Venting...

So first off all I can say is I have a GREAT life and I am GRATEFUL for all that I have and all that I get to do.

With that being said Holy Cow am I stressed out...

We leave on Friday to go to Zach's parents house for Thanksgiving. They live in TN so we are going to have a nice little road trip Friday night why the kids hopefully sleep ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Since we are leaving that means I have tons to accomplish. He is where the venting comes in...Zach has been gone since basically Sunday :0) He comes home at night just in time to practice making babies and that is about it. Not that I am not grateful for his role in baby making but I wish he was here to help out with a little more then that! Monday consisted of running five miles at the gym, get the house ready and dinner on the table to feed the missionaries and then when they left Zach had to do homework and "work work" for Tuesday. Then, Tuesday Zach went to work and then had to go straight to class until 10pm. He did come home and put gas in my car at 11pm in the freezing cold and take out the dead mouse that was in the trap (yes I know it is disgusting we have mice in the basement. 5 dead so far!) Then, today had work and then a dinner that starts at 7 in Madison so he will most likely not be home until after 11. I am exhausted from taking care of the kids all day and all night by myself and then having to stay up into the middle of the night for reason you all know now! On top of trying to get the house in order, laundry done for packing, finishing up all my bow orders before I leave, baby making, and trying to keep up with everyday life I got another bow order today from a really good customer that needs the bows mailed before I leave. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh I am going to go CRAZY!!!! I did get my sewing projects done (turkey shirt with corduroy ruffle pants and three pairs of fleece pj's for Brody) all except the super hero capes. I have one of four done but I think I will just have to take the fabric with me and sew them there. I thought it would be fun for all the nephews to fly around and play super heroes together since there are two almost four year old, a six year old and Brody. So my list of things I need to accomplish before I go...

pack
sweep and mop the wood floor
clean the bathroom
pick up playroom
finish the two bow orders that I have left to do and get those mailed
try not to kill my children by that I mean try not to want to look them in their room all day and by them I mean Zander.

So I should probably stop blogging and get to work. I sure do need ADD medicine because I am horrible at staying focused...what is it that I need to get done????????

Wish me luck!

So I am still totally addicted! Here are my three latest projects... One is a skirt that I made up with no pattern!! Then, there is the round apron dress pattern by Sandi Henderson. I used Farmer's market fabric to make the dress which is also by Sandi Henderson! Then, the last project I have been working on is fleece pj's for Brody! I have two pair done and one more to do. They are super simple to make and only take 50 minutes to make from cutting to wearing! They are super warm and cost 3.99 a pair. Not saving that much money since I can buy pj's at Wally world for 6.86 but I get to pick out the fabric and have the satisfaction of knowing that I made them!!!

Aubrey, this is the skirt with the charm packs!!!

This is one of my favorite dresses I have made! It is suppose to be short sleeves but I altered it to make it 3/4 length since it is so cold here.

I appliqued the flowers on and made stems and leaves with ribbon

Look at my cool pj's
If you have made it to the end of this post then you can hear my exciting news! Drum roll please...

I have finally ovulated! After two long months of not sending eggs down the chute I am excited to say, "It has finally happened!" Not that it means we will get pregnant this month but it does mean there is hope and hope is all I need to keep trying! I know, I know you are all just so excited to hear that news! Half of you are probably thinking TMI but if you know me well enough you should know by now that I am all about TMI!

list

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run . 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie or on a TV show 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen. 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma. 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar. 72. Pieced a quilt. 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

Now, copy and paste this into your own post, and BOLD the one's you've done.

It's time!

So tomorrow I am heading back to the gym! I took a 2 week leave that started with Brody having a runny nose and then I got out of that habit. It is pathetic that it takes me a week and a half to convince myself to go back. The gym is such a funny thing for me. I have a hard time getting there mentally but once I get there I am fine, in fact I like it. I think that is how most people are. However, for me I know that the gym is necessary, especially in the winter. When the leaves started to turn and Zander went back to school I headed back to the gym. I went for about a month a few days a week before I took my 2 week leave.

Here are the reasons I need to go back...

1. A few days into my 2 week break I was in the bathroom and overheard a conversation between Allissa and Zander.

"Zander why is mommy being so crabby?" says Allissa in the cutest voice ever.

"I don't know." he replies

Well, I do know why, and the reason is because I didn't get any endorphins at the gym.

Of course I didn't tell my kids that I was crabby because I didn't go to the gym I told them it was because they wouldn't sit at the table and eat their food.

When a 2.5 year old notices that mommy is crabby it is time to go back to the gym!

2. Going to the gym gives me a 2 hour break from the kids and allows me some thinking time. I think ever mom out thre agrees with me on the much needed break from the kids.

3. I gained five pounds while I was pregnant and I would like to loss it before I am with child again. I will be completely fine and ecstatic if I am blessed to be pregnant again before I loss the five pounds! However, I can't not try to loss the five pounds because what if it takes me months to get pregnant again.

4. Lastly, going to the gym keeps my brain HAPPY!!! In the past two weeks I have really felt more depressed and I don't want that to happen.

Leaves leaves and more leaves...

All the leaves...

Today is one of those days that Zach and I will remember next time we go to buy a house. Our house is on a half acre lot with about 25 mature trees on it. The trees tower over our house making it look tiny . In the summer the trees shade our house so well that we really don't need air conditioning it is SWEET. However, in the fall let's just say a billion leaves fall!!!! And that is the point of this post. HOLY LEAVES is all I can say. Zach started racking with Zander and Allissa. When Brody woke up he insisted on joining the family outside. I got him bundled up and we headed out! I ended up being the raker and Zach picked up the piles of leaves, put them in back of the tractor, and hauled the leaves and the kids to the trailer.

Allissa and Zander on the outside and Brody on the inside wanting out.

He is too precious!!

All our trees

That is our roof with the leaves on it and that is the tree in the backyard that towers over the house. I am dreading the rest of those leaves falling down.

Front of the house

The side yard...there use to be grass there. We only got about half of the leaves that you see in the picture raked. We will be out there again. My abs are going to be sore tomorrow!
Before Brody and I can out...

The trio...
This is were they hauled the leaves to. Behind the fence is where the pool is.

Moral of the story...our next house will not have 25 mature trees unless we can afford to pay someone to rake the yard!

Sandwich time!

Zach calls out, "It's sandwich time!" He jumps to the floor and all the kids gravitate to him for some quality "Pappi Time!" Anytime Zach falls to the floor immediately all the kids come running. They pile on top of him to make the yummiest looking sandwich I have ever seen! The kids could play this for hours! Now if only we could invent the Pappi Time dummy so we could actually clean the house together and have the kids stay occupied???? Any inventors out there?

I could just eat them!

I just love my man!

My project over the last two day! Yes she is sporting a pair of leg warmers that I found at Target!

Pappi is becoming a horse these days!

This has got to be one of my favorite pictures of Lissie Boo!

My latest projects...

So these are the latest two projects I have been working on. I didn't buy Allissa any church dresses so I decided to try and make them all! It is such a blast! These two dresses I made using the new Portabellopixie Boutique Patterns by Sandi Henderson. The patterns names are Claire and Gracie. They are awesome patterns to use because they have color photos of each step and written instructions! I am in love! There will be many more to come in the near future! I have a turkey one in the makes!!!!

I appliqued the flower onto the apron. The apron is suppose to be twice the width but I messed up. Oops! Can can finally sport the pigtail's after 2.5 years!!!!

She is reaching for the stars!

I just love this little girl!!! I don't know what I would do without her!

Who needs a couch when...

So today is a couch potato day or should I say today is a sit in a wood toy box potato day?? Zander spent the early evening last night throwing up so today he gets to vegg infront of PBS kids and rest. Hopefully he won't need to throw up again because Allissa has managed to break not one but two barf bowls this morning. I should have learned from the first one the broke not to give another glass mixing bowl but I guess today I am a slow learner :0( If anyone is wondering what the Spafford Family needs for Christmas I can officially say mixing bowls and plastic ones at that!!!!

Apparently couches are no longer in style!

I think he is scratching not picking in this picture ;0)

Tag

My friend Megan tagged me, and I thought I would play along!

8 Favorite TV Shows
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Private Practice
3. October road (got cancelled)
4. What about brain (got cancelled)
5. Pushing Daisies
6. Prison Break
7. Chuck
8. Men in Trees (got canceled)

8 Things I did Yesterday
1. Cleaned the kitchen after everyone when to bed including Zach
2. Went to lunch with Zach while Zander was a preschool
3. Finished bow orders
4. Folded about 8 loads of laundry and put it away :0(
5. Talked to Aubrey on the phone
6. Put the kids to bed by myself (Zach had to work late)
7. Finished sewing Allissa a shirt.
8. Played with the kids

8 Things I look forward to
1. When Zach comes home!
2. Getting pregnant again
3. Zach getting a raise!!!!
4. Zach being done with his Master's program (not until june)
5. Going to Zach's parent shouse for Thanksgiving
6. The kids going to bed at night!
7. Date night
8. Snuggling with Zach

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. PF Changs
2. Johnny Carinos
3. Carrabas
4. La Terazza
5. Sweet tomato
6. Submarina
7. Rubios
8. Gringos in Rexburg

8 Things on my wish list
1. A boob job! I can't even imagine what they will look like after another three nursing babies :0(
2. To be debt free
3. My house to magically be cleaned all the time!
4. My kids making the food in there mouth not all over my kitchen floor.
5. Making 6 figures well, that is Zach I could never make that many bows.
6. A five bedroom house
7. Endless time to sew!
8. Prop 8 to pass and McCain to win!

Tag 8 people I'm tagging whoever feels inspired to participate!

Calling on all opinionated people

To buy or not to buy is the question...
As you all know Christmas is coming and it is time to start thinking about what to buy for the kids. Zander as of late keeps making the comment that all our toys are Baby toys! I feel bad for the little guy because he is right most of our toys are for the 18-3 years old age group. Zander hasn't had a birthday since Dec so he has not gotten any new toys since last Dec. We only buy new toys for Christmas and Birthday. So back to the main point of this post...Zander wants big boy toys. By big boy toys he means, Nerf guns, swords, transformers, light sabers...you get the point. I have always felt like I wouldn't let my boys play with those sorts of toys, however now I am questioning my beliefs. Is there a logical reason why he shouldn't play with those toys? Will these toys make him act any more violent then he already is with the sticks and baseball bats? We went to the Randall's house on Saturday and Zander was in Big Boy Heaven he LOVED playing with the boys toys...every since he has asked,

"Mom can we go play at Sister Randall's house?"

I responded, "No Zander we weren't invited."

He said, "Yes we were MOM when we left she said we can come over anytime."

Zach and I just looked at each other in amazement that he actually was listening to us adults talking and that he was able to put two and two together to come up with that thought! When Zander has the big boy toys he plays with them like crazy and talks about them for weeks and months later.

Okay so back to the question at hand...Should I buy "big boy toys" for Zander or will I be ruining him for life????

Please if you read this post give me your opinion. Not that is matters what others think completely but I am a confused mother and would like to have other fabulous moms help me in my decision..