Newport Beach!

These are the suckers that we brought home for them. They were in heaven!

Have you ever been to a theme park without a stroller???

A over looking the Newport Beach!

Ode to my sister "S"!

The days were growing long and I needed a break
But alas my five kids someone would need to take.
Along came my sister who was willing to try,
A long four day week with 8 kids and sigh.
She is 8 months pregnant to give her all the say,
I wondered if she'd make it clear up to the day!
Thankfully, for all of us she made it through
And my kids enjoyed her fun loving company too.
She was sent straight from Heaven, and A agrees
we had such a great time so we're down on our knees
Thank you S and T you've done it again!
Being a lifesaver, sister and friend!

Okay, I am not a poet but seriously we had such a good time and just the break I needed to reflect and refocus. S watched all the kids and I knew they were in good hands so I didn't even worry. We went to Newport Beach for one of A's conferences. (Probably the last for a long time, since there will be no money for the company to afford it:))

Normal is so overrated!

Is this Normal??

I thought you would like a timeline of our mornings here at the Serr household.
6:55 - Wake up all of the kids and CARRY them downstairs for scripture study

7:00- Scriptures! The following is an example of what you might hear:
Dad: would anyone like to say the prayer this morning?
J: (whine) Dad why do we have to have scripture study. My friend's family doesn't have scripture study!
C:nubbio thubbianks! (He learned ubbi dubb language and just CANNOT let it die!)
E: AHHHHHHHHH! ( He loves to yell for no apparent reason)
M: No Dad! I can't pray when I am sleeping!
Dad: Okay, Mom will you say it?

Dad: So, does anybody remember what we learned about yesterday?
(Silence) Hello is anyone awake?
E: (kicking M under the table)
J: Dad. why do we have to have scriptures at the table, I would remember better if we were on the couch!
M: somebody keeps kicking me!
E: (Snicker)
C: Wubbie Lubbiearned Aubbibout Jubbiesus!

OKAY YOU GET THE IDEA!

7:20: Breakfast
Mom: what would you like for breakfast?
J: Nothing! I hate breakfast!
C: Wubbiaffles!
E: Pancakes!
M: eggs!
Mom: okay, well here is your cold cereal.

7:30 Getting ready for school
(Mom goes up stairs to see how things are coming along after making 3 lunches)
Mom: What are you doing E? The bus is coming in 15 minutes!
E:(sitting on his bed looking at his rock collection in his underwear!) I'm just waking up my legs!
J: Mom will you fix my hair?
C: (Spontaneous outburst)
M: can I wear my tinkerbell costume today?

7:40 Still frantic and still getting ready for school
C: (Singing at the top of his lungs some random song)
J:(somes downstairs with completely drenched hair)
Mom: J what happened to all your curls that we spend all night last night putting in?
J: they just looked all bumpy and wiggly!
Mom: M! what happened to your ponytails?
M: I don't like them, they make me scitch!
E: (no where to be found)

7:50 The bus is here!!
C: Bubbiye Mubbiom! Iubbi Lubbiove Yubbiou!
J: Oh mom I need a sack and some money for school today! Did you sign my homework?
E: (comes down stairs with everything done in 15 seconds flat)
M: Is tomorrow a school day too?

7:51 Peace and quiet
(Mom collapses on the floor)
D: Mom I am hungry!

My Amazing Mom!

Today I was thinking about my Mom. She is on a trip for a week, and it just makes me realize how much I talk to her because now she is not available. I really love living close to her and my Dad. I feel like the older I get, the more I see how amazing she is. Sometimes my Mom will talk about her Mom (my Grandma) and how much she misses her, and I realize that I don't know how I would get through my life without her. Especially because I know the realities of losing someone, and I know someday I will have to deal with that. So now I savor every minute I get with my Mom. Here are my top ten favorite memories with my Mom:
1 - Going to Education Week with her and sharing our inner most spiritual thoughts.
2- Seeing her do her Cyril Call face when she didn't like something.
3- Her homemade gifts she makes every year for Christmas for all of her grand kids.
4- The Pie fights we had when we were little. (I might add that she was ruthless)
5- Watching my kids build relationships with her as she takes them on their "dates".
6- Watching my Dad flirt with her and her saying "N!!"
7- Watching her teach herself new hobbies her whole life and now she pretty much knows how to do everything!!!
8- Calling her when I am at my whits end always hanging up feeling better. She's a great listener.
9- Raising our kids together. Seriously, you have no idea how fun this is!!
10- Last but not least, realizing ALL the things I have learned from her that will help me "throughout the eternities" .
I love you Mom!

PS This was the Mexican Birthday party we had for my Mom's Birthday. Don't worry Mom I won't tell how old you are! :) My kids love doing things for her, she is the best Grandma!

Our birthday fiesta!!

Columbus Day!!!

Did you know that today is a holiday? Well, it is for bank workers, postman, and garbage men. Well, luckily my hubby is one of those! We really needed a day off with all that is going on. Life is so stressful for A right now (economy crashing = really, really stressed out clients). It was fun to just be together and not think about the crazy state of our world. I hope we all make it through this crash. I wonder if this is what the prophets have been warning us about. It doesn't not look good, nor does it look good for the future. But I guess that it is the same cycle we have seen so many times in the BOM. Peace + posperity to greed + pride to disaster+ humility. I guess we need to be humbled sometimes. I don't know about you but I feel pretty humble right now!