"Swimming", Braces, "Doos", & Cuteness

This is just a collection of some fun photos. These were taken during the week we actually had spring weather :)

First--Emmalee is in the back of the truck, wearing her swimsuit. When the weather was warm for a few days, the kids put some water in the plastic pool so they could go "swimming". Emmalee thinks she needs to go "swimming" again.

I filled this with dirt (from our land) for our Pack Meeting (Cub Scouts). We had a dinosaur dig (forgot to take the camera to pack meeting so no pictures) where they all used paintbrushes and uncovered skeleton dinos & dino eggs. Emmalee was thrilled to have the pool back--and it still has the dirt in it, although the pool is now in the yard, not in the truck.

The creek runs about 6 weeks during the year (and some years it hasn't' run at all). This is high, and although we have a fence by some of the creek, we don't have it by the dead end part of our road. The children have been really good about staying completely away from the creek.

Everyday when we are on our walk, we stop at the bridge by Grandpa's and throw rocks in (where it is safer). Thankfully it is way down again, and you can see the bottom.

I had to throw these photos in to show off Ethan's hairy legs new knee brace.

:) It is much more functional & really supports the knee cap.

He will wear this ??? for I don't know how long. Plus, when he is playing sports, he will be wearing some brace--not sure if this is the one. He goes to town every Friday for a while to physical therapy, and has been faithfully doing his "homework" (exercises) 3 times a day--and icing the knee.

Cutie Benjamin with Uncle Skeeter. He was hungry, and so wasn't too happy at being away from his momma. We try to get pictures of the kids with their relatives when they visit, since we don't see them very often (& w/one of the children, I never got photos of them w/their grandma before she got sick & died unexpectedly).

Now--this is the Emmalee I see often at my house. She has decided that since she is almost 4, she is going to go through her "terrible 2's". Most of our kids have gone through this stage at this age, but I miss her smile!!

And this one she didn't want anyone to see her at all. We had just taken out her 7 pony tails & her hair was wild!

This is Cool Callum--wearing his "bling" & sunglasses that he found (then accidentally stepped on & taped them together). They are now in the garbage.

This is one of the rare photos where Callum isn't smiling!

Uncle Skeeter was still at our house when I took these, and he gave him a "cool" name, but for the life of me I can't remember it (and everyone is in bed asleep or I would ask). I guess I'll have to post it later.

This is more like him--giggly. He laughs all the time. The other day the 2 boys got laughing so hard (and of course it was over boy stuff--"gas") that Callum started coughing and threw up all over the floor (yuck).

Oh--on the warmest day (it seems like forever ago, but it was just about 10 days ago) he came in laughing, and laughing, trying to tell me something. I couldn't understand anything, so I told him when he calmed down, to tell me. He tried 2 or 3 times, but couldn't stop laughing after the "Mom,....ha, ha..."

About 3 minutes later, Brienna came in and said, "Mom, do you know that Emmalee is running around outside without any clothes on?" And Callum started laughing even harder. Soo--that' what he was telling me :)

Here is Ben "swimming" on the ground--this is the "pick-me-up please" swim. We call it the Superman (or Super-baby) pose.

"How come it didn't work--it always works! Come, on! Pick me up. You know you want to!!"

How can you resist that adorable face and those cute chubby legs?

Ahhh--it did work! I'm on my daddy's lap ;)

Some pictures of Benjamin--playing on Ethan's bed (while Ethan is "babysitting")

Ben has found his feet--and loves them!

Yum, yum!

Ethan--I thought you were babysitting--not playing on the Nintendo DS!!!

Well, I got all the kids in here, except for Zane. Zane, where are you??

I Looked out the Window & What Did I See?

More SNOW flakes Falling Down on ME :(

Spring has brought me such a not-so-nice surprise--

Big, wet, snow-flakes falling in my eyes.

I can take a hand-full and make a ball.

I don't like this snow at all

It was really so

And it seemed to be

A Spring Snow Storm falling on me

;o

My 1st Award!!!

Wow--I got my first award (thanks Jenny). I am honored, and a bit embarrassed too. I don't know why, but I guess it's "hard" for me to get recognition. Anyway, I really am happy. This should be fun.

I received it from my blog buddy, Jenny on her blog "Favor--Tism". I actually hadn't been to this blog before, but follow her other blog, "Simply A Family"--which I love. We have children close to the same ages, and it is fun to have similar "challenges" in our lives.

The Premio Dardos award is for bloggers who distinguish themselves for showing cultural values, ethics, great and fun writing skills, as well as individual values, through their creative writing.
The rules of the award:

1. To accept and show the distinct image

2. Show the link to the blog from which you were given the award

3. Choose 10 blogs to give the Premio Dardos Award to.
4. Let the nominees know about their award.


This should be fun--here are my 10 "Distinguished" Blogs (in no particular order:
1. " There is fun to be done" @ http://sjandcc.blogspot.com/. This is a friend that I grew up with in Wyoming. She is hilarious and makes me smile every time I read her blog. She has 2 great boys (3 if you count her hubby), and her little Conner is quite entertaining.
2. Next will be Jenny's other blog, "Simply A Family" @ http://simplyafamily.blogspot.com/. We have children close to the same age, she is crafty (nice bag you sewed), has wonderful tips, and it is fun to see that we share similar situations of motherhood.
3. I chose Merrianne @ http://therealmerrianne.blogspot.com/ for a few reasons. She is so energetic, full of life, and too cute! Also, she has overcome trials, found a wonderful hubby, and lived through a cyber-stalker. Her blog is always creative & fun to follow.
4. Erin @ http://ifyougiveamomamoment.blogspot.com/ has a blog that everyone needs to check out at least once (and then you're hooked). She has a creative style that is captivating, plus she went to Paris (where I probably will never visit) and shared her experience on her blog. We also have a couple of things in common--she also teaches piano lessons & has a son named Ethan.
5. Melinda will make you crack a smile @ http://bloggyblather.blogspot.com/. I just recently found her blog, but loved it the minute I read the posts "Why I don't like people coming to my house" & "Things I Love/Hate about Blogging". She is crafty (new lamp shades), and admits to being addicted to blogging :)
(Whew--this is harder than it looks).
6. Sandra's blog "Clean Frugal Living" @ http://murrayandmathews.blogspot.com/ also gets this award for her cleaning values & tips. I love her ideas & recipes, & also like that she lives in Idaho :) She is an extremely hard worker, is an outstanding primary teacher, and has the highest standards. This is one of the first blogs I started following.
7. Bethany @ http://utahgrafffamily.blogspot.com/ has a busy, challenging life and is struggling with health challenges. She faithfully posts on her blog, and has cute, cute children. Bethany is always trying to improve herself (setting goals, etc.) and shows gratitude.
8. Alida @ http://bowlizzlefamdizzle.blogspot.com/ is toooo cute! Her blog header has her smiling family. Her baby is just a little older than my baby--and my son's middle name is her son's first name. She has a lot of strength--coping with her loss & move & other challenges.
9. Christina @ http://handsfullmom.blogspot.com/ is a super-mom with 7 children (9 & younger). We have a lot in common & she shares tips & stories that strengthen & uplift me. Her "To-Do" list (really wish list) looks a lot like mine, and her adorable Harmony is just a little older than my Ben. She is very creative--designs digital scrapbook supplies--& still keeps up with her growing family.
10. My last pick is Kate @ http://gladkate.blogspot.com/. She is finishing her teaching degree (in the fall), has 4 children, ran in a 5K race, is funny, & her son went to prom about the same time my son went to his prom. I love teachers!
11. OK, OK. For those that don't know me very well, I have a hard time following the "rules" and picking "favorites". But here it is--My very last pick. Faithful Girl @ http://thefaithfulgirl.blogspot.com/. At times she makes me really think & appreciate my life/values/choices & inspires me to become a better person; other times she just makes me smile (children whisper fighting). We are both "struggling"/working on weight-loss challenges too. Nice to know I'm not the only one in that boat!

There you have it--my top 10 (alright, 11) blogs to receive this award. Happy blogging--keep up the first-class writing.

"There's a Brat on TV!"

That's what Emmalee told me as I was folding the laundry. I had started "The Great Mouse Detective" movie so I could get some housework done (what a terrible mother--using the TV as a babysitter--I'm sure you wonderful e-friend moms don't EVER do that!!)

So I start "lecturing" her about name-calling, and even if there is a character on TV that isn't nice, we can't call them names.

So off she went to see what happens next. Again, she comes and tells me, "Mom, the brat just took the daddy and the little mouse girl is sad because the brat came into her house."

"Emmalee--what did I tell you about name-calling!!!?"

"Mom, what can I call him, then?"

"Who?"

"The brat."

"Well, maybe we can just say that he's not nice and he's mean; but let's not call him any names."

"But, Mom..."

"Emmalee..."

Again--off to watch the movie. As I am getting the kids ready to go for our walk (the sun peeked out from behind the snow/rain clouds for a few minutes), Emmalee said, "Look, Mom--there's the brat, oops, the animal that flies, and he is going to get the little girl!!"

I look at the movie (I haven't seen this movie for a long, long time) and I see the "evil" character--the BAT. She hadn't been calling him a "name" after all--just calling him what he is--a flying B(r)AT.

He actually looks pretty scary to me. I guess we can call him a Brat Bat!

Sucessful Scrapbooking Weekend!

Just wanted to say that I am still here--just have been gone/busy all weekend.

Friday was town day with tons of therapies, appointments, and shopping. After meeting Rusty in town (w/the rest of the children), we swapped some of the children and I got home about 6:15. Pamela had been at our house for about 1 hour.

We unloaded, and Pamela & I went to the community center for the overnight scrapbooking event. I got things all unloaded & set out, and dived right in. Pamela had her computer to try to organize the 6,000 (yes--that is six thousand) photos she has on her computer!

I went home and feed Benjamin when the kids sent me a message on the phone. Pamela was Cinderella--needed to be home at mid-night :) I went back until 1:30 am. Then home for about 6 hours of sleep. Then back all day (except the times that I received a text message to feed the baby). I finished 32 pages & scrapbooked 160+ pictures. Plus, I have about 150 pictures ready (cropped) to scrapbook. I love those productive times--although they are few & far between.

Last Weekend--Crazy or Brave?

Before I start writing about last weekend, I wanted to say a couple of things about why I started my blog.

1. I found some blogs after googling "Mormon Mom blogs" and thought that some were really cute!
2. I wanted to have a place to post pictures for my sisters (and other family members)
3. I decided that I needed to have a family history/journal about my family. They are growing up so quickly, and as much as I love traditional scrapbooking, I thought that blogging looked like a great place to store my photos and memories.

• Readers beware--I guess my disclaimer would be: Some of my blogs are solely for my benefit (more boring, less creative) while others might show a little more of my creative side :)

I know that it is already another weekend, but I am finally getting to posting photos of last weekend. The weather was FABULOUS!!!! It was in the high 60's and 70's, from Thursday to Wednesday. Since we are on a 4-day school week, my kids asked if they could set up the tents in our back yard last Thursday. I told them that they must be a bit crazy, but go ahead.

The low temperature was still supposed to be around 35 (brrrr) but those brave crazy kids set up 2 tents, pulled out all the camping bedding, and carried most of the camping chairs to our backyard.

Brienna even invited a brave crazy friend to spend the night!

They had a blast, bundled up, piled on the blankets, and slept in the tents Thursday night, and Friday, and Saturday. Sunday came (another gorgeous day), and the kids begged to sleep in the tents again--on a school night.

I wasn't brave crazy about this idea, but reluctantly (and with stipulations of "If you guys stay up too late and/or have one fit about getting up in the morning, this will NEVER happen again!!!") agreed to let them try.

The actually went to bed better than when they are in their own beds. So they slept in the tents Sunday night, and then Monday they had to move them (so not to kill the brown "dead" grass), and then slept there Monday, and Tuesday night.

Zane was excited, thrilled, happy, overjoyed to be out in the tents. But thunderstorms were overhead Wednesday after school, so the tents came down & were "thrown" in the bedrooms--just as the first of 100 rain drops fell from the sky. It sprinkled just enough that we were soooo glad everything was inside!

Callum gave me the thumbs up to sleeping outside! But getting the sleeping bags, blankets, and tents folded, rolled up, and put away was another battle!

Grouse (the bird) Days are held every year in our town (since we have breeding & nesting sites nearby). This year a safari exhibit was brought in, and so we had to go and investigate. We were thinking there would be a few skins/furs to feel, and photos to look at , but were we wrong!!! I was so impressed with the display, I made Callum ride his bike home to get our camera!

All the animal displays were impressive, and there were signs everywhere that stated: IT IS OKAY TO TOUCH & PLEASE TOUCH THE ANIMALS.

I had to get all my children over to the school (where the animals were) so they could experience touching animals we will probably never see!

Brienna & Benjamin by a Kodiak (I think that's what it was) bear.

Callum didn't want his picture taken this day--but finally agreed to 1 picture--by the bear :)

Brienna tried on the fox hat--there was a cloth lining. Emmalee decided it would be okay to try it on too.

Emmalee is cute--even as a red-head!

She wore this for about 5 minutes, and had me take about a dozen photos--so she could see herself in the "camera mirror". When she first tried it on, she wanted Callum to ride home and get a mirror so she could see herself :)

Brienna & Lindsay had to try the hat on Benjamin--"really girls, do you have to dress me up???"

Emmalee really wanted her picture by the lions, but was too scared to go by herself. Can you blame her? Look at the size of them from her perspective!!!!

The halls were lined with animals too--everyone had to pose for a picture by the zebra.

And this is a red deer behind Lindsay & Brienna.

Emmalee wasn't as nervous around this crocodile & his dinner--but Brienna is cautiously stepping over his tail to get a better look (& feel).

And since I am trying harder to have pictures with me in them, I had Brienna take a couple of me w/Ben--wow, this croc was huge!!!

Ben's getting big enough to sit in the stroller--as long as I have a blanket around him and the straps snapped snugly. Sometimes Emmalee is a little too "lovey" with him, and he lets her know!

Split time--and I don't see any bananas!

There was just enough of a breeze to make it a perfect day for flying the kites.

The boys went to the school football field and flew the kits there for a few hours! We had to go and get them at 8 o'clock on Saturday so we could force them into the tub!

Last weekend was a close to the perfect weekend as you can get--except that it ended too quickly!

This weekend the weather regressing, and there is a slight chance of snow/rain with the high of maybe 40. Then back to only the 50's. We were spoiled. I guess it is a good thing that it is town day on Friday (tomorrow) and then my "overnight" scrapbooking at the community center from 5 pm Friday to 5 pm. Saturday.

I say "overnight" because I will be coming home to nurse Benjamin and I won't camp out (unlike my brave crazy children).

I will come home for a few hours of sleep :)

There is fun to be Done Blog

My good blogging friend (and home town friend from school) is having a giveaway.

I knew her as Jennifer Perry, but that was a long time ago & now it's Jennifer Lewis.

She has a cute, crafty Spring giveaway, so click here to check it out. Even if you don't want to enter, check out her blog--she makes me smile.

Ummm, Mom---Where are you??

That is the question I was asked when my daughter called me after school yesterday. She was at home and I was in the van, on my way home.

Back up a little--Yesterday (Monday) was Ethan's doctor's appointment with the orthopedic surgeon. So after Ethan got home from seminary (7:45 am), I loaded the 2 youngest children in the van (which is no easy task--diaper bags, breakfast in a bag, waters for all day, jackets, toys, books...it's almost like taking a mini-trip because we are in the van for 1 hour each way). We arrived at the doctor's office with 5 minutes to spare. Just enough time to fill out all the paperwork.

I was almost done with the papers when Emmalee decided she needed to go potty. *****Side note--for some reason, Emmalee is in no big hurry to be completely "potty-trained." She does not mind pull-ups--in fact, she loves them. She has no problems going to the bathroom at home, but doesn't love the undies (not the ones Mom, Santa, or she herself picked). And she is terrified of public bathrooms since the toilet flushed on her when she was at Wal-Mart.

This issue could cause my hair to turn gray grayer, or drive me up the wall, but I choose not to make this into a fight (because after all, I would lose and she would just keep pottying when/where she chooses).

Therefore, Emmalee sometimes wears underwear, sometimes pull-ups, and sometimes stays dry for days and days. But other times has "accidents" in whatever she is wearing. SIGH--one day :) *********

Okay back to my story--she said she had to go potty. But when we got into the bathroom, would she go? No--she wouldn't even approach the toilet--started screaming, kicking, and flopping. So I went back to my paperwork

Ethan was seen by the doctor, had an additional x-ray (no chips or fractures on the knee cap) and had his knee examined. Good news--no major damage. The tendons/ligaments under the knee cap where stretched, and possibly torn a little, but he does NOT need surgery! But he does need physical therapy for the next 3+ weeks. So as I was getting the necessary papers for PT (and a new prescription for a new brace), Emmalee starts doing the potty dance, and then yells "Oh, no!!" Yep--she went potty in her pull-up. And it didn't stay in her pull-up. It was all down her leg and sock. Now, being the smart & prepared mom that I am, I had a change of clothes in the van for her--right? NOPE! I did have an extra pull-up, but no clothes. So I stripped her down, put on the pull-up and drove to the DI to buy her some pants & socks.

It was about 10 am, and the PT appointment was at 2 pm. So we did a little shopping, but not too much because Ethan still had the big immobilizer brace (but no crutches) so he didn't want to walk too much. But we wanted to do a little shopping in IF too, so we drove there, got lunch, went to the 2 stores, and went back to Rexburg for physical therapy. I got the appointment with the PT that works with Callum in the school. Ethan got worked on for about 1 hour, was fitted with a new brace, and given 3 exercises for homework. Since we so far out of town, we will only go in once a week for PT.

Before we could go home, I had to pick up peas (for shape-able ice pack), and of course we had to get 1/2 price drinks at Sonic. After nursing Benjamin (for the 3rd or 4th time), we headed home.

Okay--back to the beginning of the post. I was about 25 minutes from home when my cell phone rang. It was Brienna asking me where I was. "I'm on my way home. Why?"

Brienna--"Because your piano student is here waiting for lessons!"

OOPS!!!!!!! I FORGOT MY PIANO STUDENTS!!! Mondays I teach 4 students piano lessons, but I was so wrapped up with the knee issue, that piano was the last thing on my mind (obviously). So I told her I would be 1/2 hour late, and have the girl watch PBS. I then called her mom (& the other students' moms) and told them I was running late.

I arrived home about 4:30, taught the 4 lessons, cooked dinner (if I would have remembered lessons, I would have picked up pizza), and then collapsed (not really--I had clean-up, bedtime, and unloading groceries still)! What a day--and I hope I don't have another one like it for a long, long, long time!!

Prom photos

The boys had a fun time today. They are back from the dance and are finishing watching "The Princess Bride." They look sharp!

Ethan & Coltin

Wow--a smile :) Thanks Ethan.

Ethan & Yolanda--she looks beautiful.

Shaelie & Coltin (gorgeous!)

The 2 couples look so nice. I can't believe I have a child old enough to go to prom. (Wasn't my Jr. Prom just a few years ago?)

The decorations were outstanding. The junior class did a great job (they must have one awesome president--chuckle, chuckle)

FYI--Ethan is the class pres. ;)

Ethan managed today with only 1 crutch. If you don't know why he is on crutches, click here.

Yes--I had to go and sneak a peak at the prom. But I wasn't the only parent(s) there. And I didn't embarrass Ethan (like yelling out his name or making him dance with me).

I hope they had a blast and created some wonderful memories.