CRAZINESS AND ALL

Achievement Day Activity with Family

2011-11-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

The Achievement Day girls had an activity at one of their leader's home and their families were invited to attend. It was so much fun and the kids had a blast on the pond. Each girl who wanted to, showed a talent and then we had a potluck dinner and visited. Lots of fun!

Swimming Lessons

2011-11-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am alittle behind with my blog. These are pictures from this summer of fun. The kids loved their lessons, well 2 of them did. The other said, NO MORE!! But loved every second of it. Can you guess who? Okay, I will tell you, Nolan. They are such fun kids.

Camping trip to.....

2011-11-09T17:58:00.001-08:00

The after math of the camping trip. Everything was wet and muddy.

I love this picture of the flowers and the stump. It is one of my favorite pictures.

Love these 3!

Brings back a lot of memories from another place I would go to in Arizona.

This was one of the worst camping trips ever. It rained or should I say DOWN POURED for hours. We were all so wet, muddy and cold that I finally packed everything up and we came home. When we got home the weather was beautiful and the tents dried quickly. I have not plans on going any time soon.

New York Part 4

2011-11-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

I did not notice this until Paeton pointed it out last night, but the Church is shaped like a cross. The Church was beautiful in person and the pictures do not do it justice. Paeton also made the comment that she wished our Church bldgs were like this, but I told her that our Temples are beautiful like this Church Bldg.

This is my FAVORITE picture of Central Park. This place is amazing and I wish I could go back.

9 year old Pictures

2011-08-02T16:31:00.001-07:00

I love how the pictures turned out. These are just a few of them. It was hard to pick which ones to share. They are all great pictures. Thanks Kristina!

New York Part 3

2011-08-02T14:13:00.001-07:00

New York Part 2

2011-08-02T13:35:00.001-07:00

Need Motivation

2011-08-02T13:30:00.001-07:00

Is it bad that I have no motivation to do anything? I am still working out and watching what I eat as I stick it in my mouth. I have not gained nor lost any weight, but I am not happy with where I am at physically. I need the motivation again.

So I decided that I am going to start my P90X workout from day one and follow the eating program I had start before all my trips. My reward for this goal in 90 days is to have pictures taken. I have not had a picture of myself professionally taken since this picture was taken 23 years ago. I think it is time and a great motivator. I decided that if I start tomorrow that in 90 days it would be October 26th. I am calling today to schedule the photo shoot.

Here is to MOTIVATION! I can't wait and I am super excited and scared, but I will reach my goal.

New York, I LOVE YOU!

2011-07-30T12:48:00.001-07:00

Alaska Part 4

2011-07-30T12:31:00.001-07:00

Alaska Part 3

2011-07-30T11:58:00.001-07:00

There was a mine up in the mountain. It was probably up 1000 feet and I zoomed in with my camera to get this picture. It was cool because you could see the cables run from it still.

We walked up on top to see the mine opening. The kids had fun running ahead and then would come back and tell Jennifer (my sister-n-law) and me what they saw and how cool it was to see the mine.

The Three Amigo's. They were stuck to each other like glue. Poor Paeton was odd man (girl) out all the time, but she had fun with the boys most of the time.

Here she is. Every time she would catch up with the boys they would take off running. I could never get a picture of all four of them together, except for in front of the red railing.

We had such a wonderful time. We left on a Wednesday morning, bright and early to catch our first flight. We had to catch a flight in SLC and go straight to Anchorage. It was only the 2nd time the kids had ever been on a plane together. We had a great time playing the games and watching the free movies on our little screens in the headrest of the seat in front of us.

We got to Alaska at 1:00pm and my brother Jimmy picked us up from the Airport. We ran a few errands with him, since technically he was still at work. We finally made it to his house at 4 or 5:oopm (can't remember). His wife Jennifer and his son Bailey were there waiting for us. We got settled in for the evening and just hung out.

On Thursday, while Jimmy was at work, Jennifer and I took the kids up to Hatcher's Pass to check out the mine. It was cloudy and I was wishing the clouds would go away so I could get some scenery pictures, but they stayed until we left. The kids had a blast running around and exploring.

On Friday, the boys stayed with Jennifer and Bailey while Paeton and I went to visit a friend of mine from High School. The boys went to Bouncing Bear (a inflatable slide, jump house place) and had a blast there. Paeton and I had a great visit with Kim and her two girls. We went to the little Farmer's Market and back to her house for a little bit. It was fun catching up with her.

On Saturday, we went to Anchorage with Jimmy and his family to see Cars 2 in 3D. Great movie!! Afterwards, we went to The Wildberry ??? (I can't remember the whole name), we got to see the largest milk chocolate fountain in the world. It was cool to see and I bought each of the kids a gift from there. We went to the Roadrunner for lunch! YUMMY!! It has been so long since I have been there and did not realize it was still open. They deal with cash only and they are quick getting your food to you. We got home and I got ready for the dinner for my 25th High School Reunion. I was NERVOUS to go to it. But Kim and another friend Christy were both there when I got there and I was so happy to see them. I got to see a few other great friends from High School and had a fun night catching up. When the party got going I went home, good thing I did. I heard afterwards it got crazy, lol. It was fun seeing the reaction of people and not remembering who I was. I look NOTHING like I did in High School.

On Sunday, the kids and I went to Sacrament Meeting with Dan Steiner and his family. It was a great meeting and fun to see them. Afterwards, we went to the family picnic for the Reunion at the park in town and had a lot of fun seeing those that did not come to the dinner. The kids got to see a picture of me in the year book and did not believe it was me, lol. I need to get a copy of the picture so I can post it on here and see what every one thinks. We went back to Jimmy's and later that night we went to Dan's to visit his family for a little bit. The kids had a wonderful time playing with their cousins and want to write letters to them. Which reminds me, I need to have them write.

On Monday, Jennifer and I took the kids to Bouncing Bear and afterwards got an ice cream cone from Jimmy's favorite place. It was very YUMMY!!! We went home and hung out the rest of the day and packed and got things ready to go.

On Tuesday, Jimmy took us to the airport and we flew back home. We left Alaska at 1:oopm and got home at 12:00am. It was a long day, but the kids did great and we really had a WONDERFUL time. It has been a month and they are still talking about it.

Thanks Jimmy and Jennifer for letting us stay with you. We love you!!

Alaska Part 2

2011-07-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

We went on a hike at Hatcher's Pass and went to the old mine that is there. It was cool and I took lots of pictures of it. I will post more soon.

Alaska

2011-07-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

The kids and I had a blast up in Alaska visiting my brother and brother-n-laws family. They had fun play with cousins and just hanging out with them. It was a wonderful week.

Before

2011-04-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

I took these pictures in February as my before pictures. I am trying to get into better shape before I head up to my 25th High School Reunion in June. I will be taking in the middle pictures soon and then I will take my after pictures. I hope there is a difference.

Surprise!

2011-04-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

On one of the Monday's that the kids got out early, I surprised them and picked them up from school and took them sledding. We had so much fun and the nice thing is we were the only ones on the hill. It was so cold, but we bundled up and stayed for about an hour. Afterwards, we came home and had Hot Cocoa and cookies.

Halloween

2011-04-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Paeton decided for Halloween that she want to be a "Haunted Pop Star". I think we pulled it off pretty good. People could not believe how much hair she had. We made a half mohawk and teased the tar out of it. It was a mess trying to get a brush or comb through it after trick-o-treaty.

Tie-Dye Fun

2011-04-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

I was brave enough to give this a try with the kids. We had a lot of fun making the shirts and trying to guess how they might turn out.

San Francisco

2011-02-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

I was able to go to San Francisco in October. It was a lot of fun. Saw the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, the Oakland Temple, go across the Bay Bridge and many more wonderful things there. I love San Francisco!

First Day of School

2011-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Now that School is half over, I am finally getting around to posting pictures of the first day back since summer is over. They were excited to see all their school friends and their new teacher. This school year has been a good one so far. I went to Parent/Teacher Conference last week and got some wonderful compliments about the kids. They are such good helpers and have learned so much this year. They love to help the other students in their class (Leland), will do anything to help their teacher (Nolan) and are social butterflies and friends with everyone (Paeton).

I love them dearly!

Flag Football

2011-02-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

The boys had so much fun playing Football. The weather was a little less to desire at most of the games, but that is what football is all about, right?!

We are gearing up for Baseball this spring and the boys will be playing kid pitch this time around. Should be interesting to watch.

Ants, Ants and more Ants!

2011-02-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

There were so many ants in this pile, they were layer on top of layer of ants. It was fun watching them, but we had to get rid of them because they were near the house and I did not want ants in the house after the bee episode.

Butterfly

2011-02-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

Found this beautiful Butterfly out in the Garden among my flowers. It had died, but was in pefect conditions. We had to take a picture. I am looking forward to the Butterflies we find this Summer.

Huckleberry Picking

2011-02-07T11:43:00.000-08:00

Thought we would try our luck at Huckleberry picking. It is a time consuming adventure. We ended up with 1 1/2 quarts after 4 hours of picking. Not a lot and I have yet to use them. The kids had fun playing in the mud and rocks. It was a fun day!

Curlers

2011-02-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

This is why we don't do curlers in Paeton's hair. Her hair is straight as a board, but when we put curlers in, it goes beyond curly. I can't even run my fingers, much less a brush, pick or comb through it. It is funny!

Yellow Stone National Park

2011-02-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

Took a Saturday and went to Yellow Stone with Grandpa and Grandma Steiner. It was the first time the kids had been and it was fun. We saw a lot of animals, but being in the car made it hard to get pictures. It was such a beautiful day. We packed snacks and lunches for everyone. We watched Ole Faithful and afterward had lunch in a picnic area near by. The kids thought it was the coolest day ever! I would have to agree.

Cub Scouts

2011-02-07T11:20:00.001-08:00

Over the Summer the boys earned their Wolf in Cub Scouts. Yes, I am a little behind in posting. The boys were so excited to receive their awards. Just this last month they earned a Gold and Silver Arrow. I still have to sew the Arrows on their shirts and in two weeks they will be Bears. Time is going by too fast!

A Lot Going On

2011-01-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well, A semester down and another one started. It will be great if I can remember what I study, lol! Things have been crazy around here with Thansgiving, Christmas and New Years, but glad to be back in routine again.

I hope to get caught up on the family blog soon, but I have started another blog with recipes www.rolyndiasmenu.blogspot.com. I love recipes and trying new things so the recipe blog is right up my alley. Hopefully I can post recipes on a regular basis and if you have any you would like to share feel free to send and I will post once I try them out.

Here is to a New Year and a wonderful start it has been!

School

2010-09-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

So I am still not sure if I want to share this with everyone, but decided why not since it is a good thing.

A few months ago I was talking to a friend and she mentioned she was going back to school. I was so excited for her and my kids were also. We talked for a few more minutes and afterwards the kids and I came home. I got them ready for bed and one by one tucked them into their beds for the night. And one by one they asked me why don't I go back to school. I have thought about it over the last few years and felt it was not the right time for me, especially having 3 little ones at home. Now don't get me wrong, I know there are a lot of mom's who go back to school that have 3 little ones at home or kids in school themselves, but we all know when the time is right for each of us.

So I got up the nerve and applied to go to BYU-I for the Fall 2010 Semester as a part-time student. But wouldn't you know it, I was turned away until the Winter Semester because this is the largest semester of students in the history of the school and the school did not accept part-time students. I was told I could take an online class or a night class. So I opted for the online class. I am taking a Book of Mormon class and I know it has only been a week since the class started, but I LOVE IT!!!

I pray daily for inspiration while studying the scriptures and the assignments. I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who listens to prayers and is willing to help me with my class and to understand the scriptures as I read them. I am amazed at the difference this time in reading and studying the scriptures. It almost feels like I am reading them for the first time and it is not by any means.

I am grateful for my friend who has decided to go back to school and through her joy of going back rubbed off onto my kids to encourage me to go back also. I have a ways to go before I get my degree, but one class at a time and one day I will reach this goal too! I love you my dear friend and THANK YOU!!

Zoo Time

2010-08-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

When Jenn and her family come up we try to take them to the Zoo. It is nothing grand as for as a Zoo goes, but it is better than the one in Vegas. We had fun that day. After the Zoo we went to the park next to it and played and than sadly had to tell them goodbye. They headed back to Vegas that afternoon. It was great having them come visit, but it is always SAD when they leave.

Sugar Cookies

2010-08-16T08:39:00.001-07:00

We had fun making sugar cookies with our friends from Vegas. Leland and Paeton decided to get into the action of a flour fight. I would say Leland won! The cookies turned out great.

100,000

2010-08-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Bees!!! 100,000 of them! It happened on a Tuesday afternoon. My friend Jenn and her 3 kids were up visiting from Vegas. The kids were outside playing and having fun. We had just finished lunch and cleaned up. Jenn went outside and I was on my way when all the kids and Jenn came RUNNING, SCREAMING and CRYING into the house. I asked what was wrong and she said that our house was being swarmed by bees. I laughed and thought well it probably is not a big deal and was just a few bees flying by. So Kasey and I went outside and looked up at the roof and say the biggest black cloud over the house. It was ALL BEES!!!! I ran next door to get a phonebook and started making calls. I got ahold of a Bee man and he came that day and said that he would get them out for us.

When he first took a look he thought there was about 30,000 bees. Which is a lot. Well he came back the next day and said "I think there is about 60,000.". Okay, Well as long as you get them all I will be happy. By the last day he said that there were 100,000 and that it was a good thing I called him when I did because there were 2 hives that converged into our Chimney and that there were SEVERAL virgin queens along with the two main queens. GREAT!! Well he got them all out and fixed the chimney.

He was really nice and let the boys put on his bee suit and go up on the roof with him to check out all the bees. The boys that it was GREAT!!

Glad the bees are all gone!

4th of July

2010-08-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

The 4th was so cold this year. I think the high was only 65. We were bundled up and waited for the Parade to start. It was fun in some spots, but the overall judegment of the Parade was lame. We were really disappointed. The Parade had only been going for about 30 minutes when the kids asked to leave and go home. The best part was when the Veterns brought the Flag down the road. I cry every year. It makes be Proud to be an American.

Afterwards we came home and cooked hamburgers and ate outside on the deck. I made the Top Hat cake and it was really yummy!

Overall it was a great day to spend with family and friends.

Our Garden

2010-08-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

This was when everything first started growing. I need to take a updated picture. The Sunflowers are huge and beautiful like the rest of the garden. We have many things out there like herbs, potatoes, zuchini's, tomatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, squash, pumkins, soy beans, cabbage, brussel sprouts, beets, 3 different kinds of onions, corn, flowers and a few more things. It looks beautiful and it has been fun to watch everything grow.

S'More Please

2010-08-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

One night for Family Home Evening the kids and I decided to cook some S'mores. It was fun, messy and YUMMY! The only part that was missing was the smell of Campfire and the great outdoors.

Peach Jam

2010-08-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

I made Peach Jam for the first time about a month ago and have enjoyed eating it. It was my first try at making it and I was surprised how easy it is to make. I got a case of Peaches from www.bountifulbaskets.org and went to town making jam. I love it!

Jr Fire Fighter Camp

2010-07-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

The boys were able to particapte in a Jr Fire Fighter Camp and had a BLAST! They were able to play in fire foam and search for tools, climb a ladder, spray a fire hose, visit the Fire Station and ride in a Fire Truck and a lot of other things. They had a Obstacle Course Race at the end of the 4 days and it was fun to watch them in their little fire fighter outfits. The only bad thing is that the lady who was taking pictures did NOT get one of Nolan. BUMMER!!!

Fishing

2010-07-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

We once again took advantage of the Free Fishing day at the Ashton Fish Hatchery. The boys had a great time. Paeton did not go with us this time. She stayed the night at a cousins house and did not want to wake up early to go, LOL! It was a lot of fun and the boys were happy with the fish they caught.

Pine Wood Derby

2010-07-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Elder's Qurom had a PineWood Derby and there was only one rule. That rule was not fire allowed. My Father-n-law cut the car out for me and I did the rest. Not to brag, but I WON!! I beat EVERYONE!!!

It was a lot of fun!

Nature Park Day 2

2010-06-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at the Park that the next day we decided to go back and ride for a little while and than go on the skater park again. Well it last for about 20 minutes when Paeton crashed. She went up a skateboard on wall and her bike slipped out from under her and she faced planted and slid down. She got up and her mouth was bleeding and I thought for sure she broke or popped out her 2 front teeth. But after looking at her mouth, her lip was bleeding from her two front teeth cutting it and she had some serious scraps on her elbows and on knee. She took it pretty good and only cried for a little but was embarrassed because there were two boys there that saw what happened and they kept riding by to make sure Paeton was okay. So she went to the car for about 3 minutes and came back and got right back on her bike and rode.

Nature Park

2010-06-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

One day while the sky was gray with thick marshmellow like clouds and a little sprinkling of rain we decided to go the Nature Park with my friend Ms. Terrie to go on a bike ride. We had so much fun riding around the park and there was NO one there to worry about running over. There is a skaters park and so the kids kept asking to ride their bikes on it and they did awesome. They tried several things and we were there for about and hour and that does not include the time we spent riding around the park.

One Foot

2010-06-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

Paeton had been asking for months to get her haircut, but I kept telling her that she had to wait for her Ballet Recital to be over so that I could put her hair up in a bun for it. So the next day she went next door and Erin cut 1 foot off. Paeton looks so cute with her new haircut and loves it. She is growing it back out over the summer for Ballet and next year at this time she will probably get it cut off again, LOL!

Ballet Recital

2010-06-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Paeton's Ballet Recital was based off the Ballet of Snow White. It comes from Spain, which is rare for a Ballet to come from. It was beautiful even though my pictures are a little on the blury side. Every time I went to take a picture one of the boys would hit my arm to ask me a question. Paeton looked beautiful and did a wonderful job along with all the other girls. She is looking forward to the break over the Summer but excited for the Fall when it starts up again.

My Birthday

2010-06-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

My birthday was fun. I made my own cake, which by the way was to DIE for! It turned out so YUMMY!!! I even picked out my own birthday gift. We had friends over for lunch and for all the kids to play together for a while. I made yummy hamburgers and ate like a Queen.

Feeding Calves

2010-06-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave who live a few houses down have baby calves who need to be feed each night. So we took the kids to help one night and the kids were in heaven. They had so much feeding them that we have gone several times to help. We need to go again soon so the kids can see how big the calves have gotten lately. Of course, I was the only one walking through the poop and straw in sandals, LOL!! Nothing a little soap and water won't clean off.

Art

2010-06-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Paintings the kids made at school for art. I love them and I am trying to find frames for them so I can hang them up. They are more beautiful in person and the colors are great.

Take me out to the Ball Field

2010-06-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

The boys played baseball (coach pitch) for the first time this Spring. They LOVED it!! They want to play next year also. Leland has a great arm on him and he hopes with a lot of practice he will be able to pitch next season. Nolan is great at catching and his favorite position is catcher. He is hoping that he will be able to play that position next season. This season is over and the boys are sad, but looking forward to next year. The weather here for baseball has not been very good so they ended up missing a few games and were hoping that the association would have make up games, but no such luck. Oh well!! It was great to watch their team and the race they do at the end is fun to watch and see how each boy runs so differently.

Mother's Day

2010-06-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

The kids picked flowers from the front of the house and made these beautiful cards at school. I cry every time I read them. I love them so much and it is amazing the things that they love about me. I love being their mom and feel so blessed.

Each of their cards had their picture on it like Paeton's.

As a little girl

2010-06-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is my older brother Allen and myself. Not sure how old I am but this picture reminds me of Nolan.

I was so stickn' shy and if you don't know me well enough you would not know that I am still EXTREMELY shy.

One of my favorite pictures.

I was 2 1/2 years old in this picture. So funny to look back at these pictures. Sad thing is I don't remember any of these or what we were doing at the time. No childhood memories.

This is myself and my older brother again with my mom in the background.

My Babies

2010-06-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

These three WONDERFUL babies are so big now! It has been a fast 8 years and I hope that the next 8 are not as fast. I love them dearly and are so grateful that I am a part of their lives. I don't go a day with out telling them I love them and that I love being their mom.

JAMBA

2010-05-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

We all love Jamba here in our house and so the other day I decided to try to make one. It turned out GREAT! The kids thought it was funny to have mustaches from drinking the shake and so here is what the picture turned out. LO!!

Easter/General Conference Weekend

2010-05-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

The kids and I had a lot of fun coloring eggs and listening to General Conference. It is probably the first time since they were born that I have exactly been able to listen to Conference. It was really nice.

The Easter Bunny left them each a nice Sunday outfit and a nice Summer outfit. They were so excited and had to try them both on SEVERAL times, LOL!

The Rain Forest

2010-05-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

The kids had to give an Oral Presentation for 2nd Grade on animals in the Rain Forest. They each had a different animal and it was fun to hear them talk about their animal. They memorized every thing they had to say and did a great job telling all the parents about their animals.

Out With The Old and In With The New

2010-04-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Back in November I promised Paeton I would grow my hair out until their birthday in February. So I held up to my end of the bargin, it just about drove me crazy but I did it. Well it was a month after their birthday and I finally got my hair cut. I was trying to find a picture of a cut that I really liked because I was not sure how I wanted it and if I wanted to continue to grow it out, but I found this fabulous cut and could not resist. I LOVE IT!!! Granted it has been a month since I had it cut and I am in the need of another cut. Last night Paeton said I should grow it out until her recital in June, ummmm...... NO!! I will be keeping this one for a while and when I get bored I will grow it out until I find the next cut I like, LOL!!

Razor's

2010-04-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

Leland was in the shower and decided to find out how my razor worked. You can't really tell on the picture of his head, but he was trying to shave it. He decided to try touching it with his thumb and took a huge chunk out. I had to take him to Urgent Care and the doctor used 5 Silver Nitrate sticks to burn it shut. Leland was so funny though. As we were in the Trauma Room at Urgent Care, Leland says "I always wanted to know what this room was for and what it looked like inside.". The Nurse replies "Are you glad you found out tonight?". Leland's response was "Yes, but I don't want to have to come here again.". Good answer for mom to hear!

When we got home Nolan was so upset because his buddy got hurt. Nolan had 50 million questions for Leland. Grandma asked "Leland, What did you learn?". Leland said "Not to do that again!". So now all three of the kids know not to touch mom's razor.

Fairytale Ball

2010-04-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

At school for a project the kids learned about Fairytales. So after learning about Fairytales and how they are written and so forth, the WHOLE 2nd grade had a Fairytale Ball. The kids could dress up and the gym was decorated like a Castle and they learned the Waltz and a few other dances and showed the parents. Also, The kids were able to dance with their parents. It was so much fun!!

Spaghetti

2010-03-25T14:00:00.001-07:00

These cupcakes turned out so GOOD! They even tasted amazing! I signed up to take cupcakes to Enrichment this month and we had to be creative. So I turned to my book called "Hello, Cupcakes!". They were so easy to make and I tried one of the cupcake batter recipes also and they were so yummy and fun!

The kids liked them, I saved them each one and I also found out that those who attended Enrichment loved them.

Glad they were such a hit!

Baptism

2010-03-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

What a BEAUTIFUL day this was! The kids were excited and so happy. We had friends and family there that we wanted to share the special day with and some family who could not make it. They were missed!

Grandma and Grandpa spoke to the kids and told them that they were so proud of them and that Heavenly Father was also. Grandpa gave them a list of 12 things to remember about their Baptism and the kids have them hanging on their walls next to their beds.

We had Uncle Brad (a very dear friend) and Aunt Lynell who came all the way from Texas just for the kids Baptism. Uncle Brad was over in Iraq and so we postponed for on week so that they could be here. Brad and Lynell have always been in the kids lives and they love them dearly.

Our friend Joe Richards and Uncle Brad were the witnesses. Rod baptized Paeton first, followed by Nolan and than Leland. Uncle Kyle Kinghorn gave the opening prayer and Brother Smart, Primary Teacher, gave the closing prayer. Bishop Lee, Uncle Dave Fenton, Grandpa and Uncle Kyle stood in the cirlce while Rod confirmed each of the kids.

Afterwards, We had lunch and had fun talking to everyone. The kids all day kept saying "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!".

I feel so blessed to have these 3 little ones in our home and love them dearly. I am grateful for their sweetness and the love they have for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the light that shines through them. They are great examples to me!

Beach Party!!

2010-03-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

The kids are so tired of it being cold that they decided on day while there was no school to have a Beach Party! The bathtub was the Ocean and the dinning room floor was the beach (because of the color of the floor). They had a lot of fun playing and laughing. I love how creative they can be!

Birthday Party

2010-03-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

The boys won a free birthday party at the local Bowling/Movie Theater. Not sure who entered them in the drawing, but "Thank You!". The place was so nice and included Paeton as a Birthday girl with the boys and they each were able to invite 3 friends. We had fun bowling, eating pizza and opening presents.

The kids also had their picture taken had has been on the big screen all this month! Such fun!

Being Silly

2010-03-25T13:39:00.001-07:00

Can you say "SILLY"! Nolan and Paeton were in a funny mood the other day and wanted pictures taken. Paeton kept changing her clothes. Don't know why! Leland decided to stay out of it and take the pictures.

2 weeks

2010-02-24T19:31:00.001-08:00

A lot has happened in the last 2 weeks around here. Leland was suspended for the rest of the day, a friday or two ago, for being involved in a fight. Well, He was shoved by one kid into another kid and those two kids were the ones fighting. Leland was defending himself like we had taught him to do.

I quit cleaning the office bldg at night. It was too hard on the kids and myself and I am GRATEFUL I don't have to do that anymore. It is nice to be home and not have to worry about dragging them out and having to go clean. So now we can eat dinner at a slow pace and get home work done at home and just enjoy the evening at home with each other.

My 3 turned 8 years old on Monday, February 22nd. It was a glorious day of fun and excitement. I had there presents waiting for them before breakfast, which was pancakes in their favorite colors of blue, green and pink. They loved their gifts and were able to play for a little while before the bus came. Sent them off to school and made invitations for their birthday party on Saturday. They won a free birthday party at the local movie theater/bowling alley/ jump place. The kids are so excited! They can invite a total of 9 friends (3 each) and they are bowling and having pizza. It should be a lot of fun. I went to the local grocery store and got cupcakes for the class and special ones for the kids. The boys had one that looked like hamburgers, but it was all frosting painted to look that way. Paeton had one that looked like a Hot fudge sundae. I even got them each 2 balloons in their favorite colors and took it all up to their class. I had a picture of the kids when they were babies too see if their classmates could tell who was who. They all said that Paeton was easy because she had on pink, but they all got the boys wrong. It was fun. We came home after school and opened presents from Grandma and Grandpa and than went to get the boys dinner from McDonald's and Paeton's from Subway. Came home and watched a movie and played for a while until bed time. When I layed down with each of them I asked them if they had a great birthday. Their reply was all the same, "Mom, This was the best birthday ever!". I am so glad they had a great day celebrating them!

Paeton got her ears pierced today. It was one of her birthday presents and she looks adorable. The boys got Cub Scout shirts and have not wanted to take them off at all. They are so excited for Cub Scouts, which tomorrow night is their first Pack Night and they have 50 millions questions about Cub Scouts.

I am in charge of Blue & Gold tomorrow night and I am so ready for it to be OVER!!! I have struggled with this calling and will be glad when I don't have to do it anymore.

Rod is traveling for work again and is gone every week to Boston. No complaints, he has a job and all is good.

I am tired of being cold all the time and CAN NOT WAIT for Spring/Summer to get here.

I have started my 2nd round of P90X and it will end a week before my birthday. The first round went pretty good and I know I could have done better, but that is okay. I still went down 3 sizes and I hope to firm up more this go around.

I am playing catch up on so many things and have so many more to finish and I hope one day to get them all done.

8 yr old pic's

2010-02-13T12:37:00.001-08:00

Nolan

Leland

Paeton

We had pictures taken last weekend and I think they turned out great.

Spring/Summer

2010-02-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

I had to change my picture and background because I am in such a need of warmth. I am tired of being cold all the time and the weather is so yucky outside.

I wish Phil had not seen his shadow and that Spring was right around the corner so it would warm up around here.

No Longer Babies

2010-01-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

OH MY! My babies are going to be 8 next month and will be baptized in March! I can't believe it has been 8 years already, where has the time gone. It has been such a blessing to have them as a part of our family.

The boys have decided that they want to have there own rooms. So on Saturday that is what happened. They helped clean out two of the downstair bedrooms and helped move their stuff from upstairs to their new rooms. I have to say I miss having them upstairs, but they are SO happy to have a room to themselves. Even though they are next door to each other, they miss sharing a room together. They asked if they could move back upstairs and I told them no. That these rooms were their until they went on their Missions. Nolan's comment was "Man, We should have stayed upstairs!". Silly guys! Tonight Leland asked if he could just lay with Nolan for a little while and read a book together and talk. Melted my heart! They have become such great friends to each other and it makes a Mama proud.

Paeton moved into the boys' old room and is LOVING the bigger room! Her little bed and dresser look so tiny in her bedroom now. I have decided that I am going to turn her old bedroom into my office/craft/whatever I want to call it room. I have some fun ideas for the space, but have to finish painting the upstairs and getting the kitchen cabinets done (stripping the paint off, sanding and varnishing them), wish me luck!

My Spirits are back

2009-12-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful Christmas it has been. I am thankful for those of you who helped boost me up again. Thank you for you kind words and the blessings that were brought to our house. I could not have asked for a better Christmas. The Spirit of Christ is feeling my heart once more and I am not feeling so low and lonely. Things will continue to get better and I pray that the Lord will stay by my side as I continue through this journey. Love you!!

Christmas Season

2009-12-11T09:58:00.000-08:00

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

This year for reasons unknown to me, I am feeling a little lost at times. I am grateful for our Heavenly Father and the knowledge He has to offer me. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and the sacrafice He made for me. I pray that I can find the peace and joy this Christmas Season as I celebrate the birth of Christ with my family.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Christmas Give-a-way

2009-11-25T11:45:00.001-08:00

Go to this link and check out the Give away that could be your's! (If I do not get it first haha)http://kellis-thisandthat.blogspot.com/2009/11/its-another-giveaway-believe-vinyl.html

Fun at the Fort Worth Zoo

2009-11-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

Alexis and Nolan

Love this photo and had it turned into a black and white photo.

Nolan and I on the train at the Zoo.

The Lion and his female were separated from each other and he would ROAR really loud for her. It was an eerie sound and I would not want to be in the jungle hearing his roar.

The Tiger's were beautiful to watch.

The Snow Tiger was fun because if you put your hands on the glass it would come up and play with you.

This Hippo was rescued from Poachers. But the Poachers got his horn before he was rescued.

There were 5 Giraffe's at the Zoo. They are so beautiful to look at and amazing to watch as they ate the grass.

The Pink Elephant is the size of a real Elephant and the kids look like ants compared to it.

Pink Flamingo's

Leopard

Just like off of Lion King

The Turtles were in all the pounds at the Zoo.

The Meercats were funny to watch. They were sunny in the sun and would turn and look at us.

This guy was fun to watch. He had this sack and went over the waterfall and covered up his face and would pull the sack off his face to see if any one ws watching and if we were he would cover his face up again. Nolan got a great laugh from watching him.

We had a lot of fun this day at the Zoo with our friends the Ritchie's. Nolan bought Leland, Paeton and himself a Monkey to remember the day we went to the Zoo.

Halloween Fun

2009-11-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

Leland as Iron Man

Nolan as G.I. Joe

Paeton as a Beautiful Witch

Leland's Pumpkin

Paeton's Pumpkin

Nolan's Pumpkin

We had fun carving these pumpkins and putting on Costumes more than once for Halloween. I love seeing the excitement in the kids eyes! Holidays are such fun!

Years Ago

2009-10-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

I ran across these pictures when I was going through some boxes and thought it would be fun to post them here. Scary I know, but they are 20 years old, which is even worse, LOL!!

Carrots, Eggs and Coffee

2009-10-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee....You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling.

It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without say ing a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.

The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water.

Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean?

The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?

Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

I want to be coffee, even though I don't drink it.

Curtains for Paeton

2009-10-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

I made green ties that are the same color of green in the flowers. They turned out so cute and she LOVES them!

First day of school

2009-10-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

I love these faces!!

Our Garden

2009-10-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

We had so many new things in the garden this year, but it was fun watching it grow.

My Favorite Photo's from Summer

2009-10-03T13:43:00.001-07:00

Attitude

2009-09-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

The longer I live,

the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me,

is more important than facts.

It is more important than the past,

than education, than money,

than circumstances,than failures,

than successes, than what other people

think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance,

giftedness, or skill.

It will break a company…a church…a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice

every dayregarding the attitude

we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past…

we cannot change the fact that people

will act in a certain way.

We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the

one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10%

what happens to meand 90%

how I react to it.

And so it is with you.

We are in charge of our attitude.

Charles Swindoll

BEAR!!

2009-09-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

OH MY!!! We went camping 2 weekends ago and had a bear come through our campground. One of the families that were camping with us had the bear scratching on their tent for about 20 minutes before Sam, the dad, yelled for Rod and Jed to get their guns and spotlights. It happened about 3:30a and I and our 3 kids slept through the whole thing. Rod said they were making a bunch of noise and it scared the bear off. Glad to know that the kids and I can sleep through anything, LOL!

Jenn's Trip Here

2009-09-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Jenn and three of her kids came for a visit and here are some of my favorite pictures she took while here.

Camping

2009-09-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our last camping trip. We went up with some Aunts, Uncles and Cousins and had a blast. We floated down the river, eat INCREDIBLE food and had fun playing with each other.

We are goin camping next weekend and I hope we don't freeze to death since it is already getting down in the high 30's low 40's.

Water Park

2009-09-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

One night while at the boys soccer game, I over heard a conversation about a water park near by and ask the ladies talking about it. Well two days later we went. We had a lot of fun! We invited some friends to go with us that had not heard or been either and we stayed for about 4 1/2 hours. There is a 50 foot water slide and Leland and Chase were the only ones brave enough to go down it and they LOVED IT!! Next summer we will go more often.

Baby Shower

2009-09-09T18:14:00.001-07:00

I through my sister a baby shower, 2nd girl in 9 years. She had no girlie things and so I thought it would be fun to have a shower for her. I made this diaper cake. It was my first and not has hard as I thought it would be. We had fun at the shower, but I FORGOT my camera!!!

Nolan

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

Nolan loves to have his picture taken with me. I don't know why, because I always look TERRIBLE in the pictures. But at least he will have pictures of the two of us when he gets older.

Friends

2009-09-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

My Friend Jenn came up from Vegas to visit for a week and it was great to see her and 3 of her beautiful children.

This is her and her daughter Kasey and the picture below are of her two little ones and my three.

We went up to Campus to the Gardens and it was a beautiful day up there. We miss them dearly and wish we could see them more often.

Soccer

2009-09-09T18:04:00.001-07:00

The boys played soccer this summer and had so much fun! They loved every minute of it. In one game Nolan scored is first goal at the same time Leland, while out on the side lines, lost a loose tooth (not his first). It was funny! They are looking forward to next summer when they can play T-ball and soccer. Paeton said she wants to play soccer, but we shall see if she really does when the time comes.

BUSY!!

2009-09-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

HI!! I am still here and alive, just REALLY busy!

I have a lot to post about and a lot to catch up on all of your post. Hopefully in about 2 weeks I will be able to do both. I have been working my part-time jobs and have 2 more weeks until I get a break.

I have been busy harvesting our garden and trying to get our kitchen cabinets stripped and repainted.

Be patient and I will have something new soon.

A few more to share

2009-07-27T17:42:00.001-07:00

New pictures

2009-07-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

I took the kids a couple Saturdays ago to get pictures taken because I did not have any for this year. I think they turned out okay. I was hoping for a little better, but I like these the best.

Teacher Appreciation Week

2009-07-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

I decorated the classroom door for Teacher Appreciation. I thought it turn out great!! The kids' teacher loved it and she kept all the cupcakes with the pictures of the kids on them and gave them to all the kids on the last day of school. She was/is an AMAZING teacher!!

2009-07-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Before school got out the kids had a Hawaiian Party in their class. Grandma let the kids borrow some stuff and this hat that Nolan has on is 40 yrs old. It is in PERFECT condition. The kids had a great time at the party!

Bam, Bam, Fire Power

2009-06-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

Nolan stuffed his shirt with other shirts so he could have muscles and was going around the house saying "Bam, Bam, Fire Power" from the commerical about "Night of the Museum 2". It was so funny!! I love his facial expression!

Hide-n-go seek

2009-06-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

The kids were playing Hide-n-go seek and Rod helped Nolan find a place to hide the Paeton and Leland could not find him any where even though he would call out to them. Nolan was hiding in the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom. He is small enough to fit in there that Rod did not have to take anything out of the cabinet.

Nolan thought it was AWESOME!!

A little late

2009-06-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

But here is the the picture of the kids birthday cake and some pictures from their parties. Yes, parties. Paeton had one on Friday night and the boys had theirs on Saturday afternoon. But I just realized as I was downloading these pictures I forgot to take pictures of Paeton's party, uugghh!!

How's Your Week?

2009-06-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

Mine not so good to start and hopefully will get better FAST!

Rod went out of town for work, which is a good thing, but when the kids and I got home from Church, I was not feeling good. I ended up with the 72 hours flu. Paeton woke up Monday morning with a fever and a sore throat and this morning has woken up with Pink eye, so we are headed to the Doctor soon.

Last night while making dinner and giving the kids showers, our pump went out on our well, so no water for us. The plumber is suppose to be back today to fix it, but it is raining.

Nolan woke up this morning with a croupy cough.

Rod and I have our Pioneer Trek next week and I have NOTHING ready for it.

I keep telling myself it will get better and I will have everything ready for the Trek and for the kids to go to Grandma and Grandpa's and all will be healthy.

Wish us luck!!

Last Day of School

2009-05-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

Friday was the last day of school for the kids. WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!! Plus it was my Birthday so what better thing to happen but have the kids out of school for the summer. I went to the Temple that morning and than went to the school to pick the kids up and I took them to Subway. From there we went to Sam's Club for groceries and came home to play. They ended up next door at their cousins house playing with them while I put groceries away. I decided because it was my birthday I was not going to do any house work and I DID NOT DO ANY, which I never do this, but it was nice. The house was a TOTAL MESS on Saturday and to be honest I just did not care. My in-laws took the kids and I out to dinner that night and for the whole day I did not have to fix a meal. What a great way to celebrate a birthday and I HIGHLY recommend it.

I am so excited to have the kids home for the summer and for all the fun we are going to have together. Hope all of you have a wonderful summer and I can't wait to hear how it goes.

Memorial Day

2009-05-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

We spent the day planting our garden. Holy Schmoly, it is huge. I don't know what we were thinking. It will be a great reward once things start coming out of the garden and we get to eat them. But weeding is going to be a dream come true, at least that is what I keep saying. I am trying not to say it will be a NIGHTMARE!!!

Hope all of you had a wonderful day.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2009-05-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the beautiful women in my life. I love you dearly and am grateful for your love and friendships.

I hope you have been spoiled by hugs and kisses from you families and have a wonderful day.

Sand and Stone

2009-04-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING

THROUGH THE DESERT.

DURING SOME POINT OF THE

JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN

ARGUME NT ; AND ONE FRIEND

SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE

IN THE FACE.
THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED

WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT

SAYING ANYTHING,

WROTE IN THE SAND:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND

SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,

UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,

WHERE THEY DECIDED

TO TAKE A BATH.

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN

SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE

MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,

BUT THE FRIEND S AV ED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM

THE NEAR DROWNING,

HE WROTE ON A STONE:

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND

SAVED MY LIFE '.

THE FRIEND WHO H A D SL APPED

AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND

ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU,

YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,

YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED

'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US

WE SHOULD WRITE I T DOWN

IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF

FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES

SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,

WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE

WHERE NO WIND

CAN EVER ERASE IT.'

LEARN TO WRITE

YOUR HURTS IN

THE SAND AND TO

CARVE YOUR

BENEFITS IN STONE.

THEY SAY IT TAKES A

MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL

PERSON, AN HOUR TO

APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY

TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN

AN ENTIRE LIFE

TO FORGET THEM.

What words of wisdom to live by and I hope that every day I can remember these words and forgive those that I need to forgive and grow to love them dearly who hurt me.

A little of this and a little of that

2009-04-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

We have had a lot of rain the last few days and I found this site that has some beautiful pictures of rain

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=505608&catID=371&contestCatID=&rowNumber=38&camID=.

I also found this site for snow

http://www.bigfoto.com/themes/nature/winter/index.htm.

But I am really hoping for days like these pictures

http://www.wildnatureimages.com/Spring_Summer.htm.

Hope you have a wonderful day in whatever weather you maybe having today.

(I tried to link the websites, but I did not get it figured out.)

One of those weeks

2009-04-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a long week and the days seem to be slowly going by. I wish I was home and not working everyday including Saturday. The kids are taken care of by Grandma and our wonderful neighbor and friend. I miss not being home when they get home from school and miss the fun we have after school and catching up for the day. Only two more weeks of this stuff and hopefully have a day or two (HOPEFULLY MORE) off.

I am still trying to get the inside of the house painted upstairs and I am about 3/4 of the way done. I have not worked out in weeks and I HATE IT!! But have resolved to kick booty tonight after I get the kids in bed. I don't like feeling this way.

Hope all of you are having a great week and day!!

2009-03-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

I WON!!! This was the best give away ever!!! Thanks Tanja at On that Note. I received it in the mail yesterday and those carrot cookies are to die for. I have to find out where she got them, even my kids loved them.

The Tricycle, Bunny and eggs look great on my entry table.

(Photo courtesy of Tanja, Hope you don't mind)