It all started with a COLD

So a few weeks ago I came down with the seasonal cold. No biggie. So I tried to do what your suppose to do (resting part was a little harder than the OJ, vitamin C, lots of water, washing hands extra, etc.), but figured "aint no thang".

Well 3 WEEKS later I was still sick. My muscles were all so sore from coughing up a lung, congested and missing tons of work and church I just still felt pretty bad! But still was determined NOT to go to the doctors.

My sister in-law Sarah teases me because I hate going to the doctors & try to avoid it at all costs (for a number of reasons, not fear). BUT I HATE:

• paying the ridiculous copays
• waiting in the waiting room for 2 hours, then seeing a doctor for 2 minutes
• having a doctor reiterate what I just told them & could have diagnosed myself

But this time Ned said you NEED to go to the doctor you aren't getting better. So after breathing became a little more difficult I finally called the dr. and asked for an inhaler (Still didn't go in ha ha ha). So got a $50 inhaler which helped but still not better after a few days.

I FINALLY sucked it up and went to URGENT care yesterday. And after paying HUGE copay, waiting for HOURS, a doctor came in and within 2 minutes said I had:

SEVERE infection of BRONCHITIS & a nice looking sinus infection

http://www.medicinenet.com/bronchitis/page2.htm#symptoms

So I had a breathing treatment there in the Dr. office. It was HILARIOUS!!! I am hooked up to a machine, Ella is standing on the patient table behind me "doing" my hair (i.e. pulling it hurting my head), Asher is hanging on my legs playing horsey on the floor, LITERALLY pouring runts (candy) into his mouth. I saw this picture in my head (& wish I had a camera) and started laughing so hard that I then started coughing so uncontrollably hard I couldn't keep the machine on, until a nurse came in to ask if everything was OK, which only made me laugh (& cough) all the harder.

So I was thinking I should have taken up my sweet sister in-law (SARAH's) offer on taking one or both of the kids so I could go in on my own. But considering the kiddos were good the nurses were so nice and told them they were SO good and gave them tons of stickers for being great for me.

So anyway I am just excited to have the medicine I need and hopefully be back up and running 100% after a weekend of rest.

I just know I HATE BEING SICK!

The Todd Girls

*The Todd Girls*

(Hayley Hamilton, April Aleman, Peyton Aleman, Mama Todd, Claire Todd, Sarah Todd, Ella Broberg, Heidi Broberg)

I am THANKFUL...

...for Thanksgiving and the opportunity I have to slow down, spend time with family, and reflect on ALL I am THANKFUL for, because it sure is a LOT!!!!

I TAKE THE CAKE....

....for the worst mom, wife, self award. At least I feel like it. And the reason I haven't blogged in the last FOREVER is because I have been so busy, stressed, tired, sick and booked lately. Not what President Uchtdorf counseled us to do last month, so now I feel guilty on top of all that!!!! Ahhhh...can I not win!

To sum it up quickly I put my notice in at my work and actually (YES, for all you NON-BELIEVERS that thought I would NEVER do it) am quitting my full-time job. So basically I am DONE with that job (AFTER 9 YEARS!!!) I was officially terminated last week, BUT with that being said I am now a broker for our same company and can make my own schedule, but with Open Enrollment here I am working HARDER than I ever have in my life to help sustain us through the next upcoming year of 2011 when I will work only 2 days a MONTH or wont work at all!

So needless to say it has been VERY hard balancing it ALL. And with the kids and myself being sick, it sure doesn't help when we all are a little cranky. So then I read others blogs of all the fun things these SUPER Mom's are doing with their kids and just feel bad. Then I see all the nice things people do for their spouses, and I come home and just crash OR am ready to hand the kids over if I have been home all day with them. Or I feel like I am not doing enough for my job to help us through 2011.

So as I start to get down on myself, I just remind myself of ALL MY MANY BLESSINGS and to have FAITH that all things will work out in the future and we know we are doing the right thing, no matter how hard it is.

SO I will be out of commission the next few months, but I PROMISE a SUPER update after the new year and will be back on the blogging bandwagon. But yes I am still alive and just say a little prayer for me that it stays that way through the end of this next year.

THANKS all my blogging friends!

Peyton's Baby Blessing

We had the wonderful opportunity a few weekends ago to bless my beautiful niece Peyton Jane (April & Wes's baby)...

Here's my family....

the entire crew

the beautiful parents

the boys...

(Josh Bladh, Paul Duncan, Ryan McCook, Ned Broberg (isn't he handsome), Wes Aleman & baby, Fred Aleman, John Todd, Daniel Todd, Patrick Aleman, Andy Moore.

Good-bye BLACK BEAUTY..Hello DIESEL

Good-Bye Black Beauty (yes, I sold my 2002 LEXUS IS 300)...

...and HELLo MINI-VAN (you heard it right, we bought a 2011 Toyota Sienna MINI-VAN!!!)

It LITERALLY has taken me 2-3 years to get to this point. Ask anyone who knew me well enough that I had sworn an oath to myself that I would NEVER own a mini-van! Well here we are, Saturday I sold my car and bought a new car, so within 5 hours I went from Lexus mom to Mini-Van mom! Keep laughing...

Well a few months ago I had to watch my nieces and nephews (& my own kids) so I borrowed my sis-in-laws mini-van and it really started to win me over. It was SO convenient, spacious, and nice. I still swore I wouldn't do it. But after months and YEARS really looking at trucks, SUV's, crossovers, everything was lacking something that the mini-van had (space, seats, cargo/camping room, comfort, features). So besides (what some may say, is the lack of style) all fingers pointed to the mini-van. We decided, we divided and we conquered!

And to tell you the truth I LOVE IT! And I still feel pretty dang cool in it as well. So I am gonna ROCK MY MINI-VAN!

Shout out for the MINI-VAN!

PS. We asked the kids what we should name the new car and immediately Ella yelled out DIESEL, so it stuck. And with all our automatic opening doors, sliding & removable seats, we thought it was pretty appropriate for the TRANSFORMER mini-van name!

Ballerina Girl

Ballerina Girl

You are so lovely- With you standing there- I'm so aware Of how much I care for you

(When I was a little girl my parents always sang Ballerina Girl-Lionel Richie- to me so its become a natural thing to continue this tradition with Ella).

She has been in dance "exploration" for about 4 months now and she loves it. They do tap, ballet, gymnastics, and other fun things for 4 years old! She actually gets a recital in December and that will be funny!!!

Shade Clearance

So I guess Shade is going out of bushiness (my sis-in-law just passed this good news along). So I went shopping.

www.shadeclothing.com

Plus if you spend over $100 you get free shipping. Or so I think, I am not saying I spent over $100, but I am not saying I didn't either....

Discovering the iPod

I know how happy I was when I discovered the joys of an iPod...happy to report Miss Ella enjoys it the same.

(She inherited my old shuffle when Ned got me the new Nano)

Asher's BUZZ Birthday!

A BUZZ LIGHTYEAR Birthday for our Bubba Buzz...

(he LOVES BUZZ in case you cant tell from his face)

Swimming in Nana & Boppies mini pool with cousins.

And drowning in the pool (look at his face) and look at dad's pants. He still doesn't get how to stand up yet even though he can reach...

CRAFTS with cousins (Claire loving her crown)

And one of the presents from mom (of course mostly potty training supplies, can you tell what I WANT!) ha ha ha

And his two newest cousins who seemed to enjoy the party too

(Peyton-April & Wes's & William- Dan & Sarah's)

The BIG 3-0

So I have been a little sad this year about turning 30, it just seems so old, because I don't feel old at all, but that number just seems so much older than I feel. So Ned was so sweet and totally spoiled me (probably so I wouldn't be depressed about being 30!). So forgive all these pictures of me, but last Sat. (a week after my b-day) Ned took me OUT!

Cedar Creek Inn (I had the BEST, and I mean the BEST Lobster I have EVER had in my life). I didn't even eat my steak or the rest of my food after, in fear or running the wonderful, succulent taste in my mouth!

At Massage Envy, I really fell asleep at the tail end of massage, you think I needed it!

And getting my M.A.C. makeover at Brea Mall. I am checking myself out I guess in the first picture, and then the after shot (not much different from the usual) but how I wish I had someone to get me ready everyday, it would be heaven!

Thanks to the BEST husband EVER!!!!!!!!!!

G.I. JOE

So we just discovered Ned's OLD SCHOOL GI Joe's from the 80's they are hilarious! Their legs keep breaking off because the rubber bands are so OLD. Anyway I found one in my purse the other night and my family thought they were hilarious. So my brother took a picture with his new apple i-phone (I don't know what they are called) and he calls this picture "Welcome to Benihana" from the GI JOE...

My Super Hero's are...

So the kids watched a Hi-5 episode (anyone else watch that?) and it was on superheros. SO I helped them make super capes and they had a blast running around the house all day. I finally got pictures of them when they started jumping off the stairs. Thankfully no injuries.

And Ned & I thought this picture was particularly hilarious. The way Ella is holding Asher and the way he is sitting on her is pretty funny!

Temple Road Trip with my Young Women- Vegas & St.George

Last month I had the wonderful opportunity to go with my YW on a Temple Road Trip. They have been visiting temples all over and since I entered the program they decided to do the Las Vegas, NV & St.George, UT. temple. I had the privilege of going with my SEVEN super fun & righteous girls!

We stayed the night at my sister in-laws (Amy) who lives in St. George. She had a really fun craft for us to do, we had a nice mini-fireside by her friend, and had a blast playing soccer & just enjoying being spoiled by Amy (pancake breakfast, games upstairs, and a MAJOR slumber party). Many call her house (including my family) Hotel Woolley! Its a blast & we were grateful.

Our Bishops Aunt was also kind enough to set up a WHOLE dinner for us with the YW in their ward. It was decorated so cute, great food, and wonderful to see other beautiful and good YW ! The girls enjoyed talking with the other girls(& were trying to check out the boys playing b-ball too!) These three below are sisters & the Bishops daughters.

We also had a fun breakfast at the Cracker Barrel. I insisted on eating there, its just a tradition. I think they enjoyed the food. But had more fun buying a Gumby in the old fashion store.

LOVE THESE GIRLS!!! Even if I have to put them in head-locks and they make up CRAZY nicknames for me.