Cleaning up Messes

What a face! A couple of weeks ago, I sat down to feed the baby, and JT decided to take advantage of the situation. There was an open jar of peanut butter on the table, and he climbs like a monkey. When I got done with the baby, I turned around to this face. Peanut butter all over him and the table and chair. When I went upstairs to show Andres what he had done, and the look on his face was priceless! He thought that JT had smeared the contents of his diaper all over!

This reminds me of about seven years ago, when I had laid down on the couch while DS and ER were watching Rolly Polly Ollie. I was pregnant with NN, and was very sick and tired of being sick and tired. I dozed off and woke up in the middle of the cartoon to giggles from the two little rascles. I hefted myself up and waddled into the kitchen to see ER completely naked and DS in a diaper, and both covered with a whole tub of margarine! They were having a great time sliding across the kitchen floor! It took me a week to get the gunk out of ER's hair!

A few months after that, they got into the flour. They emptied ten pounds of flour onto my bedroom floor. Do you know how hard it is to vaccuum flour out of the carpet! I don't think we ever were able to get it completely out!

From peanut butter to margarine to flour to Nesquick, we're constantly cleaning up messes, and Im sure it won't stop anytime soon!

The Gianfelice's

I want to introduce myself and my family.

I am Annalee Mendenhall Gianfelice. I grew up in Spanish Fork Utah, and graduated from Spanish Fork High School in 1993. I attended two semesters at Snow College in Ephriam, Utah, then moved back home to get a job and attend U.V.S.C. (now U.V.U.) I met my husband through a friend at school in January, 1995. We were married 7 July 1995. Yep, a short engagement.

Andres was born in Argentina. His family moved to Spanish Fork in the summer of 1990. He is now working as a police officer, and loving it.

We have five absolutely beautiful children. Daniel Scott (11), Erica Ruth(10), Natalie (Nattie)Nicole (7), Jason Troy (18 mo.), and Kinsey Heather (3 mo.).

Daniel is a bit of a boss, but is always looking out for his younger siblings. I can always count on him to help me with anything. He loves building, and creating all kinds of things, and is very interested in computers and how they work. He has taken apart several old computers that we have gotten from people just to see how it all works. He is a good marksman with his bb gun and .22 rifle. He is involved in Boy Scouts, and has been having a great time with his friends there.

Erica is a princess. From the day she was born I thought she was absoultely perfect. She had a mop of black hair and a cute round, chubby face. Erica really loves her baby brother and sister. She is always taking care of one while I have the other, and they love her to be with them. She even changes diapers! (yuck) Erica loves to dance and play make-believe. She loves animals, and would like to own her own pet shop when she is older. She has her own pet guinea pig named Rodney, and I never have to tell her to take care of him and his cage. She is involved in Activitiy Days with our church and really loves to be with her friends.

Natalie is an angel. From the day she was born, she brought such a peaceful spirit into the home. Nattie loves everyone and always has a big hug for anyone that will accept it. She told me once that she loves everyone in the whole world, and of all people I know she is the one that truly means that. Nattie is full of energy and is always bouncing and prancing around the house. She also loves animals and takes care of our Dachshund (Rocky).

Jason is a handful. From the time he wakes up till the time he is asleep, he is running, jumping, climbing, falling, etc. He has a beautiful smile and that keeps him from getting yelled at. He learns everything from his older siblings. He loves to play with balls, jump on the trampoline, play with cars, and everything that little boys like to do. I have to keep an eye on him constantly, because he likes to hit. He has hit all of us with a stick more than once!

Kinsey is a little princess too. She has a lot of black hair like Erica had, but facial features like Natalie. She has just started to smile and goo-goo at everyone. We are blessed to have her as part of our family.

We currently live in Provo, Utah and love it. We are only about a mile from Utah lake and do a lot of fishing, sailing, and biking on the Provo River trail. We homeschool our kids and wouldn't have it any other way. It is great to watch the kids grow and develop.

Living My Dream

So it's true, I am living MY dream.

When I was 13 years old, sitting in a Young Woman's class half listening to what the teacher was saying, I was overwhelmed by the Holy Ghost. I started to pay attention. The lesson was about Motherhood, and the teacher was telling us about her experiences as a mother, how her mother taught her, and how she hopes each of us have the chance to me a mom. There were scripture references, and quotes from our Church leaders that I cannot remember, but I will NEVER forget what the Spirit was witnessing to me. I knew then and there that no matter what else I wanted to be when I "grew up" I was going to be a mother!

I also realized that what MY dream is, may not be the same dream that YOUR dream is. But whatever it is, go for it! After realising this, my life has been so much more enjoyable! It is so easy to complain and wish for something else. Not only am I a mom, but I'm a stay-at-homeschooling mom! Talk about things to complain about! example: I never get a break from the kids, my house is ALWAYS cluttered with kid stuff, I have to teach three kids while my two babies are crying, pooping, falling down, etc.... Now look at it differently: I get to enjoy my children all day every day, I am teaching my kids real life skills (cooking, cleaning, sewing, balancing a checkbook, yard care, vehicle maintenance, etc.), I get to use the distractions of the babies as teaching opportunities (did I yell at the 18 mo. old for spilling the box of Cheerios all over the floor, or did I laugh and lovingly have him "help" me sweep them up?). I see my teaching coming out, not when I see they pass a test successfuly, but when I see how they treat each other and others.

Live YOUR dream!