Happy Birthday, Mom!

My wonderful mother is celebrating her birthday today. I have the greatest mom in the world. She is someone I look up to in so many ways. I'm going to give you 5 of the many reasons why my mom is so fantastic. 1. She is a wonderful listener and always has time to hear what's going on in my not so fascinating life. Whenever something good or bad happens, I always want to talk to mom see what she thinks or what she would do.

2. She shows genuine concern for everyone in her family. She is very sensitive to how we are all feeling and always calls to see how we're doing.

3. Mom always has been so supportive of whatever it is we are involved in. She cheers us on and attends numerous concerts to show her love.

4. She has a great sense of humor. I remember when I was younger, on more than one occasion, people would ask me what it was like to have her for a mom because she's so funny.

5. Mom always tries to help us see the bright side of things or helps us to see both sides to a situation. She always did this as we were growing up and still helps me keep perspective in tough situations.

My mom is a very talented woman and she is such a blessing in our lives. I wish we could be there to help everyone celebrate with her. We have such a hard time being away and not seeing her more often. We love you, Mom!

Tagged

My friend, Jenny, tagged me! Enjoy!Lucy took this picture of me a couple weeks ago. Cute, I know.

A: Attached or Single: Happily attached!

B: Best Friend: Jay Ray, my siblings

C: Cake or Pie: Cake, but mostly just the frosting

D: Day of Choice: Friday... the weekend is getting started!

E: Essential Item: MP3 shuffle (I CANNOT run or bike without it. I hate hearing how hard I'm breathing!)

F: Favorite Color: It changes a lot. Usually yellow or blue.

G: Greatest Accomplishments: Motherhood, surviving nearly 3 years living 800 miles from my extended family

H: Hometown: Layton, UT

I: Indulgences: Dinner and a movie with Jason, candy, sleeping in, more candy

J: January or July: BOTH! January is my b-day and in July we're usually in Utah for a long visit.

Where did K go?

L: Life is Incomplete Without: My family, the gospel, candy

M: Marriage Date: March 9, 2001

N: Number of Siblings: 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 sister in law, 2 brothers in law (I miss them terribly today)

O: Oranges or Apples: Definitely apples! I love 'em! Especially with peanut butter!

P: Phobias or Fears: Jason deploying (gonna happen...gotta face it), losing a loved one,

Q: Quotes: "Sneeze, your brains dusty!" My mom used to tell us to say that to people that were mean to us. I never really understood what it meant. It usually left the mean kids baffled, too.

R: Reasons to Smile: Lucy singing, Graham trying to talk, Jason walking in the door, phone calls from family

Season: Summer in Utah, Fall in California (summers are torturous here!)

T: Tag Four Friends: My longtime USU friend, Megan (welcome to the blogging world! ) Anyone else who wants too!

U: Unknown Fact About Me: Tough one! I need to stop spilling my guts to everyone all the time. I wish I was a little more mysterious. I leave most social gathering feeling like I said something stupid. I have a tendency to give people too much information. I spend a few minutes after I get home telling Jason about the conversations I had and asking him if I said too much or if I sounded like a complete moron.

V: Very Favorite Store: I love the GAP, but can't afford it. I'm loving Target now because that's the only decent store within 30 miles of us here.

W: Worst Habit: Biting my nails.....a lot! Lucy has started doing it because "You keep forgetting to clip them, Mom, and this is easy!" Horrible habit that I'm hoping she doesn't keep!!!

X: X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasound- X-rays usually mean something bad.

Y: Your Favorite Food: Does candy count?

Z: Zodiac: Capricorn

Random Favorite Things

These are just a few of things I've been enjoying the last week or so.

Triscuits Fire Roasted Tomato and Olive Oil flavor. I love them! I could eat a whole box in a day....no problem.

Lucy's new shoes. We got them at Target last weekend and I wish they came in my size. Everywhere we go someone comments on how cute they are. She has a hard time keeping them on and the back of them rub her heel, so I can't get her to wear them very often. I think they're adorable!Graham and Lucy are starting to play together more. They play chase and hide and seek. Yesterday Lucy sat him down in her rocking chair, put his blanket around his neck and started spraying his hair and combing it. (I was quick to put the scissors out of sight). Random, I know, but I thought I would share.

Off to Preschool

Today I got to go and volunteer at Lucy's preschool. My friend watched Graham for me, so it was just me and Lucy Goosy. They were having a "fun day", so there was lots of neat things to do. Lucy got to see inside a fire truck, have her face painted, and jump in the bounce house. We had a little picnic lunch at the end with her class. At the beginning of the class I helped the kids finish gluing some legs and eyes on the paper ladybugs they started on Wednesday. I had a hard time just letting the kids do their thing. I kept wanting to help them and straighten everything out. They would put loads of glue on and my heart would start racing. Let's just say teaching preschool would not be my career of choice, but her teachers are absolutely fabulous and so patient. It was entertaining to watch how Lucy interacted with the other kids. She's growing up so quickly. She'll start kindergarten in the fall! Yikes!

No Dogs Allowed!

I have to apologize ahead of time to all of you dog lovers out there. Jason and Lucy have been wanting a dog for as long as I can remember. Both Graham and Lucy absolutely adore dogs. My answer is always, "No!" or "Seriously.....no!" or "Never!" It's not that I don't like dogs. They're okay. Just not in my house.

I have many arguments against the dog owning idea. Here's just a few:

1. I don't want to worry about potty training some dog while I'm still trying to potty train my kids.

2. They stink and most of the time they shed. My house already struggles with the "staying clean" factor. (It's nice blaming the lack of cleanliness on the actual house itself, not the person that should probably be cleaning it.)

3. We live far from family, so when we go on vacation, we're gone for 2 or more weeks at a time. What the heck are you supposed to do with a dog for 2 weeks? I guess we could kennel it, but that just leads me to my next argument.....

4. I would have an incredibly hard time forking out the serious dough it would take to kennel a pet for 2 weeks. Along with that, I have neighbors that spend over $1000 a year on vet expenses. No thank you!

I keep putting them off whenever they ask. Maybe when my youngest child is 4 or 5, I'll begin to think about it. Lucy is in denial. She keeps saying things like, "When we get a dog I hope it has long hair so I can brush it." The last few months she has been using my belts as leashes for her little stuffed dogs. She walks them around the house, brushes their hair, and tries to convince her friends that they are, in fact, "real".

Lucy's preschool teachers ask the students questions every now and then and post the answers on a board so we can read their funny answers. A couple of weeks ago they asked the children if they had any pets and if not, what they would have if they could choose. Let me preface Lucy's answer by explaining that we have 3 dogs in our neighborhood named Maggie. Lucy told her teacher, "I want a dog........named Maggie. Sorry kid, not going to happen!

One of those days

We're having one of those days. Pink eye has made it's first entrance into the Ray home. Graham got it and he got it good. In not just one, but both eyes. I felt like such a winner mom when the doctor looked in his ears and said, "Wow! He's got roaring infections in both ears, too!" He's had a rough couple of days. Hopefully with the antibiotics he'll be back on the mend. No fun (although the hat makes it a little more bearable). I decided to take Lucy in today, too. Last week she complained about her ear hurting a bit, but then didn't mention it for a while. Yesterday when she got up I asked her, "Did you have a good sleep?" She said, "What?" I repeated my question and then she asked, "Mom, why are you talking so soft?" She had trouble hearing my requests during our game of 'Go Fish', too, so I decided I better take her in. She has major fluid in both her ears and one is infected. Awesome.

Today has been spent disinfecting toys and washing little hands over and over again. My absolute least favorite part of the day is having to hold Graham down so I can put the drops in his eyes. I literally have to lay on top of the poor kid to get them in. There's been a whole lot of TV watchin' and computer game playin'. Graham loves to sit on the chair with Lucy and watch her play her Nick Jr. games. I hope tomorrow we'll be doing better.

Easter Pictures

Here's some of the pictures we got of the kids in the Easter clothes that Grandma sent them.

I love this one of the two of them together. Graham found this random goose sitting there and the photographer snapped a shot. Too funny! This kid is such a crazy man!

Lucy is growing up so fast. It makes me sad sometimes if I think about it too much. She's so strong willed, but she is so lovable and sweet, too.

I sure love my babies!