I love you too Jamison, drool and all!

You know when you are a kid and you think your parents know it all and seem to have it all together. Then as you get older you see that they are human, they have their own struggles, doubts and worries. And then as you become a parent yourself you gain a whole new respect and appreciation for them as you realize all it took to raise you and your siblings. You wonder how they did it because you know as a young parent you have half the number of kids and still are barely keeping your head above water as the days fly by. You can't even imagine the day when all your kids will be grown and on their own.

Monday Jamison and I made a quick 30 hour trip (may I never fly again in 2009) to Utah to be with my parents as they were set apart for their mission and as they enter the MTC. What an amazing experience to be in Elder Dallin H. Oaks's office with them and hear him talk about the important work they are about to undertake. I've always admired my parents not because I believe they did everything right but because of their unending commitment to our family and their beliefs.  Growing up in a family of 6 kids it was always about us. Our sporting events, graduations, band concerts, baby blessings, weddings, missions, awards ceremonies etc. This is a first, my parents the ones in the spotlight and the kids (and grandkids) gathering and supporting them.

I'm so proud of them. Truly I can say I have been born of goodly parents.

Setting Apart with Elder Oaks

and Future Missionaries

Life seems to be racing by these days and there is very little time to document it all. Where do I begin? Carson finishes Kindergarten and T-ball, Jamison's blessing, one last Doll Family get together (at least for 3 years), my 30th birthday, broken sewage pipes under the house, planning a kitchen remodel, locking my sweet baby in the car (and myself out of the house), 29 straight days without rain and the list goes on and on. Here's a few of the important more important ones.

What a year for Carson! He loved Kindergarten and I loved his teacher. 30 years in the business this woman knows what she 's doing. Carson thrived under her instruction and is more than prepared for full day first grade in a few months. T-ball, what can I say? Sitting at his first game the next 20 years of my life flashed before my eyes. We will be doing a lot of this over the years and I discovered I'm a pro at getting the grass stains out of those white pants. Carson loves to be right in the middle of the action and will run halfway across the field just to be in the middle of a play regardless of his assigned position. His trademark was a slide at home plate every time at bat. . . like I said washing uniforms is a newfound talent of mine!

 On Sunday I turned the milestone 30 years old! It was a quiet celebration and next to getting tickets to see "Wicked" my favorite part was laying on the couch watching Carson peel potatoes and Spencer rip lettuce leaves for a salad. Nick is always so good to involve the boys in celebrations for me and I love not making dinner and seeing my boys work together happily.

Two weeks ago my whole family met up in California before my parents take off for Chicago for the next 3 years. Thanks Mom and Dad for the fun family times. My brother Steve got married to Jessica last week so this is officially the Doll Family picture. While there we also took advantage of having all the family in one place and decided to bless Jamison in my parents ward. Here is Jamison Leroy pictured with my Dad Sherman Leroy and my Grandfather Elwood Leroy. Someday Jamison will know how special these two men are and will understand why I knew from the very beginning that I wanted him to share their name.

Last week both Carson and Spencer got gold medals at a school assembly for reading 250 books over the last 5 months. Don't they both look so happy and proud of their accomplishment? I'm not one to rain on someone's parade but if we're being honest both those medals should be hanging around my neck. . .

This is what I live for. . .

And by the looks of his cheeks and double chin can you tell what he lives for?

With Mother’s Day approaching this weekend I started thinking about my nearly 6 years of being a Mom and thought I’d share a few things I’ve learned from my children. . .

1.       I still have no idea what I’m doing. Child 3 has made this perfectly clear. Why I still can’t get a baby to sleep alone during the day is beyond me. I thought I had it figured out but the six weeks of newborn bliss is now over and I’m left to decipher the meaning of his baby cries and wander the house with him in my arms or strapped to my body.

2.       I will never truly enjoy playing Lightning McQueen Cars or Thomas the Trains, it’s just not in my DNA. I’ve tried, I’ve faked it but I don’t even attempt it anymore. However, I can’t say “no” when it comes to reading books with the boys. We usually have 12-20 books out from the public library at a time and love snuggling on the couch with blankets and reading a whole stack of them before naps or bedtime.  It’s one thing I remember from my childhood and something I hope my boys will too.

3.       No matter how hard I try it is impossible to get boys to play nonviolent games. I fought hard against this one but boys will turn any object into a weapon regardless of its original purpose. Example: My boys have coveted their friend’s plastic light sabers for years but I always said I’d never pay money for a toy that is solely meant for whacking others with. That is until I caught the boys in the backyard using the heavy metal rakes as light sabers. . . it was then I wished I had bought the plastic ones, a much safer choice.

4.       Never say never.  I’ve used my shirt as a tissue, let my kids watch TV way too much on some days, had my boys use an empty water bottle to pee in, made Dino nuggets for lunch and McDonalds for dinner, used every kind of bribery known to man. All things I probably would have never done before having kids but are now survival techniques.

5.       That I don’t get paid nearly enough for this job.  However, life often hands me very small bonuses and when I put them all together I am reminded how lucky I am. I still tear up when I think of the day each of my boys’ was born- truly miraculous. Having Jamison wake up smiling at me after a very long night, watching Carson get off the bus after the first day of Kindergarten, seeing Spencer’s beautiful hands, listening to them pray for each other, watching Carson being protective over Spencer on the playground, hearing them giggle in their rooms long after the lights have been turned off. . . and the list continues. All very small rewards for this job, so small sometimes I have to remind myself to look for them.

The week before last Grandma and Grandpa Doll came to visit us one last time before they take on their new calling as Mission Presidents in Chicago in June. Fun times playing with them at our house, riding the train, seeing the waterfalls and going to the movies. I think I enjoy their visits as much as the boys, it's nice to have some fresh faces to entertain the boys and extra hands around the house. I offered my mom a position as housekeeper/ nanny but sadly I was turned   down. . . she said somthing about having done that six times over already. We are so excited for them and look forward to visiting them over the next 3 years and maybe missing them a little too.

Will smile for Peeps. . .

Thanks for the handsome Easter outfits Grandma Doll. I don't know what happened but the Easter bunny was completely off her game this year. . .