Our Week In Pictures

It's been so busy! Dang, PTO. But it's good. I'm glad I can step up and help out. Lot's of other parents don't, so it's good. My little rant today. Sorry, it's been a bad week for volunteers.

Piper got into my make up and made herself BeaUtiFulL!

Josh took the boys to the Dixie Round Up on Friday Night. They only stayed for an hour and a half! The boys were falling asleep.

J.D. in his elelment!

We went to Salt Lake for the Alisons Pantry food show. It was a blast!! Danny wrecked his car last week and now he's trying to fix his other Monte Carlo, and needed Josh to come help him.

Me & my brother. Why do boys always have to mess around when the camera is out?

We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse with Adam, Lindsay, Quinton & Danny. It was a lot of fun. Hanging out in the parking lot after dinner was a blast! Only Adam can make me laugh like that!

See this cute squishy face.........

I love it & I love him!

We played peek-a-boo across the table and bonded!

Me & Quinton.

made me miss my kiddo's and I was sure glad to come home to them.

Thanks to Maggie & Eric for watching my brood while we were gone!

J.D.'s First Football Game

Oh my heavens! Worst game ever! Not because of our kids, but the other team!! J.D. is usually the biggest kid, wherever he goes, and he was a little worried because these kids were bigger than him!!! They were all 8 almost 9 and a good 6 inches taller than J.D.!!! They actually have taken this team out of our bracket, because I think it was a mistake. Anyway, we lost horribly. Didn't make any touch downs, in fact we hardly touched the ball and J.D. got punched in the mouth in the last play of the game!!

Last nights game went much better. I didn't get to see it, but J.D. made a touch down and he got the flag off of several kids! His coaches are AMAZING! They've even taught the kids some plays and they really know what they are doing!

I don't know how J.D. is going to choose his sport. He's way athletic and so far has excelled at every sport. I'm not trying to be a bragging mom, but he has. I've had other people tell me how good he's going to be when he gets older. I want to try out basketball and I am hoping and praying that atleast one of my kids wants to play :).... That's a sport I can sink my teeth into. I told J.D. one more year of all the sports and then he has to pick 2, that he can concentrate on. He'll be old enough next year to start going to summer camps!! Yeah, I just don't want to become a crazed mom and push him, but I also want him to excell and he is really good. Oh, the things we do to and for our kids!!

Excuse us, please.......

I am trying to catch up with my life! When I do, I'll let you know! Until then, know that we love you all!!!

TYSON CAN DO IT!

Tyson has a favorite phase, "I can't do it." I don't know if it's a fear of failure, that promotes that phrase. Or maybe fear, but it's Tyson's mantra in life. He's also a kiddo who requires a lot of patience and love.

Last night Josh took off his training wheels. He said it was time for him to learn how to ride like a big boy. Well 10 minutes into the teaching, I took over. Josh's patience was already spent. There was ALOT of crying and ALOT of falling.

Breaks a mom's heart!

I told Josh to let me do it and I took Tyson in the subdivision behind our house. It's full of empty lots, but the road is done. We went on level ground and we pushed it for about an hour. Tyson told me he was scared, because he would fall. There were lots of hugs, tears and lot's of talking, but we did it, Tyson and I!! He can now ride it, but he doesn't get the stopping concept! We'll work on that.

He was so excited! It's such a big self-esteem booster, when your kids accomplish something that they didn't believe they could do. I am so proud of you Tyson!!

Football Practice

J.D. had his first football practice today. It was interesting. I am so glad that a couple of dad's are coaching. They actually know what they are doing. They were even teaching them plays!! One of the coach's wives and I were laughing, they are only 6 and 7! They loved it though!

Lining up for some sprints. J.D. is the one in red. The coaches wanted to see who had speed.

That is my boy, kicking butt! He won both sprints!

Oh, dang it! Missed that one. Good try, though!

These little guys are going to love Glen. He'll be a great coach. I love that the guy's don't put up with crap. I saw J.D. get put in his place a time or two. I love it. I got walked all over when I was the Soccer coach this year. Kid's need to learn respect and how to listen and play as a team! I love that there are so many options for them to be involved in. I'll post pictures next week from our games!!!

First Day of Preschool

This day has been eagerly awaited for the past 4 months, since the day school let out for the summer. Not just by me, but by Tyson also! He was so excited to go back and be the "big kid" this year. He is so lucky and gets to go to 5 day a week preschool this year. Expensive, but the kiddo needs it.

This was the emptying of the pockets when we got to the school. They each had pocketfuls of matchbox cars. This will be a daily ritual.

Handsome little guy! He was so mad that I made him wear this shirt. He wanted to wear a wrinkley old shirt. Good thing that little boys have momma's to dress them.

That's my group of little guys! They sure are handsome and they sure have fun together. Look at the 3 very different expressions on their cute little faces!! They are all so different and so cute!

11:30 PM

And were still awake. Piper took a late nap so we took adavantage of daddy being gone to snuggle in my bed. She was being so silly so I pulled out the camera to take a few pictures.

Ah, look who is sleeping and who isn't ......

Our nights are crazy. I don't make a big deal about it though, because it means I get to sleep in on Saturday morning if I'm lucky. Not so lucky this morning! Oh well, it was fun!

J.D.'s Image

This morning J.D. and I were having an argument over what to pack in his lunch. We were out of bread and he was arguing with me, about why he wouldn't eat a sandwich on a hamburger bun. I listed several options, the whole time he is looking at me like I am crazy. So I get upset and I say, "Fine, you'll just have to eat a Chicken Fajita at school.!" He looks at me with this teenager look on his face and says, "Mom, that is so bad for my image." And then he walks away. Image, what image?

So I asked him today how his fajita was and he said, "Mom it was so tasty!" I guess it didn't hurt his image to bad. I guess I'm forgiven.

The things kids say!

Bowling

We took the kids bowling on Saturday night and had a blast!! The kids loved it and we really should go more often, but it sure is expensive. Only Josh and the boys bowled and it cost $18.00. That seems like a lot to me!! Oh well, it was worth it for the fun they had. Piper slept most of the time, but woke up an dhelped Josh bowl the last 3 frames of his game. We topped the night off with an ice cream cone from Artic Circle!! It was a great night!

Daddy's Little Princess

Oh my gosh!! She's pretty cute. And he's pretty good-lookin' too!!

I Gotta Write This Down

Funny story! It happened like 10 minutes ago. I was trying so hard not to laugh.

My cell phone rings and I pick it up thinking, it's my friend Julie. Well, it's actually her little girl, Elle. She asked me if J.D. could come and play at her house with her and Shaylee, a girl from J.D.'s class. It's like 5:15, which is kind of late, but I asked her if her mom knew she had called me. She said yes, and so I told her that I would let J.D. play for an hour and I would bring him down to her house.

Shaylee teases J.D. at school. I keep telling him that girls who tease boy's do it because they like him. She chases him around and throws grass on him, those type of things.

So Elle is holding her mom's phone and I realize right off that something is not right. Elle fesses up to not having asked her mom, because her mom isn't there, she is being watched by her older brother. She said she tricked up because Shaylee wanted to say hi to J.D. so they called. I'm still trying to work out how they knew which number was ours.

So this little Shaylee walks over and hugs J.D. who stands there straight as a board and has his arms crossed with this awful scowl on his face. He's soooo embarrassed!!! I'm trying as hard as I can not to laugh. So I let him say hi for a minute and then we came home. He was of course mad that he couldn't stay and play and even madder that Shaylee hugged him!

It was hysterical. I wasn't even upset at Elle for calling. What will the teenage years be like if this how my grade school years are starting???

5 Things

Some day's I feel like I don't accomplish a dang, darn thing!! Ever feel that way? And then I wonder, what did I do with my time today? Well, I did the dishes, washed laundry, folded laundry, swept the floor, and vacuumed. Those are the 5 things that I do EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE! It seems I don't accomplish much because, well, I did those five things over and over and over!!! Some day's I do them more than once! You know those kind of day's. The ones when you want to throw your hands up and lay down and cry!! Throw in wiping cute baby bums, wiping noses, kissing owies, washing marker off the wall, potty training, cooking, chauffeuring, playing referee and the many other duties of a mom and you know where my time is spent.

I do not spend my time making money or doing great things that those in the world can praise. I don't look for glory or fame. Heck, there are day's when all I wish for is a shower and maybe to put on a little make up!!! But what I do matters to my children! One day, they will thank me for my efforts. They will remember picnics in the park and board games on Sunday night. They will remember making play dough and baking cookies. One day.........................................

But until then, life sure is messy, but it's fun!!

8 Years Ago Today........

I married my best-friend!

Josh carved our initials in this tree the day after our wedding. I went looking for it on Sunday and was so glad that it was still there! It was a little nostalgic to go to Kolob this weekend, as that was where we spent the first week of our married lives.

The time flies by so fast. 8 years!! 3 kids!!! Lot's of memories and lot's of first in those years. It's not alway's been smooth sailing, but we get by with lot's of love and lot's of prayer. It's been an amazing experience, being married to my best-friend.

I love you Josh! Thank you so much for all you do. I know you work so hard for our family, so that I can stay home and I appreciate that. Thanks for loving me and for putting up with me!!
Happy Anniversary!

A Sunday Drive

We took a Sunday drive up to Kolob and went over the top of the mountain and came down in Cedar City. It was such a pretty drive and it was fun to just all be together and laugh and have a good time. With Josh working six day's a week, it's a rare treat to get to just hang out!!

The red rock kinda grows on ya!

Some more rocks!

These sleepy heads missed the whole first 1/2 of the trip! We woke them up when we got up to the Ranches. We went to see the changes the Posts had made to the cabin.

Oh, look who's awake now! Look at Piper's face. She heard the Cheeto bag open!

Kids and rocks. Not a good combination, but they somehow alway's end up in the same sentence.

Tyson is alway's just happy to be along for the ride!

chewing on a piece of grass. His cud, to quote the boy.

picking wildflowers

Josh telling us stories about the cabin.

It was a great day! Lot's of memories. Josh and I used to go that way all the time.

We honeymooned at the cabin 8-years ago. Hard to believe it's been that long

Atleast it will be officially that long on Tuesday.

Holy Crow! Love you babe!

My Little Artist

Isn't she a great artist?

Today I .......

5:20 am Woke up
5:50 am Zumba
7:00 am Fed the chickens
7:30 shower & get ready while the kids get dressed
8:00 am feed the kids
8:15 am do hair, round up books, make lunches to be out the door at 8:45
Stopped and saw Trina at work. She's lost 12 lbs. who knew pregnancy was a weight loss plan??
9:00 - 9:15 am chased the chickens out of Accalia's yard.
9:30 picked up Mandee
10:00 am D.I. found some great stuff!! one persons junk is someone else's treasure!!
11:00 am Costco!
12:00 pm dropped Mandee off and then turned around and ran back to town. Forgot Manila Envelopes. Ran to Lins. Went and saw Josh for a few minutes.
1:00 pm Ate some tomoatoes for lunch.
1:30 pm played on the computer, blog hopping for awhile
2:00 pm worked on Alisons Pantry
2:45 pm ran around a few catalogs, ran to the post office and went to wait for J.D.
3:30 pm picked up J.D. & Carsyn. Came home. made an after school snack and watched cartoons for 1/2 an hour. The kids played outside while I cleaned up and got dinner made.
6:00 pm dinner
6:30 pm took the kids with me to young women's because Josh hadn't made it home and Nicole was gone. The ran amuck in the church wile I set up quilt frames!!
7:00 pm Young women's. We tied quilts for humanitarian aid and wrote testimonies in Book of Mormons. We had Nachos and chips and salsa. Taylors going to Zumba with me in the morning!!
9:00 ran Josh down the street to pick up a car. Worked on Alisons Pantry handouts for the food show, read to Piper, Talked to Scott on the phone, typed this crazy post and now, I'm off to bed. Just wanted to remember what typical day was like in my house.

Broken Nose

J.D. broke his nose tonight. We had been at the splash pad for 5 minutes and I hear Ross calling me and I look over to see J.D. covered in blood. He was playing with another little boy and they were holding their noses and sticking their faces in the water with their eyes closed..... And the little boys head hit J.D. right on the bridge of the nose.

J.D. was freaking out!! Of course there was a lot of blood and he was really scared to go to the hospital. He thought the x-rays were cool. He was getting quit impatient. He kept asking where the doctor was.

It's broke. But it's only a fracture and it should heal okay. We have to wait for the swelling to go down and make sure it heals straight, but it should. It's a tiny fracture. What a crazy experience.

On the way home, this was J.D.'s lament, "I'm the kid that always gets hurt. The other day I fell down the red mountain and that wasn't cool . Today a kid hits me in the face with his head, and his head is solid, it was like ice. And it hurt."

Thank heavens we didn't have to reset it. I would have passed out into a puddle on the floor.

Our 2nd Grader

J.D. had a great first day of school! He made a new friend, whose name he can't remember, but he wears cowboy boots. And in J.D.'s book, that makes him super cool!

Baylee and J.D are in the same class this year! Yeah, because you all know Mandee and I will be party moms!!We've got each others back! Most of the time, huh Mandee??

I told Josh yesterday, when we went to the Open house to meet the teacher, that it seems unreal to have a 2nd grader. Where has the time gone?

Our handsome guy, with a mohawk. Daddy did his hair for the first day. Can you tell?

He got to ride the motorcycle to school.

Waiting to go into Mrs. Thomas's class.

He wanted to know where he could put the treasure box stuff we had brought. He told me he didn't get in trouble so it was a good day!

We love you J.D. and are so proud of the person you are becoming. You awesome!