the weatherspoon family

to my children...

2012-02-15T21:40:00.003-06:00

Initially, I started this blog as a way for my out of state family to stay up to speed with the excitement in our every day. As time has passed, it has become more of a motherhood/family/personal journal...a place for me to throw my thoughts. Mostly, I want it to be something my kids can read and maybe learn from or someday relate to.

And so Morgan, Owen, Ruthie, and Max...this letter is for you...

Today, while at the grocery store, I saw a woman who I am almost certain was battling anorexia...and by the looks of it, she was loosing. Her face was grey, her body beyond thin. She used a shopping cart to steady her labored movement. Every time she took a step her legs shook and I wondered how she was going to complete her shopping tasks. I literally ached to see her suffering and I wondered what it was that convinced her she was not worth more than what she was giving herself.

But I am not writing this letter to promote self-esteem or a healthy body image; although those things are so very important. Rather, this letter is to tell you what I did in response to seeing this hurting woman.

I did nothing.

As I walked past her and she looked at me, I became flustered and quickly turned my gaze somewhere else. And you know what? I was wrong to do so. Here was a woman who certainly would have benefited by someone looking her in the eye and acknowledging her as being worthy of being seen (really seen)...but

I Did Nothing.

I should have looked at her, not past her. I should have sincerely smiled, said hello, and complimented her pretty red hair...but I didn't. Later, as I pulled out of the parking lot I couldn't help but think about and hurt for her. I offered a silent prayer in her behalf and scolded myself for not doing what usually comes easily to me. I wished so badly for a "do-over."

Sometimes it may seem that the lives other people lead are perfect. However, you can bet that no one is immune from falling on hard times. There is so much hurt and suffering all around us and although you cannot "fix" all of the problems, you can help. It is your God-given responsibility to do so. Human beings need to be seen, for others to recognize that even though it may seem as if they are invisible and in it alone, someone actually cares.

Today I missed an opportunity to let someone know she mattered and so tonight I ask you four children to learn from my mistake. Do not let fear or the overused and completely lame excuse "I don't know what to say" stop you from lightening a heavy load. Even if the only thing you have to offer is a genuine smile then so be it...but Do Not Do Nothing...you will regret it if you do.

Someday you will be the one who aches for someone to notice...be sure that you do for others what you will one day need and pray for yourself.

Love,

Your Mom.

obligatory love...

2012-02-14T13:42:00.000-06:00

Valentines Day.

Ask Dan how much he hearts this day. He loathes it. Being the non-conformist that he is, he would rather not be told when to express love or gratitude for his Lady Love. He is more of an "I'll do it when I choose to do it" kind of guy. And although he has everyone around him fooled, he is way more of a softy than he lets on. He tells me he loves and appreciates me and the work I do for our family every single day. Never does he come home from his 10-11 hour work day, 6 days a week, every week and sit around. Instead, he is always ready to play with the children or help with dinner so that I can go for a run. There is no such thing as "woman's work" in our home because he is willing to help with all of it...even the diapering (ahem, Dad!!). But when it comes to Mushy Gushy Valentine's Day, he would rather be hung by the neck than play along with the commercialism of it all. For the past few weeks he has reminded me how much he dislikes this day and that this year he would not be participating in its hype.

And yet, this morning the children awoke to individual Valentine treats and a box of Lucky Charms (sugar cereal is a super big deal around here because I never buy it), all from their Dad. And because he loves me more than he hates this day of obligatory love, he got me flowers...not red roses because they are not my favorite. And next to the children's treats was one addressed to his "Luva Girl"...that's me, you know.

snow at last...

2012-02-13T13:38:00.000-06:00

Last winter we were pounded over and over again with snow and ice. The snow made for a nice backdrop but the ice was deadly. Around here, ice storms are not uncommon. However, last year, we got a hardcore sheet of it that covered everything...including our steep driveway. I did not leave the house and excused Morgan from school because while I might have been able to slide successfully down our driveway, there was no way I was going to make it back up. The worst part of the whole thing? Big Dan managed to slip, fall, and crunch a few bones in his left leg. It was bad...like, surgery, pins, metal plates, crutches, out of work for a month kind of bad. Lucky for my invalid husband, I was 7 1/2 months pregnant and not at all grumpy or hard to live with. He got to spend his month off of work with me...and boy oh boy did we make for a happy pair. It was great.

This winter has been the complete opposite. We have had more 50 degree days than we have had days below freezing. It has been totally unexpected and totally wonderful. However, Morgan has been dying to see some white stuff and finally today was the day. The fact that school was cancelled was just icing on the cake.

Although it may appear that Owen is open mouth smooching the snowman,
he is actually taking a bite out of its carrot nose. He was hungry.

life lessons...

2012-02-10T14:22:00.000-06:00

Today, Morgan stayed home from school with strep throat. She was miserable...

UNTIL...

the Ibuprofen kicked in

AND...

she found my phone. Rather than lie around all morning, she made herself useful.

I know that it is super obnoxious to watch sideways videos but heck if I know how to turn them right side up! Oh and Ruthie started calling herself "Reecey Roo" a long time ago and it stuck. Hence the reason Morgan addresses her as such in the following clips.

Ruth is a lucky lady to have an older sister filled with such great advice. Daniel and I also benefit daily from Morgan's (sometimes unsolicited) well thought out lessons about life. If you ever find yourself stuck in a conundrum, just give our Morgan Girl a call...she will happily advise you too.

And for the record, I do seek her advice regularly...and she is usually spot on!!!

I am kinda in love with this girl.

on the mend...

2012-02-09T20:45:00.001-06:00

In case you were wondering...

This morning, Ruthie pinned Owen up against the wall twice for who knows what reason. You should have seen her with her stiff arm against his chest, him whining at her, and her not intimidated in the least. I decided she is over her bout with a deadly illness. Plus, she looked really cute today.

around the weatherspoon home, paint tape makes for a fun time.

a grocery store tale...

2012-02-08T15:20:00.000-06:00

I did something today...something I don't believe I have ever done. I kinda yelled at a stranger at the grocery store today. Here's the scoop:

I had the three little's in tow so that means Max rides in the front of the cart and Ruthie and Owen walk. They are suppppooossed to hold onto the cart so that I can keep them in check. But let's be honest...they totally run all over the place. I know I should care more...but I really don't. As long as they stay close, don't knock things off the shelves, and dodge oncoming shoppers, I'm alright with it. Usually, they do fairly well but today...not so much.

Today, Max decided to grow up and become a big boy with tantrums and an opinion about shopping. Ruth was mostly her normal self (which is wild) and Owen (who is usually well behaved) decided to follow her lead. BUT we were at Wal-Mart and it isn't like our out of control ways are an uncommon site in that store. I thought we pretty much fit right in.

Anyway, it wasn't long before Ruthie charged out of an isle and into the path of an oncoming lady and her cart. I am sure it scared the poor woman to think she almost killed a curly haired two year old. I grabbed Ruthie's arm, turned to the woman, and offered a sincere apology. She didn't buy it. At least, I don't think she did because she made a face that said, "Learn how to control your children!" and kept walking. She didn't acknowledge my apology or even look at me. And that is when it happened:

As she slowly maneuvered her cart around our circus, I locked my eyes on her, stuck out my neck, raised my voice (only a little bit) and snapped, "I'm Sorry!" Immediately, I was shocked with myself. I raised my voice at someone who was totally justified at being annoyed with my kid and me. What's worse is that inside I felt like I could have tackled her to the ground and screamed, "I'd like to see you do any better!!" What the???? It came out of nowhere! I don't typically care if others are annoyed with us because I know I am doing the best I can and they will get over it. Apparently today I cared. Ha!

So, to the lady at Wal-Mart who wasn't interested in gushing over my blue eyed babes and instead wanted to muzzle and leash them...I am sorry. I yelled at you today. I can not believe it but I did. I hope the rest of your shopping experience went well....even though we ran into you three more times before leaving the store. If it makes you feel any better, Ruthie totally threw a fit whilst we were checking out...like a laying on the floor flailing like a fish and screaming kind of fit.

I guess I deserved it.

sickly...

2012-02-04T21:50:00.000-06:00

For the past week, our 2am's have looked like this...

My Ruthie, Owen, and Baby Max have been miserable. So sad, so sick.

Have I ever mentioned that I am NOT a good sick kid mom? I panic because, well, other people's kids get sick, but my kids contract rare, never before seen illnesses that will leave me a mom without babies to care for. It is a terrible way to parent but I cannot seem to help it.

To make matters worse, I finally took my Ruthie Girl to the doctor hoping for some sort of answer as to why she was ~~coughing, puking, fevering, not eating and not sleeping~~ dying. I sheepishly listened as the doctor said..."Looks like it is just a bad cough and cold." Talk about making a gal feel lame. Of course I didn't want to be told that my panic was justified but then again, I kinda did. Is that bad? I didn't want to hear that my girl needed immediate emergency attention (even though I was convinced that she probably did), I just wanted to hear that I was right to bring her in and that my $20 dollar co-pay was not forked over in vain. No such luck.

Ask me what Dan the Man thinks of the millions of dollars I have shelled out in pediatric co-pays? Or don't ask...it is probably better if you don't ask.

Thankfully, Owen and Max are almost totally back to their little boy ways. Ruthie has looked and acted unrecognizable for the past few days but just before bedtime tonight...I caught a glimpse of my spunky girl. Maybe now, I can get some sleep.

orange...

2012-01-27T17:16:00.001-06:00

The color orange never looked so good...

Meet Caleb.

I prefer to call him Caewubee.

He is my sister Amy's boy. He is Orange...the only one of his kind in our entire family. For a short time, his parents have decided to let him live close to me. So basically, my sister Joy the Boy, who would like to be known as the favorite of all favorites aunt, is about to get dethroned. Her charm is no match for my real life spoiling.

Oh...and look who else gets to live by me...

Meet Baby Alexis...little sister to the Orange Boy.

She is sweet, lovely, tiny, has a healthy tuft of curls on her head and is sooooo pretty.

I am a lucky gal...even if they are going to leave me in a few months. Oh well. At least I have them long enough to knock Joy the Boy out of first place.

quoteables...

2012-01-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

Morgan: My toenails feel so weird.

Me: Why?

Morgan: Because you clipped them.

Me: Well yeah!! They were gross and way too long.

Morgan: Now I'll never set a world record! I was trying to grow them out to 15 inches long so that I could set a world record!

Me: Oh. Sorry about that.

----------------------------------

Morgan to Me: You are the worst worst worst mom ever!

Morgan to her Dad (just minutes later): You are the meanest ever! Mom is the nice one! She is so much better than you!

Morgan to her herself: I would rather be homeless than live here.

tomorrow's another day...

2012-01-13T15:18:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, as I said my nightly prayers, I acknowledged to my Heavenly Father that it had not been my favorite day to be a mom and I did not handle the stress like I should have. Although He already knew it, I confessed that I yelled in a snarl-some sort of way at annoyances in which I should have shown more patience.

(And then, I might have tried to justify my lack of patience by reminding my Father that I had been dealing with a sad baby for 2+ days and was totally sleep deprived...I don't think He bought it.)

I asked His forgiveness and then asked for His help. I asked that when tomorrow came and I again knelt in nightly prayer that I would be able to say, "I did alright today. I made mistakes but today was a good mom day!" Well, tomorrow came and my prayer was answered.

My prayer was answered as I watched Morgan giggle when she discovered a special treat and note just for her and no one else. My prayer was answered as I baked brownies with Owen and Ruth and noticed the stark differences between the two of them. Owen - methodical and patient. Ruthie - a bulldozer of energy. Complete opposites, both perfect. My prayer was answered as I held that no longer sad baby and smelled his chubby cheeks and squeezed him tight to my chest and watched him try is best to eat a roll of toilet paper.

And then I remembered...days like yesterday always come...sometimes with great frequency, sometimes just occasionally. They come, but they also go. Move on, keep trying and don't forget to notice the sweetness in the details.

if i had a dime for every apple ruthie has taken a bite or two out of and then discarded...

playing king of the castle with our favorite neighbor.

can you tell who that is on our computer screen? it's "squints paladoras" from the sandlot...owen's favorite movie ever!

help a sister out...

2012-01-11T22:09:00.001-06:00

Remember my super hot, super fab, littlest sister Joy? Well, she needs your help scoring some much needed extra credit in her high school Spanish 3 class. If you don't mind...and I am sure that you don't...take a minute to watch her video. If she gets the most views, she gets the extra credit.

Please keep in mind that although my littlest sister is super in almost all things...she will most likely never be counted among the great actresses of our time. However, the bloopers at the end are pretty good. I miiight have skipped the Spanish lesson and only watched the bloopers...but that is only because I am a total Spanish Speaker and I already know everything about Spanish Speaking.
I might have just lied to you.

Go watch.

(In case you are curious...in her video, Joy the Boy is on crutches because she just had surgery on her foot. Don't worry, she is fine...she was just tired of having pancake flat feet and decided a few weeks of pain and crutches was totally worth a great set of arches...she's fearless like that.)

Joy The Boy's Acting Debut

confessional...

2012-01-08T21:22:00.004-06:00

Lest any of you were under the impression that since writing this post I have been a dutiful and committed runner...I have a confession to make. I hit a slump. A rather lengthy and discouraging slump.

I could fill you full of legitimate ~~excuses~~ reasons as to why it happened...

like we moved into a new house that was previously inhabited by someone who was a self-confessed hoarder with cats and it took a full month and all of our free time to make it move in ready...

or I don't have anyone to watch my kids and I can't just go join a gym because well, have you met my daughter Ruthie? She would never agree to that sort of arrangement...

or I ~~choose not to~~ can't just go before Danny Boy leaves for work because that would require a 4am run and when you are up a good chunk of the night with sleepless babies and you threaten to punch someones teeth in because you are so tired, 4am is not exactly "doable"...

or the fact that we have hosted 50+ people in our home since Thanksgiving and although that is fun to do and we would do it again, it kinda requires a bit of extra time and work...

No, I won't fill you full of those "legitimate" excuses because truth be told they are just that...

Excuses.

Instead, I will tell you that I have begun again to try again. I have been at it a week and let me tell you, it has not been a pretty sight. My body has let me know just how out of shape I have become and just how many holiday treats I managed to consume. Reality folks, can be a brutal reminder of just how far we have to go...but I have always been up for a good challenge and I think I am far too stubborn to let this one beat me. Who knows, maybe a month from now I will have a whole new [and better] reality on which to report. Wish me luck!

p.s. This is the part where I shamelessly solicit your "pep talk comments" and where you click the comment button and tell me all sorts of motivational thoughts that will get me to run fast up the hills and ignore the fact that my run looks more like a desperate shuffle than an actual run. I kinda think I need all the help I can get.

2012-01-05T21:36:00.000-06:00

Today, the sunshine smiled down on us and the chilly winter air found someplace else to call home. So, off to the park we went. You would have thought the children were caged animals being set free for the first time. The minute I put our sweet minivan ride in park, they spilled out and never looked back. They played hard and fast and furious. They laughed and smiled and ran their hearts out. Getting a still picture of them was next to impossible. It was a lovely reprieve from our home bound winter days.

a glamorous life for sure...

2012-01-05T21:03:00.001-06:00

I have heard it said that the life of a stay at home mom is far from glamorous...like reeeaaallly far from glamorous. What about this lacks glamour?

Merriest Christmas To You...

2011-12-25T13:11:00.004-06:00

a word about mom guilt...

2011-12-18T21:56:00.001-06:00

Every mom has it...at least I think so. Mom guilt is a universal emotion that comes with childbirth and remains throughout the rest of her life. For me, it most often manifests itself at night. When the lights go out, the babies fall asleep, and our quiet home leaves me to my thoughts...that is when the scenes, words, and emotions of the day flood my mind. Mostly, I replay my mothering and take stock of my efforts. There was a time that I once allowed my mothering guilt to consume me. Guilt can do that, you know. It can fill up every part of you until all you see are the flaws and you are unable to improve. However, I do not think that is its purpose.

Years ago, when I had only two Weatherspoon Babes to call my own, I remember feeling weighed down by mom guilt. One night, after Morgan and Owen had fallen asleep, I quietly walked into their room, scooped up my Morgan girl, and carried her to the living room. I sat on the couch and held her...not really for any other reason than I just wanted her close to me. I thought about guilt and wondered why every mom I had ever met had at one time or another struggled with it. Then I had a thought that for me was profound and heaven sent.

I will try my best to explain it.

If every mother that ever lived has at one point or another struggled with mom guilt...there has to be a reason for it. Maaaaybe the purpose of guilt is misunderstood and it is actually a gift of empowerment that helps us recognize needed change. If mothering is indeed the most important role that a woman will ever take on (and I believe that it is) and if God views motherhood as one of His most noble callings (and I believe that He does) than maybe He allows us to feel "guilt" so that we know the areas we and our children most need us to improve upon. We can allow our guilt to discourage and overwhelm us or we can instead put our faith in the Savior's Atonement and then get to work. (I'm not making sense...) It's like this:

You may...or may not...be surprised to know that I sometimes yell at my children. Shocking, I know...but it's true. I hate it when I yell and I am pretty sure my kids feel awful about it too. But when the quiet evenings come and I remember my harsh words, I try, often unsuccessfully, to recommit myself to do better the next day. I kinda think that is what guilt it supposed to do...make us want to be better and try like crazy to do so.

And so, on that night that I held my Morgan Girl, I decided to try to not be overwhelmingly discouraged by my shortcomings anymore. Sometimes, on my terribly bad mothering days, the mom guilt stings really really really bad and it hangs around longer than I would like. But at the end of those days, I am more determined than ever to be better to my babies and try to learn from my mistakes. Hopefully, one day I will be so good at this mothering thing that my guilt and major imperfections will be a thing of the past. Although, I am certain that that day will take an eternity to get to...I have a long way to go!

And that is my word(s) about mom guilt.

good morning sweet babes...

2011-12-10T19:09:00.001-06:00

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

2011-12-09T16:47:00.001-06:00

Our decor is small and limited to just the front room of our home but Christmas is in full swing here at the Weatherspoon's. Candy canes are on the front porch free for the taking (the children have done so about a million times over), our tree is up and lights are shining bright, paper countdown chains have been made and eaten by a certain baby boy, each night we read from the book of Matthew to learn about the life of whom we are celebrating, all of the neighbors have received a traditional holiday goodie box and card, our Elf On The Shelf "Freddy" is reporting to Santa our mostly naughty/sometimes nice behavior, we...correction I...have baked and consumed enough Christmas cookies to last a lifetime, and if you listen closely through the chaos and noise you just might hear the sweet sounds of a certain mom belting out Holiday tunes (and yes, my singing is indeed sweet sounding!!). Danny is busy planning our Christmas Day menu and I am trying hard to come up with WOW but CHEAP gifts for the children. I'm not sure that WOW and CHEAP go together but I am willing to try! Morgan muttered to me today, "Yeah, you and dad don't really get us expensive presents...Santa is the one who does that." We have several Christmas traditions left on our to do list and we will be sure to make them happen before this special Season slips away for another year.
I love it...all of it.

Oh...and because I like to share really useful information...

According to an add I heard on the radio, the best gift every woman can give herself this Christmas is a "well dressed man." I think Dan the Man and his Carhart wardrobe will be really excited to make this gift happen for me!!

high fashion update...

2011-12-09T09:42:00.001-06:00

And so...she wore it...and loved it. Morgan decided to wear this to church. Thanks to our fellow blog reading friends Jonnette and Sam, I think she will wear it many more times in the future. They were kind enough to offer gushing compliments about how awesome Morgan looked in her new grey sweater. And let's be honest, gushing compliments would keep ME any fashion conscious 8 year old coming back for more.

high fashion...

2011-11-30T09:46:00.001-06:00

In case you did not know...

Girls = Drama.

It's true. This morning I reeeeally wanted Morgan to wear this...

Cute huh!? My mom got it for her for her birthday and it looks so good on her! Morgan likes it except she cannot handle its collar. So, she stammered around giving me lots of reasons why she couldn't wear it and I totally kept my cool (I learned long ago that fighting over an outfit never ends in my favor). Finally, I told her I would give her a dollar if she wore it to school...I find no shame in bribing my children...besides, I thought if she wore it once, her opinion might change. The money sparked her interest and she reluctantly put it on.

Bad Idea.

The next 10 minutes produced tears and screams like this:

"You are so unfashionable!!! You don't know anything about fashion! I have never seen this on the cover of a fashion magazine! Nobody wears collars like this....NOBODY! Just give it to Ruthie!!"

Ironically, Ruthie happened to be wearing a darling little shirt that once belonged to Morgan when she was Ruthie's age. However, Morgan refused to wear it because it was green and at that time in her life she only wore pink.

I calmly left her room and let her melt-down run its course. As I listened to her, I totally had a flashback to my childhood and a colossal tantrum I once had about a certain pair of pink overalls.

And by the way...

She did not wear the sweater to school.

horsing around...

2011-11-19T22:04:00.001-06:00

(how clever am i with that title?! ha!)

On Morgan's birthday, I picked her and a friend up early from school and surprised them with some horseback riding fun. Morgan has always wanted to go riding and we were finally able to make it happen. Happy Birthday! A friend from church was sooooo kind to take time out of his day and let all of us ride.

Be it known that ~~animals~~ pets are not my thing. However, I love horses and horseback riding. I think I will tell Dan the Man that in order to prove his love for me he will have to get our family a piece of land, a barn, corrals, and horses. I am pretty sure he will make it happen for me.

starting out...pretty nervous!

getting the hang of it...

looks like a real cowgirl!

fearless...

you were my first...

2011-11-17T20:45:00.001-06:00

Morgan Girl...

For weeks I have been trying to put into words what November 18, 2003 means to me but I simply cannot do it justice. That day is and will always be the most sacred, joy filled day of my life. On that day, you made me a mom and my life was forever changed. You have greatness in you...your Dad and I see it when we look at you. Always know who you are...and continue to develop kindness, sincerity, and concern for those around you. You are beautiful. Thank you for being my first. I love you big huge!!!

Happy 8th Birthday!!!

Love,

Your Mom

blue eyed babies...

2011-11-13T22:00:00.001-06:00

Is it obnoxious that I cannot help but post photos of my babies over and over again?

Probably...but I don't care...not even a little.

Sweetest Blue Eyed Babies...

watch out...i'll punch your teeth in...

2011-11-08T19:55:00.000-06:00

For the past eight years, the gift of sleep has eluded me. My mom said that "sleep will come again" but I am beginning to think that was a fib she told me in an effort to keep me birthing large babies. Simply put, our children are not good sleepers. Most nights, I am awakened several times with a tap tap tap followed by a "Mom?" (except if it is Ruthie...she prefers to yell at me until I come to her aid). And for the most part, I willingly fix the urgent problems that only seem urgent when sleep is on the line.

However, on occasion, I am completely unwilling to be the nighttime hero...and last night was one of those nights. I had gone to bed before the 9 o'clock hour because I was so tired. I do not know what time it was that Morgan had a breakdown about an achy arm but I did not want to be bothered. I was grumpy with her but finally agreed to get out of bed and get her some medicine (because according to her that was the only thing that could fix her ache). She returned to her bed, I stormed back to mine, and I unleashed my half-asleep anger on my sweet Danny Boy. I don't know what all I said...something like... "don't be condescending...next time you take care of the kids!" He, by the way, found humor in the situation. So, I finished my rant with, "if you don't stop laughing I am going to punch your teeth in!!" That really got him laughing...he's lucky I didn't follow through with my threat!

This morning I woke up to a text from Danny that said:

"Hope your day goes well. Today would be a nice cozy day to stay inside and enjoy our family. Love you. By the way, I had a dream where you punched my teeth out last night!"

I responded with:

"How strange...I had the exact same dream. I guess it is a good thing we both know how kind I am...and I would never say or do something like that. I love you my sweet Danny boy."

So tell me, will sleep ever come again?

my other sisters...

2011-11-05T23:22:00.001-05:00

On our refridgerator, I post the most special of keepsakes. Only things like 100% spelling tests or a rare picture of Danny Boy and me or my favorite photos of my babies are allowed to occupy our coveted refidgerator space. This photo has been on my fridge for almost 7 years...longer than any other...

My Shaffer Sisters
Kasey, Mary, Nikki, and Kim

These girls are my other sisters and I love them. The twins (Nikki and Kim) and I are the same age and have been the greatest of friends since we were little girls. Mary is a few years younger and is the same age as my sister Julianne. Kasey, the youngest, is supposed to marry my little brother someday. These ladies are talented...I'm talking freakishly talented. And they are smart, like genious smart. They get their brains from their mom...she is so wise. When she offers advice, you would do well to listen and follow through because she knows her stuff. As a teenager, I valued her insight and as an adult I all the time think of the lessons she taught me.

Mary, Nikki, Me, Kimmy, Julianne

Just over a week ago, Mary and her husband Danny adopted a sweet little baby girl and became parents for the first time. When I heard the news I screamed and cried and left an obnoxious message on Mary's phone (sorry Mare). I could not be more happy for them. Check out how darling their baby girl Alexis is...

Mary took this picture...I told you she was talented.

Check out her blog: photographybydmc.blogspot.com

Congratulations Danny and Mary!

hello old friend...

2011-11-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

Meet one of my dearest friends...

her name is

Autumn.

If you have not yet met her, you really ought to. Autumn is wise and gracious and somehow has the ability to renew and calm my spirit. She visits me every year and each time she comes, I fall more and more in love with her colorful radience. Although I beg her to stay with me always, my Autumn friend leaves with a soft and sweet reminder that she will return again next year. And next year, when she finds me, she promises to once again spill her wisdom and peace and renewing color on my soul. Thank you for coming my Autumn Friend. Hurry back to me.

trick-or-treat...

2011-11-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

Halloween...not my favorite.

BUT...

This year was fantastic! The weather was perfect, the trick-or-treating was fun, and other than a $5 cowboy hat for Cowboy Owen - I paid nothing for costumes this year!

I wish I had gotten a group shot of our four trick-or-treaters, but let's face it, photos like that require sooo much effort and usually leave one or more of us in tears.

Morgan: Taylor Swift

She put most of this outfit together on her own...I thought she totally looked the part but no one else seemed to get it.

Cowboy Owen

Ruthie: A Pretty Little Pixie

Ruthie spent most of her Halloween Night screaming, "I do it! I walk!! No hold Reece (she calls herself Reece)!! I hold Reecey's bucket!!"

Max: The Sweetest Little Lion I've ever met

lover boys...

2011-10-12T22:33:00.000-05:00

Their Dad tells me I pamper them more than I do their sisters...he's right, you know. Maybe it is because they tolerate my squishing, squeezing, and smooching better than their sisters do. Call me a disserving mom if you want but they will love me until forever is over...sweet lover boy babies.

don't cha wish your sister was hot like mine...

2011-10-11T10:09:00.000-05:00

...don't cha....

She's smart, kind, good, and the "favorite of all favorites" aunt. She is far more put together and fashion forward than I was at 17. She goes by a whole host of names which include: Joy, Joy the Boy, Roy, Joy Boy, JJ, Joy J, and Bloy. Plus, I am pretty sure she still thinks I know everything...because I do. Maybe this post will get her to actually leave a comment on my blog.

a letter to my daughter...

2011-09-23T09:30:00.003-05:00

My Dear Ruthie Girl...

Four years ago, I sat in a chapel in Raleigh, North Carloina. I was among thousands of women all over the world who had come to hear remarks given by church leaders. It is a gathering that happens annually and always proves to be one of the best evenings of the year. That night stands out in my mind because it was then that I knew you were to come to me and it was then that I knew your name would be Ruth.

When you entered this world, I am pretty sure you were mad at me. You screamed at me all day and all night but I loved you, oh how I loved you! Your screaming and my postpartum mind left me tired, weak, and overwhelmed - which in turn, brought me to my knees. I felt the warmth and sacred love of my Father in Heaven like never before. I came to a new understanding of the enableing power of our Savior's Atonement. And even though I could see myself falling short of my expectations as a mother, I felt a peaceful reassurance that my Heavenly Father saw my efforts as enough...as all I could do, and He would take care of the rest. I learned about Hope and its ability to get us through difficult times and that it is an essential part of life. It was you, my Ruthie Girl, who made it possible for me to learn these things.

Here we are two years later and your screaming is as loud and frequent as ever. In fact, your screaming paired with your intensity is completely exhausting. You have a fire in you that is rare; a fire that teaches. It is what teaches me patience (like, a whole lot of patience) and what humbles me. It teaches your brother to have confidence in himself, your sister to give and give some more, and your dad that he is needed and unconditionally loved. Your fire reminds me daily to be present, to smile and face life when I would rather run and hide. I hope you will cultivate and channel your fire...it is a gift, treat it as such and use it for good.

Happy Birthday my two year old Baby Girl. I love you big huge. Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for being mine.

Love,

Your Mom

i think i am in trouble...

2011-08-23T10:17:00.000-05:00

While on my way to drop Morgan off at her first day of second grade she excitedly said to me, "It's like I'm starting a whole new life. A new grade, a new teacher, new boys to sit between..."

crummy camera phone picture of Morgan's first day of second grade

second day of second grade

a little change...

2011-08-04T22:13:00.000-05:00

It seems that most bloggers know a secret that I do not. It is the "I can take a decent picture of myself without looking like I am trying to take a decent picture of myself" secret. My self taken photos always look posed and cheesy...maybe that is because they are posed and a cheesy.

Anyway, check out my new do. Should I keep it or trade it back in for the blond? Owen and Ruthie awoke from a restful nights sleep unsure of the woman with brown hair offering good morning hugs and kisses. Dan the Man knows better than to say anything other than it looks great. Morgan eventually told me she really liked my new hair color, but not before first telling me "Mom, your face isn't tan enough for that color of hair." Totally the reaction I was going for.

constructive vs. destructive

2011-07-29T20:58:00.001-05:00

CONSTRUCTIVE PASTIMES:

Morgan

Owen

family portrait

DESTRUCTIVE PASTIMES:

Ruthie

Oh Rooey My Rooey...You Are Mine.

rolley-polley-olley...

2011-07-22T17:37:00.000-05:00

Morgan - 6 months

Owen - 5 months

Ruthie - 5 months

Max - 3 days shy of 4 months

feeling loved...

2011-07-06T19:14:00.005-05:00

Everyone say it with her,

"Mom Is Mean!"

In case you didn't know...Morgan really loves me. I'm so lucky.

a little motivation...

2011-06-25T10:27:00.004-05:00

The other night, while on my 3 mile run, I came up with a new motivational mantra:

Don't Judge the Jiggle.

Four heafty babies would do this to your body too.

I'm thinking of having it printed on my running attire.

running is always sweeter after dark...

2011-06-24T15:46:00.012-05:00

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned how excited I was to call myself an actual runner again. I decided I had earned this title after consistently running for a month and still having the desire to keep it up. Getting back into running or any form of exercise when your body is screaming at you to stop is a difficult feat to take on...but the benefits are so rewarding.

I started running 16+ years ago. I was 13 and a hopeful 8th grader who quickly learned that running was not something that came naturally. I didn't have the long gazelle like legs that my successful teammates had and at that point I certainly didn't have the mental strength to make up for what I lacked in physical prowess. (Did you know that running is 90% mental?) But, I stuck with it and when my freshman year of high school came along, I joined the cross country team. I loved it! Not because I had improved much but because my teammates became my best friends and I loved being part of the team. I worked hard...really hard...but it wasn't until just before my sophomore year began that something clicked in my brain and I realized I just might have a lot of untapped potential.

I got a letter from my sister Mindi who was a student at what was then Ricks College. She basically told me that she was proud of me and that she "knew" I could make it to State that year. I scoffed at the thought because I was still a JV runner and being part of the Varsity team was so out of my league. However, a seed had been planted in my brain and I remember thinking, "Yeah right...but then again...what if?" I don't think Mindi ever knew that her letter had an impact on me...I think I still have it.

It would be cool to say that I went on to become a world class athlete...but I didn't. I did however, make it to State that year and an additional 5 times after that in both cross country and track. I was never the best or even the second best on the team, but I could hold my own and again...I worked hard, really hard.

In recent weeks, I have thought a lot about how running has shaped me, what it has given me...lifelong friendships, physical and mental strength, a "you don't think I can? watch me!" attitude, clarity, inspiration, self-esteem, individuality, serious work ethic...the list goes on. But do you want to know the best thing running has given me?

Him. How so? Dan and I met in college and rather than date each other, we became running partners. For two years we ran together, almost daily. He became a "safe" place for me and unlike the other handsome boys on campus, I didn't care about impressing him...I was just me. We trained for a marathon together and when all was said and done, we got married. Who would have thought that wanting to be a cool 8th grade track runner would be the catalyst for so much good that has come into my life?

Running is hard but it's a part of me. I don't know that it ever gets easy, no matter how fit you are. But it yields sweet rewards that (for me at least) can't be found anywhere else.

the postpartum fallout...

2011-06-20T21:39:00.002-05:00

Wanna know the absolute worst part about being 3 months postpartum? Hair loss! It is a cruel joke that a woman's body plays on her. See, for nine months of pregnancy, about the only thing that feels healthy and full of life is your hair (thank you prenatal vitamins). And then like clockwork, (for me at least) my 2 month postpartum mark hits and suddenly the amount of hair left behind in the shower is unreal!! Almost overnight my already big forehead becomes significantly larger due to a rapidly receeding hairline. It will continue to fall out for another month or so before it finally decides to regrow itself. On the bright side, I have already cut my blow-dry time in half...literally.

I thought about snapping a picture of the clumps of hair in my shower so that this post could have a picture but let's face it...someone else's shower hair is just gross and none of you would want to see that anyway.

2011-06-17T11:39:00.012-05:00

Summer officially began for us when Morgan said audios to first grade. I think I like summer. Here's the scoop on our crew:

As of today, Dan is a quarter of the way done with his MBA program. Only a year and a half to go! Ugh!!

Morgan completed first grade with flying colors! Out of 9 first grade classes she read the 2nd highest amount of books and had the highest average score on her AR tests.

Owen has decided that baseball is the greatest game on earth and is slowly but surely perfecting his "skills."

Ruthie has mastered her growl, scream, and "Mama wook (look)" phrase. Her cheeks are the tastiest things around!

Max is the smiliest. He is pretty great...come and see for yourself.

As for me, I have some MAJOR news!! I am a runner again. A very slow, cumbersome runner who is only up to 2.5 miles...but a runner. I haven't been that since well before I got pregnant with Ruth. I will have to blog about my new "runner status" later because trust me, this is pretty cool!

Girls night out (plus Max) to the American Girl store.See...I told you he was the smiliest.

Last day of first grade...is she supposed to be this excited?

quoteables...

2011-05-12T13:02:00.000-05:00

Morgan: (while reading a Nancy Drew mystery) There was a mystery at my school today, you know.

Me: Oh yeah? What was the mystery?

Morgan: No one knows if Justin Bieber really died today or not. Landon passed it on to Bri and Bri passed it on to me that he died.

Me: Oh really?

Morgan: Yeah. And I know exactly how we can figure out if he died or not.

Me: How?

Morgan: All we have to do is go to Wal-Mart and look at those magazines they have at the check out. If they say 'Justin Bieber's tragic death' then we will know he died.

Owen: Kids like to play in the mud, mom.

Me: Yes, they do.

Owen: Yep. Cause that is just what kids do.

Immediately following this comment, he picked up his crocs off of the front porch and went inside to "give them a bath." Apparently, there were a few blades of grass on them and he didn't want them to be dirty.

apparently i do nothing around here...

2011-05-04T16:09:00.005-05:00

This was part of an in class assignment that came home with Morgan this week. I wonder what her teacher thinks of me?

(p.s. there are lots of posts below for your reading and viewing pleasure...because i know you all find life in the weatherspoon household to be a thrill!)

big brother...

2011-05-04T16:02:00.003-05:00

we make large children...

2011-05-04T15:54:00.002-05:00

At 19 months old, she is about as tall and chubby as they come and she is mine. I am a lucky gal.

don't judge me...

2011-05-04T15:42:00.005-05:00

In our home, life with a newborn often looks a bit like this. Sadly, Morgan had to sleep elsewhere for two nights and this pile grew by four more loads before it was folded and put away. I abhore laundry. Unfortunately, this scenario is in the works all over again.

have i ever mentioned that i'm a mom...

2011-05-04T15:05:00.005-05:00

Right now, life for me is nothing else but "mom." I have a few goals and adventures that are all about me tucked up my sleeve just waiting to make their appearance but the timing isn't right. Dan has reminded me that there is a time and a season for everything. I guess right now is my season of "babies." Part of me wants it to last forever, but an equal part of me looks forward to being able to go for a run without a jogging stroller or go to the grocery store without a baby strapped to my front, another in the cart, and two more lagging behind. It is what it is and I am happy with this season...so tired...but happy.

Last night I came home and found three of my four babies sleeping soundly in their beds. However, because I wasn't home for their bedtime routine, sleep did not come very easily for Ruthie. She likes her mom to put her to bed and she missed me. Luckily, Ruthie has a second mom who's name is Morgan. When I peeked into their quiet room, I saw this in her crib...

and this in front of her crib...

Morgan told me she drew a picture of me and gave it to Ruth to make her happy. When the drawing "started to wear off" she put a chair with a picture of me on it in front of Ruthie's crib so that she could "see" me and be happy. Such a sweet thing that made me feel so good and gave me a great chuckle.

easter and a strangely small head...

2011-04-25T20:02:00.013-05:00

Easter is my favorite holiday...I love it. One year, while in college, I came home to find an Easter Egg Hunt ready for me to enjoy...my roommates were (and still are) pretty great!

I got the kids new Easter outfits. Although I am soooooo not a fan of dressing my children in matching outfits and always swore I wouldn't do it, I just couldn't resist the yellow skirts and pink shoes. So Morgan and Ruthie matched for the first and quite possibly the last time in their life. They looked darling but I am still not a fan of "matchy matchy." (no offense to those of you who dig the matching thing...it just is not for me). Owen finally got the crocodile shoes he has been eyeing for the past few weeks.

If only Ruthie would have cooperated with the picture taking.

Max had better things to do than to take part in our Easter photo shoot.
In other news...
Max had his one month check up today. According the growth chart he is big and tall (90th percentile for both), but to me he seems so skinny. The big shocker of the appointment was when his head only measured in the 50th percentile! We have never had a child with an average sized head circumference...crazy!

tolerance...

2011-04-25T19:37:00.008-05:00

I think Max was sent here to teach us a lesson or two in tolerance.
Ruthie has taken it upon herself to shove Max's pacifier in his mouth about a million times per day...whether he wants it or not. If he is within reach of her chubby grasp he is at her mercy...sometimes I wonder if he will survive.

Morgan, Owen, and Ruth were outside playing so I thought Max would be safe sleeping on Owen's bed. I stepped out of the room and came back a few minutes later to find Owen snuggling with his baby brother.

Owen thought Max wanted to be a king so he gave him a crown.

he has...

2011-04-15T14:43:00.040-05:00

Big hands and the cutest puffy eyelids you've ever seen

His Daddy's hairline, wide thumbs, and big toes
His Mom's detached earlobes
One sister's love and the other sister's curiosity
His brother's complete and unconditional adoration.

He likes to use his right hand to hold his left hand on his chest.
He is our fourth, (and our last in case you were wondering) and...

His name is Max.

It has been three weeks plus one day since his arrival and aside from his nightly sleep habits (or lack there-of) he is as perfect as can be. Here is his story:

Max Henry Weatherspoon
was born on March 25, 2011 around 5:30 in the evening. He came via induction two days before his due date weighing 8 pounds 14 ounces and was 21 inches in length. I was in labor ALL DAY LONG because the boy did not want to move down. Around 5pm, my doctor came into my room. After checking me, he announced to the nurse, "She's ready. Let's get her legs in the air and have a baby!" Dan and I died laughing! He has been my doctor through two births and I just can't say enough good about him. Three pushes later, Max was here...sunny side up...which explains his slow arrival.

Unfortunately, he had a hard time transitioning into life outside of my belly and ended up with a few days stay in the NICU. The poor baby didn't get anything but IV fluids for 2 days and had to spend all of his time under an oxygen hood. Other than right after he came out, we did not get to hold or feed him for almost 3 days. Thankfully, he figured out that breathing is indeed a good thing and was able to come home the day after I was discharged. He is doing really well and does all of the things that babies are supposed to do.

The transition from three kids to four has been much smoother than I anticipated. My first week home was tough, mostly due to my weepy hormonal mood swings. But, it didn't take long to get my footing and here we are, a family of six. Some days are better than others but we are making it. Although this pregnancy was very painful and definitely the most emotionally challenging, I feel better than I ever have after having a baby. Lessons learned from babies 1-3 have stayed with me this time around and have been a great blessing. I find myself staring at my children and marveling at how much I adore each of them.

I'm a mom to four kids now. It is hard to believe. I can proudly say that I managed to get all of my birthing in before the ripe old age of 30! I had hoped to be done having babies by my thirtieth birthday and I here I am with 5 months to spare!

4 kids feels...
Complete
Hard
Overwhelming
Exhausting
Chaotic
Joyful
Perfect.

And because I have not posted pictures of my family in forever, here are a few from recent weeks.

owen's style...

2011-03-02T12:22:00.004-06:00

This morning Morgan had a terrible time figuring out her outfit for school. I thought she looked great (she really did) but she didn't think so. After a lengthy discussion and some tears she finally decided on skinny jeans, a pink top, and some sneakers. Then it was on to her hair...it just wasn't right and more tears ensued. It was at this point that Owen walked out into the living room and I realized...If we all dressed like Owen, we would never have an "I have nothing to wear" moment again.

His socks are the best part. Remember that there is still snow on the ground here and the outdoor temp in no way merits the wearing of shorts and a t-shirt.

where ruthie goes...

2011-03-02T12:05:00.004-06:00

Destruction follows.

If it isn't the bedrooms, it is the toilet bowl and scrubber. If not the toilet, it's the dishwasher, toilet paper, and towel closet. If this child is being naughty or destructive, she is the happiest little girl ever. Take away her fun and you are in for it!

Remind me not to leave her unattended for any length of time...even if it is so that I can take a shower.

pictures...

2010-11-15T10:57:00.034-06:00

I finally downloaded all of the pictures from my camera. Here is a smattering of the goings on in our home from mid summer to this past weekend.

Morgan's first day of first grade. Ruthie's turned ONE in September. This girl is a fireball! She is by far the most busy and feisty child we have but she is so much fun to have around. I don't think she knows that she is younger than Morgan and Owen because she stands her ground to both of them. NO ONE tells her how it is going to be. I guess because she is going to be a middle child it is a good thing that she knows what she wants.
Last year, Morgan's birthday was a disaster. We had a broken down car, a colicky newborn, and more stress than we knew how to manage. All of our grand plans for Morgan's birthday had to be scrapped. Yet, she didn't complain even once. I was so proud of her.

This year, life is a bit more settled and Dan and I wanted to make sure that she felt special on her birthday. Morgan and I planned and worked together and came up with what we thought was a pretty cute, fun way to celebrate turning 7! There were 10 or so little girls that came to Morgan's party and although there was a lot of squealing and chaos...it turned out great!

Homemade pom-pom balls...these were our favorite!!

Homemade gift bags. These were a cinch to make. Because I knew it was unlikely we would get thank you's out to all of her friends who came, we tagged each bag with a thank you note.

Instead of filling the bags with random plastic party favors, we tried to find things that represented stuff that Morgan loves. Each bag included:

A cookie cutter - Morgan loves to help me bake
A bottle of bubbles - Morgan loves to have fun
2 Hershey bars - Morgan's favorite
A homemade bookmark - Morgan loves to read
A paintbrush - Morgan loves to be crafty.

Each girl got a re-labeled bottle of water with her name on it. They loved this!

Each girl designed her own headband made from felt flowers. The next day, a couple of the girls showed up at church wearing their headbands. We also had each girl decorate her own cupcake. Then they had a "Birthday Brunch" complete with fruit of all kinds, heart shaped cinnamon toast, and chocolate covered strawberries (Morgan's absolute favorite).

As an extra thank you, we made a personalized cupcake for each of the girls to take home. I am TERRIBLE at baking and decorating cupcakes. (Thankfully, a friend of mine offered to bake them for me.) As I frosted them, I just kept thinking of Aubry (my old roommate and cupcake extraordinaire). She would have been so unimpressed. Happy Birthday tomorrow Rabury!!

Birthday present table. Of course, it eventually became filled with gifts and I must say I was so impressed with what Morgan was given! She was given a ton of crafty things that she absolutely loved and really great toys that were perfect for her.

This is Morgan's wonderful friend and next door neighbor. After the party, she and her mom took Morgan to a jewelry boutique and let her pick out a SUPER CUTE necklace with a letter "M" pendant. Both of the girls have one now and I thought that was the absolute nicest thing ever!

Saturday evening...

Ruthie being naughty...

Finding her on the dishwasher door reminded me of this...

Owen Dec 2008...

Dan after work looking a bit drowsy but enjoying the kids...

Hanging out on Sunday afternoon. Notice Ruthie on the floor being naughty...

Morgan enjoying some of the spoils from her birthday...

gender details as promised...

2010-10-18T16:10:00.002-05:00

Boy...Boy...Boy.

I realize I have had the gender sonogram 4 times now but I swear it never gets any less exciting. And even though the kid is going to be one of only two genders, every time is a bit of a surprise. Dan met me at the dr and I had Owen and Ruthie in tow. Owen was THRILLED to learn he is getting a brother. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen a more genuine smile on his face than I did this morning.

As of today, I am about 17 weeks along. I still have far too long to go but 17 is better than 7. Anyway, I am due the 27th or so of March...which happens to be just days after my sister Julianne is due.

And for the record...I knew it was a boy.

remember that trip to florida?...

2010-10-11T20:22:00.003-05:00

I guess our 3 and done plan just went out the window.

Gender details in a week.

it's been a while...

2010-08-06T14:16:00.012-05:00

Where to begin?

When you last heard from me...we were moving. Well, we did and we love our new little home. I will have to post pictures of how cute it is later.

Just days after moving, Dan took off to Florida for a MONTH and then our computer died. There was no way I was going to walk into a "tech store" by myself and purchase a new PC. I am so out of my league when it comes to that kind of stuff. So, we have been without a computer for 2 MONTHS! Thus, my lack of blogging. Thankfully, a sweet little laptop adorns our computer desk now. Hallelujah!

While Dan was in FL, the kids and I did some traveling. First, we were off to Tulsa to visit my sister Mindi and Co. We had a blast! While there, Dan called and told me he wouldn't be coming home the following weekend as expected but would be gone an extra week. His 2 week business trip had turned into a month long trip. I was not happy. So, I called my sister Julianne and sheepishly asked her if I could drop my 3 children off at her home for 4 DAYS while I went to Florida to hang with my lover boy. She and her kind husband agreed and after dropping the kids off in Omaha, I was off to FL WITHOUT my children! It was AMAZING!! I have NEVER traveled without my kids...NOT ONCE!! Not only that, but Dan and I have NEVER had a trip together without our kids in our entire 8 years of marriage...pathetic, I know. We had a great time! Of course we went to the beach and then to St. Augustine (the oldest city in the US). It was such a neat city!! We want to go back someday because we didn't even come close to seeing all of the cool things that it has to offer. This is the only picture we took of ourselves the whole time.

The rest of our summer has been spent moving into our home, being outside, and just doing summertime stuff. We have been visited by almost all of my family and more visitors will be arriving next week! Here are a few recent photos of the kids. I made them endure the TERRIBLE swarms of mosquitoes so that I could take their pictures.

Ok. That's all for now. What a boring post this is, eh?

i guess i should mention...

2010-05-27T14:04:00.003-05:00

We are moving. We are not headed too far from our current lo-cal but we are indeed moving. Rather than post the details on our blog (because after all our blog is quite popular and you never know if a "crazy" is reading) I will send out an email with the specifics to those who would like to know.
My friend Robin is moving too. Only she is headed to the exotic land of Florida. Our final destination? Missouri. Florida vs. Missouri...hmmm, I think Florida wins. Still, our move will be a good thing.

bittersweet...

2010-05-26T15:39:00.015-05:00

No one ever told me that the last day of school for your kid is harder than the first. Today was Morgan's last day of Kindergarten and I am so sad that it's over. She has loved every bit of it. Her teacher, Mrs. Wells, was a dream! Morgan adores her and so do I. Mrs. Wells managed to not just love her class as a whole, but she loved each kid individually - quirks and all. I would bet that every kid in her class walked out of her classroom each day knowing that Mrs. Wells loved him/her... and to me, that is a big deal.

Morg has changed so much over the school year. Her confidence in herself and her ability to succeed is off the charts. One of her most notable accomplishments is her involvement in the Accelerated Reader program. She began the program in October and ended the year reading 2nd and 3rd grade level books and scored very well on all of her quizes. She was a great reader before starting school but now can down a "Junie B. Jones" or an "A to Z Mystery" in literally 30-45 minutes.

Morgan's Kindergarten Year Highlights:

Read the entire "Junie B. Jones" series (except for one book) and a good chunk of the "A to Z's".
Is an expert on caterpillars transforming into butterflys
Was tardy 12 times (her being late was my fault but to be fair, 10 of those tardies came right after Ruthie was born...we struggled for a while)
Learned a thing or two about profanity
Went from a size 11 shoe to a 12-13
Learned a game called "Chase the Boys" at recess
Is an expert adder/subtracter of numbers up to 10
Figured out that being an early riser is overrated
Learned that homework isn't as cool as it initially seemed to be
Decided that boys can be way more fun to hang out with than girls

We love you Morgan Girl and we are so proud of you!

First day of Kindergarten

Last day of Kindergarten

Morgan's teacher, Mrs. Wells

Morgan's good friend, Ryan

After school: The long walk to the car

Remember how Owen HATED saying goodbye to Morgan on her first day of school and wore this face ALL DAY LONG?

He was much happier today.

And Ruthie Girl was just happy to be along for the ride

morning conversation...

2010-05-12T09:15:00.004-05:00

This morning, while getting kids and things ready to head out the door, I heard this exchange between Morgan and Owen:

Owen: Come and get me, Ed! (Owen calls Morgan "Ed"... we have no clue why.)

Owen takes off running and giggling down the hall with Morgan chasing after him. I hear a "crash" followed by:

Morgan: Owen, when you run into walls I can catch you but when you don't you can get away. (Owen running into walls and doors is a very regular occurrence.)

nienie...

2010-05-04T14:20:00.002-05:00

Not long ago I noticed an "i read nienie" sticker on several of my friends blogs. I clicked on the sticker, curious to know what it was about and why I seemed to be the only person in the world that didn't know what the NieNie Dialogues Blog was all about. Whoa! I was and still am glad I did! I have learned so much from this beautiful woman...so much! Maybe someday I will blog about a specific lesson I learned from her that changed the way I view my children and the time I have been given to be their mother. I would add her blog sticker to my blog if I knew how to do it but I don't know how to do anything that requires me to slightest bit tech savvy.

Anyway, she and her husband are featured in a new youtube video. It is inspiring...as is everything she does. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDvxPjsm8E

my shanty girls...

2010-03-24T07:52:00.006-05:00

Take a good look at this picture. See if you can find me among this bunch of beautiful gals.

OK. You can stop looking now because I'M NOT IN IT! On a normal day, avoiding pictures makes me happy. However, this is one I would have liked to be in because this was taken at the first ever Shanty Reunion. ("The Little White Shanty" was the house I lived in during 2 of my college years.) I wasn't there. I don't think I could have been more heartbroken by my absence. I wasn't there because the Shanty Reunion was the same time as the Clay and Weatherspoon Family Reunions and well, technically, family should trump friends.

Well, tomorrow the cute blonde on the far left (her name is Cindy and she is a goldfish) is getting married to someone named "the nicest boy in Boise." Once again, I won't be there. It may sound trivial to some but I cannot even begin to express my disappointment at the fact that I am missing out! My heart breaks every time I read one of their blogs and read about their excitement for Cind's nuptials. It will definitely be a nifty shin-dig with great food, company, and impeccable decor for sure. Sigh sigh sigh...I am so sad...so happy for my Cind but oh so sad for me.

So Shanty Girls, eat an extra piece of cake for me and please live it up on the dance floor (preferably in a silver sequin dress)! I love you all so much and wish I could be there. Each of you has had such an amazing impact on my life. I miss you so much and literally think of you daily! Next time NEXT TIME my over-sized head will be a part of the Shanty Reunion pictures. Congratulations my dearest Cindy! You will be one beautiful bridey bride bride!

picture this...

2010-03-03T13:40:00.023-06:00

Next week I along with my sister Tracy

(she's the one on the right)

are going to put her three children

Zach age 9, Chloe age 3, Parker age 1

along with my three children

are squishing into this

and driving to our parents house in Raleigh, NC where we will meet up with my sisters Julianne

and Amy

who will have these two Misters in tow.

Sammy Pants age 2

Caleb age 10 months

Oh. They

(my parents)

(littlest sister Joy)
will be there too.
Sadly, my sister Mindi and her twins Carson and Kamryn, age 4, can't come because she just gave birth to him.

Weston age 2 weeks

Along with visiting my family, I thought Dan, the kids, and I might hit up Dan's little brother Rossie Poo's wedding. He's marrying this cute gal, Rachel.

I am guessing Tracy and I are out of our minds to think traveling to and from Raleigh with 6 kids ages 9 and under is a good idea. However, we have a hunch that it will be well worth the inevitably nightmarish drive-time. Wish us luck!

how come...

2010-02-20T09:14:00.006-06:00

How come my sisters can produce babies with hair on their head but I simply cannot? Meet Baby Buckwalter...he doesn't have a name just yet.

Isn't he perfectly wonderful? He is my older sister Mindi and brother-in-law Ryan's third little person. Carson and Kamryn (4 year old twins) are this tiny man's older brother and sister.

I think Kam thinks she is his mom...a role she will fill perfectly!

Congratulations Buckwalters! He is wonderful, I love him, and I just might try to claim him as my own so that I can pretend to have a baby with hair. Wouldn't that be lovely?

dear tulane...

2010-02-07T23:26:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago you (my little sister Julianne) blogged about how spring was a mere 57 days away. Well Tulaney...I don't believe you.

(Just a view from our back door.)

Oh, and Ruthie says, "Hi!"

sunday afternoon...

2010-02-07T21:59:00.022-06:00

Today I stayed home from church with 2 sick kids. While in the other room feeding Ruth I noticed that the house was quiet... a sure sign that Owen was doing something he shouldn't. I walked into the kitchen and found this...

(note the fancy dishware)

All of these succors had been licked a time or two and then discarded. I think he decided to taste test every flavor in the bag.

Then about 20 minutes later he did this with his yogurt...

(Oh yeah, he broke his arm a few weeks ago after falling off the kitchen counter...he was trying to get himself a snack)

Later this afternoon, Morgan and I set out to make Valentine's for her classmates. (This is what the Dum Dum succors were supposed to be used for.) It wasn't long before Morgan decided that she could handle making them on her own. I was so impressed with how diligently she worked on them because each one took her a bit of time to complete.

While I was in the other room, I heard her say, "Hey! That took me a long time! Who did this?"

Owen decided to taste test again and ate half of a Valentine. I was impressed that he managed to keep the whole thing in tact, get the wrapper off, and eat half of it.

After putting the kids to bed twice, Dan sat down to watch the Superbowl and I went to the kitchen to make a Superbowl treat. I was grumpy with Dan all day today and he was nothing but calm and kind in return. I was trying to repair the damage I'd done. A few minutes into my Hershey's Best Brownies recipe, Morgan and Owen emerged from their bedroom. Morgan told me that her first loose tooth (that she has literally been wiggling for over a month now but has been too afraid to pull out) was really loose. Sure enough it was just hanging by a thread. I distracted her long enough to grab it and pull it out. She was shocked that it came out and didn't even hurt!! I know it might seem insignificant because kids loose teeth all the time. But the excitement level in our home tonight absolutely soared!!

(If you look closely you can see that her permanent tooth already came in. Kinda gross but hey, it isn't anything a good set of braces can't fix, right?)

She promptly picked up the phone and began calling her Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. As I listened to her excitedly tell her tooth story to all who would listen, I smiled. Loosing your first tooth only happens once in your life and tonight was Morgan's night. It was a simple thing that brought both her and me a happy heart. But her tooth story doesn't end here...

After sending Morg and Owen to bed again I went in to check on them. The light was on and Morgan had just finished writing a note to the Tooth Fairy. I almost cried when I read it.

"From Morgan: Dear Tooth Fairy, Thank you for getting my tooth. Please Please give my brother something. Love Morgan. I love you."

Wanna know why I almost cried and why I am holding back tears now? Because I am so proud of my little girl tonight. As I mentioned earlier, this was her big moment, not her brother's. Without any prompting from me she made sure that he was a part of her special day. She always looks out for him and tries to include him in everything she does. When she says he is her best friend, she means it 100%. That girl...she knows a thing or two about life.

After I read her note, Morgan and Owen climbed into bed and went to sleep.

Morgan has her own bed but would rather sleep with her brother. Owen doesn't mind a bit.

I told Morgan that it isn't any wonder why Owen adores Ruthie so much...he learned it from his big sister...

random...

2010-01-11T12:52:00.020-06:00

I really struggle keeping this thing updated. I am constantly thinking to myself, "Oh, I should put that on my blog"...but then I don't. I guess that is OK considering there are probably only twelve people that actually read our blog...5 of those people are my sisters. Anyway, here are some photos (in no particular order) of recent happenings around the Weatherspoon home. Mostly, they are of the kids...go figure.

Often, I get Morgan and Owen their breakfast and then go into the next room to feed Ruth. One day, Dan called while I was feeding Ruth and I mentioned that I left Morg and Owen alone to eat. He asked if Owen was OK by himself and I responded, "I hope so." After hanging up the phone and finishing with Ruth, I found this...

Typical.

Owen "helping" his Dad set up the Christmas tree.

Pretty impressive Santa, I thought!!

Holiday "Spirit" Express train at Union Station. Dan had just come from work so he was a bit scrffy. We had to wait in line for 2 hours to board this thing!!

Literally EVERY night before bed Owen insists on choosing a little toy to sleep with. One night he absolutely refused to sleep with anything other than "Poppy the Penguin" ("Poppy" was a dollar store find given to us by our friend Cris. Owen LOVED it!)

Sneaky Owen eating Santa's cookies.

I know I have said this before but, her smiles and chubby cheeks make me happy.

comments...

2010-01-11T12:00:00.010-06:00

One of the great things about having kids is hearing the funny things they say. Here are some of the latest comments from Morgan...

Me: You have such a cool mom. Morgan: Yeah, but I kinda wish I had a mom who worked on roller coaster rides so that I could ride all of the time.

The other night I pulled Morgan out of bed so that I could just hold her for a little while. She was asleep and was not as fond of the idea as I was but she kindly obliged. The next morning after telling her I was sorry for waking her up she said: I didn't like that you woke me up because I was dreaming about Taylor Swift and I was older. I was 21, you know only one year older than Taylor Swift because she is only 20." (she's right)

Pink is my favorite color but purple is on its way up...it is on its way!

Morgan: Mom, can Santa read the thoughts in my brain?

Me: I don't know. Why? What kind of thoughts are you thinking about?

Morgan: I don't know. It's hard for me to remember what I am thinking because there are too many rocks in my head. Not the kind of rocks that are outside...just the kind that hold all of the thoughts in your head so they don't drain out.

Referring to her scratchy throat that comes with waking up in the morning she said: "It feels like the gate in my throat is closed. But then after I take a drink of water the water flips the switch and the gate opens and then my throat doesn't hurt anymore."

While making lunch today, Morgan and I were singing along to her new Taylor Swift CD. She stopped me from singing and said: "Mom, match the notes correctly." Apparently she thought I was not on pitch. Then, a few minutes after my lesson on how to sing she stood next to me and asked me to watch her dance. She began to do the backstroke with her arms. She said: "This is a real popular move. Did you know that?"

All of these comments were made over the past week. It was a good week!

baby ella...

2009-12-29T08:45:00.003-06:00

Right now, in the Duke University Hospital, a darling little baby girl named Ella is fighting for her life. I have met her mom and siblings a few times but I am certain they would not know who I am. However, I have followed her story through her dad's blog, ellastouch.com.

This family has been through so much...I know, what family hasn't...but right now it is this family who is struggling and they need the hope and prayers and encouragement of anyone and everyone. Take a minute to read their blog from start to finish. It is beautifully written and has taught me a great deal about life, humility, gratitude, hope, discouragement, loss, strength...the list goes on. What will you learn from the life and story of this miracle baby?

Please pray for Baby Ella.

smiley pants...

2009-11-22T16:30:00.007-06:00

This makes me happy...

our new friend...

2009-11-21T08:17:00.008-06:00

Let's just say...we love our Ruthie Girl...

Morgan can often be found here.

Love the chubby cheeks!

I came home one night and found this.

The other day I was feeding Ruth when Owen walked into the room very sad. Instead of telling me what was wrong, he walked right up to Ruth, put his face next to hers and said, "Owen's finger hurts wiwy (really) bad Roo (Ruth)." Then he picked up her hand and used it to wipe the tears off of his face. He loves her!!

november happenings...

2009-11-20T19:12:00.036-06:00

This past week we have had a lot of fun! Wednesday was Morgan's sixth birthday. Unfortunately, due to a non-functioning vehicle, Morg had to settle for what I call a "ghetto birthday." She was very understanding of the situation and promised me that she had a wonderful day even though her birthday bowling trip (her idea) had to be postponed. Her friend Izzy joined us for presents, a movie, pizza and brownie cake. Really, it doesn't sound so bad, but those of us who were here to witness the chaos, will without hesitation tell you it was ghetto.

It is hard to believe that six years have gone by since Morgan joined our family. I could not be more proud of her. She is kind, beautiful, incredibly smart, and about the best big sister in the world. I love her and I am forever grateful that it was my Morgan Girl who made me a mom. She was my first baby...my very first.

(Be advised: true to weatherspoonfamilyblog form, this post is LOADED with pictures of my kids. I guess I like them.)

The Birthday Girl.

Yep Folks...metallic gold boots...the ONLY pair of boots she was interested in purchasing.

I think she totally makes them work!

Six years old and SO proud of it!

Izzy and Morgan

Six candles...I totally forgot to remind her to make a wish...GHETTO BIRTHDAY!

Today we decided to take a spur of the moment trip to Crown Center (one of our favorite KC destinations). It was SO much fun!! First, we hit Kaleidoscope. Kaleidoscope is a totally free crafty place where kids can go crazy with their imagination! It was started in 1960 by Mr. Hall (the founder of Hallmark). I used to go to Kaleidoscope when I was a kid and LOVED it! It is even cooler now and did I mention it is still totally free?

This is the melted crayon room. Morgan is getting creative with melted wax. For those of you who have been to Kaleidoscope...isn't the smell in this room THE BEST! It totally took me back to my childhood field trip days!

Me, Morg, and Ruthie's head...

This is a sink for the kids to wash their hands...super cute!

This is a paper towel dispenser...again...super cute!

The paint station...This is where Morgan spent most of her time.

"Cheese!"

For the record...I HATE cats!! But this one is OK.

Rocket ship thing...where Owen spent most of his time.

All done!

On our way back to the car, we passed by the Crown Center Ice Terrace (another childhood favorite!) and Morgan got to daydream about becoming a professional ice skater. Right next to the ice terrace was the Christmas toyland display that was open for anyone and everyone to enjoy.

Ice terrace...growing up, I spent many family/youth outings on this ice!

Surprise surprise...Morgan's favorite toy was the hot pink car! She told Owen he needed to ride in the back seat.

Owen preferred the Jeep.

Love Them! Love Them! Love Them!

baby blessing...halloween...and a few more...

2009-11-07T08:56:00.021-06:00

Last Sunday was Ruthie's baby blessing. It was a special day for our family...made even better by the family and friends that were able to attend. Ruth is growing fast! A few days ago, I took her in for her 1 month check up. Any thoughts that she would be our tiny, petite little girl went out the window! Her head is smaller and she is still a lot shorter and than Morgan and Owen were but her weight (almost 12 pounds) is now topping the charts. We should have known that it just isn't in our DNA to have a small child! Oh well...we quite like them squishy!

Disclaimer: Before you scroll down and look at the pictures...please keep in mind that I am trying to be a good sport by posting pictures of myself...I am fully aware that I not only look chubby but that I also look as though I haven't slept in weeks (oh wait, I haven't!).

Grandpa Weatherspoon holding Ruth

Owen LOVES to hold Ruthie's hand all day long!

Aunt Ashley "stuffed" into the back seat of the car with Morg and Owen.

Ashley was such a great sport! Dan and I LOVED having her in our home for a few days. Come back soon Ashley!!

Grandpa, Spiderman, Hanna Montana and Spidergirl ready for some trick-or-treating!

Grandpa and Grandma Weatherspoon

Aunt Ashley and Ruthie

Squished face Ruth

Owen: Basically Lovin' Life!

Grandpa Clay

All dressed up

Ruthie: 6 1/2 weeks

Check out this AWESOME car seat cover that my sister-in-law Leah got for me. I absolutely LOVE it!! Want one? Go to babycoverz.com.

my thursday morning...

2009-10-26T08:56:00.005-05:00

Since baby #3 came into our family, life has been a complete roller coaster and we have just been trying to hang on. I had an experience last week that I want to blog about because I don't want to forget it. Before I tell you my little story watch this short video. I stumbled across it this morning and thought it described what I have been feeling about last Thursday morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF01BQAcj8E&feature=player_embedded

I did indeed see God's hand in my life last Thursday morning. As I mentioned earlier, the past few weeks have been very overwhelming . "Chaos" was how our home was functioning and how I felt inside. I felt as though I couldn't get things together and unfortunately, my family was paying the price for my off the charts stress level.

Well, Thursday started out a train wreck and just seemed to get worse as the morning went on. I had gotten very little sleep the night before and woke up late. Like most mornings we were rushing to get Morgan to school on time but on this particular day, I totally unloaded on my little 5 year old. After dropping her off at school I felt absolutely terrible. I can't put into words the guilt I felt (and still feel) for making her feel like she couldn't do anything right that morning. I was so upset that she had to go to school after having such a horrible morning at home.

Anyway, I decided to make a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up some "apology flowers" for Morg. When I walked in, I noticed some free magazines sitting in the entryway. I grabbed one, picked out some flowers, and headed back to the elementary school to pick up Morgan. As I waited in the parking lot for her to come out, I picked up the magazine and was disappointed to find it was filled with articles that I wasn't interested in reading (I had hoped it would have Fall decorating ideas). However, on the very first page there was a small quote that read:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."

- Melody Beattie

After reading this quote, I fell apart. Immediately I felt as if my Heavenly Father was gently telling me, "Marci, you have been going about life with 3 kids all wrong. There will come a day when all of this "chaos" will no longer be a part of your daily life and you can bet that you will greatly miss it. Since you were a little girl, your greatest desire was to be a mother. I have blessed you with 3 beautiful, perfect children. You are literally living your greatest desire...be grateful for it. I love you and I am here to help you...please let me in." In that moment, God's hand was indeed directing my thoughts, softening my heart, and bringing peace to my life. Who would have thought His divine help would come through a random grocery store magazine! Until this point, I was so caught up in how stressed I was that I couldn't see the beauty and blessings that came in the form of sleepless nights, a messy home, and loads of dirty diapers. I know in the future I will have many less than stellar mom days but I hope that I can remember the blessings that came to me last Thursday morning. I hope I can daily look and be grateful for the hand of God in the life of the Weatherspoon family.

I am beyond grateful for a Heavenly Father who is aware of me and is concerned about my happiness and the success of my family. I am thankful for my Savior who's Atonement has given me the ability to ask forgiveness for my shortcomings and try again. I am grateful for His willingness to walk beside me through difficult days and remind me that because of what He has done for mankind, I can without reservation put my faith and trust in His ability to show me the correct way to live my life.

So that was my Thursday morning.

happy birthday karwee karwee...

2009-10-16T14:51:00.012-05:00

Today is a special day for my family. Today, we celebrate the life of our beautiful Karleigh Ann. Karleigh is my sister Tracy's second child and is one of the most special little people I have ever met. Shortly after she was born, Karleigh was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that eventually claimed her life. I wish I could put into words what this little girl means to me. Although her life was short, the lessons she taught and the blessings she brought to everyone who met her are priceless. I am so grateful to my sister and brother in law for sharing their Karleigh girl with us. I hope they always know that she is never far from our thoughts and we all look forward to the day we will see her again.

Last year, the kids and I decided to start a new "Happy Birthday Karleigh" tradition. Since Karleigh's life was all about giving to others, we decided that we would do some sort of service for someone else on her birthday. We baked some yummy treats, wrote a little poem and then delivered them to friends. This year, we baked cupcakes and dropped them off at the homes of some of our favorite people. We had a lot of fun making the deliveries (and sampling the treats). Happy Birthday Karwee! We love you so much!!

(Our little poem...)

"A Birthday Wish…"

We’d like to tell you of a girl we know

Who passed away a few years ago.

This is not a story of sorrow and tears;

Instead, it is one of smiles and cheers.

You see, her life was a gift from ourFather above;

And she taught us all what it means to love.

Her eyes told a story of promise and hope,

And her giggles could cheer even the grumpiest mope.

Today we celebrate her precious life,

And try to remember there are blessings amid strife.

Although she is missed more than words can say,

Her message of love goes on each day.

So enjoy these treats and as you do,

Remember always there are many who love you.

Karleigh Ann Stimpson10/16/02 – 4/14/05

time to play...

2009-10-01T17:11:00.005-05:00

Today I told Owen that he could play cars with Ruthie. This was the result...

a few more...

2009-09-26T17:28:00.005-05:00

the newest little tiny...

2009-09-25T18:09:00.010-05:00

Last week my doctor informed me that he had to have back surgery the following Friday (today). He said that because he would be unavailable to deliver Baby Weatherspoon on my due date as originally planned, he would be happy to induce me a week early. I was THRILLED!! I have never had the pleasure of having a baby a week early so of course I took him up on his offer.
So, Wednesday morning (the 23rd) Dan and I drove to the hospital for my induction. Aside from a bogus epidural that did not numb my left side and more than numbed my right, the labor and delivery went well. The most shocking part of it all? I gave birth to a child under 8 pounds AND shorter than 21 inches long!!! Dan and I still can't believe she is ours! In fact, Dan made the comment, "Maybe she isn't mine." If she isn't his, I'm not sure I know who she belongs to!!

Anyway, Ruth Lynn Weatherspoon is, in our opinion, an absolute doll face and we love her. So far she is a great sleeper and eater...two more reasons we are shocked she is ours. It is still very surreal that we have 3 kids but we are very happy and excited to have her in our home. I think Morgan summed up our feelings well when she said, "Ruth, you brighten my day." We love you Ruthie! Welcome to the world!!

Baby Ruthie

7 pounds 5 ounces

18 1/2 inches

(Unfortunately, we didn't get very many good pictures of her. Here are a few to appease my sisters until I can get more posted)

(Notice the darling quilt she is lying on. My mom made it and I LOVE it!)

your prayers please...

2009-09-22T15:47:00.003-05:00

My wonderful friend and old college roommate and her husband have been fighting a terrible custody battle in an effort to keep their 4 year old son in their home. Along with offering your prayers in their behalf, please go to the following website to view the interview they did with a Dallas, TX news station. You can also vote for them in an online poll. Although the votes can't decide the outcome of the case, at least they know they have support and love of people all over the world. (the video interview is on the right side of the screen)

http://cbs11tv.com/local/custody.battle.son.2.1198758.html

a few little somethings i love...

2009-09-18T16:22:00.009-05:00

My dear friend Anna came over today with a baby gift for our soon to be arriving little girl. Anna is an incredibly talented painter who creates the most darling artwork for children. I am so excited that our baby girl is now the recipient of some of her work!

Like what you see? Check out her blog at eyecandy4kids.blogspot.com. Thank you so much Anna! I absolutely love the paintings!!!

another kid story...

2009-09-16T20:38:00.012-05:00

I am a terrible blogger. It's true. I cannot seem to keep up with it and when I do manage to post something...it is always about my kids. Don't get me wrong, I like my kids and their lives are thrilling to me. However, I am sure that it gets old to others. Oh well...this is, after all, my blog and I can post whatever I want.

So, this post will be no different from the rest. I have another cute Morgan story. She recently started Kindergarten and she absolutely LOVES it. I have decided that she truly believes her purpose for being on this earth is to be a Kindergartner. It was sad to see her go and yes, some tears were shed, but I love seeing her so excited to go to school every day.

Anyway, the other day she said to me,

"Mom? Do you want to know what I love most about my life right now?"

"What?" I said.

"That I am a Kindergartner!"

I was not surprised by her answer...she simply loves school. It will be interesting to see how long this streak of optimism toward her education lasts!

First day of school...

Saying goodbye.

Owen had a VERY hard time accepting the fact that his sister was starting a whole new life without him. He was sad and grumpy all morning long and even after Morgan came home from school, he was very moody toward her because she left him and he did not like it. Not one bit!

On the way home from dropping off Morgan...

Second day of school...still smiling!!

shiny things vs. brown things...

2009-07-05T15:10:00.009-05:00

A few days ago we rented the movie Confessions of A Shopaholic. When I looked at the cover, I was quite skeptical and assumed I would most likely find it lacking substance and origionality. Well, it wasn't exactly an award winner and it was totally predictable but I admit I really enjoyed it. In fact the opening lines of the movie had Dan and I laughing and relating completely to what was being said. It went something like this...

(For those of you who haven't seen the movie, it begins with a little girl out shopping with her mom. She is completely dazzled by the sight of the latest fashions and glittering gems found in the department store. Then the narrator says...)

"In life there are real prices and then there are mom prices. Real prices get you shiny, sparkly, beautiful things that last three weeks. Mom prices get you brown things that last forever."

(The little girl looks around and sees others trying on beautiful, sparkly and totally impractical shoes. Then, she looks at her own feet and sees a pair of brown Mary-Jane's. Her mother is thrilled with the sale price and the fact that these soon to be purchased brown shoes will go with so many different outfits. The expression on the little girl's face is filled with a sense of desperate longing to own something shiny and sparkly.)

This scene may very well be the most perfect depiction of what it is like for our daughter Morgan every time I take her shopping. She loves things that sparkle and shine...even if the items are not very fashionable or cost a fortune. Morgan can literally spot these things from a mile away. To be honest, I too like the glitter and glam that can be found in the world of retail. However, 99% of the time, practicallity wins out over sparkles and Morgan must settle for "mom prices" and "brown things." I really do try to thrown in an occasional sparkle or two because I love seeing her so excited about it. Yet, without an endless surplus of money, my mind always comes back to the "mom price." Thankfully, Morgan has her Grandma Clay and Grandma Weatherspoon who aren't as concerned about "mom prices" anymore because they have already been there and have done that.

If you have a little girl like Morgan, go check out this movie...and be sure to let me know if I am the only mom who favors "mom prices" over "real prices."

(Morgan - Halloween, 2007 - By the way, she posed herself.)

she did it...

2009-06-17T08:48:00.003-05:00

My wonderful college roommate Robin was so kind to post a "headband tutorial." She managed to do this amid the chaos of a recent move and a week of birthday celebrations for her soon to be five year old. Thank you Bobin! I can't wait to make some of my own. I hope mine turn out as cute as yours! If you want to see her post...go to http://ladleoflove.blogspot.com/2009/06/headbands.html

dear bobin...

2009-06-11T10:31:00.003-05:00

This post is dedicated to my wonderful friend and former college roommate Robin...

Ahem...Bobin, several weeks have passed since I received an email from you stating that you would blog about how you make such darling hair accessories for you and your girls (see picture below). While I have absolutely loved all of your recent posts, I am still anxiously awaiting a detailed tutorial on how I can become a crafty hair accessorizer like you. Remember, I have a baby girl on the way and both she and my Morgan Girl would greatly benefit from your creative knowledge. So please...answer my humble plea. Thanks and I love you Bobin!!

(Picture courtesy of Robin's blog...thank you! Aren't her kids darling!!?? And just look at those hair accessories!)

best friends...

2009-06-09T08:42:00.023-05:00

Who knew that having kids who love each other and refer to each other as "my best friend" could be so rewarding?

Sound asleep in the car on the way to visit Grandma Weatherspoon.

Watching a movie together

After being sent to their room for being naughty, I found them sharing a coloring book and quietly trying avoid the wrath of their mom.

After church

Best friends...and I love it!

A Few Extra Random Pictures...

Owen trying to call Aunt Joy

Morgan LOVES to play "go fish"

One of our MANY craft projects...this girl can't get enough of them!

Easter dress from Grandma Weatherspoon

happy mother's day mom...

2009-05-09T19:53:00.038-05:00

So you all had to know that I would save my mom for my actual Mother's Day post. After all, she is the only mom I am ever going to have and to be honest, she is my favorite. Mom, I wish that we could all be home making you breakfast while Julianne pounds out the tune "Mother I Love You" on the piano. Then we would make you a lovely crown made of poster board and foil. What I wouldn't give to be home today just so that I could hear Dad assigning job after job, thus ensuring you don't have to lift a finger (he never could assign enough...you always ended up working on Mother's Day). However, I am not there. Sad. So, my less than glamorous blog filled with thoughts on why I love and appreciate you will have to suffice. This is going to be a long one...so hang on!!

Since becoming a mom, Mother's Day has never been a day I have enjoyed or looked forward to. Sure Daniel and the kids try to make it nice but for whatever reason, I think I am doomed to experience a lifetime of tear-filled (not happy tears) mom celebrations. Yet, I have always appreciated Mother's Day for the sake of my own mom...I think I appreciate it (for her) 100 times more now that I have kids of my own and have gotten a glimpse at how hard motherhood really is. However, I only have 2 1/2 children. My mom had 9. She didn't stumble upon 9 children she chose to have 9 children. People often ask me how she did it and I think I might have figured out the answer. She loves us. She loves us!

I don't know how many times I have been asked, "Do/did you like having such a big family?" My response is usually something like, "Well, I have never known anything different. But yes! It's great!" My childhood may not have been filled with the most expensive or fancy experiences and things, but I always knew I was loved and I never wanted for anything I couldn't live without. My mom made our home a place I wanted to be...that is still true today. I love being home. Our childhood home was not huge, it was a nice middle-class home. It was filled to the max with with people and all of the things 11 unique individuals come with. However, it was rarely - almost never - dirty. Cluttered yes but dirty no. But even the clutter was well managed and our home was never an embarrassing place to bring our friends. I loved coming home from school to find the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies greeting me at the door. I loved walking up the driveway and seeing my mom's HUGE flower bed filled with Impatients fully in bloom. My mom is an excellent pianist. She managed to instill in all 9 of us a great love and appreciation for music...it was always a part of our home. We were encouraged to be creative and imaginative. Once, my mom needed to get stuff done and my sister Amy wanted to be entertained. So, my mom gave her a salt shaker and sent her out in the backyard with a special task. She told Amy that if she could get close enough to a bird (there were always a lot of birds in our backyard) to pour salt on its tail, it would magically let her hold it and make it her own. Amy spent a lot of time trying to win herself a pet bird. She was, by the way, unsuccessful but I always thought that was the smartest idea in the world! For some reason, my kids don't buy my attempts at "magical tasks"... I guess I still have a lot to learn.

When Morgan was born I was completely overwhelmed with the feeling of love that came over me. However, like most new moms, I was scared of my tiny new friend. There were so many "what if" questions that I relentlessly asked the nurses about every time they came to check on me. Just as we were about to check out of the hospital, my mom appeared in the doorway. I still remember the look on her face and even what she was wearing. Having her there was a complete relief and comfort. I literally thought to myself, "Well, mom is here now and I don't need these nurses anymore. She knows just as much if not more about how to take care of this baby girl. I will be fine." And I was. My mom knew the answers to my questions...like, why my "chest" suddenly inflated overnight even bigger than before (my milk came in), or how we could best help Morgan get over her bloated tummy issues, or at what point should I really worry about my rising temperature brought on by a double dose of mastitis and a urinary tract infection? Those questions seem like no-brainers to me now but at the time, they were life or death situations. I don't know what I would have done had my mom not been there...no one else would have worked...I needed my mom.

A few years ago, I was sitting in church listening to a Relief Society lesson. (I was actually visiting my parents at the time.) The teacher asked the question, "How can we as mothers help our children avoid temptation and the harmful things the world has to offer?" I remember I immediately thought back to my own childhood and how my parents managed to instill in me an actual desire to do what was right. The answer was simple. I always knew I was a Child of God. I knew it. I knew it because my mom knew I was. I knew it because she taught me from the time I was young that my life was far bigger than the things our world has to offer. I was/am a literal Daughter of my Father in Heaven. Sure, I made (and still make) a lot of dumb mistakes. But I never wanted to do anything that would seriously injure my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. My mom was always there showing me the importance of serving and loving and following the teachings of the Lord. She taught by example. My mom loves the Lord and her testimony has always been at the heart of why she does the things she does...her testimony and love for her family has always been what has kept our family strong. Mom, I love you so much. Thank you for everything. I want you to know that I love being a mom. I love my kids so much and would do anything for them...I guess that is kinda like you, huh? Happy Mother's Day!! Go give yourself a nice long nap!!!

Mom and Jason (my oldest sibling)

Mom, Mindi, and Baby Tracy

Grandpa and Grandma Brammer, Dad, Jason, Mindi, Mom, and Tracy

Mom, Jason, Mindi, and Frosty the Snowman

Baking cookies!

Growing up...maybe Mother's Day?

I LOVE this picture of my Mom!

Mom, Marci, and Baby Joy

Mom and Karleigh

Brian and Mom

Mom and Mindi

Dad and Mom

Mom and Baby Joy Joy

Mom and Tracy

Grandma and Zachary

Julianne, Tracy, Mom, and Amy

Dad and Mom

Grandma, Morgan, and Karleigh

Grandma andMorgan

Christmastime at Curt and Tammy Cannon's

Mother's Week - BYU-Idaho

my mother-in-law...is this day 6 or 7?

2009-05-09T07:58:00.021-05:00

For some reason there is a huge misconception about in-laws...particularly mother-in-laws. I am sure there is some truth to the meddling in-law theory but for the most part, I think it is a myth exacerbated by shows like Dr. Phil. Luckily, I don't have any horror stories of meddling in-laws. In fact, I have just the opposite.

From the time that Dan and I were married, I have been shown nothing but love and support from the entire Weatherspoon Family. Even though I don't fit the laid back, pinochle playing, incredibly competitive yet quietly humble Weatherspoon mold, they have managed to make me feel like I am part of the family. They have been patient and understanding with my uptight, opinionated ways and have never passed judgement for dumb mistakes I have made (and continue to make). I love each of them and look forward to our next family get together!

Today, I want to spotlight my mother-in-law and let her know how thankful I am for all that she has done for me. Her name is Margaret Weatherspoon. She is a mother to 4 boys and 2 girls and she is proud to say she has 7 (soon to be 8) grandchildren. Although Margaret is not my mom, I am greatly blessed to call her my mother-in-law. Likewise, my children adore Margaret and she makes them feel like they are the most important people in her world. I think Morgan looks so much like her Grandma Weatherspoon!

One of the things I most admire in Margaret is her ability to accept others in spite of their past or current life struggles. She has been through a lot in her life and in turn has such a compassionate heart for those whose trials are heavy to bear. It doesn't matter if someone's trials are self-inflicted by poor choices; Margaret willingly forgives, accepts, and does what she can to make sure that person does not feel alone. I have never known Margaret to use someone's physical appearance to determine their worth. This is an area that I have a lot of improving to do because I don't ever want my children count someone out because they have made mistakes or their physical appearance isn't what it could be. I appreciate Mararet's accepting example.

When I watch her with her grandchildren, I am reminded of the need for uninhibited, unconditional love. Margaret loves them individually with everything in her. She celebrates their strengths and is understanding of their childhood tantrums. Each of them feels like her "favorite" and knows that Grandma Weatherspoon will always be there for them.

Margaret, thank you for being such a wonderful mother-in-law. Thank you for your example and for supporting me even though I consistently fall short of where I should be. I love you and hope you have a terrific Mother's Day!

Thanks Leah, Sarah, and Ashley for the pictures!

Margaret, Warren, and Baby Owen

Sleepy Baby Owen with Grandma Weatherspoon

Margaret and Baby Rockwell

Leah (Dan's older sister), Margaret, and Ashley (Dan's younger sister)

Corrina, Arron (Dan's younger brother), Margaret, and Baby Isaiah

Margaret and Ashley

Leah, Margaret, and Emily

Margaret, Warren, and Jackson

Morgan reallly wanted me to post this picture of her and her cousin Jackson.

day 6...yet another "sister"...

2009-05-07T21:01:00.014-05:00

Although I said several times this week that I have 5 sisters, there is actually one more person that I view as my sister. She has been in my life for as long as I can remember and has always been a great example to me. Her name is Tammy Cannon. Tammy is a phenomenal mother of three; ages 17, 15 (almost), and 11.
Because my family always lived far from any extended family, we found "family" of our own with whom we could celebrate holidays and other significant events. Tammy, her mom Bonnie and the rest of the McClanahan/Cannon family became our family. We love them all and could never thank them enough for all they have done for us.
My sisters and I were often privileged to babysit for Tammy and her husband Curt when their kids were little. It really was a privilege. The Cannon kids were the most darling toddlers ever! If you were lucky enough to make them your friends...you suddenly became the most important person in the world! Today, I love the Cannon children like they were my own nieces and nephews. I am so proud of their accomplishments and the people they are becoming.
I remember that it was always hard for Tammy to leave her kids for any length of time...it still is. Even from a young age, it was clear to me that she liked and really wanted them with her. It wasn't ever a chore for her be a parent; she loved it.
Tammy is loaded with good advice...most of the time. There were a few instances that her advice got us girls into trouble but luckily my parents always managed to remember how much they love Tammy and forgave her for her "wild ways." I often find myself bouncing mom ideas and opinions off of Tammy or asking myself, "How would Tammy handle this situation?" One thing I love about her is that she will always tell me whether or not I am totally out in left field or if I should go with what I'm thinking. I trust the things she says because she has more experience than I and I have seen the type of mom she is to her kids.
Tammy is so in tune with what is going on in the lives of her children. She has this crazy ability to read people and situations better than anyone I have ever met. She sees what is on the inside before making judgements based on appearances. It is her intuitive and accepting nature that keeps the lines of communication with her kids open. Often, her kids will want to talk late at night and Tammy is always ready to listen, even if all she wants to do is sleep. By doing this, she has managed to stay close to her kids and recognize what their needs, goals, and struggles are. She told me once that she does not try hide her past mistakes from her children. Instead, she is open on honest and uses them as examples of what not to do and how those mistakes impacted her life. Tammy has worked extremely hard to make her home a gathering place for her children's friends. All are welcomed and warmly received and know that her home is a safe place to be. Dan and I hope that some day our home will be viewed the same way.
.I think the thing that has made Tammy such a remarkable mother is the fact that her mom is Bonnie. It is hard to talk about Tammy and not make mention of Bonnie. Like Tammy, Bonnie has always been a part of my life. From the time I was very young I remember having so much respect and admiration for her! She was and still is a part of the most important events in my life and that of my family members. From prom and graduation, to weddings and baby blessings, Bonnie has always been there. However, she is never in the front of the crowd cheering wildly. Instead, she quietly supports, serves, and loves from behind the scenes and never asks for anything in return. Her capacity to work is unreal! She could out-work me in a second...so could Tammy for that matter! Bonnie takes very little time for herself but instead constantly gives to those around her. I can't say enough good about her... she is just that amazing! She is a mother to so many and I am grateful beyond words that I can look to her as an example of faith, diligence, and 100% goodness.
These women are adored and respected by so many. I am blessed to have them in my life. Happy Mother's Day Tammy and Bonnie. I love you both so much!

Unfortunately, this is the only picture I could find of Bonnie, Tammy, and the Cannon family. It was taken about 2 1/2 years ago on Morgan's 3rd birthday. Don't you love Morgan's attempt at a smile. I miss that little 3 year old!

Tammy, Curt, Nicholas, Bonnie, Jamee, Charlee, and Morgan

mindi...day 5

2009-05-07T13:55:00.016-05:00

I am a little late getting to this post today but I am determined to blog about my favorite mom's everyday this week. So Mindi, today is your lucky day. I am sure being featured on the Weatherspoon Family blog is a dream come true for you.
Mindi is the oldest sister in our family and she has always taken that title very seriously. Seeing as there are so many girls in our family, you can imagine that playing house was one of our childhood past times. In our home, Sunday afternoons brought a family room filled with "houses" made of blankets and safety pins. We probably spent more time building and repairing our blanket houses than we did actually playing but we usually had a good time. However, I have very vivid memories of one sister being a bit more "in control" than the rest of us. Can you guess who that was? Yep...Mindi. She was the oldest and always designated herself as the "mom" and everyone had to do what she wanted. Often, Mindi would "send us to bed" so that she could quietly finish off the snacks that were to be used for our make-believe mealtimes. We never appreciated that very much. All I know is that after playing house with Mindi as my mother, I was always so grateful that her reign was short lived and I didn't have to do what she said forever.
I am pleased to report that Mindi's mothering skills have drastically improved from the days of our childhood; however, her opportunity to become a mom did not come as easily as she had hoped. Mindi and her husband Ryan tried for years to have a child on their own. I remember watching them with other people's children and wondering when it would be their turn. Mindi was fantastic with her neices and nephews and loved them as if they were her own. I swear she has hosted more babies showers than anyone I know. I have no doubt that it was difficult to see others having kids, but Mindi never let her own saddness get in the way of being genuinely happy and supportive of everyone else. I always admired her determination to keep trying, keep hoping, and most of all keep doing for every other mother around her.
Thankfully, Mindi became a mom just over three years ago...and she did it in classic Mindi fashion. She didn't have just one...she had two! Kamryn (her daughter) and Carson (her son) are twins and about the cutest little things I have ever seen! I am seriously so in love with them. They are like little pixies that busily flit and float from one activity to the next. They are such sweet kids and the best part is they both have a lisp...I have ALWAYS wanted a kid with a lisp...it is so cute!! I wish they lived closer to me so that I could spoil them and love them and listen to them tell me what a snake says over and over again!!
When Mindi became a mom it was literally like a void had been filled in her heart. Because Carson and Kamryn were born early, they have needed a lot of extra care and attention. It has been amazing to watch Mindi step up and fight to make sure that her children receive as much care and attention as they need. Some people may not realize that although there are wonderful services provided for children with needs ranging from speech therapy to physical therapy and everything in between, finding and getting those services is a constant battle. Mindi has spent much of the past 3 years going to bat for her kids. She wants nothing more than any other parent wants...for her children to have every opportunity they need to be happy and healthy in life. Watching her has reminded me of the importance of standing up for what is best for my kids even if it means becoming unpopular with those who think they know better. Mindi is 110% devoted to her kids and her devotion has paid off in the amazing little people Kamryn & Carson have become.
Mindi, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day. Please send me your children...I just miss them!

it's leakey's turn...

2009-05-05T19:22:00.020-05:00

So today is Day 4 in my salute to some of my favorite mom's/mom's to be. Amy, or "Leakey" as I call her, is a very pregnant mom to be. She is expecting her first baby (a boy) in one month. There are 6 girls in my family and 5 of us came right in a row. Leakey is the last in the string of 5.

I have to say that Amy is probably the most unique of all of the Clay Girls. Why? Because Amy is the "nice sister." Not long ago, I mentioned to Morgan that if she wanted to be like someone when she grows up, she should be like Amy; because Amy has a kind and happy heart. However, her personality comes fully loaded with some of the quirkiest (is that a word?) traits I have ever seen. Sometimes we just sit and stare at her with our heads cocked to the side because we can't figure out what makes her brain work the way it does. And yet, she is rarely seen without a smile on her face and a heartfelt giggle in tow.

When we were younger, we used to tease Amy and tell her that when she became a mom her home would be like that of a special "redneck" family. (I know, it is weird that we had conversations like that, but we did.) Looking back, we probably thought that because Amy is so laid back about life while the rest of us are incredibly uptight. With the exception of Amy, we were always soooo girly and into everything prissy. I remember we often tried to convince Amy that sometimes comfort has to be sacrificed for fashion. (Sisters, remember how Amy used to wear her socks a certain way just so that she could be comfortable?) She never did have anything to do with that type of thinking. Give her a pair of threadbare pajama bottoms and a hand-me-down T-shirt and her level of contentment soared through the roof!

While Amy still gets teased about her "non-conformist" ways, it is her signature smile, giggle, and quirky nature that allows her to view life with hope and optimism...always. I think that is what I admire most about her. It doesn't matter what is thrown her way; she always finds a way to smile, laugh, and put her worries aside in order uplift someone else. She doesn't wast her time with the nonsense of the world. Instead, she finds peace and contentment in the most plain and simple things.

These qualities will no doubt make her a phenomenal mother to that baby boy inside of her. Amy's kids will have a great live-in example of kind and happy living. They will know what it means to be grateful for the simple things in life and not to crowd their minds with thoughts of pessimism.

Leakey, I have always admired you...probably more than I have ever let on. Some of your thoughts, comments, and actions (superman) may be a bit odd but you seem to have what is important in life figured out better than most. Thank you for reminding me of the importance of basic, happy, and Christ-like living. I hope Morgan grows up to be like you someday...uh, just maybe without some of your oddities. Happy Mother's Day you mom to be! Love you.

Amy's baby boy about ready to make his entrance into the world! I think he looks like his Dad.

Ray (Amy's husband) and Amy

Leakey, notice the "finger point?"

Oh look! There it is again. Imagine that??

Amy and niece Karleigh

Joy and Amy

Amy and our Mom

Sammy Pants and Amy

Pregnant Amy! Less than 5 weeks to go!

day 3...

2009-05-04T20:37:00.022-05:00

Happy Mother's Day Tulaney!

Julianne is my sister who is just younger than me. She had her first baby in March of last year. His name is Sam but I call him Sammy Pants. Sammy doesn't care much for me but I don't mind because I like him and I kinda like to make him squeal. One day, I will win his love and maybe beat out Aunt Joy for the title of "Favorite of All Favorites."

Before Sammy Pants was born, it was hard for me to picture Julianne as a mother. She has always been very driven and focused on her educational and personal goals (something I admire a great deal). Saying she was nervous about taking on the title of Mom would be an understatement. I remember after I had Morgan she asked if I liked being a mom. I told her that I loved it and that I was actually surprised by how great motherhood really is. Her response was, "Really???" She was shocked.

Skip forward to March of 08. Julianne and Sammy went through a very difficult labor and delivery. At first, Sammy struggled to get a grasp on life outside of Julianne's belly. He eventually pulled through like a champ and is now a happy little man (except of course when he sees his Favorite Aunt Marci).

I remember calling Julianne shortly after Sammy was born. She was still in the hospital and Sammy was still adjusting to his new world. I asked Julianne to tell me all of her labor and delivery details and how Sammy was holding up. I literally cried and cried as she told of her experience becoming a mom (she didn't know I was crying). She was so overwhelmed with love for her new little man and at the same time literally aching because of the struggles he was facing. She wanted so much to make everything better for him. As I listened to her talk, I remember feeling so genuinely happy for her. There was a new sort of "softness" to her personality that seemed to instantly appear the minute little Sammy became her son. That same overwhelming concern Julianne had for Sammy when he was born is still 100% a part of how she mothers him. She literally hurts when he hurts and she always wants so much to make sure he is happy.

Julianne, you are an excellent mom. I admire so much your complete devotion to Sammy Pants. Believe it or not, "Mom" is a title that fits you quite well. You should have another!! I love you!

To me, this picture perfectly defines how Julianne is as a mom.

Ryan, Julianne, and Sammy Pants

Sammy while visiting his Favorite Aunt Marci. He basically loves me.

One of my favorite pictures of Sammy Pants

Doesn't Julianne have beautiful eyes?

While looking for pictures of Julianne, I found this picture of Owen and Sam. They are about 10 months apart. This picture was taken last summer and it made me laugh. This is about how they stack up to each other today... a year later. Clearly, I have large children.