updates, updates, updates,...

Alright, so I've been severely remiss. Sorry. All I can say is please forgive me, I've been a little busy and my computer has been on the fritz. There have been lots and lots of things going on, but rather than include a monsterously long post I'll try and do it a little at a time. With pictures, I promise. Don't give up on me yet, I'll get there. I promise!

New Family Member...

This is something that happened around the 20th of October:

No, we aren't pregnant. I am actually referring to a van that we are in the process of buying from my parents. It too is green, though I forgive it that. Tia has dubbed it "Sammy", and I absolutely love it! There is soooo much more room for everyone, plus easier access to the kids not to mention the fact that it actually has air-conditioning and cruise control! Oh, and did I mention all the extra room? It even has enough room that we can bring a couple extra kids along for the ride (friends, cousins, etc). Isn't that great?!

Update and Answer

Ok, so as bad as things sounded with Red, it isn't disastrous. I've gotta couple questions, so I'm going to just answer directly. Yes, I'm desperate for a car. No, we aren't stranded. It is a stinky situation...literally.

Basically, what it boils down to is this: we own(ed) two cars. One, my beloved cranky Red; the other is John's car (called Jade). Jade and I have an agreement...we each agree to despise the other and get on with life. The same day Red died we were actually buying a For Sale sign to post in the window of Jade as I'd finally succeeded in convincing John that we didn't actually want to keep the lousy thing, it would give us some badly needed money, and save us money on gas and insurance. Well, I was right. Apparently we really needed to narrow things down to one car for a little while. God just picked the one I didn't want. So now we are using Jade to putt around town for necessary errands and late appointments, and praying that our clothes and hair don't stink too badly as the exhaust in the car is having a few problems. To quote John, "Do you know, we really do putt around town...see! Putt, putt, putt..." I just hope that we don't hear a boom at the end of that!

Fortunately, there is a white light ahead. As luck would have it, my parents are selling their van. They are in the middle of a move from Illinois to Nevada and thus can't get the van to us for a few weeks at least, but then I'll finally have my sought after van. Something that all the kids (and a few friends) will be able to fit into at the same time. I know the van isn't the newest thing out there, but it will be able to get us through the next little bit while I look for a anxiously hoped for job and pay down some debts (gotta love student loans!!!), not to mention saving money to buy a new vehicle. And then, look out! I'm going car shopping with money in my pocket and stars in my eyes! (I just hope I'm not going to hit a cow pie...)

Saying Goodbye...

Well, it finally happened. Our wonderful friend, Red, has finally with a clunk and a grind given out. From my extremely limited understanding of such things, basically the pieces keeping the frame, engine, and drive axles connected broke in the back of the car (there are only 2 points of the car where these are placed: the front and back of the axle/drive line?). We finished everything, watching as our poor old car was badly hauled up on a flat bed tow truck (literally, the tow truck driver that was loading the car had a J-hook slip the first time he tried which sent the car rolling off the back of the truck and into the road...fortunately the light behind us was red so there weren't any cars in the path of disaster; the second attempt he didn't pay attention when we told him that the car wouldn't turn properly such that the right side of the car was hanging off the bed entirely; the third time he nearly lost the car completely as the J-hook was only attached to the front axle which was the only thing keeping the car frame and such all attached and it started to slip just as he was getting the whole thing in place properly...ugh, I know who I won't call if I get stuck but want to keep the car!). The last sight of the car was as it was being "taken for a ride" to the "great scrap heap" at the west end of town.

The truth is that I'm sad to see the car go. Big surprise, I know, but considering that we've had that car outlast us for much longer than any other we've ever owned, fits us all in without fighting the kids' seats, plus allows room to move stuff almost like a van or truck...I miss my car! It was 18 years old, with all the problems that come with age and more than 200,000 miles, but it pulled us through a lot...everything from family trips over many canyons and deserts, 3 kids, 3 moves, college, and all that comes with a busy family life. We miss you, Red!

I'm baaaack!

Yep, I know. It took us awhile, but we finally had a little cash so we went down to D.I. and lucked out the first try. We are now the lucky, proud owners of a brand new, very used, humongous monitor...which works. We figured even if it conks out in 2 or 3 weeks, it was a good deal as we got it for 5 bucks. So one way or the other, for better or worse, I'm back online. Now, to actually figure out more about what I'm doing...

Yeah, wish me luck!

bad news...

So, I have to apologize. It is going to be while before I can post many updates as our monitor completely fried so I don't have regular access to a computer at the moment. Hopefully we'll be able to get a replacement soon, but as expensive as they are...wish us luck. If anyone hears of anything (like a used sale or someone selling their for $25 or so) let us know. Or just give us a call...I love phone calls! I'll post as soon as I'm able to get back online!

Yikes!

So, I walked out to the living room a couple of days ago to find that Caelen wanted to be "fancified" (his term, not mine). Apparently, he had gone in and grabbed the comb. When he came out to ask me to fix his hair, Tia was the only one around. So he asked Tia to "fix him up"...that way he was fancy enough to see Grandma and Grandpa (my parents were here in the valley for a couple of days). The crazy thing: it really worked! He actually held still while she played to her little hearts content!

First Day of School

Ok, ok, I know. I'm lousy about posting on a regular basis. But I do try and update when we have news, at least! I'll try and make it up to you!

The biggest thing we've had lately has been that 2nd grade started for Tia August 20th. She was soo excited, I deliberately waited to tell her when the actual day was coming just to keep things on a more even keel. Plus we didn't have any money to go shopping for school clothes until the weekend before anyway. So (once everyone got past the worst of illnesses and bad schedules), my sisters Brittany, Ashley, and I took Tia to the mall (heaven forgive us!) and went looking for clothes that were reasonably priced and still looked good. Of course, the clothes that I found Britt didn't like, and the ones she found I thought were cute but I liked the other ones better. But, like the greatly intelligent adults that we are, we left the ultimate decision to the 6 year old! And wouldn't you believe it...she picked the clothes I liked! I knew she was my daughter!



These are pictures that I swiped from Ashley's blog that are too fun. The "food" is actually playground equipment inside the mall for tired out moms who just need to let their kids go crazy...or go crazy with the kids. Something like that.


I had the devil of a time getting her to look at the camera at the same time as not do a "cutsey pose". So here is one cutsy, and one of what she really looked like that morning!



Since then, she has been increasingly busy with schoolwork and friends. Her teacher (the couple of times I've been able to meet her which were before and immediately after school) seems really nice, and she has a good reputation with the parents I've spoken with. Plus she doesn't have as much homework that is assigned each night, which helps. As luck would have it, 2 other kids from our ward are also in her school class. So she already knew a few kids, and now my little social butterfly is expanding her "group" daily. It sure has been fun to see her excitement as her world expands! And oh, my! All the new books that she is starting to get interested in! Can you believe that she wants to start in on the Narnia Chronicles? I didn't think she'd start trying those for another year at least!

Now I just need to find a way to occupy the boys while she is gone...they really do look to her for all the entertainment around here! I guess us boring parents are just going to have to work on that...

Our trip to Price

Like I said I've been busy. Just a week after the holiday, we went down to Sunnyside, Utah (a teeny, tiny little town just south and east of Price) to visit with Johnny's parents. It was an awful, long drive south (our car's thermostat went out, though we didn't know it until we'd already embarked on a trip that went from a 3 1/2 or 4 hour trip into an 8+ hour trip) during the heat of the day in a car with no air conditioning...well, let me just say that we are going to get a newer model van asap; hopefully before I search out the sledge hammer in the garage!! The rest of the trip was a lot of fun, though short. We basically just went down and horsed around the house, spent the night, horsed around some more while John and Dad fixed the car (plus a trip to the park), and then we headed into to Price. (Thanks a million for the visit Mom and Dad! I know it couldn't have been easy what with the shoulder and the kids and all!) The theory was that we'd see if replacing the thermostat fixed the car based on whether or not the car had issues before we got to Price, and decide from there what we would do (the original plans had included attending the Nelson Reunion which was at a church campsite between Orangeville and Huntington, again just outside of Price). When we got to Price, we pulled up to a gas station to fill up. As we were sitting there discussing our travel plans, the truck sitting in front of us (huge truck by the way) got ready to leave and instead of pulling out popped right into us! Now, this didn't really do any damage (to quote my eloquent husband, "it probably just made the bumper look better!") but John wasn't feeling terribly secure about the car anyway, so he decided to take a hint and get the heck out of Dodge before we found ourselves stranded in the middle of the desert with no cell reception. So we stopped to briefly visit with a friend of ours from high school (gads, I wish I looked as good as she does...and she's even 6 months pregnant! Congrats again, Audrey!!!), and then started kicking up dust. We finally made it home about 1:30 am (due to a 30 minute wait from road construction and another 30 minute wait from a car accident we came across), safe and sound, and incredibly grateful to sink into our own beds!

Here are a few pictures from the park fun I know you all LOVE to watch out for! No applause necessary...and try to keep the groans to a minimum!

Meet our spider monkey:


There's nothing like following in the steps of a big brother!


"Look Mom! I found the same thing that was on that one movie!" (Ice Age)


Yes, John does this on a regular basis (though I think he's just trying to induce a heart attack in his wife!)


Grandpa Tony teaching Caelen how to play: (wait, is that by voice or example?)


"Let me catch you Grandpa!"


Grandpa and Tia


Tia and Kieran...yes, Kieran can walk now!


It is a little hard to see, but Kieran was giggling hysterically when he was swinging!


Tia's favorite thing to do in the park is still to find all the flowers and make things with them!


Daleine talking while John whittles...


As we were leaving Sunnyside, the sun started to peak through and leave some absolutely gorgeous sunbeam shots! Gosh, I miss the smell of a rainstorm in the desert!!!!!!!

Pioneer Day pics

Ok, so I know that this is more than a little late; but in my defense I have been a little busy. I promised I would put up some pictures of the picnic and fireworks fun, though heaven only knows I'm not the best with my camera yet (if you've ever watched me try to figure out how to read directions at the same time as follow them...yeah, I have a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time sometimes too), so go with me as best you can and then through a pound of salt over your shoulder.

For July 24th, I always harass people into going to Willow Park for the fireworks, and usually a picnic before. This year our semi-willing victims were Garth, Laura, and Ashley. Johnny made this amazing pulled pork BBQ, and we managed to limp by with the rest. After dinner we had fun kicking a soccer ball around, tossing a frisby back and forth, and trying to keep up with the kids. After it started getting dark we pulled the glow sticks out and had fun playing around 'til the fireworks started. Ready for the photo album now? ;)


Aren't they cute? They're all sending their love...



Here's the soccer/frisby fun...what you get, anyway



Just a few pictures of people having fun!



And this one...can you say "Busted!!!"



I had to save some of the best for last: the great Before and After shots of funny Garth!

Medusa lives!!!

Ok, I have to tell people this. I know it sounds silly, but I've been trying for ages to find a way to curl Tia's hair the way that she likes and that I can live with. It has been a little bit of a chore just because her hair is sooo long, but I finally found it! I found these really cool curlers at Sally Beauty that work from a kind of "memory plastic" that is formed into a flattened mesh tube. It works by sticking a kind of giant, elongated plastic crochet hook up through the mesh tube, grabbing the hair with it and pulling the whole thing back down and out of the tube. I've been told by a few hair stylists and friends that they like using this method because it lets your hair try 10x as fast. I just like it because it will curl Tia's hair in a spiral with out ratting it. Here are some before and after pictures:



There is what my own little Medusa looks like with the curlers newly placed.



Isn't she just adorable? I can even say I have my own "Curly Sue"! (Heaven help us all!)

Happy Events around the Kitchen

Wow, so much has been happening! I hope you have patience for a novel!

First off, our anniversary was Tuesday, July 1. Congrats to us, we made it 10 years! (And big raspberries to those who were soo convinced we wouldn't make it a year ;P ) Actually, it was wayyy more laid back than we'd originally planned. But all thanks to Steve and Sarah Richins (you guys are becoming our regular champions!), we were able to go out sans kids after all. We ended up going over to the Logan Aquatic Center (where we were informed that we couldn't kiss because there were kids present...don't ask me why, this is the only time we've ever been told that after spending the last few years of summers there with our kids and still acting the exact same way every time), and then up Logan Canyon for a quick weiner roast. We found this really great spot called Wood Campsite that has several sites but is much more private than a lot of more popular or commonly found campsites. Plus it is literally right on the river, so the sounds and smells (not to mention the plant life) are gorgeous and soo incredibly peaceful. If we are lucky enough to ever find someone willing to take our kids for a night or two, I know just where we'll be heading!



This is the picture I could take from my chair at the fire.


Just for proof, if you look above John's head you can see the bank.


This is a quiet little spring that we found that was right across the river from our site. It is much easier to enjoy this picture if you click on it to enlarge it a bit.

The other major thing that happened has been (of course) the 4th of July. Thanks to the fact that we live in Logan, of course the big fireworks show is the day before, which just happens to be Ashley and Dad's birthday. So whole holiday activities sort of get stretched out. But it really was a ton of fun! First, Ashley came down from Rexburg and came with the kids and I (John had to work, of course) to a BBQ up in good ol' Aggie village with the Prows' and Richins'.


This is Steve entertaining the kids while Sarah (and Carmel, though she made me promise not to put up the pictures) got to work cooking the meat.


This is (of course) the new adult Ashley with Tia the hugger, Caelen the watcher, and Kieran the busy britches.

Then we jumped down to the stadium to join up with Garth and Jaron's families for the concert and fireworks. By the way, a HUGE thanks to Cindy for getting everyone the tickets! It was a lot of fun, and my kids loved it!


Here's a picture of the whole gang (plus if you look carefully you'll even find Jaron's stash...yum, more sugar to keep the kids going!), and there is a picture of Caelen's fascination while Tia is just cute...

Then we went back up to the Prows' for homemade ice cream while we waited for the traffic to die down. Out to drop Ashley off at Garth's where she was staying for this trip, and then to revive my car which decided to slip the battery cable just enough...fortunately Jaron was still up and he came to my rescue and saved my car from the severe beating that was about to commence. Let's just say that the kids were more than sound asleep in the back seat and didn't know a thing!

The next day it was time for the parade in Hyrum so we grabbed Ashley and headed out. My goodness but the kids had fun chasing all that candy!


Just look for yourselves!

Then we hopped over to my aunt Jean's for her annual BBQ and visit with the family. Thanks a million Jean! I can't begin to say just how fun it was to see most everyone of the cousins I spent the most of my childhood vacations with! Kind of fun seeing what we are all like now that we're all the grown ups in the family and the kids now outnumber us! Then later that night I took the kids back up to Jaron and Garth's apt complex for sparklers. (If you really want to see more pictures, let me know. I have them, I just wasn't sure you all wanted even more from the same entry!)

The next day I made Ashley's cheesecake (I would still love a detailed critique on that by the way Ashley!), and Johnny taught her about the fluids in her newly 'inherited' car. Unfortunately, by the time Ashley left we only had about 30 minutes we could have spent interrupting everything at church before we had to leave again to get Johnny to work, so I basically just set the kids to playing in their rooms and died for the rest of the day. What a week!

Now it is just a matter of clearing out the rest of the boxes and such...anyone needing some fuel for a ward camp out or something? I've got a terrific idea for you! ;)

New Home

Well, we are finally moved and settling in! We checked out of Aggie Village Wednesday (with glowing reviews of how clean the place was, I'm pleased to say), and have been trying to stay at home as much as possible so that we can start to clear away all the boxes and find homes for everything. A HUGE thank you for all those who helped while we packed, loaded and unloaded the moving truck, finished moving things, and just cleaned. We haven't felt so loved and supported during a move since we were married! Not to mention the blessings that have just been pouring down! Between all the help that we have been given (thanks to the Aggie Village Elder's Quorum, and a couple of new neighbors!), all the many times of babysitting (thanks a million to Garth and Laura, Sarah and Steve Richins, and Mandee Black; you guys can't believe the difference you made for my kids!!!), and the way that we lucked out in finding buyers for our appliances so we can afford to buy a new dryer (long story)...I can't stop saying thank you! When I realized that we were actually completely moved and cleaned and settling into the new place 5 days after we started filling the truck...well, let us just say this is a new record for us.

So thanks a million guys! You've made more of a difference than you can imagine in how we are feeling right now!

Thank you Dad!

Ok, I know I just posted. But I can't really let this day finish off at all without recognizing all the wonderful daddy's I know. Even (or especially) the granddaddy's! I have been so incredibly blessed. I know that everyone says that, but in listening to people talk about their parents it has gotten me thinking a lot about my life and relationship with my parents. Especially my dad.

When I was little, I don't think I cause my Dad too much grief. Well, not anymore than most other kids anyway. But then I got to be a teenager, and then things blew up...especially with my dad. But we managed to survive all the blow ups, and all the midnight philosophy sessions, and then I was really mean. I went to college and decided to marry a kid that scared my folks to death (admit it guys, it is the truth!). Fortunately this time at least, I really did know what I was doing (thank heavens for prayer!!!) and things have turned out great. But through all of this, my dad has been the one that I think I've picked on the most in many ways. Yet he has still been there for me (rather than giving up on me like I deserved), and now I can have a 20 minute phone conversation with him with out either of us getting bored, not to mention all the other conversations that I've been lucky to have with him where he slips back to our 'late night philosophy' conversations when we get to try and answer all the unanswerable questions out there. And thanks to all that, I've found that when I have a problem that I can't answer all I've really needed to do is look back at the things that my Dad has talked about and the way he taught me to look at the world...and in the blink of an eye I'll know either where to turn for the answer or what the answer itself should be! I can find my answers thanks to Dad. Even when I was the most awful to him, I could still be myself with him.

And thanks to all that Dad has shown and taught me, I know that above all I have a Heavenly Father that I can look to...especially when I can't get in touch with Dad. Through my dad, I've learned about what a Father does to take care of and love his kids. And now I get the incredibly amazing experience of watching as my husband does that same thing for my kids in ways that I as a mother am completely unable to do.

So thank you Dad!!! All of you!!!

Nothing like escaping via the internet...

Ok, it is a hot night, we are moving in less than a week, my house is currently filled with boxes and stuff waiting for boxes, and I've just decided that I need to take a break! After all, it is Sunday and Father's Day and Johnny was stuck working 12 days straight and...ok. I know; excuses, excuses. I just basically figured that since Johnny was asking for a day off (and he doesn't have to work tomorrow so he can help make up for having the day off), I would take some time as well. At least while I can since my oldest two are pretending to be asleep (while whispering back and forth, of course) and John has the baby while he screams himself to sleep. Bedtime has really become a relative thing around here...at least the whole concept of "routine" anyway. It all basically boils down to a matter of how long Kieran decides to scream since he just doesn't want to sleep. So we all wait him out, hoping that things will get better and he'll start to fall into more of a routine soon. One can only hope, though I'm not holding my breath anymore.

Moving day approacheth...

Well, it is official as of today! Ok, I know that I've been telling people for weeks now that we are moving to Hanbury Manor. I can only say that it has taken them forever to finish all the financial qualifying paper work so that we could be officially approved. Then again, once we found out about what was going on with our credit (and that it wasn't really our credit), I wasn't worried.

So as of June 21st, we will officially be living in apt H104 rather than in Aggie Village. The great side of things is that the place is made of regular wood frames covered with dry wall, there are about 3 times the amount of indoor storage, we have been able to get a garage with our apt (that has an outlet) so Johnny has a way to escape the family without going to work plus we have sooo much more storage, the apt itself faces east/west so we'll be able to have lots of sunlight on our porch, the is central air (hooray for air conditioning!!!), and above all.....there are 2 bathrooms!!! Now I know that God is looking out for us as I've been wondering how Mom and Dad made it all those years with all those kids and only 1 bathroom. Especially when the twins were being potty trained! And I only have one kid at a time being trained...though the way they fight over who has to 'go' the worst you'd think it were different. Now they can both go at the same time, and hopefully when Kieran is getting trained we'll have a little more peace on the home front. Now I just need to figure out a way to have a garden...

Oh, well, beggars can't be choosers.

Benefit Baby Shower

I got some info about a project of my sister's that I just have to tell everyone about (just in case you missed the e-mails she has been sending out). She and her friend Beth are hosting a benefit baby shower to help Newborns in Need, but to particularly help the parents of infants in the NICU. Both Britt and her friend lost babies last year due to complications of extreme premature deliveries. The information about their shower and experience is found on her blogspot: www.aneternalfamilyinprogress.blogspot.com. Please take a look at it. Whether you decide to send stuff to her, or maybe ask enough questions to host a shower of your own, it really is well worth checking out. I know there have been tons of times when I've felt soo helpless watching parents whose babies are in the hospital, and I've always asked what I could do only to be told that there isn't that I can do but pray. And while prayer is a strong blessing, it feels wonderful to be able to do something temporal as well.

Hooray for us!

Boy what a week! We've been so busy, but at least our 'busy' has really benefitted us with a lot of great stuff!

First of all, one of the best things happened this week. On Wednesday, Caelen and I were able to go to Salt Lake with Jaron and Kaden to meet with Garth, Laura, and Craig. We were there for the all important 'taking Craig to the MTC' moment. And it really was a great moment! Caelen hasn't been able to stop talking about it since; about how Craig is a missionary, and how he is going to be a missionary, and how great it is that Bryce is a missionary, and does he get to go be a missionary tomorrow, and...you get the idea. How great it is to be able to see that excitement come alive in my young son! How grateful I am for the privilege of being related to such wonderful examples!

The other big thing this week is that we finally know where we are moving to! Yep, that is right! We are semi-officially moving to Hanbury Manor around June 20th. We're just waiting for the exact move-in date and schedule. Now I just need to get the house packed up, cleaned up, and ready to be cleared out! Hope you are all looking for a great service project to do this June!


One other thing that I just have to add: a HUGE thanks to Sarah and Steve Richins!!! They lent us a bunch of Wii games last week, and they have been so much fun! I know we probably haven't gotten as much done as we probably needed to, but we definitely haven't been as stressed! I'm even starting to get into this crazy game system!

Early Father's Day

Ohhh, my goodness! I think I might have lost my mind a little! We got our stimulus check in from the gov't (finally!) on Thursday, and silly me I decided that since everyone has been telling me how hard it is to find a Wii game system that I would start looking now so that John could have a great father's day gift for a change. And since I frankly don't know what I'm doing, I asked for a little help from Johnny. So what does he do but find it within about 3 hours! I wasn't willing to pay too much up front, so we only got the one extra game to go with the system console (Wii play). So if anyone is willing to lend out a game that you would suggest, let me know as I think John is going a little crazy dealing with the kids! Plus we agreed that we wouldn't buy any games unless we had tried them out first to make sure of the content. But other than that, I have to admit it was fun and funny to watch him sit and basically pet the box as we drove it home from the store! The kids have had a blast with it as well...when their mean mom would let them play it, that is. I'm awful, I know, but I refuse to let the kids play the game unless I'm in the room with them and able to help them figure out the remotes. At least for now. I'm sure they'll get the hang of it soon enough (especially Tia). And then, look out! Something tells me that even Garth might have a hard time keeping up with some of these games and my kids!

Aren't they cute?!?!?!?!

I just have to show off the kids! I had a cake left over from a project (long story), along with some icing, so I decided to let the kids try their hand at decorating. So we separated the cake parts in half, labeled the areas with their initials (with a knife), and gave them some m&ms and smarties and told them to go at it. These are the results (don't blame the kids for the bad pictures, Mom is still figuring out the delightful camera settings!). Don't they look like fun!