New blog

Hello my fellow bloggers.

I have a new blog and will no longer be posting on this one. Please add the following blog to your lists of reads ;)

http://www.maurasstories.blogspot.com/

I hope to see you all over there. Thanks for keeping up with me!!!!

So Happy!

Really what else can I really say? I am so incredibly happy. I love my handsome loving husband. I love my beautiful children. I love my wonderful family. All of them are the light of my life and I am sooo grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have them in my life. Each one of them makes me a better person just by knowing them!


I am in Heaven on earth!

Its almost here

FOUR DAYS!!!!!

I am so excited to have all my siblings here, I'm so excited for girls night on Friday (me and my sista's) I'm so excited to see his face when I walk down the isle and I can't wait to go on the honeymoon.


I just can't wait to be able to tell the world that he is my husband!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!

COUNT DOWN

9 DAYS!!!!

we are in single digit days here people!!!! SINGLE DIGET DAYS!!!!!

11 Days

Only 11 days left people!!!

I'm sooo excited!


I love and adore him so much its sometimes hard to breath. I can't wait to be with him for the rest of my life. I can't wait to be able to tell the world that we are married, that he is mine and only mine!

I can't wait to be Mrs. Snyder forever

Thats pretty dang cool

I go on Failblog a lot. Mostly is funny/stupid people doing funny/stupid stuff but sometimes they will put a WIN on there...of someone doing something awesome. This is one of those people.

http://failblog.org/2010/08/19/epic-fail-video-street-performer-win/

check it out. I think this guy is pretty awesome.

Awesome!

The kitchen and sink in particular faces the road. So you can look out and see people walking or cars roaming.

Yesterday, while doing dishes, Brian and I saw something Awesome. A dad jogging....with his obviously struggling, too young to be in this kind of condition, over-weight little girl. She had to be around 9-10 and she was easily 90-100 pounds. She was red faces, panting and hating her father from the looks of it.

I just thought it was great! how many of our youth are horribly over weight and how many parents not only ignore the issue but contribute to it by allowing poor eating habits and inactivity to keep up, thinking 'the schools will fix it' or 'I don't have the time or money to fix a healthy meal' or 'they are happy...why push it if they are fine'

-Schools should not take the place of parent...they are a tool not a solution.

-It takes about 30 minutes to sit in line at a fast food restaurant get home, unpack the food and eat it. Takes about 40 minutes to bake chicken, green beans and rice and beleive it or not...probably cost less then a night at McDonalds

-They are not happy...they don't' know the difference and it will just keep getting worse.

Breaks my heart to see an elementary school kid breathing heavy just getting to the play ground let alone running around with the rest of the kids. So kudos to this dad...who is doing something about it in his daughters life! I applaud you!

1st day of school

So Monday the 2nd of August my girls started school. Five years ago I knew this day would come. I knew I was going to be a blubber face watching my child take one more step away from me and into the world....little did I know it was going to be timsed by three. Three little cuties I walked to the door and let go of their tiny hands. Three angels I gave a hug and kiss goodbye and three little voices said "I love you mommy" as they happily took on the challenge of starting a new thing. I won't lie....as soon as I got in the car I cried for a solid five minutes before I even turned on the engine. I'm getting emotional just writing this. Its really quiet silly actually but there it is.

Juliet, Bethanie and Breana. They really do love each other when they want too! :D

Picture with daddy before he left for work. *side note: can I just say he is just so stinking handsome!!! I can't even stand it. ....ok back to the girls.

Me with my girls. Don't know if you can tell....my eyes are already red. But look at those faces! they are soo excited!

SISTERS! really? is there anything better?!

Breana :)

Bethanie

Juliet...she insisted on posing...such a goof.

I just love this picture. Bethanie, Breana and Juliet.....My three big girls.

wahhoooo

One month and five days till I marry the absolute love of my life!!!!
Three days till school starts for the girls and we don't have to pay day care anymore.
About seven months till I'm done with consumer credit.

That will be an extra $1200 a month I will be saving...yes people you read that right, close to Twelve Hundred dollars I am spending currently on day care and consumer credit. I have no idea how I've survived....the Lord that's for dang sure!

I can't wait to start being able to save instead of living paycheck to paycheck. I can't wait to be with my love for the rest of always....to buy a house with him, to have babie(s) with him, to raise our family the best way we know how!

I'm so very glad I have such wonderful parents to use as an example. They are simply fantastic!

I'm just all around in a great place. :)

Why Juliet will never have to eat frogs leg's.

background: in our house, you have to at least try whatever is put in front of you before you say you don't like it. Its a rule I will always enforce (side note: I will never make my children eat anything I wouldn't consider putting in my own mouth)

I like to egg my kids on.....ask them why a billion times when they are trying to explain something and what not...Its fun and I'm the mom so I get to do that. Most of the time they will just get frustrated with my game and just laugh or say 'Mooooommmyyyy' in that 'please stop talking' whine. But occasionally they will come up with a perfect answer and stump even them best of them...aka me! ;~)

The following conversation took place last week while driving home:

Mom: Aunt Rina is coming over to watch you. And she is getting pizza
Juliet: YAY
Mom: oh but the pizza isn't for you, you get to have frogs legs
Juliet: seriously mom? that's gross
Mom: Yes and how do you know they are gross?
Juliet: cause my mouth told me so
Mom: have you ever tried them?
Juliet: umm..NOOOO
Mom: then how do you know you wouldn't like them if you haven't' even tried them

(dramatic pause)

Juliet: Because that is how Jesus made me.


Well you can't really argue with that now can you! And that my friends is why Juliet will never have to eat frogs leg's...at least not at my table. To bad she didn't save that awesome answer for spinach or green beans. :D

Best thing about sisters...

Sleep overs! :D even if it just in each others room.

Beach Day.

The Musgroves (family friends) invited us to go the lake on Sat. They went up early and got an awesome spot. We came up later after my class and the girls got right into the water!

We stayed up there for six hours! It was super nice. Sun was hot, water was cold, food was yum and company was wonderful. I hope we do it again soon!


Juliet, Bethanie and Breana....cute aren't they?

Juliet... who is usually terrified of the water went up all the way to her neck and even paddled out on a little raft all by herself (not to far, but far enough to get a nice dunk if she were to have fallen off - hence the constant presence of arm floaties!)

Breana. :) her little arms are almost none existent with those arm floaties. I kept having flash backs to The Christmas Story and how Ralphy's brother couldn't put his arms down.

I didn't get an individual picture of Bethanie. She seemed to want to be difficult in regards to taking a picture for me. O well...maybe next time.

Having a bit of a snack. Gotta stay fuelled for all the beach fun! I love Breana's face (in the middle)...pay no attention to the whale at the bottom of the screen.

This has to be one of my favorite pictures.

Me and my hunny. I just love this man!


When we got home we grilled up some hot dogs, washed off sand residue, watched a movie and then we all had a really good nights sleep!

Love summer. :D

Mommy eyes

Juliet is not one of those kids who dances around what she wants to say. She rarely is embarrassed and strait out tells you what she is doing or thinking if asked and sometimes when you don't ask.

Yesterday I was drawing a bath ....ha that sounded so early 1900's....anyway I digress, I was drawing a bath for the girls when I walked in the bathroom to check the water for the girls and Juliet is on the potty...of course commanding her sisters to do something (even from the potty with her naked hiney she is bossy!). I tell the twins to go find jammies for after the bath and ask Juliet what she is doing (meaning why is she bossing her sisters around)

"Poopin" is her answer. At this I do notice a nasty little oder and say "hecks ya you are thats stiiiiinky!" So then she tells me to "turn on the gross air sucker upper" (meaning the fan). I hear giggles behind me and with out turning tell the twins to go find their jammies.

They are amazed by my skill to know exactly what they are doing (love those mommy skills) when I hear "how did she know that?"

I walk out, flip on the fan, tell Juliet to hurry up. I'm halfway down the hall when I hear "cause she's got back of the head mommy eyes under her hair...now go find jammies" in that little bossy voice coming from atop the toilet.

1: Juliet comes up with the funniest things to say.
2: how on earth do children not have more nightmares when we are telling them we have eyes in the back of our heads....The vision that comes to my mind when she said that was terrifying. I wonder how I didn't' go running from my moms head every time she turned around. Crazziness.

Ask and ye shal recieve...

My previous post was me freaking out about child care! well yesterday I got a call back from the school letting me know that they have a special program through the boys and girls club. They can be registered there at 5 if they are registered at Sun Vally Elementary. Awesome... then I get a text from my sister who says she's got a friend who can do it as well. Nice.

so I have a main plan and a back up plan. Yes!

Then I start chatting up the school lady...and she tells me that they have uniforms this year! hallelujah! I am all for uniforms. I think all schools should be in uniforms. Yes children should be able to express themselves but if we take away the ability to express through hoochie shorts and baggy pants then maybe these kids would start expressing through art, music or writing. I fully believe on putting everyone on a level playing field, make everyone equal and then go from there. It will be far easier for everyone to come in and know they are wearing the same things and not be judged on clothes, name brands and style.

So all in all....I'm a happy mom so far. We will see what the school year has in store for me. Last year I was preparing one child to go to kindergarten. Now I'm getting ready to see three start their little lives off as big girls. I won't lie....its going to kill me! I'm going to be a wreck!

Before/After School Care

I'm sure this is yet another reason I should be a stay at home mom....but just can't be that way.


Why is it sooooo dang hard to find before/after school programs. Especially for Kindergartners. They are typically 5. 5 is old enough to start school....but apparently not old enough to be able to be watched in before/after school programs. All the ones I've looked up are 6. And I love my girls dearly but they are all the same age so anywhere I do find that might take them at 5 will cost us an arm and a leg. We are talking about four hours here people! It shouldn't be where parents have to get two jobs just to afford care!!!!!

I am going to talk to a member of our ward who is currently watching Juliet and see if she will be gracious enough to watch them for us. I'm not sure if it will work or if I'm going to have to miraculously change my works schedule to meet this outrageous need.

The Lord will provide if I keep the faith......doesn't mean I can't get a bit frustrated along the way.

Juliets Eye

Last night I came home from my book club and Juliet kept saying her eye hurt. So I took her in the bathroom and tried to look at her eye. She had it shut so tight I thought I would need the jaws of life to pry it open. I finally have to tell her to hug my waist tight so she'll leave her hands away from her face and pull her eye open.

Ok so I'm thinking maybe an eyelash or something....no a huge clump of stuff animal stuffing. I won't lie at first I thought some worm or something had got stuck in her eye. I had an internal battle with the little girl me who wanted to slap at it, scream and run away and the the mother in me who desperately wanted to save my child's eye and whatever other evil might come from this nastiness. Luckily for Juliets face and my ego...mother me won, calmed down and realized it was stuffing and not worms.

I pull out piece by piece...some come out easily some don't. I wanted to pull all of it out at once but one she kept clamping her eye-lid down (I dont' blame her I would too) and two I didn't know if it had started to wrap around anything and didn't want to inadvertently pull her eyeball out (cause then scardy cat little girl in me would have won...hands down!).

I pull the last piece out and then run her open eye under water. It was red and swollen and she said it only hurt when she closed her eye. I explained that it was probably scratched. Then I asked her how the heck she got stuffing in her eye. She still has no clue. Ya that's my kid!

This morning I ask her how her eye is and she says good, that it no longer hurt. I pulled her to me and started looking for myself. I pull her eye lid open and examine it like a mother should.

"Are you sure it doesn't hurt" I ask

"Well if you dont' squish it!" she replies in a heeeeelllllooooo voice.

Brian and I both started busting up. Ya...she's def my daughter.

June 18th, 2010

Today is a Friday. Nothing unusual about this Friday. It was sunny, warm and all around pleasant. I worked all day. Had lunch with my handsome husband to be and laughed a lot with co-workers

I feel the need to say its a very important day. Could be important to different people for different reasons. If its not important to you...make it. :)


That's pretty much all I have to say about that.

Engagement Pictures.

While my sister was in town, she took some engagement pictures of Brian and I. Here are a few of my favorites. We only picked three for the invites so I'm posting the rest that I really liked.

Hope you like them. :D

This is one that I picked for the invites. I love it.

This is the main picture for our invites. :D

I just think this one is darling.

I absolutely love this one. We have so much fun together!

Kissie face! this one also shows of my bling. haha

I like this one cause Brian was making fun of me and totally over-exaggerating his face. Probably cause I kept saying "be happy, be happy....be happy hunny"

This is the one we ended up using on our invites.....or one very similar to it.

Another one were we are laughing with/at each other. Aren't we cute?! haha.

This is just a cute one I think.

I love Brian's "Ya, I got it" look and the way my hair is flying around.

Almost used this one for the invites....but didn't. Absolutely love it. Totally shows off my eye color. :D and isn't he handsome!!!???!!!!!!

Well there you are. Me and my handsome soon to be husband. I can't wait to start my life with him!!!!!

Thanks Didder (Deborah) for capturing those wonderful moments for us.

Getting closer.....

The wedding is getting closer (as you can see from my awesome countdown at the top of the screen. hehe).

Things that I've gotten done so far.

Booked Church
Booked Bishop
Booked Photog
Printed up invites
Done engagement pics
Bought Dress
Brides maids have picked out their dresses
Figured out Flowers
Figured out Dinner
Figured out favors
Figured out Center pieces

Things that still need to be done.
Final cake/cupcake decisions.
Start buying dinner/centerpieces stuff
Plan rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
Have bridal shower/bachlorette party
Buy Brian's ring
Get tux
Get dresses for girls
put together music for reception

and I'm sure there are smaller details I still need to figure out and handle. Luckily for me I have some fantastic family who can help me do all this and know that I'm going to get all stressed out and still love me! :D

I'm sooooo excited to be getting married to Brian. He is everything I've ever wanted and needed. I love him sooo much!!!

A story by Juliet Duke

The following is a story Juliet told to Deborah and I. She simply cracks me up!

There were two birds. The girl bird has stinky feet. The boy bird told the girl bird she had stinky feet. The girl bird said "I don't' have stinky feet...its my shoes". "No" said the boy bird. "Put them on your feet and your feet will stink too" said the girl bird. So the boy bird put on the shoes and they figured out that the shoes made the birds feet smell. So then they became girlfriend and boyfriend because they both had 'snanky feet'.

no joke...she actually said - stanky- and she held the 'a' for a second or two to put a little umph in it. It was HILARIOUS!

Love her stories.