Mikayla

Six years ago on this day, I was laying in the hospital after giving birth to my sweet little girl. She IS sweet, but at the same time- oh, so SPICY! Just one of the many reasons why I love her so much. I wish I had more time, but I just had to give a birthday shout-out!

I can't wait to see her... I am heading into her class in just a few minutes!

April Fun

I hate to get caught up in the day to day "mom stuff" that I usually do. I don't want my kids to always come before Dave, but sometimes that is what happens... this last weekend I was reminded of one of the many reasons why I love that guy: when the guy who was going to be the Easter Bunny at the neighborhood party with over 200 people backed out, Dave willingly volunteered to do it...really, willingly. His only request was that he be able to go commando in the costume, so he didn't get too hot. He didn't go through with that part, but he did go through with being the bunny for two straight hours in the sun.

There were tons of little kids sitting on his lap and tons more that were scared to death and he was so cute with them. I was helping with the photos so I got to just watch him for the first hour and it warmed my heart. By the end of the party some of the kids that were scared in the beginning were giving him high-fives at the end. We had explained to the girls that the real Easter Bunny couldn't come, so Daddy was stepping in and they were so proud. Amelia wrote this in her journal:

We wint to the easter egg hunt and the estr bunny cood not come so my Dad had to be it at prdy ther was calaring and and boock mrcks and youg (?) to make a pickshr frame it was fun We all go to take pickshrs with the easter bunny who was my Dad. And then we took all of our egg's and reysickld them. I got 80 egg's ter was face pateing my frend's mom did it and my outhr fred's mom and my mom helped write down who got pickshrs so we got to take home sum stamps after the party we stade to clene that was most defuntly not fun but my Dad was the estr bunny

After 13 (almost) years of marriage I guess it's okay to sometimes need reminders about how much we love our guys...and this was one of those moments that reminded me just how much I do love him. He is my everything.

On another note...since I haven't updated in so long...my ballet classes are going great. I have 19 girls this session. Here are photos from the last recital. It's really low-key but super fun and the girls are really learning a lot. I didn't realize it until one of the grandmas made a comment about her granddaughter in the first recital compared to the third one and it made me realize how great they are all doing.

Why I Went "Private"

Okay, my now ten readers... I was a little burdened by the fact that ANYONE, can google any random thing and pull my blog up. After I found the one thing that shows where people are that get on your blog and how they found you, I would find people from places that I KNEW I didn't know...weird. Anyway, I found moms who had just searched "Orphan Annie Birthday Party" and that's great because I posted the details for moms out there that had to do a weird-themed party like that, but when some random person is googling "Chaunette Marsh"....now that's weird.

And on another note...I'd rather choose who I want reading my stuff...

Stop the Crazies!!!!

Hey!

I've decided to make my blog private...so send me an email if you want to keep reading!!!! There are too many crazies in this world!

Random Recent Thoughts....

I just noticed this is my 260th post...kind of crazy! I definitely don't blog like I used to...maybe it's Facebook, or maybe I'm just kind of over it. Anyway, I had to document a couple of things...

Mikayla lost her first tooth. She has this little lisp now when she talks. It kind of adds to her sassiness!Amelia insisted on playing soccer. I was worried that she wouldn't follow through because it's ridiculous how much they practice and how many games they have in such a short season, but she tries so hard and smiles the whole time she's out there....now if she can just get one kick of the ball, that would be great...

And maybe it is the 80 degree weather we've been having (but is leaving soon), but I have this NEED to be outside. I want to do this:

or this:I would totally settle for this (actually canoeing...not kayaking)But more than anything, this is where I want to be: I want to take the girls there so bad...I love everything about Arches....camping, hiking, the HOT weather, the incredible, beautiful scenery...and the memories. One time Dave and I went there for a weekend and our tent fell in on us in a wind storm and we forgot a can opener and had to spear the can of chili with a knife and spoon it out and hope that we didn't get cut...while heating it over a sterno. Or the time Chel and Michael slept on gravel, or the time the wees went with the guys for our Spring Break our senior year...I could go on and on.... I find it ironic that it would be cheaper for our family to fly to the Bahamas and stay for a week then it would be to get us all there to Arches, and I still don't know how we would camp with no gear, but I can dream!

Confessions

I am stealing this idea from Jenn R....who stole it from someone else!

I think it is a good way to learn about somebody. Everybody has things that they do that people may find embarrassing or things they did earlier in life that they rather not share. Here is my list. No judging!



Please comment and tell me some of your confessions. Play along!



1. Sometimes after running crazy all morning I lay down at 1:00 or so and take a nap until 2:00 when the kids get off the bus.

2. I want everyone to like me even if I do not like them.

3. Sometimes I wait a day between showering.

4. I have to weigh less that a certain number on the scale each morning, and if I don't I don't eat much that day.

5. I pick and bite the skin around my thumb nails. To the point that it sometimes bleeds.

6. I think I put in seven really hard years of giving up my career and staying home to raise two fabulous kids, so now that both are in school, I have days to shop, get my hair/nails done, or put my feet up for a bit...but secretly, I feel guilty about it.

7. I hate going to the doctor and think that it shows weakness.

8. I think I will never measure up to my mom...or my dad.

9. I wish I could redo my wedding and get married in Cabo...don't worry, I'd still marry the same guy. :)

10. I really wish my husband would buy me a new ring...but I love him...and secretly I love how cheap ("frugal") he is.



Okay, those were deep thoughts from Chaun and now it's your time to play along!!!!

Crush

Amelia was working on her valentines yesterday and she was kind of crouching down trying to hide one of them from me, so of course I had to take a peek, and this is what I saw:
I don't know who Logan is, but seeing that little heart on his valentine made me smile...seriously, I thought it was so cute!!!

Thoughts on Moving....

Tonight I was thinking about how crazy it all is that I am here in South Carolina....I mean, seriously...Atlanta was one thing, but South Carolina??? Who would have thought that almost 13 years ago when I married the man of my dreams he would sweep me off my feet and then plop me down here???

I would say I'm a gal who can adjust to things...I like to meet new people, as long as I don't lose touch with others. I throw myself into volunteering at the kids' school, our neighborhood and whatever, but deep down I wonder what would have happened if we would have just stayed in our nice little neighborhood in WX, UT.

I heard myself saying (yelling) today to my girls and Dave at the store: "HEY! Y'ALL BRING THAT BUGGY OVER HERE 'CUZ I'M FIXIN' TO DROP THIS STUFF." Seriously. I guess I have adjusted. I remember five years ago when we had moved to GA, and I didn't even know what a "buggy" was if they weren't talking about an 1880's horse-drawn contraption.

There is a huge difference here though, as opposed to GA. Here in Charlotte (I realize that is NC, but we live right across the border), no one I have met is from here...or even close. Pretty much everyone is from the Northeast. I have nothing against my northern friends, but I think compared to the West, they might be the exact opposites. In our old neighborhood in Atlanta, everyone was from the South...well, not everyone, but most everyone, and there is just something about the way Southern people are that fell more in line with the way they are in the West.

This is all just observation....the two gals that I love the most here are from Maryland and PA, but I just find it fascinating that I moved 3 1/2 hours away and it's a different world. I didn't realize how much I would miss the Southern charm and never thought I would EVER miss the Southern drawl (I think that's why I hang on to it, but that's one for Freud)...but I do. I might be in SC, but it's not the South that I saw in GA, and I miss it. This is as huge of an adustment as UT was to GA, and an example of that is when I yelled about the "buggy" today, I looked at people around me and realized...we're not in the South anymore.

I've been able to catch up with (love FB) so many old friends from all different places in my life, and it still amazes me how far away I am from it all. I was ready to finish the basement in WX, UT and stay there forever!!! So, I am a world away, in so many different ways, and if I could just get a wave from neighbors as they drive by, I'll call it good. I do have dear friends here...even a friend who has taken my kids for the night...the WHOLE night, but if the other neighbors could just shoot a hand up and wave as they drive by, I might feel a little more at home...just like I always did in Utah.

That's it...just more ramblings from me!!!

Best Investment....

For about the same price as a family of four going out for a decent dinner and dessert, we opted to buy a firepit (or whatever it's called) for the backyard....now we've had multiple weekends of fun! It brings the neighbors over...even when it's cold; it's a cheap dessert; and it's super fun!

D and Ricky Sixx...what could you possibly comment on this one????

I Believe...

These beliefs make me happy (my friend sent them to me):

I Believe... That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I Believe..That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I Believe... That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I Believe...That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I Believe...That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe... That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe...That my best friend and I, can do anything, or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe...That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe..That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others. sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe...That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

Fashionably Late

I don't mean to turn this into a Mik blog...but this was our conversation this morning as I was helping her get ready for a birthday party:

Mik: Mom, am I going to be late to the party or what???

Me: No, we have plenty of time. Don't worry.

Mik: No, I mean...are we going to be late, because I have to be late.

Me: You want to be late???

Mik: Mom, I have to be the most fashion there. And if I'm late I will for sure be the MOST FASHION at the party!!!! So, am I late?

Speaking in Tongues...

Yesterday I had the following conversation with Mik:

Mik: I love my tongue

Me: I love your tongue too. Do you know how many amazing things your tongue does? It allows you to taste different things like sweet, sour, spicy.... It also helps you speak. It also...

Mik: (interupts) Mom, I'm NOT talking about that. I'm talking about how it's a remote.

Me: What???

Mik: When I go to bed I press the right side of my tongue if I want a good dream and the left side if I want a bad dream. And if I'm having a bad dream, I wake up and change the channel on my tongue.