Happy 3rd Birthday Princess Kailee!!

Happy 3rd Birthday to Kailee!!!

Kailee we love you so much. You are so much fun in our house. Your brothers adore you. You are the Princess for sure. I find myself thinking you are 4 going on 5 because you act so grown up ands because you are so tall.

I love how you tell everyone they are special and that you love them. I love how you like to snuggle at night. I am so lucky to have you as my daughter. I love you so much. You are so fun to talk to and to share secrets with. I hope and pray we will always be close.

Don't Grow Up to Fast!Kailee wearing her necklace she made with her beads. And the crown Justin made her for her birthday!

Kailee and Grandma Sue with her Strawberry cupcakes!

I asked Kailee what her name was and she said "Kailee Sue Grandma" How cute is that. She is named after my mom. They are so close Kailee has to call her everyday. Even if that call is on her Princess phone. She got Some Big Beads that are so much fun and she has been painting and drawing all morning. She got lots of Princess things.

Grandma Duke, Me, Kailee, Grandma Sue on Kailee's Blessing Day!

My Defining Moments in My Life.

There is defining moment in every person’s life. Within that moment, everything that person is shines it’s brightest. I am turning 34 today and I have been thinking a lot about the person I am now. And how I became the person I am today. I think my life is full of defining moments or things that have changed how I look at life.(Sorry this is long.)
So I thought I might share those with you…
1. I come from awesome parents who have great faith and strength. From the start I have felt that faith and strength. I was very sick as a baby and my dad gave me a blessing every week. He used a old bottle of oil from his mission. I love that bottle of oil when Justin got sick I asked my dad if there was one more drop for one more miracle and we got our miracle. I believe that priesthood blessings are powerful. They work I have no doubt I still like that bottle of oil that hold oil from my dad’s mission. Yes I know that it is not the oil that makes the miracle but the faith of the person. But I still like that oil what a story it tells.
2. Canoeing every summer In Island Park gave me a lot of confidence. I figure if I can take on a running river heck I can take on the world.
3. Going to the Sacred Grove was a real testimony strengthener for me that’s was probable the moment I knew for myself that the gospel was true.
4. Living as a nanny opened my eyes to the kind of mother I did NOT want to be.
5. Marrying Travis was amazing I have loved him forever and that day was one I shall never forget. He is strong in things that I am weak and I am strong where he is weak so we make a great team. I think being married make you grow up so much.
6. Having 3 kids has been a defining moment. Everyday there is a new challenge with one of them. Being a mom is no easy job.
7. I learned just how strong I really was when Justin got sick. I was not sure I could handle what I needed to do for him. I remember thinking "OK Heavenly Father you gave him this disease but you better give me the knowledge to help him" and today he is perfect. I also learned that the Lord is always at our side.
8. I have learned that life is not about the challenges because we all have them. It is really about how you handle them and what your attitude is that really counts.
9. Going to Martin’s Cove was incredible I have never seen such an amazing place. I hope to take my kids. This really showed me just how thin the veil is. And just how much our youth today are watched over. My testimony was also strengthened so much by what happened there.
10. I have also learned a great deal about honesty and friendship over the last couple years. And that if you make a promise keep it. And being honest in all you do. Our choices do impact everyone around us.
11. I have learned a lot about compassion and service and to not judge.
12. I love to learn attending Dixie College and getting A’s was awesome. I am glad I went even if I have not YET Graduated I someday hope to.
13. I have come to love to read and study. I love learning new things and find myself either online or reading from books. I have so much to learn and I want my children to see my example and want to always be learning no matter what they do in life.
14. I love my date nights with my boys. I learn the greatest things and I love to hear what they think and what they want to be when they grow up and I love having Jayson tell me his throat is dry just so we will get ice cream. Sometimes we go to a movie sometimes we go get groceries sometimes we go hiking on the Dixie Rock. I think this has been a really great tool for me as a mom because I know when they need their own time away and they share things with me that I don’t think I would know if we did not have that open communication.

I know this may seem foolish to some of you but have you ever stopped to ask yourself what are things that define who you have become? Or what things have changed how you look at life?

I am the mother of 3 wonderful and cute kids and the wife of an amazing and handsome husband. I love you guys and thanks for filling my life with such joy. Thanks to my wonderful parents and all those along my journey who have been my friend, leader, and example of the kind of person I am trying to be come.

Kailee Goes to the ER!!!

Kailee had her first and I hope last major trip to the ER today. It took up my entire afternoon. We were at our friend’s house and she wanted gum so I told her to go get some out in the car. Simple enough right...... WRONG, next thing I know she is screaming and there is blood everywhere in my van. And the end of her toe is just kind of hanging there. I have done stitches with the boys but never have I seen something so GROSS!!
I drove to INSTA CARE with her on my lap so I could hold the end of her big toe on. They said to go to the ER so they could put her to sleep while they repaired her toe. So I did, they were all so kind. Dr. Martin said they could just glue it since there was still enough skin still attached and because I had put it back in place. So they gave her Tylenol with codeine and bandaged it up. Poor girl can walk a little but she has no shoes that will fit over it. She wants a bath and can’t get it wet and she should be carried so she does not get and infection in it. I never want to do that again.
I want to thank all the staff at the ER they were GREAT and Kailee was not as scared as I thought she might. Carl the other DR gave her a ride to the car in a wheel chair and she thought that was great and she got Ice cream. We will see how the next couple of days go.I think the hardest part about being a mom is watching your kid in pain and knowing you can't do any thing.

Spring is here time to Plant!!

So we now have nice weather. So we decided to put in a garden. I did some reading and decided to do the Square Foot approach. You mix Compost, Dirt, Vermiculite and Peat Moss. This makes it so you do not have to only water 2-3 times a week. So we put down weed fabric down and Travis made the boxes. Then we filled them up with our dirt mix and seeds or plants.

It is NO secret that my kids LOVE tomatoes and vegtables.

Jayson at 3 would hide in the plants and eat the tomatoes before I could ever pick them.

So we have 18 Tomatoes Plants, Squish, Cucumbers, Peas, Lettuce, Carrots, Green Beans, Peppers, Zucchini, Onions and Chives, Basil, and 6 Watermelon plants.
We are excited to see what happens.