Boy or Girl?

Mitch and I have been talking about if we will find out the gender of our baby next week. I will be 22 weeks and so we should be able to get a clear shot of the "area" to see what the new Lybrook will be. BUT...we are leaning towards waiting to find out until he or she is born. This will be our last and so we thought it would be a nice surprise to wait. I mean really how many REAL surprises does a person get in life?
Did you wait to find out or did the anticipation get the best of you? Should we wait??

Eyeballs anyone?

During the month of October, I like to get pretty festive with the Halloween holiday. I love Halloween! I love thats its fun to get all dressed up once a year and be goofy and its all about the kids. Trick or treating, candy, caramel apples, changing of the leaves, the smell of fall officially in the air. I love it all.
So when it comes to even cooking our dinner, I like to make it fun. I have a few books with some great recipes in it, that I use to make our dinners. Tonight we had Bloody Eyeballs. Aubrie said "We should pretend to be monsters tonight since we are eating eyeballs."
Do you think your family would like some eyeballs for dinner? Here is the recipe-
1 can of sliced water chestnuts
1 egg
3 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 c. sliced green onions
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
2 tbs. minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic glove minced
1 pound ground turkey
canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
Finely chop the water chestnuts, add all ingrediants but canola oil. Roll into meatballs. Cook until done. Serve with sweet and sour sauce. Enjoy!

Why, Oh Why?

Can't I make good crust for my pie?
I would like to consider myself to be a good cook but unfortunately I have two things I cannot make...pie crust and bread. Bread of any kind. I have even messed up the NEVER fail recipes for rolls and homemade bread! I come from a line of women who are known for their pie crusts and wonderful breads. It must have skipped me and all the talent went to my sister.
Yesterday my mom and I made homemade applesauce and I have apple slices dehydrating for some yummy apple chips. So with some of the leftover apples I had I made an attempt to make an Apple pie for my lovies. Well.
Here is my creation. My crusts have to be pieced together and I never can get the crust to make a pretty presentation. Hopefully it will taste better than it looks.

New Calling...

And a prego picture for those of you who are bugging me!

My new calling. Something I didnt see coming but I am actually really excited about. I was called as the new second counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. I am in love with the fact that I am over the Relief Society Activities and that I will be serving with some awesome ladies! I hope that I can do everything that I need to do to assist in my new capapcity. I have a testimony of RS and I know that I am a better mother and person because of it. I hope to be a good example to those sisters around me and I hope I can serve them to the fullest!

PS- I am sorry for the quality of this pic. The background, the lighting. Sorry.

I want to remember this someday...

When my kids start turning into rotten teenagers, I will have the memory of such good compliments that Mitch and I recieved today at Parent Teacher Conferences. We met with Aubrie's teacher Mrs. Woolfolk and she said she wished all her kids were "Aubrie's". Aubrie is very sweet to everyone around her and she is always on task with her work. When she finishes early, they have the choice to draw, color or read. Aubrie most often chooses to help those kids that might be struggling with their work. Her teacher said she loves Aubrie for doing that! She also scored above average on all her testing that she has done thus far. She is one of the only kids in class that can read! She has been thriving on the routine of school and looks forward to it everyday.
Caleb's teacher just adores him. Mrs. McGee kept saying that Caleb is "amazing". She even said that in the 12 yrs of her teaching she has never come across a more talented writer than Caleb:)) She loves his manners and his attitude in class. He holds the doors open for the girls and said she adores his honesty. She also said that when the class was moved around in their seats recently Caleb was placed by one of her "busiest" students and that Caleb has helped be an example to that boy and that that boy has actually shown a huge attitude change since Caleb was placed by him. He scores well above all his tests also:) He is in the gifted program so he goes each day to three hours of upper level classes in reading and math. His math teacher from last year Mr. Shinsky actually had to start him on different cirriculum just for him.
I am just so proud of my lovies for doing so well and being such good students! I can only hope that they continue to do well:)) Way to go guys!

Happy Birthday My Love!

Happy Birthday to one special man in our life! Mitch is the best of the best. He really is the best father and husband someone could ask for. And I feel very blessed that he is mine. Happy Birthday to my lobster! (Friends)

Are you ready for some Futbol'?

No not that kind of football but some soccer! Aubrie started her soccer season a few weeks ago and I have been slacking on posting a blog about it. Aubs is awesome at soccer. I am proud of her for not being afraid to get the ball, take it from her opponents and how she has been practicing on her own at home. I dont even tell her, she just goes out there and kicks the ball around and practices her techniques. We really enjoy watching her and being able to cheer her on!

Why does life hand us a lemon, when what we wanted was a soft, juicy peach?

Last night one of my best friends got married. 5 minutes before her wedding was to start, Mitch came up to me and said He just got a phone call, his dad had a stroke! He left to be by his side and I made my way up the aisle to perform my duties as a bridesmaid and found myself in a daze all evening. As my beautiful friend and her new husband danced their first dance as husband and wife, I couldn't help but look at them and think of how this moment was going to stand in their minds forever as one of the best for them. Dancing, in love, nothing else on their minds but each other and how perfect everything was for them. What was far from their minds was how much their life could change and transform. That in ten years later they could be in my place or in another place that wasnt familiar to them. Facing new challenges and problems. Having the stress of children, families, finances, life in general. When we say "I DO" We are saying much than "yes I love you and take you forever" We are saying "I DO" to each other's families, each other's problems and weaknesses. Say YES to sharing a life with one another despite all the bad things that may come our way. What an overwhelming burden it can be!
How I envied their moment terribly. The freedom of having nothing to do but stare in each other's eyes and be in that moment. It broke my heart. I completely lost it. I broke down in a uncontrollable sob and cried like I hadnt cried in years. Im sure people thought "Someone needs to get that bridesmaid outta here!" I missed my husband being there, I was upset about my father in law. My mind was clouded with the trials of the day and I couldnt help but wonder "Is this how its supposed to be?" We start out in such a blissful state and then LIFE grabs a hold of us and pulls us in to its grasp. Life can be unfair, unjust, hard, unbearable, heartbreaking, sad, depressing, moody, and just plain rough. How do we learn to say "I DO" when we "DONT REALLY WANT TO"?
We dont want to have all the bad. We want the good. But isnt it the bad, that makes the good look so good?
After I watched Diana and her dad dance together to their song,Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. This thought put my mind at ease. Everything has a season and a reason. Sometimes we dont know the reason but we need to feel in our hearts that it is going they way it is supposed to go for us. The lyrics that stood out were...
"Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life."

We will soon find ourselves at the end of many roads we have taken and wouldnt be nice that the road we finally take is home. Home to our Heavenly Father. Home to our family and friends there waiting for us.This life isnt permanant. It is only temporary. This life of trials and tribulations will soon end and then we can look back at this journey as an experience of our souls. That if we are lucky we get to live, love and laugh with those we call family.