No Internet

So, my life has been absolutely crazy. I've been sick, then better, now I'm sick again. We moved and I have no internet until who knows when, so I'm secretly using my friends even though I'm supposed to be downstairs playing a game. Kids started school. M had a little surgery. J is now in Kindergarten (not sure how I feel about that yet). Our landlords were total jerks today. That's my life for now. Hopefully I'll be up and running and blogging and dancing soon!

Look Who Got Glasses!

Towards the end of last school year, T started complaining about his eyes off and on. Being the good mom that I am, I forgot and then summer came. However, as summer was coming to an end I remembered about his complaining. So, we made an appointment to go see the eye doctor. Turns out he does need glasses. His eyes aren't too bad, but he does need to wear his glasses in the classroom. He was excited to get them, but then nervous that he would have to wear them at school. He didn't want to get made fun of. I think he looks darling in them!

Stomach Ache

I've sort of been out of commission for the last couple days. Wednesday I woke up feeling ok, but by the middle of the day I was sick. Yesterday was the worst and today I'm still not feeling great. But at least I feel good enough to actually sit up. Whatever I have is awful. I've had the runs (sorry if that totally grosses you out) like crazy. Yesterday I couldn't even get out of bed without feeling like I would pass out. I have so much to post about, like the first day of school, our house news, and so much more. But, that'll have to wait. Hopefully I'll feel "normal" again soon.

M's Baptism

M got baptized on Friday, August 17. I can't believe it. I thought after having T baptized I would be okay with M being baptized too. But, I was wrong. Wrong because I was a complete mess. I can't believe my babies are growing up. She has been so excited to be baptized. She's been waiting and waiting for this day for a long time.

We were lucky enough to have lots of family come. Papa and Grandma came from California where Papa has been teaching during the summer. Uncle Alec, Aunt Kelly, and Katie came from Idaho. And of course we had all of our family who live close by come as well.

Uncle Alec gave the baptism talk and I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. My dear friend sang "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus". It was beautiful. The spirit was definitely there with us that day. M just glowed. She looked like a little angel. I hope and pray that she will remember the covenants she made on that special day and that she will have the desire to remain true to the gospel. She is our peacemaker and is always so pleasant to be around! I am grateful every day that Heavenly Father sent her to our family!

After her baptism we went out to dinner. She chose Sizzler, and the food was yummy! We had a wonderful day and I'm so glad we were able to share that special day with so many friends and family.

My MeMe Post

5 things Meme:

5 Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago:
1. Finishing up my last semester at Ricks College while 3 months pregnant with T. I remember taking Anatomy and my teacher worrying that I would faint while working on cadavers. He was paying too much attention to me and didn't notice the kid in the back who actually did faint.
2. Switching from a married student ward, to a family ward.
3. Working at Artco typing up wedding announcements, and listening to stress-out brides.
4. Worrying if I would be a good mom or not.
5. Hanging out with DH.

5 Things on my to-do list today:
1. Write my talk for M's baptism tonight.
2. Vaccuum out the van.
3. Finsih laundry.
4. Iron clothes for baptism.
5. Get house ready for more family to come.

5 Snacks I enjoy:
1. Chocolate.
2. Ice cream.
3. Cinnamon Bears.
4. Tiffany's Dessert.
5. Tortilla chips with cheese dip.

5 Songs I know the lyrics to:
1. Girls (Beastie Boys)
2. Faithfully (Journey)
3. Held (Natalie Grant)
4. When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Kraus)
5. Baby Got Back (Sir Mix A-lot)

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Pay for my kids weddings, college, missions, and graduation
2. Buy a new house with cash, and pay off all debts.
3. Take my family (extended too) on a vacation.
4. Buy toys like a boat, some quads, snowmobiles, etc.
5. Save.

5 Bad Habits:
1. Staying up way too late.
2. Eating half a dozen cookies.
3. Staying on the computer too long.
4. Cleaning up after someone cleans.
5. Not exercising enough.

5 Things I'd never wear again:
1. Rolled jeans.
2. MC Hammer pants.
3. Big hair.
4. Unfortunately, size 5 jeans, maybe in 7 for that matter.
5. Leg Warmers.

5 Favorite Toys:
1. Computer.
2. I guess that's all I have, but I'd love some quads
3. ...and a laptop
4. ...and a dune buggy
5. ...and Dance Dance Revolution.

4 things:

4 things that should go into Room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth:
1. War.
2. Layered socks.
3. Hunger.
4. Disease.

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently:
1. Child Abuse.
2. Spouse Abuse.
3. Murder.

2 things you find yourself moaning about:
1. My weight.
2. My looks.

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself:
I'm too preoccupied with what's going on in my life.

My roommate(s) and I... used to dress up a skeleton in different clothes. We kept him up all year.
Never in my life... have I gotten drunk or done drugs.
High school was... really good, but I'm glad I'm done with it.
When I'm nervous... I tap my fingers.
My hair... is in a ponytail.
When I was five I...I started my first journel. From then on I wrote in my journal almost every day until I got married. Now I blog, that counts as a journal, right?
When I turn my head left...I can see the backyard.
I should be...getting ready for the baptism tonight.
By this time next year...I may be going back to school since all of my kids will be in school full-time.
My favorite aunt is...Aunt Marie-Jean. I don't really know my other ones.
I have a hard time understanding...why kids have selective hearing.
You know I like you if...I visit your blog regularly.
My ideal breakfast is...one I don't have to cook.
If you visit my home town...you would think I grew up in ghetto-ville. Growing up it didn't seem to bad, but it seems to be getting worse and worse.
If you spend the night at my house...we would stay up late laughing, eating, and playing!
My favorite blonde is...my sweet little M and my trouble-maker S!
My favorite brunette is...my little princess J and my big boy T.
I shouldn't have been....sitting here blogging away when I have soooo much to do to get ready for tonight.
Last night I....stayed up cleaning until 1:00 a.m.
A better name for me would be...Vallerina.
I've been told I look like...Terri Hatcher (I was told that a lot in high school), and sometimes Catherine Zeta Jones.
If I could have any car, it would be...a Suburban with a hitch so we could pull our toys.
You should do this meme if you...are bored.

This is a one word meme:
1. Where is your cell phone? kitchen
2. Your husband? amazing
3. Your hair? brown
4. Your mother? hurting
5. Your father? honest
7. Your dream last night? hopeful
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream car? Suburban
10. The room you're in? mine
11. Your ex? non-existent
12. Your fears? death
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? nurse
14. Who did you hang out with last night? family
15. What you're not? thin
16. Muffins? warm
17. One of your wish list items? house
18. Where you grew up? California
19. The last thing you did? whisper
20. What are you wearing? jammies
21. Your TV? on
22. Your pet? none
23. Your computer? old
24. Your life? great
25. Your mood? content
26. Missing? txmommy
27. What are you thinking about right now? company
28. Your car? dirty
29. Your work? neglected
30. Your summer? crazy
31. Your relationship status? fabuloso
32. Tomorrow? Lagoon
33. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
34. Last time you cried? Wednesday
35. School? soon

If you'd like to play any, then you're tagged!

Nice Matters

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

My sweet friend & dancing buddy Tori gave me this wonderful award, and Lei from My Many Colored Days. Thanks!! I try to be a nice person most of the time, and hope that people can see my efforts. I guess it paid off!

Now, I bestow this award on:

txmommy, who is my dear sweet sister. She is one of the nicest people I know and is always thinking of others. I keep saying that when I grow up, I want to be just like her!

Anna, also my sister and an extremely nice person. She has been through so much with her health and I admire her for her positive attitude. No one could ask for a better sister.

Kelsi has been a dear friend of mine for a long time. We grew up together and made wonderful memories together. She is such a great friend and could always make me smile. We kind of lost touch for a while with being married, having kids, and just life. But, recently I found her blog and have been getting little glimpses of what is going on in her life. It feels like there was no gap in between talking, she's just one of those people you can pick up where you left off and carry on.

Melanie is also a dear friend of mine who I just got back into touch with through blogging. Crazy! We were roommates for a while and I just love her. She is an amazing person and is so sweet! She would do anything for anyone! Love you Meme!

Nikko from Three Blonde Boys is a very nice person. I got to meet her while I spent some time at my sisters' house. Her boys are darling and she takes great pictures!!

Blackeyedsue was one of the first blogs I started reading. She seems super nice and I would LOVE to meet her one day. She's been going through some tuff times with this pregnancy and still has a positive attitude!

And, last but not least Chel from Happiness is Everything. I was so sad that I couldn't meet her at Blog Fest because she seems like the type of person I would get along great with. Her little Scarlet is so beautiful! I can't link her because she's changed her blog to a private one, but I think she is very deserving of the Nice Matters Award!

Jolly's Ranch

We went camping this weekend with some friends at Jolly's Ranch. We had a blast. They have a huge camper which was really nice. T, M, and J all slept in the camper with them and DH, S and I slept in the tent. The tent wasn't too bad except for the fact that the first night our air mattress went flat and it felt like we were sleeping on cement. But, oh well. Maybe some day we'll be able to get a nice camper. It sure was nice to have a toilet, air conditioning, a t.v., and running water. They sure know how to camp in style!

The men cooking a very yummy breakfast!

S playing on the bunk beds!

The kids enjoying "Cat in the Hat" after a busy day of playing!

Water fun!!

Catching bugs, worms, and skippers.

More water fun!

My cute little princess!

M's Party!

Last weekend we finally had M's birthday party. Her actual birthday was almost a month ago, but with vacation and illnesses and all that other fun stuff we weren't able to get to it until now. Luckily she didn't care when we had it, she was just happy that we did. She is my easy, care-free child. DH took the boys out to dinner to a mongolian bbq and to go see "Transformers". They were so excited that they didn't have to stay and party with the girls and that they were going to have some alone time with their dad. They had a great time. I'm glad they were able to do something that was just for them.


We made the cutest flip flop invitations which I forgot to take a picture of. All the girls came in their p.j.'s., ready to party. M had Hannah Montana playing as all the girls were arriving, and they all danced, giggled, and ran around. We started the party off with a very healthy dinner of pizza rolls, mozarella sticks, chips, capri suns, and sushi-rice krispy-rolls! I was surprised at how much those girls ate. They must have been very hungry!

After we were done eating, we painted toe nails. Some of the girls couldn't decide which color to use and had to try several times before getting the right one. Once they were all done with the polish, they lined up to get flowers painted ontheir toes. I had the privilege of doing this. The flowers turned out cute and the girls were all happy, so it was a successful activity!

Our next item on the agenda was presents. M got some very fun things from her friends and I'm sure she was happy with everything! They all wanted to open everything right away and start playing, so that was a sign to me of a happy birthday girl.

After presents was cake!! I saw this darling cake on lei's blog, and I had to steal her idea. M thought it was adorable too and so I made one for her. The girls also loved it. We sang Happy Birthday and then M blew out her 8 candles. I can't believe she is 8. Crazy!

As their party favor, I bought white pillowcases and put purple ribbon around the top (A job that I thought I could do in no time at all and of course waited until a few hours before the party to even start sewing. What was I thinking?) Luckily the girls loved them. I bought some markers and the girls got to decorate their pillowcase. Some took their time, and others knew exactly what they were doing and got it done! They were decorated with everything from, flowers, polka dots, squiggly lines, names, handprints, footprints, hearts, and more.

M had a great time, and I think everyone else did too. I felt like it was a great party and was glad that M appreciated all that was done!

Where Did Your Mom Get Pregnant?

The other day we were in the car and M's really good friend Morgan was with us. Morgans' mom is having a baby, so there was a lot of baby talk. Like: Do you want a brother or a sister? What do you want the baby to be named? Are you excited? And, my favorite: Where did you mom get pregnant? She thought about this one for a minute and said nothing. Then M piped up and said, "Oh I know, I think it was at family home evening!" Morgan agreed with M and told us that that was where it probably happened because that was when her parents told them! I kept my mouth shut the entire time, but inside I was dying. If they only knew!!

More Fun at Tori's

Saturday night we had such a fun time at Tori's. We all got along great and it only took the kids a little bit to warm up to each other. First thing Sunday morning M and S both asked me when we were going back!

Don't you wish you were hubby was hot like ours?

S and Taj hit it off well!

M and Wormy!

The boys playing ball.

Trampoline fun!

All the kids waiting in line for DDR!!

Thanks for a fun-filled night!

Dance, Dance Revolution BABY!!

On Saturday, we went to Tori's for a BBQ. It was a blast! I'm really glad we got to do it. I feel like I've known her for a long time. We had a great time and I hope they did too!

She let me try out Dance, Dance Revolution! I sucked, but it was so fun. I could totally see myself doing that at home all the time if I had one. Maybe it'd be a good form of exercise!

I've got to get myself one for many reasons:

a.) I need the exercise.

b.) My kids would love it.

c.) I would love it.

d.) I've got to practice so Tori and I can have a dance off!

She is WAY better at it than I am. But, just wait I'll be there soon and then the competition is on!

I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did. I guess I'm a dork. Actually I know I am because DH and Sei kept telling us that. Aren't they sweet!

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?

Your Score: Nymphadora Tonks

You scored 52% Maturity, 85% Goodness, and 42% Abilities!

You're Tonks, you've got the ability to change your facial features at will, and you're part of the Order of the Phoenix. Even though you're one of the youngest in the Order you hold your own nicely, even if you did have some troubles passing parts of your Auror test.

Link: The In-Depth HP Personality Test

Idaho, Day 7 & 8

Saturday was another fun-filled, busy-crazy day. We woke up around 6 a.m. to head off to the sand dunes. We went to different ones this time, bigger ones! Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera, so I didn't get any shots. However, we had a blast. T finally got to ride all by himself, and he did quite well. He only had one little mishap when he was supposed to be following me and instead followed his dad. Daddy didn't know he was behind him and was driving crazy and going down steep hills. I tried to yell his name but it was too loud. T went down one hill and almost flipped. It scared me to death. When I got down to him he had a bloody lip, but other than that he was fine. Our cousin had a dune buggy which was soooo fun. Those babies have power.

Once again we were covered in sand and had to shower off. Then we headed to the park to meet some more cousins. We ate lunch and then let the kids play in the water. They had a little spray park there, which the kids thought was cool. They spent a long time running around and playing with their cousins. It was a perfect day for a picnic and some water fun.

Afterwards, we called Grandma Ball to see if she wanted to go to the Flood Museum with us. DH had been telling the kids about the Teton Flood and they were very interested in everything. Grandma Ball's house got ruined in the flood, so they wanted to know all about that. The museum is cute and had a ton of stuff. They got to feel actual mud from the flood. There were before and after pictures of Rexburg and the way the flood affected the entire town. The kids got to do a scavenger hunt. So we searched the museum for a long time. S even found a gun that was called a "S" gun. He thought that was the best thing, and HAD to have his picture taken next to it. They loved it! When everyone found all the things on their list, they turned it in to the front desk and they all got a flag pin. We also watched a short film of the flood. Somehow it got caught on video. I can't believe how much damage was done. I can't even imagine going through that and all those people that suffered. Now Rexburg is growing rapidly and you would never know that such tragedy had hit them.

Our next stop was to the movie theater to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I had debated taking the kids because I wasn't sure if they would be scared or not, but DH thought they would be fine. And, they were. J fell asleep about 10 minutes into it and slept the entire time. The other 3 really enjoyed it, as did we. I of course enjoyed the book much more, but that is usually the case.

After the movie we drove by the Rexburg Temple to check it out. It of course is beautiful and I would love to go inside when it is finished. The growth of the church is amazing. I can't believe how many temples have been built recently and how they are all being used. The church is growing rapidly and it is truly wonderful!

Then we were ready to grab some dinner and head back to the summer house for a quiet evening. As we started driving S started to feel sick and then told us that he thought he was going to throw-up. Great! I got a bag to him, but he missed. There was vomit E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. I crawled in the back seat to clean up the best I could, and I almost lost it myself. Popcorn vomit is awful. Luckily DH's cousin lives close by and we made a stop there to clean the car and bathe S. Poor guy. He was sick the next couple of days and then passed it on to M. Luckily we left for home the next morning.

We had a wonderful vacation. It was sooo nice to have family time and to enjoy being with each other and making wonderful memories!

Idaho, Day 5 & 6

After 2 very busy days, we decided to take it easy. Thursday we kind of relaxed and hung out all morning. In the afternoon my SIL and her family came for the night. We let the kids swim in the ditch and took them on little canoe rides up and down the ditch. We couldn't go very far, but they had a blast none-the-less. The water was chilly but that didn't stop them. There was lots of splashing, laughter, and fun to be had. The only bad thing about the ditch was that T came out with leeches on his foot. They were just tiny ones, but they were so disgusting. I did learn that pouring a little bit of vinegar on the leeches takes care of the problem. After we found them on him, I made all the kids go into the house for a leech check. So sick! Luckily no one else had any that day. Friday they went swimming again and both T and S got some. After that, the girls decided that they didn't want to go swimming any more.

When all the ditch fun was over, we loaded up the quads and headed for the sand dunes. It was hot and dirty, but very very fun. J is a little dare devil. The faster you go on those babies, the more fun she has. She loves it! T learned how to drive by himself, and was so proud of that fact. When we got home we were filthy. The kids had sand all over their bodies. In their ears, up their nose, on their heads, in between toes, in their belly buttons, and many other places. So, we showered them all up. It was like a little train. I stood in the bathroom, next to the shower and washed little ones bodies and help them rinse, then I wrapped them in their towels, and sent them out the door to my SIL who then got them all dry and jammied up. I think we got 7 kids bathed and dressed in about 30 minutes! When all was said and done, I was soaking wet, the bathroom floor was muddy, we had lots of dirty laundry, but we had clean and happy kids.

We then cooked dinner and had the kids settle down to a movie. When all that was done, we tucked them all into bed and they were out in a flash. I think all the busy activities wiped them out. All the adults zonked pretty quickly too!

Idaho, Day 4

The 4th day we were in Idaho we went to Jackson Hole. We drove past the Tetons on our way there, which were beautiful. We had plans on going down the Alpine Slide, but it was WAY pricey, so we chose some other activities.

In the center of town they have these cool antler arches at every corner.
The kids thought it was cool to see how many there were.

We stopped for an ice cream which was also WAY pricey. But, we came to the conclusion that that is just the way things are in Jackson. I think for 1 scoop on a waffle cone we paid almost three bucks. At least they were yummy and they kept us cool in the blazing heat!

One of the favorite activities of the day for the kids was getting an old time photo taken. DH and I have had two of these taken on previous trips to Jackson, and the kids have always wanted to get one done. They were darling, and had a blast getting dressed up in all the old western clothes. The picture turned out darling! I love it!!

After all of our daytime fun, we headed up the road a little bit for some good, clean, family entertainment. We went to a place called the Bar J. It's a favorite of ours, and we always try to make it there when we visit. This was the first time for the kids. They serve dinner chuckwagon style, and then there is a show following dinner. They are called the Bar J Wranglers.

They are very popular and you have to call and reserve your spots to make sure you can get in. Then, even though you have reservations you have to arrive early so that you can be at a good table. Lucky for us my FIL and his wife were there and volunteered to wait in line for us. They got there at 2:00 in the afternoon, and you don't get seated until 6:30. The kids would never have made it that long in line. There waiting paid off and we got to be seated at the first table, right in front of the stage.

The food was delicious and the entertainment was wonderful. They do a lot of old country music and some cowboy poetry. One of the guys can even yodel (I have no idea if I spelled that right or not). He is amazing. They also always do a funny number with "Grandma" in it. It is absolutely hilarious. One of the guys leaves and comes back as grandma. This time they did a song called "Dear Old Granny Had a Deformed Farm". We were cracking up. It was so dang funny and I'm so glad we were able to make it there!

Utah Blog Fest 2007

So, I'm a little late on blogging, but I have been oh so busy. The blog fest was a blast! I was so looking forward to meeting all my blog friends. It turned out even better than I had expected. I'm so glad Tori and Suzanne put this together.

Thanks to Emily, we met up in Heber at a beautiful cabin. We enjoyed yummy food and got to learn a little bit more about each other. I got the award for the friendliest blogger and the blog with the best photos. Thanks guys!! We played some fun games, and had an all-around wonderful time. I really hope we can do it again soon.

Tori and I had some fun playing with the house decor!

I even got to kiss a handsome knight!

A few of us stayed to kick up our heels and.....

be Charlie's Angels!