sweet to have him lay on my chest and give him a kiss!! (I know you're all jealous of my sweet tan lines, ha ha!)

Proud Papa and Mama...

The calm before the storm...

Definitely NOT digging his first bath!

All clean...what a chunk! Look at that double chin!

Proud Grama!

Proud papa...

Proud mama...

The boys were so cute when they first came to meet Aleks...they were fascinated by him!

They brought me treats... Peanut M&Ms (which they ate 1/2 the bag!!), spider earrings that Joshy picked out, and a cute "lil' Devil" hat and bootie halloween bootie set... Those boys crack me up!

The whole family! I can't believe we have 4 sons!

Sweet, sleepy baby...

And another Proud Papa pic...

Looking at these pics I realize how much he has already grown and changed in the past 2 weeks... I have attempted a few photoshoots with him...and let's just say, I much prefer photographing OTHER peoples' babies! I have found that I remain much more calm when it's not my kid! :) So, hopefully I will have some really great photos to show you soon...keep an eye out!

We have been truly blessed to have my mom stay with us and take care of all the cooking and cleaning and driving kids around, etc...that was wonderful! She left on Saturday and now that it's been a few days, I am starting to feel more confident in taking care of things on my own with the kids and baby. Brad is also a great help, and steps in whenever I ask. We have had lots of friends bring us meals...and that has helped tremendously...just not even having to THINK about cooking takes a huge load off of me! So, thank you to everyone who has helped out and sent kind messages...it really means a lot to know we have such an awesome support system!!!!!!!

And now I must sign off...it's feeding time again!

xoxo

what i've been keeping busy with...

2011-09-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

One week ago, we welcomed baby Hanson #4 into the world!

Aleksander Josef Hanson

September 22, 2011 @ 9:40pm

10 lbs, 7.2 oz; 21 3/4 inches

Birth story and more photos coming soon...

hopefully these will tide you over until I get around to it!

Thanks for all the well wishes and offers to help out! We truly are so blessed...

i like this...

2011-09-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Source: turquoisetulipsandbliss.tumblr.com via Nicole on Pinterest

teaching our children about 9/11

2011-09-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, talking about 9/11 with our boys wasn't something I was looking forward to. But, it was something I knew we needed to do, not only because they were hearing about it at school, but because a few weeks ago there was a news clip showing the WTC right after the first crash, and Jakob saw it and said, "WHOA! What happened?????" At that moment, I realized that my sweet boys had NO idea what happened on that day, and we needed to teach them about it.

On Sunday, our home teachers stopped by for a quick visit, and gave us a message from D&C 136:30 which says, "Fear not thine enemies, for they are in mine hands and I will do my pleasure with them."

I thought that a very fitting message for that day, when we were remembering the events of 9/11 and remembering the fear and vulnerability we felt about our nation being attacked. I very distinctly remember hearing President Bush say that we should not live in fear, that that is what the terrorists want, and that we needed to be united and stand strong as a nation and never allow something like this to happen again.

I remember crying a lot...in sadness over the innocent lives lost...children losing their parents...spouses losing their sweethearts...and for just the sheer evil that manifested itself that day. I remember dreading going to work, because at the time, I worked for Continental Airlines, and I didn't know if I'd be able to keep myself composed enough to talk to passengers and answer questions about flights.

Most of all, I remember the intense pride I felt in America, and in the closeness among my fellow Americans that I felt in the wake of 9/11. I loved seeing the American flag proudly flying EVERYWHERE. I loved feeling like we would eventually come out on top of all of this...that hope wasn't lost. Faith in America was renewed, and people everywhere were proud to show it.

For that reason, we decided to teach our boys about 9/11 for Family Home Evening last night. We made little posters that they drew pictures on, and then we went to visit the 9/11 Memorial in Fountain Valley. They were very reverent and somber, and sweet Jakob was very upset about all the kids who never knew their dads. I am thankful that we were able to talk about it with them, and to hopefully teach them about how important it is to remember those who were lost that day, and also the many heroes who died trying to save them.

The moon coming up over saddleback mountain was GORGEOUS last night!

This monument was made possible by an Eagle Scout...and is truly a gift to our community.

The moon with spooky clouds passing by...beautiful!

It's hard to believe 10 years have gone by...but I am thankful and hopeful for the future, and happy to be raising my boys to be proud to be Americans!

raise your hand if you like FREE stuff!

2011-08-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

So, many of you may have already read about the GIVEAWAYS over on my photoblog, but just in case you haven't, I thought I'd post about it here as well. :)

You see, I am celebrating 3 years in business this week! So, go check it out, and enter to win a fabulous prize while you're at it! :)

Click HERE to see what it's all about!

XOXO

A good, wait scratch that, EXCELLENT reminder...

2011-08-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Who You Are by Hilary Weeks

I know you wonder if you'll ever have a day
when the kids stay calm, the laundry's done, and the dishes are put away.

And sometimes you feel like your days are spent and gone
and the question running through your mind is what have I gotten done?

And when you finally have a moment to slow down at the end of your day...

I know Father would say:

Believe in what you're doing
Believe in who you are
Hold tight to the truth that you're a daughter of God
Believe in who you're becoming
Believe in who you are

It may seem simple - all the little things you do
But the lives you touch matter so much.
And there's no one else like you.
And Father needs you to stand tall and faithful to be all you can be.
Oh, if you could see what he sees.
When it's hard to believe in yourself and you feel like you're beginning to doubt

Remember:
He believes in what you're doing
He believes in who you are
Don't lose sight of the truth that you're a daughter of God
That He believes in who you're becoming
He believes in who you are.

mr. man baby "sprinkle"

2011-08-22T23:28:00.000-07:00

I truly have been blessed with wonderful and thoughtful friends! They through me a baby "sprinkle" (aka baby shower but for my 4th baby a "sprinkle" was more appropriate!) with a Mr. Man theme -- mustaches and all! It was so much fun...I absolutely loved all the cute details and decorations they made! It was so nice to sit and eat a yummy lunch while chatting with friends! Thank you girls!!!!!!

Kristie made those adorable onesies...can't wait for my baby to fit into them!

I requested name suggestions...Kristie is so funny. Sept. 19th is "Talk Like A Pirate Day" -- so, if baby comes on that day, then we must name him "Jack Sparrow Hanson." HA!

My friend Julie's baby girl joined us...and even allowed us to torture her with a big, black, fuzzy mustache! So adorable!

The party planners: Kristie, Edie and Jaclyn

Kristie reading off the "Wishes For Baby" cards that everyone filled out. Some were really funny! But most were very sweet... It will be fun to share them with him when he's older!

My little men ...patiently waiting to eat their chocoate mustaches...

The party was so fun...I really feel lucky to have such great friends...and I know that this little baby boy will be loved by all! Thanks everyone!

Say Something Nice

2011-08-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

(Please scroll down and pause my playlist before watching this so you can hear what they are saying!)

This is from an awesome blog called Color Me Katie -- I've been following her for a few years...she ALWAYS has something on her blog that makes me smile. I love this idea of getting people to "Say Something Nice" -- it seems like we hear so much negativity and criticism all the time, it's wonderful to hear nice words!

i needed this...

2011-08-17T11:36:00.001-07:00

Source: granvillehouse.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

cousin fun

2011-08-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

We had lots of family visiting over the last few weeks, and unfortunately I just haven't been in the photo mood -- so I haven't taken many photos. However, here are 2 that I thought were super cute of Joshy, Drew and their cousin Luke from Texas. :) (click to enlarge)

Add caption

These boys are getting so big!

play time for mama

2011-08-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

So...I admit, I occasionally (ha!) procrastinate and play on the computer instead of accomplishing more important tasks.

I love looking at word art/posters/quotes online, and finally decided to make a few of my own that I will frame and hang in my stairway so my kids (and Brad and I) will see them every day.

I can't take 100% of the credit for these because I've seen similar ones like them online and just played around until I came up with a look that I liked... If you like them too, and are interested in having a copy of your own, let me know! They are all sized to print out as 8x10s.

Here are my creations:

What do you think? I promise to post a pic once they are framed and up on the wall!

calendars...

2011-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

http://pinterest.com/pin/61246909/

As a child/teenager, I dreaded "Family Calendar Sessions" because #1, it took FOREVER! and #2, I have never liked to plan ahead...I like to live spontaneously!

HOWEVER...

Now that I am a parent, I can see the HUGE benefits of having a Family Calendar - especially as my memory gets weaker and weaker! So...

I've been semi-obsessing over getting a good calendaring system in order before baby arrives...and was looking through some old documents/ideas that I've saved over the year. I came across this list from LDS Living from a couple years ago, and after re-reading it, I wondered if maybe some of my friends/family might have some additional tips that they use in their homes?

Here is the original text from LDS Living:

One of the best ways to organize your family is through the tried-and-true wall calendar. Setting aside some time during a family home evening to determine schedules and responsibilities will help you get your family's act together. Here are some keys to organizing and staying focused on your goal.

1. Each Monday at the beginning of family home evening have each member of your family list the activities in which they will be involved during the week and which activities are coming up that month. Have children look through school assignments, extra-curricular activity schedules, and church activity schedules so that nothing is forgotten.

2. Also list upcoming extended family dinners, ward activities, work trips, family vacations, etc., on your calendar. Don’t forget to block out Monday evenings for family night.

3. Next, create a list of chores and determine how frequently these chores need to be done for your family. Assign each member of the family a week or a day for a specific chore (e.g., Week 1: Jessica empties dishwasher; Week 2: Trevor vacuums on Tuesday and dusts on Thursday). List each family member’s household responsibilities on your calendar.

4. Place your family calendar in a central location where everyone will be able to have easy access to it. Encourage your children to check the calendar often to be reminded of what is on the roster and to update it when necessary.

5. Learn to just say no when activities start mounting up. Creating a family schedule will help you manage your time, but if you simply don’t have the time, learn that sometimes “no” must be the answer.

6. Consider blocking out specific days for each family member during the month. This is a special day to do something fun with Mom and/or Dad.

So I ask you, what kind of calendar system works for you? Any tips or tricks you can offer would be greatly appreciated! Do you use a computer calendar (like google calendar) or perhaps a calender app in your phone?

boys and their toys

2011-07-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Over our 10 day trip to Utah, I hardly brought out my camera at all. But, here is one pic that I managed to get of my Dad giving the boys a ride on one of his new "toys." The were in hog heaven!

make new friends, but keep the old...

2011-07-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was lucky enough to meet up with an old friend from high school, Kristen Duke...who, by the way, is a fab photog and also has been like a mentor to me and graciously helps me whenever I have photog/biz questions!

We met up for a few quick maternity shots (because really, I do NOT need a million images of my fat prego body floating around in the universe!) and then later on that evening for her family pics. Then I went to her photography workshop the following morning!

It was so much fun reconnecting with her IN PERSON, although blogs and facebook have made it seem like we haven't really lost touch too much. So, like the title says, "make new friends, but keep the old..." It's a song I learned when I was a Brownie! "...one is silver and the other gold..." SO TRUE!

(click to enlarge)

Thanks for a fun weekend Kristen!

p.s.

To all my friends (new or old):

if you or your family come for visit to Orange County, or pretty much

anywhere in Southern California, PLEASE contact me. I'd LOVE to

see you, even if for a brief visit! I am only about 20 minutes from Disneyland,

and would be more than happy to drive to meet you somewhere. :)

THANKS!

if only all food was this beautiful...

2011-06-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

then finding out I am definitely diabetic (gestational) wouldn't be so hard to swallow.


from marthastewart.com

But, to be completely truthful and transparent...I am really bummed. In fact I kind of want to cry.

No more white sugar. No more white flour. No potatoes (french fries, I will miss you!). No fruit juice. WHAT? Boo!!!! How pathetic is my love affair with food????

Even with all of that...deep down, there is a part of me that is somewhat grateful for this challenge because my family really needs to be eating healthier...and if I have to eat healthy, then so does everyone else!!!!!

When the Dr. from the lab called to discuss my results from today's glucose test, all she had to say was that if I'm not eating right, then it's like a thick sugary syrup flowing through my arteries and into the placenta...and then all my baby is eating is sugar. That image alone was enough for me to dig my heels in and stop eating crap right then and there.

And, it's about time! I'm surprised it's taken 4 pregnancies to bring it out...but, being that I come from a family with a history of diabetes, I shouldn't be too surprised. It doesn't make it any easier though. Learning how to follow this diet is going to be hard...and to top it all off, it's starting while I'm off on vacation! I guess that will be the true test for me...

Wish me luck!

moving pro...not quite!

2011-06-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

I have moved 19 times in my life.

1. Saudi Arabia to the U.S. (Brea, CA) when I was 18 months old...(1979)
2. Brea, CA (southern) to Danville, CA (northern) when I was 3 (1981)
3. Danville, CA to Littleton, CO when I was 5...just a wee Kindergartener! (1984)
4. Littleton, CO to Spring, TX when I was 12...at the start of 7th grade (1990)
5. Spring, TX to Orem, UT two weeks after I graduated high school (1996)
6. Orem, UT to Tempe, AZ at the end of that summer to start college (1996)
7. Tempe, AZ to Spring, TX at the end of that school year (1997)
7.5 Spring, TX to Spring, TX when our house was struck by lightning and we had to move out (1998)
8. Spring, TX to Murray, UT a few months after moving out of our burned house (1998)
9. Murray, UT to Salt Lake City, UT to be closer to campus (2000)
10. Salt Lake City, UT to SLC, UT - from an apartment to a house in the avenues (2001)
11. SLC, UT to Midvale, UT - to my first apartment with Brad when we got married (end of 2001)
12. Midvale to Midvale, UT - to a different apartment to escape the chain-smoker below us because I was pregnant with Jakob (2002)
13. Midvale, UT to Sandy, UT - to a bigger/nicer apartment now that we had Jakob! (2003)
14. Sandy, UT to Fountain Valley, CA - into Brad's parents' home so he could start working with his Dad's business (end of 2003)
15. FV, CA to FV, CA - to our first place on our own in CA, I was pregnant with Joshy (Jan. 2005)
16. FV, CA to HB, CA - the owner of the last place decided to sell...so we moved again... (Oct. 2005)
17. HB, CA to FV, CA - Both cars broken into and some crazy/shady stuff going on in our neighborhood, plus the smoker next door and the dogs/dog poop/flies from the other neighbor next door made us want to move again...oh, and I was pregnant with Drew! (June 2007)
18. FV, CA to HB, CA - being sucked dry by rent and not enough income...so we moved again to save money...(sept. 2009)
19. HB, CA to HB, CA - just down the street, but to a bigger apartment...now that baby #4 is on the way, this is a huge blessing...even though it's my 19th move! (2011)

So, you might think after all of those moves that I am a pro, right? No. Not at all. I have definitely learned a lot...since some were long-distance moves, but many were local moves-- I think they are all incredibly difficult physically, emotionally, mentally...it's a lot to handle.

Because of all of those moves, I went to 4 different elementary schools, 2 junior highs, 1 high school (thankfully), 3 colleges, and have been in too many different wards to count!

BUT...because of all of those moves, I have been blessed with so many wonderful friends and amazing opportunities to grow. That is what makes moving exciting. Now, when it's local, it's a bit different...however, here in CA I've been in 4 different wards within the same stake...so I have been able to get to know lots of different people which is pretty awesome!

Even with the perk of making new friends...it is still really hard to say good-bye to old friends and old places...and even though I have good intentions of keeping in touch with everyone, it just doesn't always happen. So, my friends, old or new, I hope you know how many times you all cross my mind and how thankful I am for your friendship...and I especially love knowing that if and when we meet again, we will pick up right where we left off!

This move feels different to me for some reason. The last one felt very temporary...the entire time we lived there, I treated it as if it was just a quick stopping point for us...and thankfully this bigger unit became available for us! Now that we are here, I can see us staying a while. It doesn't feel temporary like the last place. Jakob is stoked to have is own room...Drew and Joshy are enjoying their room together and in a few months we will have a baby in the empty room! Hard to believe that there will be another little Hanson boy growing up with our family...hope he knows what he's getting himself into! :)

Anyway...if you've made it this far...you must be really bored. ha ha just kidding. It's been a while since I've just babbled on and on...so thanks for being interested! And if you're one of the people who have helped us move...THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. And I hope I can return the favor in some way, someday.

Say NO! To Auto - Photography Workshop with Kristen Duke

2011-06-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hey All!

My friend, and oh-so-fabulous photographer, Kristen Duke

is coming out to California in July, and is going to conduct a

"Say NO! To Auto" Beginner Photography Workshop

right here in Huntington Beach!

This is a great opportunity to learn how to use your

DSLR camera and to move out of Auto-Land!

WHEN?

Saturday, July 23 @ 10am

WHERE?

Huntington Beach Central Library*

WHAT?

How to use your Digital SLR camera
Aperture (f-stop), shutter speed, ISO, and how they all work together
Lighting, how to locate the best light
Lens suggestions
30 min. of shooting time with discussion and questions
Very basic Photoshop tips
Ways to get your subjects to relax
The importance of capturing the candid moments and how to get them

COST?

$150

Pssst...Mention MY name and get $25 off!!!

*If you are interested in hosting this workshop, Kristen will give you a 50% discount!

Click HERE for complete details and to register!

a thank-you for teacher

2011-06-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

I go the idea for this cute note/treat from the blog eighteen25...and if I was a scrapper and had all the cute paper and paper punches I could have copied it exactly. However, I am not even close to scrapping anything and so I rely (heavily) on photoshop for creating cutesy things like this. :)

I also had each of the boys write a thank-you card to their teachers. I didn't think about taking a picture of them until after I had already sealed Joshy's in the envelope...but his was pretty cute! I was going to help Jakob format his letter, and he said, "Can't I just write whatever I want?" That's when I realized I was being way too controlling (part of me being controlling was fueled by the fact that it was already after 9pm and my kids were not in bed yet). Of course he should write whatever he wants. He's 8-yrs-old, he knows how to say THANK YOU! So, here's the result of his cute thank you card:


(click to enlarge)

I'm so proud of both my big boys...I can't believe another school year has gone by...Joshy is officially done with Kindergarten and Jakob will be a 3rd grader next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drew still has 1 year left of preschool before he starts kindergarten. They are getting so smart and so much fun to talk to! The things they come up with always keep me on my toes and make me laugh!

On another note...the next few weeks will be SUPER busy for us, so I may be absent from the blog world for a while. Look for updates mid-July. :)

Happy Summer!

i wanna be beautiful to Him

2011-06-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

(scroll down to pause my playlist before clicking play on this!)

"Beautiful To Him" by Rachel Thibodeau
So much noise
so much peace destroyed
i can hardly hear the voice
leading me through the void
just so much noise

the world's little lies
destruction in disguise
opportunities to compromise
to make me beautiful in their eyes
but i'm not going to buy
the world's little lies

cause i define myself and find my beauty in
the light he gives
i'm refined by his divine intentions every day i live
it doesn't matter what the world believes
or what they say that beauty means
it comes from within...
i wanna be beautiful to him.

he's given me his trust
so i'll be strong enough
to run from a dangerous touch
i don't need THAT kind of "love"
i don't need that crutch
he's given me his trust.

cause i define myself and find my beauty in
the light he gives
i'm refined by his divine intentions every day i live
it doesn't matter what the world believes
or what they say that beauty means
it comes from within.....
i wanna be beautiful to him.

I know how to shine
my life's not really mine
it's not about a worldly climb
it's all about HIS design
so in his eyes...
i wanna shine.

cause i define myself and find my beauty in
the light he gives
i'm refined by his divine intentions every day i live
it doesn't matter what the world believes
or what they say that beauty means
it comes from within...
i wanna be beautiful to him.

i want to live to have his peace
and feel the holiness he sees
it comes from within.....
i wanna be beautiful
to Him.

drewbie-drew loves salad

2011-06-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Drew loves salad. He will frequently ask for it for breakfast, or just for a snack during the day. He likes all kinds of lettuce, including baby spinach! He is somewhat partial to Ranch dressing, but will try others - like raspberry vinegarette.

I realized that I've never documented this -- and it's pretty monumental considering Jakob and Joshy both gag at the thought of eating salad! I don't know where Drew's love for salad or salad dressing came from, but I am thankful for it!

Also, he recently discovered all of the bibs in the back of our towel drawer and has been wearing them around. I don't normally put a bib on him, but after he wanted to wear one to eat his salad, I thought, "that's not such a bad idea! who cares if he's 3 1/2?????"

Just look at this sweet boy...makes me want to eat him up!

jakob's 1st pinewood derby

2011-06-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Jakob's first Pinewood Derby. He was very proud of his car! Here are a few pics...

He got the award for "Most Decals" -- LOL


All the cute derby racers...

The scouting world still seems very foreign to me...but I am slowly learning how things work! One thing I've learned so far is that sewing patches on those shirts is not fun. But, hopefully will get easier over time!

I can remember my mom having den meetings at our house when she helped out with my little brothers, and I remember my dad going on campouts, especially when he went on the Mountain Man Rendevous when we lived in Colorado. I don't think I will ever forget the smell of the animal hides he cured in our garage. But his raccoon hat was pretty sweet! Not sure if Brad will ever do something like that, but I look forward to seeing more bonding experiences between father and son through scouting!

I absolutely love that Jakob is so enthusiastic about it all...it's definitely a blessing for him and I am so thankful for the leaders who work so hard to make it all work!

let's hear it for the boy!

2011-06-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that Brad, my studly husband, has been taking classes since last summer. A bit over-due you say? Nah...it's NEVER too late to go to school! I am so proud of him and have really enjoyed seeing him work hard and succeed in all of his classes. I think he's learning that he's smarter than he gives himself credit for, and also that learning is actually kind of fun!

Well, I'm pretty sure most of you know that Brad prepares taxes for a living, and that means that he's extremely busy for the first few months of the year. He did something crazy and registered for 6 classes this past semester! Even though he was super busy and tired, he pulled it off with flying colors! He got all of his final grades yesterday and came away with 5 As and 1 B!!!!!! He is amazing. :)

I wanted to include a clip from A Christmas Story that shows Ralphie daydreaming about getting an A+ on his theme, but none of them allow embedding. :( So, if you don't know what I'm talking about (and even if you do!) click HERE to watch a classic scene from one of my favorite movies!

Way to go Brad! Keep up the hard work babe!

mmmm....

2011-05-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

I love this:


image via House 8810

a good reminder

2011-05-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

Wow...came across something I needed to hear and want to share! If you are a parent (or a teacher!) this is GREAT advice and a good reminder...

From the blog Family Volley

Taking Our Stress Out On Our Kids?

As mothers, it seems we are constantly trying to juggle a million responsibilities. With these responsibilities comes stress, a lot of stress.
Enter children, and before we know it, we are taking all our stress out on them. Isn't it interesting, we often treat strangers and coworkers better than our own family.

Take a few minutes to figure out what is causing the stress. Are we tired, overwhelmed, money trouble, marriage stress or work stress? Maybe we have just had a long day. Regardless, Stress is going to happen, and we should do all we can to avoid taking it out on our children. They don't understand what we are dealing with and it is not their fault.

On top of that, dumping our stress on our children is not the answer either. We don't need to tell them all our woes. They can't fix it, they don't understand it, and at their age, they don't need to be stressed and worried about grown up problems.

So.. What can we do?

Focus on our children - Don't Multitask
When we have a lot to do, and a lot on our minds, it is easy to think that multitasking is the answer. When we are trying to make dinner, help kids with homework, fold laundry, AND listen to our 5 year old talk about their day, everything else will be more important than what happened at recess. We take our frustrations and stress out on our children because they are making it hard for us to get EVERYTHING ELSE done. The laundry can wait, and so can dinner. Sit down with your child. Give them your undivided attention and focus on their words and their facial expressions. Not only will it bring you closer, but we won't see them as a stress, we will see them as the children we love more than anything. Remember LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E.

Establish a routine
We need to put our families and children on a routine. With a routine, we will know what to expect and so will our children. This will eliminate a lot of stress that comes from the unknown and from struggles with bed time and meal time. Our children will be better behaved when things are predictable. This mean less stress triggers for us as mothers.

Minimize
Minimize the stuff in our homes. When we have more than we can maintain, even if it is just too many clothes, everything becomes overwhelming and stressful. We will quickly take our stress out on our children. Work to make the spaces in our lives manageable. Give away, throw out, and get rid of. The clutter in our homes and cars becomes overwhelming and makes the other stresses seem even worse.

Don't Over Schedule
We shouldn't over schedule ourselves or our children. To many things on our family plates will always bring stress. Our kids don't need to be involved in a million extra curricular activities, and we don't have to say yes to every play date and activity. We need to PROTECT our families time. This protection will bring peace and time together. Plus there will be less rushing. Rushing compounds stress.

Have Realistic Expectations
We don't have to be super women. And, we SHOULD NOT COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHER MOMS. We need to be realistic about what we can tackle and undertake. When we start comparing we tend to see everyone else's strengths and our weaknesses. It is never a fair comparison. We should surround ourselves with people and things that are supportive and uplifting. Not things that make us feel inadequate.

Put Ourselves in our Children's Shoes
As mothers, we need to take a minute to see things from our children's perspectives. Have empathy. Realize they don't mean to upset us. They are young, learning, and inquisitive. They don't know rush, hurry, or quick. If we can take just a second and see things from their eyes, we will not be so quick to take our frustrations out on them.

See our Children as People
When we are stressed, it is easy to see our children as objects. Objects that are keeping us from what we are trying to do. We are trying to make dinner, or answer the phone, or fold the laundry and their need for help or attention is getting in the way. We need to see them as people. Little people. They have thoughts and hopes and dreams and good days and bad days just like us. It is the laundry that is actually getting in the way of us being with our kids, Right?

Manage our Time
Clique, I know, but vital. Time management is so important to our lives. We do need to stay organized and manage our responsibilities and the time it takes to get things done.

Plan Ahead
This goes right along with managing our time. Being prepared and planning ahead will help eliminate a lot of our family stress. Make lunches for school the night before, lay out clothes the night before, even set the breakfast table before you go to bed each night. Round up backpacks and school work, shoes and socks before everyone goes to sleep. Make reasonable preparations to eliminate having to rush. Rushing brings stress, especially with children.

Have a Sense of Humor
Laugh. When you are ready to loose your temper with your children because you are stressed, laugh first. Even if you have to force yourself. You will find it fixes a lot of things.

Find Time For Yourself
As mother's we are always taking care of other people. We forget to take care of ourselves. We should pick one or two things we would like to learn or get better at, hobbies or interest, and find time for them. Along with this, we need to eat right, exercise, even if it is just a walk around the block, and get enough sleep. When we are hungry and tired we loose our temper and take our frustrations out on our kids.

Play together as a Family
We have to find time to recreate and relax together as a family. Life needs to be filled with work and play. When families play together they grow closer, develop stronger relationships, and have more patience for one another. Plus it is a needed diversion from the stress we deal with each day. Find time at least once a week to do something fun together (this doesn't mean it has to cost money).

Stress is part of life. Taking it out on our kids doesn't have to be.

DO YOU EVER CATCH YOURSELF TAKING YOUR STRESS OUT ON YOUR KIDS?
HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR STRESS?

a freebie

2011-05-25T08:29:00.001-07:00

click HERE for more details!

otter pops and belly bumps

2011-05-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

birthday fun

2011-05-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy is now officially 6-years-old! We celebrated with a family dinner out to the Rainforest Cafe. Luckily we got there early so it was quite empty...and we had the gorillas all to ourselves! Joshy could hardly wait to open his gifts, so as soon as we ordered, he went to town! He loved all of his gifts -- thank you to fun gifts from grandparents and also a surprise gift from his buddy (and our neighbor) James... I hope he wasn't too spoiled! He really wanted Sonic & the Black Knight game for the Wii, and we scored on a pre-owned copy for only $20!

Here are a few pics from yesterday:

six years ago...

2011-05-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

...I was double-checking my hospital bag because the next morning I was going to the hospital to be induced. Little did I know that the sweetest little blue-eyed, curly haired, charmer would be at the other end of all that!

Joshua Matej (pronounced ma-tay) Hanson was born at 6:53pm on May 17, 2005. Thankfully he was a bit smaller than Jakob, weighing in at 9 lbs, 8 oz, and was as cute as can be.

We never knew it was possible for a little boy to have such a big personality (like Jakob's) until we met Joshy. He is such a character...full of fire and definitely fits his zodiac sign of "taurus" - because he is like a little bull sometimes!

He is very affectionate and tender, and if you know anything about the "5 Love Languages" he is definitely a physical touch kind of kid. A hug and a snuggle will always help him feel better.

He can be a bit of a ham sometimes...but can also be incredibly shy other times! He is a total goofball, and to prove it I'll give you an example. While playing baseball this season, I caught him dancing in the outfield numerous times...SPANKING himself, and laughing! While that may be slightly inappropriate, it was quite funny and likes to make his friends laugh.

Even though he hates his curls, I think that his hair (along with his big blue eyes) is his best physical feature...and I am always telling him that someday, girls will think he is so handsome because of his awesome curly hair! He doesn't care right now though and is asking me to cut it all off on a daily basis.

He is almost a kindergarten graduate (only 5 more weeks!) and is so clever and smart. Even though I selfishly wish he would stay little forever, I am excited to see the man he will become.

Watch out girls! He's gonna break a few hearts...I'm sure of it!

image © Natalie Norton

Happy Birthday Joshy!

We love you!

Zig Zag Sewing

2011-05-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to a really fun sewing class/party at my friend Kim's house. It was taught by Zig Zag Sewing, and even though I'm a total novice seamstress, I came home with this adorable bag:

click to enlarge

I'm feeling ambitious and want to try to make another one, on my own! It was a really fun learning experience and if you are interested in learning more about sewing and making a cute project, this is a great way to do it!

Check out their BLOG and follow them on Facebook to stay up to date on their current projects and parties!

is this normal?

2011-05-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

Do your kids drink salt?

Do they use a pound of butter for one piece of toast?

Please tell me this is normal.

I'm beginning to worry about my kids and their strange eating habits.

spring break fun: zoo + safari park

2011-05-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

I know you're all dying to know...

2011-04-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

"You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes."

~Walter M. Schirra, Sr.

Here's to Hanson Baby Boy #4!

mmm, mmmmmm, and MMMMMMM!

2011-04-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Three of my favorite ingredients all in one delicious bar????

It must be a tasty dream come true.

Check out these Pecan, Coconut and Lemon Bars:

image via Technicolor Kitchen

Yes, please! Click HERE for the recipe.

A Sensitive Soul

2011-04-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last night when I picked up Jakob from Cub Scouts, he told me that while cleaning up trash around the church/parking lot they found a "hobo's home."

Now, I don't know about you, but I personally haven't heard the word "hobo" in a while. So I asked him, "Do you know what 'hobo' means?"

He said, "It's another name for a homeless person. And mom, there was only 1 jar of peanut butter there!"

So I asked him how that made him feel, to see that little area where a homeless person was living, and to see that all they had to eat was peanut butter.

His response was nothing short of what I have always seen from Jakob. Choked up with tears in his eyes he said, "It made me really sad to think about someone suffering and alone with no food to eat."

So of course (even when not pregnant I am an easy crier) I start to tear up as well, because it saddens me to my core to think of those who are alone and homeless...but also because it made my heart swell to see such a sweet, sensitive side of my son. Every time he shows that to me, it makes me so proud to be his mom. He truly has a heart of pure gold.

We continued talking about how seeing something like that should remind us to be really grateful for all of our blessings...a warm home and food to eat and a family who loves us.

Then he asked me if we could be the hobo's "secret friends" and bring some kind of food or blankets or something each Sunday and leave it there for them. I told him that we could definitely do that, and that I think that would make that person very happy.

Moments like that give me a glimpse of what kind of man my son will grow up to be. What kind of husband and father he will be.

And it makes me unspeakably happy.

FYI

2011-04-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Tax Day is NOT April 15th this year...just in case you hadn't heard...and to my (and Brad's) chagrin.

You have until Monday, April 18th to file your taxes. Click HERE to find out why.

you know it's nearing the end of tax season when...

2011-04-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

it's 7:30p and your kids (who are normally in bed at this time) are JUST sitting down to eat dinner...

you're sitting at the computer browsing facebook (instead of getting kids into bed) and THIS monkey business starts happening (and instead of stopping them and getting them upstairs into bed, you pull out your camera)...

a fun new game: let's make a bridge!

try to break the bridge!

let's use the skateboard as a bridge!

hmmm...it's not quite long enough! don't worry Drew, we will hold it for you! we promise it's SAFE!

he thought about it for a minute, and then thankfully decided against it.

so, joshy decided it was his turn to be a bridge

and Drew's turn to break the bridge!

if you can't be a bridge, climb the outside of the staircase, it's totally safe. (notice jakob contemplating using the skateboard on the stairs...GENIUSES!)

fell off the stair railing - got an owie - the ONLY one of the night - miraculously!

joshy and drew playing "kitty" -- more like KILLER kitty...

still playing kitty while Jakob sets up his next scheme

skateboard...bridge...same thing. right?

and the reason i say you know it's nearing the end of tax season when things like this happen, because i am just too tired to care about schedules right now. eventually I will get up and go put them to bed and all will be peaceful!

good morning

2011-04-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

it's already happening

2011-04-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

When I look down, this is what I see.

A combination of belly fat + baby = losing sight of my feet.

At 15 weeks? I guess with #4 that's normal?

33 years ago...

2011-03-31T11:44:00.000-07:00


Bradley - 6 months

Look at that sweet little boy! Today is Brad's 33rd birthday. He's busy meeting with tax clients all day, but tonight, we will actually be able to go celebrate on his ACTUAL birthday, and I'm so excited! He deserves a night off!

Hard to believe that we are 33 (my birthday is in 2 weeks) and that we've been out of high school for 15 years...and we've been married for 10 years this December. Time really flies!

Here's to another 33 wonderful and fun-filled years!!!!!

Love you babe!

a bobcat and a jog-a-thon

2011-03-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

Last night, Jakob was awarded his Bobcat patch! He was so excited...and we are so proud of him and love that he is enjoying cub scouts so much!

After all of the business was squared away, the boys were split up into teams of 3 and they had a competition to see who could wrap one of their team members the fastest, using ALL of their toilet paper. Jakob's team won 3rd place and were awarded with Tootsie Pops. :)

It was pretty funny to see how competitive they are over even just a silly game like this! BOYS!

Today was the jog-a-thon at school for Jakob and Joshy. It was actually quite warm out for a change (which is REALLY nice...) but I felt a little bad for the kids! I'm proud of their awesome effort! I am amazed the the amount of energy all of those kids have!

Jeremy, Kyle and Jakob

Joshy slapped my hand almost every time he passed me!

All done! Look at those RED cheeks!

"it's happened once, it could happen again!"

2011-03-29T08:31:00.000-07:00


Camille Roche/Courtesy Todd Bieber

Ok folks, this is truly a cool story! Some dude found a roll of film in a park in NY and decided to have it developed and from there, tried to discover WHO it belonged to by making a YouTube video! Read the whole story HERE.

In the story, it mentions being reminiscent of the french film, Amelie (which is a GREAT film by the way!) and I absolutely LOVE how Mr. Bieber ended his story...so GO READ IT! It's short, but very fun!

make new friends, but keep the old...

2011-03-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

...one is silver and the other gold!

Every Thursday and Friday, my friend Amanda and I swap kids. On Thursday, Piper comes to play with us, and on Friday, Drew goes to play at Piper's.

They are so good together, and do the cutest things. One of their favorite games is to hide/play under the kitchen table. When they are under the table, they are "under water." Watching them play under the table always makes me think of Dave Matthews Band, Under The Table And Dreaming... I love kids' imaginations!

This week, I wasn't sure they would be able to play out on the patio or not because it's been cold and rainy on and off. Well, it wasn't raining, so we loaded up the bubble machine with bubbles and they had a ball swatting at the bubbles with little sand toy shovels. (luckily no one got hurt!)

Then I think they were getting a bit tired, and they both laid down on the benches of our kiddie picnic table. They were so adorable I of course immediately grabbed the camera to snap a few pics.

I'm so grateful for all the good friends in my life...and am also so grateful for good friends in my kiddo's life!

each uniquely individual

2011-03-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

Jakob - about 5 months

Joshua - about 5 months

Drew - 5 months

I can see how each one of my sons is uniquely individual just by looking at these photos of each of them around the same age. Even as babies, they each had their own look, their own personality and their own special way of making me happy.

Each time I've been pregnant, I've daydreamed about what the new baby will look like, act like, sound like, etc. It's almost impossible for me to imagine because all around me are my real life children who are so different in looks and personality!

Anyway, it's fun to think about and looking back at these photos has really made me miss having a little one to hold and snuggle. It's a shame they grow up so fast...but also such an adventure and full of moments where they amaze me!

is it just me? or are there

2011-03-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

my reality

2011-03-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

1. I yell at my kids too much.

2. Listening to Justin Bieber makes me unnaturally happy.

3. I always choose FUN over work. (seen my house lately?)

4. I love photography but struggle with insecurity about my work.
5. Grocery shopping is right at the top of things I hate doing.

6. I love spicy food.
7. I mentioned this once before on this blog...but I still have a secret dream to own a car like the street racing cars on the movie The Fast & The Furious. And yes, I want to race it.
8. I snore when I'm pregnant.
9. If I could go barefoot or wear flip-flops for the rest of my life, I would.
10. I truly believe that spiders are evil. E-V-I-L!!!!!!!!!!! (like the fru-its of the de-vil!!! haha!)

peek-a-boo!

2011-03-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

here's baby hanson #4!

(click to enlarge)

had a quick ultrasound today...and baby was wiggling all over the place! it was so exhilliarating to finally see baby! baby had his/her back to the camera the WHOLE time...so no face or even a cute profile shot! but...we heard a strong heart beat...saw perfect spine...some sweet little fingers...and strong kicking legs!

but....we won't be able to find out gender until April...so, the wait continues!

dr. said that based on head measurement i am 13 weeks 6 days...but based on my dates, 13 weeks 2 days...just a few off. he didn't change my due date though...but as you can see at the bottom of the ultrasound, it says EDD (estimated due date) 9/17/11.... i'm not getting my hopes up for an early baby though...i've NEVER had an early baby!

but so fun to see that cute little wiggly baby today! can't wait for the next ultrasound at the end of April!

pssst.....

2011-03-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

due date

2011-03-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

I had my Prenatal Phone Interview this morning (much nicer than having to go and do it in person!) and so she told me my due date is Sept. 21st.

In case you wanted to know the "official" date.

There it is!

oooooh la la!

2011-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know I said in my last post that I haven't really had much of a sweet tooth (STILL TRUE) but, today I came across this:

via Creature Comforts blog via Crustabakes blog...and WOWZA does it look yummy!

This recipe is definitely getting filed away and saved for a special occasion!

I need a tart pan first though...anyone with tart-making experience have any tips on where to get the best tart pan??

Any other yummy tart recipes I should try? We ate some super yummy peaches with dinner tonight and I was thinking..."I wonder how to make a peach tart?" I love baked goods with fruit in them...so delectable!

prego update

2011-03-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

So I doubt any of you care to know these details, but i want to document them nonetheless.

So far this pregnancy has been different from my others because I have puked and gagged more than EVER before and just have generally had a more sensitive stomach and nose...even things I THINK about can make my stomach turn! It's crazy.

That was pretty bad for about 3 straight weeks...but for the past week or so it has really started to taper off, which I am thankful for. Usually around 12-14 weeks I start to feel pretty normal again, so I'm really hoping this icky business is over soon!

One of the hardest/most annoying things to deal with is that I am ALWAYS starving and yet NOTHING sounds good to eat. Seriously? That is so ridiculous! I hate it! I normally have a super sweet tooth and crave chocolate ALL the time...well so far, most sweet things do NOT sound good to me. The one thing I have craved alot is POTATOES...mashed, fries, baked, in soup, etc. I guess I just want the starchy stuff...don't know why.

Another thing I've craved is MEAT. But the hard part about that, is that I don't like the smell of it cooking...so that means I have to get take out or something. Protein definitely helps keep me fuller longer, but still isn't a magic fix!

I have NO feeling one way or the other about whether this baby is a girl or a boy...no dreams or impressions...but, I never had anything like that with my other pregnancies either, so I'm not really expecting to this time! However...my first ultrasound is on March 18th...so maybe we will find out then??? I will be about 14.5 weeks then...that's still a bit early to tell for sure, but I'm excited to see our little peanut on that screen!!!

Drew still doesn't really have any idea about the baby...Jakob and Joshy are still very excited! It's hard to imagine a 4th edition of brad+shari...but I am so excited to meet this baby and see his/her big brothers smother him/her with lots of LOVE!

Thank you to everyone who has wished me well and asked how I am...and offered to help out! It means a lot and I truly am grateful to have so many friends and family who are willing to help when we need it! LOVE YOU GUYS!

our little angel

2011-03-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

Joshy had his first ever baseball game on Monday night...he still has a ways to go, but we are super proud of his awesome effort! Here are a few pics of my adorable little angel! (click on the images to enlarge)

Liebster Award!

2011-02-28T09:41:00.000-08:00

Wow, I feel so honored to be given a blog award of ANY kind! Thank you CARRIE! I feel so special! Carrie and I worked together at Continental Airlines many moons ago, and she truly is an amazing woman, full of strength, integrity and compassion. She is mommy to two beautiful boys and an awesome wife to her sweetheart Mark...I mean, this woman keeps her house clean, works, takes care of her kiddos, AND is a fabulous cook. I am jealous of her cooking abilities! Anyway...

Considering the fact that I am quite a sporadic blogger and don't really have any FOCUS for my blog...it truly is a mish-mash of posts...I don't really feel deserving! However, I happily accept it and even more happily share it with a few other bloggers that I follow!

Here are the rules for the Liebster award, and the list of bloggers I'm sharing it with:

1) Accept it, write a post about it and display it.
2) Pass it on to 3-5 fabulous but unknown blogs (not ones with large amounts of followers) and tell them they have been awarded the love blog award.
3) Link back to the person who awarded it to you.

The aim is to bring great, but not well known, blogs to light.

So, I am sharing this award with:

1) HEATHER over at The Coterie Blog who is also a talented designer - see her etsy shop here: Kantan Designs and her photography here: HM Photography I found her blog by clicking on a comment from Natalie Norton's blog a LONG time ago...they are sisters-in-law. :)

2) LAUREL over at Just Around This Corner. Laurel writes the most inspiring posts...she has some serious story-telling skills and has a magical way of reaching right into your chest and grabbing onto your heart... I always go to her blog for reminders of WHO I AM, WHY I'M HERE, and to be reminded that I AM OF WORTH! ♥ ya laurel!

3) HILDA over at Hilda Grahnat (formerly "Forever Is Today"). Hilda knows how to ROCK her camera and produces beautiful images. I love her sense of style and composition, and adore her book clocks (see them here in her SHOP) I appreciate her English translations on the blog...but honestly, her images speak for themselves! She truly is a source of creative inspiration for me...and I secretly feel a connection to her since she is Swedish...and well, I have some Swedish roots too! :) ha ha I bet she has a TON of followers already, but not sure if any of MY friends have heard of her! Enjoy...

Happy 100th Day of School!

2011-02-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Today was my boys' 100th day of school! The kinders made special hats with 100 items glued on, and had a parade to celebrate. Joshy chose to glue "warm fuzzies" onto one of the sombreros we inherited from my grampa...and I must say, it turned out quite cute! It is definitely not ruined, and adds to the festive nature of the sombrero! I can't believe kindergarten will be over in a few months...this year has FLOWN by! Here are a few pics of the parade and Joshy's class.

He's now 100 days smarter than he was when school started! :)

love notes

2011-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

These love notes crack me up! Both Jakob and Joshy hid in the bathroom while we read them...because they were embarrassed! LOL In preschool last week we made cute little frames by gluing puzzle pieces to a makeshift frame (using craft sticks glued together) and then the kids painted the frames, and then I took a picture of each kid holding this heart that says "I love you to pieces!" They turned out so cute...I wish I had taken a picture of the finished product! Brad has Drew's frame at the office, but here is his sweet picture!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you all feel loved!

a happy dance

2011-02-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

Brad and I decided to share the news with our boys during family prayers yesterday morning. It was Joshy's turn to pray, and so he said his usual few things and then paused, waiting for help...so Brad started helping him and said a few things and then said, "And please bless the baby in mommy's tummy" and Joshy repeated that and then it was like everyone was holding their breath for a second while it sunk in. Immediately after the prayer, Joshy looked and me and screamed, "YOU HAVE A BABY IN YOUR TUMMY???????" and Jakob had a cute little smirk on his face and said, "You're PREGNANT? Why didn't you tell me?!" Then Joshy said, "I hope it's a girl cuz we don't have any girls in our family!" and then he proceeded to do a "happy dance" making his brothers and Brad and I crack up laughing! It was such a happy moment, and I'm so excited that they are so excited...it will all seem more real (and Drew will probably understand better) when I start to get a belly and they can feel the baby kicking...

To be honest, I am a bit scared of being a mother of 4. I finally felt like i was doing pretty good with 3...and now here we have another one on the way! But, since there is a longer gap between kids this time, (almost 4 years) it should be a bit easier. Only 1 kid in diapers, Jakob and Joshy at school all day, every day, and Drew in preschool 1/2 day every day will give me plenty of time to bond with my new little one and not feel completely overwhelmed.

So, there have been several comments about "secretly praying/wishing for a girl" from some of you, and to be honest, yes, it would be wonderful to have a little girl. BUT, that said, I do TRULY with ALL OF MY HEART, absolutely LOVE my boys and would be THRILLED to have another one. So...we thank you for "thinking pink" or "thinking blue" and will be happy to make the announcement when we find out.

I always imagined myself as a mother of all boys...not sure why...but it just seemed natural to me. There are plenty of times where I wish I had a girl, to balance things out a bit...but then again I get PLENTY of girl time with my girlfriends...and so I do feel balanced. I do however, wish I had someone on my side when it comes down to watching MY movies...you know, the Jane Austen-ish movies...the ones that Brad hates! But, that's a trivial thing. Not super important.

So, thank you all for your congratulations and well wishes, we are so happy to share this good news with you all and I for one can't wait to get beyond the "icky" phase of gagging and being starving all the time. Another month and I should be good to go!

Happy Weekend!

something fun...

2011-02-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

What do these things have in common????????

Well...if you haven't been able to figure it out...let me spell it out for you! I ate Chipotle tortilla chips for breakfast this morning, because well, these days, I'll pretty much eat anything I can get my hands on (and then 5 minutes after I eat it, I want to barf...)

Yes folks...I am 8 weeks PREGNANT!

Our baby is about the size of a KIDNEY BEAN!

This is baby #4!!!

And he or she will arrive on or around:

We were going to try to wait longer to make the big announcement, but well, I just didn't want to wait anymore! And I want to give props to Brad for not spilling the beans sooner!!!!!!!!!!!! If you know Brad, then you know it's TORTURE trying to hold in a secret this big!!!!!!

Our kiddos don't know yet...so if you see them PLEASE don't ruin the surprise...we will be telling them in the next few days!

xoxo, Shari

this says it all

2011-02-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

a bittersweet memory

2011-02-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

just uploaded a bunch of old videos yesterday...they were so fun to watch! Drew was so surprised to see himself as a baby...and I was so surprised to see myself without a double chin! LOL I am thankful for these types of things, to remind us of those little moments that mean so much... (scroll down and pause my playlist before watching the video)

plates on a wall

2011-02-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

A long time ago, like probably over a year ago, I came across this image:

And have wanted to create a similar design of my own...however, i'm a bit short on plates. Here is what my wall currently looks like:

So...I'm asking all of you, dear readers - family and friends...if you have any random plates you'd like to donate to my wall, it would be much appreciated! Any size, any color, any design. There is no rhyme or reason to it...that's part of the beauty of it!

a boy, 1 year, fruit salad and a new BFF

2011-02-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

A year ago I posted these pics of Drew helping me make cookies for Valentine's day. I can't help but drop my jaw at what a cute little baby he was -- at 2 years old he was "so grown up" but now that I see him at 3 years old and look back at him at 2 years old, I realize how "grown up" he really is now. It's amazing how much changes in one year.

Yesterday I took some pictures of him eating some yummy fruit salad. I love watching my kids grow up, but I also wish I could freeze time and keep them as my babies forever. That is one reason why I love pictures...because they transport me back to those times when my big boys were my babies...and quicker than I know it they will be men.

Drew has a new BFF named Piper...such a cutie! We just started doing a swap where I watch her one day, and then Drew goes to Piper's house another day. They are adorable together, and it makes me so happy to see him enjoying a friend so much. Someday they will look back at this picture and laugh at how little they were...but seriously, look how precious they are!

BREATHE

2011-01-31T12:07:00.000-08:00

Friends, we have an amazing opportunity!

click HERE to read all about The Breathe Workshop,

and then click HERE for chance to win a FREE seat!

I leave you with an image that takes my breath away...a San Clemente sunrise...January 2010.

HOME IS WHEREVER I'M WITH YOU!

2011-01-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

I love this song...and absolutely LOVE this version by this Father and Daughter...her sweet little voice had me in tears! I especially love her yawn at the end...so sweet! (scroll down to pause my playlist, then play the video!)

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/amazing-father-daughter-duet/1jr0ozb7m?rel=msn&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;src=v5:embed:&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Amazing Father Daughter Duet"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Video: Amazing Father Daughter Duet&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;