Soccer fun

Soccer was very time consuming and such a blast. Zechariah and Gabriel really enjoyed themselves. So did Elijah and Ammon! Their favorite thing to do was kick the ball. It was so cute
to watch Eli chase and kick the ball like his big brothers.

So much catch up to do

I have neglected this blog for so long that I began to wonder if it was even worth catching up and forging on. I mean does anyone really read this stuff? Then I told myself that since I don't journal, even if no one on the face of the planet reads it, at least I've written it down and can print it for future posterity. So, here it goes. The first of many posts in attempts to catch up on the last 2 months of our lives.
Has it really been that long? Seriously, it feels like much longer. I'm not kidding. I'm exhausted! I cannot believe it's almost time for the kids to go back to school! I am so sad. I have not done anything that I wanted to do with them. So much for teaching Gabriel and Ammon to read. (sigh)
I am getting ahead of myself. Ok, I've got to back up to May and soccer and school getting out.
Have fun! Here I go:

Mom

My mom had back surgery today. And I just need to talk about it.
I am very upset I couldn't be there when she went into the hospital. I have been upset that she is all alone without any family around to help her. I was mad at my Dad for putting her in Columbus and then divorcing her and leaving her with no family around to help her. However, things happen and as soon as I was mad, I got over it. I am really appreciative my SIL, Teri could be with her. Teri is another awesome woman that I will have to blog about at another day. She is an understated force to be reckoned with. That's what I will say for now about Teri.
I've been very weepy concerning my mom lately. I love her so much. We have had a rocky road growing up. Her and I didn't get a long very well for a very long time. I could go into it, but choose not to. As an adult, my relationship with her has really improved. Maybe it's b/c I had to mature to appreciate her, maybe the things she has gone through over the years has made her more vulnerable and reachable-I don't know. I just know that I love her. I have finally felt that I have a mom that I can rely on and confide in. She has helped me many times over the last 5+ years when I didn't know where else to turn. She was always there when I had each one of my babies. She helped me move into my house in TX when I was 8 months prego with Gabriel. She would come watch my kiddos when I had to work and Gary wasn't around. She showers my children with love, presents, fun outings, and loads of kisses she calls "sugar". The boys LOVE their "sugar" from Grandma! I want the best for her. I want her to be happy, healthy, and well. She is a wonderful mother and Grandma. I pray that she will recover quickly from her surgery and be able to live a happy full life that she desperately needs and wants.

FHE fun

So, I love reading my friend Sarah Bradley's blog, she is totally organized and writes Monday Memoirs, Tuesday Tips, and so on and so forth throughout the week (pretty cool right?). Last week her Tuesday Tip was about the FHE she had the night before. She had bought a metal tub from Lowes for around $4 and enough graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate bars, and marshmallows to make smores for her cute family. The whole night cost her $10! She is my hero.

Since I can only copy good ideas and not come up with them on my own, I decided to cook hot dogs over a fire and make smores for part of our FHE on Monday. I went to WalMart in search for a tub. Why not Lowes like smart Sarah suggested? Well, WalMart has everything right? I needed other things for the house, like the Smores materials, and I have 4boys. I must maximize my happy cooperative time when I have it! WalMart is fun for all: when they are good while I do my shopping, I will take them down the toy isle and let them drool over, wish upon, play with, then say goodbye to the toys. (Yep! I NEVER buy them! teehee) Guess what? You know already...they did NOT have any tubs! Zip, Zilch! So, I go to the garden center in search of bricks or paving stones-I'll build my own fire pit! How about those suckers were like 3 bucks a piece!!! I would need 10-20. I might as well BUY a real firepit. I call my sweet hubby to consult, he gives me the OK (this man has been wanting a fire pit for years!) I find one for cough cough 75 dollars that I like. Nope, they don't have any in stock. OK people if it were just my family I would have given up there, hit Lowes the next day for a tub and had FHE on TUesday. But, I had invited another family over! Then I had a brillant thought! I have 2 metal trash cans at home! Maybe that would work. I drive home and do a test fire in both trash cans. As soon as the sticks caught on fire, so did the trash can!!! Ok, now what? Another light bulb goes off: There is a Target next to my house. What's better than WalMart to a kid? TARGET! I throw the kids in the car, again, and off we go. Target has a cute copper fire pit there so I grab it and put it in the cart, swing by the toy isle-"Target has different toys Mom", pay for my stuff, and head home. On my way I receive a phone call from Gary saying he is running late, and one from my friend who tells me her day is crazy, her kid is screaming and can we reschedule.
$100 and 2 hours later, the kids and I roast hot dogs and marshmallows. We had laughter, lessons, singing, crying, and lots of hugs and kisses. It was the best 100 dollars I've spent in a long time. I tried Sarah, I tried. :)

)

Our new fire pit! Zechariah and Daddy

Me and the boys Ammon was crying b/c I told him no smores until he eats his hot dog

I am officially a soccer mom!

Yep, it's true. Because I was too cheap (frugal) to put the boys in mixed martial arts right now, we decided to attempt soccer. Wow! It is so involved! We are at practices 2x a week which is fine. The hard part is on Saturdays when Gary and I have to divide and conquer b/c their games tend to overlap and be at different locations. YIKES! Can you imagine when they are all old enough to play? I have a great friend with 6 kids that are in 6-10 different things at once. She is constantly on the go and I never understood how (or why) she did it. It is great though and the boys love it and so does my pocket book :) Thanks to the photo genius of a mom on Zech's team, I have some great shots of him in action. Poor Gabe-he is so slighted. I promise to do nothing but shoot pics of him this weekend to post Sunday.

Zech's team name is The Force.
Nothing could be more perfect for this little guy.

A mom on the team made these awesome posters that say "Don't Mess with the Force" and has General Grievous on it with all the kids' names on the sides of his light sabers. Cool? Heck Yeah!

nice effect huh? Zechariah is actually really good at soccer and likes it a lot. I still think Mixed Martial Arts is going to be our 'thing' but this is sure fun for now.

Eli's hands

My FIL called me up and asked me to take some pics of Elijah's hands for a project he has to do for his art class. I had so much fun trying to snap shots of him holding stuff. He has gotten so mobile and active lately that it was near impossible to get him to hold anything or hold still! He wanted to throw, jingle, eat, and run after everything I gave him.

I am happy to say that I was able to capture some truly nice pics. That night Gabriel just 'happened' to pick a Max Lucado book title, "You are Special". On the last page it reads, "Remember," Eli said as Punchinello was leaving, "you are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes."

Looking at Eli's hands makes me think pf what the Savior's hands must be like. Eli's hands are so sweet and innocence. They are perfect. God made him and he is special and perfect. God also made me and I am special. I have to remember this when I feel overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, and upset. Thank goodness for the Atonement. I'm glad God can take me where and who I am and make me perfect through repentance. I'm glad I am in His hands. His hands are perfect and innocent and kind. So thank you Don for reminding me of the power of God's hands.

What I've been up too:

Gary and I saw went to Richmond, VA to see Wicked for my birthday!It was amazing and I can't wait to see many more Broadway shows!I am now a Premier Designs Jeweler! I started my own business holding home shows and selling jewelry. It is crazy easy and tons of fun! I have had 6 home shows so far and have made an average of 200 dollars a show. That means I'm making around 50-67 dollars an hour! I'll take it! I really enjoy it and am excited to have the extra income help, aid, and enrich our family. Want to make some extra money? Want more info? Just want to host a party and get free jewelry? Shoot me an email! bekahandboyz@gmail.com

The boys are playing soccer!

Gabriel is super excited, it's all he talks about!

Zechariah didn't want to play soccer at first but once he went to a few practices, he was won over. Their first games are on Saturday. I think I'm becoming a soccer mom! It is sooo fun!

Stake Night of the Arts
I was asked to put together a musical theater number for our stake night of the arts. It turned out quite well and we've been asked to do an encore presentation at the D.C. temple! My friends took videos but I can't get them to load :( You can find them on my facebook page.

We went on a MEGA road trip for Spring BreakAunt Sis and Laura in ATL were our first stop.I love my Aunt Sis and miss her so much. It was lovely to visit with them and Mamaw too!

Panama City Beach to visit David, Emily, and kids was next!darn my camera! But aren't they all so cute?Double trouble! Actually, they are 2 of the sweetest kids ever!Gabe loves babies and is so good with them. Sophia is not so sure :)All I can say is: "For the love of cuteness!" Eli is pure adorableness! He smiles all the time and is just sweet and awesome to be around. I'm so glad he's in our family!Dear David and Emily, I am sorry. I feel so bad for you. To have a little girl as beautiful as Zoe just means a lot of heartache and pain when it comes to dating age. (sigh) She takes my breath away. I'm purely jealous and entirely content I don't have one. (weird huh?)Emily is a jewel. She is kind, thoughtful, creative, ultra talented, down-to-earth, cool, understanding, patient, level headed, and fun. I cannot say enough wonderful things to describe and sum Emily up. I will just say that I am glad she married David and is part of our family.
She rocks!Doesn't the ocean look great behind me? Do you hear it? It's calling me:
"Beeeekaaaaahhh, move to FL, bask in the sun, feel the soft breeze flowing off my waters, Beeeekkkkaaaahhh, move to FL"
I'm coming, I hope, soon, someday, maybe, I dunno, we'll see...(sigh)

Next stop, Grandma's house!Gabriel decorating Easter eggs! without a shirt? afterall, we are in GA!Zech without a shirt! Oh yeah, I was doing laundry :)

Easter Egg HuntingOn the hunt...Ammon needed a little coaching but he had a blast anyway!Elijah had a blast too!I love this little guyAmmon is a mess and we love him like crazy!While Zech wants to know when I am going to have "yellow" hair again, Gabriel absolutely loves that him and Mommy "match". I do too Gabe!

After I left Mom's house, I had Easter brunch at my Dad and Deborah's. After that, I went to B'ham to see my
Longest Bestest Friend,
MorganIsn't she cute? We've known each other since 3rd grade. Morgan is wonderful. I'm getting misty eyed thinking bout how much we've been through together and how much I love her. I miss her and wish desperately that we lived closer. Maybe when I moved to FL! :)

I think that pretty much sums up the last 2 months. I will try to do better, Manda, and not wait so long between posts. But it is now 10:41pm and I have been blogging since 9:00pm. Seriously?!? Crazy! Oh well, you are all worth it! :)