Ayres Insanity

  I think the older my kids get, the busier I get, and the less I remember it all. No joke, I'm sitting here scrolling through my calendar trying to figure what we've done all year. Thanks to old Facebook posts, I can give an update.   January- Taevin turned 12! My sweet little boy is growing up! 12 is a big number, he was ordained to the Aaronic priesthood on January 22nd by his dad, It was a fantastic experience. That week Russ & I took him to dinner then to the Bountiful temple to do baptisms for the dead for the first time, Ron had given us some family names to do, I loved being there with him and watching him help ancestors take their first step toward the gospel. The following week he passed the sacrament, he was so nervous but with plenty of help from his dad and some good friends he did great!    February- I turned 38. Nuff said. OK, there's actually more. My grandma went to Arizona to stay with my aunt DeAnn for about 3 weeks so while ...

  Taevin is a good kid, I've always known that, but the other day I had to ask him a defining question.   We were at the store and I said "Son, imagine you're alone at the store, you check out and go to leave and find yourself in in a miserable windy rainstorm, so you take your cart full of groceries and make a mad dash for the car. Once you finally get your groceries loaded, do you: A- abandon the cart in the middle of the parking lot, or B- tromp through the rain & return it to the cart corral?" Without hesitation he said, "return it". I said, "congratulations son, you passed!"   I continued to explain that there are 2 kinds of people in this world, cart returners, who are kind, considerate people who are mindful and concerned about the welfare of others, and there are cart abandoners, who are ignorant selfish jackasses who only think of themselves.   He gave me a weird look but still a parenting win if I do say so myself! I feel validat...

  I saw the sweetest post on Facebook today, I assume by an older mom who's kids are all grown, and it really resonated with me. It read; My children each year ask me the same question. After thinking about it, I decided I'd give them my real answer: What do I want for Christmas? I want you. I want you to keep coming around, I want you to bring your kids around when you have them, I want you to ask me questions, ask my advice, tell me your problems, ask for my opinion, ask for my help. I want you to come over and rant about your problems, rant about life, whatever. Tell me about your job, your worries, your sig nificant other. I want you to continue sharing your life with me. Come over and laugh with me, or laugh at me, I don't care. Hearing you laugh is music to me. I spent the better part of my life raising you the best way I knew how, and I'm not bragging, but i did a pretty darn good job. Now, give me time to sit back and admire my work, I'm pretty p...

  The holidays are in full swing! Anyone who knows me knows that I don't love Halloween, but I actually enjoyed it this year. Dan decorated the house, and we're talking SERIOUS decorations, and we spent the evening handing out hot dogs and hot chocolate while the kids trick-or-treated. Next year I'll be doubling the amount of hot chocolate I buy since it was such a big hit!   Thanksgiving was fantastic as always, is there really anything better than a lazy day full of food and family? We got 2 for the price of one this year, my family on Thanksgiving and Russ' the following Saturday, and the bonus prize? We got to watch our beautiful niece Amber (LuAnn's oldest daughter) open her mission call to the Independence Missouri Visitor's Center mission. So happy for her and so grateful for an amazing family who are such good examples to my children. So so much to be thankful for!   Two of my kids have November birthdays, (mating season in our house is obviously ...

  We had such an amazing summer, but the weather is cooling down and school is back in full swing now. Taevin has Mrs. Rigby in 6th grade, Ryler has Mrs. O'Rourke in 3rd grade, Z has Mrs. Ed in kindergarten, and Aspen is going to preschool with Mrs. Sherry twice a week. It's hard to believe that all of my babies are in school! I thought I'd be getting some alone time this year but Aspen is in morning preschool, and Zoey is in afternoon kindergarten. I was a little bummed at first but I'm really enjoying the one on one time with each of the girls. They are all growing so fast and I can't seem to keep up. Before I know it, Aspen will be in school full time and I'll be looking for a job... which by the way, scares the hell out of me!   Anyway, So that dog I mentioned a few posts ago, umm yeah, that definitely didn't work out. She jumped on everyone and barked at everything and nipped at the kids and peed in the house and ate EVERYTHING, even our deck. I ...

  Today was a perfect day.    Last night my super awesome neighbor Erin and I went to the Dixie Chicks concert, her husband won them at work and we were the lucky recipients! We danced and sang our hearts out and had a blast! Since we were pretty late, the kids slept over at uncle Josh & aunt Jessee's house, so I had the house to myself, which in theory sounds amazing but I was actually a bit lonely without my littles at home. Anyway, I had the morning to myself, so I went and helped clean the church, then I baked and baked, then I grabbed the kids.   When Russ woke up, we headed to the lake for a fun-filled afternoon with the whole family. The grown-ups chatted, the cousins played, and the weather was perfect. It's a nice feeling going to bed happy and content.

  Just over a week ago I lost a long time friend, Pam Soloman. It was almost 20 years ago that she hired me to work at The Coverlook at the Fashion Place mall, it became one of my favorite jobs and I was blessed to have Pam as an example in my life.    Over the years I have continued to work for her in her own studio, and she has taken many pictures of our family, including the birth of our little Aspen.    It was just a few weeks ago that I saw her for the last time, I went in to work for her & we chatted about doing family pictures soon. How grateful I am to have had that last opportunity to see her.   Attending her funeral was difficult and heartbreaking, but inspiring as well. As sniffles filled the room, her 3 boys talked about their love for their beautiful mama, and to hear her husband Scott talk about his sweetheart, and his knowledge of their forever family, I left inspired to be better. To show more unconditional love as she did t...