heyer highlights

these boots were made for stomping

2011-02-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I came across a blog written by a dear friend of mine, whom I think is the Queen of blog-land and an extremely talented photographer and writer, not to mention a fabulous Momma. This particular post was in a weekly series titled Fifty-Two on Fridays. From my understanding this weekly post merely begins with a simple topic, word, phrase, thought, etc... and you can interpret it how you see fit. So this week it was about shoes. As I read the sweet words she had written about her little guy getting his own pair of special red shoes, I immediately thought of my Rylie girl. If you know anything about my Rylie it's that she is feisty and full of life. Some may even say that she is down right stubborn and strong willed just like her Momma. And in my opinion she may very well be the best snuggler in the world. Any way you slice it there is no doubt about it- to know her is to love her. Lately, her greatest love has been a pair of black cowgirl boots (not to be confused with cowboy boots). I am not quite sure where they came from, but Rylie has attached herself to those boots and will not let go. Even though they are two sizes too small she is wearing those boots into the ground. I just have to smile because she gets so excited when she puts them on all by herself. "Mom look I stomped my foot real hard and it went on".

This past week Rylie and I got to spend some rare quality time together. It is not as if we don't hang out every day, but this was a special day. The weather has been beautiful the last few days and we couldn't resist soaking up the sunshine. Ace was taking a nap and I decided that housework could wait so we headed to the front yard for a little bike riding. The boots were given the afternoon off and traded in for "bike-riding shoes". Rylie started off on her Dora big wheel then decided that she wanted to try Madi's big girl bike. So we got out Dad's tools and set to work modifying the big girl bike to fit little girl legs. It wasn't long before we had adjusted the seat and Rylie was off riding on her own down the street. It was such a big deal for her to be on that big bike and I was honored to be the one to share that "first" with her.

It wasn't long before those boots found their way back onto Rylie's feet, where I'm certain to see them as long as she can cram her toes into them. These boots are just another reminder that my little girl is growing up. So tomorrow I'll do my best to help her stomp her feet into those boots and see how many more adventures we can have together before they don't fit anymore.

stretch marks

2011-01-16T22:25:00.000-08:00

For about a month or so I have been thinking about stretch marks. To some it may be an off the wall topic to even contemplate, but in my world this subject just flows seamlessly into my everyday life. OK, so maybe I should say that they are staring me in the face daily-or staring back at me through the mirror to be more exact. Hopefully that is not too much info to throw out there, but let's be real.

I think my musing all started one day when my darling 3 yr. old saw me changing my clothes and asked me, "Mom why do you have zebra stripes on your belly?". Oh, how words from the mouths of babes can pierce one's heart. After I recovered from the shock and had picked up my hurt feelings off of the floor, I proceeded to tell her that yes, while they did look like zebra stripes they were called stretch marks from where my belly had grown as a result of having four babies. She seemed happy with the answer and went about her way. I, however decided to really think about what those little marks on my belly meant and represented to me.

I have heard it said that, 'Stretch marks are the badge of a real woman'. But I think that is crap. Does that mean that just because a woman does not have them (wouldn't that be nice) makes her less of a woman?! Of course not! And besides, women are not the only ones who have stretch marks. OK, so that's enough ranting, I'll move on before I am sucked into the abyss by an unforeseen tractor beam and completely given over to the dark side.

So I know that those little marks do not define me as a woman, but they did help to shape me into the woman I am today. I realized that each one of those little lines is just a little puzzle piece in the story of me. I can probably even tell you when or more specifically who I got each of those little lines from. To me those lines are a reminder of all four of my pregnancies. All of the prayers said for my Payton during a difficult and fearful time full of trips to the genetic counselor and endless testing, camping out on the couch because it made my back feel better, the thrill of feeling my baby move inside of me and the joy that each of their births has brought to my life.

It is because of these marks and becoming a mother that I have truly been able to understand and see in a new light the love that our Savior has for us. After all it was Jesus who made the greatest sacrifice for us on the cross. And I have only just realized that as he was up on that cross his arms were stretched wide and as his hands and feet were pierced he was receiving the ultimate stretch mark. He loved us so much that he was willing to die on a cross for our sins. And those little scars that were left on his body are merely a symbol of his love for me. So even though I am not too excited to have a zebra striped belly, I will try to remember that those little marks are a direct result and symbol of growth, sacrifice, dedication and most of all love.

my guy

2011-01-03T22:28:00.000-08:00

4days 5months 11months

I realized these last few weeks that I have not posted anything about my favorite guy in his entire life! Ok...so he has only been with me for just over a year now, but it is difficult to remember life before him. Allow me to introduce the special little guy in my life, the one and only Ace. Yes, I do admit he may not have the most conventional or widely accepted name by some standards, but that is all part of his charm. After all with 3 older sisters he really is one of a kind.

Ace made his way into this world Dec. 19, 2009 and instantly captured our hearts. From the get go my guy had a rough start. Less than 24 hours after he was born we discovered that he had a punctured lung and needed to be admitted to the NICU. Right away he was placed under what we referred to as the "Darth Vader helmet" to aid filling and pressurizing his lung. Although, it is with regret that I must say we do not have a photo of this infamous helmet. I blame it one the hysteria parents feel when learning that their newborn is less than healthy. It was very difficult to watch our guy being poked with IVs and not being able to hold him for long periods of time, but he was never alone. We had a steady stream of family who were constantly by his side and a FANTASTIC Nurse- Josh, for that I am truly grateful. When Ace was able to come home we were relieved to have the family together again, but it was short lived. He was readmitted to the hospital on Dec. 24 for jaundice and failure to gain weight. So his first Christmas was spent under the blue lights soaking in the rays. We were very thankful that his second stay was short and sweet and he was discharged on Christmas day.

Ace's saga does not quite end as of yet...When we took him in for his 4 month check-up I told the Dr. about our concerns regarding his low weight and the amount of spit-up Ace was producing on a daily basis. Let me tell you, it wasn't pretty. This discussion led to 3 ultra sounds, which Ace was NOT a fan of, an upper GI test with barium, blood tests and urine tests. I just have to say that getting a urine sample from a 4 month old may be easy in theory, but really it's not for amateurs! However, I am now an expert and available for consultation :) In the end we discovered that our guy had really bad acid reflux and was put on a couple of medications.

Whew....I kinda feel like I have been a downer in recanting this tale. Let me skip ahead a couple months and get to the good part. At a year old, Ace is no longer on any medication for his acid reflux and in fact has seemed to have out-grown it. He no longer struggles to breathe, but has two healthy lungs and now we are the ones who are struggling to keep up with his growing appetite. This experience has made it clear that God was and is with us. My son is gift and I love him more than words could ever express. So in the morning when he wakes up I will greet him just as I do every day when I say, 'Good morning handsome' and I will give him a big kiss and a hug and love on him like there is no tomorrow.

Things you should know about Ace:

1 yr. old
can army crawl like he is being chased by a bear
gives big open mouth kisses
is big on organization and loves to put all of his cars and toys in boxes
looks fabulous in hunter orange

Lessons I learned from my nephew

2010-12-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

I have one nephew...so far. Lately I have had the privilege of spending a couple of mornings a week with this wild and crazy guy. The past week especially he has just been cracking my up. I don't know where he is getting his comedy routine from, but it's a crowd pleaser, no doubt. This little guy has definitely opened my eyes to the unforeseen world of boys that lies in my near future. C-man is 3 yrs old and has recently been potty trained and is doing a great job, I'm very proud of him. Just yesterday while we were hanging out he needed a little help in the bathroom pulling up his pants. Now this whole standing up to pee thing is new to a Mom of three girls, but never fear, Aunt Holly is here to help. Well, I thought that I was helping anyway. So I thought we were ready to move on and go wash our hands when this very expressive little guy with big brown eyes and a horror-struck expression on his face turns to me and says, "My weenie is on wrong." Taken a back a bit and a little confused I simply asked if he could fix it himself. "No" he said. Well, lets just say without too many more details that we fixed the problem and Aunt Holly learned about the dangers and constrictive properties of a waistband. I am happy to report no permanent physical damage was done, but it still remains to be seen if any emotional scarring and/or embarrassment may result in the future when my favorite brown-eyed nephew learns that Aunt Holly has blogged about this unfortunate, albeit comical incident. :)

I LOVE YOU C-man!!!!!

Future Christmas Card

2010-12-02T13:48:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I haven't posted in about a million years, but I think that it is time to start up again. So here it goes. I have finally made a Christmas Card and am hoping to get it out sooner that later. I mean after all it is December 2 already! I'm so behind :) Well, I better go try to figure out this whole blog thing again.

straws

2009-04-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

whoever invented the straw is a genius! that being said, let me elaborate. it was a typical morning with P and L barely making it out the door on time and M and R here with me getting ready for preschool. the girls and i were getting ready to leave when i realized that P had not turned in her field trip permission slip. of course at this point i also realize that i cannot write a check to pay for this fabulous outing, but must pay in cash. okay- so i don't usually carry cash and if i do it is spent before i can blink. so with the girls loaded in the van and on our way to preschool we have to detour to the bank. although, how do you break a 20 on the way to school?!! my answer is obvious-STARBUCKS! so P gets a fabulous field trip to the movies and i get to indulge in my favorite addiction. it was at starbucks that i developed deep and heart-felt love and admiration for the inventor of the straw. i decided to actually go into starbucks instead of the drive-thru in hopes of avoiding long lines. in the attempt of avoiding any public scenes and trying to distract the girls a bit i asked M to get me a straw. of course she decided to get one for herself. R soon caught on and followed big sister's lead to get her own as well. so crisis averted there are no melt downs, outbursts or unruly children, only well behaved little angels with straws and wide open imaginations. it was awesome. during our ride those straws were magically transformed into letters, a cross- just like the one Jesus died on for our sins, a violin, drum sticks, horns, pencils, swords and so much more. all of this to say that i am convinced that the straw is and can be the best toy your child will ever have- next to the card board box, which is a classic! i am amazed that a little imagination can transform a little plastic tube into a world of learning and hours of playtime. so today i salute the inventor of the straw, who probably just made it for his/her own kids! so from now on when i am at starbucks or mcdonalds or wherever you can bet that i will be taking a few more straws than necessary and filling up my purse, diaper bag and glove compartment! i may even go crazy and buy the bendy straws at the store!

little mama

2009-03-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

it is so fun for me to watch my kids develop and discover new things. it seems as if they change overnight and they are suddenly transformed into these little people with blossoming personalities, diverse interests, huge vocabularies and deep thoughts! i have asked myself this many times, but really where does the time go?! it seems as if i get so wrapped up in homework, car-pool, changing diapers, karate class, shuttling kids from place to place, play dates, searching the couch for hot lunch money, repeating over and over "stop that- don't hit your sister-knock it off- go to bed- brush your teeth- wash your hands" etc..... that i can forget to stop and catch my kids doing something new and cute.

well, yesterday i actually realized the moment in front of me and stopped to watch little miss r playing with her baby doll. lately she has really been into her babies-it is a good thing that we have at least three of those suckers because we always have one with us. my grandpa made the girls a little baby doll cradle and miss r has become attached. i loved watching her go around the house collecting the things that she would need to take care of her baby. we needed a diaper, wipes, blankets, crib and a bottle. i loved how she gingerly cleaned her baby and tried to change her diaper before the baby had to lay down for her nap- 'shhhh mommy baby sleeping' although she did get mad at me when i would not give her powder and cream for her babies diaper rash-'need powder, need cream!!' i love this little girl with all of my heart and hope that i can continue to catch and hold on to these precious moments before any more of them sneak by me.

bring it on tonto

2009-03-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

okay, let me first say that i love animals! God has created some pretty cool animals. yes, i love God's creatures, although many of which i choose to enjoy from afar. i enjoy dogs and have been the owner of a couple in my lifetime- blondie, audie, and currently scout- all of whom will always have a special place in my heart. we have bonded and shared life together. that being said, as far as pets and animals living in my home i do have limits-dogs and fish. recently a couple of tiny critters have decided to take up residence in my home- uninvited i may add. these mice have quickly become my foes and prey. it seems that they are out to get me and will taunt me throughout the day and night! of course i do not think that anyone in my house has actually seen my new arch enemies, which in a way i am glad that the girls have not had any encounters with the little rascals. now you may be thinking that i am overreacting and going a bit overboard and to some degree i would have to agree with you, but i have been consumed and on a mission and will not cease until i have reigned victorious. so i continue on in my journey to defeat tonto (yes, i have named the mouse- he keeps taunting me, i thought it was fitting) and rid the heyer home of all intruders!

my little rock star

2009-02-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago my baby turned 7! I can hardly believe that she is that old. So we decided to have a rock star birthday bash,

which of course was inspired by Hannah Montana and P's love for all things musical. It was quite an adventure. We had 12 little pop stars running around the house in dress up clothes, making musical shakers, eating pizza and cake and putting on talent shows. In the end P had an awesome time with her friends and had a rockin' birthday!

diving into my 30's

2009-01-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

in december i turned 30. somehow i do not feel that i should be 30 yet. where did the time go? who knows?! a few months ago i decided that for my birthday i wanted to go sky diving. my dad had gone for his 50th and i was so jealous. it was something that i had wanted to do for a while and thought that it would be a fun adventure for my 30th birthday. my dad immediately said that he would jump with me when i asked him to go. although, mom and logan were not to excited about us flying through the air.

we set the date to jump on december, 7- the day before my birthday. i was so excited that the day had finally arrived. my dad came to pick me up and we were off. it was a bit foggy outside, but we were confident that it would pass. after all, i was not thinking about the fog as a hindrance, i had been praying that it would not rain. anyway, it turned out that the fog won out and we were not able to make our jump- after waiting it out almost five hours!

for the next couple of weeks scheduling and the holidays prevented us from making our jump, until- january, 4! it was a clear sunday morning and after talking it over with dad we decided to go for it- no appointment- just do it! (is this a nike commercial?) after church we drove out to the byron airport and things started happening quickly. we walked in the hangar, put on purple and green jump suits and harnesses, got a quick instruction from our tandem guys and were on the plane to jump within a 1/2hour. it was crazy. as we were taking off we could see mom, logan and the girls driving to the airport hangar. dad jumped before me and soon became a little purple speck flying through the air. of course i was not focusing on him for long. my turn came to jump and it was awesome! i didn't feel my stomach in my throat or anything like that. i did however feel the freezing cold air on my face. i did scream for a bit, but i couldn't even hear my own voice. it was a cool thing to fly through the air. i think that i probably looked like a frantic bird learning how to fly- i had no idea what i was doing with my arms, they were flopping everywhere. when the parachute opened it was an awesome view. i even got to guide the parachute a bit too. thanks vic and yuri for getting us down safely!

it was an awesome experience that i will never forget. i am glad that my kids got to be there and see that moms can have fun too. thanks dad for helping my jump into my 30's. when are we going again?!!!! (logan and mom- don't worry)

words of a 4 1/2 yr. old

2009-01-12T22:41:00.001-08:00

i do not often have the chance to have good one on one time with my girls- we always travel in packs! you know girls, they all go to the bathroom together even if only one of them really has to go. that's what it is like with the little ladies in our family too. anyway, i had the opportunity to take a drive with miss m on sunday, just the two of us. i was impressed by her deep thoughts and wanted to share my joy with you. every year the local boy scout troop comes and picks up our christmas tree for disposal. it is a nice service which we really appreciate, but after the tree is gone i don't put much more thought into the whole situation. well, my imaginative 4 yr. old does. she did not really understand what they do with them and why they were stacked up in the parking lot of her karate class. so she came up with her own great solution. 'mom we should take the chopped up wood to a waterfall and feed it to the beavers they could use it.' i just had to smile. i would not have come up with such a creative idea.

later in the car ride she also told me that her skin would soon be turning that tan color, like in the summer time. this of course began an entire dialogue about how we are thankful that God made so many different colored and types of people because life would be boring if we all looked the same. and that is when i found out, 'but you know that monsters are red! sometimes they have spots and are rainbow colors like blue, yellow, red, pink, orange, green.....'

i hope that you have learned some things that you did not know before and giggled a bit too. i can't wait to hear what is coming next. ahh, from the mouths of babes!

Advent(ures) and Kaiser?

2009-01-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

In my continual effort to bring the blog up to speed and into 2009 we must take another look back to the weeks leading up to Christmas. If you are familiar with the term Advent you will know that it means "a coming or arrival" and also marks the four Sundays before Christmas. Well, in our home there were many things that happened in those few weeks before Christmas and the New Year began. Let me highlight a few for you.

We attended Madi's Tiny Tiger Karate Class Ceremony, which was so fun. I love to see her out there kicking booty. At the ceremony she received a black tip on her belt for completing the class. She is looking forward to continuing her classes in the New Year. That same weekend was my 30th birthday. My best friend from college surprised me by flying in from Or. for the weekend, which was awesome! Love ya, BRG! My Dad and I were all set to go Sky Diving that weekend, but alas were unable to make the big jump into my 30's due to fog. We tried to wait it out, but after 5 hours there was no sign of it letting up. It was such a bummer.

On the third Sunday of Advent our family was asked to light the Advent candle in church. The girls were excited to wear their fancy new dresses and walk down the aisle carrying the candle. I am thankful that we were able to light it in all three services allowing both P and M to have a chance at carrying the candle. Once the candle was lit I was supposed to read the scripture for the morning. Now if you know me, you can pretty much guess what happened next- tears! It never fails. I was certain that I would not cry after practicing the verses (Matthew 1:18-25) over a couple of times, but there is something about reading about the Savior's birth that just gets me every time. Even thinking of those words now, I am sure to shed a tear. 'She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.' Matthew 1:21 It is incredible to think about how a tiny baby can change the world- especially mine. God sure had a cool plan! Anyway, by the third service I was able to control the tears a bit. Overall it was an awesome experience for our family. We were also able to light our own advent candles at home and have a small devotional as a family, which was fun and only resulted in one minor injury. Rylie now knows that we mean it when we say that fire is hot! This should have been an indication of the weeks to come.

The next week we attended Payton's First Grade Program at school. Of course, we had the best soloist in the group! P was amazing and sang her heart out. We were so proud of her. Madi also had her night to shine on Christmas Eve when she sang Happy Birthday Jesus with her PreSchool class at church. I just love it when little ones are praising the Lord with all of their hearts! It sets such an example for the rest of us.

Well, Christmas Eve is when our Kaiser saga began. At the Christmas Eve service Rylie was picked up by her hands and started to act hurt. She was guarding and not using her right arm. I am thankful that the service was only one hour for R's sake. When we got home we decided to take her to Minor Injury to get checked out. After lots of screaming and stickers we came home with a hot pink cast on her right arm. She had fractured her wrist. We were thankful that it was her right arm because she is our lefty and could still function somewhat. Anyway, to make a long story short we were back at Kaiser 5 days later with a sprained left arm and another cast. (They can't really splint a toddler) So R spent most of the Holidays in casts. She is one tough cookie. I am pleased to report that since then we have been back to Kaiser 3 more times and have one less cast! Hallelujah! She should be getting the cast off her right arm Monday.

Despite our many trips to the doctor we had a wonderful Holiday season. We were blessed to be able to spend time with family and friends whom we love! And especially blessed to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Many blessings to you all in the New Year.

rockin' thanksgiving

2009-01-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

okay, so i realize that the new year has come, but i am still living in 2008- at least where the blog world is concerned. i have not posted in so long it is hard to know where to start, but lets go back to november for a moment. it was the first time that our family had the opportunity to go and celebrate thanksgiving with h & d (my sister and her husband) at their new house! we had a great time together. there were the usual festivities such as making fudge with grandpa, playing scene-it, dinner at knotts berry farm (a high priority and special treat), thanksgiving day football and early morning shopping on black friday. although, the girls were most excited about playing rock band with uncle d. they had specific outfits and accessories that needed to be packed, were thinking of names for our family band and assigning everyone a role to play. a few of the names that were thrown around were the boys and girls band and the super stars. i am not quite sure what we ended up with, but we had fun. we can't wait to go back soon and hang out. meanwhile, we will be brushing up on our dance moves and musical skills.

it's been too long...

2008-12-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

Land of blogs, oh how I have missed you! I realized that it has been almost a month since I have posted anything. What a shame, I have had sooooo much to say and so little time. I promise that I will post something fabulous soon. But for now we are off to see Santa! Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus.

My little Teacher

2008-11-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well, a few weeks ago I was a bit freaked out about Miss P's class report on Community Helpers. In my defense I haven't done an oral report in years let alone never having helped my own child prepare for one! Of course there was nothing to be worried about, she had it under control. If I may say so myself, she was awesome- not that I am biased in any way. She was poised and confident, unlike myself and the other nervous parents watching from the back of the classroom. She was the only student who chose to talk about teachers and acted the part to a tee. Thanks Grandma W for the wardrobe! In the end she received an A+ and I am as proud as can be. I am so blessed to be the Mom of fantastic kids, who are teaching me something new every day. (This photo was taken with her teacher)

the simple things

2008-11-22T13:05:00.000-08:00

ahhh, the simple things in life are what i love. today for example is a typical saturday with not too much going on, but somehow one simple thing has made this day extraordinary. yes, today i got my hair cut! to some a haircut may seem routine and uneventful, just one more thing to cram into your schedule or even just avoid it all together and go with the everyday pony tail. i love haircuts. there is just something about them that makes me feel rejuvenated and refreshed. that may be due to the fact that i am by myself in the hair salon for at least an hour. my hair snipping saint, shannon doesn't mind if i talk or not and if i do it is not about rocket science or even potty training. all this to say, make time to enjoy the simple things. i know that i have today. who knows i might just go crazy and paint toenails with the girls- simply fabulous!

i love you

2008-11-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

i love you- three little words that can melt any one's heart, especially a mom! that is exactly what happened to me this morning. after the morning school drop off it was only little miss r with me in the car and that's when she said those three simple words that changed my day- i love you. oh, i could have cried! and if you know me you may be surprised to hear that i didn't break down right there in the preschool parking lot! i did however call logan right away to share my joy. i pray that you too can have that affect on someone by simply letting them know how much you care about them. maybe just a simple thank you to a veteran today. so my challenge to you is to share the love with someone today! it will more than likely bless you too. :)

the incredibles!

2008-11-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

isn't dress up fun? i think that is why kids, especially mine love halloween so much. of course there is the candy, but you have to dress up to get it! i even dressed up to a degree so that i could join in on the fun. i do admit that i was not too excited about halloween when the subject first came up, sometime in the summer. my girls are planners and were already discussing costumes in july. i was dreading yet another princess costume, while cute, a bit boring when that is what my daughter has chosen the last three years. i was so excited that my girls finally decide to moved on to a different genre of costume- superhero! who doesn't love a superhero? you can't go wrong with dual identity, spandex and a mask. it was settled, my girls would magically transform into not a lone ranger superhero such as superman, but a super family. after all no one else has your back like a family member. yes, i am now the mom of three superheros a.k.a the incredibles. there is no doubt that my girls will now answer to the names of violet, dash and jack-jack. i can see where your mind is now traveling, but the stop the train! NO, logan and i did not participate in dressing up as mr. incredible and elasti-girl- we know our limits and those of spandex!

we had a fun night at our church carnival which included grandparents, a cousin, a little trunk or treating, train rides, bounce houses, face painting, popcorn and sno-cones. it was a awesome night that i hope my incredibles will remember for a life time. i know that i will.

I'm going to Disneyland!

2008-11-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

I'm going to Disneyland! Isn't that what everyone says right after they have won a championship game like the Super Bowl or the World Series? Well, that is what we have been saying around our house lately, thanks to Payton and her sponsors. Before you start to think that my kid is in some sort of rehab-let me explain. Every year the school puts on the Fun Run which really means a good old fashion Jog-a-Thon. Each child gets monetary sponsors in hopes of raising funds for the school. Surprisingly enough Payton was the big money earner this year and won the Grand Prize- a trip to the Big D (translation: Disneyland). Of course we had mixed emotions about the whole thing with Daddy being the Principal and all. Kids can be mean when you're related to the Principal, especially when there is a prize at stake (I speak from experience). Anyway, we are pumped for our trip in the undecided future and are proud of Payton for getting her sponsors and running 35 laps! Thanks to all of you who made this possible!

busy, but blessed

2008-11-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

okay, so it has been awhile since i have posted anything and i must take a minute to do so even if i really need to be out the door right now! so much has been going on in the heyer home that it seems as if we had not a second to just relax and take a breath. logan is now in a master's program, which much to his dismay includes writing papers and homework. the girls have been busy with all of their activities such as karate and just the busyness of school and projects. tomorrow payton has her first oral report in front of the class. i am praying that she does not nervously giggle the entire time like she has been doing while practicing at home. i know she will do great! maybe i am the one who is really nervous- after all this is my first time to help prepare someone else for an oral report. this mom thing can be scary at times, not knowing if i am really helping her or holding her back from becoming the greatest orator of all time!

anyway, despite our crazy day to day lives i have been truly enjoying my kids and love the stage that we are in. i may not be saying that tomorrow or even an hour from now when someone is complaining or fighting over who gets to brush their teeth first or what color cup they each get for snack time. but that is when i will remember how rylie was pretending to be a dinosaur and started chasing her big sisters around the house, the good night kisses and declarations of their undying love for the best mom ever (maybe i should record that for future use) and all of the smiles that come in the quietness of reading a book together. if i could only bottle that up and keep it forever, i definitely would- maybe i just have! i hope that you will hold on to the little blessings that come up in your day too. well back to the real world of car line and pick up time.

stay tuned for halloween photos. trust me they are 'incredible'!

sisters, spas, shopping & starbucks

2008-10-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago I was blessed to go away for the weekend with my best friend, who just also happens to be my sister. I am not even sure of where to begin, we had so much fun. Heather lives in the So Cal area and we do not get to see each other as much as we would both like, but we talk on the phone all the time, which is nice. We decided a few months ago that we needed to start a yearly tradition where we get together for the weekend without husbands, kids or work and do something fun. Thus, Sister Weekend was started!

For our first ever Sister Weekend we decided to go to the Napa Valley and check out the spa scene. On Saturday we went to the Golden Haven Hot Springs Spa and Resort in Calistoga for our day of pampering and relaxation. We had massages, took a mud bath, went in the mineral jacuzzi and had a blanket wrap. This was a new thing for the both of us and I am so glad that I could experience it with Heather. I think that we just laughed our way through the mud bath. We also did a little shopping and became quite familiar with the Calistoga Library's bathroom- what a life saver!

In the end the weekend was fabulous! When else do I get to hang out with a close friend, go to the movies twice, eat ice cream for dinner, have late night pizza, stay up talking into the wee hours of the morning and get to sleep in- all in the same weekend? This was an adventure that I will never forget. I can't wait until next year! Love ya HJ.

Just About Us

2008-10-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

So I guess that I would be the logical choice for the Heyer Highlight of the week since I am next up in the birth order train. I know that you could technically just look at my profile to check me out, but I did think of a few more things to share that do not fit into any set categories. So without further ado, I introduce myself- Holly Anne.

All about Me:

Love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (which are currently baking-yum!)

Wheel of Fortune is my favorite show! I make the girls watch too- it's educational :) It is my hope to some day be a contestant and kick it with Pat and Vanna.

Orange is my favorite color

Love mafia movies (The family loyalty is awesome or brutal depending which side your on.)

I am a jeans and T-shirt girl

Favorite sport to play is softball, but enjoy watching football

Love photos! I even carry a camera in my purse- you never know when you will need it

I married my High School sweetheart

Jealous of my husband's truck (I miss my Tahoe)

Will soon be skydiving for my birthday (with my Dad!!)

Now that I think about it I may as well highlight Logan at the same time. After all he is my other half and we are a pair- of what I am not sure yet! So allow me to introduce the man of the family, my hubby- Logan.

All about Logan:

Enjoys hunting with his Dad and the girls

Wears lots of camo

Loves football (prefers college teams to the pros)

Is an awesome Dad! Those girls have him wrapped around their little fingers and he loves it

I think he secretly wishes he could sit on a John Deer mower and ride all day long

Passionate about his job and influencing kids for Christ

Big drinker- Pepsi and Kool Aid are his down fall

Not great at telling a joke, but has an awesome laugh

Loves to read

Is the best husband in the world!

Okay, so we are not too flashy, but hope you found out something you did not know before and that is what it is all about. Oh, by the way the photo is not too current, but one of my favorites- when we were young- those were the days.

Miss Payton

2008-10-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

For us parenting began when our precious Payton Anne entered the picture nearly 7 years ago. Time sure does fly. She is such a joy to us and I would love for you to get to know her a bit better. So this week our Heyer highlight is all about Payton.

All About Payton Anne:

Named after the football player Walter Payton- we think she deserves the nickname "Sweetness" too

Loves to sing and clap! (she can even remember songs from the radio that she has heard only once)

Her favorite day of school is Thursday- chapel day

She is not a morning person (thank the Lord for uniforms!)

Not a fan of homework (who really is?)

Likes cheese pizza with no cheese

Enjoys swimming and has gotten really good this past summer

Enjoys dress up and all things princess

She always has a plan

Payton is fun to be around. She always has a song on her lips that is truly a reflection of the joy in heart. It would be no suprise if she was leading worship at church or ended up in the music business one day. We can't believe how quickly she is growing up and changing daily. This year she is in First grade and will be 7 soon. We are so thankful that she is our girl and hope that you have enjoyed your sneak peek into the life of Payton.

Fall has fallen

2008-10-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it, Fall is here? That seems so strange to me. I thought that summer would somehow last forever and the girls would never go back to school, but it did eventually happen. I only recently noticed that Fall was here this weekend, crazy me. The weather has still been warm and where we live the seasons sometimes creep up on you. Okay, so I realize that I may be rambling on a bit, but I think that I am still in shock. However, at our house there are some tell tale signs that Fall has fallen.

If you know me at all you know that laundry is my nemesis. It sometimes erks me that we have an entire room for this chore that is not my friend. And what is the deal with the washing machine and dryer? They are a classic dynamic duo, however they are missing a partner in crime-the machine that folds and puts away the clothes! I have for too long been this partner and am not enjoying the job- I don't even have a fancy cape or anything, but if I did I would have to wash, dry and put it away! Will it ever end? No, probably not. All of this to say that Fall is here and he has shown his face in my laundry room. As seasons change so does our clothing. Socks, sweats and long pants have now entered this villainous cave of laundry land. Although these items only aid my nemesis in his evil plot to surround me with Tide they are not the enemy, but merely a reminder of all the fall fun to be had.

I am eager to bundle up against the brisk Fall air with hopes of watching a Friday night football game under the lights, jumping into a pile of leaves with my girls, taking a trip to the Pumpkin Patch or spending a Saturday afternoon in bed with a good book. So Fall I welcome you! Even if you bring little socks that will more than likely become lost in the dryer.

Miss Madison

2008-09-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

So here we are moving up in the ranks of birth order in the Heyer highlight of the week to our middle child- Madison. We love this crazy little lady and hope you will get to know her a bit better from the following.

All About Madison Paige:

Loves Mickey Mouse and does not go anywhere without him (she even asked her teacher if he could be in her school photo!)

Kicks booty in Tiny Tigers Karate class

She is a super fast runner

Enjoys going to Preschool and being a helper to her teacher

Makes the best silly faces

Loves the windows down and the wind in her face

Has the potential to be a Top Model- she has the moves and is not afraid to use them! (start praying for us now before the teen years hit)

Loves to make people laugh any way possible

She is our best sleeper and enjoys a good nap (that's my girl!)

What else can I say about our Madi, she is a spunky little firecracker with some serious personality. Life would not be the same without her around. She is the only four year old I know who can rock an outfit made up of a pink tye-dye skirt, Bears football jersey, camo vest and pink boots. We love her so much, hope you enjoyed a peek into the world of Madi.

Miss Rylie

2008-09-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I suppose that this whole blog thing is really meant to be about the girls, so I thought that I would highlight one at a time. Let's start with our youngest, Rylie Joy.

All about Rylie Joy:

Loves to climb on anything (including in the toilet, on the table or up the bunk bed ladder in record time)

Loves water, whether it be in a bath tub, swimming pool or toilet (is there a theme here?)

Loves to read books

Is a true artist and will color all day long on any surface with pen, crayon or marker

She's a lefty (Grandma's so proud!)

Loves shoes- all we hear is 'shoo shoo'

Can hold her own in a wrestling match with her sisters

Likes to eat cheese, but hates milk

Runs around with her hands flailing all over the place

Is a snuggler who gives lots of hugs and kisses

It is so fun to be able to stay at home with Rylie, she is awesome. Although she does not go to school we do go to MOPs (Mother's of PreSchoolers). This picture of her was taken on her first day of MOPs. She was so excited when I got out the camera and told her we were going to take her picture on the porch, just like the big girls did on their first days of school. She just kept saying "cheese, cheese, cheese" walking throughout the house on our way out front. She better get used to the photos because as many of you know I love to take them!

Family Fun Day

2008-09-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

The weekend is officially over and I am avoiding making Monday's lunches, still hoping that the night fairies will magically appear and everything will be ready for the morning. I must be dreaming! Maybe I am just tired from our fabulous family fun weekend.

In our attempts to salvage a bad vacation experience this summer Logan and I decided to try and do some day trips as a family. We were able to go to the San Francisco Zoo, which was really fun. Although, that was back in July and we had not been able to find a good day to take another outing. Our wait was finally over this weekend with, wait for it.... not one but two family events!!! Both a success with no blood, broken bones, major meltdowns or hospital visits of any kind. I even have the smiling photos to prove it (Logan too!).

Friday night was our first adventure- the A's game. Every year Logan's parents get tickets for the A's fireworks game and it is so fun to go, eat lots of junk and stay for an awesome fireworks show. The girls and I had been planning our menu for days leading up to the game. In the end we settled for a well rounded diet of hot dogs, soda, cotton candy, soft pretzels and malts. Throw in a few friends and it was a perfect night.

Event number two was a bit more low key, but still fun none the less. This morning (Sunday), after a day of recuperation and getting everyone ready for the early service at church, which is an event in itself, we headed off to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum and Animal Hospital in Walnut Creek. We had never been even though it is so close to home. The girls were able to see a mountain lion, eagles, hawks, falcons, tons of rodents and snakes. Not to mention all of the 'stuffed' animals too.

So in the end our weekend was a hit! Hopefully our next family outing will come sooner than later. For now it is back to reality of the week to come. So I think that I will sit a little longer eating my chocolate chips and give the fairies another half an hour to show up.

My Life in the Bathroom

2008-09-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

In the attempt to become a more organized Mom I have been reading a book called Absolutely Organized: A Mom's Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free Life by Debbie Lillard. Okay, so I have not mastered this book or even finished reading it yet! But none the less I am making progress. This all to say that I have been attempting to keep a schedule with all of my house work that I love so much :) Well, today was Tuesday, my day to clean the bathrooms and I started thinking about my relationship with this little room and what it has meant in my journey thus far as a Mom.

I believe that life as a Mom begins and will more than likely end in the bathroom. Let me explain a bit. Where a majority of women learn that they are pregnant revolves around the bathroom. You are either peeing on a stick or puking in the toilet- and so motherhood and your relationship with this little room begins. Further along in your pregnancy you frequent the bathroom more often than not and curse your doctor for all of the water you are required to drink. This is where the true 'potty training' begins. Before you even have children you now know where every bathroom in your city is located and which ones have the good toilet paper and seat covers. I am certain that you could go into any Target store and ask the mother of a toddler where the bathroom is and she would know!

The bathroom has not always been my close companion. I have cried over failed potty training attempts and thought that I would never see another room in the house again. Although, it never fails that I keep coming back :) Some days it is my quiet escape from crazy kids, a hiding place or a private office for important phone calls. I certainly have a long road ahead on this journey called motherhood and I am positive that I will spend many more hours in this tiny sanctuary called the bathroom. So for now I will settle for a clean toilet every Tuesday and remember to be thankful for the reason that I came to appreciate this special room in the first place-without the puke this time around!

Here it goes....

2008-09-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I guess that I have officially joined the world of blogs! I am not quite sure what this world will hold for me yet, but I am willing to jump in with both feet (or hands?) and start typing away. It is my hope that this will be a fun way to express the every day ups and downs of the Heyer family. So hold on tight because here we go.....