Clogging Reunion...

I was a clogger.

Like...big time. Like...practice all year long, performances all summer, competitions in Utah, Jr. Olympics in New Orleans (it WAS considered a sport for like 2 years)

And we were pretty good. Not to brag or anything...

And people can laugh and tease me all they want (Cory, cough, cough) :)

but  I loved it and it was a huge part of my growing up years. And so were the many, many people that I was blessed to know because of clogging.

So I jumped when I heard there was going to be a 20 year Gem Clogger reunion.

 

 

Sure, it was in the cafeteria of the local elementary school. And sure, only about half of the teammates that I danced with were there. And sure, we may be a little rusty.

But it was great. I love these people and all the memories I have!

 

 

These two ladies were the next best thing to family for me...Dian and Kari. I love them both so much and am so grateful for how they have changed my life for the better.

 

Our Three Kid Groove...

Having three kids was a huge adjustment for me.  It was difficult.  Emotionally and just plain busy! I knew that people had said 3 kids was rough...and I had tried to prepare myself...but it still gave me quite a run for my money.  Early in my pregnancy with Jase I had read an article that stated that moms with three kids are more stressed out than moms with four or even five kids.  I also had several friends that were "concerned" for me since they remember their third kid was difficult for them.

I thought that I would be ready. But that little bundle of joy was born and the whirlwind began!!!

 

I felt like things could go from calm to chaos in a moment.  It was nuts! I was grouchier than I had ever been with my kids, particularly Brig and was so tired.  Jase had acid reflux and so he was a pretty fussy newborn until we got some medicine for him- but until then it made things ultra hard. He also wanted to eat every two hours...that is not very conducive to having two other busy toddlers running around the house. 

 

In my journal I wrote:

"Sometimes it feels like I'm drowning in diapers and dirty dishes, legos and laundry and that I'm constantly feeding someone and then picking up mess after mess.  I literally shower twice a week and get ready and dressed maybe four times a week."

 

I think I may have even had a little post partum from the stress.  Then one day I was pretty thrashed from lack of sleep and the whole parenting gig and we were having some people come over for family home evening (and they were bringing us dinner- so that was nice) and my mom had stopped by for a little while.  She noticed that not only was I not ready for the day (at 4:00 pm) but that my house was pretty messy...I was not ready for guests at all! So she quietly took the kids in their room and cleaned up their room and then took them downstairs and cleaned that up and helped me pull myself together (ok that might be a little bit of an exaggeration but that is what it felt like on the inside!) That was my turning point.  I started to get the hang of things...

 

I still feel like I am much crabbier than I usually am...but I think that will start to improve as Jase sleeps better.  And our house still gets super messy super quickly.  I still don't really get very many showers and most of the time it is after lunch but before dinner that I get ready. And it still goes from calm to chaos in a moment...

BUT

I have realized a lot of good can happen in a moment. 

The moment when the house is quiet except for the hum of the dishwasher and Cory is reading the older kids a bedtime story and I am holding Jase as he sleeps. Good moment.

Or when we are eating dinner and everyone is laughing hysterically as Ellie and Brig crack "jokes." Good moment.

When all three of the kids are getting along and talking and cooing at each other. Good moment.

When we have nice weather and we go for a walk and everyone is just content.  Good moment.

So- all in all. Yes, three kids is crazy. But I love it. I love being a mom and despite all of the chaos there are moments that completely outweigh it all. And Elder Neal A. Maxwell said,

"Moments are the molecules that make up eternity."

 

We are finding our three kid groove one moment at a time!

 

37 Weeks...

This is me...37 weeks pregnant.

Dilated to a 1 (I was expecting WAY more than that) and 50% effaced. 

I have had some back labor and quite a few more Braxton Hicks contractions than I did with either of my other babies.

I feel like he is really low and ready to come soon. 

We are getting ready too.

 

 

Both the kids always pray for their baby brother.  Usually that is the only thing that Ellie says in her prayers. I don't think she really gets what is about to happen...but sometimes I think she has a pretty good grasp.

 

 

I have had such a strong nesting instinct this time.  I think it is because with 2 kids already there is so much more to get ready.  This is the little nook that he will sleep in.  We are going to try all 3 in one room. 

 

This was me with Brig almost to the exact day as the picture above.  I was pretty huge...and I think I am almost as big with this baby.  I was significantly smaller with Ellie. 

Here I am with Ellie- right before I had her.  I was a few days further along.

 

We are getting super excited but we just have one more thing...A NAME!!!! We can't decided...so any help or suggestions would be fantastic.  We are looking for something short and unique.  HELP!

Date Night...

Brig and I had been planning a "date night" for a while now and we finally made it happen.  We were pretty excited and while we were making the plans during the day, Ellie decided that she wanted to go on a date too. She told Cory that she wanted to go on a "big one date." She then asked if she could take off her clothes on the date (she loves taking off her clothes lately!) We promptly told her "No, Never." :)  

So Cory and Ellie took one car and went on a little date for a slushie and Brig and I got in the other car and went and got some ice cream and French fries.  It was really fun to spend some one on one time with them!

 

 

 

Our pictures aren't the best but it was certainly an awesome experience!!

We kinda love this whole being parents thing.

 

A Tropical Visit to My Sista...

It usually is a pretty fun time when you get to visit your sister. When she lives in Hawaii...it is especially awesome to visit her! Cory was awesome enough to suggest that my sister and I go visit our other sister at her tropical home for a couple days and then my mom and other sister decided to come too! So all five Madsen girls were able to spend a few days together in this:

 

 

There are a lot of pictures here and most of them are not in any particular order... but here it goes...

We spent lots of time relaxing to the sound of the waves on the beach and playing in the ocean. It was so nice!

 

 

We did go on a little hike and this sign and horse were next to the trailhead to greet us. We were a bit apprehensive for the first little while.

The hike was no cake-walk.  Especially for this preggo lady! My face was beat red...it was my idea to go on the hike but I decided that I like hiking a lot...when we are done:) It was still super fun though and through all the huffing and puffing- there was a lot of giggling and chatting.

 

 

Another request of mine was to visit Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Cory and I went to Oahu on our honeymoon and were told about this place and I literally craved it anytime I thought about it for the next 6 years! It is so tasty!

 

 

Monica was a great hostess. We all squeezed into her apartment and slept on air mattresses on the floor. Taylor and Sydney were kind enough to let me have the one extra pillow.  It was really fun to see Monica's home, work and way of life. 

 

 

Just for the record...this is about 20 weeks pregnant.  I feel like I am getting huge already- so all the walking that we did was pretty good for me!

 

 

It was so fun to be able to spend time with my mom and sister's and so awesome to be able to be at such a beautiful place! We made so many memories and had a blast!!!

 

 

I was so grateful for Cory who took on both the mom role and the dad role while I was gone and for his mom and all her help too! They made this awesome adventure possible.

And I have to say that as wonderful as Hawaii was...paradise is definitely when I am with my little family! I sure missed them...in fact, I may have cried a teensey bit when I talked to Brig on the phone after only being gone one day. That may have happened. 

Aloha!

Much More Than 6 Years...

Cory and I had our anniversary yesterday and since it was Sunday we didn't go out on a date (that will be later this week) but we did go on a little trip down memory road...

SEVEN

Seven years ago (to the date) we went on our first date which included Chinese Food, a Crossfire, the Hughes, our bucket lists and a whole lotta sparks.

 

SIX

I can't believe that it has already been six years since we were married! That is crazy- but boy, I sure do love this guy- even more than that happy, hot day in August so many years ago.

 

FIVE

I made him wait almost five months to kiss me...I know- that's a super long time but I knew once we kissed it was kind of a big deal for both of us and I wanted to be sure!

FOUR

I don't have a picture for this number but when we first "met" we went for a super short ride (probably about 4 minutes) in Cory's little red Miata and he was pretty convinced in just those few short minutes that we were going to be together...it took a little longer for me to consent:) - despite all his charm and good looks!

 

 

THREE

Three (brown) houses later...and three remodels. I know, we are glutens for punishment apparently!

 

TWO

Two (with another one on the way) very cute little kiddos later.  They enrich our marriage and lives so much!

ONE

And this happy life gets to last much longer than just a lifetime, eternity to be exact, thanks to this one place- the temple, where we were sealed for time and eternity!

 

 

I'm so grateful for Cory and the wonderful man that he is to me and our family. Oh man, do I love him!

End of my Rope...

A few weeks ago I was just about at the end of my rope! I was completely worn out and was acting like a witchy-mom quite frequently.  One night, after the kids had finally gone to sleep...I lost it and just broke down.  I felt awful for how horrible I had been and yet at the same time- I didn't see any kind of end to how I was feeling.  Cory, being the fixer that he is, was offering all kinds of suggestions...and when he suggested we go somewhere- I immediately said yes! This took him off guard a little because usually I justify why we don't need to leave our kids with someone and get away...but this night was different. After that- I was convinced and we booked a hotel in McCall for 2 nights for that very weekend.  Thanks to my mom for watching the kids, Cory for indulging me, and lots and lots and lots of sleep...I came home from our little get-away a much happier mommy! It was the first time that I had left my kids at all (Brig has had a few sleep overs just for fun) but I had never left them and I had never even been away from Ellie overnight at all.  It was much overdue and much appreciated...I think the kids and I just needed to miss each other a little bit;)

So basically, I am convinced of the importance of just husband and wife time.

 

I sure love this fella...even if we have wacky eyes:)

Mother's Day 2013...

I'm so grateful for motherhood. I'm so grateful for the mothers in my life- most especially my mother and mother-in-law and for the incredible blessing it is to be a mother. I'm so grateful to be entrusted with such a noble, joyful and challenging calling. 

Screen Time...

 

So, I have been doing some thinking. Cory gave me an Iphone for Christmas and I love it! I love that I can take pictures (that are pretty good quality and don't require a huge camera) and videos anytime I want...there is a lot of happiness that I don't want to forget about! I love that there technology offers so many exciting opportunities at your fingertips- all the apps are way neat! 

But.

BUT. BUT. BUT...

it sure is easy to get a little too attached to that silly little box of a phone!  

 

 Elder David A. Bednar said...

 

"Sadly, some young men and women in the Church today ignore “things as they really are” and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value. [...] A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games. As the Lord declared, “Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment … : Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:13).

 

 I offer two questions for consideration in your personal pondering and prayerful studying:

1. Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?

2. Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways? "

 

This is really powerful to me and it made me do some thinking. As a parent, I have a tough job ahead of me to make sure that my kids (who are going to be raised in such a technological savvy and dependent world) aren't too focused on "digital distractions." That isn't going to be easy... I mean, my 16 month old can turn on and unlock my phone already.

So, in order to that- I figure that I have to make a few adjustments. So- I said farewell to facebook. It offers so many neat things- like staying in touch with friends and family and promoting my photography. But it is also too easy for me to just waste 20 minutes here and there mindlessly reading people's status update.

I am also trying to make sure that when my kids see me- they see my eyes...not my head turned down looking at my phone instead.

 

I really love this whole happy family thing (most of the time)...and I don't want anything to distract from that!

 

 

Ellie and Brig are playing with our old phones.  This picture disturbs me.

 

 

 

 

“Ours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video and music downloads, social networks, text messaging and blogs, handhelds and podcasts.

“This is the world of the future, with inventions undreamed of that will come in your lifetime as they have in mine. How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?

“You have a great opportunity to be a powerful force for good in the Church and in the world. …

“Make sure that the choices you make in the use of new media are choices that expand your mind, increase your opportunities, and feed your soul.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard

Boise Temple Dedication...

Cory & I got to attend the Boise Temple Dedication. It was a really neat opportunity because the Prophet, President Monson, would be the one dedicating it. What a neat thing to be in the most sacred place on earth with the leader of our church. We felt blessed. We were able to sit in the sealing room and when the prophet walked by he peeked his head in and made a few silly comments to some of the kids that were standing in the front of the room.  I am so grateful for our prophet and his faithfulness. I know that he is guided and inspired by our Heavenly Father and that He is truly the head of this great church. I know that the temple is a holy place and I am so grateful that Cory and I were sealed there for time and all eternity. 

 

A Red-Hot Halloween...

This fall has been pretty crazy so far. We (when I say we, I really mean Cory) has been working NON-STOP on our house.  The remodel is coming along- slowly but surely. We will all be so happy when it is over. It is really looking good and Cor is doing so awesome. We did take a little time for some Halloween festivities...

Here is our family theme picture...

Cory & I were smoke and fire (I tired to put flames on my shirt) because "smoke follows beauty... and I'm one hot mama!"

I know...that is pretty vain- especially when I look like I have a crazy lazy eye and Cor looks pleased as punch about it all!

Ellie and Brig were really the main attraction though...

I mean check out the cutest Dalmation and her Fireman ever!!!

Brig's firetruck was pretty awesome- thanks for the help Grandpa Madsen!

Ellie was such a cute little dalmation...for some reason the little nose just melted me!

Notice how tired Cory looks! Oh- we sure are thankful for such an awesome dad! The kids were pretty excited that I kept saying yes to all the candy they wanted to eat!!!!! WAHOOOOO!

Here is a little video. Love these kids and love the holidays!!