WiNd WiNd go away! Come again some other day!

A year of blogging cannot go by without me doing a post about the wind in Snowflake. Today it seems the spring winds have officially come to our little town. How long will they stay? That's anyone's guess, but if you have any work to do outside or dreams of having an outdoor BBQ, you had better put it off indefinately. My dress flew up in the church parking lot today. My window in the kitchen in whinning. My trashcan stays in the same place for only a few seconds at a time. The days of leaving my hair down have come to a halt. Will Melinda and I be able to walk without blowing away? Will the sprinklers really sprinkle our grass or the neighbors dirt? Will Mike be able to put up the fence around the garden tomorrow? How many golf balls caught by the wind will hit our house? It's anyone's guess. Oh, I do not like the wind! If it brought rain it would be different, but here it seems it just blows and blows for no reason at all. I sometimes dream of living somewhere the wind DOESN'T blow, but lets face it, it wouldn't be home without it.

Gavin's Blessing Day

We blessed Mr. Gavin in Mesa this weekend. A lot of people who love him showed up!!!!!

Isn't he so handsome?

Here are just a few of the people that love him....

Mom almost couldn't get the top button to button over all the chubb!

He's priceless!

I'm so Thankful... Thankful for the 4 little individuals that I feel priveleged to call my children. They make me smile, laugh and cry. I know they were always meant for me to have. Thankful for the man that I call my husband, who is amazing, my best friend and puts his family first. Loyal and loveable. Thankful for my family... They are always there for my little family no matter what. I can always count on them. I always feel loved. Thankful for my husbands family... Always show love and excitement for us. Never a dull moment. Make me feel like I belong. Thankful for friends... I have many and am a much better person from knowing them. Thankful for the gospel... I know who I am, why I'm here, and where I am going. Such a comfort in this harsh old world! Thankful for the smile on my baby's face right now. These are good days!!!!!

Just a Few Details......

ChOColAtE anyone? This was a crack-up! The kids snuck a bag of chocolate chips and someone must have dropped on on Gavin. It got lodged in his rolly neck, and when I picked him up this is what I found. Yummy!

Last night was a rough night for the Papa Clan! Mike got a nice broken nose at wrestling. Now he says all he needs is a good cauliflower ear and he'll be a REAL MAN!

Next event.... Gage was in the bathtub, and I left the razor on the edge earlier so he decided he "wanted to be like dad" and shaved his face. What a cutie! That sucker bled for a LONG time.

Katlyn played Little League Basketball this year. It was a rough start, because she always wants to do everything right and perfect and basketball is not an easy sport to learn. But, after the first game or two she popped out of it. She scored a few points in almost every game, and had a TON of assists. She was usually the point guard, which makes her mom proud. That was my position in Little League. She's a good little dribbler! I love this picture. The girl next to her is her friend Jessa. Katerbug is a little on the small side isn't she!

Last, but not least..... Carter is doing wrestling this year! It's so dang cute. This picture is him and his friend Jacob learning take downs. Carter LOVES to go be just like his dad! Do we have another future wrestler? I guess we'll have to wait and see!

2 Months Old

This little guy has reached the 2 month mark. He loves it when his dad holds him like this and walks around the house so he can see all there is to see! (look at those LONG fingers!)

He smiles now! Oh my word we love to make him smile and he loves to do it! His eyes kinda squint shut when he grins so big. We were laughing the other day saying that he has his Aunt Brandy's nostrils! (Love ya Brandy Jo)

This was his Valentine's present from Grandma & Grandpa Rocha. Gage thought he would like to sleep with it. He looks so sweet doesn't he? After he has eaten 'til he's full all you have to do is wrap him up tight in his blanket, put him in his chair and bounce it for just a few minutes and he's out like a light!

27.....

I'm 27 now and I feel like I'm still 20. It's hard for my mother to believe that her baby is almost 30 now! Hard for her to believe that it was 27 years ago February 12th that she and my dad left 4 little girls with my Granny and headed to the hospital hoping that this time their record in sex of children would change. My dad told all the family that if it was a boy they would call and if it was a girl..... A few short hours later I was ready to make my appearance and the doctor was no where to be found, and so the sweet little nurse took charge and delivered me. I think, I hope that my parents were still excited that I had come. 5 girls is a lot for one set of parents to handle! I was a horrible baby, almost pushing my poor mom over the edge. As soon as my dad walked in the door from work every day she plopped me into his arms and took off on a LONG walk. I'm sure that there were so many times later throughout my life that she wished she could do the same thing.
I had an amazing childhood, and have very few bad memories! My best friend Holly lived next door and so I had nothing to complain about. I don't think that my parents did either, until that fated day that I became a TEENAGER. Let's just say that I was not an easy teenager. Those of you that knew me way back then can attest to that! But, we got through it, and now many years and lots of drama later I am a grown-up with 4 children of my own. Lifes lessons have not always been that easy. Of course all those lessons came from choices that I myself made, but all of those good and bad times have lead me to this place in my life when I am the happiest that I have ever been. Sure there are lots of material things that I would LOVE to have. I am not anywhere near the place that I need to be spiritualy in my life, but I'm working on it and know without a doubt that the gospel is what makes me happy. I do love my husband, and my sometimes naughty children. (Thanks to all of you for making me feel better about them and me! Except you John, but I have learned to love you anyway!) Life could be easier, but then my days wouldn't be so memorable. I hope to make my 27th year of life a really great one!

A Few Bad Days!!!!

A few bad days and hopefully the rest will be good! I pray! I am typing this post while I use my foot to bounce Gavin's chair so he will stay happy. Gage is in his room for coloring the sheets on my bed with an orange marker and breaking the lamp in his room. Katlyn and Carter are playing store, but a fight breaks out every 5 min. The boys locked me out of the house this morning. It's been another bad day!

Yesterday, I had to take Katlyn to the dentist in Show Low. Everyone must go, because dad is at work. By the time we got home, I ordered everyone in the bath and in bed by 7:00. Gage was on the top of my "If you weren't cute I would put you in the garbage" list.

Mike worked over the weekend and so I was flying solo every day. Friday was Katlyn's poetry contest and the boys acted like turds. Saturday, Katlyn complained about cleaning her room and bathroom. Surely nobody else has to do those things right? The day ended with the boys getting a trash bag of their toys thrown away because they did not clean them up when I told them too. They both threw enormous fits. Carter cried. Gage told me that he hated me. Yes he did. I cried. In the meantime, Gavin is grumpy because he hasn't had a good nap all day. Sunday wasn't any better and by the time we finally got to church I wanted to cry and scream at the same time. What have I done wrong?

I feel like quite the failure right now. Why are my kids being so frustrating? I find myself yelling at them more than I ever have. I feel like a horrible mom. I see all these moms that have it all together, and I think what the heck? Why can't I be like that? Why can't my 3 year old go one day without getting into serious trouble lately? Why does my 8 year old have such an attitude, and why does my 5 year old not listen to me and do what I tell him to without being asked 10 times?

Any advice would be appreciated. I hope that one day they will read this and say "Wow, poor mom. We were such brats!" I know that I say that a lot when I think back to how naughty and mean I was to my mom. So, maybe this is just paybacks? Beacause you know what they say about that. They are hell, and that's about what this feels like!

3rd Grade Poetry Contest

Katlyn participated in the poetry contest on Friday at school. She was one of the ones that got picked from her class to recite in front of the whole 3rd grade and a lot of parents. She was so nervous, but did great! Her poem was "The Creature in the Classroom."

This girl has her fathers memory. I can't memorize the word list on her DS game Brain Age, and she memorized this poem in two days! She is so smart, and tries so hard to do things right and the best that she can all the time. We love her tons! Congratulations Katlyn!