The Bash Four

I learned

2011-03-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

Some things I learned while in Disneyland......

Coming down with the flu on the last day of your trip is much better than coming down with the flu on the first day.
Humans lose the ability to see where they are going while in Disneyland. Even adult humans. I almost lost my life to a 40 year old woman.
Ice cream can make even the angriest bear happy in Disneyland.
My kids honestly don't care what they are doing, as long as they are not waiting in line.
Or walking.
Carrying a 40 pound 5 year old on your shoulders is painful, very very painful. But, in reality it is less painful than listening to said 5 year old whine about her aching feet.
It is impossible to get through a Disneyland trip without aching feet, and legs, and back, and head, and shoulders, and hips.
Despite all of the above..... Disneyland makes your heart happy. And that is what makes it all worth it.

Disneyland

2011-03-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

Oh NO!!! Koda ate Ayden's head!!! And, Jade thinks it's hilarious. Such a good sister. We had so much fun in Disneyland this last weekend. We went with some friends and their kids which always makes the trip double the fun. This year, Jade was tall enough to do everything but two rides. She loved Space Mountain and the Hollywood Tower Hotel. That girl has no fear. I hope she stays that way. Fear is useless, right? Ayden loved all the rides too. I think his favorite was Indiana Jones. He was in the driver seat and I'm pretty sure he thought he was really driving.

Here are all the kids in Toon Town. So much fun. We stayed for three days and loved every minute of it. This is probably our only family vacation for the year, so we tried to make the most of it. Unfortunately, I came down with the flu on the last day at Disneyland. The real live flu (headache, body ache, fever, cough, outright misery). It was like the kids and Steve were towing a Zombie around Disneyland. But, on a positive note, we did things we probably wouldn't have done without me feeling like death and the kids really enjoyed it. Overall, it was a fantastic trip!!!

For being 5 years old, she sure knows A LOT.

2011-02-14T19:34:00.001-08:00

As I was helping Jade's class this morning, I heard at least 3 girls all saying "I know, I KNOW" every single time someone told them something (even their teacher). I had to laugh (to myself, of course, I would hate to add to the teachers obvious frustration).
The reason this made me chuckle and some of you with 5 year old girls may know where I'm coming from, is because apparently Jade was born knowing EVERYTHING. Really, everything.
All I have to do is open my mouth, look her direction, and she is automatically saying "I know". Please note, I haven't actually said anything yet. But, she KNOWS.
The flip side of this is the arguing that results from her vast knowledge of the world. We go round after round after round of trying to prove who is right. There is no convincing her because she KNOWS.
I'm a little confused, I thought she wouldn't reach this stage until she was a teenager. But, apparently, she is among many other 5 year old girls who were also born knowing everything. It helps to know I'm not alone.

The psychology of sick kids

2011-01-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

Nothing, seriously NOTHING, tears a mom apart more than watching her kids suffer from illness. It's just a virus, a nasty run of the mill cold, but I find myself really struggling. Are any of you like that? It can't really be true, but I feel like Ayden has been coughing since October. The current cough is bordering on another trip to the doctor, "just to be sure".
It's the whole "just to be sure" thing that gets me the most. I ask myself a million questions about whether or not I'm doing the right thing. Is the air too dry, is the house too dusty, what if he's allergic to the detergent, could it be pneumonia this time, maybe something in the school is irritating him (aside from the cute girls who like to tease him :) and it goes on and on and on...... Having a sick kid is mentally exhausting.

I'm not complaining, really it is just a cold, but I felt the need to share. I hope I'm not the only one who thinks illness is the biggest struggle for a Mom. And, I do thank God that I haven't had to deal with any "real" illnesses with my kids. I don't think I have the mental strength to deal with that!

He was sent to bed with a cocktail of grape flavored syrups, hopefully he'll get some good rest and be brand new tomorrow.

On a side note, I was completely spoiled for my birthday!! Gluten Free Pizza, GF Carrot Cake (yummy!!!), new gardening tools, an ipod touch, a droid incredible phone, and a day full of the people I love most near and far. Nothing makes me feel more special than seeing dozens of birthday wishes on my FB page from people who have all been and still are a huge part of my life!

Today is my Birthday

2011-01-26T13:46:00.001-08:00

I had intended to wait until March to update this (nothing like going a full year without updating the ol' blog). But, to honor the day of my birth, I will regale you with tales of our life..... Lucky you. You might want to get comfortable, a lot happens in 10 months.
I can't think of a word to sum up the last year so, I'll just tell you about it and maybe you can help me with an appropriate adjective.
About a year ago I chose to try a gluten free diet in an attempt to alleviate my horrid stomach problems. It was a huge adjustment, but I love to cook, and I really enjoyed working through new and old recipes finding what worked and tasted best. I am super happy to tell you that making that change has literally changed my life. I feel SO much better now. I know my health has improved and I eat much healthier now. One side effect that I didn't anticipate was the terrible nightmares that accompany such a huge life change. I have dreams where I've eaten a cracker, or piece of bread and wake up terrified. It keeps me motivated to be sure.
I had my tonsils taken out in April. A few years ago, I got the worst strep infection and since then, my throat has never been the same. It seemed like I constantly had a sore throat and I could have an active strep infection without even knowing it- the only way I would know that I had another infection was if the kids tested positive. So, major surgery and major pain later, my throat is better. Fantastic side effect for that was losing 15 pounds, and I've managed to keep 10 of those from coming back- yay me!
We traveled to Alaska this Summer on a cruise. It was one of the best vacations of my life. I absolutely love Alaska. I am still in awe at the beauty. I would give anything to go back (for a visit, couldn't live there). The cruise was great, we went with another couple from Cedar City. I think having our friends there with us made it about a billion times more fun.
This Summer, we also spent a week in Northern Cali with my family. Two of my brothers live there so the family that is still here in Utah boogied on up to play with them. My youngest brother has a pool in his backyard with a diving board. We had two or three awesome pool days. He also has a boat, so we got to play on the wakeboard and tube. I'm proud to report my first attempt at wakeboarding was a HUGE success, the second attempt- not so much (OUCH). We spent a day in Santa Cruz at the boardwalk amusement park. It was one of the best family vacations I can remember.
The kids both played soccer this Fall. I coached Jade's team. Both kids finished the season undefeated. It was a lot of fun. Soccer in Cedar City is always interesting. Fall and Spring seasons bring both freezing and sweltering weather. We freeze, sunburn, and have a blast!
I had a job (HAD being the operative word). I am now happily unemployed- again. I was the outreach worker for Iron County Council on Aging. It was a good job, I had a lot of fun and met some really wonderful people. I decided though that my kids are still just a little too young for me to be away from home that much. Since I quit, I am a very happy Mamma and that makes a huge difference in our family.
Ayden is in second grade and doing very well. He's experiencing his first frustration with girls. It's funny. There are a couple of girls in his class that are teasing him relentlessly. Mind you these girls have been his friends since Kindergarten. My conclusion is that they have a little crush on him and this is how they're dealing with it (his teacher said pretty much the same thing). He just doesn't get why someone would tease you if they like you. The only thing I can tell him is that girls are crazy and now is a good time to accept it and move on.
Jade is in Kindergarten and also doing well. She isn't as academically inclined as Ayden is. But, she is hanging in there. She just doesn't see the point of learning, makes me laugh. She is only in school for 1/2 a day, so we get plenty of time together. I help in both of their classes and it is a lot of fun. I love getting to know their friends. Today, Jade's class sang me Happy Birthday and it honestly made my day. Such sweeties.
We have a dog, we've actually had her for over a year. She is a Shih-tzu and her name is Missy. We absolutely adore her. She completes our family quite nicely.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of me and Steve's first date. 13 years ago. Goodness. Can that be right? Yup, sure is. 13 years. I can't quite process that right now, but I thought you should know.
I'd like to say I'll do better updating this here blog. But, I know myself and I would hate to set the bar too high. I will say that it's been a fantastic and challenging year, but all in all, it's been good.

Yup, we're still alive

2010-03-05T17:56:00.001-08:00

I could also title this post "the most boring post of the year". I plan on telling you nothing exciting, I have no awesome pictures to share, and you will be done reading this in about 10 seconds. give or take. But, I needed you to know we are alive and well. Just busy beyond belief. Still love ya!!

Hawaii!!

2009-10-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Hooray!!! We had an absolutely fabulous time in Hawaii the past 6 days. For the first three days, we were on Kaua'i. Then we headed over to Oahu to stay with my dad for the remainder of the trip. It was so fun! We hiked, kayaked, zip-lined, saw loads of sights, watched sea turtles, ate tons of really good food, and relaxed. Oh, and we came home sun-burned, mission accomplished.
Here are a few pictures to enjoy!
This is my dad and I, on the beach at Turtle Cove.

Steve and I, again in Turtle Cove. We saw a least 6 sea turtles.

Here we are at the top of Diamond Head in Honolulu. Wow, it was hot, humid and way too many stairs. I was crying like a baby until we passed an 81 year old man who was hiking up the hill like he was strolling in the mall. The view was beautiful, honestly it was worth the quivering knees and jello legs.

While we were on Kaua'i, we did an excursion to the Princeville Ranch. They took us kayaking, hiking and zip-lining. I think this was the highlight of the trip. Steve managed to stay upright in his canoe, and we both went across the zip-lines like we were old pros.

Me, on the zip-line.

The start of our hike. This mountain is usually covered in clouds. It's the wettest place on Earth, but we lucked out and had a beautiful dry day!

Funny quotes from the past month

2009-10-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

I was suffering a wonderful bout of PMS, dealing with lots of people, doing way too much, and coming down with an awful cold (that's my defense), when Steve warned my dad "don't poke the bear" (for clarification- I'm the bear in this scenario). It wasn't funny then, but it is getting funnier as time goes on. I think I'll get that printed up nice and big, frame it and nail it to my bedroom door as a warning to my children. DON'T POKE THE BEAR (and the bear doesn't go away until 8:00 AM).

Steve and I were having dinner with a couple of friends, who are both recently divorced. They were comparing notes on how long they were married (15 years and 12 years). I looked at Steve and told him "well, I guess we better not get too comfortable". What I meant was, there is no such thing as a safe year in marriage, what he heard was "start packing". Now, when he's being a brat I look at him and repeat myself "don't get too comfortable".

Ayden acted up in school last week and earned himself some time in "skills" (the elementary equivalent of detention). He spent his recesses picking up trash. "Mom, it was fun!! I even found a cigarette". Hmm, do I have an aspiring trash truck driver on my hands? And, what are they doing over there at South Elementary with the cigarettes? Granted, if I had to deal with 600 children under the age of 10, I would probably be doing much worse than smoking!!

Jade and I were playing pretend. For those of you who are not familiar, this is a game where we act like different people and do various things together like shop, cook, eat, etc. Jade tells me "mom, you pretend to be nice, like my teacher". Yup, I really need a vacation.

A Decade, Really?

2009-10-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, October 9th, we celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. I remember not long ago thinking 10 years seemed like a REALLY long time. Now, I'm wondering what happened? How did we get here so FAST?? In honor of ten years, here is a list of 10 random things you may not know about Steve and Jayci.
1. We still use the majority of kitchen accessories we were gifted at our wedding.
2. I finally won the argument of whether or not to get a dog. Steve told me the other day, "good choice Jace, Ms. E's a great dog for our family". No, I'm not making that up, he really said it (and I needed to document it somewhere).
3. We love our kids more than we could have ever imagined. When we were first married, we did not want kids. A not so gentle urging from a power greater than us forced our hands and we are grateful every single day for the two little people who are sharing in this life with us.
4. We often want to strangle those same little people.
5. Especially today.
6. So far, we have met our goal each year of going on one big trip, just Steve and me. I can't tell you how much this strengthens our relationship. We have been to: Tahiti, Hawaii, The Bahamas, Jackson Hole, San Diego, San Francisco, Sedona Arizona, Portland Oregon, Springdale Utah and we leave again for Hawaii in 4 days.
7. A hobby we have found to love together is gardening. To my amazement, Steve loves to garden as much as I do!!
8. Steve and I are polar opposites in many, many ways. Most days this works very well, other days, well, not so much.
9. I can still count on just one hand the number of times we have been truly angry with each other.
10. The commitment we made to each other 10 years ago, is just as strong today as it was then, if not stronger. Neither of us could have imagined the challenge a successful marriage and family would be, and I'm still in awe that we have managed to get this far. 10 years is nothing, compared to what lies ahead of us. But, from the bottom of my heart, I have loved every minute of the last 3,650 days.

St. Jude's

2009-09-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I won't be blogging again for a while, so I'm reminding you now. This month, Chili's is working on their annual fundraiser for St. Jude's Childrens Hospital. Chili's is amazing and so generous in doing this for St. Jude's. When you go and eat at your local Chili's ask your server if you can "create a pepper", then color your pepper and donate whatever you can. You can even purchase tee-shirts to decorate and the proceeds from the shirts go to St. Jude's. If I get a minute, I'll post a picture of my rockin tshirt!!
On Monday, September 28th, all profits from all sales at Chili's go directly to St. Jude's.
So, times are tough for a lot of people (but hopefully getting better), and it may seem pretty crazy to take your family out to dinner. I say it's crazy not to. I am so thankful that my children are healthy enough to take to dinner! I am so thankful that I am not in debt up to my eyeballs with health care bills due to fighting my child's cancer. Thousands of families would give anything to take their kids out to dinner and celebrate their health. And, hopefully by working together with Chili's, we can make that a reality for those families!

I'll take "Worst Friday Nights" for $1000, please Alex"

2009-09-12T19:30:00.001-07:00

Spending two hours in Instacare, getting diagnosed with yet another Strep infection, filling not one, but TWO prescriptions for Amoxicillin because when you're family you share everything including strep, and not getting to bed until 11.
Jayci Bash's Friday night. WOO HOO, we have a winner!
It's not all bad, I know it could be much worse. I got to spend a whole sick day with Jade today watching movies, making a pie (because our butts were tired from sitting down so much), and catching up on this here blog!

Cedar Breaks with 120 kids, 12 adults and 2 busses.

2009-09-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Ayden still thinks I'm cool!

He's pretty cool too.
The ants go marching........

You'd be amazed how hard it is to get kids to form a line.

I went with Ayden's class to Cedar Breaks this past Friday. It was so fun, minus the one puke incident. Really, with 60 kids on a bus winding up the canyon, you expect a little vomit, right?

We listened to the park ranger explain "deposition", learned a new word- "OHWOW", hiked for a mile (listened to a lot of "I'm tired", "are we there yet?" and "I need to pee"), had lunch at Woods Ranch, then got to come home early for the day! It really was fun and I'm so glad I got to go with him. Huge thanks to my mom for taking Jadie so I could spend this wonderful time with Ayden.

Preschool!

2009-09-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Isn't she beautiful?
The official pose of preschoolers. Really, she's just showing off her new shoes (they make her run fast)!

Camping Trip #3, a few weeks ago.

2009-09-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Fun tree by our campground, it bounced at least 4 kids onto their heads.
Mighty men, cutting wood. Before you call DCFS, Ayden was closely supervised when using the saw, and he attended a 4 hour training on safe saw operation. He is now a Certified Bash Tree Cutter (CBTC).

For this trip we went with two families we are great friends with here in Cedar. They have kids pretty much the same ages as our kids, although Ayden is the only boy. We went to Navajo Lake on Cedar Mountain. It was beautiful and loads of fun as always.
While we were camping, the infamous Mill Flat Fire raged out of control. Sunday morning, our whole campground was covered in ashes and reeked of smoke. It was only upon returning home that we found out how serious the fire really was. Subsequently, Jade, Ayden and I all got yucky colds from all the smoke and junk in the air.

1st Grade!

2009-09-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

This is the official pose of first graders. Can I get a Hi-Ya?

We are complete.

2009-09-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

Meet Ms. E, she is our newest and most wonderful family member. We Lurve her!

Maybe Airplanes don't belong on Main street, just maybe.

2009-09-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

This was entertaining. On July 24th, Cedar had a little parade. In the parade was an airplane. Pretty cool, right. RIGHT. Well, apparently no one took the 30 seconds to ask themselves if airplanes should really drive down main street. Otherwise, they may have realized that while Main Street is awesome, it is NOT a run-way. Don't worry, they made it, and I got the most memorable picture of the parade!!

Camping trip #2, sometime in July

2009-09-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, he smells good.
That is lake water mixed in with mountain dirt, she also smelled divine.

The mighty mini-van.

Kent's Lake on Beaver Mountain was our second camping adventure this Summer. We went with two of my brothers and their families. To protect the innocent (or majorly guilty), I'll refrain from posting their pictures here. But, take my word for it, their kids were just as filthy as mine! We stayed for three nights (the longest trip this Summer). It was so much fun, certain to become a Summer tradition.

So Fresh and So Clean

2009-07-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

You should smell this. I wish you could smell this. This smell is absolutely intoxicating. Better than fresh baked cookies, better than dryer sheets, better than a spanking new car. This smell is one that only Mother Nature can create and it is DELICIOUS!!!
We had one whopper of a thunder/rain storm today, complete with lightening and some hail. Combine that storm with my beautiful backyard filled with pine/cedar/ juniper trees and you have THE. BEST. SMELL. ON. EARTH.

One Word...

2009-07-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

WHY???

Fishin'

2009-07-07T19:06:00.001-07:00

This lasted for 2 minutes.

Tee hee

2009-06-30T11:41:00.001-07:00

Note that I am blogging about my messy house, instead of actually cleaning it :)

**Update: my house is now clean(er). I am rewarding myself with potato chips and a coke. Wow, I'm full of guilty confessions today!!

Keepin' it Real.... for my girls

2009-06-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

A while back, I hosted a girls weekend at my house for my 5 best friends from high school (yes, we still actually like each other-a lot). During that time, I heard the comment "I can't believe how clean your house is" at least a dozen times. And every time I heard it, I cringed a little. Because the truth is, my house is never clean. Ok, maybe every now and then I get a little manic and clean all day long, but those days are few and very far between. When everyone went home, I felt overly guilty, like I'd just swindled them out of any piece of mind they may have had about being a good housekeeper!!! So, to make it up to them, I am posting these pictures. Girls, this is how my house looks right now. And most days, it's a little worse! I hope your self-esteem gets a huge boost from these!!
Being a mom, a good mom, means so much more than having a tidy house. My messy house will one day be spotless, but now is not the time for that! Now is the time for playing. My kids won't remember the state of my kitchen, but will certainly remember my state of mind. Enjoy the pictures, and feel my pain as today, unfortunately, IS cleaning day!

A Camping We Will Go!!!

2009-06-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

We just finished our first camping trip of the Summer. It was so fun!! Our Spring has been so cool, we didn't dare camp until this last weekend. We went with another family up to Pine Valley. It was awesome! The weather was perfect. We are tent campers, so we really rough it!
One funny story from the weekend: The kids and I were in the tent and Steve had just got out. He snuck around the side of the tent, jumped up, rattled the tent and roared. Jade was right by the wall where he attacked and she screamed, flew across the tent (literally flew), and her eyes were the size of tennis balls! We all laughed so hard, even Jade (she's a good sport). We leave again for another camping trip soon. Loving Summer!!!!

A perfectly roasted marshmallow

She was showing me her sticky fingers.

Walkie talkies- the kids' favorite thing about this camping trip.

All of us at the reservoir.

Chop, chop, timber!

2009-06-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

Ayden jumping off the diving board.
Jade's turn.

Waiting for class to start.

The kids just finished their first session of swimming lessons. They were in the same class and both passed on to the next level. I'm so proud of them. Both of them are so brave. Jade was the first in her class to go off the diving board. She just walked up there like she'd been doing it her whole life. Their favorite game was "chop, chop, timber". They would pretend to grow like trees, then their teacher would chop them down and they would fall into the water. We are going to do one more session before Summer is over.

Woo Hoo, here are some pics!!

2009-06-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

For some reason, these pictures downloaded in the exact wrong order, sorry. I'm too lazy to fix them tonight. So, if you are trying to put them in context, the top picture is the most recent. This is a pic of us in Vegas last week. We took a mini vacation and stayed at the Monte Carlo for a couple of nights. We visited family, friends and spent a lot of time at the pool.

Here are all the kiddos at the river about a month ago. Wow, time goes fast. Anyhoo, we had a great day swimming, catching tadpoles and getting downright muddy. Obviously, you know Jadie and Ayden, the other adorable kids are my nieces and my nephew. Oh, Jade did her own hair this day (note the bright blue bow on the top of her head).
Here is Ayden at his Kindergarten program. Now, on to 1st grade!!! He looks pretty freaking handsome, doesn't he?

And, here is Jadie poo at her preschool program. She did such a great job- singing, counting and dancing. She's 4 now. I'll post pictures of her birthday sometime this century, maybe.

We are still knee deep in landscaping our back yard. Tomorrow, the topsoil will be delivered, then, after way too much shoveling and raking, we'll get to lay the sod. Holy cow, I really didn't imagine the amount of work needed to finish a back yard. SERENITY NOW!!!!

Random

2009-05-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

1. Pictures are still trapped on my camera and PC (trust me, they are awesome).
2. Finished reading Wicked -absolutely loved it. Seriously, how did I not know about this book?
3. Kids are done with school. Ayden celebrated his Kindergarten graduation at Maggie Moo's.
4. Jade is SOOO Happy to have her brother back with us all the time.
5. Our yard is 20% complete. We have tons more to do. But, my backyard paradise is slowly becoming a reality.
6. I am completely infatuated with Cedar right now. We have had afternoon thunderstorms every day for over a week. The smell is downright intoxicating. Really, is there a smell that is better than mountain rain??
7. Ayden's newest sarcastic remark: "You go do that" as in I say "I'm going to get our stuff ready for the lake" and he says "you go do that". It's not as nice as it sounds, but sure is funny.
8. The lesson I learned today: Jade doesn't take it too well when I rip the 5 day old bandaid off her hairy legs without warning. Many tears.

Busy, busy, busy

2009-05-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

So, it's been a while since I posted anything. I'm a slacker, but I do have a couple of good excuses and a couple of really lame excuses for not keeping this more up to date!
In the last couple of months, we have been super busy! The weather is getting better and better, so that means more and more time spent out doors which means less and less time on my computer.
At the end of March, we traveled to California to visit my younger brothers. I have loads of great pictures to prove it. But, you'll have to just take my word for it because the pictures are all trapped on my PC (long story). We had a wonderful Easter in SLC with my Murphy family.
My mom bought a house last month (hooray!!), and we have been spending as much time as possible helping her get it fixed up. My back yard is in the process of being landscaped. Steve and I are going to do as much of the landscaping work as we can to help keep our cost down. My garden is ready for planting and my kids are still alive.
Today, we are celebrating my brother Blair. He has finished his Master's degree in Social Work!!!! Not, only did he get his degree, I'm pretty sure he got near perfect grades too! Oh, and he kept his family alive, and loved while working full time and going to school. He absolutely amazes me. It's hard not to feel like a slacker in comparison! I love him, he is the best big brother a girl could ask for!!!

Soccer in Cedar City

2009-05-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Our soccer season has ended. It feels like it just began, and Ayden was certainly not ready to be done. We had such an amazing team this year. I was the Team Parent again (so much fun). The major set backs we had this year were weather related. Two games were rescheduled due to snow and two more should have been cancelled (but were not) because of hurricane strength wind! Ayden was a stand-out player on his team, I think he scored about 6 goals total. Jade was an awesome cheerleader for the team (except on the freezing cold, windy days- then she was just a whiner).

My favorite time of year

2009-04-02T18:52:00.001-07:00

Margarita Madness!!!!
Yes, folks, it's that time of year again. The time when we gather with friends and family, load into the van and head to CHILI'S!!
It's the annual Margarita Madness, when you can have a few and feel (really) good about helping your sever win a contest.
Oh, they have a new wonderfully sinful appetizer. I'm not sure of the name, but it consists of deep fried onions and jalapeno peppers. Top that off with a couple of Presidente's and you'll be set!
Just remember to bring your DD along, because one margarita is never enough!!!
Cheers!

I think 10 years was a pretty good run, right?

2009-03-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

Our lives have changed drastically. Nope, not because Ayden is 6. Not because I am a very happy stay at home mom and we are going to live on one income for a very long time. Not because Obama is president.
Nope, our lives will forever be changed due to the ownership of a Wii. I have long said that I will NEVER (you know what they say about saying NEVER) have a "video game machine" in my house.
I surrendered. It's ok to lose some battles right? I have to admit that my change of heart may have a little to do with my mad Guitar skills. I rock. Ok, I don't rock. I sound a little like Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future when his hand is disappearing into time travel oblivion.
Ayden is super happy with the Wii, the only person happier than him is his father.
Wish me luck and if you don't hear from us in a week, we've become zombies who think they are professional snowboarders, or world famous rock stars.

The Camera

2009-03-23T14:22:00.001-07:00

"I think the camera is broken. I can't get the shutter to open"
"Let me see it"
"I don't think I dropped it, I can't imagine what happened"
"oh, hmmm, did you happen to look at the last picture taken?"
"No, why?"
"I'm pretty sure I know how the camera got broken"
"AYDEN!!!!!!!"

This is why I am now $250 poorer than last month and why you are reading a month's worth of posts in one day. Oh, did I mention he was grounded for a week?

The Hair Cut

2009-03-23T14:16:00.001-07:00

Before

After

Yes, we're Irish

2009-03-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

There is an awesome celebration in Springdale every year for St. Patrick's Day. The town has a parade, kids activities (which were free this year), music, food and of course, beer. It's become a family tradition to attend the festival. Here is Ayden climbing the rock wall (I'm below him having a small panic attack- he's only 5!)

Here are the kids begging for candy at the parade. They didn't have to do much begging- there was candy galore!

Our Happy Irish Family.

The kids, acting like Leprechauns (I'm not quite sure they've got the idea).

Sand Dunes

2009-03-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

We recently spent a day in Snow Canyon at the Sand Dunes with some fantastic friends. It was another beautiful day in Southern Utah. The only thing that sent us home early was the wind. But, it is Spring. And, Spring in Utah also means "batten down the hatches". In the picture above, we had buried the kids in the sand. They are actually standing straight up (they were some deep holes)!!

Beautiful Jadie.

This is the smile I love.

Hiking with Kids

2009-03-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Hiking with Kids is kind of like herding cats. It's easier as they get older, but with the range of ages we had, it was still an adventure. 5 kids, 4 adults. Ages of kids: 6 (two of them), 5, 4, and 3 years old. The thing about hiking is that there is SOOOO much to distract the kids. And, for whatever reason, they are all infatuated with rocks. Yes, rocks. 5 minutes into the hike, all children had handfuls of rocks they were trying to stuff into the pockets of the adults. Well, that didn't fly (hiking with two or four pockets full of rocks? No, thank you.) So, the next thing that got their attention and resulted in major anxiety was looking for coyote tracks. Jade was especially upset about sharing this hike with coyotes (if you've seen Barnyard, you'll know why). With much persuasion, we finally convinced them that if there were coyotes on this trail, we had definitely scared them away by now. Now their attention turns to sticks, next on the list of distractions is lizards, then bugs. Finally, we reach our destination and they get busy looking for arrowheads (much more productive than hunting for coyotes, I might add).

It was a fabulous day. Anasazi Valley is beyond beautiful. It's quiet (minus the 5 kids and the 4 adults trying to keep those 5 kids alive) and full of things to see. We survived, the 2 mile hike took us 5 hours to complete, seriously. But, it was great. We will certainly do it again soon!

Cool Website

2009-03-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

In an effort to trim our grocery bill, I've been using the Pinching Your Pennies website to create my shopping lists.
So, I make a list of what I need at the store, then go online and see where it is on sale. I can check all of my local grocery stores at the same time.
Another thing that is cool about this site is the ratings. They give every sale a rating based on how good of a deal it is (which is VERY helpful for me because I have a hard time knowing how much I pay for things- but I'm getting better).
Check it out if you have a minute. Sometimes their site is a little slow, if you're a little patient, it's well worth the wait!
www.pinchingyourpennies.com

A Natural

2009-03-03T09:25:00.001-08:00

Steve took Ayden boarding for the first time this past weekend. It was a complete success. Ayden had a fantastic time as did Steve. No broken bones, or sprained knees. Just awesomness! Ayden is really good, kids learn so fast!

Baker, baker, cookie maker

2009-03-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

Jade loves to cook. Since she is still quite little to do much of the cooking, her favorite right now is baking. As soon as I get the mixer out, she is on the counter, ready to go. We made yummy sugar cookies for Valentines day. Really, she just loves to eat the dough.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2009-02-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Ayden, when asked by the eye doctor to hold on to each bar on each side of his head says, "mom, it's like being in Jail!"
Jade, looking at all the beautiful and cool beads at Roberts, "Oh... my... God!"
Trae (Ayden's friend from school) after looking over my house, "You know your house is messy? Are you going to keep it that way?"

Lessons for mom:
1. Stop letting Ayden go to jail.
2. Remind Jade of appropriate words for public.
3. Clean my house before playdates with 5 year olds (the 3 year olds are oblivious to such messes).

In summary, Ayden's a jailbird, Jade swears like a truck driver and my house is disgusting. And, I'm still laughing.

On the Upside of Things

2009-02-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

Ayden is well. Healthy, happy and handsome! The re-check of his blood came back completely normal.
Isn't life a roller coaster? Up and down we go. One moment is filled with bliss while another is filled with torment. All you need to do is scroll through some of my recent posts to see what a ride we've been on. I know it is the same for everyone. And worse for others. A friend told me recently that she was working on her perception of life to see every moment as good. It's certainly a worthwhile goal.

Useless information about the Bahamas

2009-02-10T16:17:00.000-08:00

Some things we learned:
1. People from the Bahamas are called Bahamians, but they are not native to the Island. The island Natives are called Lucayans- none are still alive.
2. Bahamians love tourists.
3. Bahamians love alcohol.
4. Tourists+alcohol= Heaven for the average Bahamian citizen.
5. The island is dirty. There is trash all over. How does one dispose of refuse on an island? Perhaps that explains the litter.
5. A lot of houses were surrounded with chain linked fences that had barbed wire on the top. Like the fence you see at a prison. When we asked a local about that, we were told it was to keep the dogs out of their yards. Hmm. The fences were over 7 feet tall, those are some talented dogs.
6. Although marijuana is not legal in the Bahamas, in fact, it is a crime to use, dispense, or grow marijuana, we were openly offered weed in the shopping center.
7. Coconut Rum is delicious.
8. Too much Coconut Rum causes heart burn.
9. There is NO wildlife in the Bahamas. No fresh water= no wild creatures. It felt weird.
10. Being from Utah has us spoiled, I fear, from living anywhere else. I like clean land, air and people. Call me crazy, but it's nice to walk down the street, watch a show and eat dinner without smoke encircling your head. It is nearly as nice to see the flora and fauna of the land without the taint of trash.

I Have Pictures to Prove it!!!

2009-02-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

We spent 4 lovely nights and days in the Bahamas! WOW. I knew the vacation would go fast, but seriously, does it really have to be over already??? We are home and shoveling snow. But, I'm still smiling because I am so happy to see my kids. THAT is why I need vacations.
When we arrived in Freeport, the power was out at the resort and it was COLD! What? Yes, cold. Cold, Cold, Cold. Luckily, we each had a pair of pants and a jacket (we wore the same outfit for a couple of days). By the third day we were there, the weather finally improved. So much that we were actually able to wear our beach attire! We even came home a little sunburned. With the weather being so cold, we spent most of our time at the resort. Reading, sleeping, practicing archery, playing ping pong, eating, drinking, cuddling. We did go sightseeing on the island for a little while and spent some time at a very cool (both cold and impressive) botanical garden. We want to go back, but next time we'll do a couple of things differently. Like go when it's not Winter in the Bahamas. Or, pick a resort that is NOT part of a time-share (the sales people are like vultures- ugh). I know they are trying to make a living and I truly respect their efforts, but for the love of all things Holy, No means No!
Here are a few pictures of our trip- keep in mind- it was COLD.

On the beach, at our resort.
Why do beaches bring out the urge to flex?

At the resort, drink in my hand.

At the "Garden of the Groves" Botanical Garden. It was breathtaking.

Cool website

2009-02-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are watching your waist disappear (mine has been lost for some time now), I found an awesome website for calorie counting.
http://mydailyplate.com
It's really helpful in looking up calories for things that aren't labeled (alcohol, veggies, fruits, fast food). Also, you can register and do a whole weight loss program for free. I haven't done that yet, but I think I will.
Have fun!

Big High Five to AYDEN!!!

2009-02-03T13:39:00.001-08:00

Ayden's class just finished up some assessments for the first part of the year. I am super happy to report (brag) that he is well above where he should be!!! Wow, I hope the rest of his academic career is as successful as his Kindergarten year (Ha Ha Ha).
Now, I'm not so worried about the school he has missed and is going to miss in the next few months (big sigh of relief).
Ayden's sister is a whole different story. Although, we have had a little more success in getting her to go to preschool without big alligator tears and chasing mom out the door!

Jade's New Nickname

2009-01-31T09:21:00.000-08:00

Ayden has dubbed Jade "Princess Talk-a-lot".
He's a funny one.

A day to be done with

2009-01-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday SUCKED. If I were to make a list of top 10 bad days, yesterday would be #1. Seriously. I suppose I shouldn't be too upset about it, because really, it could have been worse.
Here's the rundown:
Jade woke me up before the crack of dawn- 6:30 am. If you know me well, you know that I am NOT a morning person. In fact, I could barely be called an early afternoon person. On top of that early hour- I had a headache. Waking up with a headache is a fantastic way to start the day- NOT.
Ayden is getting sicker by the minute it seems. He has a cold. He's had a cold for over 12 days. Now, he's got a fever to accompany the cold. The coughing is gross, so is his nose. So, he stays home from school and we make an appointment with the doc for the afternoon.
Steve arrives home from work- it's the middle of his shift. He's sick to his stomach- stress induced, work related. I've never, in 12 years, seen Steve that upset.
Ayden and I head to the Dr. at 4:15. We see the Dr. at 5:45. An hour and a half in the waiting room (I'm silently thanking God for Jade being at home and giving me the hunch to take stuff to entertain us). So, after a finger prick to check his blood count, the Dr. comes back in the room to inform me that Ayden's platelets (they are responsible for clotting your blood) are very low. This could or could not be related to his cold. This could also point to a more serious health issue for Ayden. We set up an appointment to come back in 10 days to recheck his blood, and leave the clinic with a prescription in case his cold worsens (more so than a fever and cough that could wake the dead?)
Back at the ranch, Steve gets a call from one of his managers and needs to go back to work. So, I hold things together enough to get the kids a very late dinner (which they literally turned their noses up at), get them in baths and into bed.
Let me tell you what scares me to the bone. I'm sure you can guess. Seriously sick kids- I don't think I could handle it. I'm not strong enough. I can handle unemployment, I can handle poverty, I can handle 50 different things at the same time. I can not handle the thought of battling for my babies lives. Yes, they will always be my babies. Yes, I'm probably worrying over nothing. But what if I'm not? I have so many "what if's" running thorough my head right now.
Ayden is still home from school today, his fever has not gone down. I'm doing my best to calm down. After all, we won't know anything more until his blood is checked again. I'm praying it is just related to his cold, that he will be 100% by Monday.
On a lighter note.... Jade is a nudist. I can't blame her and I love her more because of it! Just be warned, if you show up at our house unannounced, you may see Jade in her birthday suit.

You should know this too

2009-01-26T19:47:00.000-08:00

I have everything I want and could ever dream of.
Today, I spent a snow day with my kids. Sure, I could have sent Ayden to school. But, the snow was a great excuse to keep him home with me on my Birthday. We shoveled snow together, built snow forts, played school, built couch forts, and gave lots of loves. The kids were well behaved (because the only thing I asked them to give me was a day of happiness). When Steve got home, we went out to dinner (yummy yummy Japanese Steak house). The kids love the Hibachi (I do too). Then it was Ice cream for dessert. Good stuff.
As I sat with my family, I couldn't help but be filled with joy. My kids and hubby are healthy, loving and full of life. We have so many good times together. I am happy. I've received calls, emails and notes from so many wonderful family and friends wishing me a Happy day. It's been great to hear from all of them. My life is full, I love it.
So, all in all, I'm content, and very VERY thankful.

I thought you should know

2009-01-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

1. I hate snow.
2. Today, I am 30.
3. Overall, it's been a good day.

Maybe not a Princess, but Certainly a Fairy

2009-01-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

Jade is incapable of walking. Instead, she bounces, twirls, hops, skips and leaps wherever she needs to go. It's entirely entertaining.

Is this ok?

2009-01-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

Ayden has a girlfriend. Well, actually, he hasn't had the courage to "ask her out" yet, but he's in Love (with a capital L). "and, mom, she's so pretty!"
Hmmmm.........
I worry about this, for several reasons.
First, HE'S FIVE!!!!!
Second, the level of infatuation seems to be pretty high for a Kindergartner. For example, he sleeps with his class picture because she's in it. He has a bad day if he can't be near her or talk to her. He gets jealous if one of his other friends talk to her. The list goes on....
Third, he's so in Love that his heart is eventually going to get broken. I know things like this happen in life, but I wasn't expecting it to happen for about 10 more years!
Lastly, and most frightening- he used the word "sexy" when he described her. I reminded him that he shouldn't use words if he doesn't know what they mean (then he wanted a definition- I acted deaf).
I have talked to him many times about the difference between a girlfriend and a friend who is a girl. He doesn't care. As a result of these conversations, he stopped talking to me about her. Instead, he's taking his personal issues to his friends (who are much older) and his babysitter. WHAT?????
I'm not sure what to do with this. I suppose the only thing I CAN do is just let life happen.
I can only pray that I don't get a call from the principal soon requesting a meeting regarding my sons inappropriate behavior. Please Ayden, for the love, keep your hands to yourself!

Christmas

2009-01-06T09:31:00.001-08:00

Jade got a cupcake maker

Ayden got a DC Hat

He also got loads of other stuff, of course.

Jade is a true princess now, and she has a suitcase full of make up to go with the dress.

We had a great holiday. It was very busy and a little stressful with the bad roads and lots of traveling. It's amazing how bad the road can get between Cedar and St. George. But, the van is amazing and we made it through the storms without incident.

My mom hosted a Christmas Eve Party at her house. Her man, Tom is a great cook and made way too much yummy food. Steve had to work Christmas Eve, so that was kind of a bummer. Christmas morning was awesome, isn't it always? I made Christmas dinner at our house for my mom, her man, Jess and his lovely lady Jessica.
I was so very glad to have Christmas done with! It was fun, but loads of work. I need to find a way to simplify it next year. Maybe Pizza for Christmas dinner????
I'll post about New Year's soon.

Family Trip to Brian Head

2009-01-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

All of the kids warming up after a long hour of sledding. It was so cold and the wind was blowing very hard. We had a two bedroom suite at the lodge. 11 people crammed in there and we had a great time. Mom and Tom made loads of yummy food. We sledded, swam, soaked in the hot tub, and played games. So much fun!
Jade loves the snow, mainly she likes to eat it.

Ayden is a Winter loving boy. He sleds, snowboards, builds forts, etc.... It's hard keeping him inside on days when it's below 15 degrees.

WEEEEE!

She was too cold to walk, so she was pulled wherever we went.

Ah Ha

2008-12-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

I figured it out. I've been so sad the last couple of days and couldn't pinpoint the reason. I know now what it is!!! I miss my girls!
I really, really miss my girls. In the last few years, I've lost (by relocating) too many very good friends. We talk as much as possible with our busy lives, but it's not even close to being able to run over to their house to share a bottle of wine and vent about life.
I ran into a friend over the weekend and it made my day. I got an email from another friend yesterday and it was great to hear from her too. But, I think the combination of the two just made me realize what I've lost.
Girls, I love you so much and wow, I miss you. I feel a roadtrip coming on...........

Sometimes you just have to walk away

2008-12-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

Mom needs a time-out. Seriously. Yesterday and today are days that have pushed me to my limits and for no good reason. Kids are fine, no big problems there. Everyone is healthy. I have no big responsibilities (aside from the mountain of laundry in my room).
I'm just ornery. Apparently the moon is doing something astrologically that is creating emotional times for me. So, kids are going to a friends house and mom is going away.
Does that make me a "bad" mom? I don't think so. Sure, I could bite the bullet, put on a happy face and just get through the day. But, would tomorrow be better? How 'bout the next day? All I know is that if I say one more mean thing to my kids I may damage them beyond repair. Everyone knows that when mom isn't happy, no one is happy, right? So, time to go find my happy place. And that damn moon better get moving on.....

P.S. I'm not telling you about this for sympathy. I hope that in sharing my motherly frustrations, I can help you feel better about having a bad day now and then. We all have them. I think it's time to make it normal and ok for mom's to need time alone and accept that we can't always be perfect.

Getting to Know Us, Better.

2008-11-20T09:53:00.000-08:00

I am going to concentrate on blogs that will help you know our family better. Some of you live very far away, and we don't get to see you as often as I would like. And, I miss you dearly! So, here is my attempt at keeping you in our life. I am going to share with you openly about our family adventures.
Right now, I am a stay at home mom (SAHM). It consumes every waking (and some sleeping) minutes. I am very happy being home with my kids. I help in Ayden's Kindergarten class twice a week. I am actually keeping up with my chores too! I think my mom never believed that I had the capacity to keep laundry clean and off the floor! Whew, glad she was wrong about that one! I am a friend to many people. I think that's the best part of not having a "day job". I can be available to those who need me (kids included). I can say YES a lot more! There have been days that I was a life saver to someone, if I had a job, who would have helped them out? My role as SAHM is very important to me. My kids know me, really really know me. And, I know them. I have been the woman who helped them learn all new things (bike riding, coloring, sharing, reading, loving). I sincerely admire those mom's who work and maintain sanity in their homes at the same time- you are truly amazing. I am so blessed that I don't HAVE to work. My work, although it is unpaid, is so wonderful. I love my job!
So keep checking back. Every day is an adventure and I'll make sure to share them as much as possible.

Jade

2008-11-20T09:34:00.001-08:00

When she was a baby, she had no personality. Seriously. She would eat, scream, sleep then repeat. For months on end this was her life. That all changed when she turned one. We had a baby girl- finally!! She giggled, played, cuddled, and danced.
Now at the tender age of 3 1/2, she is a walking tornado. Destroying anything or anyone who gets in her path. She has reverted back to the eat, scream, sleep stage of life (short on the eating and sleeping, so mainly she screams).
She tries my patience to the extreme every day, and I am a patient person. She throws things at me, kicks me, whines incessantly (I really don't think she has a normal voice), sneaks away to do naughty things behind my back, hits her brother...... and on and on.
I couldn't love her more. She is my favorite little girl in the whole world. Every day, she takes a break from wrecking havoc to give me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. She apologizes to me by reminding me that "I still love you mommy". Some of her favorite things are: meekup (make up), dancing, cuddling with whoever has a minute, AYEN (yes, that's how she says it), and her family (Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, etc).
She is the most spirited, determined, stubborn (some of her tantrums have lasted for more than 3 hours), lovable little kid. If I can find a way to harness these traits for the good, can you imagine the wonderful things she will accomplish?
Someone asked me recently why I think Jade was meant to be part of our family. I didn't hesitate for one minute, her lesson to me is unconditional love, her lesson to Steve is patience! She is right where she belongs (even if 1/2 of her day is spent in time out!).

Ayden

2008-11-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

My heart is full with this post. I had an emotionally challenging evening with Ayden, and not for the reason you may think. We both grew last night. Here's the story:

Yesterday, there was a Ballroom Dancing assembly at Ayden's school. Exciting, right? Ayden was pretty impressed with the blond boy dancer, he wants me to dye his hair blond today. At some point during this assembly, a fellow kindergartner got sick and threw up. Ayden was close enough to this boy to witness the whole thing. He relayed the event to me when I picked him up from a birthday party that afternoon.

During dinner time last night, Ayden was not his usual self (annoying his sister, talkative, or pretending to eat). He pretty much sat there, looking morose. I had the feeling that he was getting sick. I told him he didn't have to eat if he didn't feel like it, so he went up to his room. I followed and insisted on him talking to me. I asked him all the usual questions, "does your tummy hurt?" "Do you feel like your sick?" "Are you tired?" I got a round of NO's as response. So, I ventured further asking him about the boy getting sick. At that moment, his whole body collapsed into tears. "Mom, I liked him, he had cool shoes, I wanted to be his friend!" He gave me the impression that he believed the boy would no longer be at school. He was so upset, his whole body was rocking with his sobs. I was dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say, so I did the best I could. I explained sickness to Ayden and how it happens no matter where you are and people always get better. I told him this boy would most likely be at school again on Monday. Then he could tell him that he liked his shoes! He was taking it in little bits at a time and slowly calming down. But, it wasn't enough.

So, we prayed. Jade joined us and hugged her brother while I asked God to help his friend get better and help Ayden understand. We also thanked God for the wonderful things Ayden had experienced that day. It did the trick, by the time we said "Amen" he was totally and completely calm. My heart was filled with so much love that I started crying (totally confusing the kids).

Ayden's heart is huge. And it's size makes it so much easier for him to be hurt. I want to build a wall around that heart and keep it safe. I pray that the love and compassion he has now for people continues to grow, despite the terrible things he will endure as he has more and more life experiences.

Big things await this boy, but for now, he is helping his mom in more ways than he will ever know.

Back the Truck Up!!

2008-11-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

A monumental thing happened yesterday. A really, really big thing.
AYDEN READ A WHOLE BOOK BY HIMSELF!!!!
I had such mixed feelings. Proud of him for sure, but at the same time it's another milestone that is now behind us. I can see him growing up right before my eyes and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Wow, wow, wow.

Using their words.....

2008-11-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

Ayden: "Mom, there is this skate park in St. George and it is totally SICK, it's like OLD SCHOOL."
Further inquiry proved that SICK is equal to COOL and OLD SCHOOL is somewhat like an old VOLKSWAGON. Reminder: he's 5 and his dad is Steve.
Jade: "I'm a Princess in my TOWER". She is currently dressed in a hand-me-down, flaming pink, dance recital dress. She also has a crown on her head and makeup on her face. Her TOWER is her room. Now, if I could just get her to make friends with some magical mice and get that tower cleaned up!!!!

Halloween- a week late!

2008-11-07T09:53:00.001-08:00

Mom was Cleopatra, Dad was a Toga Man, Ayden was a skeleton, Jade was Cinderella AND Tinkerbell. Too much fun was had by all.

Crazy Hair Day

2008-11-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

Jade does not let me do her hair. That is, unless I strap her down with duct tape and force her head into a vice like hold- she will of course be screaming so much by this time that she may also be vomiting. So, I don't do hair. This is why I was so excited for Crazy Hair Day!!!! Ayden gave me permission to put his hair (which he is growing out) into many piggy tails. By the time we were done, Jade was jealous and let me do the same to her hair!! I was in heaven. I know, it's lame being so fulfilled by putting pig tails into my kids hair, but it's the small stuff that counts, right?

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here's a bunch of them!

2008-10-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

At the Las Vegas Bug-O-Rama. No, this isn't a bug, it's a Ferrari (Vroom, Vroom)!

The boys had a beard growing contest in honor of the hunt. Gross.

Jess and Jessica with all of the small people.

Story Time!!

Grandma, going down the bumpy slide at the corn maze. Pretty good for an old lady, huh? Just kidding Mom- You're amazing.

One of the montsers haunting the corn maze.

Caterpillar races.

You remember these death traps? Yes, they can still be found in Altamont Utah!!

I went with Ayden on his Fall Fieldtrip. It was so much fun!! He still thinks I'm cool and let me sit by him on the bus!!!

Help Fight Childhood Cancer!

2008-09-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

Eat at Chili's Monday September 29th and help fund cancer research and treatment for children. All profits from that day go directly to St. Jude Children's hospital. If you aren't familiar with St. Jude's, they are an amazing resource for families who are affected by childhood cancer. Regardless of a patient's ability to pay, all children receive the best cancer treatment available.
Take your family out for a fun night and know you are helping families across the nation as they face one of the toughest challenges imaginable.
P.S. Try the new Chocolate Chip Molten Cake- It's absolutely delicious!!!

Jade is a BIG GIRL!!!

2008-09-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Two big things have changed for Jade in the last week.
1. She started Preschool. She loves it and is making some wonderful friends.
2. The Binky Fairies (thanks V) visited and she has been binky free for three days!!!
Honestly, I didn't think we would ever succeed in getting those damn binkies out of her life. Ugh, if I would have known the struggle that followed, I would never have put the first one in her mouth! Steve is amazing and while I was helping my dad paint his house over the weekend, he did the dirty deed and made the binks disappear. I'm doing a happy dance. I would post a few pictures here, but alas, they have been moved around on my computer and I can't find them!!! Steve is amazing. Smiles!

A Day on the Razr

2008-09-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

We have a lovely friend (don't tell him I called him lovely, k?) who owns a Razr. He was gracious enough this past weekend to entertain us on it. The boys, six of them, piled into his truck and headed out to Three Peaks. They had a load of fun. Then, they came home to entertain us girls.
This is Ayden and Devin pretending to be daredevils.

Here is Steve and Ayden at Three Peaks.

Here is friend, trying not to dump his son out the other side.

Here are the girls going for their ride. Jade said it was "so fast!!!"

A Day at the Fair

2008-09-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

I love my town. It's small, friendly, clean, beautiful and full of great activities for kids. The Iron County Fair does a free kids carnival on the opening day of the fair. It is SO fun. This is the second year we've gone and I remembered the camera this time! The kids had a blast. They got their faces painted, dug for gold, had an old fashioned shoot out, raced in gunny sacks, golfed, decorated cookies and so much more! Hooray for the county fair!

Sniff

2008-08-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

Well, a new page has been turned in our family's adventure book. Ayden is officially a "school kid". He started Kindergarten this afternoon. Here is a picture of him outside school. Jade, of course, wouldn't leave his side. She says it's not fair that he can go to school but she can't. I told her I would miss her so very much. She decided that she can wait a while to start. Ayden was on cloud nine today. I'm not sure how I feel. I'm very excited for him, but somewhat meloncholy about the whole thing. I know this was an inevitable part of having kids, but it makes it feel so real. They really do grow up fast. I want to stop time and keep them little forever.

Ayden loved picking out his clothes for school and here he is modeling for me. I think one of the things that makes me the saddest is that I have forgotten so many memories of when he was a baby already. I have a hard time recalling exactly how we got to 5 years old, ya know? Time is slipping by and not only am I unable to stop it, I am also forgetting all the small things that got us here.
This last picture is Ayden and one of his best friends in class today. Ayden actually has about 4 kids in his class that he is really good friends with and I'm sure he's already making more friends. He's so big-hearted when it comes to forming relationships with other kids. I love that about him. He includes everyone and has a special knack of finding the kids who need friends the most. It makes me very proud and I know that skill will help him become an amazing young man. Sniff, sniff.

A work in progress

2008-08-26T12:59:00.001-07:00

I have many projects planned for my backyard. Grass, trees, flowers, deck, pool table, hot-tub, stereo system, and the list goes on......
But, with the help of a very dear friend, Steve and I finished the first of our many projects- the sandbox!! The kids had a blast playing on the huge pile of sand on the street. It was like a magnet to the neighborhood kids. The minute the dump truck left, the kids were here in full force. On bikes, with shovels and Tonka Trucks. It was so fun. Ayden and Jade had sand on every inch of their bodies. I'm sure my name was a cuss word for a few of the moms in my neighborhood!
Now, we are just saving our pennies for the next project- the deck.

We made it to the lake!!!

2008-08-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

Oh baby, this is one of my very most favorite things in the world!!! Boating, or just playing in the water. Our very good friends finally, yes finally, got their boat water-worthy and invited us along to play with them. Such good times! The kids loved it, Jade is just like me- a little mermaid in training. I LOVE THE WATER! Enjoy the pics!

No Such Thing as an Ordinary Day.

2008-08-03T20:47:00.001-07:00

The thing that makes this picture so amazing is that he actually took his shirt off to surf down the stairs. Steve, my lovely husband, taught the kids this lovely activity. Surfing, or body boarding down our stairs. They haven't broke any bones yet, but have had some monumental fights over whose turn it is. I can't help but smile, knowing that these memories will stick with them forever.
This is what I found as I exited my bathroom one morning, kids in hats, reading books- my books. Their imaginations are so wonderful, but often get them into loads of trouble. Like the time Jade thought she was a talented hair cutter- resulting in the very short bangs you've been seeing. Or the day when Ayden took a few cans of spray paint to his skateboard- resulting in his lifetime ban to the garage. Good times.

Camping- in a Cabin!!! (does that still count as camping?)

2008-08-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hooray!!! We achieved our first successful overnight trip to the mountains. And, unlike last year, we did not get rained out! Some fantastic friends of ours invited us up to their cabin at Duck Creek last weekend. Amazingly, we had some free time and were able to go for one night. Camping in a cabin totally rocks!! In comparison to "tent" camping, we fit everything we needed into two duffle bags and a cooler. What a difference that makes! When we got to the cabin it was indeed raining. But, the benefit of a cabin- we were dry and had plenty of space to play cards, put puzzles together, play hide and seek and annoy the crud out of each other!! Dinner that night was a little adventurous. The power was out for about 45 minutes (the exact 45 minutes that we were trying to boil water for the spaghetti). But, kudos to the men who restore power (you know who you are), we were able to enjoy dinner at about 9:00 that night!

The cabin had three rooms on two levels. The top level was one huge room with beds from wall to wall. The main floor had a family/dining/kitchen room and another bedroom. Yes, we had a bathroom-running water!!! So, that night there were 9 of us in the huge upstairs bedroom. Now, Bash men have the curse of snoring. It only took 10 minutes before Steve AND Ayden were tossed down the stairs to the family/dining/kitchen room. The rest of the night was fairly uneventful- minus Jade falling out of bed and Elaine wondering if she was next to be tossed down stairs if she made any noise!

Here are a few more pictures of our trip, like always, I didn't do a fantastic job of getting good pictures, but you'll get the idea- it was a blast!! Oh, the fire ring above was built entirely by the kids!!
Thanks to Adam, Nicole and their amazing families for sharing with us!

This is "Team Bash" trying to capture a squirrel. We actually chased it into that pipe. The, the kids proceeded to bang on the pipe. I'm thinking the poor thing died of a heart attack. The squirrels were everywhere. They would come right up on to the deck and steal food! It was very entertaining for the kids (and parents too!)

Here are all the kids trying to entice the birds to land on their hands. Journey, the oldest, actually had a bird climb on to her finger to eat some seeds!! The rest of the kids were too impatient.

Our treasure hunt resulted in a major discovery!! The kids found an old, and I mean OLD, teeter totter. It was so cool! They had a blast taking turns rocking each other. Callie, the youngest, kept saying "up now down" or "I'm flying!"

In this last picture, the kids were getting overly anxious to eat. You know how kids are, they sense dinner time and their "annoy mom" instict turns on full force. Well, luckily and thankfully, we had a seasoned mom with us who took the responsibility of entertaining the kids while the rest of us got dinner ready. Elaine is, well, she's just about as amazing as they come!! This is her leading the kids in a round of "BINGO". We love her.

Playing Catch-Up!

2008-07-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been a slacker! Sorry. It's been a busy Summer-as usual. Here are some pictures of what we've been doing. Earlier this month, the kids and I spent a week in Northern Utah with family. While we were with Dad, we drove to Upper Stillwater. This is my favorite place to be! When I was a kid, we would camp there along with our extended family. We fished, built forts, waded in the ice cold water and had a fantastic time. This year, the water was flowing over the damn. The canyon is deep and the water made such a loud noise. It was great to see. The kids had fun throwing driftwood back into the lake.

Here's Jade, being her lovely self. They were trying to hit fish with their wood. Jade didn't see any fish and spent about 30 minutes screaming over not seeing fish. She's three.

My dad took us to Park City to ride on the Alpine Slide. I haven't done this since I was a very little girl!! It was lots of fun. The boys were racing the girls and due to an equipment malfunction, the girls won!!!!

Here is the winning team!! Jade and I rock!
This is just a random shot of an amusing day. I had put Jade down for her nap, sent Ayden to play outside and then headed for my garden. I was busy weeding when I heard Jadies little voice talking to Ayden. So, I snuck up on them and this is what I saw. Jade in her sunglasses, cowgirl boots, and two pairs of panties. She was too cute to be in trouble, lucky girl.

Jade is Three (but don't tell HER that!)

2008-06-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jade turned three a few weeks ago. Wowser times goes fast. The above picture is when she was about 8 months old. If you recall, she had acid reflux full force back then and anyone brave enough to hold her was sure to get puked on. Bless her heart. Believe it or not, she still has occasional fits of "spit-up". She is still fully addicted to her binky, although it's only allowd during sleeping times. Jade is still Ayden's biggest fan. She loves to swim, I mean, she really really loves to swim. We've had to fish her out of a couple of pools already this year. She likes to ride her bikes (she has three). Her favorite bike doesn't have wheels, she just pushes it with her feet. She's much too big for the bike, so her feet drag on the ground. It's pretty awesome to see. She is turning into a girly girl-very slowly. She just discovered the joy of dressing up and barely began playing with barbies. She loves to cut her own hair and does a pretty good job of it (much to my dismay). She is in denial that she is three. She tells us that she is still TWO. She will start preschool in the Fall and is very excited for that. She needs to make some other friends beside her mom, dad and brother! Happy Birthday Baby Girl, we love you.

Dance Party

2008-06-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

You may want to pause the music on my page to hear the music the kids are dancing to.
We had some friends visit for a couple of days and this is all of them showing off their moves!

Our average day

2008-06-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Ayden stuffing marshmallows into his mouth. He is a fluffy bunny.

Jade swimming with her cowgirl boots on. Really, they are the easiest to get on when she is in a hurry to get outside!

The kids made a pirate ship out of boxes and miscellaneous junk from the garage. They completed the scene by singing "yo ho yo ho, a pirate's life for me".

Here is Jade doing what she does best. Doing it by herself!! When she dies, her life will be summed up in one sentence "I can do it by myself".

The kids had Summer school this year and both of them were able to go. This is their first day of school, all dressed up and acting like they actually love each other. They had a great time, Jade was so happy to be there with her big brother. She just loves him, "but no kisses" she says.

Famous words from Jadie

2008-05-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

"It's a dinosaur, you DORK!" -correcting my error in identifying the creature on TV.

"I'm the boss of you!" -making her place in our family structure very clear.

"Who are you to say?" -questioning Grandmas authority.

"Look, dares a Fruck" - there's a truck.

She is full of ...........

Disneyland!!!

2008-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our trip to Disneyland. We had a fantastic time. The kids thought the whole place was just magical and they were very well behaved (for being 5 and 2 years old). We picked a great time to go to Disneyland. The weather was awesome and the lines were very short. I don't think we waited more than 30 minutes for anything. Enjoy the pictures!

Here is Uncle Jess with the kids. It was awesome having him there with us! Really, he was one of the best parts of our trip! Thanks for coming, Jess!

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR! What a cool Space hero.

Ayden, eating a turkey leg. So yummy.

Jade, being a dork with her binkie.

So magical.

This is Jade, guarding the pastries with her life. They are all hers, don't even think about it!
Ayden, driving in Autopia.
Jade, taking her 2 hour nap, in Disneyland.Us, being happy in the happiest place on Earth.

Good times.

Crunch time, and I don't mean my abs.

2008-05-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am a good planner. Ask anyone I know. I can plan things, organize events, coordinate efforts. Yet, it seems that in my motherhood stage, I've lost some ability to make things come together! We are leaving for Disneyland on Thursday. I have three days to get the following done (remember, I still have two small children to keep happy and a husband to placate). I have three shows that need closed, three consultants to sign-up, one homeshow to do (two hours away), 18 tomato plants to plant, loads of seeds to sew into my garden, at least 6 loads of laundry to do, a dvd player to return, a dvd player to pick up, friends for dinner, hair to dye and the list goes on...
Speaking of lists, I have no idea where to start in what to bring to Disneyland.
It's wonderful to be busy again and all the things I have listed above are good things (minus the hair to dye.... damn gray hair!)
Changing the subject.... we spent the day in SG at my Brothers house playing in the pool. I have a loverly sunburn and the kids both have rashes from their life jackets! We had a grand old time. I love Summer and all the fun we have when the sun is shining! Jade and Ayden did really good in the pool. Both of them jump off the side and into the water. Jade attempted this once without her lifejacket, luckily Cousin M noticed Jadie flailing in the water and ran to her dad. Blair is a great life guard. Into the water, clothes and all. Jade was fine, "I can't swim" was her comment on the whole ordeal, my response was "no kidding?"
I think we took a few years off Grandma and Blairs lives. Bless their hearts.

Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival

2008-05-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have attended this festival for a couple of years now. It's great fun, but this year is looking like it will be the best ever. I'm a big fan of piano music and very excited that David Lanz will be performing on Saturday night. The festival runs June 13 and 14. For information on performers and tickets, here's the link http://www.zioncanyonartandflutefestival.com/concert.htm
The concerts are only $25 per night or $40 for both nights. I'm for sure going to be there Saturday night (even if it is Jade's 3rd birthday!).

Shout out to my Bro!

2008-04-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

So, in a past blog, I gave kudos to my "little" brothers. Now, I'm taking a minute to praise my older brother, and yes, he's as awesome as the younger two.
Blair and his wife are foster parents. Blair also attends graduate school full time, works full time, and together they take care of 5 wonderful kids (three are theirs, two are foster kids). Oh, and they have two dogs and a couple cats (last I checked). The best part- their house is practically spakles! I don't need to tell you how busy they are, it's pretty obvious.
Blair just won the Foster Father of the Year award here in Utah! HOORAY for him!! It goes without saying that Caron had a lot to do with that too, but together they are absolutely amazing with their children. They are so loving, generous, thoughtful and kind with everyone they associate with (kids, adults, family and friends). It is hard for me to comprehend how much work and emotion goes into what they do on a daily basis. They will have foster kids there for a long time, fall in love with them, and then return them to their families. They struggle every day to provide a safe and caring environment for their whole family. And, they do this all out of the hugeness of their hearts.
Maybe one day the children who they've helped will thank them, maybe not. But no matter what, they have made a large impact on numerous children's lives.
Blair is an amazing Uncle to my kids. They absolutely love him. My kids are so lucky to have so many wonderful Uncles! The example that Blair and his family set for the rest of us is priceless.
So, congratulations Brother! No one deserves this award more than you, whether you believe it or no! I love you.

Ayden's Boy Party

2008-04-08T16:05:00.001-07:00

He's FIVE years old! It's official, he now knows everything, doesn't need help with anything (except transforming Transformers), and has an opinion on every little thing. He was thoroughly spoiled for his birthday (and is acting like it). We had loads of friends over to help him celebrate. First was Pizza, then Spiderman races, then cupcakes and icecream and finally (after much begging) we opened presents. This was a party for the boys, although Jade and Ash were allowed to hang out (I needed some females in the room!). If only I could figure out a way to bottle the energy that the 7 boys were exerting- I would be rich. Here are a few more pictures of our Birthday Bash!

Jade doing her best Spiderman Pose

Ayden getting his party on

A room full of energy and fun!

Cheers to Amazing Weekends!

2008-04-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

We have successfully finished our first family road trip! Hoorah! We left for Sacramento on Wednesday of last week and arrived home today, Tuesday. 4 long days in the car and 3 wonderful days playing in California. The first day we were there (Ayden's 5th birthday), we went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Valejo. What a blast! The kids went on their first roller coaster rides, saw dolphins and a killer whale. They walked through a huge aquarium filled with sharks and other large fish. They ate Cotton Candy (Jade did not like it, but Ayden is in love with the stuff). They played games and won prizes. The weather was perfect, about 65 degrees with lots of clouds to keep us out of the sun. I made my brother go on a huge roller coaster with me. I haven't been on a roller coaster for over 10 years. It was awesome. I haven't screamed that loud in well, over 10 years! It was good to remind myself that I'm not that old, yet! I can't imagine a better way to spend your 5th birthday than this! After we were finished at the park, we drove to San Ramone to visit my other brother and his girlfriend. We at at Chili's (no surprise there, right?) It was so great to see him, we all miss my brothers in a big way.

The next day we attempted to shop, but Jade hit a wall and needed a day at home. So, we chilled at Jess's house. On Sunday, it was Jess's Birthday so we took him to Horton Hears a Who (it was the top of his list of movies he wanted to see :) then to lunch at Center Court (yummy food). Back to Jess's for nap time. During Jade's naps, Jess would play video games with Ayden while Steve and I rested (he's a great Uncle and brother!). Jess lives by a pond with ducks and geese. On Saturday night we took the kids over to feed the birds and have a little time in Nature. It was nice, the best part of the trip really. We chatted and chased bunnies. Jess also has a hot tub and swimming pool where he lives so we spent a lot of time there too!

I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Although, having to leave my brothers so far away makes me very sad. I miss them and can't wait until they live closer. 10 hours is just too far away. But, here is where I tell you how proud I am of my brothers. They have both grown into amazing men. They are responsible, caring, and generous. They put their lives at risk every day to do their jobs and put up with crap from people who don't understand what they sacrifice to help our communities. Most of all, my brothers are, and will always be, my best friends. When I was younger, all I wished for was a little sister. While I got an awesome sister (who I'm slowly getting to know), my brothers have been the world to me. So, thanks guys for putting up with us this weekend!

Anticipation

2008-03-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

For the last two days, I've been listening to Jade ask (in her wonderfully annoying whining voice) "can we go to Jess's house now?" It's a sentiment that we are all sharing. I've been planning a trip to visit my brothers in Sacramento for over three months now (it was a way to distract me from the doldrums of Winter). We leave tomorrow. Am I ready? Mentally-yes. Realistically- NO. The kids are playing outside, I'm blogging. My laundry is unfinished in the basement that is being finished. I have books to deliver, donations to solicit, kids to keep alive, clothes to put away, lists to make and a pedicure to enjoy. As such, tomorrow morning promises to be a chaotic clash of kids and parents trying to remember to pack underwear and keeping in mind that this is FUN! We have four days of driving and three days of playing (it's a little off balance, but it will have to work).

While we are away, Ayden will celebrate his 5Th birthday. Our lives have changed so drastically since Ayden joined our family. His presence has taught us patience, love, compromise, faith and most of all he has brought us an unbelievable amount of joy.
Happy Birthday Buddy.

Easter

2008-03-24T12:41:00.002-07:00

Happy late Easter! Easter was so early this year, I had a hard time getting everything done! We had a fantastic weekend celebrating with friends and family. On Thursday night, the kids and I colored eggs. They did an amazing job. I can't believe how well they followed directions and listened to me. We had no major catastrophies and not one egg was broken! Here are the kids showing off their art work. Next year, I'll boil more eggs, they couldn't get enough of coloring them (some eggs were dipped more than twice and came out a beautiful brown color!) We ended up coloring eggs two more times before Easter. Once with our friends and then again with Grandma and Grandpa in SLC. All three times were a load of fun!

On Friday, we went to St. George with a couple of my friends that were visiting from SLC. The annual art fair was in full swing and it was a load of fun! This year, the new Library Plaza was complete with fountains and streams for the kids to play in. They got soaking wet and we all got sunburnt! There were street preformers and great musicians. It was a blast, much improved from years past. After we had all the fun we could stand, we rushed home to play with our friends in Cedar (the second coloring of eggs). It was a good day filled with lovely people and the weather was amazing.

We drove to SLC on Saturday to spend the holiday with my Dad and Step-mom. They always do a huge party for Easter complete with brunch, bobbing for peeps and a large scale Easter egg hunt. This is my dad cooking Brunch for everyone. He's an awesome chef. My brother and sister were there along with their partners in crime and my step-siblings were there too. My niece was also there (she's adorable). It was so much fun. The best part was watching the kids try bobbing for Peeps (it's like bobbing for apples, except with Peeps). Ayden couldn't get a single Peep in his mouth, while Jade managed to get 4! She was so awesome. Just dove right in, she's got her daddy's competetive streak. I'm thinking she'll take first place next year! Now, we're home, gearing up for our next trip. I'm so glad Winter is OVER!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T12:22:00.001-07:00

Luck o'the Irish to you all today! We have had a great weekend pre-celebrating St. Patrick's day. Sprindale has an annual St. Patrick's Day Parade that we attended on Saturday, then on Sunday, we had an Irish Feast at our house. Fun times! Both Steve and I have a significant amount of Irish in our blood so it is fun to learn a little more about our heritage this time of year. The kids get a kick out of wearing the green. Here's a traditional Irish blessing and toast to get you in the St. Patty's day mood:

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be ever at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

And the rain fall softly on your fields

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

Forgiveness

2008-03-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

In the last year, I've been given the opportunity to let people from my past back into my life. Several of them actually. These relationships were ended due to lots of different factors, some hurtful, others out of my control. With each new re-forming of the friendship, I've had to ask myself if it is worth it? What will I gain by being a friend to this person again? Will my life be better if I allow them to be part of my future? And, sometimes, I've had to ask the really tough question of can I forgive them for hurting me in the past? I found it useful to think about my current friendships. All of my relationships are very unique. I gain different things from different friends. They all mean something special to me, but are all very individual. I gain something from each of them by allowing them into my life and I hope the reverse is true. Every person in my life adds value, why wouldn't I want more? With these old relationships, I had to explore my feelings and in the process, I have learned a lot about myself. Forgiveness, when contemplated as it relates to me is useless. Saying, "that person hurt me, they deserve to suffer for the pain they inflicted" is very self-serving. I gain nothing with that approach. Instead, I've had to look at the pain and accept that it had nothing to do with me, but was wholly based on their experience and opinion. In "The Four Agreements" it says: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do are a projection of their own reality". When that idea is applied to those who need my "forgiveness" it is easy to shed myself of the pain I have carried and move on without feelings of anger, sadness or insecurity. I know this is deep, but it's been on my mind for a while now. I am blessed to have my "old" friends in my life. Each one of them have helped me in ways that are deeply personal. I would have lost so much if I hadn't let them back into my world with open, loving arms. I believe friendships, like life, have seasons. Everything happens for a reason and I can't wait to learn the lesson associated with these exciting additions to my life.

One of those times....

2008-03-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

When I wish I had my camera! I took my kids shopping at Costco yesterday (first mistake). Steve was working so it was just the three of us and a big list of things to get (second mistake). Jade was in the cart and Ayden was hanging off the side. Jade was being pretty good so I decided to let her out of the cart (third mistake). We were in the section of the store where they stack crates of bottled water about 6 or 7 feet high. As soon as the words "don't you dare climb up that" came out of my mouth, she was off! She hit the top of that stack in less than 10 seconds. I couldn't reach her and she was dancing around like she was on top of the world (she really was). I didn't know whether I should laugh, cry, or scream for help. Well, I managed to get her down and even better, I managed not to beat her to a pulp. Needless to say, she spent the remainder of our trip to Costco in the card and crying. Poor thing. It was pretty comical, her up on top of the water, me down below contemplating my options. Ayden thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing too! He was laughing pretty hard and egging Jade on "climb higher, run Jade!" He's such a good influence. Ahhh. Motherhood. I'll also add that this all took place after the wrestling match between Ayden and Jade in BurgerKing. No wonder I was eating IceCream and blogging late last night!

Should be in bed......

2008-03-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

As a mom, I find that the precious hours when my kids are asleep are absolutely Golden. As such, I tend to make them last longer than I should. So, I stay up way too late (usually eating a bowl of ice cream or enjoying an adult beverage). Here I am, at 10:45, with an empty bowl of ice cream in front of me- blogging.
I'm trying to get this page looking awesome. Do you like the background? I had to laugh, because that expression pretty much sums up most of my days. I need to learn how to add a slideshow, I have several that I know you would enjoy. I'll work on it again (at a more decent hour) and send you a message when it's up and running.
So, would you like to know what's up with us? It's quiet in my house, so why not???
The biggest thing (in my opinion) that we have done in the last few days was to remove the white pickett fence in the front of our yard!!! Yes, the weather has been awesome, we were actually wearing tank tops and shorts on Friday. So, the fence is gone and the neighborhood celebrated with us! Don't get me wrong, it was a nice fence, but it wasn't a good fit for us. It seemed to add a barrier to our home. And, you know us, we don't need anything keeping us in or people out. Our door is pretty much an open door to whoever may want to enter!!
That brings up the other new thing that has been happening. With the weather improved, we have had a flood of great play days with the neighborhood kids! It's so fun. It reminds me of when I was growing up and I spent all my days playing outside with my brothers and cousins. We roamed from house to house finding new games and snacks to enjoy. My kids certainly get that from me!
We are in the process of finishing our basement. So, at any given moment, there is a hoard of workers running in and out of the house. Not to mention the awesome sounds of a construction zone. Jackhammers, drills, cement mixers, hammers, falling walls...... It's music to our ears. Within a month, we will have luxurious accomodations for those who want to visit!
The kids are great. So much fun and so much work! I keep hoping that Mary Poppins will stop by and give me a day off. Ayden is just so busy, well they both are, really. They get that from their dad. It's funny, Steve gets frustrated at how overly active the kids can be, yet at the same time, he's asking me "what are we doing today? do you want to go to Vegas? do we need to go shopping? how 'bout the gym?" It's a good thing he has a job that keeps him on his toes and busy most of the time. Every couple of months, his restaurant gets an audit that focuses on food and worker safety. He got a 100% today, after working very hard for it over the last few months. So, rest assured, if you eat at the Cedar City Chili's, your food will be top notch quality and absolutely safe!
Well, I suppose I should head to bed and start recharging for tomorrow. It should be another fun filled day with the kids. Love you all, and I hope you enjoy reading about our family. Please let me know what you would like more of (I'm working on pictures).........

Winter 2007

2008-01-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, how's that for a long absence? My bad.
Our family is fantastic! We had a marvelous Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. With the holidays behind us, we are looking forward to lots of fun time in the snow. We don't have a whole bunch of snow right now, but I'm sure more is headed our way soon.
Ayden is in preschool again this year and he absolutely loves it. He asks me every day if he gets to go to school. It's awesome. He makes friends so easily and has a knack for spotting the kids who need friends the most. He has a girlfriend, but I've told him he can't get married until he's 30, so he might want to relax a bit!
Jade is so amazing. She learns so much every day (some good, some bad). She is still her big brother's biggest fan and follows him everywhere. She is addicted to her binkies and at any given time has one in her mouth, one in her hand and a couple in her pocket. We're working on it! Jade loves to play house and has lots of babies (not sure if we should be worried about that!)
Steve is plugging away at Chili's. He has had lots of changes in his management staff and is looking forward to the day when things calm down a little. He is also looking forward to spending some time snowboarding this year with Ayden. He works so hard to take care of us, we are really lucky to have him!
Me? Well, I stay home with the kids and am generally happy taking care of them and our home. We do lots of fun things together, but our favorite thing to do is play with our friends. I am also working hard at my Usborne Books business. I absolutely love the company and don't see myself quitting any time soon.
Some things that we have enjoyed the last few months: Steve and I went on a trip to Jackson Hole, we spent a week hunting with my dad and brothers, we took the kids to the Polar Express, and we have visited friends and family in SLC and Las Vegas. We stay pretty busy between trips and keeping up with stuff here at home- but we love every minute of it! We have made some amazing friends here in Cedar City, and reconnected with some friends from the past.
Check out our pictures, the kids are getting so big!

Lovin' Summer

2007-07-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new page!! This is here so everyone who doesn't do the "myspace thing" can still keep up with our family and watch our kids grow. This Summer has been very busy so far and loads of fun. We have taken Jade on her first camping trip, Jayci went on a girls only cruise with her best girls, Steve has been working hard keeping the restaurant running, we've had family visiting, trips to Vegas, SLC, Bryce Canyon, and the Uintah Basin, and it's only the beginning of July!!
Jade turned 2 in June. She is almost ready for her big girl panties- we're still working on that. She is currently annoying Ayden by copying every single thing he does- it makes us smile.
Ayden is out of pre-school for the Summer and is usually bored out of his mind. He likes to swim in Uncle Blairs pool, so we visit there as much as we can.
Jayci is really enjoying playing with the kids and having the freedom to travel around the state visiting family. Our yard is her hobby, she loves watching stuff grow and having fresh veggies to eat.
Steve is getting into the groove of managing lots of other people. We cleaned out our garage today, in hopes that his Volkswagon will soon be a part of our family.