Craving Improvement

The kids eating chips and milk for lunch!  Super mom RIGHT?

Life has changed a little over here for us.  My kids are now being watched at least 2 times a week, most of the time they love it.  I travel to school at least 2 times a week, sometimes more, if I need extra help. In my mind I keep thinking how close I am to done, & then I kinda act like I am done, by doing nothing.  I am hindering my own growth, but that isn't anything new for me.  I read on a fitness blog today this little quote, and it totally fits my life in a number of ways.

Success doesn't mean you haven't made mistakes.  It just means you've made the effort to keep going after making them.  

  I am not only hindering my growth in school, but in all aspects in my life.  I feel like I have hit a dead end.  The only thing I can think to do is make an effort to be better....I really am trying.  Most days I feel like I am completely failing in EVERY department.  I know I am not the only one out there that struggles with these feelings.    But the last month I keep thinking of all the things I wish I would have done different.  But mistakes are going to happen, it is how you react, and live with them.  I hope that I am reacting in a positive way.  I hope that I am getting a little better in all areas of my life.

My neighbor and I have been trying to work out in the mornings.  When I say try, it is really a hit and miss.  But it gets me moving every once in a while.  Kade was so excited for me that he went and helped me pick out some new kicks.  He was so excited, it makes me wonder why he is so for me working out.  I love them and they are probably the nicest feeling shoes I have ever worn.

By just being more diligent in working out, the rest of my day normally goes better.  I sometimes am even in a better mood.  In YW last week we were talking about the word of wisdom and how health and fitness are a part of it, & people forget that.  We talked about how important it was to take care of our precious temples of God by being healthier.  This lesson has stuck with me and this week I really tried to be a little better!  

Sorry about my randomness, I feel like I am all over the place.
In other news

I happily filled out my graduation application today.  

I will soon have a degree that means pretty much nothing! HOORAY! 

On a side note, it looks like this week will be a busy one.  We have a funeral and lots of family coming in.  I sadly am not looking forward to this particular party, we love and miss you Grandpa Metcalf!

Off In My Own World

There has been so much going on in everyday life, I feel like I am lost in my own world.  Between going to actual class, my church calling, my kids, my side job, I feel like I have no time to breath.

I started school on January 14th, I drive to Idaho Falls on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  These two classes are goals that are not offered online.  I am gone from home for about 6 hours each of those days and have homework.  Tuesdays are hard because I often have a YW presidency meeting at 5:30, so I am home for maybe a hour before I leave again.  On my days off I feel like I am struggling to get my homework done in time.  I am still going half time, no online classes this time around! I am burned out and am glad I saved the in class classes for last.  I am taking a physics class and a math class, both with quite a bit of homework. Both classes will be hard, but I think having an actual face to face teacher I will be okay.

I got news today that I if I pass my classes I will be able to graduate after this semester.  I had talked to a few advisers and today I was told by the guy in charge of my degree program that I have the green light to apply for graduation.  I am happy to say that 6 years after graduating high school I will finally have an associates degree (kinda embarrassing).   But it will be a good place to stop for now, I have real plans of going back once my kiddos are older and we will see where life takes us.

This last Saturday, I went to a bridal shower for one of my cousins.  I got a ride with my parents and sisters, Addyson came cuz she is a girl too.

KUNZ COUSIN PICTURE

I was going to post these along with the rest of our holiday pictures, but I forgot we took them.  I was trying to clean off pictures from my computer to put on my hard drive and I saw them.  I forgot how fun/cute this day turned out to be.

It was difficult to get everyone looking at the camera let alone smiling, but they turned out cute.  Plus I got some cute singles of my kids.

Addie&Hattie

Christmas 2013

We were spoiled this Christmas season.  Many sweet people anonymously, and non-anonymously left us very generous gifts.  Thank you everyone who was so kind to our household this year.

My kids got to see Santa 3 times this year, they were so cute sitting on his lap.  Drake kept going back hoping he would get more gifts to unwrap.  He even sat and talked to Santa for a few minutes just jabbering away.  He has come a long way since last year when he cried the whole time.

We went to a lot of Christmas parties and I really enjoyed myself, even with finals so close to the holidays.  

I made some gifts this year, but not as many as last.  These little tiles are what I gave my visiting teachers and those I visit teach.  

I also made some Christmas bulbs for the YW

I printed this picture I photoshopped, modge podged it to a canvas and gave that to Jay and Jenny, Kade's brothers family.  I didn't take an after picture, silly me.  

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Ean asked me to make him a shirt this year, I drew his name.  I did exactly what he asked for.

We were given a handmedown play center, so the kids look really spoiled.  They love it tho, and they are okay with used toys.  

 Kade didn't have an exciting Christmas, a little toy, a few movies, some parts for his truck, and a crock pot.  Sadly, he is the one that uses the crock pot the most.

I was spoiled, and a little grumpy at how much Santa spent on me.   I have been wanting a bosh for 4 years, and have pretty much burned up my kitchen aid by trying to make bread in it too much.  I love it so much, and making 4 loaves of bread is a breeze.   

Here is my family by our Charlie Brown tree.  We had it up for a record of 3 days.  The day after Christmas we took it down, because the kids just would not keep out of it.  Drake cried when we took it down "oh no, where is my christmas tree?" He cried until dad told him we will get a new one next year.  

I hope everyone had a happy holidays. 

Addyson is 2

Both kid's birthdays were late this year and I don't mind because they don't know a difference.  They got their gifts but that was it, later we did cake.

Addyson went in for an appointment on the 23rd for a well child check up.  She is 28 pounds (3 less then her brother) 35'' tall (2 less then her brother).

Addyson right now loves blocks and Legos, I have never seen a girl that likes those two things so much.
She also loves any baby, real or fake.
She likes to throw, balls, sippy cups, toys, she manages to break things from time to time.
She likes to drag kitchen chairs around the house, to help get up high.
She is not fond of playing with others her age, she makes her brother cry and any other toddler.
She will bite, hit, sit on, just to get the toy she wants.  I am trying my best to change some habits, but she is stubborn too. : D
Addyson will jabber in her own language, she goes on and on. Most of the time I only catch the last word of a sentence, sometimes it is anyone's guess what she is saying.  But she seems to be so far ahead in language, she is right up there with her brother.
She hates bedtime as of late, and will cry when we put her down.
She still loves the word NO, and will push the limits until mom gets up from her chair...
She has not mastered the art of whispering yet, and will yell loudly when you tell her to hush.
She does love to sing and make up songs, as well as dance.

We love miss Addyson Jo and we are glad she is part of our family.  You have so much joy and attitude, and I already can see that we will surly butt heads when you are older. : )

Drake has been on this kick of reading ads, he likes to look for toys he wants, haha.  Addy didn't want to show of her dolly. 

smile

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give us a smile

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she gives half a smile

YAY! Happy girl.

Happy birthda...only part of the sign in this picture

she was happy with her cake

she finally got them both after a few minutes

Happy 2nd Birthday Addyson, Love you lots!

Fall 2013

I am so glad the semester is over.  I never thought I would work so hard for a 1100 level class.  In the end, all I cared for was to pass.  I did get a better grade then expected, but I worked so hard, so it was still disappointing.  The biggest frustration was finals, I had to drive 2.5 hours to Pocatello.   He told us that our final was 75 multiple choice questions, worth 1/4 of our overall grade.  So, I studied for that final, but when it was given to me, it was 16 long answer questions.  I didn't study for that kind of a test and was frustrated and pretty depressed.  But it is done with and I can move on.

My dad told me the other day, "some classes you just have to survive", that was Philosophy a class I did my best to survive.  But at least I didn't get the C I thought I was going to get :)  

My Orange Bathroom

It has taken a lot longer then we thought to get this far on our bathroom.  I should learn my lesson, but I always hope to get a project knocked out in a weekend.  We are still not finished completely with the bathroom but it is close, and most importantly, functional.

I chose to do a bright, light, color because the room is small.  I am planing on painting the cabinets white, but not at the moment.  And it is okay if you don't agree on my light orange.  I love it and have already been made fun of multiple times :)  I wish you could see in the bathroom better, it is just too small to even take good pictures.

 For the last little while, my kitchen has been full of power-tools and sawhorses.  I am looking forward to getting all the tools out of my house for a while.

I can now take a bath, in my jetted tub.  I can also take a nice shower in my bigger space.


My favorite thing about my bathroom is the shower curtain.  We purchased a rotator rod, shower curtain online.  It rotates so you have more space showering, and when you are done, you have more space in your bathroom.  It was only 10 bucks more then the curved rods at home depot, but it is so much cooler.

Rotated in, more room in the bathroom.

Rotated out, more room in the shower. 

My shower curtain is so cute, I love Targets cute styles.