Hello y'all

We're in Utah right now. Having a grand ole time. Seeing family members. Visiting friends. Gaining weight. It's awesome. We went to Nauvoo over St. Patrick's Day, my sis-in-love Kim-the-girl posted all about it. I forgot my camera ($@%*) so if you want to see pictures of our fun trip check her blog out. Here is the link. She did a great job of including only the good parts!!! :)

In 10 minutes

Sometimes I think my kids are conspiring against me. "Let's see how much trouble we can get in, in as little time as possible."
Here's the setting: Lunchtime.
Conrad wants applesauce with lunch. I tell him he can have some when he finishes his sandwich. Ruby starts crying. Amelia cries because she wants her sandwich cut. (I've already cut the crust off--- she eats more of the sandwich if I can just trim the crust a little.) She settles down with the idea "I can cut it myself." She tears apart her sandwich. Pick up Ruby. Start nursing. Conrad is almost finished with his sandwich. I tell him I'll serve it up as soon as I'm done feeding Ruby. Conrad whacks his nose on the table. Gags up the huge chewed up wad of sandwich. I push the plate under his face so the half-digested food lands on an easy-to-clean surface. Ruby starts fussing. Switch sides. Shove my lunch in my head as fast as I can cause I'm starvin. Amelia and Conrad finish lunch. I move to the couch to finish feeding Ruby. Ruby urps all over me. Clean her and myself up. Put her down. Amelia has stickers all over the kitchen floor. Clean Amelia's face and hands up. Clean those stickers up, I've learned my lesson with stickers... the sooner you pick them up, the better. Ruby starts crying. Conrad screams like he cut something off. At this point I wonder if this is how the rest of my day is going to go. He pinched his thumb in the corner Lazy Susan. Applesauce, I promise, is coming. Ruby is still crying, I pick her up and try to burp her more. Amelia demands a blue bowl. Conrad demands a blue bowl. They both want the same blue bowl. I put my hands up by my face and shake them, just like Ruby does (minus the crying). Conrad says, "Ok, ok, I'll have the other blue bowl." BLESS YOU, child!!! They eat applesauce. I clean Amelia up (she's got applesauce in her hair). Conrad turns the TV on. Only heaven knows how much TV these kids watch. I just know it's too much. I turn it off and ask Conrad to put his bowl in the sink. I ask Amelia to put her bowl in the sink. She finds that Conrad put her bowl in the sink instead of his. Tears. I reason with her, she settles down. As I am clearing the table, she drops the bowl just short of the sink. I clean up the spill. The phone rings, I ignore it (probably a telemarketer). I wash her hands cause she can't resist to put her hands in a mess. We go in the front room, I start combing through Amelia's hair (doing it for the 2nd time today, and it's now worse than it was the first time I did it). I see applesauce on the couch. (Oh great...) I get her hair combed and pulled back (again). Applesauce on Amelia's pants. Wash that off. Finish cleaning up lunch.
And now the kids are watching TV.
Yes, that all happened within about 10 minutes.
I didn't tell you about the other disasters I've dealt with this morning. I have been doing chores without the TV on for the kids. Here's a sample: Conrad colored all up his arms with markers and called himself the Rainbow Mayor... Amelia found cookies in the freezer and ate one right before lunch... the kids tore apart some tissue paper I bought last week...)
It's just how it goes.
BIG BREATH!!!!

Meet me in St. Louis

Well, it's official!!! Josh got his #1 spot!

St. Louis doing Anesthesiology

I am overwhelmed with gratitude. My husband has a JOB. It's going to be a RELIABLE job. It's going to be a WELL-PAYING job. These thoughts crossed my mind and I started crying. I can't explain the feeling, except that I am grateful. I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for this blessing.
Josh starts orientation June 20th. Countdown T minus 3 months.


Awesome.

Good News

WE MATCHED! WE MATCHED! WE MATCHED!

If you were my neighbor you would've heard me hooting for joy. I was elated and couldn't NOT scream!!!!!

We'll find out where we matched to on Thursday!!!

Looking Forward

Guess what this is a picture of...

Conrad is holding a picture of it, the future Kansas City temple, I'm not sure when they're hoping for it to be done by, but the outside is already looking breathtaking. Even with the cranes and dirt on the ground (as opposed to finished landscaping) I felt a reverence as we drove around it.

We've got lots to look forward to around these parts.

1. Monday is a huge day for our family. Monday is the day we've been waiting for... for since we decided to go to Med School. Monday is Match Day. We find out if Josh matched to a Residency Program or not. In other words, we find out if Josh has a job for the next 4-5 years.

If he matched, (YAY!) we'll find out WHERE (or which program) on TUESDAY.

If he didn't match, (boo!) we scramble. We look at residency programs throughout the country for un-filled residency positions, and apply to them, hoping they'll take Josh.

After we scramble, we find out if we got a spot or not by next Thursday.

Josh is worried sick. He is on pins and needles. This is a big deal. He's worked so hard for this. I'll keep you informed of what we find out. Duh!! :)

2. My brother Ethan and sis-in-love Kim-the-girl are driving up from Texas to see us next week! We have not seen them for almost 2 years. We are so lucky that they are coming to see us!!!

3. Nauvoo trip coming up soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Utah trip coming up soon!!!!!! Yeah y'all! We'll be making our way back West real soon. We'll bless Ruby Jean while we're there, too!

Oh, you want to see a picture of her? Ok. :)

Gosh I could die and go to heaven after loving on her. She is so mellow and relaxed. I am amazed at how easy she is. Seriously, after having her I want 10 more kids. If she's crying and I come say her name, she instantly stops crying. I LOVE IT.

I don't think we should have 10 more kids though, I can't seem to do much for the older ones except let them watch a lot of TV. I feel awful for the amount I let them do it. I'm doing my best, though. Also I really want to enjoy my Ruby while she's this small. She's already almost 2 months old! nooooo!!!

5. Josh is graduating this May!!! Hallelujah Chorus!!!

6. DISNEYWORLD!!!!!!!!!!

We are so lucky.

here's another picture...pure sugar.

smile!

We had a little photo shoot today with Ruby D, passing away time before dinner time. She was a bit tricky to coax into smiling.
Heck no, ma.
Disinterested.

Who taught my baby sign language?

Ruby saw a lot of this crazy face

Seester Amelia was here to help

Ruby starts to wonder if we're really all that bad.

Hmm, maybe not so bad.

Wa-BAM! Bingo!

Folks, there is one of Ruby's first bona fide smiles. I know, it's a horrendous camera angle. I was holding the camera above my head, taking a blind picture. Anyway. It's captured!!!! We love our Ruby D.

anyone seen my marbles?

I'd like to just leave the title of this post and push publish, but that would be breaking the rules.

I wish I could hold a decent conversation. Squirrel! Enough said.

I am constantly finding myself thinking of stuff we need from the store. I went to the store twice yesterday. STILL managed to screw up Conrad's day by forgetting the honey nut cheerios!!! This morning he threatened, "I'm never coming downstairs until you say we'll buy some honey nut cheerios today!" That was a promise I didn't dare make, going to the store is at the bottom of my list with the 3 kids in tow.

I am trying really hard to not be so hard on myself for not challenging my kid's brains more. TV is a blessing and a curse.

Oh crap dinosaur train just ended.

My day revolves around what time a kid show ends...

I'm thinking of legally changing Ruby's middle name to Delight. I know, Conrad's nickname is Mr. Delightful, Mr. D for short.... but... Doesn't Ruby Delight sound so fun?!? And kind of like a drink?

That one song, Mr. Mom, the country song, is perfect to describe my day.

Ok, I really have to get moving now...