joey turns 12!!

 Wow, how did this happen, my baby boy turned 12!!! That went by so fast. He is quite the young man now. He is always entertaining us, always keeping us on our toes, and always keeps us running. He is still swimming and doing very well. His last swim meet, he did 4 events, and took 3 first places, and a third. He was amazing. He also played basketball this year, and possibly because he was a foot taller than everybody else, but he really did a great job at that too, and of course he LOVED that. He is into music, goofing off, and of course girls! He loves basketball, baseball, swimming, and running. He is a great kid!!

 Here he is opening up all his presents. ( I am pretty sure he liked them)

 He informed me the night before his birthday that he wanted an ice cream cake, well normally this would not be a problem, even living in downey, brian and i  had planned to run up to pocatello while my babies were in kindergarten, and we would still be there to pick them up by noon. So we ran up there, did our shopping timed it perfect so we could go to cold stone to get the cake right before we left to go home so it wouldn't melt, pulled into the parking lot,  got ready to run in and get the cake and realized it didn't open till noon!!!! FREAK!!! Now what we had to leave to get the little ones, and no cake for joey, well thank goodness I have a great friend that just happens to work in pokey who is willing to shop for me who stopped and bought it for us on her way home from work, so Jennie to the rescue! (thanks again jennie) we had cake to celebrate! And Joey loved it!


 Momma and the birthday boy!

 Joey counting out his birthday money out of the money bag. The kid with the HUGE hands got almost $18.00. Its crazy!

 And here is our cute little, well not so little family all ready for church, where Joey was ordained a Deacon. My little baby boy recieved the priesthood. He sure is growing up. I am so proud of him! What a great kid.

Happy st. patricks day :)

 I have always LOVED st. patricks day ever since I was little, and that sneaky leprchaun always turned our milk green, and all sorts of other crazy stuff. So of course with my own kids every year we always have to wear as much green as possible. so here is z-man wearing his lucky shirt :)

 And my darling opposite children, Joey and Alli hard to believe they are only 14 months apart, hehehe, wearing their adorable green!

 And of course salt and pepper, wearing thier lucky shirts, they all looked so adorable! and none of them got pinched great job kids!

 So every year we set a trap and try to catch the leprechauns, so this was our trap this year, we set a cookie in it to try and intice the sneaky guy into our awesome trap! the kids tried to keep and eye on it!

 oh yea this is my totally awesome treats I made, way yummy!

 But that sneaky leprechaun must have snuck in when we weren't looking!!! He stole the cookie, left us a bunch of treats, and got out of the trap before it caught him, how does he do that!!!!!

 Jason was so confused, but very happy! They all loved their treats.

And here is our dinner, I made stew with biscuits, and of course the biscuits were GREEN!! and green lemonade, I also found some fun straws that were florescent and the florescent part went up and down as you drank, I think the kids were more interested in that then eating!! but it was a fun night!!!

my thumb does not have a cold!!!

So although it must be true that joints can get viruses, colds per say, it seems that after almost 2 1/2 months mine has not. It has not been getting better, so I went back to the dr. on an unrelated incident, and let him know that it was not getting over its cold, and he decided to go ahead and do some further investigating. we did and x-ray, it seemed to be ok. and some blood work, and there is where the problem comes in. My RA level is elevated. which helps to determine if you have rheumatoid arthritis. So what this means exactly I am not 100% sure, I am being sent to a specialist in logan, and we will go from there! So I will take one day at a time, and see what comes next! Thanks to all my blogging friends for being my sounding boards!!! Sometimes it helps to just write it all out. I look at my kids and know that they sure aren't going to be my sounding boards so here I sit with my fingers on the keyboards and this is what you get. I am not even sure what I feel yet. I am optimistic that medicine has come a long way, and there is always something that can be done now, I just have to find where I fit in! So I will find out when my new appt is and keep you all up to date! :)

being a mom isn't quite what I expected

Ok so when my kids were little ones I have to say I think I was a pretty good mom, sure I was tired, but I felt like I could handle things and I think I did a pretty good job, I did crafts with my kids, I LOVED just hanging out with them, watching movies giving them baths, laughing at the funny things that they say. my favorite part was the many cuddles that I always got! I could never get enough. I could hold them forever. I want to hold them forever. smell their sweet baby smell. Then sure as the world turns they start getting older! and before I knew It I have a teenager and an almost teenager!!! My daily life consists of arguing with them over doing their homework cleaning their room, don't spend so much time on the computer, get your chores done. And the worst part is, is that Jason would still cuddle with me, and love on me, but the boys have wrestled with him so much and have him so riled up all the time that even he won't cuddle anymore! all my babies have outgrown my needs for babies!!! so where does that leave me? Well I'll tell you it leaves me with a big empty hole! And I am thinking that is where the problem lies. How does a mom move on to the mom of older kids when her heart lies with babies she doesn't have? I have always told brian that when the kids get older he has to take over because I just knew I wasn't going to be able to handle it, but he just isn't here to do that, once again I am forced to figure it out, how to move on to my next mission in life, how to figure out older kids. And without wearing out all the knees of my pants by praying 24/7 I have to get something done!! I have to learn how to be a good mom to these older kids! I need to learn to keep the lines of communication open, I never knew how hard it was to talk to these things we call teenagers!!! (sorry mom and dad) In the wise words of judge judy " how do you know when a teenager is lying-- their mouths are moving" I couldn't believe it was true, till I had one!! and they lie about silly things. but like I said I am trying so hard to figure all this out, and I will figure it out. after all I don't have a choice, they are all growing up right!!! ok, so I have rambled, and I am not sure if it makes sense at all, so if I have confused you all sorry, just move on to the next blog!!!

what to do, what to do!

                                                Ok so here is the thing, first of all I so can't figure out this new blog thing since they updated it, I can't write on the top, so until I figure that out I will just start here! so normally I would not post pictures of my very messy house, but I have had bloggers block!!! I haven't taken pics of my cute kids, even though they have done cute things I'm sure, I have been wanting to blog, but I have been sitting around not sure what to blog about. So as I sit around in a slump, I look around my house and find a few things that I have been wanting to declutter that I have been wanting to work on all winter, and have been putting off, so I figure if I humiliate myself and put pics on my blog, I might actually clean them!!!!! so the pic above is the kids computer and my file cabinet, that just needs to be cleaned REAL BAD!

 This pic is in my dining room in the corner by my back door, kind of the catch all place, probably because it is out of sight from the main area of the house, most of this stuff just needs to be taken downstairs, but it is so cold so I can just make the boys take it :)

 ok, so yes I am guilty of just throwing things on top of the fridge! who doesn't do this???? but yea, I need to clean it bad!

 And this is the top of the awesome coat-rack my dad built for me, well the top gets really cluttered, and it bugs me, so this is a project for me!!!

 I threw this pic in just to let you all know that I am going to try to talk my kids into no more toys in the tub!! They are old enough right?????

 And this even though it is in a cupboard it bugs bad! this is in my girls bathroom, it way needs to be organized so yep, that is on the list!

And yep, this is the crazy woman, totally lost her mind, out of control, crazy, loopy, needs psyciatric help woman who will be completing the above cleaning in the next week! wish me luck!

so what do you do when you have a 4 day weekend?

 Well if you are Jason you play with fruit!!! I am telling you this kid played with our fruit for hours!! He made different towers, and designs. And other than a few bruises on our bananas there was no harm done :) and it was the best entertainment!

 He had to have a very steady hand, had to get everything just right......

 hmmm now where to put this last pear..

 ta da! the proud moment. and the masterpiece. not sure what to call it. but it sure was a lot of fun!

This is another of his masterpieces. We sure laughed for a long time over what can entertain that kid!

what we've been up to

 Well here are my two presidents!!! They made these cute little masks at school, and were SO excited to come home and show me, but the cutest part was they knew that they had to stand in front of the door and pose for a picture! they know me so well! and they are so adorable! I love them so much!

And here are my winterized babies! All wrapped snuggled in their caps! How CUTE are they? I totally love them they look ready for some serious cold weather and guess what.....we are getting it!

I've caught a cold!

So as crazy as it sounds, it is true, I have caught a cold IN MY THUMB!!!! I know you are all laughing hysterically right now, and I have to say, it sounds insane, but my thumb started hurting, like really bad, about 5 weeks ago, I can't really remember hurting it per say, I mean, I chopped wood, I did a lot of dishes (ok so dishes really can't hurt, but a girl can try) but nothing really stood out to say this is it!!! So I FINALLY went to the Dr. and he said that nothing is broke, and it doesn't seem as if the ligaments or tendons are torn, so what he thinks it is, is that there was a virus in my body that settled in the joints of my thumb! And my thumb was a little sore from something, possibly chopping wood, who knows, maybe vaccuming, (guess the kids better take over) so he gave me some antinflamitories (sp??) to take for the next month, but it could take up to 5 more months to get my thumb over its cold, Is this crazy???? I just want my thumb better, why can't I just soak it in nyquil???

MIA

No we are not totally in hibernation!! This has just been a rough winter on us! We have We have not been out and about since christmas and have not been able to visit with the family! And we miss you all. But as you all know, basketball is in full swing, and with 2 kids playing, that schedule is greuling. But we only have 3 more weeks then freedom, sweet freedom. Joey and Alli each practice 2 nights a week, and that doesn't include dance, swimming 2 times a week, scouts young men, and homework! then we have basketball games all day saturday! Its a crazy schedule. So when I have a chance to have little fun I jump at the chance. Joey was being very smart mouthed the other day, I know you are all shocked thinking 'not joey' but its true, it was joey, and I had made some very yummy very frosted cupcakes, and we were just sitting down to eat them, and I had had enough!!! so I went over to him and smashed my cupcake all over his face!! Well he didn't take it very well and it turned into a full fledged food fight between me and him and brian! I still think I won :)

timing is just off, again!

Ok so our water heater went out the other night, I went in to have my 'calgon' moment ran my bath water, went to get in, and found my water FREEZING, well I thought maybe brian did laundry or dishes or something so I drained the water and went to bed, just a little frustrated! The next morning at 5:45 yes, thats a.m. Zach came in our room to let us know that he tried to take his moring shower, and there was no hot water! So I was like huh, there is a real problem. I kicked 'B' out of bed and made him check out the water heater. He said the pilot light went out, he relit it, zach and joey both showered and the kids got off to school, then we started smelling something not right........we checked out the water heater and it looked like it was burning!!! we quickly shut everything off and realized that we needed a new water heater. So long story well long I guess we got a new water heater, brought it home got the old one out and found this.....It totally burned up the floor!! Scary we could have burned our house down. We were pretty lucky we caught it when we did. So now we have a nice new water heater. As to the timing thing.......

A few weeks ago we had a major rain storm and snow thaw, IF it would have made it into my house it could have cooled off my floor under my water heater :) But instead my boys just played in it!

Yes he is kneeling in it, and yes it is FREEZING!

Jason running through the puddles/river!

Joey loving the cold water!

the land of the weird!!

Ok so the kids have been asking and asking and asking! And I finally gave in, and it was pretty good if I admit it! I made speghetti tacos!! No recipe, just make your normal spheghetti and put it in a hard taco shell. It is acutally yummy. And the kids loved it! and I am now a fan. So you all can join us in the land of the wierd and make your spheghetti tacos! And for dessert I made whoopie pies, way yummy! I took the recipe out of this months family fun magazine, but I will post it below for those of you who don't get the magazine. Totally worth it. these were delish.
Ingredients:
for the cakes:
2 c. flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. softened butter

1 cup sugar
1 egg

for the filling:
1/2 c. softened butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. marshmellow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
red food coloring ( optional)

Heat oven to 350
in bowl mix flour cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. in glass measuring bowl stir together the buttermilk and vanilla.
In mixing bowl mix butter and sugar till well blended add egg, beat till smooth.
Pour in half the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture till combined. then add buttermilk mixture beat till just blended, add the remaining flour mixture and beat again.
use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop onto cookie sheet. slightly flatten each mound with a spoon. bake till done, (I know this sounds bad, but the page in my family fun book has a black mark in it and I can't read how long it cooks for, and when I baked mine I never timed them, I just baked them, and kept checking them, when you touch the cookies and they feel somewhat firm (don't sink when you touch them) they are done)
Mix all the frosting ingredients.
to make each pie:
spoon a heaping TB of the filling onto the bottom of a cake them gently press another cake on top gently squishing the filling to the edges.
remember when you take your first bite of this yummy dessert you must shout WHOOPIE!!!!

Also helpful hint if you do not have buttermilk as I did not, tomake your own buttermilk, simply take 1 cup milk add 1 TB lemon juice, OR 1 TB vinegar and let sit for 5 min. this makes homemade buttermilk :)

wrappin it up!

Well, I have been wanting to post for a while now, but have not been coming up with anything to say, I have decided that every January I get the winter blues, however mine came in November,and they are still hanging around. So I have been thinking back on the last year, (thats a long time ago) and I am so grateful for the things I have now. The first half of the year was spent mostly with Joey and his swim meets, and running the kids around to their various activities, dance, scouts, swimming, baseball. Summer went by in a whirwind with swimming and entertaining 5 kids!! Then school starts and all 5 of my babies started school! Wow what a crazy thing to happen, but it has been good for me. And kind of lonely too. Ok, a lot lonely, but I will cope I am sure. Once fall hit, thats when all the excitement hit for the carroll household! Zach started getting sick, falling behind in school, then not able to go to school at all, he just kept throwing up all the time, in the meantime, while we were trying to figure out what was wrong with him, we were juswt finishing up the home study for the adoption of Abby, and a day before the actual home study, Abby fell at dance, and I had to take her to the ER for 7 stitches, (thank goodness for bangs) a couple of days later we got the stitches out, homestudy is done, and we end up taking zach to the dr. where we end up back in the ER. where they find his appendix ruptured, as you all know, we were in the hospital for a week, and it was a month long recovery. This was so hard, there were a few times I wondered if I was going to lose my baby boy (yes, he may be 13 but he will always be my baby boy) This all let to lots of catch up in school, and depression for him, (and me) but life goes on, swimming started, holidays were coming up, We had thanksgiving coming up, and the adoption court date, which I was so nervous for. I had som e of my own medical problems that caused problems for a couple of weeks. but am doing much better now. We got through the court date, the adoption is final. That is all behind us. We are still taking abby to the Dr. every 2-3 weeks trying to get her anxiety,and ocd, under control, and we are getting closer to that. Her prader willi is a little more controlable every day!! Next came thanksgiving. I got to spend thanksgiving with my whole family, all my siblings made it to my parents house, and we had a blast! I had a birthday in there somewhere, that is all I am mentioning about that!! Then on to Dec. Due to all that happened November I didn't even start on christmas shopping till midway through dec. which way caused stress!!! Plus my darling children have signed up for everything, basketball, band, swimming, dance, scouts, joey is now being tutored a couple times a week, ahhhhh sorry just typing it makes me scream.. So besides all that, we actually had a great christmas!! Probably one of the best for my kids, they are all really happy! We had a great new years party with my friend and her fam. a nice quiet party into the new year! and here we are 2011!! so I would say bring it on, but its already here and in full swing, with some sort of activity every single evening of the week, you know I thought a stay at home mom stayed at home, huh, I guess I was wrong!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Yes, this is actually my teenager smiling!! It doesn't happen often, but it does happen :) especially when he gets what he wants. Hope he will be smiling more often it looks good on him. Joey smiles a lot, but it is usually because he is trying to get away with something! This time I think its just cause he is happy.

Alli opened her pillow pet, and said, now I want the turle,and the penguin, and the...... and named about 5 more, I tell you the girl is never happy!!! but I guess Its a good start.

Jason wasn't sure what he had, but he liked opening presents! After we showed him, he was so much happier!!

Abby loved this hat that was made for her, and she looks soooo adorable in it!!! but her favorite present was her pink laptop, (I got carried away watching the kids, and forgot to take pictures)

yes its me whining again!

Ok, so here it is December 8 days away from christmas, I am usually wrapping presents, baking up a storm, singing carols, and so excited I am driving the kids crazy! So aparently this year I have a serious problem, well several of them. I have a new dishwasher that is broke, so all dishes are being done by hand, which means very little if no baking because I hate doing dishes by hand especially when you bake like I do and dirty every dish in the house. So no baking. Second After Zachs month long illness in October, it threw off my schedule and finances, and well the wrapping is not where it should be, I will just leave that at that! and third, I just don't feel like singing!! fourth, We got our family pics taken last month as many of you know I showed a preview in an earlier post, Well my friend and fell dance mom took them for us, we saved up to have them taken by a "professional" we have actually never had them professionally taken, so we were so excited!! Well due to some aparent personal problems, she has fallen of the face of the earth, with my family pics. and my $. So no christmas cards, and no family pics for presents for my family (I know that was cheesy, but it was what I was going to do sorry) so I have been very depressed, and have been very sad over this, and very emotional. I am sad for my friend that I don't know what has happened to her, and sad for me and my family that we have been taken advantage of. I hope we eventually get them, but who knows. All this along with some personal health challenges I am dealing with and some childrens health and school issues, leads me to just want to scream so hear I go aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! ok I feel a little better thanks for listning. Next post will be happier I hope!!
p.s. if you don't want to listen to me whine, you should have got a clue by the title of the post and not read on!!

trying real hard to get into the christmas mood

Ok so here we are one week into December, we actually have snow, my tree is up (and finally decorated) not too much done in the way of shopping, but for some reason I am just not feeling it this year. So I was surfin the web the other day, and I came across a blog where a lady was talking about Nikolaus day. It is Dec. 6, its a German holiday where you put out your shoes by the front door, and Nikolaus, the German Santa Clause comes and puts a gift in them and some candy, I thought what the heck we should try it!!! So I gathered the kids around last night explained what we were going to do, tried to calm them down a little bit, laughed at zach and joey as they rolled their eyes at me, but then laughed more as they got their biggest shoes. Then felt extra loved when jason made sure I had a pair of shoes ready too. Then we all went to bed hoping it would work (since we are irish not german) but really hoping it would............ And sure enough.........
The kids each got a little gift..........

which totally thrilled them..........

even if they didn't want to wake up.......

And some candy :)

And what was really fun, was he left me some really cool German noodles so now I can experiment with some new dinner tonight I hope my kids will eat them, they look so cool, they are black, yellow, and red noodles, way fun. Don't know what to do with them, they may end up with Italian sauce on the german noodles hehehe. oh well what do you do right?

Early Christmas at grandma and grandpas!!

Abbys grandpa and grandma invited us down to celebrate a little early, and we all had a blast!!

We enjoyed a yummy dinner, great company, and got spoiled rotten!

We had a great time especially with Tom and Jamie and the boys, so glad they made it up to hang out with us! thanks guys. The kids had so much fun playing together. Here is little miss Abby opening her present. She got 2 new dolls this year so far, and she is soooo happy! She has been playing nonstop. What a happy little girl!
Zach, well you know teenagers. thats his big smile, lol! he got a gift card to aeropostle! (he really is excited, ) when we left he asked me when I can take him shopping!

And joe-man got a gift card to cal-ranch, he is debating in his mind on what to get, he says its to bad they don't sell cowgirls there!

Alli-oop got some new barbies (is it possible to have too many) they tell me no! but she is thrilled! she has added them to the collection. She is happy as can be.

And Jason, who informed me yesterday, I have to start calling him Jett. has now added 2 more transformers to his collection! He tells me there are a million of them so he has lots more to get! He was so happy too. We all made a pretty good haul. Thanks so much! We love you both bunches!