Somthing NEW, Somthing Borrowed and Something Blue............

You would think I'm getting married by the above post title....but no way Jose!!! I'm loving the one I married and am good!!

This is me being a little more vulnerable than I'd really like to be and doing something a little different in hopes of being successful!

I've started a new blog. I started two other blogs in the past, but either made them private and a handful of people could view or made them completely private and only my cousin and husband were allowed to read. Those are both deleted....I failed at them.

This one is out in the open, for anyone to read. It's my 'diet journal' if you will. I've been on a quest to get my weight down, not just for the looks, but so that I can do my part to stay here on earth with my kids and Jason. I am taking my health very serious and just wanting to do/show a better way.

It is a struggle. (the something blue) Satan very much LOVES to beat a person down and will throw whatever my way to stumble me. I recognize some of those things...and have been working to push them aside.

It is a new diet. (the something new) It's the HCG (homeopathic version) and it's intense to say the least. I hate diets. I don't completely believe in them...but as you may or may not read (on my blog), I have to be drastic to reset my body and the way it works.

I could use the encouragement and positive vibes. (the something borrowed) Knowing that others care fills my cup. Knowing someone else may either have the same struggle or that mine is assisting them fills the cup as well. I honestly don't want to hear about so and so...I'd love to hear about your thoughts/feelings/experiences.

I've kept a lot of things I do a secret. I don't like being told what to do or "if you would just do...." and so keeping things a secret seemed the way to go. That didn't work, so I'm choosing not to be insane and share and be vulnerable. (hate that!)

Don't feel obligated to read....if it's not of interest, that's fine! I only want the positive and encouraging. I want to be VERY careful....it's me making a big change and that can be tricky. The slightest thing can waiver me....so I want to be vigilant.

The address is http://breakingtheexcuses.blogspot.com

(see how vulnerable I've been....I even put a picture of just me! ACK!!!)

Changes are.................

...........Hard/Scary/Intense/Joyful/Exhausting and Reflective. That's been our last week. :)

Jason has changed jobs. His uncle has a business that sells/installs and repairs Coin operated laundry machines into apartment buildings, etc.. He worked for them when Ben was born and we were living in Spokane. His cousin Nathan runs the business on this end of the state.

Jason has been working here and there for them on his days off, just to make a little extra scratch. It has been such a blessing. They've gotten really busy over here and are ready to add another person to the mix. They offered it to Jason.

After making sure we would be covered and after A LOT of prayer, we made the switch. I say A LOT not because of the deal, or who we'd be working for, but because we wanted this...and I guess we're used to 'Nope, try again'. ;) It felt sooo odd to have Jason give his two weeks notice to Lowes. We thought we'd be there forever!

What we didn't expect and I feel Christmas masked a little, was the emotional dump we've had from quitting Lowes and having our new adventure start.

I was talking to Sam the other night about sharing experiences and feelings with us so we could assist him through the new wild frontier of adolescence and I said " sometimes feelings will come out of no where and knock you flat on your butt!"...............enter Jason quitting here. :)

We don't miss Lowes. We are not sad to have left. There are more feelings of relief. Jason will be able to go to church EVERY Sunday now, as well as have and fulfill a calling. This has been our prayer for months. We are relieved that we will have a better feel for when Jason will or won't be home. He'll be able to spend more time with ALL the kids, not just Sam at the gym. He and I can actually SET a date night! Good Good stuff!

We've been a little surprised that we are having to "integrate" him back into the family. NEITHER of us realized just how much Lowes was SUCKING the life out of us and our family. It is a testimony builder that the Lord is mindful of our righteous desires and always provides a way after all we can do. Sometimes it feels like Satan is winning. It feels like we are smacking into one wall after another.

A quote by Elder Holland keeps coming to mind: "The future of this world has long been declared, the final outcome between good and evil is already known. There is no question as to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard. The only really strange thing in all of this is we are all still down here on the field trying to decide which team’s jersey we want to wear.”

Why I've been touched and in awe of His personal attention to the 'Seattle' Berezay's is beyond me. We've picked our jersey and have been working SO hard at being worthy of the Team.

Jason is amazing. He so very much deserves this change. He is very excited to be working with his family. He wants to make them proud. I am completely relieved for him and the chance to get to know his kids again. WE LOVE JASON!

So begins another chapter in our lives. A surprise ending as it were. ;)

What?!?! ;).................

I have oddly been asked lately why I haven't updated my blog?! I find that interesting because I honestly didn't think many read it. The BIGGER reason I'm grateful for the inquiry (because let's face it...who doesn't want to be missed!) is that I really need to keep a journal. Keeping track of our lives. I'm beginning to think it's the key to slowing our lives down a bit! (I am however coming up on my 400TH post!!!!)

The reason for my hiatus is we got on a fast fast track! Since my last post we:

• Had a MAJOR flood in our home
• Started Homeschooling....ME homeschooling! Oi!
• I was called as the Primary Secretary
• Jason changed jobs.

So yes...we got crazy!!! ;)

All of the above are going soo well though, so there are ZERO complaints! All my kids are progressing in their studies. We are catching issues (learning styles/not getting it) early and re-directing. I'm just so grateful the Lord has seen fit to bless me with the stamina to keep up with these 4 chillins. I thought running after 4 toddlers was hard!

I also have been wrestling/struggling and assessing with personal feelings about situations/family and mostly self. I just don't feel my blog/FB is the place to express such tender feelings.. So the desire/information and inspiration just hasn't been there.

I'm going to work really hard to do better. Mostly so my kids can have a journal. I also like seeing how I've grown in perspective. Since I started this blog, I was the tallest and there was a lot of crying and basic "don't hit"..'s occurring.

Thank you to those who noticed I was gone. Thank you for the inspiration. ;)

Christmas morning pictures to come!!! :)

Family Pictures..............

Yea us....we got family pictures done again!!! I love family pictures and wish we would do them every year...but we seem to skip a year or two! ;) We are so happy with our pictures and had fun doing them...the rain stayed right up until we finished then started raining. The dogs...well...they have limited photo ops...they were AWFUL!!! Our photographer did a great job getting the couple shots she did get. Can you see Jason's eyes in the one right below...yea, that's "where's the nearest dog shelter" look! ;) If you want a family picture/letter...email me your address. We are going to be sending out 'Back to School' letters instead of Christmas. one2manydiapers@hotmail.com

"Snipe" hunting and a bit more.........

Let me just paint you a picture of the story I heard upon picking my daughter up from the church parking lot from Girls Camp.



First off....I have a whole new appreciation of seeing a bunch of girls slopping themselves out of cars and looking very much like it was a coin toss between a shower and a decent nights sleep. :)

As we are making the drive home (which is even shorter than our previous home) and she says "I have the best story I HAVE to tell you"....I'm getting ready for a "I made one of my best friends" or even a "we had the best skit night". Nope it was "we went on a SNIPE hunt!"

My first thought was "they still do that?!"

Here is her experience:

They(the 2 oldest youth counselors) gathered all the first years and told them they were going on a snipe hunt..."so brush your teeth and then put toothpaste all over your face, because it helps to attract them." So they did it!


Then they got them in single file, hand in hand (McKelle was the caboose) and led them to an opening and "explained" what a snipe was so they would know. And they were just going to catch one or two then release them into the wild. "so keep close, keep hand in hand and watch out for them, they are FAST!" (they were building...terror and excitement...an exhilarating feeling)


As they led them to another clearing, they had youth counselors in the woods, tossing things (dirt, small rocks, pine cones) at the girls. Again....terror and excitement. ;)


They got to the second clearing and then this is where it gets a little "fuzzy" for her. All she remembers is a scream and running. In her words she "started to feel some panic and then just started running!" She was at the end so "the first was last and the last was first" and she was grateful!


I guess one poor girl tripped and fell and got "trampled" (her word) on....she got stepped on once.


Once they all made it back to camp "safe and sound", some were saying that it wasn't real...and sweet McKelle was defending her leaders, even with the "fish hook" in her mouth. :)


The leaders then came clean and in true McKelle style....laughed at her self.

Ahhh, the sweet things that happens at Girls Camp!

She also came home with a prize found desirable mostly and hopefully only among the girls.....the stinky bead! Which ever adult came up with giving this bead out or let it be out....should get their membership pulled. (I'M KIDDING!!!) But seriously....the stinky bead?!

You get this small insignificant (to a mother) bead by....wait for it...NOT SHOWERING ALL WEEK!!!! She was amazingly proud of it?! On the one hand I was loving the adventure/experience and "she totally got into it" of it all.....and the other hand OH MY WORD!!!! Before I would let her tell me all her adventures, a shower was taken and clothes double washed in the washer.

She was also very proud that her idea of acting out the Dr. Suess book they were assigned as 1st years got the 1st years the biggest applause anyone can remember. Love those self esteem building moments.

The BEST idea they had, I thought....was the Polar Dip. It is optional, but you get a snowflake bead for doing it...maybe it's the bead?! .....anyway, the girls get up at 6:30....make it to the lake by & then JUMP IN THE LAKE!

Yea, it's wicked cold without being 7am....Polar Dip is the best description ever. But what a great way to wake those sleepy girls up and get em going! McKelle did it every morning....Atta Girl!!!! ;)