J Turned 9!

Now that we have a power cord, I can actually use my computer. My little baby turned 9 on the 27th of August. I can hardly believe she is all grown up. She had some very specific things in mind that she wanted to do for her birthday. First on the list was Trafalga.

First she wanted everyone to ride the "Frog Hopper".

Next on the agenda was rock climbing.

They all took turns.

The girls finished and then we were off to do Laser Tag.

The girls, DH and I rode the merry-go-round and...

...the boys rode the go-carts.

They also did the bumper boats. DH and I opted not to do that activity. We wanted to stay dry.

J wanted to go to Grandmas for dinner, presents, and cake. So when we were all done at Trafalga, we made our way over there to enjoy the rest of her birthday.

This cute little girl is always so much fun to be around.

J with her chocolate cake and pink frosting made to order.

I hope she had a wonderful party. I love this girl so much and am so glad she is part of our family. How lucky I am to be her mom!

Wishing

Totally wishing that we were still playing in the water and enjoying careless summer days!

Scout Pins

S got 3 scout pins at the last pack night. He's on his way to getting his Webelos badge!

Computer Woes

I hate not having a computer. Our power cord broke and so we've been without the use of a computer for several weeks now. I hate it. We really need to get a new one so the kiddos can use it for school AND so I can blog. I might be able to sneak a few posts while I'm at school. We'll see!

Sharing

M & Tal sharing a yummy root beer float!

Target Practice

T built this guy the other day to use as target practice. He filled the jug with red juice so it looked like blood when he shot it. I'm not sure how I feel about that. but he had fun.

My Beautiful M

My beautiful M went to 7th grade day yesterday and LOVED it!

I hope she has a great year.

Boys in the Kitchen

T and his best friend Riley were hanging out and were trying to figure out something to do. They finally decided to make cookies. They made Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and they were delicious!!

July Family Birthday Party

We had our July family party a few weeks ago. (My computer cord broke, so I haven't been able to post. Luckily I'm using my sisters computer for a minute.) M was the only birthday we celebrated in July. There are more birthdays, but not everyone was able to make it.

M got: a mirror, make-up, M&M's, Milky Way, and Mentos.

We had a great time as always!!

T & J at the Campout

T & J at the ward campout.

Proof that they actually do like each other!!

Splash Pad at North Park

Fun times at the splash pad!!

Stuff

M had her 7th grade shots this week. She is in the 49% for her height and weight. Everything went well at her checkup, now she is ready to start school. Speaking of school, it starts in 2 weeks. I can't believe it. Not sure if I'm ready.

T got home from Scout Camp and had a great time. They went rafting, hiking, swimming, slept outside, ate dehydrated food, explored, cooked, and had tons of fun. Now he is pooped.

We went to the ward camp out last night. It's always a lot of fun. The kids love it. Only thing bad was that I froze during the night. I barely slept. Our mattress was not at all comfortable, and did I mention it was freezing? Other than that we had a great time. DH and I decided we really need to invest in some good camping gear. We really enjoy going, but we REALLY need some better stuff. Maybe that will be part of our Christmas this year. A tent heater will definitely be on the list!

We are having shelves built upstairs. I've wanted them built for a long time. They are looking great and will hold a ton of stuff! Pictures to come. I can't wait until they're done!

That's all for now!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 25

Day 25- Your most peaceful place to be.

I love to go to the temple. It's so peaceful there. Nothing you need to worry about when you're there. I love it, I need to go there more!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 24

Day 24- Your favorite summer activity.

Swimming. Hands down, swimming. LOVE it!

Date

J has been dying to go on a date, so since everyone else is gone we decided to go out to dinner. She chose the restaurant and was super excited. After dinner we'll go home and watch SYTYCD!!

Scout Camp

This morning we got up bright and early at 5:30, so we could get T to the church. He's off for a week long scout campout. They will be hiking, exploring, swimming, rafting, fishing, and much more. Hope he learns a lot, and has tons of fun!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 23

Day 23- Your most exciting sports experience to date.

I've been to many a sporting event being the mother of 2 athletic boys, 2 dancing girls, and 1 sports-hungry husband. On top of that I've been to several pro- baseball and basketball games. But, probably the most exciting has been watching my kids love what they are doing. And win or lose it doesn't matter (of course winning is always fun;)!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 22

Day 22- The vacation of your dreams.

I have many dreams of vacations. Probably my top two would be:

1- A Disney World vacation with the family. I love Disneyland and have always wanted to go to Disney World. The kids would love it, DH would love it, and I would love it. It is the happiest place on earth after all.

2- A cruise. I've always wanted to go on a cruise with my hubby. A time for us to be alone, to relax, and to enjoy. I've heard they have great food and tons of activities. There is just something about a cruise that sounds enticing, relaxing, and completely enjoyable!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 21

Day 21- Your idea of the perfect retirement.

The perfect retirement for me would be spending some good quality time with my hubby. Going on some vacations, being out of debt, enjoying our grandkids. Sounds peaceful and relaxing!

Hairspray & Some Moving

Last night I went with 2 of my SIL's and my MIL to go see "Hairspray". It was SO cute. I

loved it. The entire cast did a great job. It was tons of fun. The only part I didn't like was

the lady next to us that brought her 2 little boys and let them run up and down the isle,

talking, laughing, and screaming. It was very annoying and rude. But, other than that the

night was very delightful!

It was nice to have a break. We've been spending the entire week cleaning and rearranging our house. Our boys have been little stinkers lately; fighting, yelling, punching, etc. People have been pretty grumpy around these parts. So, we decided that separating the boys would be a good idea. DH has been wanting to do it for a long time, but I've been very reluctant because I didn't want the t.v. in our living room downstairs. I love having that space, it's always clean, it's usually quiet. It's quite nice. But, I think for the happiness of our family I finally had to give in. Which meant the t.v. and entertainment center went downstairs, we moved S into the girls room, and moved the girls upstairs. It's been a long week of cleaning, moving, throwing things away, cleaning, moving, and cleaning, and moving. The kids are tired of it, I'm tired of it. Hopefully we can finish soon! The big moving is done, now we have the little stuff to do. Like S needs a dresser, the girls room still needs to be organized and clean. But, for now we are taking a break. T is making cookies with his friend. The girls (5 of them) are all upstairs playing. S and his friend are outside jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers on. DH is at work, and I'm on the computer enjoying a break. Everyone is happy!

So Glad She's Home

(M & Hannah at Harry Potter. Cute girls. I still need to see that!)

I am SOOOOOOO SOOOOO glad to have this cute girl home. We missed her so much. I'm glad she had such a wonderful time, but I'm so glad she's home. They didn't get home until like

2:30 or 3:00 in the morning. Their flight got delayed, so it turned into a super late night and they were exhausted. Now we have everyone home, it's so nice!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 20

Day 20- Music you never get tired of no matter how much it's played.

Not sure. There are certain songs I love, that I don't think I'll ever get sick of. Like Josh Grobans' "Drummer Boy". I love that song at Christmas. Actually I like most Christmas songs. I never get tired of hearing our wedding song or most primary songs. For some reason I love the song "Baby Got Back", I know I'm crazy. Hmmm, I like "Wind Beneath My Wings", "Always", "Just the Way You Are", "Making Love Out of Nothing at All", and I'm sure there are more my brain just isn't working right now.

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 19

Day 19 - Your top 10 bucket list items.

1- Go on a cruise and swim with dolphins.

2- Go to Europe.

3- Lose weight (not very exciting, but a necessity).

4- Go on a church history tour.

5- Send all my kids to college.

6- Go to the temple with all my kids at the same time.

(This is hard, I guess I'm not that adventurous.)

7- Get my nursing degree.

8- Get out of debt.

9- Go to Disney World with the family.

10- Always live my life worthily to return to live with Heavenly Father.

M at the D.C. Temple

Luckily my sis is super good at posting and she doesn't mind if I steal (borrow) pictures. Yesterday they went to the D.C. Temple, which is something M really wanted to do. They went on this fun nature walk and of course M started dancing (something she does daily).

I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it sure looks like Tate was copying H & M.

How cute is she?

M doing a leap. Not bad if you ask me!

Another fun move from M!

Inside the visitor center.
I'm so glad M was able to go and spend time with my sister and her family. She was thrilled to go and has called me every night telling me what a great time she's been having. I know she will always remember this trip and will have fun memories to look back on.

Cute little cousins. I think they are really going to miss each other, but I'm excited to have M home. Tomorrow night, I can't wait!!!

T is Home!!!

T got home last night!!

I'm glad my kids had the chance to go do some fun things with family, but I sure started to miss them. T had a great time in Oregon with his cousins. He got a ride home with a friend who was bringing his son and two other boys to Utah to go to Jimmer Camp. They were nice enough to let T hitch a ride. This is a picture of them at the Salt Flats. So glad he's home!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 18

Day 18- Your favorite part of the Christmas holiday.

I love Christmas! Love the decorating, the baking, the parties, the family time, the traditions, the music, the feeling, and mostly the focus that we put on our Savior. Christmas is probably my favorite holiday for all the reasons above. I love the fun traditions we have with our family and all the special family time we have together. I love decorating the house and baking (and eating) all the yummy treats. And I love all the stories about Christ. About his birth and his sacrifice for us. I know we always try to remember Christ and all he's done for us, but at Christmas there is an extra special feeling. I LOVE it!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 17

Day 17- The best quality your mom passed on to you.

I'm very lucky that I have such wonderful parents. I learned many things from them and they raised us in a loving home. One of the best qualities I think I got from my mom was her love for children. She loves to be around babies, to hold them, rock them, and kiss them. I too am a baby person. There is just something about a baby that can't be explained. I learned how to be a good mom and care for my children the way my mom cared for us. I'm thankful every day for being blessed with such great parents.

Movie Day

Today was movie day. We went to the dollar movie twice, which is odd for us. We hardly ever go to the movies. S, J, and I went to see "Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer" this afternoon. It was cute-ish. The kids liked it so that's what counts.

After dinner we were supposed to go to the planetarium at BYU, but it is closed for maintenance. Darn. So we decided to go see "Hanna". Bad decision. First of all it is definitly not a movie for kids. Poor S & J were totally bored. Secondly it was just kind of blah. I kept waiting for something great to happen, but it never did. I'm not a big movie critic. Usually I go just to
be entertained, but this one wasn't entertaining. Oh well, better luck next time.

We recently saw "African Cats". Dad loved it. I liked the first 30 minutes, but then I had watched enough of cats roaming around. We also saw (Wow, for people who don't go to the movies, we've sure seen a lot lately. Yeah for the dollar theatre!) "Soul Surfer". I really like this movie. The kids loved it. I was close to tears almost the entire time because I kept imagining what it would be like if that were my child. She is an amazing girl and is an inspiration to many young athletes. It was a good movie!

Lions at the Owlz Game

J's softball team celebrated the end of the season by going to the Orem Owlz baseball game. They got their trophies that night, signed shirts, and even got some of the players to sign their jerseys. They ran around, giggled, ate snacks, and had a really great time together!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 16

Day 16- Your most prized material possession.

I'm not really attached to my things. I guess if my house were to burn down I would be really sad to lose my pictures/scrapbooks. I love going back and looking at pictures and remembering the things we've done and the memories we've made.

M went D.C.

My went to D. C. with her cousins the other day. I've always wanted to go there and see all the sights. Here she is holding the monument (pretty cute, don't you think?).

M, Ethan, and Lu at the Lincoln Memorial. I'm so glad she is having such a fun time. What a great experience for her. I know she'll never forget it and will always be grateful to her aunt and uncle for giving her this opportunity. Now if DH and I can get there some time!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 15

Day 15- A pet peeve you could kill over.

Not sure I have one. I think I'm pretty easy-going and I try not to let things bother me too much.

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 14

Day 14- A favorite amusement park you've been to.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Disneyland!! Happiest place on earth. Which makes me think, I really need to go there again. SOON!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 13

13- Your favorite outfit that makes you feel good.

I don't know if I have a particular outfit that I feel especially great in. I'm having self-esteem issues right now and don't think anything really looks that great on me. If I had to choose something, I would say probably a skirt with a flowy top (to hide all the fluff I have) is what I'm most comfortable in.

Coconut Lime Banana Bread

One word: YUM!!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?, Day 12

Day 12- A simple pleasure in life you could never live without.

I love a nice nap, although I don't get those very often. But every once in a while they are so nice!!

"Can I Stay?"

T is having a blast in OR. He called Saturday when they got back from Trek and told me all about it. It sounds like he loved it. He told me that it was hard work and that he was glad he didn't have to walk from Missouri to Utah. He even bore his testimony. I wish I could've heard him. He doesn't do that too often. I'm so proud of him for having the courage to do that. I really hope his testimony has been strengthened and that he will always remember the feelings he had and the things he learned while on the trek.

When I talked to him yesterday he asked if he could stay longer. He was supposed to come home on Tuesday, but now wants to stay until the end of the month. He wants to go to Scout Camp with Josh next week. I think that will be another great experience for him, so while I'm sad and I miss him, I guess I'll let him stay. What a weird summer for us.

Falcon League State Champs

After 6 games last week, some in the heat, some in the rain, J's team won the state tournament. They were so excited. They had a good little team and it was fun to watch them play. Their pitcher was amazing! She's got quite an arm on her. The whole team was pretty cute and they had a great season!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 11

Day 11- Something you feel you've improved on yourself and something you're proud of.

I've always enjoyed cooking, but I feel that over the years I've gotten much better at it. I love cooking and baking. I love being able to make a good meal for my family and know that they are enjoying it.

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 10

Day 10- Your favorite winter activity.

Well, I'm not a big fan of super cold weather. However, I do love watching the snowfall and waking up to the quiet, beautiful fresh fallen snow. I love having a white Christmas. My favorite winter activity would probably be curling up on the couch with some hot chocolate watching the kids play outside. They are having a blast, and I'm staying warm. Something we both like!!

Happy 12th Birthday M!

Happy Birthday to my sweet M (and nephew Reg)! M was so happy when Reggie was born on the same day as she was, now they get to share a birthday. So fun that they got to spend a little time together yesterday! I love this picture of M, Reggie, and Hannah!

It's weird not spending time with M on her birthday, but I know she's in good hands. Twelve years ago this sweet little blondie joined our family. We were so happy to have a little girl! M has always been such a sweet heart! She is the peacemaker in our family. She is always writing cute little notes to everyone to say hi, or I love you, or I'm sorry, or just because. I could think of a million reasons why I love her, but today I will list my top 12!

~She is smart and determined to get good grades.

~She has a desire to read the scriptures and strengthen her testimony.

~She loves her family.

~She has a lot of friends and gets along with everyone.

~She is an amazing dancer, I love watching her.

~She is a good helper at home and always gets her chores done.

~She has a sweet smile.

~She gives great hugs.

~She is tender-hearted.

~She loves the Lord.

~She is not embarassed to hug her mom in public:)

~She is a very pretty girl, inside and out!

Love you M, hope you have a wonderful day!!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 9

9- Your biggest fear.

Not sure? I don't know if I could jump out of an airplane. I'm not really scared of spiders or the dark. My biggest fear might be something bad happening to one of my kids or my husband. That would be horrible, I don't know what I would do. Let's just hope that never happens.

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 8

Day 8 - The best advice your dad ever gave you.

I've come to decide that these are some hard things to come up with. My dad is amazing. He has given me much advice, and all of it has been good. I've always looked up to him. One thing he always told me was to marry a returned missionary. That it would bring many great blessings into my life and to my family. Boy was he right! I'm so glad I listened and followed his advice. Our family has been blessed countless times for having the priesthood in our home. Dad also taught me to always have faith, even when times get hard. He's always told me that I can do it. Sometimes this isn't always the easiest thing to remember. But, in the back of my mind I can hear his encouraging voice and it makes it easier for me to carry on. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful dad (and mom), who always support me, love me, and are always there for me giving me advice along the way.

June Birthday Party

We rented the Peteetneet slide for our June party. It is a giant slip 'n slide that is down the side of a huge hill. It was a blast. Everyone loved it, including the adults.

Madalyn was our June birthday. I don't remember everything she got, but I do remember:

mirror

M&M's

Mambas

Milky Way

Mars

Mr. Goodbar

Mike 'n Ike
It's been very fun to see what everyone comes up with it!

We each brought a picnic and enjoyed it at the park.

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 7

7- A deceased person you admire.

I have a really good friend that passed away almost a year ago. She was one of the most positive people I have ever met. You would always see with a smile on her face. She was beautiful. She always had something nice to say. I don't think I ever heard her complain or have a bad attitude. Even with all her suffering and everything she went through, she was still happy. I feel so blessed to have known her and to have been able to learn from her example. She was an amazing person!

4th of July

We had a fun 4th of July!

We went to the Freedom Festival in Provo and walked around. J picked out a fan and S got a bracelet with his name on it. Afterwards we went to Sizzler for lunch with mom, dad, Em, Jose, and Tal. Then we headed to the dollar movies. We saw African Cats. The kids got a little bored. It wasn't horrible, sort of national geographic like. I'm probably good with watching cats for a while now. Dad loved it. Then we went home to start cooking, and ate a yummy BBQ!

I made a delicious red, white, and blue fruit pizza for dessert.

We all had lots of fun with the sparklers.

After our BBQ, DH's family came over so we could do our fireworks. Everyone had a great time. Even the neighbors came out to watch our show!

These cuties enjoyed the fireworks on the beach, how fun!

I didn't get a picture from T but I do know that they went swimming, ate, went to a party, and watched some fireworks with friends.

Sounds like fun was had by all!

30 Day Blog:" Why, Oh Why?", Day 6

6-Create your life soundtrack.

Another hard one, but I'll try:

~California Gurls- Because that is where I'm from.

~Surfin' USA- Love the beach.

~Wind Beneath My Wings - I've always loved that song.

~Forever Young -Prom Song

~BYU Fight Song- Where I went to college.

~In This Life - Wedding song

~Twinkle Twinkle Little Star- Sang this song for many years to all my babies.

~Rock a Bye Baby - Same reason as above.

~Sometimes He Lets It Rain- My life sometimes.

~Don't Worry, Be Happy- I need to remember this more.

~Just Dance- I love to dance.

~Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night- Love my nights with my hubby;)

~Because I Have Been Given Much- I feel so blessed to have the things I have.

~I Know That My Redeemer Lives- What would I do without this knowledge?

If I really thought about it more I could come up with more songs, but I don't think I did too bad!

Em's Shower

We've been so busy lately that I guess I forgot to blog about Em's Surprise Baby Shower.

We threw her a surprise shower in June. My cute sister Ange helped and planned all the way from North Carolina. It turned out super cute, and Em was actually surprised! She got a lot of really cute stuff, now we just need that cute little Jakob to get here. 5 more weeks!

Of course I had to include of picture of Tal, she's too cute!

We had a luncheon with lots of yummy food! Salads, fruit, cookies, chicken enchilada ring, and yummy fruit water. I think the party turned out so nice and I hope Em had a great time!