Family Picture

Family Picture

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Spring Break in Utah

On Friday March 26, the kids and I headed to Utah for Spring Break. We decided to go to Utah for Spring Break because my sister, Cindy had a baby in November and I hadn't seen her yet, so I just had to go and get my hands on the cute little chunk! This was the first time I have ever driven to Utah by myself, it went really well and the kids were SO good. Thank heavens for my darling children. After about 12 and half hours we made it to my parents house. I was actually making great time, but had a little detour when I forgot to get off on I 84 and was headed to Pocatello instead of Salt Lake! Woops! When I realized what I had done, I called Pete and started bawling! I give him credit for trying not to laugh, but I could tell he thought it was funny. He's says, "Get off at the next exit and turn around." I said, "There are no exits!" He says, "Honey, there will be an exit at some point, it may not be for five more miles, but there will be an exit. I promise." Okay, so I overreacted, but I was driving by myself with four little kids, so I deserve a little leniency. Once we arrived in Fruit Heights we had pizza and the kids played with their cousins for awhile before they headed to bed.

On Saturday, we mostly just hung out and talked, the kids played and then for dinner we went to The Golden Corral. The kids love that place, but it is a little crazy for me with four kids trying to keep filling their plates by myself. As soon as I got one kid situated the next one had an empty plate and needed it filled. But, I finally did eat and had a great time.

On Sunday we went to church with my parents, and then all my siblings who live in Utah, came over for Sunday dinner. It was crazy, but fun.

On Monday it was a gorgeous day, so we headed to the zoo. We had a great time. The Hogle zoo has improved immensely over the years and my kids always love to go. They saw all the fun animals and rode the Carousel and the train.















On Tuesday we went to visit my Grandma and I had a great visit with her while my kids played with her fun toys. She has some of the best old fashioned toys and my kids love to go play there. Shaylee gave Grandma lots of hugs and kisses and Jaron even gave her a hug by the end. After Grandma's house I met up with my sister, Cindy at Michael's, my mom and little sister were meeting us a little later. I thought this would be no problem shopping with the six kids because Brandon and Kenyon could watch the younger kids. The problem with this idea was that the beads where Cindy needed to go was right by the $1 toy section. So Brandon and Kenyon were too involved looking at those toys and not watching Shaylee and Annika. Cindy and I were both intently looking for what she needed and I would look up occasionally to make sure the girls were okay. They were further down the aisle by the plastic beads and each had a bag of beads they were looking at. I didn't think they could do anything to those, so I went back to helping Cindy. Then all of the sudden I hear something hitting the ground. I look over and beads just start shooting out of Annika's bag. When she realizes what great fun it is to be showered in beads she starts dancing with the bag and the beads just go flying everywhere! My mom just happened to come around the corner right as this happens and she looked shocked. Meanwhile I am running down the aisle yelling, "Annika! Stop!" I finally get to her and grab the bag, but what a mess we had all over the floor! There were beads EVERYWHERE! I made all of the kids help me pick up the beads and the one good thing about that was it kept them busy the rest of the time we were shopping. This was not so funny at the time, but it makes me laugh every time I think about it now. We were going to do a little more shopping after that, but by the time we left Michael's we were so exhausted we just headed back to mom's. We spent the rest of the day making jewelry and gabbing.



On Wednesday we woke up to three inches of snow on the ground! Crazy! I was not very happy because I didn't bring any of my kids heavy coats. Oops! Luckily there wasn't much snow on the road, so we headed up to Park City to get in some shopping. The kids were great and we had such a great time.





On Thursday we took the kids to Boondock's and went bowling. It was so much fun. And the kids loved it. Pete came in later that night and we were happy to be reunited with him again.





















On Friday we headed to Utah county and visited some friends along the way. Then we ate dinner at Brick Oven, with Pete's mom and two brothers and their families. I love the Brick Oven. Yum!!!!

On Saturday we didn't do a lot because Shaylee threw up at three in the morning and wasn't feeling good all day. We had a great breakfast like we always do at Paul and Inger's. The kids just played all day with each other. Pete, Jaron and I met my cousin and his family for lunch at Jimmy John's and we had a fun time with them. During the Priesthood session we went to Pete's mom's and colored eggs and then when the boys arrived home we played games until late.

On Sunday morning we had an Easter egg hunt at Paul and Inger's and then we went to Grandma's for Easter lunch. After lunch we headed back to my parents and had another Easter egg hunt and another big Easter dinner. There's nothing like having two Easter's in one day! We headed home the next morning.



























We had a great Spring Break and I am so glad we went.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Basketball

Well, we wrapped up another basketball season this last Saturday. It was a crazy day with Kenyon's game in the morning followed by his team pizza party and then Brandon's game and his team's pizza party. I love basketball, but I am always ready for the season to end because it is so hard having the two boys on two different teams. Luckily in baseball they can be on the same team.

Kenyon's team this year were the Tomahawks





Brandon's team were the Flames



Monday, March 8, 2010

Do you ever have days like today?

Today has been rough. It's just one of those days when I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a mom. Luckily these days don't happen often, but when they do everything just seems to go wrong.

I asked Shaylee to clean up her room this morning. This is what it looked like when she went to bed:



I asked Brandon and Kenyon to clean the toy room and this is what it looked like at the end of the day:



My cookies looked like this



instead of gorgeously soft and spread out. What happened?! My cookies always turn out. That's the only thing I cook REALLY well.

Jaron went to time out multiple times today for throwing fits

Pete had a little league baseball meeting

This is what B and K looked like after I had told them to go to bed 30 mins. before.


AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I feel better now!

Oh, and this is the pile of flowers that need to be ready by next Thursday for my open house. This pile does not include my bows and headbands that need to be done.



I am overwhelmed! But, like anything I will get through this and will be headed to Utah in two and half weeks! Thank Heavens!

This is the one of the good things that happened today. Making cookies with Shay! So much fun! And the cookies do taste good, they just stayed in their ball instead of spreading. WEIRD!




Who can resist a cute girl with cookie dough on her face?!

Your request is granted!

Since Karen REALLY wants me to put a picture of my toes on the blog here it is:)



a picture of my pretty toes!

Man, I'm Old!



Yep! I am getting old! I have been climbing that hill for awhile now and I think I'm almost at the top and then I'll be coasting downward. WooHoo for being an old lady! If you can't tell I just had a birthday on February 26 and I turned 34! I know, I know, that's not really old, but this is the age my mom should be not me! Only six years until I'm 40 and my husband is turning for 40 in August! Wow! Time sure does fly. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating his 30th birthday and I thought that was old. Little did I know.

I had an awesome birthday, thanks to a fabulous man and some great friends. My birthday was the day after we got back from the GWL, so I spent the morning cleaning the kitchen and getting all of our snack food put away. Then Pete called and told me he was coming home early to unpack all of our bags and would I like him to pick me up some Taco Bell. I know some of you are thinking, "Taco Bell, really?" but for those of you who know me I LOVE Taco Bell. So, I said "Yes" and was so excited to have my two favorites- a double decker taco, and a beef meximelt. YUMMMM! Then when Shay and her friends went to dance I got a pedicure with Karen! It was so much fun and now my toes are so pretty! That night in between basketball practices we had pizza (my favorite food) and an ice cream cake. Then I opened my presents. On Saturday I woke up to breakfast and bed from Brandon (with Pete's help of course), a sausage english muffin and a chocolate muffin, Orange juice and milk. YUM! That night Pete and I went out to dinner and to the outlets. We ate at the Cheescake factory and had a really yummy cheesecake with a candle and singing! Thanks Pete! On Monday, I went to lunch with three of my favorite girlfriends, Karen, Nicole and Julie, to the Olive Garden. YUM! And to top it all off on Tuesday night I went to dinner and shopping with another awesome gal, Kirse. To say the least I'm sure I gained twelve pounds, but boy was it worth it! I love food and I got to eat some of my very favorites for my bday. What a great birthday! I am so lucky to have such a great family and some wonderful friends.

These are the only pictures I have and boy do I look great! :)



Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Great Wolf Lodge

We had decided not to go to GWL this year, since we are going to Utah for Spring Break, but we got an awesome coupon and couldn't resist. We surprised the kids with it. They had no idea we were going. They had two half days on February 24 and 25, so we left right after they got home on the 24th and headed on up to Grand Mound, Washington.

The view from our room


It was so much fun! And what made it even better was that two of our good friends went up at the same time. Brandon and Kenyon had a great time going and doing there own thing with their friend Matthew. We let them just take off and check in with us periodically. Shaylee LOVED the big water slides, that she could go down and she went on them over and over and over again. She has no fear, we had to really watch her because she would just take off on us. She gave me a few scares, but we always knew where to find her- at the big red and yellow slides. Jaron was not sure he was going to like this new adventure (that is putting it mildly since he when we tried to put his swimsuit on and swimmers, he was screaming bloody murder in fact he kept telling us he wanted to take a nap. He was sobbing nap, nap, I take nap! It was so sad), but once we got into the water in the little kids area, he had a blast. He loved splashing and jumping around. We had such a fun time and we can't wait to go again.


Dumping 1,000 gallons of water on all the people in its path


Playing in the wave pool








The three amigos











Jaron loved biting his life vest. He bit a hole right through it.






Shooting baskets was Jaron's favorite
activity. Surprise, Surprise!


Story time at the Clock Tower