A POST!!

I know that most of you are shocked that I am blogging but I think it has been long enough.

I know I should blog about my Caden, and that blog will come. But I want to blog about my trip to CA first.

This trip was planned for two reasons. Rachel and Teresa Kullick! These two wonderful women are AMAZING. Twins, full of energy and so in love with the gospel and our Savior. I was lucky enough to drive to CA to listen to them speak in church after returning home from full time missions in England and Scotland. It was so great.

These two ladies are my little sisters. I love them so much, and after seeing them, and spending so much time with them, I can not put into words how much I respect them. BOth girls have had their fair share of challenges (we all have right) but these ladies don't let things get them down. To me they are the example of perseverance.

Rachel and Teresa, You are my hero's I loved hearing your testimonies and spending so much time with you. A twin bond is an intense and sacred one and you girls have always made me feel like I can share that bond with you. even just for a bit while we talk. Thank you for letting me pass on my knowledge (lol, they listen to me babble) Thank you for being the examples you are. I love you both so mUCH.

I love this picture!

KATY

PS. HUGE shout out to Art, Steph, and Mom for making it possible for me to go.

To my Michael

I could not be more grateful for you in our family Michael! You are an amazing addition to our lives and make mommy so happy.

You are my sweet guy, so loving and hugging. You want to be with us, and want us with you ALL the time. You would take us to the potty with you if we would go. You love your big brother and I hear you playing with him constantly. You are also an AMAZING big brother Michael.

You love Caden and want to care for him, you are always wanting to help and play with him. You usually start singing "Baby Mine" when he is sad, or caressing his face saying, "I'm right here Caden, it's OK, I'm right here" I am so glad that your huge heart is not just for mom and dad, that it is something you are willing to share with your brothers (or anyone else).

You are such a character, always telling stories and dancing! You are a mover and a shaker. Even while eating dinner Michael your little booty is wagging behind you, or your little leg is bouncing to whatever tune you happen to have in your head.

YOU are smart. Always telling what letters you see, or helping my count the apples out when we go groceries shopping. Please stay that way, willing to help and willing to learn.

You love primary. You are such a good little listener, and are learning the scripture stories so well. Michael you are also very good at the primary songs. Love to sing and listen to them.

I love you Michael, I;m glad that your Amazing little spirit came to our family, I know it is where you belong.

MOM

To my Braxton

Braxton you are an amazing little man. Your brilliant mind is something that is constantly growing. You talk and talk and at times I am really very shocked at the words and thoughts that you are already starting to develop.

I love your big cheesy grin. You smile ALL the time, when you are not throwing a fit that is. You are obsessed with video games, and are so good at them.

At about one in the morning this morning you came into my room and asked to "snuggle" with me. I love that you are so affectionate, hugs and kisses.

You are becoming a great big brother, your patients is like you moms (not the longest, or the best), but when you take a deep breath and take the time to teach Michael something it clicks, and I can tell that you get so much joy from seeing him accomplish whatever it was you guys were working on.

I know you like things a certain way and I know it is tough for you when things don't go that way, but please remember that there are others in the world with good ideas, and you will grow and become stronger if you can learn to listen to those thoughts and help develop them as well as your own.

I do not want you to grow up to fast Braxton, be a little boy with: bugs, dirt, scrapes, bruises, an uncontrolled sense of adventure, and a fearless attitude, as long as you can. It will go fast. I love the stage you are in now, and I am really enjoying seeing you grow. it makes me so EXCITED to see what you will become.

I love you SO much Braxton and I know that you are going to be an amazing young man. Please know that I am grateful to have you in our family. I am grateful that you came first. I love you Braxton.

A new chalkboard

I am starting a new. if you want to follow my journey go to
www.my-new-clean-chalkboard.blogspot.com

I will try to blog here too, I know you all want to hear about my kids and our family.

Love you all

Almost done

LIFE is good.

Chad and I are crazy to be doing what we are but...here it comes. We are both going to school full time this summer. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH what are we thinking. Oh wait it is that Chad wants to be done with school so badly that he is willing to fork over the cash to go for summer. SUU does not offer any financial assistance for summer students, I have fed money because I did not go last fall, but Chad's tuition is coming out of our very thin little pockets.

This is really a great thing. It does not mean that Chad will graduate any earlier, next May is still our month, but he will have a very light schedule in fall to work and save money. The following semester, Spring 2012, he will be student teaching, so a regular job will be difficult for him to hold.

Me, I just want him to be happy. he hates that he is so old and still in school. Not that he is really that old. But he feels like he is some how letting the boys and I down for not being done already. this of course could not be further from the truth. Me and the boys are so proud of our guy!!!

It is funny to me how life has worked for Chad and I. Yes we will have more student loan debt when we graduate than we would like. Yes it has taken us almost seven years to get Chad through a Bachelors degree, and yes it will take me almost nine to get mine, but we are doing it. We have three amazing blessings from god. And a happy home!

School for us has been an amazing thing, and I have learned so much about myself and my spouse while I have been here. I know it is not over yet but the end is near and honestly , dont tell Chad, but I AM GOING TO MISS IT!!!

DISNEYLAND

Suze Orman is one of my favorite financial gurus. She said once on her show that it is proven that people who spend their money on experience not things are happier. After spending this money on a spring break trip to CA to visit the beach and Disneyland I AGREE!! It was so fun, and worth EVERY dime. We had the money set aside for some other things that did not work out, and so we used it for a vacation. THIS TRIP WAS GREAT!!!

I am only a few photos on here, if you want to see them all go to my facebook page.Cadens first encounter with a strawberry! He was a big fan!!




I made these cut shirts for the boys to wear, the first day they all matched the second day they were in corresponding blue ones
Caden loved the tea cups
Classic


Nice ron!!



We took the boys to the beach on the third day, we had only planned on staying three days. But we decided that a good trip to the ocean was a good idea, so we stayed an extra day and spent the day at Huntington Beach!

Support

Thank you so much for all of the supportive words. The overwhelming consensus was to pay off debt. And like "Anonymous" said (who is my mother by the way) I already knew what to do, I already had the solution, it was just a matter of reminding myself of our ultimate goals.

I always feel like I need something profound to say. I always feel like I need to write moving narratives that inspire others. i read so many blogs that are inspiring, and make me want to be better person, I want the same feeling to be what my readers get.

But, I am not a profound person, and this is not why I blog. I am not looking for sympathy, or comments to the contrary, I am simply stating that the words I write here, unless specified otherwise, are for the benefit of me and my family.

Braxton-your anger is getting better, you are SO SMART!!! I know the day will come very soon when you come home and mom is unable to help with your homework. I am debating now on whether to have you tested, I think you could skip kindergarten, you have preschool this semester and head start next year. At the end of head start mom and dad will look at it again. I just really want you not to be bored in class, i want school to remain challenging so that you will stay there, and enjoy it.

Michael- you are my sweet little man. Always giving kisses, and big squeezes. You want to constantly be with your big brother, but not be like him just with him. You are your own person. I am slightly concerned about your hearing. You have a definite speech impediment and I really wonder some times if you can hear what I am say at all? I have contacted the people to get your hearing checked but have yet to hear anything back from them.

Caden- you are so happy, and content. Not a big crier and happy to just sit on the floor and talk to who ever will listen. Even if no body is listening you just babble away. (I think you are talking to angels). Yesterday you sat up on your own for the first, and on Monday you got up onto all fours and rocked back and forth. I love it and can not wait to see you running and playing with your big brothers.

Chad- the words I say to you are simple. You are my best friend. I love you. I am SO proud of you.

Katy- your crazy! :)

Torn

I am so torn!

Our first post of 2011 was about our strong desire to be out of debt! This is going VERY slow. We are trying hard, and continue to live with in our means, and struggle to stay positive, but progress is progress no mater how small.

So my dilemma is this, Michael broke our camera about eight months ago, and we had planned on using our tax return to purchase a new one. But our return was not as large as expected. So now I am torn! Do we use the money as intended and buy the camera, or do we use the money and pay down the debt?

I am really struggling internally with this. I need some input, some opinions.

I want the camera so bad, but it is a WANT! I miss taking pictures of my kids, and I am so afraid that I will miss documenting the early years of their sweet little life's.

But the NEED to get out of debt is a really strong one too! If we pay off debt, it will bring us closer to our ultimate goal. However, we will not have the funds again to buy a camera until all debt is gone and we can save the money to buy one. This could be up to two years!!! :(

But I know that getting out of debt is a great goal, and I believe that the Lord will bless us for following this counsel.


Oh gosh please give me your help!

Great pictures!!

Caden's baby blessing!


This picture makes me smile! I love these three men! I can not believe how big they are!


My mother in-law took some pictures of my sweet family when she came down for a Caden's baby blessing. She took this gem, and given recent events it has become a favorite!! I think they look a lot alike.

Love you grandpa, and we are praying for you daily!

Soul Bearing

Not this past Saturday but the one before my grandpa Coombs suffered from a stroke. This man is one that has ALWAYS been in my mind. Our relationship has been building slowly through the years, and I now have such a full heart I have to write.

When I first heard that my grandfather had suffered this stroke I cried, I was in shock and I was very sad. But really I went on with my day and my week. I live farther away than most of my family and I do not hear or see them daily. It is hard not get swept away in my own little Cedar City life. But my sweet grandpa has been hiding, deep with in my heart, waiting to be remembered. As I said before my relationship with my grandfather has just recently been developing. In fact I said to my mom when they all came down for Caden’s baby blessing, that the conversations held then with my amazing grandparents was the first time I felt like an adult talking with adults.

No I would not have any of you believe that the relationship was weak or insignificant, if you know my grandparents you know that their hearts are ALWAYS open. The relationship was not what is should be because of me. I have always been so intimidated by my mom’s family. The term “Walking among giants” is a really good way to describe the family, and my grandpa in my eyes is the GREATEST most LOVING man alive today. I always wanted to feel closer to him, but up until now I have let my insecurities with my own family hold me back.

I am not saying that tomorrow everything will change, or that I am now going to act and feel differently around them all. In fact I bet this blog will come as a surprise to many of them. But I am going to try to lower my guards, stop caring and just love, and let them love me.

This situation with my grandfather has been so difficult for all of our family; the blogs have been filled with good and bad days. We are all coming together as one unit to support and build up the patriarch and matriarch of our family.

I have to blog today to say that I love my grandpa so much. I want him to be around for A LOT longer so that I can build the relationship I want to have with him. I want my children to truly meet this man and understand him; I want to truly understand him.

Although I am so sad that the things have happened to my grandfather, and that he is struggling now, but I am grateful that this has made me realize that I am part of this family. And the thoughts of doubt, the insecurities and negative feelings, were 100% self induced, and if I want to build a relationship with my grandparents, I have to make the steps to have it.

I did not mean this blog to be so depressing, or to bare my soul’s secrets so fully but there you have it. Please help me.

Grandpa Coombs, you are an amazing man. You are a true lover of the gospel and someone that I try to emulate. I love you. I love your smile. I love your singing. I love you calm confidence. I love the way you teach life lessons to your family. I love that you are so willing to share. I am so grateful that you chose to be married for time and all eternity, and raised your children in the gospel. Thank you for being my grandpa. I pray our relationship just gets stronger and stronger!

I love you,
KATY

New Year

This last year was good, and I am very happy with the way it turned out. I pray 2011 will be good as well.

The only New Years resolution we have is a big one. NO DEBT! WE have gotten out of consumer debt before, but it did not last long. :( Now it just makes me angry to look at it. We are trying hard to do what is asked of us, and this is one BIG thing we are failing at. So there it is, the one resolution. We have a great plan in place, and a budget that is TOTALLY doable. Pray for us, and help ME to remember our goal.

If I am completely honest, I am responsible for a majority of our debt. Chad is a saver and is very happy with little, and even nothing sometimes. ME...well lets just say I want it all!!

I can not wait to not have to pay a dumb credit card every month!

The only other truly note worthy thing to mention right now is our new plan for schooling. Chad's schooling has gone slower than he would have liked, but the end is in sight. He will begin his student teaching this time next year! Because we have a guarnteed two more semester here (not including this one up coming, three total) I am going to push through and get my Bachelors as well! In what? I have this coming semester to discover that. The top three choices are Buisness Admin, Criminal Justice, and Communications? But I truly do not know what I want to be when I grow up? :)

There you all are! If anyone has moments of revelation, or thoughts that may help...I'm open!