Love at Home

Tonight was the adult session of stake conference and I have to say, once again, that I really enjoy this session. It is just such a nice chance to listen to people talk about the Gospel without distraction.

There were many things I really enjoyed about this evening's talks...but the one thing that really stood out to me was one speaker, a General Authority, who said that if you want to teach your children to respect and obey their mother, you, as their father MUST treat their mother with respect.

I always enjoy it when Church leaders admonish the men to treat their wives well...and as much I enjoyed this (and of course was wishing Troy was there to hear it)...it was a good reminder that both parents need to respect each other and treat each other with the kind of courtesy and love that they would want their children to emulate.

Sometimes, in the craziness of life, we can get casual in the way we treat each other...and it just reminded me how much I love Troy...and what a good father he is...and how much I want my children to love and respect him.

So, I am going to work a little harder to make sure I have a really loving attitude...and hopefully the children will have a desire to do the same.

I miss you honey. Hope you are safe.

Head Gear, Braces, Retainers, Oh My

Well, we have started the next chapter in the Beatty Family orthodontia saga.

What I want to know is how Troy, and I, who never had braces or any other orthodontia work done...could have children with such CRAZY teeth?

We have spent the last two Wednesdays at the dentist, and have come away with one set of braces, one set of brackets and head gear...and one more appointment for one more permanent appliance to be installed - at least in the oldest three kids.

So, without further ado, we present...



and



Still totally cute.

I have a feeling that if I had to do these things at their age...I would not have look nearly so cute!

Holiday Weekend

We had a great weekend! It's so nice to have Troy home and so we tried to do some fun family stuff this weekend.

We were able to resume our tradition of attending the Delaplane Strawberry Festival. It was super fun...if only a little hot.

We went with the Merchants and the Hobbs, and had so much fun.

There was...face painting:



hay rides:



sno cones and other assorted junk foods:



races (which Troy TOTALLY dominated...with the help? of both Emma and Josh (cause you know he has a "theory" about winning these things.):



a hay maze (and of course ticks, ticks, and more ticks. ick.):



and really, just good times for all:



I hope you had a good weekend!

Now, That's Just WRONG

Joe and Emma learned about puberty this week...we don't have the kids attend these things at school, since we want to be the ones to tell them about it.

So we each went in with them (Troy with Joe, and me with Emma) and watched the videos that the school provides. Then we took the time to explain and answer questions not only about puberty but also about the birds and the bees.


And can I just tell you, that with each new thing that we talk about, they both became more and more disgusted (which I am totally okay with -- you know, until they are ready to get married!).

And finally, Joe gets this REALLY REALLY MORTIFIED look on his face, as the ultimate horror finally blooms in his young mind, "You mean...you and dad?"

"GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSS."

Ah. The joys of parenthood.

I Dunno

The girls were playing quietly in the sun room this morning, coloring and watching cartoons.

It got a little quiet...so I went to check it out and I found Becky in there alone.



"Becky, what are you doing?"

"Um. Nothing."

"Where's Katie?"

"Oh. I Dunno."

Which, of course, wasn't true at all, since Katie was pounding on the door of the cupboard which Becky was standing right in from of...from the inside.



Little stinker.

She put her sister in the cupboard with a few toys and shut the door.



Oh the joy of being the little sister.

Total Fluke

I know that it's a total fluke...and this is a MAJOR TMI post...but for those of you following the Katie Poop Saga...and you know who you are...

Katie pooped in the toilet today.

o happy day.

I know it probably won't happen again (not for a while, but I just happened to catch her at the right moment...and if all I get out of it is one less poopy diaper...I'll take it!

Take Two and Call Me in the Morning

Have you ever had one of those days, where you are just out of sorts?

Grouchy for no good reason?

Ready to run away from it all?

What do you do?

Well, I'm having one of those days and I called a friend and we met for lunch.

Just what the doctor ordered!

And, as I was enjoying my lunch and chatting with my friend, I turn to catch a glimpse of my daughter's smiling face. The joy of motherhood!

And she says, "Mom. I have poop in my underwear."

Seriously.

I don't think this was what the doctor had in mind.

Stoopid doctor.

Serendipity

Life continues to move at a pace faster than I can keep up with!

I flew out to Utah on Thursday for a wedding, did a photo shoot Thursday night, photographed the wedding and reception on Friday and returned home on Saturday so Troy could go to London.

His plane was scheduled to leave at 10 pm, and mine was scheduled to land at the same time. I hurried and called Troy when we landed to see where he was.

I was landing at B gate, and he was taking off from D.

What a bummer.

But, as I got off the plane, it turns out that he was really at a B gate (and being sneaky) AND his flight had been delayed for a few minutes...His gate was actually the one right next to mine!

Seriously, what are the odds? Especially since I flew in on Southwest and he flew out on a totally different airline.

So, I got to see him for a few minutes...it was wonderful.

And, if that wasn't enough, the kids have been just amazing today.

They all got together and made me breakfast in bed, everyone had gotten me these fun little cards that TOTALLY fit each one of them, and they even chipped in (with a little help from Troy) and got me a tripod!

Could I be any luckier?

To top it all off, I have two amazing moms in my life...my own sweet mom, and dear mother-in-law. I am so grateful for them! Thanks for all you do.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Holding Out For A Hero

Do you ever have a day where you KNOW, right off the bat that you should just go back to bed?

Yeah.

Yesterday was that day for me.

The source of my troubles?

Could there be any doubt that it all starts with Harry Houdini?

That's right.

My little super villain has figured out how to circumvent the duct tape.

Seriously, can no one stop this madness?

So, I got up and got dressed, and I hear Katie wake up so I sent Emma in to go and get...and I hear...."Noooooooooooooooooooooo! Oh, gross. Mooooooooooooooooooooom!"

Really, do I even need to go and look? Did anything good in life ever start with that?

When I went in to check on her, the little turkey had taken off her pajamas and while she still had the diaper securely taped around her waist, she had figured out that if she yanked on the bottom of her diaper, she could maneuver it out from under the duct tape.

Seriously, so while it was still around her waist, the rest of it was hanging free and now empty of it's "precious" cargo. ack.

So, we zipped her up into her pajamas backwards to put her to bed last night, and now I face a lifetime of backward clothing to stop her evil powers.

No Future as a Detective

Seriously, I know some of you only come for the photos...but I am back logged.

So, you just get another funny little story instead.

As you know, Troy has been travelling a lot.

Well, he got back from a trip on Thrusday of last week, and he pulled up in a cab.

Mikayla is peering out the window to see who it is, and says, "Is that Dad?"

I look and confirm that it is indeed her father.

She says, "What's he doing home. Isn't he supposed to be on a trip?"

Me: "He was on a trip."

Her: "But he just barely left."

Me: "Um, Mikayla he's been gone for a week."

Her: "He has?!?!?!?! I didn't even notice."

I'm just not sure if this means that Mikayla isn't very observant, or if Troy just travels too much.

Paranoia?

So, talk of the swine flu is reaching epic proportions.

It's on the news. It's in the newspaper. A letter has gone home from school. People are talking about it at church.

So, yesterday, Joe, who has really bad allergies, was coughing a little.

He said he didn't feel well and went off to bed.

Not a minute passed when Mikaya came up to me with a very concerned expression on her face..."Mom, does Joe have the swine flu?"

ack. no.

p.s. He's fine.