We made it!

Yay!! My kids aren't orphans! I always get nervous when Otto and I fly on an airplane together without the kids because if anything were to ever go wrong then Otto and I would both be gone and our kids would be orphaned. I am always so relieved when we land because it means that my kids still have parents.
We are currently in Orlando! It was 24 degrees when we landed, and everything started so smoothly and efficiently. I am so glad that I inherited the planning gene from my mother because it sure saved us a lot of time today. We didn't have to wait in any lines at the airport, in customs, in the car rental or at Downtown Disney.
Otto and I spent the evening shopping, eating at a restaurant that I have always wanted to try, and just hanging out together! We have never had a vacation with just the two of us, and so we have been having some fun just being together.
Another thing that I learned from my mother is that when we are on trips, we have always written in our jounals every day. So, even though my posts have been scarce in the past, I have a feeling that for the next week, or so, there will be almost daily posts because I want to have a record of this trip. I want to remember the fun things that Otto and I are experiencing together and I want to hopefully remember how much fun we are having.
You don't have to read these posts, but I have given my children my blog address so that they can read my posts before bed and know what Otto and I are doing every day. I miss those kids so much already, but I am kind of glad that we didn't bring them this time, because Otto and I have already been figuring out ways that we could make it even more fun for the kids when we bring them here.
Tomorrow we are visiting the Kennedy Space Center and we have tickets to the Pirates Dinner Adventure. It should be fun! I sure can't wait!

What is the opposite?

Have you ever heard the saying, "The calm before the storm"? I have been wondering, lately, what the opposite of that is? It seems that ever since I have been planning this trip to Disney World, I have been CRAZY busy! This week has been insane! And, through all of this, I still have to find time to spotlessly clean my house. . . . I kind of wonder how that is going to get done? I feel a bit sorry for my Mother-in-Law because my house may just end up being Otto/kids clean, and not Megan clean (you ladies know what I am talking about :))
I am excited to be hosting Suzanne and Brooklynn's baby shower tonight, and tomorrow I am excited to hang out with our friends and their kids. . . although we are having a BBQ and I think that Otto might turn into an Otto popsicle while he is working the grill! On Saturday, the busiest day of all, I am performing in a Stake Relief Society conference in the morning, followed by Abby's birthday party and finishing the day off with a fun-filled evening at a wedding reception.
Sunday. . . well. . . some would say it is the day of rest. . . but being in the Primary Presidency, it rarely is! I am hoping to get packed on Sunday as we do leave at 5 am on Monday morning. . . . so I may have to pull an all nighter!
So, if anyone can think of a saying that would apply to this whirlwind of a week before I leave to go to Orlando, please share your wisdom!!!

My little Hannah Montana

I haven't written in awhile because it has been a madhouse over here. I mean, when ISN'T it a madhouse right?
Yesterday was Abby's birthday. She is now 9 years old. I know! I can't believe it either! We had a joint birthday celebration and baby blessing with my brother's little baby Brooklynn yesterday. Seeing little Brooklynn reminded me of how quickly time has flown by. It seems like yesterday when we were holding our first beautiful daughter in our arms. It seems like yesterday when I was so nervous and scared when I couldn't feed her. I remember how terrible and like a failure I felt when I knew that my baby was starving and I couldn't feed her. I went through so much to try and breastfeed her, but at the age of 1 month, she weighed less than she did when she was born. Thank goodness for mothers, because mine finally stepped in and convinced me to give Abby a bottle. That bottle was a miracle sent straight from heaven! All of a sudden Abby became happy and content. She slept better, and she all of a sudden started gaining weight. My mom was my rock and I clung to her for guidance and help.
I remember how poor we were. Otto was in school and we both worked some part time jobs to make ends meet. We were so happy though. We loved our sweet baby and we couldn't get enough of her! As soon as I had Abby I knew that we were supposed to have another baby right away. I looked at Otto right after she was born and I told him that I could do that again. He was quite shocked, but 3 months later we were excited to be pregnant with our little Anne.
Abby has been such a blessing in my life. When I watch her, I feel as though I am looking into my past. I see a little girl who is pretty much exactly like I was as a kid. She thinks that life is a musical. She LOVES to play her cello and she loves basketball. She is a tom boy and has lots of friends who are boys as well as girls. Abby is very giving and always wants to help out. She loves babies and she loves to be in charge. I know that sometimes I take advantage of this, and so that is why I make sure that I do special things for her that I don't do for the other children.
For instance, Abby is the BIGGEST Hannah Montana fan. I have always felt guilty that I was never able to give my children a "nursary" and paint their walls and decorate their rooms because I didn't own the places that we lived in, and Otto and I just didn't have the cash to do it. Well, now we DO own our house and so I decided to give Abby the room of her dreams! The pictures above are of Abby's room. She LOVED it!!! She thought that she was in Hannah Montana heaven. I was worried what the other kids would think, but they were all so excited to help me put the decals on the walls and help me paint and make Abby's bed. I had sent Abby over to spend the weekend with my grandparents so that this would be a surprise and it really was! I am so glad that Abby enjoyed this gift that I did to her. I sure love my Abby and I think that every family needs an Abby of their own.
Now. . . two more weeks and it is my birthday. . . we leave on Monday for Disney World. It will be a blast! No kids, just my hubby and I and tons of fun in the sun!!! And the best part is that my mom and two of my sisters will be in Orlando at the same time so we are going to spend my birthday together at Epcot Center! My most favorite place on earth!!!

She's Here!

Yesterday morning, my sister-in-law had her beautiful baby girl. I am so excited and relieved that everything went well and that little Brooklynn is here. I hate that I can't see her until she goes home from the hospital, but I am excited to meet the sweet little one. I have to be honest though, I am also a bit scared of how I will react when I see her. I love Jay and Suzanne and I couldn't be more happy for them. I am excited that they have this beautiful baby and that their family is starting to grow. I am excited to have my first niece (I have 10 nephews) and play with her.
However, I have a hard time seeing baby girls ever since I had Robin. I am worried that it will be hard for me to see the two of them with this baby and not think about her, especially since her birthday is in May and that is coming up. One of the reasons that Otto and I are going out of town is to give me something to look forward to because I really do dread May and I especially have a hard time on Mother's Day and on the 15th when Robin was actually born. I just miss her so much sometimes, but I seem to be pretty good at just keeping myself busy so I don't have time to sit and think about her.
I know that Suzanne reads this blog, and I want her to know that I AM sooooo excited to come and meet Brooklynn. I can't wait to hold her and kiss her and tell her how excited I am to have my sweet little niece! I am so excited that my daughters finally have a girl cousin. I am so excited that Jason and Suzanne get to experience the joy/pain/excitement/exhaustion of parenthood and everything that comes with it. However, if for just a moment I go quiet, it will be because I just wish that my little girl was here to be a playmate for Brooklynn and I look forward to holding my sweet little angel in my arms again.
So, Congratulations Jay and Suzanne!!! I can't wait to come over and meet her!

Reminder

This Easter weekend, my cousin came into town and we had a chance to spend most of Saturday together. I had a blast. We went to a great restaurant for brunch and then we went shopping. I mean, can it get any better than that? We capped off our day at my Grandma Lee's house where we visited with our Grandma Lee for a little while. Then we went our seperate ways as she went out for dinner with her parents and I took my girlies to go see Monsters vs. Aliens (you HAVE to see this movie! I haven't laughed out loud at an animated movie in a long time. . . FABULOUS!!!).
Hanging out with Michelle and talking all day about relationships, really reminded me how much I love my Big Guy. I felt so nostalgic when we would talk about things that she is going through and it reminded me of what I went through when Otto and I were dating. I could remember the butterflies in my stomach when we would hold hands. I remember the heartache I felt when Otto told me that he wanted to date someone else. I remember the spiritual closeness I felt to my Heavenly Father when I spent an entire evening on my knees in prayer for comfort. It still amazes me what I had to go through, spiritually, at that time. I still can't believe that I was lucky enough to find my Big Guy when I was 19 and marry him.
We defied the statistics, and we have been through so much. But we are still best friends and we are still together and happy. It took us awhile to be completely comfortable with our roles in our marriage because we are a team. We do things together that a lot of spouses conquer seperately. Otto is so hands on with the kids that it lets me have a bit of freedom. People often ask me how I do it with 5 kids. And my reply is always that I have a wonderful hubby. I never complain about what kind of Daddy he is because I personally believe that he should win Father of the Year, every year. I think that my children are very fortunate to have Otto as their daddy and they just don't know how lucky they are.
So, thanks Michelle, for hanging out with me on Saturday. I had a blast! And, thanks for the reminder. I think that its good to get a little reminder about why you love the person you love every once in awhile.

Cheeky Monkey

So, I guess that Caroline DOES listen to me sometimes. I have had this exact conversation with her. . . read on:
Dustin: Mom, I'm hungry.
Caroline: Nice to meet you Hungry. . . I'm Caroline!
Yep, that is something my mom used to do to me, and now I am proud to see that Caroline has passed along the tradition!
Cheeky Monkey!

It is Finished

Sorry I haven't been able to post much last week. It was extremely busy. You see I am in charge of organizing an annual scrapbooking convention for 300 women every year. It took place this past weekend, so last week I was a bit rushed to accomplish everything!
But it is finished now. I always feel a bit sad the Sunday following the convention because planning this convention occupies my time for about 6 months of the year. I love organizing it, planning it and thinking up new ways to make it fun and exciting. Every year I love to hang out with the women while they are scrapbooking and look at their pictures of their beautiful loved ones. It is a really rewarding experience for me.
Every year we end up with new, funny stories of things that have happened during Camp Croppin' and every year we have another crisis. That doesn't matter, because I hope that for the most part the women have fun and look forward to returning the next year.
There are some things that I am looking at changing for next year. I hope people will like them. I know that I can't please everyone, but maybe I can please lots of people and they will want to return.
So, it is finished for another year. Now it's time to look at dates for next year.