Merry Christmas

We have thoroughly enjoyed Christmas this year. We did our best to keep things simple and light. We also tried to spend time with extended family, as well as establish some of our own traditions. Christmas Eve day was spent in Coalville with Grandma and Grandpa. We played in the snow and laughed and ate food - what a great day! Just to clarify a little, the adults went sleigh riding behind the 6-wheeler in the field, while the little boys hung out with Grandma and Grandpa. What a kick in the pants - I thought I was going to pee my pants from laughing so hard (mostly at myself)!! We enjoyed a wonderful meal together and opened a few gifts before heading for home. Thanks Mom and Dad, Lacee and Bones!

When we got home, we put Luke to bed and tried to watch a movie...we fell asleep.

Christmas morning was wonderful!! Luke let us sleep until 8 AM. We got up, watched him play with toys from the night before and opened our gifts. We finally got Luke to stop playing with his train long enough to discover Tinkertoys and a tool bench. The train is still the highlight for him. I got a very cute purse (much needed - thanks Mom) and a calendar (I love to be able to write my stuff for January). Rich got some games and socks (much needed - thanks Mom). We also are excited to try out our new camp stove! Maybe I'm more excited than Rich, but that would only make sense. I keep thinking of things I can cook outside instead of inside - then I remember how cold it is and I'm glad I CAN cook inside (at least until Spring). Overall it was great! We spent the afternoon at Rich's brother's house in Riverton. We planned to play games, eat dinner and enjoy each other's company. We did all this, but amid the games and dinner cooking, the power went out for at least 3 hours (no watch). All's well that ends well...After a blessing on the food and a prayer for the power to come back on - it did! Yea. We had a great time - thanks Mike and Jill!! (Maybe we should have taken getting stuck in the driveway on the way to their house as an omen for the rest of the day? Not really).

Today Rich gets to go to work, I get to finish cleaning up the house a little, and just hang out with Luke! I'm rather excited to be home today.

We hope you all had as great a holiday as we did!
I'll add pics as soon as I get them downloaded from the camera.

What a guy!

So, the past few weeks I haven't been feeling well. That also means that I haven't cooked, cleaned or done much of anything productive. I got home from school this afternoon to smell a freshly-cleaned house, complete with mopped floors, scrubbed toilets and clean laundry.

I don't know how to say how happy I am that I married the great guy that I did, but I'll try to do it without using the word "hubby". Rich is the kind of guy that keeps me sane and happy - I hope I enrich his life half as much as he does mine...what a guy!!

By the way, I'm still not feeling great, but I do know why...baby this summer!! Yea!

hello, are you still there?

Wow, how time flies. I can't believe it's been ONE month since I last posted anything. Much has happened. Luke finished swim lessons (sort of). Actually, we just quit going. I wasn't feeling well and Rich wasn't about to take him, so we practiced in the tub and called it good.

All of Rich's family made it into town for Thanksgiving...27 people for dinner. What an awesome sight of food, family and fun going on! While cousins were around, we went to the dinosaur museum - four hours of entertainment. See:

Don't they look entertained?

Actually, the kids had a blast in the erosion table and the fossil dig

It really was a great way to spend an afternoon.
We did many family activities that week...the adults and big kids went downtown to handout lunches to people in need. I stayed back with the little kids and we played and played and played. Reports from the top say the lunches were a success...may we'll repeat every Thanksgiving.

We did a little shopping on Black Friday, nothing much to speak of. It was good to get out.

All the family was on their way home by Saturday...hm.

It's not often all the siblings are able to get together at the same time...I think it was awesome!

Since then, my nephew turned 2, his mom announced they are expecting another baby in June, and Rich had a birthday, too.

Here's the Birthday "cake" for Maddux

I went back on track, so I've been hanging out with all 23 of my munchkins again. This time of year is crazy...lots of sugar, lots of anticipation, lots of wiggles. They've all been pretty good, I can't complain.

Here's Luke's Christmas outfit, courtesy of Grandma...thanks.

What a handsome little guy.

I'll post more about Christmas as the time gets closer...keep watching.

oh my...

So, Luke and I have been taking swimming lessons this week. Today I was feeling a little sluggish and was glad to remember that today was the last day...or so I thought. I looked at the calendar only to realize that we have four more days, ugh. Oh well, it's good for Luke to learn to have fun in the water and not be afraid.

That's not the end of the day. We arrived home, Luke had a bath and was ready for lunch and a nap. I, on the other hand was still in my bathrobe trying to get the motivation to shower for the day. Luke went down for a nap, I climbed into bed (bathrobe and all) and read a book until I fell asleep. When Luke got up 3 hours later, I realized...I had put his pants on backwards!

I think I'll go back to bed and try again tomorrow.

All Hollows' Eve

Halloween was great this year! I found a new costume (for myself)

This is the happy witch costume - so as not to scare my Kindergarteners!

I'll post my evening costume when I get one.

and the best for Luke!!

(Rich opted out this year).

We enjoyed the weather at a gathering with our neighbors...chili, soup, corn bread, cookies, brownies, hot chocolate, and of course, candy!! If the weather holds next year, we'll do it again - come join in if you're around.

Here's my costume from the evening:

A great family meal in the circle! (I'm the one in black)

hmmmm.....Edward.

I just took a little quiz to find out which "Twilight" character I am most like. I'm an Esme. Thanks Suz!

Take a look at "Chaos and all it's glory" for your own link to the quiz.

Busy weekend in Idaho

We were lucky enough to spend a few days in Boise with Rich's brother and his family. I have been looking forward to this trip for several reasons: I enjoy spending time with Brian, Anna and their children; I needed an away to somewhere low-key; I wanted to learn how to bottle grape juice. I must say, I was not disappointed. We arrived late Wednesday and just visited then went to bed. After the kids went to school on Thursday, we got started pulling grapes off the stems - even the little girls and Luke helped (once Luke realized he could squish, he was excused to go play). We washed the grapes and put them into jars, added sugar, hot water, and a lid. We processed and were done!! It was awesome (and simple)! After it was time to...play!! It was great to see the kids playing together - clean up was quick, too.

So we spent Saturday at the ball field. Three of the four boys had their last games. All of them did awesome! It was exciting to see them on the field giving it their all - and loving it! I might have had a little peek of our future Saturdays.

Sunday morning, we were cleaning up and kept hearing this noise in the next room. I went in to see what was going on...

No harm in a little fun?! Ella, thanks for the good times.

Anna & Brian - thanks for letting us crash with you and we can't wait to see you again (soon, I hope)!

oops...my bad.

So I was chatting with my friend, Haley. She happened to mention if I knew about one of the links on my blog...huh? Well, I guess I entered the PARTY OF FIVE link wrong. I do NOT know those people who use such foul verbage (I never....blah blah blah). So I guess that means.....................my bad. I have now fixed the link. If you missed it, you didn't miss much.

Thanks Haley!

"Workin' 9 to 5..."

So, this morning I woke up ready to ATTACK my upstairs office. After cleaning the house (with Rich's help), we headed to Costco for a shelf. We decided to organize our food storage, thus to more efficiently use it. Here is the prized shelf:
And, here's our food storage:

After a little time and deciding we need another shelf (not here yet), here's the result:

In case you can't read the little paper on the shelf, it says:

GRAPE JUICE - by this time next week, that shelf will be full of bottle of homemade grape juice!

Needless to say, the upstairs office hasn't been touched.

Go Cougs!!

We spent a few days in the ever-lovely Logan. BYU vs. USU...here's a quote from the convience store guy, "Can you guys take it easy on us?" I laughed. USU is not known for their football program, thus as I understand it, the goal of USU was not necessarily WIN, but more likely, SCORE. This, they did - twice!! It was not BYU's best game, but they did come away with a win.

Here's Luke, Rich, and I at the game, ready to cheer.

During the day, we took a drive to Bear Lake. We played at the Garden City Park and walked down the boardwalk to the beach. It was cool, but sunny - perfect to play. We had lunch at L'Beau's (?) and drove all the way around the lake with we waited for Luke to fall asleep (he finally did).

This morning before leaving, we drove to the Logan Temple for a quick photo. We tried to long-arm the snapshot. After a couple of tries, we opted to take turns.

It was so nice to get away. All through Sardine Canyon, and again through Logan Canyon, I thought to myself...how could anyone see this beauty and not believe in God.

He is all around. Every moment I spend in nature, His hand on Earth is affirmed to me. I KNOW He is our Heavenly Father and He sent His son, Jesus Christ to atone for us. I KNOW HE lives. Take a moment to look around. See if any feelings of knowledge become yours.

Our extended family was just blessed with the safe arrival of Jack. He is a welcome addition to the circle of cousins. Congrats Mike, Jill, and girls! (Pics are on their blog)

day by day

While I have to pictures this time, I do have to empty the brain. My mom and I just had a birthday (it was great). I think I should feel different, but I don't. I haven't felt "older" since I turned 25 - I'd like to keep it that way. I guess it's just a matter of time before I notice more differences since 25. Lately, I have noticed that my body doesn't recover as quickly after 2 hours of intense church volleyball. Nor do super-cute clothes in the Junior section appeal to me - weird! Oh, one more thing - I am totally content to stay in on a weekend. I guess that's part of growing up - not getting older, just....whatever.

my bad

Just to clarify...I'm not mad at anyone!! I was being extremely sarcastic in my last post (I know that may be hard for you all to believe), but it was all in fun.

More to come...

HA HA

So if any of you have read the comments on my last post, you'll know why I only have these two words to say:

Not Funny.

My heart dropped until I read the rest of the comment...Mom...You're help is busy (sarcasm)!

"Labor" Day

We had a labor-intensive Labor Day. Like most people, we wanted to spend time with family and friends and do something memorable and fun. We called Mom Madsen and asked for her help in this endeavor. She kindly agreed - her fun plans had been rained out. We picked her up at home and headed to the local fruit stand. After making a happy purchase, we picked up supplies and headed to Mom's house for the real fun. As you can see, we didn't start with much, but as you scroll down, you'll see that we ended up with enough. It only took a few hours for our 26 lbs of peaches to turn into 14 qts. Luke was a great sport - he had lunch, played and napped! What more could a mom ask for?!

26 lbs of peaches

peel and slice, peel and slice...

pour on the sugar solution...mmm

time to cool

14 qts of peaches

I was a little bit whiny, but I'm glad we did it (you might whine a little, too if you got to peel and slice all the peaches)! Rich is awesome in the kitchen - good job Mom! (and thanks for the lessons).

Just a little side note - I was motivated by this canning process and prepared corn on the cob for freezing!! How domestic am I!

Bliss is on its way

We moved into our home about 2 1/2 years ago. When we purchased, we had every intention of redoing the backyard the following summer. Well, it took an extra summer, but we're almost done!!

When we moved in, we had grass in the backyard. No sprinklers, no flowers, lots of weeds and dog trails along the fence. Yuck!!



Over the past couple of weeks, a lot of work has been done. We now have sprinklers. We will have flowers next year (for real, and trees, too), and the weeds (at least the tumbleweeds) are gone. The dog trail have been replaced by sod! It's like a really cool magic trick: One morning you look out the back window to see your ugly "natural" backyard replaced by an inviting sea of grass and ready-to-be-planted flowerbeds. There's even places for trees! (and NO dogs!)



We ran out of sod the first time around, but since this picture was taken, the hole has been filled.

It's hard to express the excitement I feel. I can't wait to invite friends over the play in the backyard, instead of the front yard. I yearn for the near future when friends come sit in the shaded backyard for a popsicle and a Pepsi rather than treats in the shady garage. Oh my...bliss is on its way.

Beijing goodbye, London here I come!

We've had a fun few days. Luke has decided that he would rather play during the wee hours of the morning than sleep. That wouldn't bother me so much, but his insists on playing while I hold him on my lap. UGH!! So, that means Sleep and I are beginning to lose touch. I called my dear sister-in-law for some motherly (and medical) advice. I think we may have a solution - an attempt anyway. That's not the fun part, though. We were privileged to take part in the Olympics this year...that is the Willow Park Ward Olympics. Our church sponsored a fun Saturday of events and contests, as well as an awesome BBQ! I would like you to know that I was in the first heat of the Somersault contest. Needless to say, I'm not as flexible or as quick as I remember being:

I woke up Sunday morning with sore forearms...that can't be from the somersaults. It must be a result of the Cartwheel contest. Again, I'm not as flexible or as limber as I remember being:

I'd like to tell you that inspite of my inflexibility, I won a gold medal. The truth is I was lucky to finish without rolling over someone else or cartwheeling into the crowd.

There is a glimmer of hope, however, for people in my physical condition. The Hula Hoop contest was done in several heats and age groups. I qualified for the finals in the Grown-up category. When it was all said and done, I walked away with GOLD! (no pic due to the photographer chased our son). We enjoyed hamburgers and hotdogs, salads and chips for lunch. Before everyone left, we had one final event: the Pie-Eating Contest. Yes, I participated. I've always considered myself a fast eater. As a child, family friends called my "Hoover" because I ate everything off the floor and I ate it FAST! I had all the confidence going into this event. However, as I was finishing my third (of four) bananas, I heard the winner announced. Awe nuts!! Oh well, I had fun. So much, that I didn't mind the chocolate syrup up my nose and the incriminating pictures snapped by "innocent bystanders". When that "innocent" sends me the pics, I'll post a few. At this point in life, I've learned to laugh at myself - even set myself up for silliness.

Rich even had a good time participating in the Tug-of-War:

He also took part in a non-competitive volleyball game (no medals awarded for either event).

Luke entered the Nursery race, but was unable to finish due to lack of desire. All he wanted was to be held by Mom...oh well, maybe next time.

It was a memorable day for the whole family!!

On a break...

Hello again. I've been a little busy - school started earlier this month. But now...I'm ON A BREAK!! I am off-track for three weeks; it's only day 2, but I'm loving it! I thought I should post a few pictures that have been missed. A few weeks ago, Luke fell asleep in the chair. I wouln't have taken a picture, but, well...

Isn't that just hilarious?!

So. We decided to have a water day with a few friends. We met, we played, we got wet!! Luke and Maddux were in and out of this little blue pool a thousand times. They loved it. It even has a slide...how cool is that?!

In or Out? I can't decide.

I guess the fun has just begun. A little good news...we almost have a backyard. It will have grass by the end of the weekend! That means I don't have to remind Luke to stay out the dirt - there won't be any dirt!! YEA! Well, I'll let you know when something new happens.

overwhelmed

Sorry I haven't been very committed to keeping my posts up-to-date. Since my last post, I started school again. The last couple of weeks have been getting my classroom ready, helping two first-year teachers get their classrooms ready and beginning assessments with our Kindergarteners. That may not sound like much, but I feel like I've been in a whirlwind! My poor husband; I don't get the house cleaned, I don't cook, I don't make conversation (except about school). One more day of assessment, then the kids start. I hope things will settle down a little when that happens.

I do have to agree with my dear, sweet Anna - I've been excited for the fourth Twilight book to come out, too. I must say that I am on Team Edward, he's been there all along and while Jacob is sweet and has a heart of gold, I just don't see it happening with him and Bella. Along the topic of books, I'm currently reading from the Uglies series (Scott Westerfield). These are fabulous!! I just finished book 3, Specials; I will be purchasing book 4, Extras, today!

I'll try to get some great pictures of Luke posted for his 18-months day!

Little Fishes

Luke and I both got a haircut yesterday...yea!! Now he looks like a little boy instead of a baby:

As you can see, he wasn't exactly thrilled, but he did stop crying when he realized the clippers wouldn't hurt him.

Well, Rich's brother and his family arrived in town yesterday! We had burgers and dogs and lots of munchies. Then, we all went...SWIMMING! This was Luke's first time this year - wow - sometime between last summer and yesterday, he turned into a little fish. He kicked and splashed and loved playing in the pool.

Today we're going to paint another sister-in-law's nursery - baby coming in September. And I think dinner (adults only) was in the plan, too - we'll see. Should be a great time no matter what!

A holiday to remember

I've had a busy few days...finishing the last week of school, 3-day workshop for school, holiday weekend (including a parade and 2 BBQ's). It's been a lot of fun, too!!

For the 4th, we went to the Oakley Parade. Dad entered his wagon and needed some willing riders...I'm always game for a parade (especially when I can throw candy). Luke, Grandma, Aunt Lacee, Uncle Bones and Maddux were aomng the lucky paraders. We had a blast.

After, we had burgers and chips at Grandma and Grandpa's. I love to enjoy yummy food with my family. We headed back home for a neighborhood BBQ that evening. It began as a 2 AM whim with my friend, Sharon, and ended up including half the nighborhood (the more, the merrier). I wanted to share this AWESOME picture of Luke to remind you all what holidays are about...enjoying the food!!

Luke enjoying the last drop of Mom's ROOT BEER!!Luke after eating an ice cream cone - all by himself!!

still going...

So, I'm not sure why, but I can't seem to stay motivated to put my thoughts down on paper...I mean blog. I spent the weekend enjoying my family and thinking about things at church. I have the GREATEST husband ever!! Argue all you want...this weekend he proved himself THE BEST! I was asked to give a lesson Saturday morning and had only that day to prepare. Rich cleaned all three bathrooms, vacuumed upstairs and downstairs, swept the kitchen floor and rotated laundry. Then, he went outside and mowed the lawn. Needless to say, I mopped the floor and worked on my lesson. We both had naps in the afternoon while Luke was napping. rough day for me - NOT!

Thank you Rich!!

I'm back

In case anyone was curious, ALL the Kindergarteners survived the zoo. Not only did we all survive, we all had fun, stayed safe, and returned to the school together!! YEA!





Here's what been going on since I last posted:





hmmm....I know a lot has happened, otherwise I would have taken time to blog. Hmmm....Oh yeah, I am the RS Secretary, meaning I get to do the things I enjoy - make flyers, take notes, and keep track of stuff. Luke has started saying a few words..."no" (not in a strong voice, just as if he was telling you something), "uh-oh" (usually when he does something he knows he's not supposed to), "mom-mom-mom" (I think this usually means he's hungry), "da-da-da" (Dad, of course). What a vocabulary!





I have spent a lot of time outside with my neighbors. We've become quite close...we spend every afternoon of pleasant weather in a driveway playing (backyards don't seem to be a popular place to play around here). We live on a cul-de-sac, so there's lots of room to play out front. I have a very impressive farmer tan, in case you'd like to know. Luke loves to play with the neighbors (all girls). They are ALL learning how to play together, so sometimes there's less playing and more...other stuff.





For Mother's Day, I got a portable picture printer! I just hooked it all up and started printing (Yes, I know, it's Father's Day...time moves too fast around here). I LOVE IT! I can shoot and print and shoot and print and print and print and print and print some more!

Luke gave Rich a BBQ for Father's Day! ooh-ahh. I know, we're spoiled around here. We, oops, I mean HE is so excited to try it out; we'll probably get it roarin' this week sometime.

Rich and I went to Chicago for a few days...I met Rich there after he spent three days there for work. It was great! Poor Luke, passed around, but I think Grandma enjoyed (most of) the time she and Grandpa spent with him. We visited the main tourist attractions: Sears Tower (closed due to high winds - imagine that in the "Windy City"); Hancock Tower (very tall); Navy Pier (see picture); Pizza Uno - wow, fabulous deep dish pizza!!; and Ditka's (steakhouse Owned by Mike Ditka)..."da bears". I must admit, while I thoroughly enjoyed a little time away, it was great to come home, too.

Can you see the lighthouse in the background? That's the lighthouse just off of Navy Pier...neat huh? p.s. self-taken photo.




Oh, I have to add this...I've noticed over the past several weeks, Luke's binkies keep disappearing. I figured they'd just been lost here and there. On a whim, I pulled the crib away from the wall and, while this picture does not do justice, it was lol funny at the time. There were 6 binkies behind the crib, a couple were even stuck to the wall!

Before I go, I must send a shout out to our peeps in Boise...this is for you!!