10 posts

My goal this year of contributing to a journal (of sorts) included making at least 10 entries/posts a month. Month one was a little difficult, not really knowing what to write, month two and three I got it easy, month four has been a little more difficult. Like most of the goals I make, life happens and I get too busy for the goal and it gets pushed aside. This being the last day of the month I will get that 10th entry in! (Speaking of the last day of the month, I am feeling guilty that our VT brunch did not work out. Not from lack of trying from day 1 of the month, none the less, I did not get it done :( !)

This is a bit of a random sampler of life in April.

Red Butte Garden does a free admission day every year on arbor day and they pass out little trees for the kids to plant. I remember Dad always planting a tree on arbor day, I don't know if there is any other reason other than it is 'Arbor Day' but I have always liked that he does that and hope that tradition will continue for generations. I don't think you can ever have too many trees in a yard and can't wait to plant many more in our own yard and in Island Park. Alayna Jacob and our friends went and even with the crowds and cold I loved it. I like to get ideas and see how plants look in a bed or garden. I wish I would have taken more pics of the plants.

Alayna and Sarah loved the childrens gardens and snacks at the fish pond.

*I love when family visits! (hint hint Emily K, Ashley, Jared, Jess, Eli, and all other family that is reading this!) This week Josie came down with her family and was able to spend some time in SLC. Ashtyn was so sad that she couldn't skip school to play with cousins, but after the letter from the district scolding us for taking her out of school too often, we have to pick and choose when to take her out. It was good for Alayna to have a little more attention from mom. One of our adventures was to the zoo. We kept saying what a perfect day it was, great weather and not much of a crowd. (Miss congeniality - What is your perfect date?) The kids got a kick out of the big metal singing elephant, actually so did the moms watching the kids. Alayna surfing on the alligator. She has so much "personality"

Isn't he just the cutest little guy you have ever seen!? He had a fever that day and wasn't feeling well, but was still so happy and smiley. You could not ask for a better boy!

*With the end of spring ball and the beginning of recruiting starting, Jay gets a little extra time at home so we make sure we pack it all in. Ashtyn and I started soccer. We have juggled schedules so far since we both have games Wed night. I am wishing I would have been playing before now. They (team mates and other teams) don't even mind cheer leading, crying, "I'll get the ball!", "when is it over", "Go MOM!" "Are you o.k.?" screaming kids on the side line. We also started swim lessons this past week. Last year we did April May sessions, because I knew during the summer we would not be around for the duration of a swim session. It works out with Jay gone recruiting most of May. The last lesson is right before memorial day and a trip to Vegas. This is motivation to pass their levels so they can swim at the Mandalay Bay pool. After last years trip, Alayna would tell everyone how much she loves Las Vegas. Although we love Vegas, having a 3 yr old telling everyone how great Vegas is was a little disturbing....?

It is amazing that even though I try very very hard not to over schedule our family in things it still happens. Between two soccer clubs, dance, swim lessons, ward softball (I scored and well, uh...Jay didn't) girls camp meetings (some I haven't made it to), achievement days, Elders quorum service projects, training with Jay (sigh) and the list goes on and on. How do you not over schedule???? We haven't even started with Alayna or Jacob for that matter....And then you have the following........As I was cleaning up from dinner I heard Jacob crumpling paper and giggling and thought, "what a happy kid"............ He is not even crawling! He is the happiest baby you'll meet, but.....he is a busy busy boy. There are never enough hours in a day.

Jay Got Tagged! Ha! Ha!

Jay's Tag

4 Jobs I've Had

1.Football Coach (Uof U)

2.Professional Football Player (Buffalo Bills)

3.Orderly LDS Hospital

4.Multiple Construction Jobs (sheetrock, framing)

4 Movies I enjoy

1.Pirates of the Caribbean (all of them)

2.Dumb and Dumber

3.Rush Hour

4.Wedding Crashers

4 Places I've lived

1.Murray, UT

2.Rexburg, ID

3.Puerto Rico

4.Lehi, UT

4 of my favorite foods

1.Chile Verde

2.Guacamole, Bacon Burger with Jalapenos

3.Smoothies

4.Coke

4 people who email me regularly

1.Online Gambling Junk mails

2.People wanting to walk on the the Uof U Football Team

3. Golf Galaxy

4.My beautiful wife Sara

4 places I'd rather be

1.Hawaii

2.Cancun

3.Puerto Rico

4.Watching my kids at Disney World

4 things I look forward to this year

1.Beating BYU

2.Beating the team down south

3.Beating that blue team in Provo

4.Did I mention beating BYU

4 people I tag

1.AmyWalton, I did owe you

2. Donna Reitveld, for getting mad in church

3. Ryan Walton, Cause every man should be so humble at least once

4.??? don't know 4 people who have the time to answer tags

Spring Ball Red White Game

After Alayna's B-day party we made it to the last half of the Spring red white game. I should not have been... but was surprised by the amount of people in attendance. It got me so excited for the season. All the coaches and players get so sick of football at this stage with all the beatings they take and no Saturday games to look forward to. But it is fun for the girls and Jacob to get some cheering in. They love the games. They like to get dressed in the red and white, pack their toy bags and give high fives and knuckles to the players. I'm sure Jacob will have just as much or more fun this season. I took this picture just as he was saying "I love going to football games!" He is quite the prodigy, 8 mos and already talking.....not really, but if he were talking that is what he would say. Either that or "Hey mom, can I have another polish dog?"
Ashtyn and her LPS. Can't leave home without them. She takes very good care of her lps sea horse, lps crab, lps spider, etc.....But when it comes to real pets.....?
The best part of football games is when the girls can go down on the field and let off all the energy built up the previous 3-4 hours sitting watching the game. Ashtyn has the cheerleader thing down. Alayna, might carry a pom pom, but she is a little more aggressive and usually ends up chasing and tackling who ever she can.
We missed the Alumni game that Jay and Pete played in. I wished we could have seen them. I heard lots and lots about the game. A little about guarding Kevin Dyson a little about a pitch pass to Pete that almost won the game and a little about how tired they were. I'm sure as time passes their version of how the game went down will get better and better. Aside from the wind it was a beautiful day. It got me really excited to take the kids to the games in the fall. (After we enjoy a restful summer break!)

Better late than never...Right Jess?

Tagged!

It took me a little longer than planned to get to this but here goes.

4 Jobs I've Had:

JLHH - Accountant

W.C. Hospital - Nurse

Playroom Arena - Referee

Cafe' Mc Hill - Sous Chef

4 Movies I have or would like to watch over and over:

How to lose a guy in 10 days

Miss Congeniality

Nanny Mcphee

Private Eyes

4 of my favorite foods

Raspberry Zingers

Zucchini

Brownies

Salmon

4 Places I have lived

Nampa, ID

Rexburg, ID

Holladay, UT

Lehi, UT

4 People who email me regularly

Jill S.

Brent D. (forwards only)

Betty Crocker

Active.com

4 Places I'd rather be

In my bed (I love my bed)

At the cabin

At mom and dads

At home (I am home, I just like being here)

4 Things to look forward to this year

Going to the Pool with my kids

Time at the cabin

Football season

4th of July (and all the other days in July that Jay has off!)

4 People I Tag

Amy W

Wendy R

TeNeale R

Ashley G

Alayna's Birthday

Alayna turned 4 on Saturday. She was so excited to be the same age as some of her other friends. She is such a sweet little girl with so much energy. Being the middle child she is too little to do what Ashtyn does, but too big to get the kind of attention Jacob gets. Right now she loves the little mermaid and anything Ariel. So for her birthday she wanted an under the sea party with all her friends dressed up as princesses. When I was little I remember my birthday parties being fabulous (thanks to my mom) I always knew when I had kids I would love making their birthdays special too. When we asked Alayna what she wanted for her birthday, she could not come up with one thing. She just hummed and hawed. She did however have grand plans for her party. Each room of the house was going to be different princess room. Her room would be snow white. Our bedroom would be sleeping beauty, the play room would be cinderella etc... She even had planned what friend would be what princess. It was funny to listen to her tell me for weeks how she had it in her mind. In the end we decorated the family room to look like they were under the sea (bubble maker included) and everyone came as the princess they wanted and she had a fun party. I hope she remembers her b-days to be special days. With our crazy schedule and busy days a lot gets turned into "that will have to do" mode. So by the end of our triathlon day, after birthday party, spring red/white football game, BBQ, build a bear and a movie I hope she knew this was her special day. Her day to turn 4, that much closer to getting to do what Ashtyn does, but still getting lots of attention like Jacob gets. Happy Birthday Alayna!

MS Walk

I have wanted to be a part of this for a few years now but have not put the effort to do so, One year it was on Alayna's birthday and last year I missed it by a week so this year I decided NO excuses I will walk. I was very surprised by how emotional it was for me. Having my mom diagnosed with MS 4 years ago, made the emotions even stronger. Emily and I made a team in honor of mom (team CPK) and barely made the deadline. Chad and the kids went with us but I missed the online deadline to get them listed as team members. Next year I am going to be way more on the ball so mark your calendars and plan to walk for MS next April. When you sign up a team they give you all this information on fundraising and suggestions on how to help raise money for the research. The MS society does a great job putting this together. They have prizes for teams with the most funds raised, teams with the craziest costumes, etc....One team was full of star wars characters. It was so inspiring to see husbands pushing their wives (and vice versa) in wheel chairs. Lots of kids riding for people they know with MS. There was one cute team named "Fix my mommy" that about broke my flood gate.(tears) This is such a horrible ugly disease that needs a cure. I hope we find one soon. I love my mom and cherish every visit I get to have with her and every moment she touches my children's lives. Even with MS she amazes me with what she does with my children. I look forward to every visit and how each one makes me a better mother and wife. After the walk we watched others cross the finish line and the joy it was for them. I am so grateful for my health and for so many who work to fight this disease! Thanks Ashley for putting together the Boise team, it means so much. I wish I could join all of you this weekend!

Chad and Emily with our herd of kids before the walk started. Had to get a pic with Darth. He even sounded just like him...OOooohhh creepy! :). He had to have been dying of the heat, his mask had condensation or something on the inside. It was a warm day, but especially for the ones in full costume. (Hope it wasn't a rental....)

Deer Valley

Last sunday I was given 2 lift tickets for Deer Valley. And since the last few times skiing has been with the girls I was thrilled to think Jay and I would be able to hit the slopes for a fun date. No such luck :( The only day off this week was Sat. and he had already made arrangements for he and his players to play 18 then BBQ. So I was on a mission to find a ski buddy, I couldn't let the passes go to waste and D.V. was going to close for the season in a few days. Luckily after a yes and a no then maybe and finally I'll go from Emily we made it up on the hill Thursday. It was a beautiful day. Sunny, almost warm and only a few clouds. It was so fun to have her go. She and I are similar skiers and enjoy the same runs. We did throw in one black diamond run to push ourselves and to prove to our husbands we would do it. It had been a long time since she and I had been together skiing like that. We were always the ones left to ourselves on the paddle and rope tow at Bogus Basin while every one else went on the lifts. (BTW, I know that I was not that old left to ski with Emily by ourselves? It must have been a different world...?) and then when we finally were allowed to go on the lift she and I "Goofy" rolled ourselves into snowballs all the way down. Once we figured out how to stay up we then had to work on steering. We had a few head on collisions which explains for how it is possible for us to share a brain. (Right Dad?). Riding the lift we were able to remember some fun ski trips. Including when she and Greg left me with the psycho 30 something year old.

We were on the lift and these little kids were going off these little jumps and one was so funny! We couldn't tell if he meant to go off it or if it caught him by surprise. He landed it, but was still "whoa! whoaing!" for another 100 yards or so. Which gave us the idea that we should go off them and we could video them. So there we were, stopped on the middle of the hill with our camera filming us going off the smallest of jumps. We almost missed them, they were that small. But if these kids could do it so could we. Emily went first, then we had to keep going down that run to make sure to catch each jump. Silly, but so fun! The best part is we skied until we had our fill (and it got a little too cold) we didn't have to stop for cold kids or keep going till the last chair lift stopped. It was so fun to go with her and hopefully next season Hosie, (and EmilyK) we can plan a sisters ski trip.

You have to laugh at how silly we are going off the jumps, I wish I would have the little kids going off the jump.

"the darn-dest things"

I love when kids say funny things and always wish I could remember them. When Ashtyn was 1 and 2 I wrote a few of her Ashtynisms down. But I have not been very good at writing things down since. So I am renewed in my efforts to get their funny things written. I want them to be able to look back and laugh.
Last night Ashtyn was riding her bike and was talking and talking. She got onto the subject of how the bike became and what the first one was like and why they were made and then what it must have been like before they had cars (this all being talked with out me saying a thing while riding around the drive way) "And wouldn't it be cool if this was the only way we got around, If there were no cars, What was it like when they didn't have cars?" <> she hit the breaks and right next to the flower bed I was cleaning out and said "mom what was it like with out cars? did you just ride your bike when you were growing up?" She was so surprised and I think a little disappointed to find out I grew up riding in cars and even more so that grandma and grandpa did the same. I know I am getting old (30 in Aug), but come on, prehistoric?

A few day prior to this She asked me how long Jay and I had been married. I told her 10 years going on 11. "Wow, that is a long time but we will have to have a really big party (this is when I am thinking she will say 20, 30 or even 50) when you have been married for 100 years" I told her we would have a huge party when we hit 100 years.
If only the world could all become like little children, so innocent, so excited for 100 years of marriage. I love you Ashtyn and everything sweet thing you say.

saturdays at the home depot

I love a project and would love for my kids to share the same passion, so....both Lowes and Home Depot have little building kits on different Saturdays of the month. The first sat of the month is at H.D. This sat the girls were particularly excited because we have not been for months. They are so funny. When they get to the store they think they are so big and go right to the kid spot. They think they are in the hardware "know how" and get right down to hammering. Before we left the house Ashtyn was sure that if you are going to build something you need a hat, so she put hers on and went searching for Alayna's, but Alayna had already found the one she wanted. (It was so cute on Ashtyn when she was 2 and wore it with the matching outfit. I just never pictured it 2 sizes too small on a raggin muffin with chapped lips) But if you know Alayna, it was going to stay on. We had already gone the rounds on her clothes. I don't look forward to her sense of fashion in jr. high.

I wonder if Jacob will have to "get ready" to build? I hope he likes hammers as much as the girls.

Alayna likes to do it by herself.

Ashtyn is quite the pro. They made these cute little planter boxes. When we get home they painted and glittered them lovely. I don't think Jacob will want to glitter his projects?? Next month at H.D. they get to make a pencil holder, so fun. The best part is I get a trip to the H.D. or Lowes with happy, excited kids who don't seem to mind walking through the store after their projects are done.

We've Adopted A Baby Girl!

APRIL FOOLS!

I always want to come up with a hillarious prank to play on someone for April fools, but I never can think of a good one or even pull the little ones off. Ashtyn thinks A.Fools is great and had been planning pranks and remembering the 2 we did last year for a month. (1. I gave her cereal that was really dog food with milk on it, she didn't eat it 2. We doctored up Jay's 44 oz drink) So I knew I had to do something. With inspiration from Jared (who so cleverly turned the doorknob around on his parents room and locked them in) I put vaseline on the doorknob from the garage into the house, for when Jay got home. He had picked up the girls up from dance, and Ashtyn was the one to get the sticky hand and April fooled. She loved it. So when they did get in the house we had dressed Jacob up like a girl. I have always thought he would make such a cute girl baby and I finally had a good excuse to put him in a dress and a bow. " We have a baby girl! APRIL FOOLS!"

He really makes a cute little girl. Alayna loved having a little sister for 20 minutes.

This is Jay's ver disgusted face when he saw is rough tough little boy in pink. Ha Ha, that is what happens in a house full of girls. Just be glad this is the only time we dressed him up (so far..)"We have to change him right now, It is wigging me out how much he looks like the girls!" He had to change his diaper to make sure his son of 7 months was still his son. {{he he}} Then he put him in very blue, very boy clothes.

Jay cleaning off the vaseline from the doorknob. I was so excited for dinner, where I put a hole in his cup, but was foiled. He already ate at the facility and brought home a 44oz drink so my drink in the lap didn't work. Half way through the meal I had thought to switch it to Ashtyn but it was too late by then. There's always next year. Let me know what pranks you pulled, maybe next year will be the year I really get them all!