With everything in life being so busy I finally decided one day that if I get ONE thing accomplished I have done a lot! If I can do up a few dishes in a day...I'm doing great! The necessities have changed. They used to be things like...do all the loads of laundry, clean the house until it's spotless, clean the kitchen till it shines, and never let anyone see the messes. Haha! WAKE UP! GET BACK TO REALITY...SILLY! Because those are simply not realistic expectations. Instead...think of all the positive things. All the things I did accomplish... I held a sleeping baby and tried to seal those sweet images in my mind so I can savor them forever. I tickled a toddler who was running away giggling...naked...yet again! I hugged Max and tried to reassure him that the new music group would be FUN! I watched as Max slowly started to join the group...about half way through the group. I listened to a toddler talking to her toys and a 4 month old babbling to hers. I picked up a few toys and put them away while kicking others out of my way to do it! LOL! I talk to my sweet heart. I made homemade chocolate chip pancakes and watched all of my children smile while gobbling them up as fast as they possibly could. I sang a Rascal Flatts song with Alex with the radio up, as we drove down the road. And after we take care of all the necessities we can take care of our spirits... When I get a chance to go outside and enjoy the fresh air with a friend I am blessed. I sit and soak up the words of the scriptures while I am nursing my sweet little girl...and I feel blessed. I talk to a dear friend on the phone and I smile. Her life has touched mine and I feel wonderful. I listen to a conference talk while I make dinner and I am lifted. All we need to do is change our perspective and even the mundane everyday tasks can turn into something enjoyable!

Life is full

As Cassie sits in the swing sucking on her hands and fussing off and on I take a moment to reflect on why I have not made the time to blog...
...Oh there are so many reasons why...
...giant mounds of laundry...
...a naked 3 year old running crazy around the house and giggling because she ripped off her clothing...yet again...
...piles of dishes...(some day we'll see the counter again)
...floors to sweep...(when WAS the last time we swept?)
...meals to cook...(can we eat spaghetti again?)
...toddler to chase...yet again...(Silly girl)
...beautiful marker drawing all over the toddler...(Hahaha)
...fussy baby...I think she thinks she's hungry again...(Sweet baby...)
...toys all over the house...(sigh)
...homework to help with...(I feel like I'm in school again)
...activities to get to...
...wet diapers to change...
...laundry to wash...
...bills to pay...(I'm thankful that Todd has a good job...)
...budget to do...
...the baby is awake...she wants someone to talk to her...(Sweet babies smell so wonderful!)
...snuggle time with the baby...

So If you're wondering where I have gone to...just look under the piles of laundry or listen for the fussy baby or maybe I have finally found a moment to curl up with Alyssa and take a nap. :)

Our Family

And so...the chaos of life continues! On Friday, November 18th at 12:35 am our newest addition was born! Cassie Brooke Elizabeth Cantwell came quickly into this chaotic family! I was shocked when she came out in 3 pushes. That was simply crazy to me...and as I lay on the bed...legs shaking uncontrollably...they weighed her and I said, "WHAT! Are you sure?" She was 6lbs. 11 oz...the smallest of our children!

That day seems like it happened so long ago now. It's funny how the mind works sometimes. Now Cassie is almost 12 weeks old. We've had one hospital stay when she was 8 weeks old, with RSV, and now I've been quite paranoid. I'm usually a fairly calm mama. I don't stress when my kids get sick. I simply take care of it. But having her in the hospital really threw me for a loop. It was nerve wracking for a little bit.

That experience has made me so thankful for our health.

I feel like Kuzco in the Emperor's New Groove...someone threw off my groove...they could be thrown out the window! It was similar to coming home with a new baby...just threw me off. And now it's been almost four weeks and I'm still trying to get things back in order. I look forward to the day when I can keep my house clean again, but I also know how very important it is to enjoy these early moments because they fly by so quickly. I spend a lot of my time sitting in my comfy chair nursing Cassie and holding Alyssa. The dishes can wait...they'll always be there. The laundry can overflow...there will always be laundry to do. The toys can clutter the floor...they can be pushed out of the way. The socks can be scattered all over the family room floor...they aren't hurting anyone...though they can be quite stinky. As long as the children are fed and happy and a spirit of peace fills the walls of my home, I can be content.

And after a long, exhausting day, I can look back and see that we are so blessed! What an amazing blessing for our family to grow!

I'm a proud Mama!

TJ came home from school with a writing assignment that he got a A+ on. I sat to read it, and was pleasantly surprised! He has never written anything like this before. How fun to see the growth and talents of a child! Here is what he wrote:

5 Slow Minutes

It was the most miserable 5 minutes in my 13 years that I remember! That Friday had nothing wrong with it until the shredding sound of an electric guitar started playing, a prism started dancing in my pocket, and a bead of sweat racing across my cheek. I knew I was standing on a mousetrap coming to snap me to the ground.

She looked over to me, as Mrs. Tobar always finds out about who did what in class. She took her choice of steps carefully towards me as if she were a lion stalking its prey, I thought to myself, sweating like a beast, yet the skin was colder than the frostbitten winters!

Once she was done stalking over, she put out her claw to reach for the source of the music. I took out the prism, handed it to her, and watched it fade away into her desk. 2:50! I left school without a phone.




I love to write and it's very exciting to read the work of my own son as he learns the skill of using words. Very exciting indeed! I can't wait to read other pieces he comes up with.

Children

I was more than pleased, when, at this last General Conference, a talk was given on the topic of children. Having as many children as we do, can cause quite a stir when going out into public. You can watch as people start counting the crew we have in tow. Their eyes grow wide and usually a comment is made such as this, "WOW! You've got your hands full!" Do ya really think so, I think sarcastically to myself as I plaster a smile on my face and say, "Yes we do!" At times my response is genuine and at others I'm simply frustrated and disgusted with people. That's when I hear in my head a quote from a comedian, "Here's your sign!" Of course it's hard to have a large family, but the blessings far outweigh the negatives!

In a world where so many people either choose not to have children, have only 2 or 3, or can not have children of their own, we are scrutinized. I receive varying responses from so many. Ones who so desperately want to have children of their own,smile and tell me how lucky I am. And they are correct. I am so very blessed! Those who have asked..."What made you keep having more after 3?" make me want to smack them for being so judgmental. But I refrain and try to remember that they simply don't understand.

Since when did it become another's right to judge a person/family for their choices? That's where this conference talk comes in. It brought me peace and comfort and reminded me that what I am doing is good and right, no matter what anyone else says or does.

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/children?lang=eng

Having children is a personal choice. If your choice is to not have children, that is your right. If you choose to have 10 children, that, again, is your right. Either way, shouldn't we all focus more on loving people for who they are rather than picking them apart and telling them what we think they are doing wrong with their lives?
Our Father in Heaven loves each of us. He wants us each to be happy. And he wants us to love one another.

Each day, I will try to do even better at keeping my thoughts/comments in check. If I don't want to be judged, then I should not judge unrighteously either.

May we all try to love one another more and become more like the Savior each day!

General Conference!

I look forward to this time of year with excitement and with the hope that I will learn what the Lord wants me to learn from General Conference. I missed the first part of the first sessions today, but caught the second half. I am always amazed, though I shouldn't be, at how the messages speak directly to my soul, to the things that I need to hear and know. I love listening to Dieter F. Uchtdorf. He always seems to be blessed to say just the right things for me. I am so thankful for a modern day Prophet and Apostles who listen to the promptings of the spirit and teach us those things we need to know. What a marvelous blessing in our lives. Especially as we are surrounded, in this world, by so much that is not good and right.

So, after I ate and sorted my garage sale finds from this morning, I came back to the computer, in hopes that I would be able to listen to the first half of the morning session. Thanks to byutv.org, I got my wish!

Richard G. Scott spoke and oh what a wonderful message. He talked of the importance of scriptures and the divinity of the Book of Mormon. His message strengthened my testimony so much. My determination to make reading the scriptures a part of my daily life is strengthened. I read now, but sometimes it's very sporadic. I want to do better, be better and understand more.

Of course, listening to the Prophet of the Lord can't compare to anything else. It's wonderful. President Monson is such a great example of a good sense of humor. I love it when he speaks! The announcement of more temples that will be built reconfirms my knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel. It is rolling forward! And blessing the lives of so many.

I love conference! I invite you to watch it. Go to lds.org or byutv.org to watch the sessions.

Only 8 1/2 weeks left!

Only 8 1/2 weeks left to go until my due date! It feels as though the time is going by so quickly and yet so slowly...at the same time. So strange! The girls' bedroom is painted, the crib is set up, the dresser is full of clothing, the car seat is waiting for it's occupant, the bouncy seat is bright and clean. The name is picked out...Cassie Brooke Elizabeth Cantwell.

The only thing I need to find is a used infant swing. I keep telling myself that I have PLENTY of time...but time keeps slipping quickly through my fingers. Before I know it I'm going to be bringing home this sweet little girl and cuddling her in my arms. I had better get ready!!

It's amazing how much more tired I have gotten with this pregnancy. It's almost as if my body hit 35 and decided that it couldn't possibly have the same kind of energy it did with previous pregnancies. I nap a lot more that I used to. I am so thankful that I have been fairly comfortable so far. Up until the last week or two I have slept fairly well and moved around pretty easily. Besides the dreaded, awful, terrible, yucky morning sickness that loves to plaque me in the beginning...this pregnancy has really gone very well. For that I am truly grateful!

My mind is reeling with the idea of having 6 children. It seems so strange! And so incomprehensible! And at the same time I know that with the help of my loving Heavenly Father, we will be able to make this work. I have a lot of faith that with His help anything is possible. I just keep telling myself ... it'll all work out and I feel at peace that it will!