Witches

We went to our annual Gardner Village witch trip.  WE ran into my sister and her kids for a few minutes. 

Brock and Brad are CRAZY around each other... like completely insane.  They don't stop play fighting, hitting, kicking, screaming etc.  They never hurt each other or are mean, they are just so hyper and boyish.  Noah doesn't really get into it - he kind of seems overwhelmed by it all.  It was funny though because on this particular day Brock told me that he did not want to fight with Brad while they were at the witches.  And as soon as Brad saw Brock he came up to him and punched him (play) and Brock said, "Brad I don't want to be crazy and fight with you at the witches today, we can fight when we go to grandma's tomorrow".  It doesn't sound so funny and cute now that I am writing it... I guess you just had to be there. :)

Family picture time - my sister snapped this one of us "getting ready"

They have a MILLION cute fall.Halloween places to take pictures - why I decided to get one with cement and construction behind me I have no idea.

Sam and Madison

Katie (my sister) and Madison

We spent a good 30 minutes throwing rocks into their pond

She slept most the time

How we roll

I love crisp fall days.  I felt like we didn't get enough of them.

Soccer

Brock played soccer this fall.  I think it was the best moments in his life up to this point.  He loved it, he lived for it.  I unfortunately never got pictures!  Can you believe how lame I am!  Can I just say he was awesome.  This shouldn't be too surprising to those of you who know Brock.  He was born naturally athletic. 

I was hesitant to put him in because I knew once we started we were "in it" and this new phase of our life was upon us.  But he needed it and it was worth it.  Bring on the sports... the Herbert's are now ready.  Next will be school, scouting, dance, etc.  Next thing you know collages, missions, marriages... they grow up so fast :) 

They had a great team.  He even made a friend that we have been hanging out with.  That was a bonus for me!  His coach was really good with Brock - he was in a hard position (the coach) because he didn't want to hold Brock back, but he also needed to give the players chances to play.  He taught him how to pass and how to play defense.  He took defense very seriously.  He was so cute and I think I miss it more than he does.  I can't decide if I want to put him in spring soccer or try another sport.

I could just eat him up!  I wish he were smiling - because his smile was ear to ear during the WHOLE game.  But you know Brock - very serious!

Remember the time...

Remember the time that I was driving in my car and a really good song came on the radio - so I started dancing... and then Noah told me to stop dancing because it was scaring him.

Good times, good times. :)

Starting over

On Sunday night I kind of had a moment.  I asked Jason for a blessing.  In the blessing he spoke a lot about control and my issues with control.  I was perplexed with the blessing.  It was not really what I was expecting.  I am naturally a really controlling mom.  The thought of sending Brock to school next year is sending me over the edge.  The thought of losing that control drives me crazy.  I assumed that the blessing was about giving up control issues I have with my kids - but I didn't think that was my problem - because I hardly had time to spend with them to control them anyways(haha).  Today I got the answer to my prayer.

background:
I have secretly been having a hard time since Madison was born. When I say secretly I really mean that - I would not even admit it to myself. When we decided to get pregnant with our fourth I thought that if was consciously going to have 4 in 4 years - I better be able to do it - and do it well. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I didn't want to let anything go. I was going to still have a clean house, dinners made, daily outings, kids ready and dressed every day, Megan's hair always cute, and I would always shower with hair and make-up done. Why would I put all that pressure on myself? I didn't do all of that when I had no kids, or just one kid... why did I think I had to do all that with 4 kids. Crazily enough I actually did all that. I kept up. But something was missing. Joy.


I love being a mom - I seriously love it. I love love having these young kids at home. When I had Brock and Noah and was living in Provo those boys were my whole life. I took advantage of every moment and lived every moment in the moment with them. For the last year I lost that. I had been trying for the last few weeks to find it again. But at the end of the day, I just could never find the time. Everything seemed to be slipping through my hands.

So back to my answer.  I have to let go of everything else.  I realized that when I look back on these years I will mostly remember having a clean house, dinner made, and being frustrated with my kids most of the time.  Forget it.  I don't want those memories.  I want to just be with my kids.  All day.  So I am going to let go.  Forget what everyone else thinks about me or my family or "how I am doing", forget about my expectations, and just enjoy this last year with all my kids at home.  I will miss these days so much one day - and I want to be able to look back knowing that I spent them right. 

So three months after having my baby I am going to start my post-partum days over and let myself off the hook for a while.  There will be days when the dishes don't get done, or days when we are all still in our pj's when Jason gets home, and I am looking forward to it.

Toys

It is amazing to me how one day babies just all of the sudden come alive.  They notice you, they notice toys, they react to you when you smile and when you coo, and it is always funny to me when they start smiling or laughing at their toys.

Madison has started to come alive and be very expressive.  She loves to smile and talk to you.  And on this day she was loving her play arch and laughing at all her animal friends.  She loves the black and white cow.  All our kids did.  Especially Noah - it was his personal favorite.   She was being so cute I also pulled out the video camera.

 I coule die over this one

Madison's Blessing

Madison Kay Herbert was blessed by Jason a few week's ago.  He gave a beautiful blessing, I am grateful for all the love and preparation he puts into blessing our children.

Prepare for a picture overload...

Our Family

The proud parents

Her blessing cake (they got her name spelled wrong :)

 Her pictures

The guests: (We had a brunch afterwards.  I was most fond of this party than any of my other kids'.  Brunches are more fun than lunches I think.  We had egg casseroles, a yogurt bar with all sorts of yummy mix ins, a bunch of different kinds of muffins and coffee cakes, fruit, juices, and chocolate milk... it was all so yummy, THANKS everyone who helped!

 My great Aunt pat, my mom, my grandma, my Aunt Jen

 My brother Michael, my cousin Brandon, my Grandpa, my cousin Jackson, my sister Ashley, my Aunt Leslie

 My cousin Millie, Noah, Brock, my nephew Brad

 Jason's brother Travis and his wife Jeanie and Jason's friend Troy and his wife Jessica

My aunt Leslie and her daughter Millie

 Madison with her adoring older brothers (looking very handsome in their new matching ties... if I do say so myself)

This is How Noah ALWAYS is with Madison, if he is by her he is half a centimeter away from her face giving her kisses.

 Madison with her Great Grandparents

Madison with her Grandma and Grandpa Herbert

 Madison with her Grandma and Grandpa Hanna

 Madison with her mom

Madison with her Dad

Noah enjoying cake

More cake

 Megan had a hard day.  She was not feeling good and I think was overwhelmed by all the people and my busy-ness and lack of attention.  She went right to bed after church and missed  the whole party.  Then she cuddled with me and her binkey the rest of the afternoon.

Madison in her dress.  I LOVE her dress.  L.O.V.E it.  Her aunt Ashley made her bracelet - Megan wore it also.  She was such a trooper all day, a little angel on her special day.  It was so wonderful to have our family around on this special day - it was full of love, celebration, and the gospel - just as it should be.

Catch all

Wow, I do not get as much time to blog as I used to.  Weird. :) Mostly because one of my "rules" is that I don't turn on the computer until Jason gets home.  I don't need the temptation to check email or blogs during the day - it helps keep me on track.  So this is going to be a "catch all" post.  Most deserve, as was intended, to have their own post.  But just one long one will have to do. 

*Note: this post still took 4 days to write.

While Jason was home for our "family month" we did a lot of activities.  Most don't have pictures.  But I did grab one at a park one day.

Madison started smiling in her sleep around 3 weeks old.  Her and Brock are just not smilers as babies.  Noah and Megan would smile at you in the hospital.  So when she decides to smile at you - it means she really likes  you.

Another cute one of Maddie - there are going to be a lot of these

This is more how she looks at you.  Jason tried eating her hand because it always made Noah and Megan smile or even laugh.  Not Maddie.  She looked at him like he was stupid.

Brock is starting to write a lot.  This says: Brock, Noah, Megan, Maddie (Maddie is backwards).

We love to go to our local high school football games.  We used to always go to the Brighton games to watch my brothers play - and now that they are both out of HS we go to Copper Hills (sometimes Kearns) just to watch. 

My boys actually sit and watch most the time and get really into it.  With each play we all guess if they are going to "run it or throw it".

Megan doesn't care so much - she has fun playing on the bleachers.  Although this last week she started to notice the cheerleaders. 

Madison sleeps the whole time - but she is cute enough for a picture - don't ya think??

So Megan is driving me INSANE these days.  She is not my typical 18 month old.  My boys were generally calm, obedient, rational, and persuadable (if that is a word).  Megan has her own agenda and does not appreciate when I try to interfere.  I joke that this is my first child with a will.  I feel like a first time mom again.  She thinks she is just one of the "older kids".  We were outside playing and I turned around and found this:

She did it all by herself, helmet, buckle, climbed onto the bike.

I think this is from conference weekend.  Fabulous by the way.  I wanted to get the kids involved this year.  I meant to take a picture of our game - but forgot.  But it was a huge hit - so I thought I would share it.  I got pictures of all the apostles at the distribution center (.50 each) and taped them all up on one side of our room.  I typed up all their last names and taped them onto another wall.  When a  speaker got up they had to go find their matching picture and find their name.  It was great to incorporate so many developmental categories and get to know the apostles at the same time.  The kids loved it.  We also would pick a word for a talk (like prayer, church, or Jesus) and when they heard that word they got an M&M.  This was was awesome (except for Ballard's talk was the word "Church" - and he spoke about our name being The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he said the word Church about 200 times. - oops) 

It is funny to see this picture.  This is how I look most days.  One of my other "rules" is that I have to get up and get showered, hair done, make-up on, eat breakfast, and read scriptures before any of the kids wake up at 7.  But my other "rule" is that I don't wear real clothes unless I am outside the house.  So at 7 am I my hair is done and makeup on - but I am always wearing jammies.  I look kind of silly.

I LOVE the scrunchy face!!

More cute Maddie.

Those three pictures might look the same to you - but to a mom they are all very different - capturing a unique face. :)

My kids are wonderful.  They all love and take care of each other.  Brock is such a great big brother.  Even though he is just 4 - he has 3 younger siblings, so a lot of responsibilities fall to him - and he does them all so great. I saw him and Megan cuddling on the couch while watching an "Elmo" movie that he put in for her.  (side note:  ALL my kids LOVED Elmo - but Brock and Noah called him "momo" - I loved it - but Megan pronounces it correctly "Elmo" - it makes me sad)

Noah just adores Madison and is so sweet and soft with her. I put her in her swing one afternoon and I came back a few minutes later and found Noah just sitting there - staring at her.  I sat and watched him watch her for about 10 minutes.  It was so sweet.  He sings to her and loves her - he is so tender.

Did you make it through??  10 points to you if you did!