We're not crazy...

2010-11-14T17:50:00.001-08:00

Um, time to update much?

Happy Spring!

2010-03-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

Spring is here,
Spring is here,
It's the best time of the year!

(Courtesy of Little Bill on Nick Jr.)

Christmas Eve

2009-12-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

This year we had a visitor on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus himself showed up and the kids weren't real sure what to think. They were excited and confused all at the same time! Then after he visited we opened up our pajamas and a Christmas book. I think it was about 10:30 when we finally got them to sleep!

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

So like many of you, we made gingerbread houses. But unlike many of you, WE MADE REAL GINGERBREAD!!! Ahhhh! I tried to convince Wes to let me buy one of those handy kids, oh no it had to be real lol! It took us all week to create these masterpieces. It was kind of fun because it gave the kids something to look forward to each night. I think Wes just started a new tradition...good thing he is the one with the patience!

Halloween/Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick run down of Halloween and Thanksgiving for this year:
Our kids were Crayons with Katie's two youngest, Zac was Harry Potter. We had a lot of compliments on the crayons, they were a big hit! We took them to the Halloween carnival at Wilson Elementary and the next night they went with Grandpa Tom to his school carnival. They had a good time trick-or-treating. I actually had to drag them to houses trying to get them more stuff and they were complaining!! Riley actually sat down a few times and told me he was done lol!
For Thanksgiving we went to my parents house. LOVE Thanksgiving dinner!! My neice Jenny painted my toenails and fingernails for me, she is quite the little manicurist =). We just had a great time visiting and hanging out. We missed Scott's family this year, he had knee surgery a couple days before and wasn't feeling up to moving. And can you believe I did NOT have one single piece of pumpkin pie (my absolute favorite), my choice this year was warm cherry pie a la mode! YUM!

More Jewelry

2009-11-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

I found the pictures of my latest jewelry. I am adding a new line that I am very excited about, "Primal Touches". It will have rustic looking metal touches with some glitz. The Christmas Tree Necklace is a perfect example of what I mean. Let me know what you all think. THANKS!!

2009-11-06T19:35:00.001-08:00

Jewelry

2009-11-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Here is a slideshow of some of my jewelry. Most of this stuff I cannot duplicate 100%, but if you see something you like, I can make it similar. Thanks to everyone for their excitment for me, its been a big motivator.

2009-11-05T16:36:00.001-08:00

Whatever

2009-10-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

Just a lame update. I haven't blogged really cause of my hand. So, now I will get back on top of it. Wes is still unemployed. There just isn't any work, but we have lots of people looking out for us. He is now a certified welder, which is awesome. He likes doing that a lot. I am trying to work on my jewelry and figure out how to put it on my blog. Right now I don't have enough materials to duplicate anything, so that is what I am trying to figure out. The kids are good. Hailey likes school. She doesn't like to get up in the morning, some say she is just like her mom. I must protest HAHAHA! Riley is a spaz, but he is constantly making us laugh. He loves his big sister to know end. Like I said, I will be better at blogging now that my hand is out of the cast. Typing with two hands is much easier=)!

Cruel & Unusual Punishment?

2009-09-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Now before you judge us...here is the story:

Last Wednesday was a BAD day. Our kids were misbehaving so badly I thought I was going to lose it. Wes was in Salt Lake working on his welding (he was laid off again BTW...grrrr). Well it started when I brought Hailey home from school. She really likes to tease Riley and he really likes to hit. So after about 10 mins of this I decided that I couldn't deal with it. I called my sweet sister and begged her to let Hailey play with Whitney. At about 4:00 I went to pick her up and she started yelling and screaming at me...she is so pleasant. I dragged her home so Katie didn't have to watch the tantrum! Well as soon as we walked thru the door the whining and fighting continued. After about an hour of playing referee, I grabbed them and hauled them out to our trailer for a very LONG time-out. Hailey screamed at me about how I never let her do anything and she gave me the, "I wish you weren't my mom" argument that we all love to hear. Eventually she cried herself to sleep. I let her sleep for about 30 mins and woke her up to eat dinner. She refused it and I took her back out to the trailer, leaving her by herself this time. Well, at this point I had had it and my wonderful mother-in-law came to my rescue. She let me sit downstairs to watch some tv (yay SYTYCD) and got Hailey to eat her dinner. Well when Wes got home that night, I told him about our lovely day and he told me to take the next day off and he would think of a consequence to help the kids learn their lesson. So, Thursday morning I took Hailey to school and then took off for the day. When Hailey got home from school he told her that since she didn't want me to be her mommy, I left. And when she decided that I was an okay mom, I would come back. Also, he told her that because of her behavior she was going to help him clean out the dog-runs. Of course she was mortified by this...which was the point. So here are a couple pictures from their cleaning session. I stayed away for about 12 hours, went bead shopping and hung out with my parents and sister. It was a lovely stress free day and a much needed relax fest!! So, if any of you have any ideas to help me better control my kids, please help. I am fully acknowledging the fact that I am not the greatest mom and do need help. Any advice is welcome!!

2009-09-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

YUP...she is cute!

2009-09-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am getting used to the idea that Hailey is school now. However, my heart strings get yanked on a little every morning watching her walk into that giant glass door that almost knocks her over each time. But, it is nice to have a couple hours with just Riley. This morning he and I strolled the aisles of Wal-mart together. We took our time and laughed and told jokes to each other. I know you may not think that Wal-mart is the best place to bond, but when you are having a good time together, who cares where you are, right?

Kindergarten YAY!

2009-08-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

Well I made it through Hailey's first day of school...um...I mean Hailey. Hailey made it through her first day (lol). She was so excited, she has been counting down the days for weeks. She had alrady picked out what she was going to wear and everything. Even her best friend and cousin Whitney had the same outfit so of course they had to be twins. Good thing they are in different schools. =) When she got home everyone asked how her day was. She just said "pretty good". No details. Finally when Grandma Janice asked her, she said, "we didn't learn to read today." Clearly disappointed in her first day of school! But we all got a good laugh out of her disappointment. When I was putting her to bed last night I tried to explain that she would learn to read throughout the year. She had a better day today because they got to do stations with different crafts and projects. Oh and when we went to meet her teacher last week, she discovered that there was a computer in the classroom for the students. She kept telling me that she couldn't believe they had a computer at school. What a strange place for a computer hehe! And just for the record...no I did not cry! Riley however is having a hard with Hailey going anywhere without him. When we dropped her off this morning, he wascrying ans said he was too sad to go to school today...lol. My kids are funny little people.

Hiking up Timp

2009-08-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

My hubby is the best...and super brave. One Sunday a couple weeks ago, he decided to take our kids hiking. I thought he was just gonna go to the Grato up Payson canyon. Oh no, he wanted to take them up the backside of Timp to the waterfalls. It was so nice to be able to stay home and read and just be by myself. As all you mom's can agree, it is a rare occurance and a prized one. I believe they hiked four miles (two up, two down) in about 3 1/2 hours. Not bad for little legs. I am pretty sure his motivation was an early bed time...ha, not even close!! Oh, and of course the camera battery died before he reached the waterfall...DOH!

Fishing at Spring Lake

2009-08-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

My dad has been wanting to take all the kids fishing for a while. So i went with him one day. We tried to go to the fish farm in Spring Lake, but we weren't sure if they were still open, so we just went to the lake instead. No one caught any fish and I know my dad felt bad about that, but the kids could have cared less. They had fun casting their poles and getting their feet wet. Plus they got to get out of the house, so it was well worth it to them. And Hailey found some more rocks for her collection...what is it with kids and rocks? hmmm...

Bowling with G-ma and G-pa

2009-08-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

My parents invited me and Katie and our kids to go bowling...so of course we did! Whitney was so funny. After she would throw the ball, she would do a dance and occassionally jump into the splits. Silly girl! Riley was more interested in the video games, so after 20 laps to get him to bowl, I just left him there to pretend to drive the car.

Fourth of July

2009-08-27T09:24:00.001-07:00

You didn't believe me when I said I had a lot of blogging to do...did ya?!

The last couple years Katie and Jared have been the hosts of the festivities for the 4th. They always do such a good job and have lots of fun things for the kids to do. This year they had a super cool swimming pool, slip-n-slide, water balloons, lots of yummy food and of course fireworks. Of course when it was actually time for fireworks the wind had picked up and we only did a couple. Oh well, everyone had lots of fun despite that minor detail. Thanks Katie and Jared!

2009-08-27T09:23:00.001-07:00

WOW...someone really needs to help me figure out that cool collage thingy. That post was huge =)

Palm Springs

2009-08-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Ok remember months ago when I mentioned out trip to Palm Springs? Well here it is finally! Can you believe it...I am in the mood to blog...lol.

The first week in June we went to a resort called the Worldmark by Wyndam in a town called Indio...about 30 miles west of Palm Springs. We actually went as a whole family. Our first as an entire family...I guess there isn't a right or wrong time to start...right?
Anyway, we made the 10 hour drive (starting in Cedar City), with a few wrong turns and a few arguments. California is not the best place to take a wrong exit, you have to go about 20 or so miles to get back to where you started. Anyway, we made it at about 9:30pm and were exhausted, but the place was amazing. Some of my crazy family went immediately to the pool while it was still open. Wes and I were too tired and agitated to go swimming. The next morning we just hung out at the resort and swam. It was very relaxing. Tuesday we went to Six Flags (everyone but mom). Hailey was quite the dare devil and tried all of the little kid rides. She even went on the log flume twice and was in the very front the second time. That is the only big ride that i went on!! I'm not the biggest fan of rollercoasters, ao when we pulled into the parking lot I had a sudden anxiety attack just looking at them. Wes hung out with Scott and Franci so he could actually go on some cool rides. Katie and I spent our day in the kid area and we were both completely content there. I know, we are wimps...but oh well. The rest of the week was spent at the resort. Some of us went golfing, some went back to Six Flags, but mostly we just swam. One night we had a family party of sorts. My amazing little sister planned a jeopardy game for us and it was a blast. So many laughs and great memories were made that week. I hope we can continue this in coming years. LOVE YOU FAMILY!!!

2009-07-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ok I know I keep throwing all these little updates at you...but I don't really have anything exciting to blog about. Except this.....WES HAS A JOB!!!! Yay!! He got a call last week right before the holiday and we thought we missed out on it but they called back Tuesday. He is working on re-constructing a nursing facility at th UofU. He is already liking it. He came home with a smile yesterday, so that is good news. It is an indoor job, which he is loving and the crew he is working with is small. He is going to learn a lot from them. Anyway, that's all...now maybe I can cheer up and start taking pictures of my poor neglecterino's!!! I have to go register Hailey for kindergarten now...

Another Update

2009-07-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Life has been a lot of things right now. We are currently living at the Peay's house in our camping trailer (yes, you may call us trailer trash hehe). Wes is unemployed again...he was having some chest pains while at the last job and was toldthat he should not return to work...so I made him come home. It is very stressful to have your spouse be in the hospital by himself and feel useless. I don't recommend it. So now we are here, he is trying to find a job, but there isn't a lot of ironwork in Utah right now. He went to the hall this morning and was told that he could have a job in a couple weeks...so that is good news. The kids are actually doing pretty well during all this chaos. They love having all their cousins and Grandparents so close. They were very lonely up in Wyoming, so I am happy that they are happy. And they enjoy sleeping in the trailer, it is like everynight is a camping trip LOL!! I feel like I should be freaking out that all our bills are way past due and we have no income...but I actually feel at peace with the situation. No, it is definitely not where I want to be, but we have such great family here to support us. I have learned thru all this that it is ok to ask for help. I never really thought of myself as prideful, but i think that would be the emotion you feel when you are in this situation. Knowing that you need help is not a good feeling, so it is hard to let go of that pride and ask. But we are truly blessed.

Semi-update

2009-06-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

I know I have a lot of updating to do. My whole family went to Palm Springs last week, so I need to do that. I have just been kind of bouncing from one family member's house to the next, so blogging hasn't been on my mind. Right now I am at my brother Scott's house while they are out of town. It has been kinda nice pretending to have a place of my own. We have decided to just continue renting our house out and find a little apartment for me and the kids. It is a little sad cause Hailey keeps asking when we are going home and Riley keeps asking where our house is. It is hard to explain the whole renting situation to them-Hailey told my niece that we didn't have a house because someone stole it!! But he is willing to stay there for as long as we will let him-I don't mind someone else paying our mortgage. Wes is still in Gillette and was lucky enough to get a very temporary job. It is at the same power house only with a different company. He was only there as a fill-in while some guys went on vacation, but last night he was told he was there until the end of July. So that is awesome news. I miss him horribly, but thanks to all our family and friends I am doing ok. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers-they were truly answered in our time of need.

Utah or bust...

2009-05-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

Its official, we are coming back to Utah. Atleast me and the kids are. Wes was laid off from the job that was supposed to last up to four years. The job is actually coming to close and they were just looking for any excuse to make some lay-offs. It was our bad luck that Wes happened to be sick that week-so he was axed. Never fear, Wes has a few people that can hook him up with a job, so we aren't too worried about being unemployed for long. But, those jobs will be in Wyoming and I want to get Hailey into school and keep her there. The jobs he can get are going to be short ones and I don't want to keep pulling her out. I am pretty sure the next 3-4 years are going to be like this for us, until he has finished his apprenticeship. I am still here in Wyoming cleaning the house, but will be headed home tomorrow. I am so excited to be going home and be surrounded by all my friends and family again. WAHOO!!!

Happy Anniversary Wes!!

2009-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary and unfortunately it was not a great one. Out of the four of us, I am the only healthy one. The kids both have a had a cold for a few days and Wes, poor guy, feels like he is on his death bed. He has come down with some funky virus. He went to the Doctor yesterday and had a shot for nausea and a powerful headache. The Doctor told him to keep drinking a lot of fluids because she had seen a lot of people with this same virus and a lot of them had ended up in the ER with dehydration. When he came to bed last night he was shaking really bad. I asked him what was wrong and he just said his stomach really hurt. I was pretty sure he had a good case of gas, speaking from experience its really painful. Anyway, I think he will be ok before long. So that was our day. I do love him like crazy and would follow him anywhere. Ha, obviously, I live Wyoming now!! LOVE YOU BABE!!

Vampires

2009-05-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

My childhood fear were vampires. I always avoided anything with them in it (even cartoons or children's movies)-until recently. Thank you Edward Cullen. Ever since I have read Twilight, I have become somewhat obsessed with them. But, I still do not like the scary side of their world. I am more interested in the romance and sexiness of them. I will not watch anything with vampires (Wes has been trying to get me to watch Underworld-no thanks). I guess if I read about them instead of watch them, I can envision them a little less monster-like. I just think it is funny how sometimes our fears can be overcome and then become an interest. ???

Riley's Birthday

2009-05-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

Riley turned three on the 7th. The original plan was Spiderman. He has been asking for a Spiderman cake since Hailey's birthday. I thought that was easy, I would just make a spiderweb cake. Done and done. Nope, last minute he changed his mind a wanted Diego again. So I improvised with what I had and came up with this masterpiece. I know it isn't the neatest cake in the world, but I had fun and Riley loved it. So, job well done on my part. Oh, and I tried to do Diego colors, but they came out a little more fluorescent than anticipated, oh well, I tried.

Sunset

2009-05-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Again I found some mystery pictures on my camera taken by Hailey. Obviously a sunset-and isn't it beautiful through the window screen? Love her guts!!

2009-05-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ok so it has been over a week since Hailey swallowed the nickel. I have not seen one yet, but I am pretty sure it has come out. After a few days of checking, I kinda gave up. I may end up going in and have some x-rays done just for some peace of mind, but I am not too worried. Our nurse connection told me that she has probably already passed it and if she is still acting fine then not to worry-so I am not. Anyway that is that.

Nickel Update

2009-04-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

NO NICKEL YET. I have been told that when I do find it I should frame it. Um, no thanks. It has been a poopy (haha) enought week to have an eternal reminder.

The Joys of Motherhood

2009-04-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This post is about poop. So if you have an aversion to that particular subject, don't read.

I love my children dearly, but sometimes kids do things that are um...for lack of a better word, STUPID!! And as a parent, we sometimes get stuck with paying the consequences of those stupid moments. My dear Hailey, swallowed a nickel last night. No, she did not choke on it-it just went down. She was a little freaked out and thought she might be in trouble. Well, I wasn't real sure what to do and Wes is out of town for school. Actually I was on the phone with him when she did it. He didn't know what to do either and told me to call the parents. I tried both sets and finally got a hold of Janice. She told me what I thought about, let her poop it out. Ok cool, I can do that and no emergency rooms are involved. Well then she decided she would call her surgical nurse cousin and call me back. Same thing, poop it out, BUT...I hate buts! Watch her poo and make sure that it has actually come out. So guess what I get to do for the next couple days? YUP, I get to glove up and physically check the poo. YAY!! Without any more details, I will just say ew and I love being a mom!! I will let you know if/when I find it!

Easter

2009-04-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty great Easter. I was having a hard time this year because Katie and usually do an egg hunt with our kids. And I just had a hard time with all our family so far away during a holiday. But like I said below, Tom and Janice were here. We were all so exausted from the day before (Mt. Rushmore) that Wes and I were still asleep when the kids discovered their baskets and started tearing in. Luckily Janice was on the ready with her camera. Also, since we didn't get back until late from the faces, we did our eggs on Sunday. It was a great day and I am so glad Peays' were here to help celebrate.

Mount Rushmore

2009-04-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Wes' parents came up to visit. While they were here we took a day trip to see the faces. We all had a great time, even though the drive was about an hour longer than we expected. It was also a lot colder than we expected. The wind was blowing, so I look GOOD! I am glad that Janice told me to grab the kids' big coats. I know that Wes and Scott had liked the museum part, because they got to see all the ancient tools that they used. Considering they are kind of in the same industry, they thought it was very cool. The last picture is of Riley telling us he is done being good and is ready to go!!

I wish you could see Wes' face better, he is so cute in this picture!

The sculptor of Mount Rushmore was Gutzon Borglum. He was commissioned to create a national monument in 1925. The work began in 1927 and was finished 16 years later by his son. Borglum died in March of 1941 from a heart attack. The project cost approx. $1, 520, 000 to finish. It was formed by using dynamite and jackhammers. Borglum chose to carve Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt because he believed that they represented the spirit and ideals of American geographic expansion and political development.

Princess Party

2009-03-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

My sister planned a princess party for Hailey and Whitney while we were down in Utah. I was just there for the ride. She is the good mom, and I just like hanging out with her-so we braved the 10 four/five years olds. We made princess crowns with LOTS of glitter, and purses for all their goodies. Then they got to ice cupcake and went on a hunt outside for their bag of goodies. It was actually a lot of fun and all the girls were SO cute. And yes Sara, that is Sidney (aka Britney Jr!!!)

Happy Birthday Garrett!!

2009-03-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

The reason I went to Utah was to stay with my brother's kids while they went on a cruise. During that time was my nephew Garrett's birthday. And being the awesome aunts that we are, Katie and I threw him a nice party. What 14 year old young man, does not want to celebrate with his aunts and young cousins? Let me put it this way, we went to the dollar store to but his gifts and oh man did we have fun!!!

What snow??

2009-03-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you see what was going on in Wyoming while we were in Utah and the "warm" weather!

Blog Help

2009-03-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ok blogging experts, I need some help. I am trying to help my sis-in-law set up a blog for their new school. She wants to set up a link on the side bar that the kids can click on that will take them to the info on driver's ed. How do I do that? I know that there is a gadget called "links", but that just adds a website-right? She doesn't want it as a post cause she wants it to always be available to see. Help!!

2009-03-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

We are in Utah right now and I just wanted to say hi!! My brother and sister-in-law are in Mexico for the week and I am here with their kids. I can't really say baby-sitting them cause they are all grown up. Anyway, I probably won't be blogging until we get back to Wyoming. I just wanted you all to know where I dissapeared to. Love ya!!

Squidward?

2009-03-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Riley came up to me the other night with this pear and said, "look mom, squidward"! Of course it looks nothing like squidward, but it was hysterical! And sadly yes, my kids watch spongebob.

While the cat is away...

2009-03-05T09:51:00.001-08:00

These are random pictures that I found on my camera when I went to upload them.

Holy nostalgia Batman!!

2009-03-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

Hailey had been bugging me to let her spend her Christmas money. So, Wes and I took the kids to the dollar store the other night (fun family time indeed!). While Hailey was trying to decide which toy she wanted, Riley was more intrigued by the quarter machines. I gave him a couple of his quarters and one of his treasures was this puzzle ball. I was immediately transplanted back to about 1995 and at a drill competition. Jenny, you should understand this!! For some stupid, yet, pleasurable reason, these puzzle balls kept us entertained for many an hour at competetions between routines. I mean, what else is there to do besides scope out boys, the competition and sleep. So, we had puzzle balls. Oh, the memories...

The Park

2009-03-05T09:23:00.001-08:00

Last week I took the kids to the park. We had been cooped up for quite a while and needed to get out. The day started out nice, but by the time we actually got to the park, it was nasty again. I tried to talk them out of it, but they were determined to go. So we went for a few minutes, long enough to get runny noses and pink cheeks. So here are a few pictures, and yes, that is snow on the ground still!!

A little ouch!

2009-03-03T16:37:00.000-08:00

This happened just a few minutes ago...

The kids and I were up in my room looking through books. I had to use the bathroom. When I came out, I was smacked in the face with that obvious, undeniable scent of ICY-HOT. I looked over and Riley had it all over him. I quickly wiped him down and threw him in the bath. I specifically told him not to touch anything and ran to clean up the mess. When I got back into the bathroom he was shaking and crying. Basically freaking out and of course he was covering his little private part. He apparently touched it while I stepped out of the room for five seconds. While I washed him off he kept trying to rub his face and wipe away the tears. Poor little dude was in a lot of pain-I can only imagine!! Atleast he didn't ask me to kiss it better like he does with every other owie!! Suggestion, make sure the Icy-hot is hiding!

When did I become a parent?

2009-02-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

When our babies are new and little, we all have that overwhelming sense of fear and responsibility. The first night we were home from the hospital with Hailey, I bawled. I looked at her precious face and new I loved her so much more than I ever thought possible and cried because I didn't know what to do with her. You may just say that was a little postpardum depression going on, but how many of us are confident in our parenting? I was struck with "holy crap, I am a parent and now I am responsible for the upbringing of this child." So those first few months are hectic and they start to even out. You grow into a routine you both are satisfied with. You need them as much as they need you. Then they start growing and you aren't as afraid as you were, but still afraid. Then all of a sudden they are walking and talking and they make you smile and laugh. The next thing you know you are walking them to preschool and you are more nervous than they are. Those are all truly great parent moments and you love it. Let me tell you when it dawned on me that I am a REAL parent. The other day we went to register Hailey for the Big K-yes Kindergarten. WAAAAH, cry, sniff, wail. Only here is the REAL parent part. As we walked into the school, there was a sign that notified me that I was to bring shot records, birth certificate, and social security card. Did I think of any of those things? Of course not, because before that moment, I didn't think of myself as a REAL parent!! Of course I knew I was a parent and sometimes a pretty good one! But that is the moment I realized it. I am now responsible for homework and school projects and any other thing that will come with the next 13 years. YIKES I don't know if I have that responsible bone in my body, but I guess I will have to start searching for it!! HAHAHA! Does any of that make sense to anyone?

Cleaning Tip

2009-02-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

A while back, Riley decided to use his artistic abilities on our brand new couch. Good news, I bought microfiber!! I knew it was the best when it came to clean-up. Anyway, I wasn't real sure on how to remove crayon and pen from the couch. So I did a search on the net and found a cool page (moron me forgot to bookmark it) and it said to use baby wipes. By golly, if that wasn't the neatest thing ever. So, for all of you who have microfiber, and your little artist gets ahold of a crayon, use baby wipes to clean it off, it really works.

What is the norm?

2009-02-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

So I just had a rather amusing experience a few minutes ago. The Elder missionaries from our ward just stopped by to talk to Wes. Apparently they are teaching a young man who they thought Wes would be a good example to. This young man is apprehensive to attend church due to one) he would obviously stand out because he is a new face, and two) he does not fit into the "norm". I think we all would agree that no matter where you live the church is the same. However, and unfortunately, the members are not. Myself included, there are people who are judgemental of others and how they look. When Wes first came home with his ears pierced I was not pleased. But when he started to stretch them, I was REALLy unpleased. We got into a big fight about him not wearing them to church. I was being one of those people that cared more about what others would think of Wes when they saw him, than what he thought and liked. His feelings were not important to me. Later I realized I should not care what others think. If my husband was comfortable being at church with his earrings, by golly, I was not going to care anymore as long as he was there. I apologized immediately and profusely. So apparently, due to Wes' not caring about fitting in, they want him to talk to this young man. They want this person to feel comfortable being there no matter what he looks like. We all know that Wes is far from normal and he loves life more because of it. Also, I love him more because he is who he is-no pretenses. So I ask you, what is the norm?

A new me...

2009-02-05T14:15:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I have been feeling rather sad and depressed the last week or so. I miss my family and friends in Utah. I miss Utah period. Well I remembered last night that I had bought myself some hair dye when we were down for Christmas. I always feel better about life and myself when I look a little better. It is not the same color I had last time cause I forgot which one I bought. So here I am. It is more Auburn than red. It is a really pretty color, just not what I am used to. So tell me what you think.

Who are you?

2009-02-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

I know this is a little outdated, but I saw it on Heidi's blog and thought it was cool. Unfortunately, I am not very exciting-but I would fall in love with a vampire too I think!!

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

25 random things about myself

2009-01-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

I have been tagged by my friend Jenny (not sure how long ago!!) This is going to take some thinking, but here it goes:

1. I like to do crossword puzzles and other word games.
2. I do not like snakes, reptiles or anything that slithers or scurries.
3. I really enjoy making jewelry, but I don't like to wear jewelry.
4. I am almost 30!! EEK
5. I have a very sensitive stomach and almost everything I eat makes me sick.
6. I have hereditary hemolitic spherocytosis (say that 5 times fast!) a blood disorder that led to me having my spleen out.
7. My favorite disney movie is Hercules.
8. I have to bundle up like an eskimo just to take out the garbage or get the mail.
9. I am deathly afraid of deep water. I do not like not knowing what is under me.
10. I love watching HGTV home decorating shows. Too bad I don't know how to apply those principles in my decorating!!
11. I do not know how to swim. Why bother, when I don't like water!!
12. I have never been good at eating healthy-that is probably why my stomach hates me!!
13. My best friend is my sister, Katie, whom I miss horribly.
14. I am very proud to be a Peay.
15. I regret never taking sewing in high school. I made Wes get me a sewing machine for Christmas one year, and he has used it more than me!!
16. I think marriage is the hardest thing I have ever tried. But is also the most rewarding.
17. I wish kids came with instructions!
18. I admit I am very naive when it comes to politics and other wordly issues. I prefer it that way.
19. I am pretty sure my five year old is smarter than me. I think that is a good thing?!
20. I am starting to look my age. But I hope I always feel younger!
21. I sometimes wish I was in college again so that I can be a complete goofball again with my awesome roomies.
22. I love being a normal family for the first time in our marriage. Eating dinner at 6:00 is a new concept to us.
23. I don't ever listen to the radio except when I am in the car.
24. At this very moment, Hailey is dressed in her bathing suit and it is a dang blizzard outside. Kids are funny! I am pretty sure I did the same thing when I was young.
25. I have a headache.

Wow, I actually thought of 25 things!

Zac got baptized

2009-01-28T10:28:00.002-08:00

I can't believe our little Zac is old enough to be baptized. Good job bud!! Can you believe Katie is old enough to have a child being baptized, I can't!!

Our Christmas trip to Utah

2009-01-28T10:28:00.001-08:00

Finally got some Christmas photos up...

2009-01-15T11:58:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas to all...

2009-01-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a great Christmas. We had a small, humble and perfect one. The kids kept saying that it was the best Christmas ever. They had so much fun the night before with pj's and slippers that Riley didn't even see the presents under the tree Christmas morning and was in complete awe when he discovered them.

Christmas Eve

2009-01-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

Being our first Christmas in Wyoming and away from family, we had to entertain ourselves!! We made chocolate chip cookies for Santa and opened our PJ's like always. I have never seen the kids so excited about pajamas!! Riley was so thrilled about his spiderman slippers he didn't realize there were more presents. It was very nice to have just the four of us for a few days.

Happy Birthday Hailey!!

2009-01-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

Hailey had a good birthday despite the fact that all her friends and family are a million miles away. She wanted build-a-bear stuff for her bear, so that is what she got. Her aunt Katie made her some pj's for her and her bear, Grandma Louie sent a "marriage" dress, we gave her an outfit and a swimsuit. She has wanted this swimsuit since we made the bear in May. So I knew if I didn't get it for her, she would never forgive me. She had lots of calls and thoughts for her birthday which brightened her day. We went to dinner at her favorite restaurant in Gillette, the China King Buffet, and then we had a heart cake (her choice). Wes, Scott and I were too full for cake, so we just gave Hailey and Riley forks and let them go at it! It was very funny and they were bouncing off the walls for quite a while after that.

Martin's Cove

2008-12-17T13:18:00.001-08:00

On the drive to and from Utah, we drive right by the Martin's Cove vistor's center. On our way back to Gillette, I stopped to take some pictures.

Devil's Gate--can you see why it would be called that?
'The Legend of Devil's Gate'

American Indian legend says a powerful evil spirit in the form of a tremendous beast with enormous tusks ravaged the Sweetwater Valley, preventing the Indians from hunting amd camping. A holy man told the tribes that the Great Spirit wanted them to destroy the beast. The Indians launched an attack from the mountain passes and ravines, shooting countless arrows into the evil monster. Enraged, the beast with a mighty upward thrust of its tusks ripped a gap in the mountain and disappeared, never to be seen again.

Pictures from Thanksgiving

2008-12-17T12:51:00.000-08:00

My dad took the kids up Hobble Creek Canyon to see the fish, but they were all gone. So they went and saw the beaver dams instead. They had a great time with grandpa Mike and I was able to run some boring errands while they did so.

Helping grandma Janice make all the pies.

Showing off his new skateboarding moves.

Season of Thanks

2008-12-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I know this is a little slow, but we just got back from our two weeks in Utah. It was really great to see everyone. We had a very good time taking turns between couch beds!! I have never really had huge things to be thankful other than the obvious reasons, friends, family, etc. But aren't those the real reasons to be thankful? I am thankful for my family and the love they show to me, I am thnkful for in-laws and their sacrifices and service in our direction, I am thankful for a new neice to be born in April (so excited), I am thankful for a husband who is willing to do whatever it takes to take care of his family, and most of all I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who is always there with outstretched arms. A Heavenly Father who is so willing to forgive and forget. On my way home to Gillette the other night, I made a really stupid choice and turned on a road that led me more northwest than I wanted. The thing is, I knew it wasn't the right road but I took it anyway. As I was traveling I kept getting panicked and a little scared. I tried to call Wes, but my phone was dead. I was ok, I had food, extra clothes if we needed for warmth, and I had plenty of gas. The whole time I was scared, I was also very calm. I just kept hearing, "turn around and go back to where you started." So, eventually I did. I think that was a very fitting situation to find myself in. Isn't that what Heavenly Father is trying to tell us? "Just turn around and go back to where you started." That is the atonement summed up in a few simple words. No matter where you are, no matter what situation you find yourself in, you can always get back to that place you need to be. Now, I don't want you all thinking I am this huge sinner, I am just thankful that if I do make a mistake against my better judgement, I can repent and be forgiven. I am also thankful for all of you for visiting my little, humble blog and being my friends. Happy Holidays!!

Why me?

2008-11-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, here is the latest drama. As you all know, I have been without tv for almost three weeks. We were supposed to have it installed early morning Tuesday, but the technician called in sick. So I called Direct TV and they scheduled me out yet another two weeks. Oh boy was I angry!! Then I remebered I could call the local office and they scheduled me for yesterday between 12-4 (we all know how that goes). The technician called me at 12:30 to let me know he was WAY behind schedule (uh-uh) and he would be here later. Well his home office called here at 2:30 to see if he had made it yet-no. Ok, please call if he is not there by 4:30. I called at 4:40, he is still behind and would be here around 6:00. Alright, that would be ok, because by then, Wes would be home to help me deal with creepy cable guy. At 6:15 said cable guy calls and reports he wouldn't be here for another hour and a half. No thanks, come in the morning! Alright, now we are on today. At 8:30 he calls, he is on his way, but has ran into a blizzard. Finally makes it here at about 9:45. I call the rental agency to find out where to put the dish. We cannot mount it any where on the house, we have to have a pole mount. ARGH!! Now the guy has to dig a three foot hole in my five foot backyard. Oh wait, he has discovered that if he digs in this one and only spot, he will run into utility lines. Ok, call the "call before you dig" number. The earliest they can be out is the 27th at 10:18 (yes, they said 10:18). Oh my gosh, I just want to watch CSI. Oh yeah, the best part, Direct TV does not offer local channels in this area. I will be out of town all next week for Thanksgiving and I may as well just stuck with the second install date they gave me. Good Grief. Hold on, more rantings you ask!? Oh yes. WE HAVE MICE!! In the six years we lived in our home in Payson, not once did I seen one. I have seen enough bloody mouse carcases in the last week to last a lifetime. Our cat Daxter has always been the wilder, hunter type and now he is having a hay-day. Why is it that cats have to play with their victims before they strike? We have gotten rid of 3 live, 1 whole but dead, 2 partial, and 3 from the traps. All in one week. I am totally disgusted and mortified. Can you say creepy-crawlies, much?

Bates or Beetlejuice?

2008-11-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, all of you wanted pics of our new surroundings. When Wes first sent me pictures of our new home, I was a little leary. My very first thoughts were "REEE REEE REEE" shower scene from "Psycho". I thought it looked just like the infamous Bates' Motel. My brother said he thought it looked just like the house from "Beetlejuice". Thanks to Jenny I got some images, thanks Jenny!!

What do you think?

Despite my worst nightmares, I actually like the house a lot. Let me tell you a little about Gillette. It is what you would call a transient town. Which means most of the people are only temporary residents. They, like us, are here for the job and when the job is done, they are gone. Well, that also means that those people are not going to buy a home just to turn around a few months later and try to sell it, so they rent. Are you with me yet? The town is basically one giant apartment building. Thus, our neighborhood. From afar, it looks like Park City with their Condos all in a row. Well, here it is one apartment or duplex after another. We were one of the very few lucky ones that got a house. And when I say lucky, I mean REALLY lucky. We got the last possible home for rent that allowed pets until the end of December. So I have yet to adjust to the atmosphere here, but for now I am content to stay at home and endure the never-ending Princess, Barbie, Diego/Dora, and Backyardigans DVDs we watch. Believe you me, I could sing or recite almost every word or song in all of the above that we own!! We are still waiting for our cable (tuesday-yeah), and I am not saying that watching tv all day is a great alternative, but when you are stuck in a two-horse town (it is way better than Evanston), it is all that we have.

Time to Potty Train?

2008-11-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it is just his genetics or if he needs to learn to use the potty. Riley is our little nudist, as was his father, hence I say genetics! If he does not have pants on over his diaper, the diaper is usually off within milliseconds. He will tell me when he is dirty, but refuses to use the toilet, or even sit on it. So, we have resorted to duct tape. He doesn't appreciate the fact that his diaper is stuck, but I don't like seeing him streak by me several times a day! Fortunately, he has only taken off a poopy diaper once and we caught him before he destroyed anything. So if you have any tips on potty training a boy (I lack the utensils, if you will), please let me know!

Riley's Photography

2008-11-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

Riley got a hold of my camera at my mom's house. So I guess this is what I got for goodbye pictures with my family!

Saying Goodbye

2008-11-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

All I have to say about this is it REALLy sucked.

I didn't get any of pictures saying goodbye to my family because, well, I was the one with camera and was bawling my eyes out!! Not too mention the nasty rain the next morning. We were all a pretty sorry sight!

Riley's not going anywhere!

Hailey didn't understand why everyone was so sad, she told Janice to not be sad, we were only going to Grandma Louie's!!
Loving on Grandpa

So sad

Happy Halloween

2008-11-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Like I said, we did Wizard of Oz this year for Halloween. Katie's kids were Tin Man (Zac), Dorothy (Whitney), and the Cowardly Lion (Evan), I had Glenda and the scarecrow. However, the scarecrow didn't want to cooperate a whole bunch. So I didn't get a good picture of the whole group together. He would stand there long enough to snap it, but would fall over so he was a big blur in the pictures. He also wouldn't wear his hat, but he still looked like the scarecrow.
The best I could do!
Evan the Lion

Trick-or-treat
Hatless Scarecrow
Pretty Glenda

We ran into Miss Julie and she had to say hi to Glenda

We love having the Granparents come trick-or-treating with us. The kids have so much fun with them there.

Riley found the make-up

2008-11-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

Riley watched as we did Hailey's make-up for her preschool party. And of course, I didn't get it put away fast enough! Doesn't he look pretty?

Hailey is Glenda the Good Witch

2008-11-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

Katie and I decided to go with Wizard of Oz for Halloween this year. And of course I couldn't talk Hailey into being the Wicked Wich. So I was stuck with Glenda. Katie found her this dress and Janice made her a poofy slip to help it be giant like Glenda's. I was up late making her this REALLY tall crown. She needed it for her preschool party the next morning. Don't look too closely, it isn't the greatest and of course it was way too big for even her giant head!! So she had it on long enough to show her teacher. But doesn't she look cute?

Little Wesley

2008-11-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

Wes came home to pack up our stuff and he always wears a bandana. Riley saw him wearing it and wanted to be like dad. So, here ya go-he thought it was s'awesome!

Hello From Gillette

2008-11-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it! Wes brought most of our necessities up last week and the kids and I came up on Sunday. We had to stay for Halloween. Saying good-bye completely sucked and I miss everyone horribly. But this is a huge blessing for us in a lot of ways, so I can't complain too much. We finally got our phone and internet hooked up yesterday, so I am back to blogging-yeah! Believe me, you might get sick of me here in the next couple of weeks because that is how long we have to wait for our tv/satellite hook-up. So as you can imagine, I am bored out of my mind. Yes, we do have movies and video games, but there is only so much Diego and Disney princess a person can take-ya know!? I am excited to start putting up pictures too. But that might have to wait, I am still trying to unpack. Which might take me awhile any way, cause I am still so tired from packing it all up that I REALLY don't want anything to do with any more boxes for awhile.

2008-10-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

Yes Maren, it is the best as man can get! And I think the population will actually be like 36!! Haha!! Actually Gillette is way bigger than Payson (not saying much), and a lot bigger than Evanston, where he was working. There's actually a Denny's there! Wahoo-it's cheesecake time (Jenny wink, wink)

Bad news...or is it?

2008-10-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Ok remember when I told you that Wes would be in Gillette for only three months? Well, it turns out that he will be there a little longer-4 years!! So, I am moving up to Gillette, Wy in the next couple of weeks. I am very scared and a little bit excited too. I hate to think about all the people I am leaving behind, but I really have no choice if I want to see my husband again!! So if any of you know anyone that is looking for a house to rent, send them my way. I am trying to be out of here by the first of November. Pretty fast I know, but I want to get up there before the really nasty snow comes, and it is already laying down a pretty good chunk. Atleast I will still be able to keep in touch with you all through this lovely blog. Eventually I will start putting pictures up too!

2008-10-08T19:54:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I am FINALLY back online. I had to just have Braden arrange my desktop to be upstairs instead of in the dungeon we call basement! I feel alive again to have a computer!! I am still busy as ever, so I might not blog a whole lot right now, but atleast I have the option. I still log on to check everyone's blog once in a while, that is always fun. As Riley says, MUH-MEW (love you)!

2008-09-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ok so, the power cord was not the problem :( I got it a few days ago and was so excited to use the computer and it still won't turn on. So here I am again at my mom's. New update: Wes will be finishing up the Upton job today and will be remaining up there in Gillette for about the next three months. He got a great raise to stay, so we will deal. Basically a in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time situation. We are trying to live by faith and the Lord has truly blessed us this last year. So, whatever He has in store for us with this new job opportunity, we will gladly accept. Eventually I will have a computer of my own, this is getting really annoying!!!

A little update

2008-09-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ok let me fill you in on what we have been up to. I am borrowing my mom's computer again, but Wes ordered a power cord on Monday, so soon i will be back to normal. I feel so lost without my laptop attached to me!! Wes was in Evanston until last Friday. He was laid off (no worries) for 5 days. He is now in Upton, WY. Picture if you will a rectangle (Wyoming), Evanston is in the southwest corner and Upton is in the northeast corner. It is about a nine hour drive from Evanston that he made this morning. He will be there for four or five days and then he will probably be in Gillette, WY, which is about 45 miles west of Upton. So, we probably won't be visiting him on the weekends :( . I have been keeping busy with starting and not finishing a lot of projects!! But the thing I have been working on the most is a huge jewelry surprise. When I get my computer up and running, I will let you all in on the secret!! I am really excited about it and can't wait to share. PS Maren I am glad to hear that you were not in Hurricane territory, I was worried, and with no computer-yikes!!!

2008-09-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I am sorry that I have been absent for a while. Life has been busy, oh, and my computer is dead. I am borrowing my mom's to write this. It is kinda hard to look on the internet for a new cord when you can't use your computer!! So I will try to get back to this as soon as I can!! Love you guys

Quirks Meme

2008-08-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Ok Julie this is for you:

1. I enjoy mowing the lawn-it's my meditation/me time.
2. I have a fear of birds-they are quite scary when they are loose in your house!
3. My favorite color has been purple since I was born-don't see it changing anytime soon.
4. I have only been in 8 states (most of them with your family!)
5. I have never had a broken bone or stitches-other than surgery(knock on wood).
6. I am so boring, I put myselfto sleep with this tag!!!

Boys are still boys...

2008-08-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Ok I know this is a little crude and I hope it doesn't offend anyone-if it does, I am sorry. But you have to admit this is kind of funny! This is what Riley spelled on his word whammer:

Happy 30th Wes

2008-08-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

For Wes' 30th birthday, he and I took a bike ride down to St. George. It was a very LONG and painful ride for me since the longest I have ridden before that was to Orem!! It took us about six hours to get there with all the breaks I needed, not to mention the rain storm we encountered in Fillmore. We pulled over there and waited that out for about 45 minutes. We ran into some more rain down by Parowan and rode through it. It was cold, and I'll tell you what, those nice little rain drops are not so nice when you are going through them at 75 mph! Anyway we finally made it and thank goodness for spa tubs! Our purpose in going all that way was this trailer. We found it online and it was a steal. Our intention was for Wes to take it to Kansas and live in it, now he will live in it in Evanston. Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Trip to Evanston

2008-08-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

A few days after Wes got laid off the first round from Wyoming, we went back up. It was a spur of the moment trip and we weren't planning on staying, so we were not prepared. A quick stop at Walmart and the clearance rack covered us for the next day. Wes took us out to Fort Bridger and the wind farm he had been working on. It was very overwhelming. Those things are HUGE. You have no idea how big they are until you are underneath one. We also stopped by the state park in Evanston and checked out the large buffalo, "Spike" and the giant eight-point elk. The kids' favorite part was staying in the motel. We came home through the Uintas, Mirror Lake Highway and out through Kamas. I had no idea these places existed, I have taken Utah for granted! We stopped at Mirror Lake for a few minutes to stretch and let the kids run around for a minute. There were a lot of people there, so we didn't stay long. We also stopped at the Upper Provo River Falls. Didn't know they existed either-but I am glad I know now. They were beautiful.

Some entertainment is all you need for a quiet ride!
"Spike" the buffalo, all you see is his head

MonstrousEight-point elk
Fort Bridger Wind Farm
320 ft tall each blade is 150 ft across
Nuh-night

Mirror Lake

Upper Provo River Falls

She kept slipping, so her behind is dirty

Family Reunion July 11-12

2008-08-10T21:07:00.001-07:00

This was for my mom's side of the family-the Garrett's. Friday the 11th, we spent a while at Seven Peaks getting sunburned and waterlogged. It was a lot of fun and Hailey and Riley really enjoyed all the cousins and new kids to play with. I didn't get a whole lot of pictures while we were there-it is kind of hard to do when you are surrounded by water! We spent most of our time in the wave pool, it is easy to watch kids on the "shore", and it's not too deep. On Saturday, we went up the canyon for games and crafts for the kids-hence the neat hats!! It was a lot of fun there too. As the kids played games, they earned "Garrett Bucks" and got to spend them at the store they had set up. There were a ton of things for them to buy, and they REALLY liked that part. Hailey keeps asking when we can go back to that store! What a crazy, fun gang of people.

Jumping over waves

He bought suckers and gummy bears with his bucks!

Always something in his face

Waassssuuuppp!!!

My cousin's little girl (right) is six weeks younger than Riley. BIG BOY!!

Getting a pretty flower painted.

First Lily of the Season

2008-08-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

About July 9th-now a month later they are gone :(

Let July begin...and end!!

2008-08-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

Ok here goes some more catching up. I am going to make these next few entries as short as possible since the month has been gone for awhile. Of course we start with July 4th...
Katie had us all over to her house for food and fireworks. Jared also had a whole bunch of water balloons for the kids. Too bad the wind wasn't working well with the fireworks...hmmm.

Halelujah!!!!

2008-08-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

Good News everyone-Wes is NOT going to Kansas. He was hired on permanently with the company he has been apprenticing with. He will now remain in Evanston. He will be close enough to still visit and he will have weekends off. Yeah :)

Fire: Awesome & Frightening

2008-08-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

Before I blog our July let me tell you how our August began. There are two kinds of fire: the first obviously is the kind that keeps you warm on a cold winters day. Or the kind that you roast marshmallows or hot dogs in while you are camping. The giver of heat and light, in a way life. The second is the opposite of the first. It is the taker of life. The kind that only has death and destruction on its mind and will stop for nobody, if it has its way. The kind that is mean and nasty. Now keep in mind that the first can quickly become the second if you are not careful. Last night we were very close to meeting the second. Accidentally a fire was started on the mountains behind our house. It started around three yesterday afternoon and is still going in some areas. As is human nature, we watched. We had ring-side seats from our backyard and for awhile we were just voyeurs, but then it became personal. The water helicopters and the fire-retardant dropping plane kept it in line for a little while, but it soon got dark and the wind kept changing direction. As soon as they were gone, all hell broke loose (excuse the language). The back fire the fighters had started, was now part of the problem instead of the solution. Police and other rescue people were evacuating our neighborhood. Of course that is when the panic sets in. What do you grab when you only have ten minutes to get out? How do you decide what is more important than anything else? As the neighborhood south of us quickly became a ghost town, we waited. By this point it was about 11:00 at night and we were exhausted and scared. Then the neighborhood to the east of us was gone too. We waited some more. The wind had shifted too again and it was heading North toward "P" mountain. At around one o'clock a.m., we finally got word that we were safe, and were not going to have to leave. YEAH!! Relief was never more welcome. We were one out of 20ish houses that got to stay home. Let me put it this way, our whole ward was gone except for 6 families. So next time you are mesmerized by fire, remember how evil and personal it can get if you are not nice to it.

Just after it started

Dropping fire retardant

Getting bigger

The wind is starting to shift

A view from Main Street

From my back porch/not zoomed

Panic is setting in...

Saturday, huge water helicopter refilling in reservoir by our house

We estimate this puppy could hold 22 passengers or so, not bad for a chopper!!

This is video of the huge chopper refilling its tank-very cool!!

I have been 3's tagged by Ashley

2008-07-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

3 Joys:
Bed time!! (ok,I like my kids when they are awake too!)
Reading Smut (don't judge me :) )
Creating anything (it's jewelry for the moment)

3 Fears:
Growing up (notice I did not say old)
Public restrooms
Deep water (I don't like not knowing what/who is under me)

3 Goals:
Getting out of debt
Being happy (being successful is the same to me)
Selling my jewelry to the public

3 Obsessions:
Today-blogging
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Squishing my kids' cheeks

3 Random Facts:
I have no spleen or gal bladder
I love any crime scene shows
I have never been to a concert-nope, never

I tag Lesley, Sara and Julie

Memory Lane

2008-07-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am seeing these on everyones blogs so I am joining in!
Here are the rules (as if you don't know them by now):

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.

Some of the stuff I have read on other blogs has been pretty hilarious, so I can't wait to hear what you have to say about me.

Petting Zoo at Thanksgiving Point

2008-07-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite roommates and people, Maren, called me up and invited us to go with them to the petting zoo. I was so excited to see her and her husband, Jake, and finally meet their adorable daughter, Tessa. I have not seen them since their wedding reception and now they live in Texas, so we keep in touch through our blogs. There were lots of goats and sheep and horses to check out. Hailey was all gung-ho on riding the pony, and looking at the animals-she even let a cow eat right out of her hand. Riley was more interesting in what people were eating for lunch and how to get some. When it came time for the pony, he was freaking out. But it was a good day and I am so glad we went and got to hang out with the McBride family. Love you guys!! The only thing that would've made this day better would have been having another favorite person and roomie, Ashley, and her family there. I haven't seen her since Maren and Jake's reception too.

Hailey's Future?

Trying to escsape-that is where they belong!

Checking out all the different bunnies

Riley, trying his hardest to be brave

Hailey's a natural cowgirl

Round 'em up

My friend Maren

Our Camping Trip

2008-07-24T15:09:00.001-07:00

Oops, I did it again...

2008-07-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, you may call me moron, idiot, sucker...whatever you think fits-But we got another cat. Remember the carnival we went to in Springville? Well, I guess you can call him our little carnival prize! We named him Lenny-think Of Mice And Men if you will. Riley lugs him around like he is going to love him to death, therefore Lenny. He was only 4-5 weeks old when we got him, so he was still very small and young. We actually had to bottle feed him water and milk because he didn't understand the act of lapping it up. It was kind of fun to watch him grow out of awkward infanthood into a little child. I'll admit, as much as three cats is a handful,we still love having them. Titus and Daxter, however, may not feel the same!!

Maybe I'll finally get caught up...

2008-07-23T20:43:00.001-07:00

Ok so here is the deal-basically our lives have been flipped upside down in the last month. Don't worry, it's all been for the better. Wes has been up in Wyoming working for the last month, and I have become single parent super mom. He quit the hospital so he didn't become entirely crazy! Now he works for the Utah Iron Workers Union, and loves every second of it. The only downside is for the first year, you go where they need you to go-no questions asked. So he may be going to Kansas next month. We are actually hoping that that is the case. It will be a steady 4-6 month job. But it will also mean an increased steady income. But that also means that he will be in Kansas :( So I have been keeping busy with lots of overdue projects and trying to keep the kids entertained for cheap (we watch a lot of movies). So now that things have slowed down for a minute, I will try to get this all caught up. Are ya happy now!!!!! J/K

2008-07-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Alright, I have a whole bunch of blogging to update, but you will all just have to wait. Life has been crazy busy the last couple weeks and I just have not had time. So be patient, things are starting to calm down and I may get to it next week!! Love ya'll :)

The Great Outdoors

2008-06-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

Hailey has a really good habit of leaving the front door open. Titus is always trying to escape, Daxter always follows reluctantly. Anyway, as you can see, they made their escape without being caught. So, because they worked so hard to make a break for it we let them play. We were already outside anyway. They ran slightly amok in the front yard through out the bushes discovering new bug life and eating new exotic plants. Our Day Lilies must be good eatin', check out Titus (black) smacking his lips.

Art City Days Carnival

2008-06-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

My dad called and invited us all to the carnival in Springville since Wes was still gone, I took the kids over.

Hailey was dying to go on the Dragon, so she and Zac did this one first. I was more nervous than she was, this being her first real ride! She was laughing the whole time. We could hear her giggle every time they came by.

After the dragon, we put the kids on the choo-choo train...

...see how impressed Riley was!

The merry-go-round was next. Riley was almost impressed with that. He would giggle a little bit when he saw Grandma and Grandpa waving at him when we would pass.

Hailey's still having a ball.

Hailey went off the big slide/fun house thing twice.

WHEEEEE!!

Is he having fun yet? NOPE

She's still having fun

Last but not least, a temporary tattoo. We couldn't find the face painting booth, so this was the next best thing. She was so excited to show her daddy.

What little girl doesn't need a butterfly on her arm? HEHE! Proud moment for me :)

WE DID IT!! We finally got a smile out of Riley and all it took was a giant bag of popcorn. DUH mom!

Lazy Days of almost Summer

2008-06-17T12:22:00.001-07:00

So after about three weeks of cold, windy, rainy May weather (in June), it decided to get warmer for us. I was able to finally blow up this ENORMOUS pool that I bought last summer!! Wes was gone to St. George for the weekend with my brother Scott, so we were left to our own devices. Hailey and Riley had an absolute blast playing in the water. Even though the pool wasn't that neat, they loved it anyway. Riley will be our super swimmer, he has no concerns about it and just dives right in. Hailey is a little hesitant, but she gets there. After about an hour or so, they were done. What fun it is to be a child.

Yes, that is a giant booger hanging out his nose! Mmmm...

The next America's Next Top Model!! Such a poser

The Grotto with daddy

2008-06-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

Wes took the kids up Payson Canyon to give me some alone time. The road had been cleared so he went to the Grotto. It is a little bit of a hike to the waterfall but the kids did just fine. They had a really great time outside with him. And they brought me homesomelovely flowers. As for my me time, I did absolutley nothing. Just killed several hundred brain cells playing Super Paper Mario on the Wii. Rock On!! Thanks Braden for letting us borrow the Wii.

P.S. Sorry about all the pics. Wes has quite the "trigger finger" and I had to narrow it down from about seventy photos! :)

Wheeler Ride 2008 Salt Lake City - Kamas Utah

2008-06-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

The Motorcycles were stacked 4-6 deep all along the campground like this...

There were around 450 motorcycles lining the entire campground and all the way along the roadside above the campground, many of the bikes were carrying double passengers. The sounds down the canyon as they rolled along was that of constant rolling and rumbling thunder echoing off the canyon walls of Kamas Utah. The CAT - Wheeler company put this ride on as a charity event donating matching donations of all the riders to charity with a minimum fee of $10.00 per rider. The ride ended up taking Wes over 280 miles of beautiful land and bringing a smile from ear to ear the whole way, with the occasional interruption from the bug smashing into his head. The canyon was a beautiful ride filled with winding sweeping corners, beautiful rivers, snow covered hills filled with the last chance snowmobilers flying around as the riders rolled down the road, all in all it was enough to make him as happy as a child surrounded by candy and presents on a Christmas morning. This was his first ride with so many riders. He thought it was going to be a small group but as he pulled into the parking lot of the CAT Wheeler Company, he saw two parking lots full of motorcycles and their riders rocking hard to classic rock and socializing in the classic black leather and steel apparel. The ride was a memorable beginning to what looks like a life long obsession he is looking forward to (and possibly me)! May 31, 2008

Time for a ride

2008-06-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

Now that the bike is all shiny and clean, it is time for a ride. Hailey LOVES to ride with daddy, Riley not as much. Hailey is our little thrill seeking child and Riley is the scaredy cat. He likes to ride, it just scares him a little. I guess that is what you expect with a walking wound!! Hailey even loved to put the goggles and helmet on. When they were on their way back down our street, HAILEY WAS DRIVING (holding down the gas and steering all by herself), and giggling the whole time. She really likes it when daddy goes fast-to her 35mph is super fast!

Daddy's helpers

2008-06-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

The kids were so excited to help Wes wash his bike. Hailey did a pretty good job scrubbing, but Riley just took the rags from one bucket to the next and got everything wet doing so.

2008-06-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry this post has taken a few days, we have been pouting. Wes did not get the job we were hoping for. But like I said, sometimes the answers to our prayers are not what we want to hear. The Lord definitely works in mysterious ways. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers on our behalf. We will keep trying.

My Dear Wesley

2008-06-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, I just wanted to send a "shout out" to the love of my life. Wes has been working so much lately just to make ends meet and we don't see him a whole lot. We have made a lot of changes this last year and are determined to do whatever it takes to get out of debt and plan a greater future. He interviewed for a new job this morning and he feels he did really well. Please wish us luck, this job would be life changing for us. We have been abundantly blessed by our Heavenly Father this year, we know that he hears our prayers (sometimes beggings!) and answers them. Sometimes the answers were not what we wanted to hear, but He knows what we need better than we do. We will find out tomorrow what the verdict is on his job, we will let you know. I love you Wesley-you are my sunshine!

It's a "wounderful" world!

2008-06-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

While we were at Braden's graduation, Uncle Scottie kept Riley occupied outside. One of the times he came back looking like this. Riley was bawling and Scott's shirt was covered in blood. Once we oohed and ahhed over Riley's owie, he was off again with daddy trying to kill himself climbing on everything else in sight. I think Scott is going to wait a little while before having any kids of his own!! All was well until we were leaving to go out to dinner. Then it was Hailey's turn.

Hailey was climbing on all the chairs on the row behind us while we were watching Braden open his plaque. Next thing we know she was screaming her head off, saying how her ear really hurt. I looked at it and it was red, but I didn't see anything else. When we went out to take pictures she was still crying about how much it hurt so I looked behind all her hair and she had a pretty big gash. Then we realized what the fuss was all about. When she fell, she hit the chair leg and cut her ear. She was so upset and of course they never want their parents when other people are around, so Uncle Scottie to the rescue again.

So needless to say, we have enough wounds to last us a few days. Riley is a chip off the old block and usually has a new bump or bruise every other day. As soon as one wound heals, another one takes its place. Watch out Emergency Room, here we come!