Busy week!

My niece Samantha turned 14! I can't believe how fast time has gone! She had a great party with her friends. She got some great gifts. Her fav was when her friend sang a song to her with his guitar. That was really neat.





On Wed I went out for a girls night. I came home and Joe informed me that the next morning I shouldn't be surprised if Ry Looks funny. Ryan was running through the house and slipped somehow in the front entry way and slammed his right eye into the corner of the bottom stair. He had a nice shiner for a few days.




The next day we had a surprise party to go to for our neighbors and friends. Rich turned 30! It was a great party. Every one had a great time. There was good food, a water slide for the kids to kmeep them busy so us adults could socialize. Lisa even made home made ice cream! YUM!








That night the girls had a sleepover. Every one got a make over. Even RyRy.

My Yellowstone Trip

Day 1

We took the back way to Yellowstone passing by Bear Lake. It was so pretty up there! From there we stopped at the cheese factory then headed to Jackson Hole. We were able to hang out there for a couple hours. I had never been. After I had been there for 20 min I called Joe and told him we are SOOOOOO going on our bike ride up there! I LOVED it!!!!!

We got to Yellowstone. We headed straight to Old Faithful. After we arrived we all ran to the bathrooms to change into our choir wear. That was hilarious! I don't how the guys faired but having 20 women all trying to change clothes in one bathroom...... need I say more?

Our concert was wonderful. We were asked to sing longer but we all really wanted to go watch Old Faithful erupt.

Our hotel was in West Yellowstone. I got to have 3 room mates and 2 of the ladies I was so glad to get to know better. I already knew Shalynn.

Day 2

Today was a FUN day! We hit the South Loop. We saw some beautiful waterfalls and tons of wildlife. We got to see a momma bear and her baby cub. That was amazing! Along the way we saw HUGE snow drifts. We made the driver stop the bus so we could make snow angels in June!! That was awesome! At one of the falls we stopped at we all go together and sang a few songs. What a neat experience!

We walked through the hot pots and geysers and got stopped by a few herds of Bison along the way.

That night we went to the Playmill theater to see Oklahoma. It was fabulous!

Day 3

We ran the North Loop today. We saw more hot pots and geysers. Did ALOT of walking and took tons of pictures. It was so much fun just being together as a choir outside of practice. Of course we saw more wildlife! We ended our day on a chuck wagon ride into a canyon for a chuck wagon dinner. That was SOOOOOOO yum! It was so wonderful being out there and eating good food! I will do that again!

Day 4

We were invited to sing for two church services in West Yellowstone. What a great day that was. Both congregations were so grateful that we came to bless them with such beautiful music. Between services we had lunch out in the forest is our formal wear. That was fun and I'm sure to all those who passed us it looked quite funny.

We stopped in Idaho Falls for dinner and my sister Holly came to meet us. She used to be in the choir as well. It was so fun to have her there. Everyone was so excited to see her again. She brought her boys with her.

We headed home and got stuck on the freeway for nearly and hour! But in the end we all made it and were happy to be home and pass out all the gifts.

Happy Birthday Katya!!!

I am late getting this posted. I was gone to Yellowstone on Katya's birthday and just got home late Sunday night.


Katya is now 10!!! A whole decade!! Its kind of surreal to know I am old enough to have a daughter that old.

It has been a wild ride with her. We never had the chance to have just her in our home. She was 3 months old when we found out I was pregnant with Tay. I went into a deep depression and had a hard time being a good mom to her. When her sister tried to come early twice I was not allowed to even hold her anymore. She had to learn to walk at 9 months at least while holding my hand. She was a very good sister when Tay came. I am sure she thought Tay was a doll. She was small enough to be one.

Katya has always been curious. I would find things in unusual places. Tampons in the cat dish, kittens in the garbage, dryer and dresser drawers, toys in the toilet, random items at the bottom of the stairs to the basement ect... Tay soon became her accomplice. As they grew up almost like twins they got into more trouble then sometimes I could handle. One such day they were 2 and 1. I put on Teletubbies and went to take my shower. When I came back down they had not only figured out how to open a child doorknob lock but had the buddy system down pat. They opened the door to the pantry then pushed a chair to it and had gotten the cannery cans of flour, oats and sugar off one of the high shelves. Then they covered my entire front room with the contents. I turned around went back up the stairs and called Joe. I told him he had to come home right then or his daughters would be dead. They also did it one day with green paint.

When Katya was around age 3 I noticed she had developed some anxiety issues. She was constantly worried about everything and every one. Temper tantrums got worse. Joe didn't see it. When Kindergarten came he did. She would cry all day long, hide under her desk and refuse to finish projects because they weren't perfect the first time. We decided to try teaching her how to recognize her feelings and change her reactions rather then run to meds first thing. It wasn't working so well. We continued that summer and hoped for the best in 1st grade thinking if its the same we take her in. A miracle happened that year. Marie Dalgleish. She saved our daughter. I really don't know how she did it. Katya still has her days but she is able to calm herself and control her reactions.

We love having Katya in our family. It is her anxiety that makes her so responsible. I know if I leave her in charge she will take charge and all will be well. She loves to create. Love animals. She loves school lasagna and chocolate milk. She loves to try new things with her hair and can do her own hair. She is very smart and does well in school. She is fantastic with little babies and will be baby sitting for her nieces and nephews sooner then I think.

We are so blessed to have her as our oldest. We love you Katya!

Joe

Joe is the best!
The best dad, friend, husband, lover, game player, maker of PB&J, provider, spoiler, snorter(when he laughs), date, ect...

He is amazing! He has been a real trooper for the last 6 months while I have had surgery after surgery AND he even found time to take us all to Disneyland. For the last 6 weeks he has been getting up early to get the kids ready for school and sent off while I slept(sleeping pills) and recovered from my last surgery.

He takes the kids each week out on a date and me too! He works so hard for our family and very rarely complains. He stays up all night working and then works all day too. We are fortunate to have him here at home with us. We love him very much and I think it would be a really sad day if he ever has to work in an office again.

He is my best friend and he spoils me rotten. He hasn't complained at how filthy our home has been all year. He has just gone with the flow and loved me and cared for me and made sure I recovered from each surgery. I don't think I could have done it with out him.

Thanks baby! We LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Father's Day was a fun day. We woke up early(church is at 9) and made Joe breakfast in bed. Then we gave him his gifts. New sheet music for him to learn and play, flip flops for the summer and a new Chuck Norris t-shirt. He also bought a 4 wheeler that we considered to be a fathers day gift for him.

After church we just hung out with dad in the yard and waited til it was time to go to g-ma and g-pa Days house. We spent he rest of the evening there eating and talking and playing games. It was alot of fun being with my family.

Yesterday we took his dad and mom out to dinner for fathers day. It was a nice time and his dad LOVED it. He is a hard guy to do anything for. So we were glad he enjoyed it.

We love all our dads in our lives and are so grateful for all they did to raise us and help us be who we are today.

What a weekend!

Read on to see all we did!

Flag Day Parade!

We have 2 men in our ward serving in
Afghanistan. The Primary presidency
thought it would be a great idea if we
had a primary parade on flag day in
honor of all the people serving our
country.

What a great time it was!!!!!

We all met at the Lords' house. We
had a police escort down 2900 W
and while they rode on the side walk
down 13400 S. The kids thought that
was SOOOOOOOOOOOO cool!
Cuz it was!

Once we made it to the church parking
lot the kids were met with popcicles
and water.

After they got all sticky we headed
inside to sing patriotic songs, make
cards for the men from our ward and
took a great picture of our primary
kids that came that day.

It's a Luau!!!

What a fun CRAZY day!!! It all ended perfectly with the best 10yr old luau!

I began my day by going to the physical therapist at 10am. Got there only to discover my wallet was missing! I searched the car, called Joe to search the kitchen and called Wal-mart. The last time I used it was at WM at 10:30 the night before getting balloons ect... How I left it at the register I will never know. Next I had a lunch date with Lisa Dutton and Kathy Blake from my ward. It was SOOOOO nice and much needed. I left them just after 3 and RAN to WM to pick up the birthday cake and Ice. Got home at 3:30. The party started at 4! I had 30 min to decorate and get the pizzas cooking. I DID IT!!!!!!!

The party was alot of fun. All the girls started out playing and getting to know one another. Only a few knew each other. Katya reunited recently with a friend from her school in West Jordan. Her family is great and we are fast becoming very good friends. What makes it even more funny is they know our really good friends Jim and Joelle!

We soon had Hawaiian pizza and sno-cones.


Once they were all sugared up we did presents. Katya had everyone wear the Indiana Jones hat while she opened their gifts.

Then the very looked forward
to event of the year. The hot tub.

After they all jumped on the trampoline and played a few games on their own (and dried off some) Everyone got grass skits! Even Chewie joined in!


















Next it was time for cake and ice cream . I think this was my favorite part. I love the job WM did on the cake! It is exactly how I had pictured it! The ice creams were so perfect I could hardly stand it! I found them at Costco. They are fruit sorbets INSIDE actual fruit shells!!! They are SUPER yummy and a huge hit!












We did the limbo but it quickly lost interest. I turned on the kids station on the cable and the kids just jumped and danced. The Mr. C. Funky slide song came on so I taught the kids the dance. It was so much fun!

I sent the kids home wired, tired and filthy. They had fun.

Indiana Jones Madness!

Ever since Taylor was in the Christmas play at the Off Broadway Theater we have not missed a single show of theirs. The most recent (as I have mentioned before) is a parody on Indiana Jones. They timed this to coincide with the new movie. The new movie inspired a new Wii game. Lego Indiana Jones found its way into our home. (The day it came out)

What sets us apart from other families is that we are not using the real character names. My kids and Joe and myself are using the perfectly chosen names from the play. It is so funny!

In the midst all this Indy madness Katya recently purchased an Indy costume from, her friend, Laura's garage sale. I was in Kaysvillle at my cousin Carmen's bridal shower when Katya brought it home. After I got home Joe showed me the pictures he had taken.



The kids had put on their own Indianapolis Jones play! Katya was Indy. Tay was Mara and Ry was Ping Pong!!!

I wish I could have seen it!!!

During all this Brynn was just hanging out with the new kitten.