forever swaner family: January 2009

Monday, January 26, 2009

I'm Skinny!

Yesterday, I was so flattered when Myah told me that I'm the SKINNIEST person in our family. I was feeling pretty good for a second, until reality hit me in the face....

Me: What does 'skinny' mean?

Myah: When you have the biggest tummy of all!

Me: Oh

So I guess this is a conversation we'll continue another day...after I lose a few pounds.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Oh, Mercy!

This week I was the recipient of a few of those 'tender mercies' that I believe Heavenly Father sends us just at the right moments.

Just as I've been complaining relentlessly about the cold, snowy, miserable weather, this is what happened...

We had the MOST beautiful day the other day! I even took Desmond out on the trampoline for about an hour. We layed in the sun and pretended we were on a warm beach, and soaked in a few rays of sunshine.

Myah played with her friends outside most of the day. Not even a jacket!

Skyler was able to get out and shoot some hoops.

I enjoyed grilling dinner on the barbecue. And I even left the door open for a while. And, I did it all in my bare feet! Yes, it really was that warm.

And just when I think that I'm going to spend the rest of my life sitting in the bleachers or on the sidelines as a sports spectator (which I LOVE, and I wouldn't mind at all), I get to do this for a change...

Myah had her dance recital this week. She was so great! We even made all of the boys go and sit through her dance recital....all 2 hours of it! Maybe I'll post her video later. It was cute, and she was sooooo excited!

And now we're buried under snow and ice again, and yesterday was packed full of ballgames again, but that's ok. Yay for those 'tender mercies'!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Eleven and Counting....

Skyler, Zacary, Tannon, Myah, Desmond, Nathan, Trevor, Benjamin, Mandi, Yping, and Kendell. That's how many kids I have IN MY HOUSE at this very moment. Shouldn't there be some kind of law against having ONE adult in a house alone with ELEVEN kids? I'm not complaining at all, since I really do like every one of these kids, but I barely manage to keep my sanity with just my own little (and not so little) people, let alone 6 extra. But I'm still not complaining.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

I Just Don't Get It

There are some things that I just don't get. I guess that they are 'life's great mysteries'. For example...Why are there NEVER enough hangers? I buy more and more and more hangers, but we're always just a few short. I haven't been buying more clothes, so where are the hangers going? It's a mystery.

Also, why oh why do they give us the little packet of extra thread when we buy a sweater? Has ANYONE ever actually repaired a snag in a sweater with the extra supply of thread? I mean, a spare button, I get that...but thread???

And...does anyone in my house (other than me) know how to put a new garbage bag in the trash can? Yesterday, after I emptied the trash bag that was piled to the ceiling (another topic for another day), I forgot to put in a new bag. After just a few minutes, I came back to the kitchen to find a whole pile of trash sitting on top of the counter next to the garbage can. Thank you so much guys for not throwing the trash into the can without a bag. That was really very thoughtful.

Ok, here's another one. Are olives good or bad for me? I really like olives, and I'm pretty well educated about nutrition, but olives are just a mystery. I mean, they grow on trees, and they don't have any sugar...but why do I feel like I'm splurging just a little when I put olives in my salad? Just wondering.

Lastly, what on earth was anyone thinking when they planned a 4 day weekend just 2 weeks after Christmas vacation? I know, Martin Luther King was a really great man. And I can respect that, but can't we celebrate his accomplishments while at school? Just wondering. On a selfish note, I'm just getting into the swing of things, and I'm soooo not ready for another long weekend! Especially in the dead of winter.

These are the things that keep me up at night. So what puzzles you?

Friday, January 9, 2009

Today I have MAJOR cabin fever! I want sooooo badly to.....
go play outside with my kids
lay Desmond in the grass and watch his face scrunch up
go for a bike ride
play some soccer
take Myah to the park
eat breakfast on the deck
take a nice long walk
open my windows
clean the garage
eat strawberries
plant a flower
pull some weeds
walk the kids to school
go buy something at the nursery
or
go for a hike.

Is that too much to ask?

As an afterthought, I hope I don't sound ungrateful! I am so thankful that I have a warm home and good food, and that I live in a place where I feel safe and comfortable! I love that my kids can walk to school without being afraid, and that they even get to go to school at all! It certainly isn't all that bad!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Good Times

We had a really great Christmas this year. Although, we did so many fun things prior to Christmas, that by the time Christmas day rolled around, we were pretty tired. One of my favorite post-Christmas activities was the day that we went to Tyson and Mandi's house to go sledding. It was great fun. Derrick had to work, so I was on my own for this one. But Desmond was awesome, and slept in the truck the whole time. It wasn't really very cold that day either. And Mandi treated us to some oh so yummy soup with scones and cookies afterwards. So here are just a few of my favorite pictures...

Myah and I

Jordan didn't quite realize how deep the snow was!

So he opted to sled with McKay on the road. It had a strip of snow just wide enough for a sled. The rest was mud.

Nathan and Brayden sledding down, but I love Zac in the background trying to push Parker and the tube back up the hill. I think he knew that if he looked pathetic enough, Tyson might just come pick him on the snowmobile!

Myah and Truman are great little pals.

I'm not sure who all is in this tangle of bodies. But I do know that there were no injuries.

Tannon

Tannon and Emilie and me

Nathan, Zac, and Brayden

Skyler

Zac and Mandi

This is my favorite picture....let me explain. Tannon got his pants stuck on the barbed wire fence, and Skyler was headed over to help him. Along the way, he lost his boots in the deep snow, so he was attempting to lift Tannon off of the fence in his bare feet! What a great big brother!

Kamden, Desmond, and Ryan were all VERY cooperative.

It's amazing how some of our most precious memories come from the most simple and inexpensive activities together!

Monday, January 5, 2009

On Your Mark....Get Set....GO!

Along with probably 70% of Americans, I've got some weight to lose this year. I need to be done by summer time so that I can go backpacking. Today is the beginning of some really big losses in the Moser family. Weight losses, that is. We are officially starting our Moser Family Biggest Loser competition. Soooo, get ready to LOSE! By the way, the Biggest Loser blog site is up and going. The address is http://mosersarelosinit.blogspot.com/

It's a private blog, so only the players can check it out.

Wish me luck! And good luck to all the rest of you losers!

Crazy Things Our Kids Say

'Mom, Desmond needs to be changed. He smells like a waffle'. -myah- I've heard all sorts of descriptions, but never a WAFFLE!
'Mommy, How come all of our prophets names start with "President"?' Myah
'Mom, baby boys are special too'. Myah's words of encouragement shortly following the boy ultrasound. Thanks Myah!
When talking about what to grow in our garden this summer, Skyler said, 'Oh, I know...let's grow more zuccini so we can have more pickles!' Pretty funny coming from a really smart kid!
'Mommy, I want my armpits to look like yours, with all the black pokey things in them!' Yep, that's Myah!
'...Thank you for Santa Clause...and thank you for his reindeer.' Myah's prayers last night
'Daddy...You smell like Grandpa!' (Myah) Derrick has picked up a new second job, working with my dad doing sheet metal construction...aka 'manual labor', and apparently, he's starting to smell like hard work!
'When I grow up, I want to be....A MOMMY!' Myah
"But sleeping makes me tired!" Never heard this excuse for a later bedtime before!
'How does my water turn into pee?' Myah
'My eyeballs are melting!' Myah...We built a fire for fhe and made smores...apparently it was pretty hot!
'Can I pet the baby?' I was babysitting for a friend the other day, and Myah was so happy to have a baby around!

Quotable Quotes

'Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, Today is a Gift. That's why it's called the Present' -kung fu panda...master uguay
"The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude." William James (borrowed from Katie)
"As long as it stays outside" -my grandpa joe- let me explain this one, he was a farmer and was referring to the problems and trials we have. I interpret this to mean that as long as we don't let them into our homes and our families, it's all good!
"Remember, a good attitude produces good results, a fair attitude fair results, a poor attitude poor results. We each shape our own life, and the shape of it is determined largely by our attitude." Jeffrey R. Holland

Hmmmm....

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

'Well,' she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today!'

So she did, and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

'H-M-M,' she said, 'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today!'

So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

'Well,' she said, 'today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail.'So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.'

YEA!' she exclaimed, 'I don't have to fix my hair today!'

Attitude is everything. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Derrick

Derrick goes by many names around here, including Honey, Big Fatty (only when Zac is really mad or really tired), Babe, Appocolypse (his wrestling alias), Abomination (another wrestling foe),...but my definite favorite...Daddy (or Dad as the big kids say). I also think that to everyone in our home, Derrick is considered a great friend. He has a talent for turning those tense moments into funny and lighthearted memory makers. I guess that he is the perfect balance for me, since I have a hard time letting go of my 'schedule' and just having fun!
The man of our house stays very busy with work, play, more work, and a little more play! He still works as part of a management team of an imaging center, where he also does nuclear medicine, ct, x-ray, and lab work. When he's home, he acts as teacher, barbeque king, friend, companion, tutor, priesthood holder, elders quorum president, bedtime tucker-inner, and daddy!
So yes, Derrick wears many hats, and I have to say, I love every one of them!

Kelli

I am a middle aged stay at home mommy to five kids. I rarely get out, and I don't always manage to get a shower in every day. I cook, I clean, I sew (well, not really, but I wish I could sew!), I tutor, I clean some more...and I love my life! I am a wife, a new mommy, and an old mommy, a wannabe runner, a friend, a neighbor, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a food network junkie, a inventor (of recipes, since I can't stand to follow a recipe as given), a hiker, a taxi driver, a librarian (my new calling in church...are you jealous???), and a really great sports spectator!
My goal over the next year is to try and be 'happier' on the outside while I'm with my kids. I'm always happy inside, but don't tend to show it as often as I should. Also, I hope to be able to give in service to those around me as much as they have done for me! I am so thankful to know that I am a daughter of God, and that he not only loves me but is totally aware of my trials and my weaknesses. I truly believe that he has surrounded me with special people to help me through those trials and to help me become better! How cool is that???

Skyler

Skyler has a whole variety of hats, and it's hard to know from day to day which ones he'll pull out! I guess that's all part of being a teenager! Skyler is a big brother, a babysitter, a son, a priesthood holder, a scout, a basketball player, a friend, a football player, an excellent student, a reader, an artist, a musician, a help (when he wants to be), a tease, and a future (and current) missionary! I appreciate Skyler's committment to the gospel and to living the gospel standards. I know that sometimes, we butt heads, but I have never ever been worried about him not honoring his gospel standards and covenants! What a great example to the younger brothers and sister!

Zacary

Zac is so often my life preserver! On days when I feel like I'm drowning, he is able sense that and jumps right in to save me! I often refer to him as our 'resident chef', since he absolutely LOVES to cook! He can follow a recipe pretty well, but he can also 'taste cook' (a boy after my own heart). Zac also wears many hats...soccer player (almost any position), student, resident chef, babysitter, big brother, cousin, scout, maid (really, the kid can clean...when he wants to!), missionary in training, manual laborer (loves to work on house and yard projects), and friend! I love Zac and so much appreciate his awareness in knowing when to jump in and help out!

Tannon

Tannon may be a skinny little thing, but his heart is HUGE! Tannon is a big brother (a fact of which he's very very proud), a son, a friend, a soccer player, a tease, a wrestler (just as home with Derrick), a student, a reader, a cub scout, a future missionary, an example, a food critic (since he doesn't like much of anything!), and a very tender hearted little boy! I love Tannon, and I think that his quiet, peaceful nature brings a smile to my face and makes his Heavenly Father very happy! I really and truly hope that we can instill in Tannon, exactly how special and amazing he is!

Myah

Myah is the cream on top of the Swaner family sundae! We are all just crazy about the only girl in the family! Myah's hats...big sister, little sister, daughter, friend, social butterfly, artist, student (preschool!), dancer, singer, comedian, peacemaker, and helper! If I can teach her one thing that she will never ever forget, it is that she is a daughter of God, and that alone makes her so incredibly special! She often says, 'I am a princess, because my Father in Heaven is a king!' I hope that she remembers that always!

Desmond

Little Des, is a true blessing in our family! He is the cherry on top of our Swaner family sundae. I never knew I wanted a cherry on top, but once he joined our family, I can no longer picture it any other way! Just when I thought we were moving along to the next 'stage' in life, there was a quick little u-turn along our path, and just about 10 months later...here we are with a new sweet spirit in our family.
So Des's hats...a little brother, a son, a sweet little spirit, a peacemaker (and he doesn't even know it), and a HUGE blessing!
Desmond joined us on August 18th, 2008 in Blackfoot, Idaho. He was born via planned c-section, and the whole process was an answer to many prayers! We are very thankful for our newest addition!