Dear Blog ...

Dear Blog ...

I realize that by now you feel completely abandoned, and for that I really do apologize. But let me be frank ... you are on the BOTTOM of a VERY long list of "To Dos" right now. So you and I will have to wait to become reaquainted again until after the new year ... or possibly spring.

You see ... I am EXTREMELY behind right now! In fact, I had a mild to moderate nervous breakdown today, seeing as Christmas is only 9 days away. Don't worry! Everyone and everything escaped unharmed. I did, however, take up a fair amount of my mother's precious time on the phone today - first laughing hysterically at my brainless antics (a story for another day) and then crying at my complete frustration. But I feel lots better. I took her advice and made a list and I am going to bed NOW because I can barely see straight.

So, there you have it. It's certainly not the way I envisioned Christmas at my house 9 days prior to the greatest day of the year, but it is what it is. In fact, in my dreams I see myself cheerfully humming along with the Christmas music playing in the background. My house is spotless, the gifts (all homemade of course) are beautifully wrapped under the tree, the children are happily playing together, and the sweet aroma of freshly baked goodies streams through my house. Oh and we can't forget the perfect Christmas cards that were mailed days ago and the kind service projects that we've done for our neighbors and friends.

Welcome back to reality folks! NONE of those things took place at this house today. In fact, if you had come to my door at any point today you may have heard me yelling at the children, cursing at projects gone bad or tripping over a million things on the floor. HOWEVER ... with all that being said ... I am grateful that in this house of craziness ... there are 3 beautiful, healthy children who I adore and a man who I love with all of my heart. So on that note my friends (and dear blog who's been neglected) I bid you a fond farewell ... for at least a few more days, or weeks!

Indoor Camping Party

Believe it or not ... my little man is turning 8 years old in a couple of days. Strange, I know. He should still be 3! He's such a good kid and a complete sweetheart! He can hardly wait to turn 8, be baptized and start Cub Scouts. So it seemed only appropriate that his birthday party this year would have something to do with scouts. We decided that an indoor camping party would be just the ticket!

Now, I realize that this may sound extremely strange to some people, but I LOVE planning birthday parties! Truly! I love the whole process of brainstorming about themes, deciding on favors and decorations and then running with it! Literally ... I think about it for weeks. Sometimes months! It's one of the things that makes me tick. I can't explain it!

So ... we picked a date (which in December can be extremely difficult) and created invitations. I found a super cute digital scrapbook kit called "Who Wants Some Smores?" on JustSoScrappy.com. Then I let my imagination run wild. I found some other moms online who had hosted a similar party and I used their ideas as inspiration. Here's a quick look at the party ...


Happy birthday J-Dog! We love you so much and are extremely proud of you! I hope you had as much fun at the party as I did!

I'm still here!

Good grief! It's the end of November and I am SO far behind on my blogging! Didn't finish my "I'm grateful for" list. Haven't posted about a dozen events. But for now my friends, let me just say NO ... I have NOT given up blogging. Life has just been crazy. So, stay tuned for some updates ... soon ... hopefully! In the meantime ... HAPPY DECEMBER tomorrow!

Day 15: I'm Thankful For ...

It was pretty easy to find something to be thankful for today because here in sunny St. George it was 68 degrees! It was a GORGEOUS day! We went for a walk, played outside, and took every opportunity to soak up some sun ... ON THE 15TH OF NOVEMBER! Ahhh ... THIS is why I love living here! Yes indeed, I'm thankful for St. George weather (most of the time)

I didn't forget Halloween

Dear Blog/Journal:

No, I did NOT forget to post about Halloween. I realize that we're half way through November already, but cut me some slack, ok?

Halloween is one of those holidays that we, as moms, have a love/hate relationship with. It's fun because the kids are so excited. But it seems to drag on forever. You've got the class parties, the Trunk or Treat, good old fashioned trick or treating and then the sugar high. That being said it was still lots of fun!

We began the festivities early on Friday morning with the annual school parade and then headed into Kate's classroom for the party. Then we rushed over to Greg's office for our traditional Halloween picture with Dad. As you can see Eme was just a wee bit tired. Then to make the weekend even more exciting Nana and Jim came down. It was SO fun to have them here for Halloween! We went to Josh's soccer game, carved pumpkins and frosted sugar cookies! Our good friend Brooke even came over and joined in the fun of carving pumpkins. She "claims" that this was her first time ever carving pumpkins. I don't know about that, but it was fun to have her. Of course we had the ward Trunk or Treat and then Nana and I braved the "cool" weather for a little trick or treating with the kids. Thanks for coming down Nana and Jim! It made the weekend that much more fun!

I'm Thankful For ...

Today I am thankful that we had food on our table. It's difficult for me to imagine what it would be like as a parent to not be able to feed your children. And yet, I know that it happens - probably more than I realize. So, today as I ate my chicken over rice with a green salad and cooked squash I felt grateful for the many blessings that we enjoy as a family.

However, as a funny note ... our dinner table was not the picture of manners and fine etiquette. NO, NO my friends! Martha Stewart would probably have been appalled. Picture this ... Eme in her chair tossing everything that we gave her onto the floor and wailing to get out. Kate complaining that she doesn't like squash. Josh, oh Josh, eating EVER so slowly and chattering about everything under the sun. A couple of times I just looked at Greg and smiled. Other times I admit that I ordering everyone around saying, "Eat your squash! Sit down! Don't throw your food!" etc., etc. You get the picture. BUT ... that being said, I'm grateful for those three little people and our wild evening dinners. We waited a long time for them.

GOOD GRIEF!

All I can say is ... GOOD GRIEF! What a week (both good and bad) this has been. I am obviously WAY behind on my "I'm Thankful For ..." list so I'll get started. Here's a recap of what I have been thankful for this week:

Last Sunday - I was thankful for a LAZY Sunday afternoon/evening together as a family. It certainly helped that we gained an hour with Daylight Savings Time. Then after church we lounged around, watched movies, ate good food, spent time together! It was a perfect day ...

and then it was Monday! I woke up around 1:00 a.m. on Monday with THE worst stomach ache and spent the next hour ... well, I'll leave it at that. Let's just say that what I was incredibly grateful for was my hubby. I started hollering for him from the bathroom and he came running. Thanks hon for taking such good care of me!

Okay ... on to Tuesday. I was thankful that that day I was feeling better and could go to the temple with Greg. Why don't I do that more often? Note to self. Make time to go to the temple more with my honey.

Wednesday - I am thankful for good friends! I honestly have THE greatest friends ever! I know that I can laugh with them, complain to them, count on them for anything and know that they've ALWAYS got my back! I found this great quote that perfectly describes my friends - “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” - Bernard Meltzer. Thanks girls for being the best friends I could ever ask for!

Thursday ... LOTS to be thankful for on this day! First of all, eight years ago we met Josh's birth mom and her family for the first time! What an amazing experience! How grateful we are that they came into our life and helped to bring our "J-Dog" to our family. I love you buddy! Secondly, it was neat to celebrate Veteran's Day by watching Kate and her 5th Grade classmates march in the parade and then sing during the program. It was a great reminder of how blessed we are to live in this free country and for the sacrifice that so many have made for that freedom. Great job Sis! And finally (and I realize this seems trivial when compared to the other two) I was VERY thankful that my new modem came. (Thus the reason why I'm so behind on posting).

On to Friday - So, off and on for the past few days I had been feeling achy and not the best. On Thursday night I started with a fever and basically felt like GARBAGE! Well, on Friday morning I woke up still feeling like dirt, but on top of it all I had a rash from head to toe! So, my obvious bit of thankfulness for that day goes to my Dr. for some much needed antibiotics and various OTC medicines. But the thing that I was most grateful for were my sweet baby's kisses. I think that Eme could sense that mommy wasn't on top of her game and so she kept on kissing me all over my face. It was honestly the best medicine I had! I love you Emers!

Here we are ... finally to Saturday! Today I'm thankful for weeks like this past week, when things don't always go the way we planned but in the end there were still a lot of good things that happened. I survived without the Internet (actually got a lot done), I am starting to feel better (although the rash is still BAD), I have a great husband who loves me (even though I haven't gotten off the couch in 2 days), I have three amazing, healthy, happy kids and many, MANY more things (and people) that I'm thankful for!

Day 6 ... I'm Thankful For ...

Today there are lots of things that I'm thankful for:

THAT MY BOYS ARE HOME SAFE:

Greg and Josh had a GREAT time at the Utah/TCU game, even though the game itself was a huge disappointment. Thanks hon for being such a cute dad! I know it meant alot to Josh. We missed you boys!

THAT I GOT TO SPEND TIME WITH MY GIRLS:

Kate, Eme and I had a fun time together, even though Eme does not seem to appreciate our love for shopping. Kate helped me pick out new things for their bathroom and was a huge help. I can only hope that she'll continue to like spending time with me in the coming years. For now, I'll enjoy every moment of Kate's chitter chatter and Eme's emerging personality. Here's to many more girl's weekends ahead.

THAT WE GET TO SET OUR CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR TONIGHT:

No explanation needed!

"I'm Thankful For ... " #5

Tonight I'm extra thankful that Greg, Kate, Josh, Eme and I are a family! I'm incredibly grateful that Greg is my husband, best friend and the greatest dad ever! He has taken Josh to SLC to see the big TCU/Utah game tomorrow and I miss them like crazy! However, it's been fun to spend time with my two favorite girls. So far Kate and I have played the Wii, gone out to dinner and then Kate headed off to Nutcracker rehearsal. We're going to stay up late watching movies and go shopping tomorrow, so it's sure to be a fun weekend. But I can't wait until we're all back together again ... me and my little family!

Day 4: "I'm Thankful For ..."

Tonight I'm going to keep it simple. I am thankful for ...

DAYS WHEN YOU CAN STAY IN YOUR PAJAMAS AS LONG AS YOU WANT:

As a stay at home mom, I try to get ready at least by the time everyone comes home. But some days, like today, it just feels nice to stay in my pjs and get stuff done. Sometimes I let Eme go back to bed for her morning nap in her pjs because I think she's all snugly and warm. And besides ... who wouldn't love going back to bed at about 10:00 a.m.?

Another thing I'm thankful for:

GORGEOUS FALL DAYS IN ST. GEORGE!

WOW! The past few days have been fantastic! Actually it's almost been warm enough to warrant turning the air conditioner back on. But, oh how I love these cool nights! It's like a gift from Heaven after a long, hot summer!

Alright ... there's TONS more that I'm thankful for, not the least of which is my little brood. But for now I'll kiss them all goodnight and save that for another post. Happy, thankful thoughts to all!

Day 3 of "I'm Thankful For ..."

Tonight I've given a lot of thought to what I'm thankful for. One thing really sticks out to me for Day 3 of my list and it's this ...

THAT I HAVE A PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE:

I know that sounds really heavy but here, let me simplify it a little bit. If I felt like my only purpose for the rest of my life was to get up, do laundry, make beds, wash dishes, etc. how excited would I be to get up every day? I WOULDN'T! I'd stay in bed forever! (Let's face it - some days, even with a purpose in mind, I'd rather stay in bed!)

This morning I was talking with a friend who is having a difficult time right now and she feels exactly like that - what's the purpose for getting up every day? I don't know if she went away from our conversation feeling any better but I've thought about it a great deal today.

I'm grateful for the gospel and its principles that give my life direction and purpose. My ultimate goal is to be with Greg and my kids forever and in order to do that, I know that I need to do certain things. NOW ... let's be clear about one thing - I fail miserably at the list of things that I should be doing most of the time. HOWEVER ... (and this is the main thing that I'm grateful for today) I KNOW that each day is another day for me to try harder. I know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me regardless of how I did today. I know that he's cheering me on and saying, "Okay, so today wasn't your best day. But get some sleep and let's try harder tomorrow." I find that extremely comforting!

I also know that the work that I'm doing in my own family is THE most important work there is. AGAIN ... I go to bed most nights thinking I could have been a better wife and mom. But I know that I have tomorrow and I know that the ones I love forgive me for my shortcomings and love me in spite of them.

So, there's my little soap box for tonight! We DO have purpose ... and it's not just all about the laundry, carpools and paying bills. It's SO much more and I'm grateful to know that!

I'm Grateful For ... Day 2

Alright ... Day 2 of what I'm thankful for:

LIVING IN A COUNTRY WHERE WE CAN VOTE:

Now, I'm not much of a political junkie and I, like some of you, get pretty sick of politicians sometimes. But, that being said, I AM grateful that we at least have the choice and freedom to vote in this country. Sure, there are lots of problems with the economy and the way the country is being led, but let's not forget that we are FREE! Free to send our kids to school. Free to shop and live and eat where we want. And most importantly, practice whatever religion we choose.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY:

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE my computer! I love to create things on it, organize my life on it, admire other people's creativity online and yes, I am guilty of online shopping as well. Josh and I somehow got on the subject today about the first computer. I mentioned to him that actually computers were invented during my lifetime. He looked SHOCKED! It was as if I had told him I went to school with George Washington! Yes, I'm older than I'd like to admit but thankfully I've lived long enough to enjoy a little web surfing and computer time!

So, there! Two more things on my list! Now, it's off to enjoy something else I'm VERY thankful for ... SOME SLEEP!

I'm Grateful For ... Day 1

I've decided that in honor of my favorite holiday (or at least 1 of my top 3 favorite holidays) I am going to list things that I am grateful for every day until Thanksgiving. I know it's cheesy, but I'm hoping that by the end of the month maybe I'll be a more grateful and thankful person.

I know a lot of people (myself included) who take advantage of the simple every day blessings and focus more on the negative things in life. I don't want to be like that! Those kind of people aren't a whole lot of fun to be around! I know I'm not when I'm stomping around griping about every little thing and snapping at my family. I want my kids and my husband to think of me as a happy, joyful and thankful person who loved life.

Now, don't laugh. The things that I mention that I'm grateful for may not always be the obvious or most important things in my life. If I were to do that every day I would list my family, faith, friends, etc. every single day. My main goal by the end of the month is to SHOW the people that I love how thankful I am for them. So, if I fail to mention them hopefully it's because I'm showing them instead.

Alright ... so for Day 1 of my "I'm Thankful For ..." list I thought of the following (because I was particularly thankful for them today):

MY WASHER AND DRYER ...

Some of you may recall a funny story about me and my broken washer earlier this year. If not, GOOD! Pretty embarrassing! But today I am especially thankful for my washer and dryer because I had about 8 loads of laundry at the beginning of the day and as we speak the final load is in the washer. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for the pioneers to have to wash their clothes by hand and hang them out to dry. YUCK! Which reminds me of another blessing ... that the good Lord sent me to Earth when he did ... after the invention of the washing machine!

MEDICINE ...

Modern day medicine is amazing to me! First of all, the simple fact that we can walk into any grocery store and buy pain relieving medicine is awesome! Take today for instance - Eme and I both have colds and I woke up with a WHOPPING headache! So, what do I do? Simply walk to my medicine cabinet and get myself some Ibuprofen and Tylenol and then give some to Eme, too! BAM! The headache and body aches are gone and I can function again.

More importantly, I have 2 friends who have had life changing surgery in the past week. One friend received a new kidney today and the other had brain surgery to help control her epilepsy. What a miracle!

So there you have it! The beginnings of my "I'm Thankful For ..." list! What are you thankful for?

Raptor Romp 2010

Every year the kids' school has a big fundraiser - pizza, drinks, candy, raffle prizes and best of all ... each grade performs a dance. The kids LOVE this chance to perform and they really look forward to it! It's weird to think that this was Kate's last Raptor Romp. HOLY COW!

They did such a great job! They were both super excited about their dances, as you'll be able to tell from their faces! Great job guys! I was proud of you both!

Another picture collage by Smilebox

Collage personalized with Smilebox

Growing Old With Friends

There are things that I know to be true and one thing is for sure ... there are certain people that are meant to be a part of our lives. Perhaps you are lucky, like I have been on many occasions, to cross paths with a stranger who quickly becomes a lifelong friend.

My grandparents have had a core group of friends for as long as I can remember. In fact, for the better part of 50-60 years, they have gotten together every Friday night to play cards. Through the years they have shared the joys of raising a family, bragging about grandchildren, traveling together, health challenges and even death. Through the good and bad times they've stuck together. Can you just imagine all the great times they've shared and the amazing stories they could tell?

Like I said, I have been very lucky to find such friends, too many to list here. To each of you, thank you for being a part of my life. You know who you are and I love you more than words can say.

The past few days we've been able to spend time with some of our dearest friends from the old days of law school. Although we haven't been friends with Ben and April for as long as my grandparents and their "gang", we've been through alot of "stuff" together. Law school (need I say more), horrible midwest winters (and summers), infertility, weekend trips together, holidays away from home, and so much more. When we traveled across country together, heading home to California and Utah in 2 huge moving trucks, I got a knot in my stomach. As hard as it had been to leave home 3 years previous, it was equally hard to say goodbye to them. I started to cry about 10 miles before I knew we would be heading our separate ways.

After 12 years of living apart, we're still as close as ever. And now we have 6 kids between us, something we weren't sure would ever happen. We're hopeful that these 6 little kids, like my grandparents and their friends, will grow old together, talking about the good old days when their parents crossed paths and became lifelong friends.


Thanks for a great few days Meeker Family! We love you and we're counting down the days until our paths will cross again.

Gratitude

It's late and it's been a very hectic week so far, but I couldn't go to bed without "journaling" a couple of things.

Like I said, it's been a very busy week ... and it's only Wednesday. But I was reading (briefly) today the blog of this amazing couple who lost their 18 month old little girl a few weeks ago. This incredible mother wrote about gratitude. Can you imagine? And then she talked about how she missed those times when her baby was tugging on her leg or crying before bedtime. I felt ashamed. Ungrateful. Mad at myself, for not appreciating the little things in life ... especially the little PEOPLE in my life!

I stopped and gave my babies an extra kiss. I took a few moments to remember how VERY long I waited for this crazy, hectic life of homework, dirty diapers, piano practicing and running here and there. I felt thankful that there was lots of hollering of "mom" and kids running around. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! So, here's a peek at our afternoon and my renewed sense of gratitude for being called a mom and a wife.

Miss Eme is into EVERYTHING ... but ... I am going to consider that a blessing! Plus, look at that face! Isn't she yummy? Almost 16 months old and has the entire family wrapped around her finger. Nothing wrong with that, right?


Quick story about this handsome little devil. About a week ago he came home from school all excited about his first written/oral report! Now, keep in mind that it isn't due until this Friday. But this busy little boy, who is ALWAYS on the go was SO excited about his report. He must have mentioned 15-20 times that first night, "Can we get on the computer now mom and start on my report?" HUH? Aren't kids suppose to wait until the last minute? Not this kid! He has literally talked about it EVERY day!

This afternoon he just needed to finish up the written part and practice reading it out loud. As I finished helping him with what I thought was the ending sentence he said, "Now, for my final statement. The End!" What a crack up! Can you see how proud he is of his picture?


Miss Kate ... my right hand girl, who is growing up way too fast. I'm finding that the older she gets, the more fun she is. Sure, there are plenty of moments, but she really is amazing. Very creative, so kind, incredibly loving and really quite deep. As I was looking over her homework, I found this piece of artwork that she's been working on. It's all about her. It asks things like what's your favorite food, books, movies, etc. And then I read this - "My one wish is ..." and she wrote "to see my brothers again." WOW! That blew me away! I thought it might be something like a cell phone or a trip to Disneyland. But not my Kate. She was thinking about something much deeper. What a sweetheart!


And last, but certainly not least ... Mr. H. Tonight I had a meeting, which meant that he had to do the running around of getting kids to soccer, dance and home to bed. Keep in mind that he had a very long day himself, but when I got home everyone was almost in bed AND the kitchen was cleaned up. INCREDIBLE, right? I really did luck out when I snagged him a LONG time ago. Love you honey!

So, there you have it ... Jill's gratitude list for today. Now, for my final statement I'd like to say ... I'm off to bed, ready for another hectic day tomorrow ... but I'm glad!

Where did September go?

I am shocked that September is almost over, and YET ... it's still 100 degrees here! GO AWAY HEAT! I'm ready for FALL!

Alright ... here's a quick recap of what we've been up to this month. It all began with one of our 3 trips to SLC. Yes, I said 3 ... in 1 month! Labor Day Weekend is one of my favorite because that means one thing - SWISS DAYS! A day full of shopping, eating, spending time with my favorite women, diet coke and more shopping. AHHHHH! Of course, I don't have any pictures but take my word for it ... it was FABULOUS!

Our second trip up North was for our annual family camping trip to Wasatch. We have literally been doing this every fall for my entire life. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, siblings and now nieces and nephews. When Greg and I lived in Omaha I hated missing this weekend about as much as missing Thanksgiving. Unfortunately this year we were only able to go for 1 night, so I am really lacking in the picture department. But we had a great time!


Finally, last weekend Greg and I were able to go on a little getaway to Park City. We had an awesome time and found our new favorite place to stay - Hotel Park City. The resort was AMAZING, the mountains were covered with beautiful fall colors, the weather was perfect and I got to spend time with my hubby! We thought about never leaving, but we missed the kids and we had to get back to reality. But it was fun while it lasted!


Now, we're headed into October. Soccer has started (pictures to come), Nutcracker rehearsals are in full swing and Halloween costumes have been picked out. Next thing I know we'll be doing Christmas shopping. Time marches on too quickly and life is crazy busy, but I wouldn't change a thing!

She got it!

I can hardly believe it, but it's time for the preparations for Nutcracker to start again! It's a lot of work for the teachers and the dancers, but it's all worth it when they get on stage in December.

Kate was super excited about auditioning on Saturday and the wait was stressful. But last night we found out that she had gotten the long awaited part, the one she has been wanting for many years - She's going to be a party girl! Greg and I were so excited when we found out that we woke her up around 10:30 to tell her! Congratulations sis! You're going to do a great job! Now, let the madness/fun begin!

Getting back into a routine

A week and a half into school and we're still trying to get into a routine. All of Kate's dance classes started last week and any day now Josh will be starting soccer. Add to that homework and piano practicing and they're pretty busy kids. But they love it all and want to do it, so we're just trying to get into a routine. I think the hardest adjustment has been for Miss E. She LOVES her big brother and sister and can't wait for them to come home everyday. Even though it's a busy crazy time ... I wouldn't trade it for anything!

A special bond

If you ever ask Kate and Josh how many kids are in their family, you'll most likely hear "5." And then they explain, "We have twin brothers that died, but we'll be with them again someday." I can't explain it, but they have a very special love for and bond with them. They talk about the twin brothers a lot. So, when we reminded them that their birthday was coming up and that they would have turned 16 this year, they immediately came up with the idea of putting little matchbox cars on their grave. I guess they're hoping that they'll get a REAL car on their 16th birthdays. Keep dreaming kids!



I really can't imagine what life would be like with 2 teenage boys in the house. I know that the house would be a lot noisier, there would be more laundry and certainly a lot more food consumed and we'd be staying up late waiting for them to come home from dates. YIKES! I thought about them on Sunday when I watched the Priests bless and pass the Sacrament. I have a good friend in my ward who also lost a little boy a week after the twins. We laugh that we probably would be giving them "the look" as they sat on the stand together, chatting as Priests do.

What I do know is that I feel blessed to know that I'll someday get to raise them and be their mom. They, along with Greg and my other 3 kids, give me a purpose to keep working to be the kind of person that I need to be so that I CAN be with them again someday.

So, happy birthday boys! I love you!

The end of summer

We decided that we needed to end the summer with a bit of fun. So we headed to Boondocks with some of my siblings and Nana. We had a RIOT! This one picture explains how we all felt at the end of the day ...


but it was well worth it! Thanks for a great time everyone!

First day of school

Well, it's here ... like it or not ... the first day of school! Kate and Josh were SO excited and that made me excited! I've been teasing them that I'm happy they're going back to school, but the truth is I really love having them home. They're such good helpers and fun to be around (most of the time) but I think that Eme is the one who's going to miss them the most.


I can't believe that my little man is in 2nd grade. He was SO excited to be in Mrs. Turnbeaugh's class with his buddies. But I think that he was just a tab bit nervous. He LOVES school and has been counting down the days until it started again. You're going to do great this year bud! Have fun!


Kate is looking and acting WAY too grown up these days! She has opinions about what she wears and where those clothes come from. YIKES! She and Kenna could hardly wait to get into Mrs. Sandberg's classroom and find the PERFECT seat (right next to a couple of darling boys!) Good luck in your last year of elementary school sis! (that makes me want to cry!)

Summer's almost over!

With one week left until school starts (can I get a HALLELUJAH! Sorry kids!) we decided to hit the pool with some friends. It was perfect ... the kids had some swim/friend time and the moms got to chat and enjoy a little refreshment from our favorite place ... SWIG, of course! Thanks for a fun time!



And this little photo ... I couldn't resist! All three kids were totally glued to the TV the other morning. Ahhh ... the simple joys of summer - sleeping in, cartoons and pancakes.

Thanks Josh for smiling! Gotta love 7 year old boys! I love you three!

Girls Camp 2010

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Girls Camp with the Stake. And although I'm not much of a camper, I was super excited to go! I missed my kids and Greg like crazy and I will confess that the lack of sleep and showers was not pleasant, but otherwise I had a lot of fun! I love the ladies that I serve with in the Stake Young Womens and it was fun to get to know all the girls better. Thanks for a fun time ladies! Until next year ...

Happy Pioneer Day!

Is there really anything more fun than a BBQ, sparklers and friends on a summer night? Not many things can top that in my book! We had the Snows and Morbys over to celebrate the 24th of July and had such a great time! I'm truly thankful for good friends and even more thankful that my friends have great kids who are my kids' friends! Thanks guys for a fun night! We love you!

Lazy days of summer

What's that you say? There's less than 3 weeks left until school starts again? WHAT? But I had all these great things planned! Holy cow!

This week we've kind of been lazy ... and it's been GREAT! I was gone last week to Girls Camp (so much fun, minus the lack of sleep and showers) and it's taken me a few days to get back into the groove. So this week for fun we gave the movie day another try (sorry no pics) and hit the lazy river/splash pad downtown. Of course, we HAD to stop by "Swig" (my new favorite treat spot thanks to Amy) for drinks and sugar cookies, not once, but twice! YIKES!



Have I mentioned lately how much I love these 3 little people? I missed them and their dad like crazy last week while I was gone! I couldn't wait to get home and give them all loves! Thanks hon for taking such good care of things while I was gone! And kids ... thanks for the cute "welcome home mom" notes everywhere and the spa treatments! You're all the best!

Fun with friends

So, in an attempt to try to entertain the restless, cooped up because we live on the surface of the sun children, I decided to let them invite a few friends over for a movie day. There were blankets, bean bag chairs, pillows and even pajamas, but most importantly ... there were SNACKS! So we closed the blinds and pretended we were at the movie theater. We took a vote and the kids decided on an old video that most had not seen. They seemed excited and I was proud of my fun creative idea, convinced that I would soon be declared Mother of the Year! Take a look! Doesn't this look like fun?


However, about 25 minutes into our 2 1/2 hours of fun things started to, well ... change! All of a sudden the 5 younger kids were headed to the basement and just the older 3 and the baby were watching the movie. Hmmmm ... well, not exactly what I'd planned, but that's okay. Then I started hearing the words, "I'm bored!" YIKES! Thankfully they managed to busy themselves for a while and then the movie ended. Suddenly the girls were calling for the boys to chase them, lots of hooting and hollering and then the slamming of doors! So I quickly put on my thinking cap and separated them - boys to the Wii to play Super Mario and girls to do what girls do best - sit and chat.


In the end, even though the movie wasn't a hit, I think they had a great time! Next time ... better movie options are a MUST!

This is what matters ...

The other night after FHE we decided to walk to the park and let the kids play in the splash pad for a few minutes. It seemed like no big deal ... just another family night ... 40 quick minutes at the park. But as Greg and I watched the kids and the huge grins on their faces, we couldn't help but smile ourselves. And then as they hopped back on their bikes, chatting about how much fun that was, and we put Eme back in the stroller and started to walk home, we commented to each other that this was one of those priceless moments. Simple, uncomplicated, unplanned, inexpensive, TOGETHER moments. They're growing up SO fast and I'm VERY glad we shared this memorable night at the park as a family because this is what really matters most ... US!

4th of July

Even though I hate the heat of summer, I DO love Independence Day! This year we had a simple family celebration, but it was a lot of fun! We woke the kids up early to get to the parade and even though it was short it still got us in the mood to party. We stuck around the park for a bit then headed off to see Toy Story 3 ... again! Then it was home for lunch and naps for everyone, well ... almost everyone, right Josh? Then the traditional BBQ, a little round of "HORSE" on the basketball court, homemade ice cream, sparklers and finally ... fireworks! It was a long, tiring and fun day ... the sign of a perfect holiday! Happy 4th!

The newest addition to our family

We have a new addition to our family ... the long awaited basketball court! Kate and Josh have been counting down the days. The cement was poured just before we left for Salt Lake and Greg worked hard to get the hoop up while we were gone. So the second that we pulled in the garage, they were off to shoot hoops! We're hoping that perhaps Josh will make the NBA someday and make us millions. But if Kate has her way she'll be the first female to play for the NBA. Who knows? I wouldn't put it past her!