I want to run naked through fields of daisies!

Ok- so I really don't want to run anywhere naked. I just thought it might get your attention. :)

I am feeling so over whelmed and stressed lately. I don't feel like I have enough time to get anything done. I am always tired, always depressed, and usually wanting to hide in my bed. But life trudges onward. Wow- that was cheerful!!! LOL

Lets go back to the field of daisies (minus the naked part.... cuz really that would be itchy!!!) Life is good. Things are wonderful and I really can't ask for more! I have just been feeling the stress of the holiday rush lately. I really want to get my blog updated again so I can start posting more. I think I stopped posting about the fun little things in my life because I feel like I need to catch up on the big stuff first. So instead of sitting down and typing about the neat lesson the Lord taught me yesterday, or the funny thing Amalyssa said this morning, I think - "no- if I blog it has to be about the trip- or about some of the bigger events of the past few months" In truth though I am scared of those... they are too big... to many pictures and memories I want to share... so instead I don't blog at all. I ignore my poor blog all together.

Well not tonight. Tonight I am just going to whine a bit..... vent a bit... share a bit. Then I will publish the post and question my judgement in the morning.

First up- What inspired this crazy rambling? This picture-

Ahhh! NOW you get the naked part!!!! lol. I was going through some old photos on my PC for a Christmas project I have been stressing over. I found this little goddie in among the memories of this past year. I always meant to put this up on my blog and never got to it. So I am putting it up now! Besides... it remindes me of WARMER times!!! Not much story behind the picture. It was this past summer and we had the pool in the yard. Braden was out playing in the water in his diaper and swim suit..... then somehow the diaper and swim suit got left behind. I looked out the window to see this LOVELY sight and just started to LAUGH!!!! Oh how I love this quirky little boy. He makes me smile everyday. He reminds me that Heavenly Father knows us better than ourselfs. I would have had Braden be a 'Sarah' if it had been up to me. 'Sarah Kaylee' would have been our 2nd childs name. We had it all picked and planned. But then the Lord threw me a curve ball and sent us a boy. I am SO GLAD he did!!!! Braden is just what I needed. I would forever be sad to have missed out on his adorable smile. I love having one of each. It is so fun and I thank Heavenly Father every day for sending Braden to our family.



Next up- Lessons from the Lord
Yesterday I got an unexpected lesson about the Holy Ghost. It was snowing really quite bad in the morning, and had been most of the night. Scott called to warn me that the roads were slick and to be careful while I dropped Amalyssa off at school. He even gave me a play by play of the poor guy trying to get up the "slight incline" into the gas station. I knew it was slick.... I even had been told that small hills were dangerous. So what made me think I could pull my van into the parking lot at school..... well Amalyssa said I could. There you have it. Stupid hu!

Amalyssa's school parking lot is at about a 45% angle down in. There is a horse shoe shaped drop off route. You drive down in... kids hop out of the car... and you drive back up out! When Scott mentioned small inclines being bad news I imediately thought of the parking lot! "Not going down in there this morning!" I told myself. On the way to school I explained to Amalyssa that I would not be droping her off in the usuall way and that she would have to walk a bit from where I could drop her. She responded "you will be fine mom, you can drop me off in the normal way" So what happends.... in my brain I start to have a discussion "no- you will get stuck... dont do it - aw it will be ok... I am in a VAN I wont get stuck" and so on. Well I drove into the parking lot..... against better judgment... and even warning... I did it. Yep... STUCK! I was one of the lucky few who manages to sled my way into a parking spot where I stopped the car.. put my head on the steering wheel and though "What now genius?"

Short story Long - I started to listen. I stoped acting on my own thoughts and started listening to the Lord. I said a prayer and then sat... and waited... I waited for direction to know what I should do. After watching several other cars slide around the parking lot a few of us started a pushing brigade. We got the cars out of the lot one at a time. I was still waiting... helping...and listening for what I should do with my own vehicle. After the traffic had cleard a new way out opened up... a way I had never seen quite this way before. It was my answer. My gleaming white, still slippery, but level answer. I got out. I got home. And learned a lesson. We need to listen. If we don't.... we will get stuck. Sometimes we don't listen because Satan plants just a tiny seed of though... "I can do it... I will be fine... I am ME!" Somehow we loose all sence of right and choose what we know to be wrong. We need to listen. But the Lord loves us... even when we make mistakes. He gives us time to ponder, time to work toward repentance.. the oportunity to help others in their trials so we can see ours in a new light, then when we have learned... he gives us a way out. An answer. I am greatfull for the Atonement. I am greatfull for the Holy Ghost. I am greatfull for my many MANY blessings. I am greatful for this lesson the Lord let me learn. One hour stuck in a parking lot.... a lesson to last a life time.

Last- To end on a lighter note.... though now this post is really much longer than the 2 paragraphs I had originally planned.

Amalyssa Christmas 2005

Amalyssa is really excited for Christmas. She is starting to get so smart. You can almost see the gears in her head turning sometimes. This morning she ask's me "What do people do on Christmas Eve?" Odd question I though... we started to discuss traditions and that people do all sorts of different things on Christmas Eve. She then asked "what do WE do on Christmas Eve?" well... it is only the second year we are having our own little Christmas in our own little house. We don't really HAVE a tradition. So I asked her "What do YOU think we should do on Christmas Eve?" Her response was imediate... as if planned from the begining of this strategic conversating (as I had suspected all along) "WE SHOULD EACH OPEN A PRESENT ON CHRISTMAS EVE THAT WE GET TO PICK FROM UNDER THE TREE!!!!!" She was only slightly happy when I told her I loved the idea of that tradition... but that DAD and I got to pick the present they opened... she was a little un happy about that part.

Well... that was a long post wasn't it. And I didn't really get 'caught up' on anything... yet I am happy to have let out some of my more recent - though small- adventures.
I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season filled with joy and love and thoughts of our SAVIOR - for HE truly is the reason for the season.

Love to all -
Tina

Time for something new?

Hmmmm... maybe it is about time I updated my blog eh!? Well.... it is coming. I don't know when.... but it IS coming!!!! :) Until then..... Have fun figuring out what THIS picture is all about!!! (Not Halloween!)

Halloween part 2!

Here is the second installment of Halloween pictures. Hope you enjoy them!

Me in my Egyptian Hottie costume! (to bad I can't look adorable when I pose like my daughter can!)

Here is one from the pumpkin patch I missed yesterday! It is probably my favorite one! I was trying to get them to smile and Braden kept squeezing his eyes shut. Amalyssa was helping me tell him to keep his eyes open!

The lovely Great Great Great Great Aunt Jemima! Isn't she a looker!

My dear 'ol dad. He was so smitten with Aunt Jemima that he could hardly talk

The kids trying to copy mom's pose.

A somewhat decent picture of me (don't you just hate seeing yourself in pictures!)

I got to help out with Amalyssa's class party. They asked the children to dress as their favorite book character. I decided to follow suit and dress as a book character also (plus I couldn't bear the eye makeup one more time) So I chose to be the mother of Fancy Nancy. I tried to convince Amalyssa to be Fancy Nancy but she insisted that Cinderella was a better choice for her.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!! (Now if only I can get the vacation blogged about before Thanksgiving!)

I just can't get cought up!

I can't quite seem to get time enough to blog all the fun that is happening in our lives right now. There are so many stories I wish I could tell, but alas... there are children to feed, dishes to do, and general mayhem to keep at bay. So I guess you will just have to enjoy pictures and quick blurb descriptions for the time being.

Our pumpkin picks from the pumpkin patch! (The biggest one is Braden's. I just couldn't tell him 'no' after watching him use all his might to roll it over to the wheel barrow.)

Braden practicing for his drivers license. Good thing this tractor was stationary!

Amanda and her hubby Jack. Amanda was my co-hort in a great Halloween party this year. Sorry none of you got invited.... I sort of forgot to invite my half of the party!

Scott's grandma at the party drinking soup through a straw! (LOL... I just couldn't resist a picture!)

My pick for best costume award at the party goes to Aunt Jean! She made a HAUNTINGLY convincing Michael. It was actually REALLY CREEPY! The picture really ruins the effect.

Braden as a FIERCE Pirate!

Amalyssa loved her '50's girl' costume... even though she had no idea what a '50's girl' was. Still... it came with lots of sequins so she was happy!
In all I only spent $2.20 on the kids costumes this year! GO SALVATION ARMY! I decided to use all the money I had saved and make the costume I have been dreaming of for a few years now!

Introducing
Tina as:
Egyptian Hottie!
(though I really think I look horrid in all the pictures... oh well)

Well.........Ok... this is all you get to see for now! LOL. My pictures aren't where I thought they were and I am to tired to go find and re-size them now.... so this is the sneak peak.

Check back soon for more fun halloween costumes including
Tina as: Fancy Nancy's Mom
Janna as: great great great great Aunt Gemima
John as: Biker man
and Scott as: HAHA YEAH RIGHT... he dosn't dress up.

You got a TATTOO!???? Day 4: 09-27-09

So this day is a fairly easy one for me to blog. We kinda gave ourselves the day off!! At least my little family did. We actually made port in Boston Mass. this day. We hadn't pre paid for any shore excursions like everyone else had. We were a bit tired and worn out so we decided to be bums and just stay on the ship. Looking back I am a little sad. I did a whole report on Massachusetts when I was in grade school and I still remember being so fascinated with the state. Unfortunately I was pretty tired this day and so I didn't feel adventurous enough to leave the ship by myself. We had a great day hanging around on the ship though.

Scott and the kids participated in a mini golf tournament and all won metals. Hmm... mini golf in the rain on a ship... interesting activity wouldn't you say!?


Amalyssa was excited when Rebekah came back from their shore excursion and they got to go to the Kid's camp for the first time! They spent every spare minute they could there! At times I wondered if I had even brought my daughter on the trip with us! She was sad when I told her we had to wash off her face paint. For future reference - take the picture of the face paint BEFORE you tell them it has to disappear!



And Scott!? Well he decided to be a rebel and get a Tattoo.... a BIG Tattoo!

They had an air brush artist on the ship. He would air brush these temporary tattoos for you. Of course it cost a good chunk of change to have it done. But Scott was thrilled that he could have a dragon on his arm. He was sweet enough to ask my permission and thoughts before having it done. I figured.... Eh.... what the heck.... It isn't a chance you get every day and it will be gone before we get off the ship.

I think my dads reaction to the tattoo was the best though. Scott met him out in the hall and had slung a jacket over his arm so it was covering the tattoo. (not purposely... he just was carrying a jacket). Dad saw just a tiny bit of the tattoo and started to laugh in a shocked way. He never would have expected a tattoo on Scott.... then Scott pulled the jacket back to unveil the full ferocious beast. I thought we might lose my dad right there. He was laughing and coughing and sputtering like he had just had the biggest shock of his life... then again.....

Scott said dad's reaction made it worth every penny. Plus he thought he was hot stuff with a giant dragon on his arm all week! lol. So that was day 4 of the trip. Now for a little break in the trip blogs. I have a bit of Halloween blogging to do so that post will show up next. Then we will be on our way to day 5 -Portland Maine!

My body lies over the ocean! Day 3 : 09-26-09

Boy it is going to take a while to get through this trip if I am only on day 3 so far!!!! Actually I have made a decision, hard as it may be. It is taking so long to blog about the trip because of these silly slide shows! It takes me FOREVER to re-size, upload, organize, title, and put one of these on my blog! It isn't to bad once in a while but facing 10 or so of them is a bit daunting! SO..... as much as I want to share ALL my favorite pictures from the trip I am going to limit myself. I will only share a few in future cruise posts along with a short itinerary of the day. At least that is the plan! I am falling behind in my blogging journal! Anywho.. this slide show was already mostly done when I made this decision so you get this last one. Enjoy it! After this one you will just have to ask to look at my scrapbook when you come visit my house!

Day 3 was the day we got to set sail! First though we had a fun morning of sight seeing in NYC. Most of our group went to see 'The Statue of Liberty' but Marie and Jer went to Times Square. We took their girls with us.... wasn't that nice of us!!!

After a fun morning seeing the amazing lady in green we got to board our ship. After finding our cabins to be quite roomy and nice Marie needed to find some milk for dear Piper. She asked me to help her track some down with my 'vast' cruise ship knowledge. So we spent a while going up and down elevators and back and forth on the ship to try and find milk! Scott H. Joined us for this little endeavor! We didn't manage to find milk... but we did find the soft serve machine!!!! GO US! I think our family alone could account for one third of the ships soft serve intake for the week!

We had a delicious dinner at our prime seating table (right next to the windows at the back of the ship so we could watch the ocean rise and fall while we tried to keep down our food.) Braden was excited to have fries AND pizza at the same time and decided to make his own creation (pictured in the slide show). Apparently he liked it because he ate the same meal every night of the week almost.

After dinner we spent some more time wandering our new floating hotel. They of course had photo stations set up all over so you would buy their photos for an arm and a leg. They had an old fashion booth set up and I just couldn't resist. I got in trouble (or rather mom did... but that is another story) for snapping personal photos of the kids getting ready... but hey... I bought a few at their outrageous price so I don't feel too bad!

Oh and if you are wondering why there isn't a picture of Scott with the pirate it is because he made me promise not to put the picture on my blog unless I photoshoped out the food stain that was on his shirt and (in his words) "stupid expression" He gave me permission to replace his head with the celebrity of my choice. Like I was going to pass THAT offer up! Wow what a hottie I am married to!


Make sure to come back later in the week to find out what I have in common with Brittany Spears! (not much I assure you)

An Affair to Remember. Day 2: 9-25-09

A family affair at least. The second day of our trip was no less than absolutely AMAZING.

You may think that we just randomly decided to take a family trip and thought a cruise would be fun! Well you would be wrong. The whole thing started because my mother saw a need. She saw two grown girls who had never met their grandmother. She saw a grown man who had not seen his mom in 15 years. She saw a need.... and acted. I suppose I am unique in that not many people can say they lived almost their whole life in the same home as one grandmother, while never knowing anything more than the name of her other grandmother. We didn't even have a picture of this beautiful part of our family tree.

My grandmother Smith lives in New Jersey. This is quite a ways to the East.... like ALL THE WAY East.... And we live "Out in the West!" (Yee haw!) There was only one way to get this clan together.... ROAD TRIP. Oh wait.... we had four little children going with us. And quite frankly NOBODY wanted to drive that far! Gratefully for us we have the modern convenience of AIRPLANES! So we were all going to New Jersey.... but what then!? Several options were discussed.... and then the cruise flier came in the mail!!! Hmm.... a cruise that leaves from New York??? Coincidence.... or Fate!??? So that is how the adventure began. We fly this giant bunch on three separate planes out to NY, drive to Jersey to have the family reunion of a life time, then hop on a ship for 7 days! SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!!!! There you have it.... a quick background of how this trip came to be. I make it sound like a group effort... but really it was all my wonderful mother. Thank you Mom... You are incredible!

So the second day of our trip we got to meet my 'other' grandmother, Grandma Smith. I could attempt to put this experience in words.... but quite frankly... It would fall short of how incredible this really was! And by the end I would be bawling and gibbering.... so lets just say that it was.... Amazing.... I can think of no other English words to express the love, comfort, forgiveness, joy, connections, and memories that were made that day. After a wonderful day we had to say our goodbyes. They were very hard goodbyes to say. I am grateful that it was 'Goodbye for now - until we meet again'

After our goodbyes we drove back to NY where we witnessed a MIRACLE (as if one in a day isn't enough) We got 2 parking spaces on the edge of Central Park... TOGETHER!!!! We spent a beautiful fall evening walking through the park, after which we drove our two rental vans through Times Square. Yes... you heard it right... DROVE through Times Square... WOW... now there are some NY memories! GO MOM!!!!..... Jer... you drove good too..... And Dad was a pretty awesome photographer hanging most of the way out of the van window. Yeah... the cabies were swearing at mom and waving at dad..... nice.

Anyway... enough boring rambling. Enjoy the selection of photos I chose for you. There are MANY MANY more... but I had to contain myself!

Day 1 - Fly me to the Moon!!!!

Ok..... getting to the moon would probably take longer then just one day..... But getting from Salt Lake City to our hotel in New Jersey DID take a whole day!!!!

I have but one picture for you from this exciting day of travel! lol. I suppose pictures of all our tired bodies hauling around 3 households full of luggage would be pretty exciting... but alas... I was too lazy to drag my camera out and take one.

Basicaly the first day of the trip went something like this (I will give you the Readers Condensed version of this exciting tale) *added later* This was meant to be a condensed version... but I think I failed!!!! So much for that resume I just sent in to RD!

Got up early
Ran through the shower and packed the last minute toiletries and meds away.
Shoved some Costco muffins down for breakfast.
WAY overloaded moms van, piled in, and drove to the airport.
Scott and I had some mis-communication issues and we missed the exit we were looking for... but it turned out well because we found ourselfs at the entrance to Park 'n Jet and decided to go that route (a lenthy discussion the night before had decided we would put the car in long term parking instead..... but we weren't going to argue with fate... so Park 'n Jet is was!)

We got into the airport, checked our bags and were off to security. When we got to security the line was SLIGHTLY longer than we had anticipated.... UH OH! Greatfully before we had time to panic a nice security gentleman came over and hearded us like cows into a seperate security line for people traveling with children! HALELUIAH that the airport knows NOBODY likes to stand in line with a 3 year old. So we were blessed with a quick by pass of the standard security line and got right to the scanners (aren't those so fun Marie.... LOL)

We boarded the plane shortly after arriving at the gate and the plane took off for our final destination of NYC! Once at the Newark airport we rode the elevator a few times before we found our bags and the car rental place.

The most 'exciting' part of the day? Braden almost getting squished in the air train doors... p.s. when they say they are closing they MEAN IT! Greatfully Scott was fast thinking. After he tried to stop the door from closing (it is like an elevator door in looks only) and realizing that the door was winning this push and shove fight he SNATCHED Braden out of harms path and no decapitation was done.

Piling into the rental cars we started our journey to New Jersey. Agnes is mostly UNHELFUL!!!!!! (My fathers beloved GPS.... yeah.... I don't like her so much....) We faught through NYC rush hour traffic and an hour later (or so) found ourselfs at a nice little 'Burger King' in DA HOOD! Serisously.... YIKES! I honestly don't consider myself racist, and all the black people in there didn't phase me one bit..... It was the stragly white guy who barged in, shoved his arm down into the garbage bins fished around (streaching ALL the way to the bottom) and left with a discusted grunt when he found nothing he wanted in them. Uh....yeah..... he scared me....

Back into the car for another run with Agnes. After a few wrong turns... and swiching navigators about 4 times (I finaly ended up with the coveted job.... women and men just can't talk directions to eachother!!!) We were making some head way.

Funniest memory of the day-
Dad kept asking for pit stops.... seriously ... someone should have monitored his liquid intake at the Burger King! Everyone was getting a bit tired of our detours when dad asked sheepishly for yet ANOTHER pit stop.... Mom 'lovingly' said "Hang it out the WINDOW!" Grandma started giggling so bad she was tearing up...... soon the whole car was a laugh mobile. (P.S. Dad didn't get his pit stop..... greatfully he didn't use the window option either!)

After a LONG LONG LONG day of traveling we finaly arrived at the Hotel where we met Marie and Jer and the girls! What a FUN reunion in the hotel hallway! We got to share our travel horror stories of the day before we tucked in for a nice nights rest.

My one and only picture of the day- taken on the plane ride - of my first (and FAVORITE) souvenir or the trip - VODKA!!!!!



Ok... so it was just the bottles... and NO I did not do the drinking! The 'gentleman' in front of us had a few throwbacks on the plane. I saw the bottles and a little light went on in my head! I have a cute little spice rack that I am converting into a 'Bits N Bobs' shelf and I am collecting random sized and shaped little bottles for it. I knew I just HAD to have those two Vodka bottles for my self! Mom asked (in a pleading voice) if I was going to take the labels off. Well..... NO WAY! That is 90% of why I wanted them!!! LOL!

Sheesh... if I have that much to say about the first day that was just traveling.... you are all in for a NOVEL! Oh well... my blog, my journal, my memories! ENJOY!

I'M HOME!!!!!

Ah my home never looked so wonderful to me!!!! I suppose that is what vacation is really all about isn't it. Learning to appreciate what you have in your boring mundane day to day life. Well I had a GREAT, AMAZING, FANTASTIC, FUN FILLED, vacation and LOVED every minute of it!!! (except for maybe the crappy flight home.....) But I must say that this trip made me grateful for the little things.... like;

decent toilet paper
my comfy bed
a family who loves me even when I spend all day sleeping on the couch!
phones
internet
the ability to be in contact with every one at almost any given moment in time
yards!
a laundry machine (I know.... amazing hu!... you will never hear me say that again!)
Church, and being surrounded by people with my same standards!
Solid land!!!!!
My car!
Not having to wait for elevators!
Modest clothing on the people around me!

Seriously though it was a wonderful vacation. THANK YOU SO MUCH MOM!!!!!!!!!!! I had a truly wonderful time!!!!!

Pictures and videos will be coming soon...... but I still have several loads of laundry and a HUGE 'to do' list staring me in the face..... so I will work on it when I can!!!!

Miss A - " Hey Braden, want me to teach you Karate!?"
Mr B - "Yeah"
Miss A - "Wanna know how I learned Karate?"
Mr B - nods energetically
Miss A- "From watching Kung Fu Panda!"
Mr B- in a voice of reverent astonishment "Wow....."


Some moments being a mom is like living with stand up comedians.

My silly girl

Tonight Scott was teaching Amalyssa how to sing '100 bottles of pop on the wall'. She was quite enjoying herself when suddenly she stopped, scrunched up her nose, and asked..... How are there bottles of pop on the wall???

All Scott and I could say was... "GOOD QUESTION!"

I should be blogging right now. I have so much to blog about. But I am not in the mood to blog. I am in the mood to whine. However, I want to save the world from my whining.... So I am not going to blog. Instead I am going to put up a really strange random post, then go back to my mindless internet surfing.

I AM A FINISHER!!!!!

I whined on my hobby blog about never finishing all the projects I start. Well I decided to do something about it! I FINISHED SOMETHING! And in fact... I finished TWO somethings!!! GO ME!!!!!!

Project 1
A wall hanging for over my couch.
Come and sit under it sometime!

Project 2
Decorative Jewelery holder
Now I can show case my bling
AND
get to it easy in the morning!

If you wanna know HOW I did these you will have to head over to my hobby blog! Sorry... not posting the tutorial on 2 blogs..... it took long enough the first time! LOL

Birthday FUN!

Oh so much to blog and so little time!!! Here are some of the pictures from Amalyssa's mermaid party. I think she and her friends enjoyed it despite the last minute change of plans. It was suppose to be all out on the deck but the wind was blowing down the decorations faster than I could put them up.... and there were A LOT of decorations! lol. I have decided that part was more for me than for her. I have always wanted to throw really cool amazing parties. I am pretty pleased with how this one turned out! Especially since my budget was $20!!

Moving the decor into the living room proved to be a wonderful change. The girls still got to swim outside since the wind had calmed down by then, and when they were cold they got to come into the 'heated ocean'.

Here are some pictures of all the mermaid fun, decorations, cake, and party pals. There are also a few in there of the small family party we had with just the 4 of us. I think Amalyssa enjoyed her b-day quite a lot... and I did too. I couldn't resist putting the fish into the slide show... sorry if they swim in your way! lol

Cake and insanity..... mix quite well acctually.

So most of you know how crazy I have been running this week. Lot's and lots and lots going on. I will blog all about the party's and fun a bit later..... well .... at least I will put pictures up... hopefully I will have a few seconds to add some words. lol.

Oiy... not doing so well with the words tonight.... Maybe because I just watched a long and boring mostly pointless movie... so that is now the mode my brain is stuck in... not sure. At any rate...

I just hopped on to show you a quick picture of the cake I did for Amalyssa's b-day party. This girl is so creative I can hardly keep up! She came up with the idea for the cake all by herself! SERIOUSLY... I didn't offer suggestions... she didn't look at cake pictures... she just invented this in her head and told me what she wanted. I filled as many of her requests as I could. She wanted a 3 tiered round cake. The bottom two layers were to be blue for the ocean and underwater. The top tier was to be an island. She wanted her Polly Pocket dolls used in the cake with frosting mermaid tails (since the whole theme of the party was mermaid's)

I ask you.... what other 6 yr old could concoct such a vision out of thin air?? I think I have a visionary on my hands! At any rate here is what I conjured up to fill her wishes... what do you think!?


On a side note I ate a chicken heart for dinner tonight! Guess what.... It tasted like CHICKEN! haha... that was my birthday dare to myself.

Oh and P.S. since some have asked... yes I am TS-studio. I made the ensignia to go on some of my more profetional pictures that I place up on the web. Just an FYI.

Where have I gone!?

I would like to up-date my blog.... really.... I would. Too bad I have to go draw a sea scape mural on tablecloths right now.

Word to the wise..... Don't put your wedding the same week as your birthday... and then later have a child that same week. It makes for one CRAZY week of celebration! (I think I will be doing my celebrating when it is OVER and life is back to normal!!!)

Alas...... Time is a precious commodity of which there is never enough (ooh... deep.... )

Ok.... enough rambling.... time to go get things ready for the big party tomorow! I am converting my deck into an underwater paradise for mermaids! FUN.... at least I hope it will be... and I hope I am sane enough by then to enjoy it!

The begining of a new era.

Well.... maybe calling it a new era is a bit dramatic. But today does mark some very big changes around our house.

As I stared through the chain link fence at my new first grader I fought the tears that welled in my eyes. Not so much of sadness..... far from it... I am THRILLED to have my oldest in school all day (terrible I know). Tears of pride, of joy, of the knowledge that there is no going back, those are the tears I fought this morning.

My sweet little girl is growing into a beautiful young lady. She is strong, confident, and well mannered. I am not worried about her in school. I know she will be one of the best students in the class at following directions. I know she will make friends, and likely be the most popular girl in first grade, that is her personality. I know she will learn quickly, stay on task, and be on of the top in her class. I don't want to sound braggy.... I don't think any of these things can be attributed to me, or anything I have done. That is just her personality, to be the best and most popular in everything she does. I am so proud of my little girl.

What am I scared of? Public School........ Satan scares me. I know the influence he has in this world... and he is starting young. I hope and pray that I have taught her to listen to the spirit. That she will know when something is not right, that she will listen to the spirit and be strong enough to change the situation. I don't know what hard lessons await her this year... not academically... but lessons of life and righteousness. I pray she will pass these with flying colors! I also pray that I will be in tune enough. In tune with the spirit, and in tune with my daughter. I hope to recognize a teaching moment, and especially recognize when it is needed.

Good Luck Miss A. I know that you will do wonderful, because you are so strong in so many ways. Take care of my precious child... for you can never be replaced. I LOVE YOU!


Next post... next change.....

Potty training.......... oh yeah.....

Since Miss A. is starting first grade there are some other big changes going on around here too. I decided that it would be a good time to get my act together. I have a plan! No really... I DO! I have a written schedule! Each day I have time allotted for specific things. I have exactly 14 more minutes of blog time... then it is off to preschool activities with Braden! Yes I scheduled myself blog time.... lame?? Maybe... but that is something I wanted time for in my day... so I wrote it into my schedule! So look for more updates more often... either on this blog or on my new craft blog.

Another big change has to do with Mr B. (Hey, Miss A. and I can't do all the changing!)

I know that when it comes to potty training opinions are as vast as the sand on the beach.... I debated blogging about potty training at all... in the end I came to this conclusion. This blog is MY journal... no one else's . I want to record this for my future referance.

Here is my disclaimer......
I RESPECT ALL other potty training opinions!! I strongly believe that all children are different, as well as each parent is different. To complicate matters even more each parent child relationship will be different! Potty training has to be INDIVIDUAL because we are all individual. All I ask is that you realize this is my personal approach to potty training Mr B. I don't ask for anyone to agree with it... and I accept that some will not agree with it. All I ask is that if you DON'T agree with it.... please keep it to yourself! lol. I don't mean that snotty at all.... sorry if it comes off that way. I just want to make it clear that I am doing things my way.. and hope for understanding in that.

Enough of the 'legal jargon'

I thought that it would be an opportune time to start Mr B. potty training! Since sis isn't around I have less to demand my attention, what a great time to focus on Mr. B. I had planned on starting today... but Mr B. decided that Saturday would mark the comencement of our potty training! So far he has done GREAT! (I am keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way!!!)

The action plan-

SHOPPING! To get Mr B. excited about our new adventure together I took HIM out shopping to get our gear together!

New potty seat - $10 at Walmart

New potty chart $3.50 at Walmart

The Potty kit!
Interactive books - 50 cents each at DI
Kit bucket - $2 at Salvation Army
New undies- $7 at Wal-mart
And the SECRET WEAPON...

The SECRET WEAPON-
A suction dart gun - $5 at Walmart!

When we bought all the stuff Mr B. knew that is was for use in the bathroom only! The minute we got home he stripped off his pants and ran for the bathroom! He LOVES to sit on the toilet and shoot his gun! WHO WOULDN'T!?? Even an adult could be entertained for a while with a dart gun! He has had a BLAST shooting the darts in all directions.
His favorites -
Straight up to the ceiling where they stick and mom has to use a hair brush to hit them down.
At the shampoo bottle which knocks off the shelf into the tub
Out the hall into his room... sometimes they even stick on his far bedroom wall!

This little activity gets him to sit on the potty without me forcing him in there! The unexpected perk... while I gather the darts he has to really concentrate on putting potties in the toilet before he gets another round of fire arms.

So far...... We are on day 3 and we have had only 2 accidents!!! He even told me yesterday when he needed to POOP! HALLELUJAH! Now let's just hope that he and I can both keep our hopes up and spirits high!

The one thing I need to add to my potty kit.... a cushion for mom to sit on!!! The hard little bath stool just isn't cutting it for me!

Silly Braden

My little son never stops making me laugh. Yesterday he was complaining about an ouchie on his elbow. It was an old scab but it wasn't bleeding so I told him I was sorry and wrote it off. I guess he decided to take matters into his own hands. Next thing I knew he was coming to show me how he had taken care of it himself......

His solution???

A soaking wet thin maxi pad....... nice.

I DID IT!!!

Yes... I am crazy.... but at least I am happy being crazy RIGHT!???

I started yet another blog! Stop rolling your eyes at me will you!! lol. This time it is a craft blog! I am having SO MUCH FUN with it!!! What a blast to have a place to share my project ideas and post links to all the other fun projects I can find on the net! Check it out if you want to!

http://herhobbyaddiction.blogspot.com/

(p.s. as for my 'flying' blog... it is dead. I can't even remember my password to get back into it! lol.) But my craft blog WILL NOT die!!!! (I hope)

Uh.... yeah....

So I have about a BILLION things to blog about.... yet I sit here mostly wordless. How does that work? Well it doesn't 'work' I suppose. At any rate I am going to try and blog a bit. How about a list of what I have been doing the past month? Sounds exciting eh!??

1. Got some new medication from my Dr. for my fatigue. Turns out it is related to Attention Deficit! lol... who knew! The meds are working GREAT and I am SO HAPPY to feel awake and alert again! WOW what a difference!

2. My sister came to visit from AZ.

3. we ran around SLC for a week and had many adventures.
Organic Ice cream.... YUM... thanks kids for the help!


4. Got Marie a wicked cool hair cut and color! Then I took some 'model' pictures of her



5. Mom came for the weekend and we went swimming with my Dad and half siblings

6. Mom took Marie back to Idaho, and I stayed home to do laundry, clean up, and have Amalyssas final Kindergarten evaluation. (All in one day)

7. Went to Idaho to play with Maire AND Mom for a week! Had a TOTAL blast crafting, laughing, and eating ice cream at midnight! (not the organic ice cream.... it ended up with metal shards in it.... YIKES!)

8. Left Amalyssa in Idaho while Braden and I ran back home for 2 1/2 days to do laundry and re-pack.

9. Went up to Girls camp for the Hike. That was just WONDERFUL!


10. Left for Pocatello.... again.... To go with Scott's family to Yellowstone, Cody Wyoming, and Jackson Hole for a week.

11. stayed one more night at my moms house then brought my sister and her kid-o's back with me to Utah.

12. Got up at 3:00 am to see my sis and her fam fly out for home.

13. died...... but only for a few days..... lol

Now I am back into the swing of home life and getting ready for Amalyssa to start 1st grade!! She starts back in just over a week! YIKES! Crazy crazy...... that is year round school for ya!

Believe it or not I think I even managed to leave a few things out of that list... oops! Oh well... that is the best 'catch up' I can manage for right now. Maybe later I will have a chance to get some more pictures up of the last few weeks... cuz you know I have em!!!!

Summer...... OIY!

Well it all comes back to what I said a while ago. When you have time to blog... you have nothing to blog about.... when you have things to blog about... you have no time to blog!!!! That is how it works for me at least!!! ARG!

So here is a fast summary of what I have been up to!

LAGOON DAY!

My two SLC best friends and I decided to run away for a day to Lagoon! We all got babysitters for the kids and went out to play for a whole day!! WOOT! I can't even begin to tell you how much fun this was! What a great day of relief and fun! THANK YOU to the wonderful soul who took my children all day for me! You are a wonderful wonderful person!!! Here are a few fun photos we got out of a photo booth! Yeah... we acted like silly teenagers the whole day... it was GREAT!






Kindergarten graduation!

My oh my the time goes fast! Amalyssa is officially done with kindergarten and on to 1st grade in a few weeks. (year round school). She is a bit scared for 1st grade and so am I. She is scared that she will get too bored and tired in school all day.... I am scared that BRADEN will get bored with sister in school all day and MOM will have to entertain him!!! YIKES! lol She did a great job in Kindergarten and got high marks on her report card! WAY TO GO AMALYSSA!







Model Behavior

Braden has started getting himself dressed! I am THRILLED with this new development! The less I have to do the better! However sometimes it makes for some interesting outfit choices... and occasionally backwards outfits. But hey... he is happy... I am happy!
This was one of my favorite of his outfit creations. When I went to take a picture he got VERY upset and threw his hands up!! I felt like the paparazzi! He wouldn't let me take his picture until we were in HIS chosen location, the camera was ON the tripod, and he was ready to POSE. What a little ham!!!







The Great Salt Lake

Last evening I got to go out to the Great Salt lake with my dad. It was really fun to be out there and learn a bit more about sailing and boats. We got to meet some interesting people and have a few memorable experiences.

Here are my 2 favorite stories from the evening.

We were walking the parking lot and dad spotted a truck with an explosives sign on it (dad use to haul explosive materials for the gov. as a trucker) Being the friendly sort of guy my dad is he called out to the gentlemen a greeting. The guy was a friendly bloke from Kanzas. As it turned out the truck he was hauling was filled with ALL the fireworks for the 'Stadium Of Fire'. He had decided to stop and see the Great Salt Lake on his way to Provo. He asked excitedly if we were 'Mormons', then beckoned us over to his truck to show us the book his friend had given him to read. It was of course the Book of Mormon. He was excited that he would be reading the book on the BYU campus and was excited to be meeting 'Mormons' since, in his words, "Most everybody out here are Mormons!" I did take a picture of the truck but it was an afterthought when we had finished talking to him and walked away... so it is a bit out of focus and not the best photo. But here is a sneek peak at the 'Stadium of Fire' fireworks!!



When we first got to the lake we drove right up to a look out platform. There was a well marked NO PARKING zone next to the look out. Well................ for some reason...... my judgment lapsed. I suppose I could blame it on the fact that there was mostly NO ONE out at the lake, or that I didn't think there was a ranger on duty that evening, or maybe even the fact that I thought we would be staying right by the car and would be there only a few minutes. For whatever reason, I decided to park in the no parking zone. We enjoyed the lookout for a bit then started wandering down to the docks. Before long we were getting far from the car. I remember thinking I should go move it... but that would have required me to walk a whole 100 yards back to the car... and it wasn't hurting anything.. RIGHT???? We went around the bend and enjoyed some time with dads friend Paho, who was kind enough to show us his boat and share some candy with the kids. When the sun started to set we decided it was time to make our way back to the look out.

Can you see where this story is going??? We were almost back to the car when a ranger vehicle pulled up next to us and grumpily asked if that was our car. Upon saying that it was we were curtly informed that it was in a clearly marked no parking zone and my car had been causing problems 'all night' because "other people kept parking there and blocking all the boats from launching" (though I didn't see ANY sailboats that weren't already in the water the whole night). I felt bad and apologized, letting him know we would move the vehicle immediately. Well the sun was setting and I wanted pictures so dad offered to move the car for me. It was only when he returned after parking the car that I learned I had gotten a TICKET!!!!!! Aw man......... Gratefully my lovely father drove the car over to the 'nice' ranger who had given me the ticket and explained the situation to him. I don't know what dad said... or how many tears were shed... or how much begging took place... or if money exchanged hands under the table... all I know is that the ticket was ripped up in the end by the ranger. WHEW!!! THANKS DAD!!!!!! I guess the ranger was pretty crusty,but for whatever reason decided to withdraw the ticket. The moral of the story ...... Don't park in a no parking zone idiot!

Here are a few more pictures of the fun evening we had

Whew... well if you got to the bottom of this post then you are a true friend!!! I wrote all this mostly because this has become my journal now and I don't want to loose these wonderful memories. Sorry you have to take a half hour of your day to read my LONG catch up post. Bless you for loving me enough to do so! Just think about the hour and a half that I took writing this in the middle of the night... then maybe you will feel better that you read all the way through it for me!!!