Luke and the boys went to the mountains

Just can't stop watching it, and just about wet my pants! Thought you all might enjoy as well!

Twilight Twilight Twilight

I saw the movie on Friday night with MUCH anticipation, was almost giddy, okay so I WAS giddy; but I was also going with the understanding that this is NOT the book and NO book is like the movie.
I have heard rants and I have heard raves, but I did not see NOR hear the characters from the book on the screen. I am so sad about this and want to wash it from my mind. I can see from all of the interviews now that kristen and rob did not know the characters that they portrayed (halfheartedly) and that they chose to put their own take on Twilight. You cannot do that to this much loved book and highly anticipated movie. But they did and here it is, I hope that in the future with as much money this movie has made that summit entertainment will do a remake like was done with the Batman series......please.....please.
It could have been SO much better and I feel that it would if it were given a chance. No one gave this movie a chance, and now we suffer.
"Edward" is NOT this self-loathing, he just hates what he has become, and he LOVES Bella, he is not repulsed by her! I hate that Bio scene, she is NOT a poopie diaper, you are attracted to the smell, so much more than anything ever before!
"Bella" to me plays the same angry snot nosed brat in all the films she has done, you are an Actor, ACT! You need to branch out and not feel so horrible to do so, it is called acting honey!UGH!
I did like Esme and Carlisle however, too bad that they had such small parts in the movie.
To those of you who love the book, I am glad that you still have the love for Twilight that Stephenie Meyer gave to you, and now you have that much more to live on, for the others who feel as I do, re-read the books as I will, so that you may be able to wash the filth from your mind, and love Twilight how it should be loved.
Tell me what you think, and we can chat!

7 dirty little secrets

1. I have been married 3 times, sealed once and all before I was 30 years old!

I married and divorced Richard, a year later we re-married, and then became a widow a few months later. I went to the temple and was inspired to wait to be sealed and that a loving man would take me and my sons to the temple. Two and a half years later, I met and married Luke, after an amazing, short, whirlwind courtship! We have been married now over 5 years and sealed for just over one! (still not 30 years old!)

2. Girls don't like me!

I don't understand why little girls don't like me, they are cute, and sweet, and I LOVE their clothes, I can talk to them, but they just don't like me! I have nieces whom I adore, and I LOVE audie's girls, but....

I love little babies, and want to hold each and every one of them, I really could careless of whom or what they are, I just want to hold them, and then give them back after I get my fix....

3. (and I could really care less)

I get the heebie geebies when it comes to changing them, if I am watching a girl, (few and far between)and they are in a diaper, I really have to get up the guts to change the blasted things! When I change a diaper, it is quick swipe swipe with a boy, but with a girl....it is not, and I don't like to have diapers open for that long, so I need to prep myself for quite a while.... I will babysit a girl, but ONLY on an EMERGENCY basis, and perferably if she is OUT of diapers!

4. My feet need to breathe

When I read rebecca's list I was laughing uncontrollably because I to, have an issue with my feet. I LOVE flip flops, sandals, and I have a permanante tan line from my days of wearing birkenstocks constantly throughout highschool. In the winter they are frozen little icesickles and yet I still have the need to let the frozen pops breathe, toe socks was my answer they are horribly ugly and not in the slightest fashionable, but my feet can breathe and I am more apt to go for comfort than fashion, so toe socks indeed. I also need to let them breathe if I get too hot in bed and I just let them hang in and out of the blankets to keep my temperature perfect for sleeping requirements. My dear sweet husband lets me "warm me feet" on cold winter nights as he weeps and wails(lovingly) at how on earth something can be so cold and yet the rest of me is so warm.....Let me tell you honey I have no idea other than that they have a mind of their own!

5. I require a party in the mouth

I know a dead giveaway to this is my ever increasing waist size but I. Love. Food. I love to watch it be cooked, smell it being cooked, imagine it being cooked, I even love to cook, the other side of this love is to eat the final product. My punch line has always been "party in my mouth" and honestly I require such things when I eat. I would much rather NOT eat than eat something that is not appealing to the senses. I eat healthy, but a lot and a dessert is always on my mind.

When I was younger and just barely a mom I was VERY poor and didn't always get to eat, but did watch pbs cooking on saturday mornings, I then would call my single father at the time and told him that if HE would BUY the food, then I would COOK the food! It was a marriage of loneliness, mine for the ability to accuire the ingredients on my own and his, being lonely. I love my dad! Even now when Luke takes the boys somewhere for the day he comes home to a mass food frenzy, so that I can stock my shelves and freezer of homemade goodness. I LOVE to cook, I just can't stand the "I'm hungry's and "is it done yet's" and the constant in and out's of the STARVING children who come in and out of MY kitchen to try to beg and pleed for a morsal. It to me is therapy of sorts and I love to try new things, my favorite food by far is THAI and Luke is so happy to have met and marry me, because he found Thai food and now his life is full. I wish I loved to exercise as much as I love to eat, and am trying to find a love for it, trying counts right?!

This is some hard stuff

6. I can't sleep anymore

When I was younger I could sleep anywhere and everywhere, but for the last few years I haven't had a full nights sleep, without the help of a little pill from Heaven. I want to sleep so bad, but just can't!

7. I LOVE school

I wish that I could be a full-time student, a professional student, a student who 's career is being a student. I love to learn and accuire more information about things and I was in a rut for so long, because I wasn't going to school! Now that I am in school I realized that I want to go for as long as I can, and still be a wife, mom, nurse, and learn and grow academically as well, I really would love to be a P.A. or a N.P. and time is on our side, Hopefully this love of medicine will be one for the distance. I do however Hate poop, and would like to stay away from that at any cost!

Okay that took me forever to think of and so I pick Audrey, Kristi C. and Julia, because you guys never have anything better to do ....right?

Today I saw people.......

Today I saw people; waking up and eating breakfast, driving, voting, sitting in class, walking, and lying down......dead. Today I woke up and ate breakfast and ran down to vote before getting to my 8am class, then I left that class a few minutes early to go to an extra credit assignment for my Anatomy class, I saw dead people! I went to an Autopsy! My sweet Husband will NOT listen to my excitement and if it rolls your stomach you can quit reading this post.....right now.....
I witnessed an 83 year old man who met his maker from a car accident. He did a u-turn in front of a semi and needless to say ended up in the morgue. I have had the experience a few times in my life to see people who have died and so I feel pretty comfortable around death. I don't like death mind you, but I am comfortable around the bodies. They are no longer people, it is just a holding vessel for a spirit that has returned to our Father in Heaven. So yea not stomach hurling for me. When Rich died I was able to seperate myself from the fact that HE was not there anymore and I was seeing the body that once was his, and when my grandpa died I was there for his last breath, and was home alone with my sister, we were both under 10.
So I knew that this "body" wouldn't phase me, but I was still unsure of the "cutting" part, and if I was somehow not going to be able to stomach that for being a nurse, get out while I still can I guess. I was psyched and totally the most relaxed one in the class, given my history. The moment of the first incision and the smell got me the most, probably the endorphines running amuck, and then I was fine, I was front and center, and it was just the smell death does not smell pleasant, but it is nothing I can't compare to with having a house full of males either, so not too bad.
At the end, I asked the doctor and his assistant if I could put on gloves, and they said "yes" I was so excited, I mean to learn about the body is one thing but to witness and touch one is different. held a human heart, I felt the air bubbles in his lungs, the textures of the brain! It is AMAZING! To see and feel what is living in your body is a experience I am proud to say I have had. During the autopsy I would hear, or see things that reminded me of thanksgiving, and made it less traumatic, we will see if my thanksgiving will be any different from here on out though. I saw skull dust as they were sawing into the skull and watched him prune the ribs, amazing! My teacher said that I am a perfect candidate for surgery and I know it totally fits because I hate whiners and when you are in surgery you are under, so perfect!
Crystal and Darlene I don't know how you put up with all that crying and noise! I don't exactly want to work with the dead persei but I know now that I could if need be! I am amazed at how it all works and the details that our Heavenly Father perfected. It truly is outstanding!
So that was my morning, Luke is coming home for lunch, and we have a dentist appointment this afternoon, scouts for Carter and then hopefully some studying intermixed within!
Thanks to those who read all the way to the end, I can't wait for the next extra credit experience! hehe

a little something

My parents like to take us to Hometown Buffet every now and again for breakfast, here is a little song to help us through the gourging process

hahaha

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It has been

CRAZY to say the least these last few weeks! First off I recieved a B in my Chemistry class. Then; Luke had all the schools come back into session, then WE went back to school: Carter 6th, Jaxson 4th, Tanner 1st, Carson Pre-school (2nd year), and me Anatomy (M-W nights), Political Science(MWF mornings), and Psychology(T-TH mornings). THEN Thursday was our 5th anniversary, Friday Carter turned 11, and then Saturday I went and turned my LAST 20ish Birthday! Pictures to come! So there to all the people, well not too many people...but people non-the-less I WAS/AM BUSY.
I get to these things when I can and I truly am sorry for the lack of blogginess. BUT I am here and I love whomever enjoys reading my craziness and lack of timeliness in this here blog world!
So now enough of that.
Carson is blossoming like a California wildfire, and there is NO stopping him! I don't want to either so there. He is singing his alphabet, Itsy bitsy spider, You are my sunshine....etc. and we could not be more pleased. Carson is also a part of the Autism Phenome Prodject within the M.I.N.D. Institute and had a MRI done this month as well, he has a BEAUTIFUL brain said the Dr. and that there is NO mental retardation!(take THAT Lori-ann) and that he has amazing progression since he just started talking a few months ago! 40+ hours a week has been and still is challenging to have him working. HOWEVER it is proven to work and I KNOW that if ANY child special-needs or not commited to working at something challenging (or not) that child will become better at specific goals. YAY for Carson! hopefully video to come.
Tanner has been infected with what NOW seems to be our families 1st grade curse! Jaxson had it and now tanner got it but is recovering. It proves to come the 2nd day of first grade and continues on until the second week of school that said child is SICK and out for the count! He is back at school and has missed Brayden terribly and also his class. Sweet little guy on the errands I had to run while he was sick; would stay in the VERY back of the car, shy away from people when spoken to, if not hide and get around to the back side of me, JUST to NOT get anyone else sick! He is most definately my most thoughtful of my children and also thinks of how to bless each and everyone else in the room. Prayer is sometimes a challenge in public because he feels that he needs to KNOW all the names of people so that Heavenly Father can bless each of them individually.
Jaxson is thrilled to be in the 4th grade, not only to have recess with the upper grades but that Skyly is in his class. So far out of the four HE has ALWAYS had a crush on a little girl in his class, taunted and teased them and also wondered why all the little girls would chase and tease HIM we being ever all so knowing have told him it is because HE is just too darn HANDSOME! He laughs and gets bashful yet has this gleam in his eyes saying" I know I know, what CAN I do?" He WILL break lots of hearts in his time, and he yet he is still such a boy! His teacher told me that he has been getting quite the attention from others at the school for his Bear Grylls feats and nourishing his daily needs for BUTTERFLY HEADS! So I ever so sweetly(insert scarcasm) reminded him that butterfly heads are NOT for eating and that Bear Grylls does his GROSS examples to show his audience what they can do to SURVIVE! I know I know it can be a jungle out there, and that the kids on a playground can be vicious and make a grown man plead and beg for his life, BUT if he ever wants a said "girl" to like him he had better keep poor butterflys heads OUT of his MOUTH! He is my boy and I love him!
Carter is BIG man on campus and I am horrified at the thought that he is growing up TOO fast! mean 6th grade! It being his birthday this past week I did what I always do and made cupcakes for his class and for dinner that night we went to Red Robins and got his Birthday song and treat, (jealous brother alert!) I have to say that he sure was a happy kid with all that attention, he has missed it ever since he got all these brothers! He is a great kid, looks can be deceiving and his "style" reminds me of me in highschool. But HE is a good boy and has a HUGE heart, and thaqnkfully cannot lie if he tried(which he doesn't). He got to go to the Russell's for his birthday and Sydnee picked him up after we got home from dinner and had him until Sunday night. He was on cloud nine.
more to tell later... my hands hurt

senioritis

I think I have it...I have this last week in Chemistry and I really am having a hard time wanting to sit and study for an exam tonight! I talked with Audrey dor about an hour today, blogging, and will take Carter to KIPP to see what is available for him, and if we like it. So I don't want to study and I won't dadgummit! Until tomorrow when I need to start studying for my final, IF I want to that is!

OH

and SO excited for this and Breaking Dawn, that comes out the night of my final....

WARNING

May not be suitable for all audiences








This isn't chocolate here people:

I have to say that we went swimming on Sunday and I guess this is what I get for breaking the Sabbath; I started dinner and completely forgot to put a diaper on Carson, we were in a hurry so that Luke could take the older boys to a Court of Honor tonight. We all ate like usual and Carson did his "thing" he doesn't so much conform to Sunday night dinners as of yet, and I finish putting away the leftovers to come out and get Carson to eat his food, well I smelled why he was perfectly content not eating at his usual time, he was a little preoccupied with something MUCH more interesting. I yelled and grabbed him, and had to take him to the FRONT yard, because well for those who don't know our backyard is not too "hose friendly" and proceed IN MY BATHING SUIT to strip and spray him, ugh! Luke couldn't exactly help in his suit and i didn't need anymore of an audience so I sent them off. proceeded to spray him off and then go inside to the smell, and to not-so-nicely inform Carson that: "This is not where poop belongs...". I couldn't have him in the livingroom and I have to say that with my "Special" boy I broke down and gave him his first timeout! (see above sad boy in room) cleaned him up and the couches, and floor, and wall, and spray bottle and bathtub, and... you get the point. Now I have no more energy to study which is why Luke left me in the first place for my Chemistry Exam tomorrow! ugh! Well I least I got to update this thing a little!

Stats on my summer school, I am half way done with Chemistry and I have a B in the class, I am above average in the class and I must say am a little proud of myself, since a few in my class have taken this course 3+ times and are STILL not passing, and I have the four kids, and Luke and well I haven't been in school for a while. Sorry, I get a little of point sometimes....I am giving myself a pat-on-the-back a little bit though and I am sorry for all of the neglect to all my family and friends who I REALLY miss and will try and resume my smiley self soon enough! Love you all and thank you for the support!

Oh and Rebecca this is for you....does it get worse? HELP!!!

HA!

I'm BACK......well not really but I felt that I needed to update again, it's been awhile. So Luke and the boys are backpacking right now, they left yesterday and should be back later on this afternoon, post pics later obviously (if I get around to it!), Carson and I are stuck at home again, I am proud to say that I am getting better at this, don't like it, but baby steps. The boys are out of school and the first full week went pretty well, no injuries or major meltdowns by anyone.
I had a really hard day that I will tell you about in a few; registered and Paid for next Fall's classes, so far I'm taking psy 2 and polisci 2 want to throw in bio 20, but am still waitlisted. Bought my chem books and have started reading through them while the boys are gone; not as good as the "Twilight" books but whatever. I am DEFINITELY going to be busy with that, and so I feel that I need a little refresher before I am thrown in.
So I am going back to school and not too sure of what that will entail as of yet, so I broke down and purchased something that I swore I would never do as a mother, I have been a mother quite a long time I might add, so I don't feel TOO bad about it; I have gone through being a single mom of one child, then two, and had not broken my own personal goal, but I feel with FOUR boys, going to school, church calling (still feel VERY inadequate), a husband, and the daily duties of being a stay at home mom and wanting to diet(I'll get to that), I broke down and this is the really hard day I was talking about earlier, I bought HAMBURGER HELPER. I having been raised by an AMAZING single father of FOUR daughters, ate a LOT of this growing up, he did a wonderful job for what he had been delt to work with and just lacked in a few areas (sorry dad) cooking was his main flaw. We were not exactly wealthy by anyone's standards but we were loved and knew that, we just knew that if we wanted anything but Hamburger helper, we would need to learn to cook for ourselves.
So for Luke if I had been studying too hard and didn't get to dinner, there is a backup plan. 3 of the 4 kids have never had it and Jax has no problem, he says he eats a lot of it somewhere else, I though well it can't be TOO bad, and bonus for me I won't eat it and will throw a slim-fast to my belly instead for dinner and be safe from the filth that is from the box of hell! I am sorry if I have upset anyone with my hatred of the stuff but ugh really do. Audie always gets on me for not cooking from a box, and so here's to you kid, look in my pantry LOTS of Boxes. We will see how it goes, it is a back-up plan not the norm, just had to throw that in again.
So yea that's my story, will return in about 6 weeks! Maybe sooner.....just don't tell Luke that is why he will be eating from "The Box" that night.

It's official......

The big man upstairs had a small lapse of judgement; and during that first brief moment made me the Fig Garden Ward's First Councelor in the Primary Presidency. HUGE, GIGANTIC, shoes to fill, that is why I feel the lapse of judgement; in my case at least. The other women in the presidency are as follows; Christie Krauss - President, me- 1st, Diana West- 2nd, and Marcia Silva-Secretary. Amazing women and I am going to get to know them so much better, as they try as hard as they can to straighten my head on right. Hard secret to keep let me tell you.
Just when you think you have things going smoothly, BAM reality strikes! We told the Bishop of our future with me going to school and you know the four kids.... But he thinks that it is a perfect fit for me, so a leap of faith here we go!
Have gone to a couple weddings these last couple of weeks, Chrissi Jelladian's (luke's cousin) and Holly Webb's another of his cousins. His Family is HUGE by the way, and I still have a hard time with names....5 YEARS later and I still have a hard time with the names, that big of a family on BOTH sides. I am trying but man oh man, big. Weddings are beautiful and we were so happy to be invited to both and they were both Beautiful. There was a third of Luke's cousins on the Draper end that was in Sacramento that we were unable to attend, but heard that it was also amazing! Congrats guys! What a wonderful family I have married into, I am one blessed girl!
Well this week I also had the idea of making my very own, all homemade sandwich, so I got out the good ol' freezer jam (thx Julia), remembered from the elders how easy Almond butter is to make (thx Elders) and then got a recipe book The Bread Bible from Abby (thx Abb) and made the most TO DIE FOR sandwich I have EVER tasted, maybe because I knew all of the ingredients and could pronounce them without trying, or that I made it all by hand,scratch, whatever, fantastic sandwich and I highly advise everyone to do the same.
We are going to have one of my friends from HIgh School spend the night tomorrow night with her Husband and kids. Don't know if I need to keep it a secret because it is for such a short trip, so I'll keep that private, sorry. But fun fun I am excited! Sorry my house is not a show piece by any means and if you are reading this you have been fairly warned! :) well that is it for now, need to feed the boys! until next time!

long time...

No see. Well this has been a very exciting month here at the Draper home, we have had lots of outings, meetings, trips, books to read, school, work, aba, plays, movies, and well you get it; a LOT to do, and so my blogging has suffered, as if it were flourishing before(ha)!
We had an impromptu event at Luke's parents house to do some family pictures, his sister Anna was in town and it had taken us 5 years to meet, and almost 10 years for her to come back to Fresno for a visit. So Carol wanted desperately to get a family picture together, with almost all of her children present, photoshop will fix the rest; Leia being on her mission and all. So I tried desperately to fix what I could and get to the church on time so to speak! Leia's "friend" Aaron took our pictures and I can't wait to see how they all turned out! It was a great time for all of the siblings and cousins to get together, and Carol was beaming. So happy to finally meet Anna!
Next Luke had a Technology conference this past month as well to Yosemite and the boys and I had to forge for ourselves, or the boys really, I was reading(get to that again soon enough). I have had a really hard time in the past whenever Luke leaves, I get really nervous and scared being by myself, old habits die hard, and so I was very plaesed with myself this time, he had to leave really early to register in time for the conference, like 5am and there is no WAY I am going to be awake, sad, and by myself that early in the morning! So I slept in when he left, and he woke me enough to get in a kiss, and I didn't Cry, no a single tear! For those of you who REALLY know me, I am NOT a crier and so when I do it is a big deal, and when Luke leaves to me it is a BIG deal, and so I am proud that I didn't! It was only 1 night that he was gone though, But he did leave again for the Father/Son campout the very next day with 3 of the 4 boys! Still no crying, I think it could have been from the pure excitement that there would just be me and carson which I am totally used to, but woohoo! Oh and I was reading!
So I am part of the Enrichment committee at church and we had not too long ago a boundary change that affected 4 wards in our stake. We decided to make our next Enrichment to be a get-to-know-you night for the wards that blended. So we came up with a Brady Bunch theme! You know his, hers, ours....makes everything MUCH better in the end. I am still very sad that my parents went to Sierra ward in the end, but it will make us stronger in the long run right?right?I keep telling myself that! So i went and took pictures of the women in our ward who hold callings in the auxillaries, some new to the ward and some not, and here is the result of the poster I came up with...... It was a FUN night with games and dessert to boot!
so then at the end a few of us were talking and I see this book, that I had heard about sometimes, and thought Oh, okay, whatever, book. My life is never going to make time for me to read, and well VAMPIRES????? You all are crazy mormon women with too much time on your hands! Where are your children? Well These mormon women that I was talking to I KNEW that they weren't crazy and they all have read or are reading this vampire book and LOVE it, RAVE about it, and so I decided to think a little more about it. The very next night I went out with Audie to see "Made of Honor" (stupid movie don't waste your time) great night to spend with the best-friend, horrible movie and these women from her ward are all talking about this dang vampire book! So I looked at her and we both said, FINE.....enough is enough! and I bought the book the very next day! Oh my heavens, how unfortunate for my family to find out that their mother had just become enthralled into the life of vampires and their lives ceased to exist in her world! Yes it was that bad, and OH YES were the books THAT good! I was reading, living, dreaming that stupid book Twilight! When my dear sweet husband went on the business trip, took my beloved children to their campout, and could not wait for them to leave, why you may ask...so I could read and finish the second book New Moon! That bad, Carson's teachers were staring to notice how bad, normally my home is smelling quite tasty of homemade foods, it was not that way anymore; pizza and mcdonalds had come to replace it! Then I took another few days to break the cycle and do laundry before I started reading the third Eclipse! I averaged about 2 days per book and read all of the 500 page books with ease, Luke is leaving again this weekend, and so I bought her newest book The Host; and hopefully I can have him leave this weekend without crying!
We bought another car this past week to offset the gas prices that our large family cars bring to us, and so it is our everything car, groceries, the mall, work, Jax exchanges, anything that we don't need to bring the whole family in car, is that car, 35+ mpg baby!
I registered and paid for my Chemistry 3 class for this summer, it is a 6 week course that will be held Monday-Friday from 6-9 pm, All Luke asks for is that I don't become the vampire needing crazed woman I was during the Twilight series and he says that he will be fine, oh and dinner would be a bonus, idea preferred, made....well they are boys, you get the drift! I also registered for this Fall for three classes; Psy 2 online, polisci m.w.f. mornings and Bio 20 m and w nights! yay for college! Luke might just be calling any one of you poor souls to help him, or maybe I just feel like I do so much for him that he will, he is an amazing Husband-father and I am blessed each and every day I have him. I still have no idea why he wants me for his wife.
I am still volenteering at the older boys' school and that has been wonderful and a blessing for me to get to know my children in an education based setting and not just at home. To see how much they have grown is still a hard road, but seeing the men that they are becoming has been well worth it! Carter was an understudy in a school play rendition of Willy Wonka. He is sure a cute kid. Jaxson never stops amazing me, and the girls are already becoming a problem, he is definately a heart-breaker! Tanner is asking more questions in class since I told him he will get a special treat for participating more in class. He the other week said that he saves all his talking for when he gets home so he won't get in trouble at school! Carson is still doing leaps and bounds when it comes to improving at what he has a hard time with normally, we all are so proud of him.
Yesterday we went to the Zoo with a family in our ward and had a blast! The boys all enjoyed themselves and then we had a picnic lunch when we were done at the zoo; only to notice that Playland was open as well, so we went there too! Who would have guessed that Audie her kids and parents would be there too! Fantastic day, all 6 hours of it! Then Jazz came over and watched the boys while Luke and I went to see Indiana Jones, and were surprised to see Anna using the computer when we arrived home, and were able to say our goodbyes because she is leaving back to Montana tonight!
Overall that is what our month has been, crazy crazy in a nutshell, plus you know, the day to day having 4 boys and all, oh and we went camping! Here are some of the pics of our Great first outing to Pismo in the new trailerokay i need to update this more with pics and there is more to tell but....off to Occupational Therapy with Carson!

SSSSoooo.........

This is an amazing feat for ANY parent, but for us, and for our family THIS is AMAZING!!!!!!!!Our littlest Draper tonight, minutes ago, for the first time.......wait for it.....wait.....peed in the..... TOILET!!!!!!!We had an evaluator from the company that teaches him his valuable ABA daily was here, and I was going to give him a bath, and one of the many things we are trying to do, you know like, talk, look in our eyes, acknowledge our existance, eat food other than chicken, pretzles, and cheese; is to put him on the toilet, because some kids are frightened of the toilet (autistic or not) and this is something we try for this exact reason....to pee in the toilet!!!!!!!I am so happy and over-joyed at the moment!
More little D info, today he read three books, said I LOVE YOU (with prompts), uno, dos, tres, jaguar, pink, and purple!!!I know most people think oh wow your 3 year old said cow, but for us it is HUGE. They grow up far too fast.......
Carter had a Science Fair today, and we get the results tomorrow during Open House, cross your fingers for Franken-tongue, I'll explain with pics. I volunteered at Jaxson's class today and they are all a dream like usual, and Tanner made a apple smile in his kitchen imagination class with apples, peanut butter and marshmellos. Overall FANTASTIC day, thanks for letting me share it with all of you! Oh and that picture of my boys, Jaxson is wearing a shirt that Carson wore today! Too fast people too fast!

On the road again...

is what we will be singing, over and over again! We are SO excited to show the birth of our newest edition to the family! We had such a blast at the beach during Spring Break that Luke and I finally, after much dilberation over the years to buy a TRAILER. We had been contemplating one for a while now and have gone through a few of different sorts to get a "feel" if you will to the different types out there. We finally chose the one that will grow with our family and we will not need to upgrade any time in the future. It seemed like an opprotunity that we would be silly to not explore and are so excited to bring the boys on trips, and have memories as a family! The three older boys and Luke had their first outing in the front yard friday night and that was perfect for them. It has been extra hot and the boys turned the fan on to the a/c and Luke then turned the A/C on and blew the breaker! What fun it was to see my dear sweet Husband finding the right switch and fixing it all himself ;).
To keep our littlest Draper in the backyard with our new addition we needed to build a fence that would A) keep him contained, B) cover our trash cans from the view of the street (stupid city rules), and C) keep the neighbor kids out of the yard (and line of sight during swim season). LOVE it and wished we would have done it years ago. Because I am a mean mom/neighbor and hate it when the backyard family pool becomes the neighborhood hangout pool; and I really hate it when poor little kids with their towels, and hot faces are staring at me wanting to swim, and me not wanting to watch them! I mean they are NOT my children and the parents aren't exactly willing to sweat in the heat to watch their kids, and I am ONE person trying to relax and watch MY OWN children. So yes mean mean me is so excited that we now have a fence big enough and strong enough to keep the kids at either side of the fence! (before) (after)
Help me Mom's with pools am I bad? Or just smart, Luke doesn't care who, what, when, where people are swimming, and has THE biggest heart for the kids while I don't. I don't mind family, and I don't mind parties, but I swear that as soon as any neighbor kid hears the sound of skin on water they flock to our house in no time flat! Sorry about my rant, I am just excited and well mean! Enjoy the pics ~m

tagged

The directions: use the letters of your middle name as the first letter of words that describe you. If you do not have a middle name use your maiden name. I sure am glad I have a middle name right now! Is this enough updating for you Rebecca?!

Numb
Interesting
Chalenging
Overweight
Lickable (not like-able) couldn't figure another
Exercise-challenged


I tag Audie, Mariana, Holly, and Melissa

We went to Morro Bay this Spring Break on a whim to my Grandma's trailer. We left Tuesday night after carter was done retireing a flag for scouts. We thought it would be a good idea to leave at night so that the kids could sleep....well that didn't happen. Tanner had to pee and we were no where near a bathroom, so he being a boy, was able to do it outside! But then we finally got there and they all woke up from their tiredness, and were at the BEACH!!! We then got them settled for the most part but Carson was out of his element and was up pretty much for the night. sorry off subject the camera was not on the correct date for the two pictures we changed that do the right dates!
We went to Splash in Pismo for lunch and went Geo-caching the boys new favorite thing in the world. That was pretty much our first day, food and hunting! That night we were much smarter and decided to help Carson with his "cough" and gave him some much needed sleep/cough medicine. We all fell asleep by 9 that night and were very rested in the morning to make the next day plesant.
We went to the Elfin Forest in Los Osos, and the boys had fun gathering "old man's beard" that they learned from Man vs. Wild or Survivorman can be a great fire starter if you happen to be lost...we are big T.V. fans, can you tell? We then went to the Coves in the State park there as well, and had lunch and tried to shoo the seagulls at the same time. We finished the food and covered it all after the seagulls punchured to last of the lunchables with their sheer force of their beaks!Luke took the older boys in the coves while I played/watched Carson fall into the freezing cold water, and be perfectly content ice cold and blue! I couldn't bare it any longer and took him to the car for his dose of The Backyardigians (tv again)until the "men" were back and ready for more geo-caching. After the much needed caching we got the boys Burger King, and us more Splash (the chowder, you can never get enough) and then headed home! It was a nice trip and we all had a blast it is nice to get away from the day to day and let go. Luke's signature pose

Well, today I went to FCC and saw a councelor, I only have 7 more pre-req's to go for the Nursing program! That means ladies and gentlemen I am going back to school! I will just take a quick short term class this summer and then go full-time in the Fall. When I say full-time I mean one class during the day while the boys are at school, and possibly two online classes or 1 day,1 night, and 1 online.Not too too much and just enough for me to get it done in a year! Who would'a thunk that a 2 year college can just take two years?! So friends, family, You might or might not be hearing from me a little more often. The mights of "Hey can you watch the boys while I study?" or the might not's" Hey I am too busy to talk, I am studying!" So I feel as if I have been long overdue for the progression in my life academically, and I think all the time, well so and so can do it....why can't I? I am VERY blessed to have an amazing Husband who is supportive to me in this endeavor, and I will not be able to thank him enough by the time it is through! I can't wait!
Other news, Carson is progressing SO SO much this past week, and we are SO excited! He has said this week.....green, orange, circle, star, hi, bye, I want ball,and possibly mama (during a fit @O.T.) so not too sure about that one.....but overall AMAZING!!!!!!!Now these words are not all the time and for the most part we do have to prompt him to say these words, but they are IN there and coming out more and more!!!!!
Carter was in a school "play" this week where he was one of the main characters, well "jack" as in and the beanstalk! I was sad that we couldn't find a chip for our camera, so I had to borrow Carol's and so when I get a copy, I will upload them!
Boys all got their report cards and are doing amazing, all are flourishing and progressing, Charter schools are wonderful! Not saying that normal districts aren't but.....these class sizes are small like 12-20 students, can't go wrong.
Our ward boundries are a changin' this month as well, hopefully not too much of a change, but change non-the-less.
Spring Break people, Easter, flowers, candy, wind, sun, a little rain, and our Saviour! An amazing gift his life, he gave it to each and everyone of us so that we would have the chance to come back and live for Eternity with him and our Heavenly parents.
I will post pics once I get the hang of this a little more! I love Spring, new life everywhere you look!

Today has been seven years, a lifetime ago really; the memories and feelings are there, not so much in depth as they were after it happened, but there. The saddness of a life lost is hard. Harder for me to think for my two sons who will never meet or remember their Biological father. Luke IS their father in every sense of the word, just not biologically. I am lucky enough to not know the true sense of loosing a parent so far in my life; but I do know the sheer agony of the loss of a spouse, and hopefully I can always share that with my sons. The love that I have for their father, the memories, and the love I know he had for them during his life.
I hope and pray that all four of my sons will grow up and know their potential, their greatness; and never question it, never stray, never wander into destruction, because they KNOW the pain it leaves. However many know that pain and still choose to go the same route. How does a parent teach their children if not by example and lessons and yet the choice is still theirs.They still have the GOD given right to choose between good and evil.
I hope that despite my strenghts and/or weaknesses that my children will know that they are loved unconditionally, valued as beings from our Father in Heaven, and cherished beyond measure. That they may never go a moment in their lives doubting their worth and always feel the presence of their Heavenly Father.
I also know that because of life's trials we in fact become better, stonger people who can in turn give a aknowledgement to others who are feeling the same.

priceless

Toilet---$60.00
comet---$0.95
hot water---$3.95

During the last few miutes I witnessed a complete misstep.... one of my children who will remain nameless, for future girlfriend goofiness, was throwing a typical fit, and jumped around as if it were a fish out of water, and found it's fit-throwy, poop-smelly-fit foot right into the toilet! hehe it was sure a sight, the funniest thing is, his brother hadn't flushed yet!!! Well he now is quite dramatic and all up in arms over the situation and cannot take responsibility of the mis-step-fortune and is blaming his pee-relieved brother! poor little booger....maybe this might be the last of his fits. Doubt it but hey, there's hope ain't there?!


Boy with foot in toilet-----priceless

the beginning.....

Well Today is the start of my online Blogging experience. We will see how this Rollercoaster of my life actually looks on the "Big Screen". Am not exactly sure how this all works, Luke is the tech-savvy one in the Family. But many tell me that my life is one for the books, and well I am not that kind of a person to make everything in life happen. So this is what you get and you might just like it!
This blogging might just become a bad habit for me, and my life just might become secondary. Hopefully that will not happen unless I can get a following like so many of you out there. But more than anything I want to get it out, and to stop harrassing my dear bestfriend Butthead!
I really enjoy reading and writing, and hope to amuse in this quest of life. I want to make my life mean something and make a mark on the world; big, small, with or without glitz or glam, I want to make my Father proud, my husband twitter, and my children smile.
I LOVE love LoVe to cook, eat, smell, touch, caress,and fondle food, because that IS my addiction. I wish that there was no consequence to my love but, like all good things there is an opposite. Mine is fat, giggly,flabby stretchy skin attached to my mid-section that my children feel is some sort of right of passage to touch, slap, giggle and sometimes sniff. Yet I seem to sit at this balsted computer and type instead of run, which I can do but choose not too because well I'm Typing for well YOU, you my audience, and that just wouldn't be fair to let you all down now would it? Oh and I am lazy, really really lazy, and a little bit of tired, raising four boogery, smelly boys, a husband , and well eating! It can wear a girl out I tell ya!