Happy Birthday, Mom!

(Mom with Elijah and Evan. You know that she does most of the picture taking when you have to go back almost 3 years to find a picture of HER!)

The first time I rememer knowing my mom's age, she was 35. I was only eight then, and I thought that she was old. I mean, she was my mom. Mom's are old. Now I have an eight year old, and I am a VERY young 33. It's hard for me to believe that my kids could think of me as old, but they probably do. As the years have gone by and I have grown up, gotten married, and had kids, it seems that my mom and I get closer in age. Today she turns 60, and I no longer think she is old. Wise, yes. But, not old. I hope that when I am 60 I continue to live life with as much experience, wisdom, and GUSTO as my mom! Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you and all of your 60 years.

Much Ado About Nothing

No, I have not recently gone to see a Shakesphere play, that just pretty much sums up the Gunnerson's life right now. I feel so busy, and everyday ends before I feel like I have accomplished anything, but really nothing is going on. Rick got a promotion at work (kind of my default when his supervising attorney was let go) and has been COMPLETELY swamped for the last month. Last week when EVERYONE in the house was sick and he stayed home from work, he actually had over 100 texts from work asking about things. I laughed and told him that if I stayed home from work no one would even notice! I'm really proud of Rick and how things are going at his firm. He took the job there a year and a half ago when we were trying to secure loans on our house. We didn't really even think it would be the kind of job he likes that much, but he has really done well. He is in court almost everyday, and is now the supervising attorney over litigation. Most importatnly he never brings work or stress home, and is ready to help the minute he steps in the door.

The rest of us are also pretty busy. It seems we are always on the go. Between work, daycare, school, piano lessons, scouts, ballroom, and Jr. Jazz the boys and I are always running somewhere. I SERIOUSLY don't know how I am going to throw a newborn baby into the mix! We leave the house by 8:00 am every morning and dont' walk back through the door until almost 5:00 pm, or later depending on the evenings activities. I was just thinking the other day, what did I do with my time when I was a stay at home mom to just ONE child? Oh yeah, I watched more T.V., took naps with Luke, went for walks, went to the gym, spent WAY more time with my child, and never felt overwhelmed. What a difference 9 years, two more kids, and a job make.

Alright, now I'm sure I should be working on something.....

Belated Christmas

Better late then never...right? Well, that is what I have decided about doing a post about Christmas. Better late then never. Christmas was great, but seemed to fly by. I loved staying home with the boys for a week, and Rick was even able to take quite a few days off over the holidays. I sure could get use to that kind of life! Luke crafting his gingerbread house.
Noah adding more (and more!) candy to his house.

Elijah was more interested in eating his house than building it!

Christmas eve dinner program. Luke played a couple of pieces on the piano.

(It sure is nice that the kids do our number for us so Rick and I are off the hook.)

For his part, Elijah lead us in a couple of songs. He LOVES to lead music and does it every FHE and even in church.

Christmas morning. Bright and Early! The boys originally woke up at 2:30 AM! Rick and I heard them taking and walking around, but they never came in to get us. By 4:30 am they were back asking if it was time to open the presents.

Even at 4:30, Elijah was happy to be opening presents.

The number one present on Luke's list...a Jazz Jersey.

More toys and games, just what we needed!

The suspense is over

The first two times that I was pregnant, we waited until the baby was born to find out if it was a boy or girl. The third time around Rick finally talked me into finding out what we were going to have at our 20 week appointment. As you know, it wasn't quite what I wanted to hear and I spent the next week crying at random moments thinking about having a third boy. At that time I SWORE I would not find out again. But I guess I am just getting impatient in my old age because I decided I could NOT wait until May to see if we were having a family of boys or if we would finally get a daughter.

On Tuesday Rick met me at the hospital after work to have the ultrasound. The woman doing the ultrasound for us is actually a friend of Chelsea's and had already been warned that I would probably cry one way or the other, and I did. I couldn't keep the tears from coming as I laid there and she told us we are having a girl! The rest of the ultrasound seemed surreal as she kept saying "her heart", "her spine", "she is opening and closing her mouth". I wasn't quite use to referring to a child of mine as "her" and "she". It's hard to tell if Rick was happy as I was. He is pretty good at keeping his emotions hidden. The boys were VERY excited. They have each been wanting a little sister since the day we told them I was having a baby.

Now the reality of having a girl is setting in. I don't have ONE pink thing in my entire baby ensemble! Not a pink outfit. Not a pink blanket. Not one little doll. The best I can do is one red and blue blanket with Noah's Ark on it. I haven't worried about it too much in the past because Billie Jo has always assured me that she could outfit any girl from birth to age 10. But now that we will be having babies just 2 1/2 months apart, the girl stuff may already be in use when I need it. While I have always looked forward to dressing a darling little girl and making sure her hair is done with coordinating accessories, I now realize that they days of getting all of my kids ready and out the door in 5 minutes is past.

Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more excited. I'm just realizing that life will never be the same. But, I'm pretty sure that's just how I want it.

Fall Piano Recital

It's that time of year again. No, not the holidays. Piano recital time. Last Saturday was Luke's fall piano recital. He did a great job practicing and memorizing his recital piece, and then performing it for the PACKED house. I am glad that he still loves to play the piano, I never really have to nag him to practice. He is constantly playing the piano and composing his own songs.

A smile after finishing. He was nervous, but happy when it was over!

Luke and Tess.

Happy October!

Yes, I know that November is already half over, but I am finally getting around to posting about October. So, Happy October! As with most things in my life, October seemed to come and go before I even blinked. We spent a few days in St. George with all of my sisters and their kids, we celebrated Noah's 5th birthday, and of course Halloween fun. Somehow Halloween has become a week-long event with parties at every destination...library, school, babysitter's, and church. Even with all of those parties I didn't even take one picture of the boys in their costumes! Oh well, maybe next year.

Noah's new lightsaber night-light.

Heavy, heavy, hangover...
My mom and dad gave Noah some money for his birthday to pick out a new toy. He jumped up and down in the isle at Walmart when he saw the box of aqua sand! Let me just warn you, there is a reason they are playing with it OUTSIDE! If you thought playdough was bad, you should try aqua sand. You've been warned.

Blowing out the candles.

(I should REALLY learn to crop myself out of pictures before I put them on the internet!

Carving pumpkins.

Poking holes is really just about all the boys get to do.

I take over when there are sharp objects involved.

The finished products.

Noah, trying his luck with the doughnut on a string.

He was Dracula, but refused to allow me to put any face paint on. I think it was because he saw Luke act like I was applying acid instead of white face paint and powder!

Luke did a good job at his doughnut, but ended up eating it off of the floor! That is what happens when you bite from the top, Luke. He was also a vampire. I even let him grow is hair long enough to slick it all back.

So, that was October. I know that with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming along so quickly, it will be January before I know it. Now that I am finally feeling better I think I can keep up a little bit more. Feeling better? Yep, if you haven't already heard baby Gunnerson #4 is coming late next spring! I have a few more weeks before my ultrasound and I am still going back and forth on finding out if it is a girl or boy. What do you think?

Fall harvest

So, I have this list. It's a mental list. A list of all the things I need to do in my life to be the best wife/mother/homemaker/woman that I can be. It's a lengthy list. I am pretty sure that I fail at most of the things on the list. I'm working on it. (Not necessarily doing the things on the list, but feeling like I am okay when I don't do everything on the "list") You know what I mean, you are are all wives/mothers/homemakers/women.

One of the things on the list is canning my own food. I grew up seeing my mother do it every fall. I have been the beneficiary of my mother-in-law's canning work. It just seems like something every good homemaker does. I've never done it. I have actually given away dozens and dozens of bottles over the years as we have moved across the country thinking I would never do it.

This was the year that I finally crossed one thing off the list. I BOTTLED MY OWN FOOD!

It all started with apples. We were able to pick a bunch of apples from a neighbor, and after making apple pie, apple crisp, and freezing apple pie filling, I still had a lot left over. So I made applesauce. I was so proud of my first canning experience.

I was so inspired by the applesauce that I did 1/2 a bushel of peaches, and enough salsa to fill 4 quart jars! Not too shabby for my first time canning. It took a lot of time and made a huge mess in my kitchen, but helped me become more of the person I feel I should be. I guess it was worth it!