I can't say thank you enough!!

Utah had this massive snow storm come through the week of Christmas except we were up in Idaho which was also having record amounts of snow. I know for us it took Matt and his Dad about half a day to get their driveway cleared. The snow was about as tall as Maryn...in fact if you put her in the snow you would probably only be able to see her head if that. Pretty crazy! On our way home Saturday night we had no idea what to expect and as we got closer to Kearns it seemed like the snow was getting deeper and deeper. By the time we got to our subdivision I was already in my mind thinking that I need to go down to Walmart and get another shovel because there is NO WAY we are going to be able to drive in our driveway. We drove up our street and there are literally towers of snow everywhere. It's a sight to see. When we got to our house our driveway and walkway was magically cleared. I had an idea who did it and was so thankful that our neighbors thought of us while we were gone. I always wondered what it would feel like to live in a neighborhood where everyone watches out for each other and now I know. I can not say thank you enough for our neighbors who dug us out. I got choked up driving in...must be those darn hormones. I found out 2 of the guilty parties so far and will have to generously thank them.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

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Another One Bites The Dust

In college way back in the day my roomies and I had a paper on our fridge that was called "Another One Bites the Dust". Now let me explain...I think it snows like 9 out of the 12 months in a year in Rexburg so all of our names were on this list and if at anytime you slipped or fell when walking on campus or wherever you would keep a tally next to your name of your spills. For some reason people would still wear their Doc Martins in the snow and the soles would freeze and make them fall more. The shoes were great for Hooky Bobbing just not for walking in the snow. I always prided myself in not falling too many times. I think I only had 3 tally marks next to my name.

For some reason this memory flashed back to me as I was laying at the foot of my cement steps in front of my house watching stars dance around my head. I don't fall often but when I do I make sure it's really good. Matt and I were rushing in and out of the house switching to watch kids so I could do my calling stuff and I had three bags of Christmas presents for the girls on my left arm and cookie plates on my right and the third step down was covered in ice. I know someone on my street heard me yelp and down I went. I think I even saw my feet level with my head on the way down. I was laying on the cold sidewalk thinking OH NO I DIDN'T JUST break my arm and a million reasons flashed in my brain why this would be a bad thing. I yelled for Matt to come out and when he opened the door his initial reaction made me think he thought I staged it. Later I asked if he thought I was joking and he said yeah but then you weren't moving. I like to goof around but hello I'm writhing in pain down here...I felt like the boy who cried wolf! I finally really get hurt and he doesn't believe me. Kinda funny. Anyway...I think the presents were spread out everywhere and the truffles were saved by the Glad press and seal...they will forever have my business. Matt picked me up and dragged me back inside at this point I couldn't feel my arm, my fingers were swelling up and my elbow was hurting. I got right inside the door and while Matt was letting go of me everything started getting dim and I blacked out. He picked me up again and I told him I was going to throw up and I think at that point he started freaking out because Macey was screaming and I couldn't stand up for 2 seconds. Somehow I made it upstairs then went down again so Matt threw me on the bed...good thing he's a strong guy because I'm a big girl. How embrassing I couldn't control my body...Matt said I went into total shock but I don't remember hitting my head. So much for trying to do my calling...no good deed goes unpunished.

Thank you to Erika for taking Maryn and everything else so we could get my arm checked out. All the x-rays looked good so I just have my little arm in a sling to take the pressure off of it. I feel like a moron for wearing it but if I don't I get sharp pains that go up my arm if I try to grab things...just lovely. It's been interesting trying to pick up Macey. I'll be getting a call today from the Doc because I guess sometimes with elbows you can get a hairline fracture that only the radiologist people can pick out but I'm feeling a lot better this morning so I don't think I'm too worried. Matt and I were talking last night and he said maybe this is God's way of telling you to slow down. I'll have a nice little rest up at Mom and Dad Murdocks this week and will be able to take it easy but it's so hard to slow down when you have so much to do. I guess I won't be skiing this Friday and MAN this post took forever to write with one hand.

Stocking Stuffer

How would you like this for your stocking stuffer? Look what Santa brought me! I made this for my brother and couldn't resist stuffing Macey in it. She didn't seem to mind.

NOTE TO CHRISTINA: This is a half of Donnie's Christmas present so don't let him see the blog until you get your package.

Look Mom I'm an Elf!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Husband Tag

I think I'll take stab at this...my friends April and Krista had these open to anyone who wanted to on their blog. If Matt will ever read my blog he'll know how much I love him!

WHAT IS YOUR HUSBAND'S NAME? Matthew Ross Murdock

HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN MARRIED? 7 years in March

HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? 1 year and 2 months then we were engaged for 2 months.

HOW OLD IS HE? 30 he's no spring chicken anymore

WHO IS TALLER? Matty is..thank goodness!!! He's one tall drink of water

WHO CAN SING BEST? Believe it or not my husband has a gorgeous voice but he doesn't think so...I'm still working on him and I singing a duet together

WHO IS SMARTER? Matt 100%...he's like MacGyver...he can make a bomb out of Bisquick...ask me sometime how he hot wired Macey's bouncer.

WHO DOES LAUNDRY? I choose to do it...he will but I'll politely take over

WHO PAYS BILLS? I don't think Matt even remembers how to write out a check

WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED? Matt does because it's the furthest away from the door so he can get enough rest during the night

WHO COOKS DINNER? I do and love it but he's started cooking breakfast on the weekends which I'm starting to love...can we say new tradition in the Murdock household

WHO MOWS THE LAWN? Matt...I guess I don't have an excuse this year to not mow it since I'm not pregnant

WHO'S THE FIRST TO ADMIT THEY ARE WRONG? This is a tricky one...I think more Matt than me but both of us it's hard to admit we're wrong because we're both hard headed

WHO KISSED WHO FIRST? This is in debate...gonna have to replay this one back in heaven to see who was right...come to think of it I don't really remember our first kiss

WHO WEARS THE PANTS? I let Matt gladly where them but we're always on the same page when it comes to rules, family, discipline!

I tag anyone who would like to feature their hubby!

My baby is part Husky

There are always little things about our babies bodies that we notice. Some have birthmarks, some may have extra toes, maybe web feet. Baby Macey is part Husky Dog.

The other day Matt was looking at Macey's eyes and noticed Macey had different color eyes. On the right it's brown with about 1/8th of an inch of it blue and on the left eye it's grayish/bluish/green like Maryn's. It's the craziest thing. She still has a few months yet until her eyes are set but it looks cool. She's still my cute baby...but now she's extra unique.

Christmas Hawaiian Style

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Mommy Learning Curve

Yesterday night I was trying hard to get everything cleaned up from dinner and I was so focused on that task I almost hurt Maryn's feelings. I was clearing the table off and putting things in the fridge and I put the jelly on the counter so I could shift stuff around. Maryn thought it would be funny to grab the jelly and take off running when I tried to grab the jar to put it back in. Funny to her, annoying to me. She ran around the table and I asked her to come back and give me the glass jar. Second time, Maryn give me the jelly I don't need you breaking glass on the floor. Steam coming out of my head and I raised my voice Maryn bring me back the jelly! So, I preceded to act like a 2 year old and run around the table one way trying to catch her than around the other way then whining like a 2 year old to Matt saying Maryn won't give me back the jelly DO SOMETHING!

Matt just looked at me and said, "Honey, she's 3, everything is a game to her." DING DING DING...why on earth did that not click before. Under my breath I mumbled but I don't feel like playing right now. So I finally gave in and I moved the chairs and told Maryn that I was gonna get her. She kept dashing back and forth behind the table and I moved the chairs to jump and slide across the table (this was kinda fun actually) and corner her. I was surprised when I finally caught up with her she surrendered...she was giggling and happy, I was happy! WHAT A CONCEPT!! I find that when I want things to go my way I end up hurting Maryn's feelings so I need to be a little bit more understanding of what she might be thinking...and I just need to lighten up. Life's too short. Thank you Matt for that little teaching moment.

My Girls!

My camera still stinks but here are a few shots that I tried to get. I really got to put some pressure on Matt for a new camera! I guess I'm just waiting for approval to get it so I don't feel guilty spending the money...hee hee.

Drama Queen

So I admit I'm not the best mother but I have been trying REALLY REALLY hard to keep my cool when Maryn has her breakdowns/tantrums/defiant rants and so on and so on. The other day I had about enough. She was trying to guilt me into letting her in my room while Matt was sleeping. Her whining turned into screaming so she got sent to her room. Once she's started on this path everything is tragic and her whole world caves in on her. She was upstairs hitting the wall and crying because I wouldn't give in. THAT'S IT NO MORE MRS. NICE MOM! I went running upstairs and in my mind I was yelling but I forced myself to tell her knock it off sternly. She started fake crying and the rest of the conversation/interaction went like this:

Mom: Oh that is so fake!

Maryn: (fake crying)

Mom: Are you done yet?

Maryn: (More fake crying then all of a sudden this little tear emerges)

Mom: Did you just squeak out a tear?

Maryn: (Huge smile comes over her face with a few giggles then returning back to her fake cry and frowny face and another tear pops out of the other eye)

Mom: Oh man you squeaked out another tear on the other side

Maryn: (Hysterical laughter trying to being masked by a forced frowny face)

Where on earth did she learn how to fake cry on demand???

At least the situation was diffused. Who knew humor would stop her tantrum and distract her enough to get her mind on something else to obsess about. I'll have to keep this humor tactic in the back of my Mommy brain for future use.

Funny Review

During my morning feeding with Macey I've noticed that I've been drawn to infomercials. One of them really caught my interest. I am a scrapbooker and ended up switching to digital for a lot of reasons but still enjoy sitting down and creating a page by my own hands. One of the infomercials was for this Cricut Expressions machine. This kinda peaked my interest to going back to paper scrapbooking. It can also cut fabric and the vinyl lettering. This is any crafters dream! The only draw back is they are about $500. The most reasonable price I've been able to find is about $250. Anyway...I was reading the reviews to see what people thought about their machines and I came across the funniest review that was written by a husband that bought it for his wife.

Great Device, creates free time., August 29, 2008
By
J. Culp - See all my reviews Bought my wife the Cricut Expressions machine and several cartridges. Suddenly I have lots of free time! She's practically tied to the machine cutting out every which and whatever she can and I've finally caught up on my DVR'd TV programs. I highly recommend the product for all husbands that want to have more time for themselves.

I thought this review was hilarious! This put a smile on my face today! Don't we wish all husbands viewed are crafting addictions this way.