Oh Yeah, I'm a Fan!

Fifteen more days...I am UBER excited! Can you tell? I pay homage to you Harry Potter through my most excellent blog!

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/mainsite/index.html

Madeline is One!

Happy Birthday Maddie! You are the sweetest one-year-old anyone could ever hope to know!!!!

This "Scrapbooking" Room Gives Me A Panic Attack.

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/photos/scraproom/new/

I will never, ever, ever have anything in my life as together and organized as this blogger's craft room is, does that make me a looser?

A Mystery

Emily's hair is getting shorter. AND I keep finding little tribbles of silky blond hair under couches and in corners. SOMEONE is cutting it. Emily says it is Audrey, Audrey says it is Emily. Hmmmm...I think I need a "teddy bear cam."

Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam...

I have had a lot of unwelcome spam lately. YUCK.

FYI, I have changed a few settings to see if that helps prevent random crazies. Future comments will now not show up until I approve them. I am not sure if anyone even reads my blog anymore, maybe because I NEVER post anymore...but for you future commenters I thought I would give you a heads up!

Bring it!

My legs are sore today. I started running again, finally...slowly. Anna came with me and Kym last night to the track and she was like: "Woah, you guys are slow." (Thanks Anna!)
I also walk at 5am with a friend. Anna was so gung ho and excited last night I told her if she wanted to I would run with her for 1/2 an hour at 6:00am when I finished walking. I did not think she took me seriously. But she was sitting on my back porch waiting for me this morning, the sun just starting to peak over the houses, and I had to run...again.

I am either going to get skinny really fast OR, I am going to die.

The things we do for our children!

Fall Preview

August flew by for me! Did it for you? There has been a whole lot of crazy around here lately...but things seem to be finally settling down. (Thank you public school system!) I wanted to blog about all my summer fun and adventures and maybe post some pictures, but I don't have the patience or motivation to upload pictures today. So I thought I would just share a funny mom moment that happened this morning.

Are you a bra off or a bra on kinda person while you sleep? Me, I am a bra OFF person. In fact, if I know I do not have to go any where and am POSITIVE the mail man is not planning a surprise delivery I might just leave my bra off all day. Well, apparently I got sick of my bra early last night and took it off before actually changing into pajamas...I don't even remember doing it, but I guess I left it on the couch downstairs. Well, you would not believe the HOOPLA it caused this morning. My little (well, if you know me, not so little..heh, heh) bra caused quite the uproar among my children. Dallin squealed like a little girl..."EWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Elizabeth gave me a very disappointing look, and a comment that went something like this..."Mom, you yell at us about leaving our clothes every where and here you are leaving your bra out...that is just disgusting!" Audrey thought it was hilarious and put it on her head, which of course led to a bra tossing competition...or was it a game of hot potato?

I am not sure if my poor bra will ever get it's rightful shape back. But, I have to say it almost felt like a victory...I mean it made them feel so uncomfortable, and after all it is MY house isn't it?

Number Four

Number Four is 4 today!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Audrey.




We love you!

Potomac Chocolate

Last Thanksgiving Ben and Cyndi introduced my family to a new way of living...it is called chocolate snobbery. If you have had the pleasure of one of Ben and Cyndi's chocolate tastings you are a convert as well. And, probably, like us, sworn off Hershey Bars for life. The only way for me to really enjoy chocolate now is by first, having a tiny square of a beautifully designed bar broken off in front of me(it has to snap), inhaling slowly, placing the square on my tongue, and then letting the flavors of an exotic land melt in my mouth. You have to be prepared to name that flavor..."was that a hint of citrus, of tobacco?"

Yup, the only way to truly appreciate chocolate is to have a "bean to bar" experience of your own. If you are a true chocoholic (and I know who your are) then you have got to check out Ben and his friend Justin's new endeavor! They felt so passionately about bean to bar chocolate they are going to make their own! Potomac Chocolate has started brewing, soon to be, Washington DC's best (and first) bean to bar chocolate. And it is going to be fantastic! Check out their blog...here. You can follow them on their journey and like me, wish for a scratch and sniff computer screen!

Mmmmmm....Chocolate.

(If you scroll to the bottom of this page you can find out how to become a part of history and maybe, even receive a taste of chocolate snobbery in your own living room!)

We Made The News!!!!

Check out this link...
(You need to click on "Extreme Heat" Video from 6/23)
http://www.wmdt.com/
Me and the kids were on the news yesterday.
They were interviewing us about this horrific heat wave we have been having.
Kinda fun, huh?
Thankfully they only used 2 secs of my interview.
(I was looking kinda rough, they need to give a mom of 6 more time to primp, geeeeez.)
But the kids got to see themselves on TV, which probably made their whole summer!

Stink-o-licious

What a bummer day. My kids have been HORRIBLE all day. Fighting, screaming, hitting, talking back, and of course I pretty much just yelled all day (which is my least favorite attribute). Jeff is at the church late tonight, which always seems to make them extra special grumpy. I swear they just got stinkier as the sun went down. I cannot believe it is only day two of summer break. How do normal mommy's make it through days like this??? I need a Valium (well, not really, but I sure like the IDEA of one).

Chincoteage Lighthouse

The Lighthouse at Chincoteague, Virginia. Another favorite Eastern Shore destination.

Pemberton Park

We have this gorgeous park in Salisbury, Pemberton Plantation. It is one of my favorite spots on the Eastern Shore. It has trails, and ponds, and a little island that we call "Fairy Island." In the summer it has lily pads, and frogs, and turtles, and is like a dream. I finally convinced Jeff to come see.

Audrey's Pre-School Graduation

They gave out "awards" to all the kids and Audrey got "Most Adorable." I have to agree!

Blondies

How did I get blonds???

Three More Weeks

Here on the Eastern Shore school goes til' June 18th. I have been thinking, and thinking of how to make this summer a relaxing, rejuvenating, fun-filled two months. I know, the words relaxing and rejuvenating do not really go hand in hand with a family of six, but here is to hoping my summer goes something like this...

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2010/05/summer-to-do-list/

What are your summer plans? We are having lots of company and pretty much staying put, which sounds good to me!

Day One

Emily is home and doing so much better. She was almost herself today, despite a cough. Sooo...let's see how long it is before the next hospital trip. Should I be saying that??? Am I jinxing myself? Nope, I think I am just being realistic.

Fingers Crossed

Sooo...Emily is in the hospital. She has been there since yesterday. Nope, it has nothing to do with her seizure. She has pneumonia. SHOCKING, isn't it? I mean come on, what would the Rogers do without a child in the hospital with some kind of respiratory problem? She is okay. Breathing treatments, IV antibiotics, and steroids seem to be doing the trick. If they can get her breathing to slow down she might be able to come home tonight. It is hard to not be there with her. They won't let me bring the baby. I did get to see her for an hour this morning....so sad. She looks like death warmed over.

The real stinker in all this is she won't be able to have her MRI on Monday that we have had scheduled and have been waiting FOREVER for. She won't be able to be put under general anesthesia for a whole month. Joy, more waiting. (Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice??)

I will keep you all posted.

Things I discovered this Morning...

• 5:30am is the BEST time to go grocery shopping at Wal-Mart.
• Wal-Mart has improved their chocolate selection.
• If you eat a piece of chocolate before seven in the morning it makes your morning go better.
• I like oatmeal (Organic-flax-cranberry oatmeal to be exact)-I have NEVER liked oatmeal.
• Eating oatmeal while driving is surprisingly fun. (Do not try this at home).
• Buzzing Dallin's head saves me a lot of time in the morning (his hair is surprisingly high maintenance).
• Feeding my kids Organic Pop-Tarts make me feel like a good mom.
• Anna DOES NOT like it when I sing "GOOOOD BYYEEE" (imagine vibrato) when dropping her off in front of the middle school.

Peace-Out...

What Kind Of Mom Are You?

What kind of mom am I? This thought keeps me awake some nights. I often wonder when I am going to magically emerge from my cocoon and be the mom, the person, that I always wanted to be.

I have a mom wish list, do you? I think I may have posted about it before...here. You know the list...the one that states how perfect I wish I was. Perfection as a mother I have painfully discovered, is a myth. So...my wish list has changed. My one and only wish as a mom is that some day my grown children will look back on their childhood as a magical time. AND when they remember me they remember a mom who wanted, more than anything, to give them happiness.

Is it too late for magic? Is it too late for happiness? I hope not. I pray not. Anna is going to be twelve this summer. For me twelve is the age where my memories become real...not just flashes of pictures. I want her to remember more good than bad, more happiness than sad. I want her to remember adventures, and fun. I want her to remember a mom who loved her unconditionally and did everything in her power to bring loveliness into her life.

One of my favorite bloggers "Tolipop" did an awesome blog yesterday about this very subject here...

Things That I'm Okay With Today...

• That Emily's diaper is falling off.
• That I let Dallin stay home from school today because his eyes were "too itchy," but really because I did not have the energy to help him finish ALL his homework last night.
  
• That I have 20 loads of laundry sitting there...waiting for me, plus 10 more waiting to be folded.
  
• That there is Easter basket grass covering EVERY inch of my downstairs.
• That Audrey is wearing a mini-skirt (mini, because it's Emily's) and a miss-matching crazy shirt.
• That I have not had a shower OR put on a bra yet today.
• That my kitchen floor has not been mopped in two weeks.
• That my wall on the stairs has mysteriously developed ANOTHER crack in it overnight.
  
• That I have not matched socks in over a month and the kids dig in the "sock bucket" EVERY morning to find socks to wear to school and EVERY morning I have to pick up six tons of socks that have been thrown all over my room.
• That I have dust bunnies.
• That there is ANOTHER stain on my couch...I think it is cranberry applesauce.
• That Anna stayed up till 10:30 on a school night yesterday with me and Jeff so we could watch the new Dr. Who episode.
• That there are Barbies, My Little Ponies, and Polly Pockets under my kitchen table.
• That I am supposed to be dieting but instead had a chocolate for breakfast this morning.
  
• That Emily is walking around eating a frozen waffle.
• That I will probably let my kids watch movies all day so I can get something done around the house today.
• That I am playing on my computer and blogging instead of getting something done around the house today.
  

Za Rogers!

All of Us!
(Taken on Elizabeth's Baptism day, by my bro-in-law, Ben)

Loosing My Mind???

I think I am going to apply for an early retirement. Is that allowed? My kids don't really need a mommy for 18 more years, do they?

Every once in a while I want to tally up all the craziness that has plagued us since Madeline was born. But really, who is counting? Okay, maybe me, maybe a little. A friend of mine just e-mailed me and said "Life will get better and the medical thing will hopefully only be this years struggle and not next years too." Amen sister! I have not been able to say "At least we have our health" once this year! I suppose I have other "at least's." Like... "At least we have a roof over our heads" and "At least we have food on the table."

Our latest crazy....Emily had a seizure on Saturday. They are not sure why yet. A ct-scan was done and now they want a lot more tests. We are waiting to hear from the pediatric neurologist at John Hopkins. She has been perfectly fine since the seizure and I guess now it is just a matter of waiting. It weirded me out pretty good, you never expect to witness something like that. Life is never what you expect I suppose. We are feeling pretty positive about the whole thing, and know in our hearts she is going to be just fine. It is Emily after all. She is absolutely one of the the most stubborn human beings I have ever met. She will NOT let anything get in her way!!!

What I have learned through all this is something I have always known...family comes first, family is everything. In the midst of our crazy weekend we were able to attend an amazing church conference for the young women, which featured (for a few seconds) my niece Elise....

http://www.lds.org/broadcast/gywm/0,7726,2298,00.html (You have to listen to President Uchtdorf's talk! It might be my favorite General Authority talk of all time! You can see Elise during the video clip parts).

I went with my mom, Cyndi, Elise and Anna. Anna is not 12 yet, but seeing her among other young woman made my heart burst with love and anticipation. It is so exciting to think she will be in Young Women in a matter of months.

The love continued on Sunday when we celebrated with family and dear friends Elizabeth's baptism. It was a beautiful day! The girls sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." And Uncle Ben gave a talk on baptism. Our friend's little girl, Camarie Dover was baptized as well, which made it extra special for Elizabeth. Such beautiful girls, such a beautiful decision. I felt very honored to be her mommy and proud of her commitment. It was a perfect ending to a not-so-perfect weekend. So I guess I am not ready for retirement after all....

FYI

Watching the Food Network while eating hospital food DOES NOT make it taste any better.

Broken Record

Maddie is in the hospital again. It's not RSV, It's not H1N1. They are not sure what it is????
She is just miserable. A fever over 102 for 6 days now. The IV antibiotics seem to be doing the trick though. Her fever is FINALLY down. Now if we can get her to sleep, she just cries and cries. Hopefully we will know more in the morning and she will not have to stay long.

One positive...the nurses all knew her little face by name. They are all so sweet. There is this one nurse from last time, Christy. She is a blond little thing from Georgia, and calls Madeline, "Maddie Girl" in this perfect southern accent. I love her, and would bring her home with me if I was allowed. She is such a good nurse!

One negative...the glaring, harsh, hospital lights have made me realize that I quite possibly have the ugliest hands EVER. They are uglier than my 90 year old Grandmothers...

Does anyone else try and find things to laugh about when all you really want to do is cry???

Some Like It Hot

Did I tell you we ALL had a stomach flu last week? Have I mentioned that we are sick AGAIN. Not a stomach flu, something else. Coughing, sneezing, snot, high fevers.
Today Emily has a fever of 102.4. Audrey has a fever of 103.2, and Madeline has a fever of 102.1.
And my body temp is 104. Nope, not a fever, not yet...just roasting while ALL three girls lay on me. Sigh.

Happy Birthday Elizabeth

Elizabeth turned eight yesterday. Unbelievable! She is being baptized on March 28th and is so excited. We love Elizabeth for so many reasons.

When Elizabeth was born Jeff and I were so...relieved. It was a difficult pregnancy, which resulted in bed rest for me. The hardest part was the waiting, after a late-term miscarriage the year before, we had been on pins and needles the entire 9 months. Elizabeth Kathleen entered the world with a load of hair, big blue eyes and PERFECT eyebrows. Anna was so proud to be a big sister, and was instantly in love.

Elizabeth has never been a patient person, which I suppose she gets from me. But I really blame it on Dallin. When she was four months old she, I am sure, KNEW there would soon be a little brother to keep her company. They had a plan, they did NOT want to be without each other for very long. I can just picture them plotting in Heaven, Dallin promising her he would not be far behind.

Before Elizabeth was born I had always planned on calling her "Beth" but boy was I wrong. She has never been a Beth. She is Elizabeth, through and through. Although, every once in a while we use her Uncle Marshall's nickname for her..."Lizard Bath".

One of my favorite things about Elizabeth is that she says what she thinks no matter what. There is no beating around the bush with her or second guessing her. If she doesn't like something she lets you know. We always know how Elizabeth feels! She loves all things girly, especially clothes. She would wear a dress every second of her life if I let her.

For her birthday Jeff and I took her on a mommy-daddy date to see Alice in 3D and out to dinner. She wanted seafood and got to have her first taste of Lobster!

Happy Birthday Elizabeth! We LOVE you!

Flash Back--Happy New Years

So I figured I would go backwards with my...
"Rogers' Year In Review"
Gotta start somewhere.

2009 Year in Review

Now that things seem to be slowing down and routines are getting back to normal I am feeling sad at how much I have neglected my blog. I started this blog as a way to journal the Rogers' life. 2009 was a pretty pathetic blogging year for me. I want to be better. I know that we are headed into March but I thought I would, over the next few postings, play a little catch up.

My Six Children

Cause heartburn.

On a blustery day...

Two years ago, Emily Lynn arrived. At 12:09a.m. I wanted a Valentine's Day baby. She said "NO WAY." It was in the cards for this kid to be stubborn. She has not proven us wrong so far! I have never met anyone with more personality. Happy Birthday 'Tator-Tot! We love so much about you!!