Finding Joy in the Journey

I suppose it is appropriate that my lesson in RS for the month of February is on President Monson's talk, "Finding Joy in the Journey!" I will be the first to say, it has been difficult this past week to find joy in the journey. Let me recap.

Monday Morning: Andie is watching cartoons - pukes all over
10 minutes later - pukes again
1 hour later - again - So, we get her a bucket and it becomes her new best friend!

Monday evening - after a day of throwing up, constant diarrhea, and looking like Casper the friendly ghost, she conks out on the couch at 5:30.
Throwing up commences again at 8:00pm and continues throughout the night.

Tuesday - Andie has major diarrhea but no longer throwing up
Tuesday 4:00pm - Ali throwing up - 30 minutes later, Ali throwing up again.
Shawn gets home from school, Molly and Andie off to Walmart to get pedialite. 9:30pm - Molly throwing up - finally all are in bed and Molly and Ali are up about every 30 minutes using the restroom! YUCK!

Wednesday - Andie is doing great and throws up in the afternoon - Ali and Molly not so great, Molly slept from 1-5

Thursday - Shawn wakes up and YEP - off to the bathroom - too bad he is leaving for Utah.
Thursday - Both girls continue to have constant need of diaper change - Molly feeling 100% better! Thursday night - 11:00pm, Molly finally in bed, Ali explodes diaper. 11:15 - Ali is back in bed with new clothes, sheet and diaper. 11:30 - Molly falling asleep 11:31pm - Andie throwing up - ALL OVER - by far, grosser than cleaning out a turkey before cooking it!
11:35 - Molly on phone with mom, "Send Shawn back!!!" Andie gets a bath, change sheets, comforter, clothes, diaper, start laundry all while Ali is screaming in bed - get Andie clean (screaming also). Make Ali a bottle - Molly, Andie and Ali sleeping on the trundle bed.
(THAT WAS NOT A FUN NIGHT)

Friday - more diarrhea, but no more throwing up!!

Saturday SURPRISE!!!! More diarrhea, about every 20 minutes BOTH girls need a new diaper. After the 3rd for each of them within an hour - they go to the bath! We had oatmeal, bananas and milk for breakfast - Andie just got a string cheese for a snack!

Do my kids look like they are sick?



All in all, we have had more time to spend together, relaxing and remembering all the reasons we love Shawn!! He helps out with dishes, takes out the trash, picks up toys, wakes up with the girls at night - and a whole lot more!!! We sure love you Shawn and can't wait for you to get back tonight! On another positive note - I lost 3.5 lbs. this week (I guess sometimes it is good to be sick!) We will see if it comes back! Thanks also to Joy, LeAnn and Mara for constantly checking in with me offering your help - running to Walmart for me, lending me your car - just being GREAT friends!! I am so blessed to be surrounded by great people!

Church News

I want to put a plug in for the church news....without crossing the boundary! BUT - it might be beneficial for you all to pay attention to the next 3 issues of the Church News - that covers us till Feb. 15? Right? One of those might reveal some exciting news!!!

Good Luck and let me know what you find!!

What to do...

My question is for anyone. What do you do on a daily basis? It seems the beginning of the month is filled with appointments, visiting teaching, and a variety of different activities. However at the end of the month, I find myself bored. It has been TOO cold to take the girls out and about - so going to the park is out of the question. I frequent Walmart too often, I should just own stock for it!! The mall gets boring quick and well...there isn't much more to do in Athens!

Thursday are usually the most uneventful! So...I would like to know what you did today! Thanks!

3 Years and Going Strong....

Happy Anniversary to Us!!! Today marks our 3rd Anniversary. Can you believe it? I can't - it has ONLY been 3 years? I have 2 kids, live away from family and on my own...can it be? I think I will forever remember the days living with my grandma and the many conversations we had - Me:"I just want to meet someone, get married, start a family!" My Grandma: "Molly - ENJOY LIFE!! Relax, it will happen, have fun!" She was right - I did enjoy life and I am glad to report - I am STILL enjoying life. (Sorry Shawn - the scanner is not working, so I can't put your picture up - mine were already on the computer!)

Our morning started out just right, we got up at 6:00am, read our scriptures, did Tae Bo, had breakfast, made lunch, had family prayer and Shawn was off to school. He gets to go to mutual tonight too!

We did celebrate on Friday night. We went and saw the new James Bond movie in the $1 theater. We exchanged gifts on Saturday. I got the movie "Mamma Mia!" and Shawn got 2 new ties to go with his new blue pinned striped suit! (We got that a week or two ago, found a great deal!)

So - what has happened in the last 3 years? We had our first baby....
Miracle #1 - AndieThen we had our second baby...Miracle #2 - Ali
And now we are having our third baby!




















Ha,ha!! Just kidding! Made ya look! We are VERY happy with our 2 kids!! We love life and are enjoying every moment! Thank you to all who have been a great support to us throughout the years (few, but significant!) We love you all and hope everyone has a great day January 20th - I know we will!!

New Year Resolutions

We finally were able to sit down this week and make goals for our family. I am very excited for them and think we will have a GREAT year if we stick to them. So far, I am glad to report, we have been diligent with each one. Andie was even helping today with #10. Teach them while they are young, right?



First of all, we wanted to incorporate the Stake goals for this year which are as follows:
2009 Athens Georgia Stake Family Goals
1. Study the scriptures at least 15 minutes each day
2. Have a Family Home Evening lesson each month on the Christ-like attribute correlating to the assigned High Council topic (PMG pp. 115-126).
3. Have a 3-month supply of food, and work toward a 1-year supply.
4. Pray daily and seek for missionary experiences.
5. Study the General Conference issues of the Ensign.
6. Render 2 hours of service in your community each month.

From that, we worked to form our own family goals - so here you go!

2009 Broderick Family Goals
1. Scripture Study (Personal) 15 minutes a day
2. Scripture Study (Family) 1 chapter a day
- Finish the Book of Mormon and Start the Doctrine & Covenants
3. FHE on Sunday at 4:00pm (Shawn has class on Monday Nights)
- 3rd Sunday of each month, study from PMG and discuss High Council topic
4. Family Prayer (Before school and before bed)
5. Temple - 3rd Friday of every month until it closes. (It is closing for major renovations sometime in May and will be closed for 18 months or so. When that happens, we might have to adjust this goal, because we will be assigned to the Columbia SC temple 3 hours away! Be grateful if you live near a temple! We are lucky to have one only 1 1/2 away!!)
6. VT/HT to be done by the 3 week of each month
7. Exercise daily
- MWF we are up at 7am, read scriptures and then do Tae Bo for 30 mins.
- TTH we are up at 6am, read scriptures and then do Tae Bo for 30 mins.
- Sat/Sun we get a break from exercising, but still read scriptures!!
8. Have at least one Date Night a month
9. Create a Dinner Calendar each week on Sunday and shop for everything for the week on Monday
10. Deep Clean on Saturday morning, after scriptures - bathroom, vacuum, dust, mop, etc. Clean on daily basis as needed.
11. Read the General Conference Issues together as we travel to and from the temple
12. Andie and Ali help pick up toys before bed
13. Shawn and Molly to bed by 10:00pm

It seems like a long list, but it is a perfect list for us at this point. So far, we have not missed a day on anything, except for the temple this month. It is closed for cleaning until the end of the month! Oh well, we will get there in February.

Stop Growing

I forgot to mention that both of the girls had their check-up this week. All I have to say is they need to STOP GROWING!!!

Andie, is now 2!! Need I say more? She weighed in at 28.5 oz. and is 35 inches tall!

Ali is 9 months!! She weighed in at 20.1 oz. and is 30 inches tall!

Can you believe it! My baby is going to surpass her sister anytime now! It is crazy! Andie really hasn't changed weight/height since she was 18 months. Her hair is getting longer and her comprehension of everything has expanded...but her growth is at a stand still. Hopefully she will start eating her veggies again sometime soon!! (Really, she cries if you put ANYTHING in front of her that is a vegetable...how do they know the difference? Suggestions are welcomed!)

Were are grateful for Shawn's parents coming to watch the girls on our trip. Here they were visiting Shawn's office on campus (He has one of the nicer ones, which we are lucky!!)

Shawn is such a great dad!! The girls LOVE him and have so much fun with him!
Andie does have a nice side!! She is a great big sister and is learning so much! We are definitely seeing more "2 year old" moments - but that comes with life, right?
Ali loves to crawl in the box and play peek-a-boo. I am so grateful for the wonderful family I have. How blessed I am!!

Snorkeling

We got our underwater camera developed and thought we would share some more pictures with you. It is hard to see the bright and brilliant colors of the fish, but it was amazing. Neither of us had been snorkeling before and we had a great time!

Do you want a Bahama Mama?

YES I DO!!!!! You read it right, not only was the non-alcoholic drink "Bahama Mama" delicious, but food, entertainment, 80 degree weather, snorkeling, white sand beaches, clear aqua water, buffets, fancy dining and minute after minute of pure relaxing and enjoyable fun was GREAT!!!! I must say, a week long vacation, with no kids, no cooking, no cleaning was definitely what the doctor ordered! We had a blast and would recommend such a trip to anyone and everyone!!

More pictures to come!!

Ode to Aspen 11th Ward

New Boundaries were created for our old ward - that's crazy!! So, for all you readers out there - we love you and wish you luck for your new adventures, meeting new people. It is a great thing!! Although, it would have been a sad day to still live in Utah and not live in the 11th ward boundaries. It was (is) a great ward and now the 6th ward is better too!! I am glad we were a part of it!! I am sure the changes will be different, but remember that the Lord has a reason for all!!

Congrats to the 2 new counselor's for Bishop Backman. Brooke does this mean you finally get released??? ha,ha!

Lot's of changes in the Stake, but it will be great!

Happy 2009!!!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great New Year's Eve. We picked up Shawn's mom from the Atlanta Airport - it was exciting! As I reflect on a New Year, I can't help to think how blessed I was in 2008. The Lord has been so generous to me and my family and I am deeply grateful for all of you who helped bless our lives.

As the New Year is now under way, I hope you all have a chance to take the opportunity to make goals and start taking the steps to acheive them. As for us - we are starting our goals on January 13th. We figure that is the time most people have failed at their New Year's Resolutions, so why start now?

Just Kidding...really, we are leaving Saturday for our cruise, Shawn's parents will be in town until the 12th and we still want to party like it's 1999!! ha,ha.

Have a great 2009 and we look forward to keeping up with everyone! Thanks for being such great family and friends!!