Introducing....

My Personal Forum

in the form of a blog.

musingsofamomof3.blogspot.com

Last year I created a blog for myself that was intended to be a place for me to write whatever was on my mind, a outlet separate from the jorgensonclan journal. Immediately I suffered from writer's block and didn't know what to write about. After looking at recent pictures I became inspired and wrote my first post. So nervously I am putting it out there for anyone who wants to stop by. Maybe I will be cool enough one day to warrant the creation of my own "I Read Tanya" button for everyone to put on their sidebars (one can dream right?!) but for now it is just my own creative personal forum.

All for the $68.00 gift card!

Disneyland + Crowds + Heat = not my favorite thing.

But we braved it all so Tyler could get his $68 birthday gift card. Due to this "celebration" theme Disney has going, us pass holders are slowly loosing the exclusivity we once felt. I'm ready for it to be done so we can experience Disneyland again without everyone else, no offense.

We mixed it up a little bit on this trip and rode the old fashioned car up Main Street.

This little girl LOVES her Grandma J! I think Grandma's arms were ready to fall off at the end of the weekend from carrying Ash so much. The positive side to Ashlyn favoring Grandma for 3 days was that I got to spend some time...

with my little man.

Still Young!

Tyler celebrated his 29th birthday last week. Wow, he seems so much older, don't you think?!

I surprised Tyler with a birthday lunch at Bj's with family and friends. I planned it in 2 days which is about as long as I can keep a surprise a secret so amazingly he was surprised. One day longer and I would have spilled the beans, I'm so bad!
I think this picture was taken right before Mason puked all over himself and the table, his personal birthday gift for Tyler...so sweet! Taylor and Paige loved hiding under the table and yelling surprise when Tyler walked in.

Ahhhh the pizookie, devoured in about 5 seconds.

Another fun surprise was that Russ fixed Tyler's golf cart which has been in need of some TLC for over a year now. Tyler loves his toy and I will now be driving to the park in style!

I hope you had a great birthday babe! I know your 29th year will be awesome!

Feeling like a So Cal Tourist.

How do they do it???

You know those people you meet at Disneyland that are from out of state or the country and rattle off all the amusement parks and tourist spots they are hitting in a week's time?! In case you haven't tried it, it's exhausting!!!

In 3 days we went to Disneyland for Tyler's birthday. From there we headed to... Oceanside for a 2 night stay. While there we went to....
Sea World. And topped it all off with a trip to....

Legoland. I almost didn't put this picture in because of pure embarrassment but then couldn't resist....LOOK at our faces, are we so done or what and this was the beginning of the day. We should have taken an after shot, can you even imagine?!

And who do we have to thank for this crazy fun weekend....

Thanks SOOOOO much! It was super fun and the best part is the kids are sound asleep. Now let's see if preschool and the gym's kid's club will be sufficient activity for tomorrow.

More to come....

Ready to Go

This is what I discovered when I told the kids to get in the car so we could leave. She moved her seat, buckled in, and made sure she looked fabulous.... all before driving away!

LOVE IT!

Blessings vs Anxiety

Recently I have suffered from anxiety, the kind of anxiety where I feel like my chest is about to explode and if I was 30 years older, I may think I am having a heart attack. Much of this anxiety is a direct result of the actions of other people. I know what the scriptures say, love those that use you or cause you harm (obviously not a direct quote and if it wasn't 2AM I would look it up and put quotes around it). Despite my knowledge of the gospel and my desire to be Christ like, I am frustrated and I want an apology (condemn me if you will)!!! I know this is my own issue, I know I need to let it go but I am finding it difficult to do so.

How do I let it go? No textbook Sunday School answers please, I've tried them all.

Luckily for me I have a husband that is wise and in tune. In moments of my deepest frustration, he will quote scriptures he thinks are relevant to my current (crazy) state of mind.

Tonight was a normal sleepless night for me hence the time of this posting. I ventured downstairs to attack my extremely neglected google reader and get lost in the blog postings about quaint and perfect Mother's Day, or the positive spin on a weekend (loved your post Laura and the party was awesome!), or tributes to children that are now a year older. While becoming reacquainted with the lives of the people I know and care about, Tyler sent me an email from upstairs (gotta love the Internet on cell phones, what did we ever do without it?) reminding me of this song.

Count your many blessings
Here are the verses that stood out.
When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessing, every doubt will fly
And you will keep singing as the days goes by.

Immediately I thought of the many blessings in my life and the anxiety subsided. I have been truly blessed and these 4 special people top the list. I am so grateful they are mine!

Looking at their smiling faces and thinking about their unique qualities that bring me so much joy completely overshadow the outside forces I have let affect me for way too long. So here is my resolution: I will let it go, I will succeed, and I will forgive (even without an apology :)

And now I am off to bed....

Fun photo session!

A couple months ago I won a photo shoot through a blog giveaway with Lydia Tolman. Today was THE day for us to meet with her. She already posted some pictures on her blog and can I just say Wow about the entire experience. She was SO awesome with our kids who are not big on people telling them where to stand and what to do, all the while being told to look at the camera and say cheese. She just let our kids be who they are and do what they wanted and as fast as she could she snapped some great pics! Thanks Lydia, you are awesome and we love the pictures! Taylor was ever so happy to be "Model of the Day"
Andy, not so much!
Andy and Ashlyn are sharing (I use that term loosely) candy. I love this one!
All of us attacking Andy with tickles to try to get him to smile.
Another fav!

To see more of our family and check out other work by Lydia, go here ludikus.blogspot.com