a wonderful Christmastime...

Wow! My blogging day Sunday and then Monday passed me by! I guess it is good because now I am officially done buying for C-mas and have half of it wrapped. (About 12 presents each puts me still about 50 more to go - oh no! why did I just figure that out?) Last week was great because we rented my home to a darling family. So that was what we were doing last week is getting that house ready instead of getting Christmas ready! Luckily we were almost done.

Riley's best friend Matt (yes another Matt we love) came home from his mission on Friday and it was SO good to see him. They really do come back!! And it is a weird time warp. The longest year and a half of my life just seemed like it flew by!

Saturday I made green eggs and ham just to see if they would eat it! Everyone but Rachelle would! I thought it looked Christmassy!! I don't think that's a word...
Sunday we made gingerbread men at the Lyons home. How come I never thought of that - I have always done gingerbread houses and they take way longer and you have to help the kids!! New tradition!
Monday was our Adamson party and that was nice. We're getting all 4 of our family parties in!

Our last party is the Lyons family here on Wednesday. Then we'll have our own little (haha) family for Christmas Eve. Can't wait...


Song- Wonderful Christmastime- Paul McCartney

shopping like crazy...

Matt and I have a goal to be done shopping soon so each day we went to the gym and then shopped all day. It feels so good to get it done sooner than usual for me. I have done it on Christmas Eve lots of years and that's not so fun!
I have thought about last year and how nice it was to have a sweet friend who I had never met at the time and her accounting firm do a Sub for Santa Christmas for our family. At the time I could have afforded to do it, but emotionally couldn't. I'm so thankful for them and it taught me some things I could have never learned unless I was in that situation. I have been on the service receiving end a lot and don't know how to ever pay that back. I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers through people.
This week the younger kids were all grounded from friends because they were bad for Madie and Jeremy when they tended. So we have had a week without friends and tried to do more on the homework side. Sometimes I wonder why I am grounding myself? haha! Amy and Nate have had to babysit a lot while we were gone shopping and Amy asked if we could adopt a babysitter :) We asked the 3 little girls after they were naughty one night to think while they were going to sleep of 2 things they personally could do to make our family better. When Melissa woke up she ran up to Matt and said, "I have thought of 2-- lovingness and kindness." Then Jessie heard her and said the same thing and Rachelle said obey parents and don't lie. That was so funny I broke up laughing cuz that's not exactly what we meant! Rachelle was close but oh well- it made for a good laugh.
Oh my gosh we were thinking we should have moved to San Diego instead of Sandy when we left in the morning for the gym and it was 6 degrees a few days this week! burr!
Friday night for our date night Matt and I saw the movie, "Blind Side" and loved that. I love movies that when you leave you want to be better. Very inspiring. Also it helped me remember that every person is so important and can do good. I need to help my kids become all they can be. That's my goal right now. I need to start the "catch 'em doing something good" again. I haven't done that with this family yet.
Saturday we had our ward party breakfast and that was fun with Santa, but I felt like we snuck into some ward party because we didn't know hardly anyone. Everyone is so friendly but I feel like I'm in another state or something. Maybe a different life!! After we took all of the kids to,"the Christmas Carol" at Hale Theatre and we loved that. It was a little over the heads of the little ones. Jessie asked me what was going on and I told her the guy- scrooge was there, but nobody could see him. And he was in the future. Wow I guess that is weird to comprehend but they loved it. Tonight we had the Hansen party at our home with my parents and siblings and their families. I love being with them. They are all so easy going and fun. We played the name game after dinner.Instead of where's Waldo it was Where's Nate?
I was teary a lot this week. I just look around at how blessed I am and start to cry. What a difference a year makes. I wish in some way I would have known how happy my kids and I would be and I could have relaxed and enjoyed my life as it was. But my world had been turned completely upside down - like one of those snowy figurines we have at this time of year that you turn upside down and then back up and it snows on the people! BUT... I had no idea I would find the love of my life just around the corner. It makes such a difference to have Matt. I see him in new situations and love to sit back and smile or cry! It's not fun all the time - everyone knows that, but having Matt in my life makes things so much better. Sometimes I wish I could go back in life and love better and more in so many situations, but I can't. I'm glad I learned that now. I don't want to live with regrets, so love more.
It's nice at this time of year with so many material things around to stop and think about the true meaning of Christmas. I wish for peace. My favorite word- PEACE. I love that feeling in my heart this year- there's no thud in it. I 'm not sure if that makes sense but that's the only way to describe what my heart felt for a long time. I pray for peace and I am so grateful for my Savior and what He did for me and everyone. WOW talk about not ever making up for what people do for me!!
I do have a grown up Christmas list this year... no more lives torn apart, wars would never start, time would heal our hearts, everyone would have a friend, right would always win, and love would never end.

Song- Kelly Clarkson, Grown up Chrismas List

Jeremy's Birthday

Tuesday was Jeremy's birthday and I can't believe he is 15. He can't even belive it so that makes me feel better! He's a great kid that helps me a lot. He is an awesome cook and is a big help to me in the kitchen. It was fun to have Natalie come up for his birthday from BYU. I realize how much I miss her when she's here- she is great in the kitchen too and also with the little kids. For Jer's b-day we went bowling since he loves that and then went home for a dinner he picked out - Stroganoff. I love you Jeremy! Finally Matt and I dared bring out all of the Christmas stuff that each of us have and it was so funny- like 25 boxes! It took us days to go through all of it and make piles of don't want, save in kids memory boxes, set out, and things like both sets of Christmas China -- maybe later :) It looks pretty festive at our house now and the kids love it.
I thought in the years before that it was hard to fit everything in with the holidays -having my family and then 2 extended families. Well this year we get to have our family and 4 other families to do things with. We are having to become more creative- that's all!! I'm blessed to have the 4 extended families we have - they are all incredible and have helped us feel welcome in this different situation. So this weekend we practiced doing things with 3 of our 4 extended families...
Friday night Matt and I took our parents out to dinner for our Christmas present to them. They say they don't need anything - just like to have time with us. That's so nice. We really loved being with all 4 of them and know we have the neatest parents ever. I told Matt's parents they really did a great job raising Matt- on Thursday I was gone all day running errands and got home at 6 pm and Matt had all the kids sitting there and was serving them dinner. I stood there in shock and thought, " I am the luckiest girl EVER!!" I started to help him and he told me to get out of the kitchen - it was his turn. And it was salmon and he made a dipping sauce and everything. Ya, WOW!
Saturday our family went with Amanda's extended family to dinner and then to Temple Square. It is so nice to be with them. I know for them this situation is a little hard, but they are so accepting and are all so sweet to me. Then we had them over for breakfast on Sunday morning and that was a fun crowd. Our 3 sets of twins...

I'm preparing for the best Christmas I've ever had! Matt is so great, I think I've been a scrooge in years past! But after letting him put Christmas music on each day I am loving it!! It has always been a pretty stressful time for me, but now I'm realizing I really do love Christmas and want this time to just SLOW down so I can enjoy it! Rachelle took this picture... haha What a gift I have been given!

song: The Gift, Collin Ray

Thanksgiving

With some amazing luck, Matt and I got everything out of his home and have renters in it! That was a LONG process and I'm not sure what we're going to do with all of our time now! Oh ya, Jeremy's birthday is tomorrow and Christmas is just around the corner- dang, no rest for the weary!
Matt and I took 2 cars to St. George on Wednesday - ya, we don't fit in one when we all go! I loved having just our kids for the holiday except we really missed Natalie and Riley. Matt and I each got a sweet text from Riley that morning telling us he's grateful for us and it made me cry and miss him. The weather was nice and we spent time swimming and at the park and then ate our turkey dinner. I loved hearing what each of the kids are grateful for at our dinner- Amy said clothes of course, Melissa- school, Jessie- our homes, Nate- gospel, , Madie- talents, Jeremy- our new family and having a father figure- Matt, Rachelle-friends, Matt said being together as one happy family, I said Matt- surprise! Natalie called and talked to each of us and that was really cute. She was in Vernal with her boyfriend.

Friday it was off to Vegas for a soccer tournament . Madie and Nate played 2 games each day. They did great and it was fun to watch them. The other kids were good sports to spend their holiday weekend at the fields. The weather was in the 50's so it was warmer than home, but we still had to bundle up. Actually I was freezing! The kids were ok cuz they were running around! I should have jogged around the field since I missed my gym time - geez! What was I thinking? I had a whole turkey dinner to burn off! Red Rock is a really fun hotel and we spent time at the food court (I know eating, eating) and the bowling alley. Sunday Madie had her play off game so we didn't leave until 4 pm and headed back to St. George for dinner and clean-up. Home at midnight. Wow a great weekend!
We all slowly rolled out of bed this morning and are ready for the next week ahead. We don't know what's in front of us- but there's never a dull moment :) All I know is I have to hit the gym hard - too much good food for me lately!!

song- Rascal Flatts, Here

Top 10 things I'm grateful for in 2009

10. I love this time of year when you can sit back and think about all you have been blessed with. I realize that some people believe I have been dealt a pretty tough hand, but I think that I am the lucky one who has been able to experience a different part of life. To have a spouse die made me realize every day how special family is and how much you depend on them and not to take this for granted. Really I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but I’m grateful for the experience. Of course there are things that I wish I hadn’t done and things that I wish I had done more of, but I have learned some great lessons. I wouldn’t give that up for anything.

9. In January I went to California with my parents and my 3 little girls. It was neat to spend time with my parents and catch up with what was happening in life. They are so good to me. Then throughout this whole year they came to our home to help me with the house and kids each week. I couldn’t have made it through the year without them and their unbelievable support. I was definitely born of goodly parents.

8. Friends. I have amazing friends! It is really interesting to me when tragedy strikes how some people come to your rescue and are there through thick and thin and how some people can’t handle it and back off. I don’t blame them for stepping out because I don’t even know how to deal with this crazy life I have! But I am so grateful for Anjee who would call me each and every day to make sure I was surviving. Really- she never missed one day from the day Jay died until the day I got married!! She has heard the craziest stories and helped me laugh and cry through all of this. She thinks we should write a book about our life – nobody would believe it is a true story. She gave me a picture I have in my bathroom that I look at each day that says, “And they lived happily ever after”. Thanks for helping me get through the hardest and best year of my life, Anj! And also thanks to the many other wonderful friends that have lifted me and been there for me with texts and phone calls at just the right time.

7. I’m grateful for the opportunity for me to work out. I have found the thing I love to do! I love to take an hour each day just for me and take care of my body. I’m grateful for the knowledge that I have arthritis and have learned what I need to do to manage it. I have made some incredible friends at the gym and they have been one of the biggest support networks that I have. Laura’s positive attitude helps me every day. I love that girl!!

6. I’m grateful for the gospel. I have learned things this year that I never thought about before. It’s funny how experience makes you think and question and I think that’s good. The past couple of years have made me really wonder about eternity. Some things I won’t know the answer to until I get to the other side and that’s ok. But it is nice to talk about questions I have with different people. I have become less judgmental and am grateful for GOOD people no matter what religion they are. I’m grateful for my Savior and my Heavenly Father. This year I have had the biggest blessings I have ever had. I am really being watched over. I’m so grateful for personal revelation. I have heard phrases that have meant everything to me like, “turn and run!”, “Stand up and live” and “plucked out of the jaws of the adversary.” I am a rough stone being polished. All of these experiences I get to take with me. My favorite word has always been PEACE and this year I have found it.

5. I’m so grateful for my kids. All 9 of them! They all are so amazing and resilient. They have taken hard things and made them good. They have had to mesh with new people and are so positive and happy. They have seemed to love this new change which is a great change this time. Of course we have kids fighting, pouting and all of that like every family, but it feels like a real family this way!! All of them are respectful of their “new” parents. We have become a new team. I’m so proud of each of them and they have shown me that they can make lemonade out of lemons.

4. This year I was able to do something I have wanted to do my whole life – go on a Humanitarian Mission. I’m so glad that Natalie came with me. She is so amazing and picked this as her Senior Trip. I loved having 10 days to have some alone time with her. We worked 16 hour days in Guatemala doing dental work for missionaries. We slept little but had the best time. It made me realize again how blessed I am to have food, shelter, a bed and pillow, opportunity to go to school, neighbors, family, church and we don’t have anything without God. I loved being with such humble people who were truly grateful for the little that they had. Natalie and I came home different people and feel so blessed.

3. Riley. I am so grateful for his example. He has turned into a man. He has been so positive and has faced what no 19 year old boy should have to face, but amazingly stepped up to the plate. He loves serving the Lord. I’m sure he will come back a new, different Riley that we adore even more! I look up to my Riley. I am so grateful that I could go to Sweden this year to have Riley meet Matt. We had the time of our lives and were able to spend some precious time with Riley in the country he loves.

2. Matt. Oh, my sweet Matt! I couldn’t be more grateful for anything more in my life. He is my best friend and makes me smile! He is the best listener and has been there for me in some really tough times and some wonderful times. He didn’t judge me, he loved me. I’m so blessed that he has been thorough a similar situation as I have and it makes our bond unbreakable. My heart went to Matt and that’s where it is going to stay. 090909 was the best day of my life so far. I am so honored to be Matt’s wife. I’m so lucky, blessed, grateful!

1. I am so grateful for LIFE! I am grateful each day to wake up and realize that life is good. What an incredible experience I'm having! I want to go to bed each night thinking that maybe I have helped someone along the way. I'm just like anyone else that feels somedays like I'm living the same old routine with dishes, cleaning, carpooling, etc, but am grateful that I get to. It's funny how when I'm sick I'd love to get up and clean the shower, so I have to remember that on all those other days when I feel great!haha. I want to live my life with no regrets. I hope I can be an example to someone. I want to live up to my potential. I live my life thankful for each breath I get to take.
Song- I am blessed, Martina McBride.

ahh...content

What cracks me up is when Matt's friend saw this picture he asked if it was Matt's Halloween costume! I guess Matt's just not that into being a fix-it man. But he's doing it!!
I have never felt content in my life until now. It feels so good. This is the way my life was supposed to be.

I'm amazed when I look back over my life how things turn out how they are supposed to be. I remember almost 8 years ago when I felt like there was an angel sitting on my shoulder every day and led me to adopting Melissa. I know Melissa was supposed to be in our family and I think I'll find out why as I watch her live. She is a blessing in my life I could have never experienced without some guidance from above. So many times I thought I was happy and extremely buried with the 5 kids I had and my business and the rest of my life, but for some reason she was sent to us. I love her energy and knowing that she was my friend before we came to this earth. This has been shown to me and it makes me know that we lived somewhere else before we came to this earth.

It's funny how experience is the only way to know things and sometimes those situations are hard, but special. The day after Jay went hiking and his brothers had found his car, but it was too dark to search, I couldn't sleep at night - well of course I couldn't sleep!! Finally after talking to friends and family I went to my room alone again to try to sleep. About 2 in the morning I finally got down on my knees and begged my Heavenly Father to please help me get just an hour of sleep so I could function the next day. It was so amazing, I felt so many angels fill my room. I said thank you and asked them to stay for a little while and watch over us so I could rest. I rolled into my bed and before I fell asleep I heard Jay's voice. He said, "I'm ok Marc, Marc-- I'm ok." I started sobbing because I knew he was gone. This I know for sure that there is life after we die here. I slept 2 hours and felt as good as possible for the next day. There have been many times since that I have felt Jay and it is so peaceful. I know he is ok and I know he can still watch over us. He still has a parental right over his children and I know that these kids are special. My life has made some dramatic turns in the past year, one being choosing the right man to be their father figure. It feels so good to know that I am being guided, at least for major things, in my life.

The past year I know I was supposed to find Matt. When I met him the first few times I felt something special, but I thought it was because we were both in the same situation. And maybe it was just that, but I think it was more. He has filled a part of me that has never been filled. It's almost scary to love someone this much! One of my favorite things about Matt is that once in a while he just stops everything to tell me he loves me. Yes, even on the road he will pull over, stop and look me in the eyes and say, "I LOVE you, Marcie. You are everything to me. I am 100% committed to this relationship!" Oh my gosh he just melts my heart. We fight over who loves more.

I'm so grateful for Matt and what he has shown me in life. I love that I am still learning - I feel like I am old and should know a lot, but I am still learning every day. I love being genuinely happy! I love that a heart can be filled with so many people if you let them in. I love that I can love again and it has all these new wonderful dimensions. I am thankful for my life experiences, both fun and painful ones, and what I know to be true. I am grateful for this new thing I have learned the past 6 months - ahhh ...I can be content.

song- better together, jack johnson

Lyons Family Reunion

Well the week didn't start off very well with Jessie staying home from school on Monday with the swine flu. She had been a little sick since Friday but then it got bad on Monday and she ended up missing this whole week of school. Tuesday night was scary when she wouldn't even respond to us, so Matt slept in her room. He's a sweet dad and when he seemed so sad on Monday I asked him to please tell me what was going on and he said it brought back a lot of hard memories from when Amanda was sick. He told me stories I had never heard of from their year and a half of heartache. I decided watching your spouse suffer for that long is worse than not getting to say goodbye. I have no idea what that's like to worry all night if your spouse will be alive the next morning so you don't dare fall asleep. I have only had Melissa at Primary Childrens hospital for one night and I thought that was the worst thing ever- I can't believe what the Lyons family went through.
Rachelle got it on Tuesday night and was home the rest of the week and kept Jessie company. Matt and I were wondering what we were in for! But luckily I don't think any of the others have it...yet. Melissa has faked it every day since Wednesday but I don't think she really is coughing from being sick. Matt and I felt out of energy all week but we survived and luckily tonight they all feel well. Crossing our fingers we're done with the swine flu at the Lyons residence!!
So the Lyons family reunion didn't go quite like we had hoped, but you know what... nothing goes like we plan and we're used to it! haha Monday all the kids came straight home from school like we had told them to and later we cleaned all the floors on the main level. Since we have so many it didn't take that long. I had 4 girls hand wash the entry and kitchen tile and wood. It was funny because Madie was on her hands and knees mopping and said, " I feel like Cinderella!" Matt said I must be the wicked step mother! Luckily they all laughed and it only took them about 20 minutes. That night for family night we talked about respect-- people, property, rules, etc. I don't know if you can see in this picture but I'm holding Melissa's mouth because she talks so much, so I was helping her to just listen! Tuesday we cleaned all the windows and the main level- the bishopric came over to see us that night. Wednesday was Parent/Teacher conference and that was crazy! Matt came with me and it was so nice to have him- I've never had anyone come to a PTC with me! It was so fun to look across the table and see him there- it was one of those sweet "wow" moments. We had to split up for some of them since they ran over and felt like we were running all over the school. After hearing all 5 of the reports we decided we love Rachelle, oh I mean we need to have lots of reading time and flash cards and less play! Matt and I had planned on going to Provo to spend some time with Natalie, but were stuck home all week so we hope to do it this coming week. I miss my Nati! She is my sweet spunky thing that I could never get enough of and so we miss her like crazy!
Friday was date night - my favorite hours of the week and we went out to dinner with friends. I had one of those teary moments again as I watched Matt talk about Riley on his mission and how we went to see him in Sweden. I love how Matt loves my kids. I can't belive how blessed I am. Also it's so good to go with friends when you leave thinking we are not the only parents out there with a lot of kids and craziness and who puts everything into their family.
Saturday we all cleaned our rooms and bathrooms and then went bowling. I loved it! I shouldn't have bet Matt that I could beat him since he doubled my score and I had a really good game!! I didn't know he'd get 5 strikes in a row!! He's good at everything! I was telling the kids that when I was in high school we had recognition night at church where you bring your trophees and stuff and tell what you have done in the past year, so I went to the DI and bought a huge bowling trophee. It was funny and some people even believed me until our next activity was bowling and I scored like a 27! oops..Busted! Today was Sunday. Is this a day of rest? Well it ended fun cuz we had family movie night and watched "church ball".
Matt and I decided that we are going to do the reunion thing again this week since we didn't get to do it like we wanted last week. Sometimes we wonder if they are getting anything we are saying? We feel like the parents on Charlie Brown and all the kids are hearing is "wah wah wahwah"!

Song: Lucky by Jason Mraz