Cottle Life

NEW YEAR'S EVE 2011

2012-01-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

This year we had Jeff's sister Pam and her family over for New Year's Eve. We had lots of food, lots of laughing, and managed to stay up way past midnight. I even managed to convince Logan to stay home as long as some "friends" came over. So fun to bring in the New Year with all my family. Here's to an awesome New Year!!!!

Finally Christmas

2012-01-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

I thought I would finally post some of my favorite pictures of Christmas with my family. This very well may be our last Christmas with our oldest son before he goes out into the real world.....sniff sniff. We really enjoyed some great simple quiet time together. It was nice to have a very relaxing Christmas morning. As the kids get older, the mood changes, and I have to adapt myself to change with them. We still read "The Gift of the Magi" before bed on Christmas Eve. We still set out cookies. We still went to my family Christmas party where Garrett sat on Santa's lap. We all still took turns Christmas morning opening presents. We all still enjoyed the traditional breakfast of Tea Ring, Sausage Casserole, Homemade Hot Chocolate, and Waffles and Strawberries......yummy. I cherish each and every memory we spent together, and know that the future Christmases will be just as enjoyable but different.

Jeff and I

2012-01-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

I just love this picture.

Some Favorite Things

2011-12-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

I love my Christmas tree....I just do. I got a new smaller skinnier tree a couple of years ago to fit in my front room better and I LOVE IT. Every year I put it up I love it more. I also had to post the latest thing my husband built for me.....He made me a large picture frame that I saw at a store that was very expensive. I asked him if he could make me one......he did and I love it more than the one at the store.

New Family Pictures

2011-12-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

It was time for our yearly family pics to be taken. Let's just say I'm so glad they actually turned out. It started pretty rough. An 18 year old who "refused" to take pictures,running late, fighting the sun going down, and my youngest getting hurt while his older brother mocked him.....needless to say, lots of prayers were said and in the end they turned out quite nice if I do say so myself. Logan is so much cuter than the pictures. Why don't they want to smile? I mean really? This time next year my oldest hopefully will be on a mission.......sniff sniff. I am grateful that we are able to capture the growing of each new year..

Halloween Time

2011-11-01T14:07:00.001-07:00

Well, another Halloween has come and gone. I got adventurous this year and decided to make spud nuts which are a potato based doughnut. They are very southern and very traditional to my childhood. My mother is an expert and I......not so much, but I tried making them this year. They weren't pretty, but THEY WERE SO GOOD. I believe my family would like this to be a new tradition every Halloween....we'll see. It was quite stressful but yummy at the same time. We also carved some of the most beautiful pumpkins we have ever had. We found a guy that grew them and was selling them right off his property in Orem and it was a FIND for cheap. I love to help the locals. :) Hayden had a party of 8 friends over Halloween night, Garrett was a penguin, Sadie was a cow, and Logan went to his own party dressed as Mario. It was a fun day and a fun evening. I always love Halloween because it begins the onset of the holidays which are MY FAVORITE..

Logan turns 18

2011-10-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

My oldest has hit the "18" mark. Is it humanly possible? I really don't think so. I remember being pregnant with him.....it was frankly not funny. I was HUGE and had no clue. I am so happy he joined our family so long ago and the positive example he has set in stone in our family. He will be greatly missed around here next year at this time.....sniff sniff. I have watched him evolve into a grown man and it has been so much fun being a part of his life. With growing up brings many wonderful events and changes. I feel so thankful every day for my children and the great young men they have become. Happy Birthday son. I sure love and appreciate you in my life.

First Day of School

2011-09-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

My boys have started back to school once again. Hard to believe I have a Senior, a Freshman, and a 6th grader. I remember Logan taking the bus the first day of school, following the bus the whole way to school crying. Next year I will be sending my oldest off to college.......I am not old enough right? This time is so magical and fun but also very sad as they are growing up so fast. It was still fun taking each of them shopping for their back to school clothes. It never gets old buying the new clothes and school supplies. There is some nostalgia there. Have a great school year boys!!!! Love you.

Garrett's team won the Sparta Soccer Tournament

2011-08-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

My cute son's team took first place in a soccer tournament in South Jordan the second week of August. I was so proud of the way Garrett played. He played wing defender and no one could get passed him. He does great back there and I believe he has gained a considerable amount of confidence in that position. Way to go Garrett! That trophy is as big as you. You ROCK. :)

Garrett gets his Tenderfoot

2011-08-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

My baby is officially in Boy Scouts. We took out a small home loan to buy our 3RD brown scout shirt...I so wanted to use one of the other boys shirts but it has personal stuff stitched all over it.....oh well. We bought it big and he looks mighty cute in it. He received his first advancement in Boy Scouts, his Tenderfoot. He is on track to receive his 2nd class by December. Way to go Garrett. He has AMAZING scout leaders and he is really pumped to do what his older brothers did. Keep it up Gee.

Granite Flats

2011-07-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

We lucked out last Thursday when Jeff and I decided to be spontaneous and drive up to try to get a spot at Granite Flats to camp. Sure enough we found a spot, but unfortunately you have to have your camper to reserve it which we DID NOT have because it is a 30 foot trailer and let's be honest.....SO, they did say we could have me stand there while he went home to get it.....that is what I did. I got some bug spray from the camp host and there I sat. It was awesome. Beautiful, a little cool, rainy in the evenings, hiking up to Silver Lake, playing cards, eating smores and banana boats, and just hanging out. I am now addicted to Granite Flats because it is so close and you are completely in the mountains. The boys caught a snake which was very cool, we hung by the fire and got eaten alive by mosquitos, and even watched a couple of movies :) I would camp every weekend if I didn't have to come home and clean everything up.........

Fourth of July

2011-07-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

We continue the tradition on July 4th of getting up and heading down to the Freedom Festival Parade in Provo. It has gotten so out of control with people and finding a place, that the last two years Logan and his friend Ryan head down the night before for spots and sleep over. It sure makes it easier for us as we stroll in around 8:30! This year was the same with fabulous seats from our son. The parade itself isn't the best but it is keeping to tradition that makes it for me! After the parade, we headed up to the 40th annual candy drop, bbq, and water fight at my aunt's house. I enjoy this so much because it is a tradition that we did when I was a little girl and it continues to go strong! I don't get to see my mom's sisters and brothers and their kids very often so it is always so fun to eat some yummy food, watch Uncle Val and Irvin act out the latest event for the year from the top window of the house while throwing a mix of candy and water from up high. The kids squeal as they get drenched and fill up their baggies with goodies. Immediately after the water fight started. This is no small water fight. The longer you "hide" from getting wet the worse it becomes. Ice water is mixed and thrown on innocent people including me! You don't leave with a dry spot anywhere on your body! We all came home very exhausted. The day ended with the annual culdesac of fire with our neighbors throwing an assortment of fireworks! It was fun to watch Garrett take charge of our large package of fireworks and watched him burn through $50. Lovely! It was another wonderful year of making memories.

Logan made the All Valley Soccer team!

2011-06-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

We got the news that Logan was named as a member of the All Valley Soccer team in Utah County. Only 14 players were named to make up this team. This is quite impressive since this is the first year he has ever played defender. He took on the new position with a positive attitude and blew us all away at how well and natural he was back there on the line. He plays wing defender which allows him to still move all the way up the field in position to score if possible. I have truly been impressed with his determination to take on a new position and do what's best for the team. He has been a huge contributor and I am very proud of his accomplishments. Way to go Logan. You rock!!!

Bryce Canyon

2011-06-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

We headed to Bryce Canyon for 4 days with our camping friends. It was absolutely beautiful. I had never been to Bryce Canyon and was not dissappointed. Logan couldn't come because he had to work. It was such a bummer because I know he would have loved the hikes and mountain biking. The weather was a little chilly but stunning on Saturday. We played in waterfalls, hiked, went mountain biking, and enjoyed spending time together. It was a wonderful first trip in our trailer this summer. Nature is spectacular. Memories were made.......

Race for Lindsey

2011-06-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Jeff's darling niece Lindsey has brain cancer and so we had a 5k fundraiser for her to support and cheer her on in her courage. It was wonderful to see her smiling face and her optimism. Her husband is a "rock" and is the bravest and most amazing guy I know. We love her and pray every day for her recovery.

Garrett turns 11

2011-06-03T11:01:00.001-07:00

I am just a few days late, but I had to blog about my sweet baby turning 11. His birthday was over memorial day and it was so fun that all of us were home to help him celebrate! Garrett has grown SO much this past year, and he is almost in a adult size 9 shoe.....yikes. I think he may be quite tall. I love his sense of humor, his desire to make us happy, and his big heart. He is and always will be my baby. We went to Cafe Rio for lunch and spent the afternoon with family at the grave for memorial day. He got some new shoes, money, and cupcakes galore! We love you and are so thrilled for your special day!!!!

Garrett's Pinewood Derby

2011-05-23T12:56:00.001-07:00

Garrett took third place overall in his Pinewood Derby Race last Thursday. We didn't get an early start on making it, and weren't sure if it would be ready in time, but with lots of hard work from Garrett's Dad and him, they were able to not only get the award for "Most Original Car" but also ended up being the third fastest car! Way to go Spongebob! We are proud of your hard work Garrett! Well done.

My new furniture

2011-05-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

Well, after almost 19 years, I finally have a new kitchen table that can seat my whole family and then some!I love it SO much......it has a leaf in it that can extend and seat up to 10. It will be so nice when we have guests over to eat as well as family. I also managed to get a new coffee table too. No more sketches of our family as stick figures in the top of the table....... not so sad to see THAT go! Fun day for me.

Prom

2011-05-08T12:47:00.001-07:00

Well my son is old enough to go to Prom....frankly I still can't believe it and he already went. Yikes is all I have to say! Lehi Prom was last night, Saturday, May th. It actually went for two days..He rented an very handsome tux, made reservations for 50 at Tucano's, helped plan and orchestrate two day dates, and I managed to take the stress off and ordered the corsage. His date was Jaleisa Jones who he has enjoyed spending time with lately. She looked absolutely beautiful in a pale pink dress. May I say, they looked pretty striking together! The colors matched wonderfully. He looked so handsome I couldn't believe it. It put into perspective how soon he'll be leaving me on his mission. Time goes so quickly.....it really does. I think he had a wonderful time and I am glad he has such an awesome group of friends that all make great choices and I never have to worry about what they are doing. That is the greatest blessing of all. Thanks for being a great kid Logan..Love you.

Mexico Cruise

2011-04-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a family vacation on a Mexican Cruise. It was a BLAST. I was honestly nervous because I have never taken the kids before and didn't know how they would like it. Well, they loved every part of it. We started by getting in on a Sunday afternoon in Manhattan Beach. We got a hotel and headed for the beach and pier. We ate at a restaurant on the pier called Mama D's. Jeff and I had been there once before and HAD to take our kids there. It was out of this world. We walked the pier, played in the sand, and even hit an aquarium......Then the next morning we packed up and headed for our cruise out of Long Beach. We early boarded which was a MUST because we got on the ship earlier than most people and we felt like we had the ship to ourselves for a couple of hours. The kids immediately hit the soft serve ice cream which became a staple in our day! We ended up on the same cruise as our dear friends the Chandlers who also brought their kids and they all hit it off. Logan also found out that 5 of his friends (girls) also booked the same cruise, so we had LOADS of people to hang out with :) It was absolutely perfect. We went to Catalina Island which was my favorite. We rented bikes and peddled all over the city. We went to a botanical garden, and did lots of shopping. The next day we ported in Ensenada which wasn't my favorite, but the shopping was amazing!!! We all learned to barder down for what we wanted! It was great. The last day was a day at sea which was very relaxing. I reserved chairs and was out in the morning on the deck at 8:30 am and went in at 4:00. It was wonderful getting the sun and watching my kids having a blast. I will remember this trip forever and hope my kids will too!Sorry so many pictures! I couldn't choose just a few!

Hayden's District Eagle Dinner

2011-02-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight Hayden was part of a dinner recognizing all of the boys who earned their Eagle Award in 2010. It was so fun to go on a date with him and to reflect on how hard he worked to earn this award. There were 153 Eagles in our district awarded last year. That is amazing. We have two Eagles down and one more to go! Here we come Garrett! I sure love you and am so very proud of you Hayden! Thanks for letting me come with you tonight.

Vegas Tournament

2011-01-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

January 14th we left to drive the long drive to Las Vegas where the annual Vegas Tournament is held for soccer. It is a very large venue where many teams come from California, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. There is great competition and the warm weather is always a plus during the middle of January! It was 76 degrees, blue skies, and light breeze. Honestly, I kept thinking how we could have a second home there......it was absolutely delightful. :) Garrett's team played their hardest but had never played on a full sized field before and had never played 11 vs. 11. They are used to playing 8 vs. 8. Some of these teams can play all year round outside because it is warm. Not us, so that hurt us a little. They gave their heart but lost their games. Hayden's team made it to tie in the second game and went into a shoot out for a place in the finals. They won the shoot out but unfortunately lost in the championship game! It was so fun to watch and see how much they've improved. It was a wonderful getaway and has become a little tradition for our family now in January. Logan's team did not go, and he was biting at the bit the entire time to get on his boots and get out there! He was a great cheerleader from the sidelines but wished he as well was being cheered on! Great fun!

My chef Garrett

2011-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

Garrett has decided that he really enjoyes BAKING. He wants to be a baker or chef. He actually said when he grows up he wants to work at Krispy Kreme.......well for now that is cute :) His nana bought him a "Chef Garrett" apron and hat for Christmas and we worked together in the kitchen to make a cake! He also got a kids cookbook from nana showing him pictures and steps for making each recipe. So he found a yummy looking chocolate cake, and we made it one night! It was a great success. Good work Garrett! You can always come and help me in the kitchen! He must get the baking gene from me........

Logan is 17

2010-10-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

My oldest continues to grow.....surprising! This month he turned 17. I truly can't believe he is in the thick of the teenage years. He loves life, friends, girls, driving, girls, music, his car, and of course SOCCER. He is such a great boy who we love so much. It is hard to believe in 2 years he will be leaving this nest and heading out into the real world. I hope every day that I have taught him what he needs to know to be a successful and wonderful young man. He is such a great example in our home and his humor always keeps us laughing. Even though he seems to be absent on many occasions, I am so grateful when he is home and when we have great "talks" late in the evening after returning home from a night out. I remember being 17 and truly it is a magical and fun time in life. Happy late birthday son. I sure do love you.

July 4th

2010-08-02T12:55:00.001-07:00

My boys are growing up so quickly. Getting my kids to go to a parade is getting more and more difficult. I still fight them as it is very nostalgic to me and it means "family time". So....for the Provo parade, Logan and his friend Ryan went down to Provo the night before the parade to stake out some spots. There was NOTHING. They found a spot on another side street but was told that they couldn't spend the night on that street and would have to come back in the morning at 5:00 am. They went to someone they worked for who lived close by and asked if they could camp on his lawn overnight. He said sure and they managed to get a spot close to the one they wanted the next day. It was so crazy at what went into it, but in the end we watched the parade in comfort and enjoyed all the festivities. We then headed over to the annual Hale BBQ/water and candy drop. This is a tradition that my family has done every July 4th since I was a small kid. We have a BBQ first then my uncles go to the second floor window and dress up for whatever is in the news for the year (this year they were Tiger Woods) :) As they improv, they throw out candy/water randomly to the kids below. It sounds stupid but very fun for the kids. After the candy drop is over, everyone runs around and begins the WATER FIGHT. It is huge and no one is given a free pass. We all leave SOAKED. It was a fun day followed by fireworks at our annual neighborhoos "culdesac of fire". I am so grateful for the freedom we have here in America and that we can celebrate it with family and friends every year!

Happy 18th Anniversary to me

2010-07-31T14:28:00.000-07:00

My cute husband took me on an "overnighter" for our 18th wedding anniversary. We went out to eat, stayed in a beautiful hotel, went to a movie, and I got a new wedding ring. I have wanted something else for a while now, and I was so excited to get one this year!

I sure love my husband putting up with me all these years and I love spending every minute with him. Thanks for the last 18 and looking forward to the next 50!

I love you!

State champs!

2010-07-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

I know this post is two months old, but I had to blog about Lehi High School soccer taking state in soccer this year! It was amazing to see such talent work together to get the title this year. Little ol' Lehi did it! Logan was privileged because he was asked to dress varsity for the championships. Even though he didn't get any playing time, he was able to practice with the team and sit on the side cheering them on! He can taste it for next year and we're hoping he will get that varsity time he has wanted for a couple years now! Way to go Lehi. You deserve it!

Miss Utah 2010

2010-07-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

I am finally posting pics from Miss Utah this year. It was so much fun. I never think I can love my new girls as much as the ones from last year, but every year I do! I had four amazing, beautiful, and talented young women! I had Tara Lemon, Erica Smith, Rachelle Harrison, and Bridgette Sulser. They got along so well and I was sure they were best friends before they even got there. I felt so blessed to have been able to get to know these girls and to once again make some wonderful friendships. I can't believe the talent these girls have! They all did wonderful and I was so proud of them. I loved every minute with my dear friend Jenny. We look forward to it every year and once again it was everything and more! Thanks Jenny for a great time! It took some time to get back in the swing of things. I miss it already.

Garrett is now 10

2010-07-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

I do love my sweet youngest who actually turned 10 a month ago but haven't blogged about it yet. My baby is in double digits. How is this possible.. I remember his birth like it was yesterday. It was such a hot couple of days. He was ready to come and luckily I was induced just a couple of days early. It was a good thing because I was admitted at 7:00 and had him at 1:00 in the afternoon where he came into this lovely word weighing 9 pounds 1 ounce. He was so chunky and pink as could be. With him being born so close to summer, I was anxious to get back in shape and out and about with him. We hit the Lehi parade only 3 weeks later.

Here are some things I love about Garrett:

His big blue eyes (we don't know where he came from :) )
His white hair
Tender and very large heart
Very contagious laugh
Desire to learn as much as he can
Quite the comic
Excellent at Math
Loved by all the girls :)
How he still snuggles his mom each night
Wants to do what is right and doesn't enjoy when he disappoints others.
Can hear him always singing something
Is the expert at Word Searches
Has a natural talent at the drums (Thanks Dad)
Is one incredible soccer player

I love you Garrett. You are very well rounded and I am grateful you are part of our family. You are quirky and sweet all at the same time.

Garrett chose to have a "soccer" birthday party. I know that is so original in our family. I am sure I have made atleast 3 or 4 soccer ball cakes so I was a pro by now. He invited most of his soccer team plus some friends from school. The kids enjoyed playing in the water, having a water balloon fight, playing a soccer game in the road, hitting a soccer ball pinata, and eating cake and cupcakes. He is grown up and teaches me something new each day.

Sandhollow

2010-06-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a fantastic/hot trip to Sandhollow. It is called "mini Lake Powell" and felt it with 106 degree weather each day. Luckily we had waverunners on the lake to keep up cool. The boys loved digging and playing in the mud. The entertained themselves for hours building forts and sandcastles. Logan and Garrett both got up on the knee boards and they even enjoyed some snorkeling. I enjoyed sitting under the umbrella digging my feet in the sand. We planned on hiking the Subway, but all the passes were taken so we chose to stay back and enjoy the lake. I am just very very thankful for the generator that we had to keep our trailer cool in the morning and in the late afternoon. All in all it was another great trip to remember for years to come. Thanks Logan for being a trooper without any of your friends there.

Goblin Valley 2010

2010-04-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

We of course had an incredible time on our first camping trip of the year! We went to Goblin Valley with our friends. We went last year with Jeff's brother and his family, and it unfortunately rained the WHOLE TIME, so we were reluctant to go again. We are SO glad we went anyway because the weather was stunning, the company was fabulous, and we were able to enjoy it so much more. The kids loved biking, hiking, and eating! Sadie also enjoyed the trip and hardly slept the whole weekend. We forget how much work it is getting ready to go camping, but how worth it it is when we get there. Memories were made for sure on this trip!

Hayden has turned 13!

2010-03-24T10:18:00.000-07:00

My second son has turned 13. I don't believe it has been 13 years.

7 lbs. 7 oz.
attitude from birth
quirky
people congregate to him
brilliant mind
always wants to learn something new
incredible soccer defender
"lightening bolt" speed
skinny long long legs
quite the ladies man ;)
wears his emotions on his sleeve
doesn't mind being a home body
DOESN'T like things changed on him without warning
self sufficient
excellent brother and friend
loves the gospel
is quick witted (he got this from his uncle Justin)
is a clothes horse
makes me always laugh
almost an Eagle scout

Hayden I love you so much and feel so thankful every day for your accomplishments. You have developed into such a wonderful young man whom I am so proud of. Garrett looks up to everything you do. You shine wherever you are. You light up a room whenever you enter. You love people and I am happy for that. Thank you for being who you are in my life. Thank you for letting me be a great part of this teenager life you are living. Happy Birthday son! You are now officially a teenager. Be good to me :)

Miss America 2010

2010-02-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh I had SOOOO much fun at Miss America with my dear friend Jenny. Jenny thanks for some great laughs. I appreciate the laughs Friday night, Big foot, and eating Ben and Jerry's, introducing you to Sephora, and having us finally at Miss America TOGETHER. It was great. Especially the $200 a night hotel....can't get any better than that. Loved it, loved it, loved it! Here's to Miss Utah in only 4 1/2 months. YIPPEE.

The Las Vegas Tournament for Hayden

2010-01-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

We returned a couple of weeks ago from attending the Las Vegas Soccer Tournament for Hayden. This was the first time we have attended this tournament and it was GIGANTIC. There were teams from all over. The competition was quite stiff and we worked hard. Hayden played defense and ran hard. The weather wasn't as warm as I would have liked, but it was so much fun to go and stay with the entire team. He enjoyed hanging in the hot tub with all his friends and getting in trouble from running up and down the halls of the hotel :) There was a lot of team bonding and it was fun to hang out with all my friends. We even made it to the ESPN Zone for some games and off to the M&M Factory on the strip. It was quite a wake up call for my children going on the strip. Wow.....all in all we had a wonderful time together even though the team did not make it to the finals. There is always next year right? Bring on outdoor soccer! It will be here before we know it :)

I DID IT! My Half Marathon!

2010-01-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

Well after months and months of training I ran my second half marathon this weekend in St. George. Jeff came with me and we made it a fun weekend together. It was nice to have his support as the last race was supporting Jeff! He was so cute pumping me up and making me feel confident. The weather was suppose to be rainy but it ended up being absolutely PERFECT. It was overcast and about 40 degrees. There were a lot of runners and Shellie and I felt quite overwhelmed as it felt like everyone was passing us at the beginning of the race. I felt really strong in the race until mile 11. It was difficult the last 2 miles as it was slightly uphill and I ran out of steam but I kept going. I came in at 2 hours 3 minutes. I really wanted to come in under 2 hours......maybe next time :) I discovered I have an injury called planter fiscitis in my right foot....it is quite painful and will be pampering it over the next couple of months, but then I am anxious to start training again for something else!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-29T14:28:00.000-08:00

Well once again we have sailed through another holiday season. It goes far too quickly but I made sure this year that I prepared early, baked ahead, sent out Christmas cards early, and made the decision that I would have a "daily Christmas activity." It was wonderful to relax and enjoy my boys who are growing so quickly. Logan only will have 2 Christmases left with us and I just can't bring myself to think about it SO I made sure it was a memorable one this year. We had fun going to Midway to see a Creche display, looking at a Gingerbread house charity auction, visiting friends and family, making our own Gingerbread house, reading Christmas stories, and watching many wonderful traditional Christmas movies. Logan got his I-pod Touch, Hayden (by a small...no LARGE Christmas miracle) got a cell phone, and Garrett got a very covetous Original Turtle Rider which I believe will be the talk of the street once he can get outside and ride it. Thank you family for another wonderful and memorable Christmas. Hopefully we have created more cherished memories to share for years to come!

Great Flick.

2009-12-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

I know I'm just a month late, but this was an excellent movie....HIGHLY recommend it.

I feel so thankful......

2009-11-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today I feel so blessed for so many wonderful things.

I am thankful for a fantastic family of BOYS. I know I am a great boy mom. The Lord knew it was what I could handle and I have acclamated quite well I may say so myself.

I am thankful for a fireplace. It makes me feel cozy and warm on those chilly days.

I am thankful for wonderful and inspiring music. I love all kinds of music. As long as it inspires me in some way I love it.

I am grateful for the best job in the entire world....teaching. Not only teaching, but teaching PART TIME. THAT is what is such a blessing. I can do what I love (my hobby) and then come home and be the mother that my boys need.

I am grateful for my cozy home. It is a gathering place for my boys and their friends which is a mother's dream.

I'm grateful for my sweet dog Sadie....who knew I would love her so much. She has truly filled that void of having a daughter (well not exactly but she is my little "baby") She offers our family so much joy. I should have done this much earlier.

I'm grateful for memories. Every Christmas time I relish in the vivid memories I have of going up to my grandparents house in Ohio during Christmas time. Sledding, smelling the freshly cut balsam pine cut by my grandpa on his property in the country, and all the wonderful smells and food that my senses remember. Oh such sweet memories....

I am grateful for fantastic friends who love me. They lift me up, think of me on spontaneous occasions, and make me laugh when I have had a rotten day. They ROCK!

I'm grateful for a supportive husband who is so loving and patient with me. He is my rock and the better half of the two of us. I don't know how I got so lucky.....I count my blessings every day I found him in that college parking lot that January day :)

I am thankful for chocolate covered cinnamon bears. I was introduced several years ago and I have never been able to stay away since.....give them a try. You quite possibly could be hooked for life!

I'm especially grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for my Savior. I know everything I have is because of him and I thank him daily for the blessings that have been showered upon me and my family. I love him so much and know he loves me too.

I hope all of you have an amazing Thanksgiving. Love and be thankful for all that you have been given. It is a wonderful time of year!!!!!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-16T11:26:00.000-08:00

This year was a little different. I am officially an "old" mother. I only had 1 child go trick or treating.....SAD. Logan went to a party so he dressed up like Charlie Brown. Hayden didn't even dress up. He had a bunch of friends over and they gave out the candy and had a great time! Little Garrett was thrilled to go trick or treating and enjoyed dressing up as Mario. He wore Jeff and I out as he hit all of Lehi (no not really). Jeff and I enjoyed dressing up as the Queen and King of Hearts. I LOVE dressing up since I have to because I am a teacher. My costume was a HIT, and I enjoyed pointing at the children all day saying, "Off with your heads!" I have set the bar quite high and already am thinking what I could be next year! Carving pumpkins was fabulous as ever and the kids get more and more creative each and every year. Jeff is amazing to dig out all the yuck inside the pumpkins. THANKS HONEY!

My son is 16 today!!!!

2009-10-12T15:48:00.001-07:00

My oldest turned 16 today.....bittersweet. Logan has grown up so quickly. I feel like it was yesterday I was holding him in the delivery room. He was a big baby weighing in at 9 pounds 3 ounces. He is such a great kid who is driven at everything he does. He is such an example to all of us and we sure love him! Happy Birthday Logan! Sure are proud of you!

Hee Haw Farms

2009-10-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Last night for family night (minus Jeff, he was sick:) ) we went to Hee Haw farms in Pleasant Grove. It was so much fun! The weather had a little bite in the air, and there was hot chocolate to sip, doughnuts to eat, and pumpkins to pick. The boys shot cobs of corn, ran through a "haunted forest", went down a slippery slide, and even challenged me to walk through the corn maze which was HARD! We got lost and I grew restless. We cheated and cut through some corn stalks to find the exit! So naughty of us :) It was so much fun to spend time together. The highlight of the evening was seeing a 1000 pound pig! It was enormous!!!!!! Fall is here!

2009-10-02T13:19:00.001-07:00

I love Fridays.

I love my family

2009-09-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

I really don't have many pictures to post, but I did find an old picture from Easter that I just fell in love with. I feel so richly blessed every single day for my dear sweet family. I have such a terrific husband who works so hard for us and three wonderful boys who keep me on my feet....I will have a dating son in only 3 weeks. Heaven help me. I just need to slow down sometimes and reflect on what I have been given which is so very much.

Logans first deer...

2009-08-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Logan and I (Dad-Jeff) got up really early and went for the hills on the opening day of the archery hunt. This is the third year Logan and I have hunted with a bow. We have always seen bucks, but have never gotten in position for LT to take a shot. We saw a few does early in the morning. I got excited when Logan tapped me on the shoulder, while riding to our "spot" on the 4-wheeler, and pointed out two nice bucks. We got within 40 yards, but an oppurtunity for a shot eluded him once again. That is the frustrating part of bow hunting, you see a lot of bucks, but rarely get within range for a shot. We hunted those bucks for a while and saw five other deer, three of which were bucks. We walked back to the 4-wheeler and headed down to where they were. Logan rode on the front of the 4-wheeler so he could quickly hop off and hopefully get a shot. During our ride down to the deer, the five deer had disappeared into the trees. Logan saw another buck in the middle of the road. As we approached the spot, Logan spotted the deer just 30 yards off the road. While getting to a spot where he had a shot and trying to get yardage the deer started to turn and walk away. Logan took aim and finally got his chance at about 40 yards uphill, he made it count. He shot the deer around 9:15am. He was very very excited. We packed up and headed for the truck. Just after loading the 4-wheeler into the truck it started to downpour. Talk about a cinderella hunting story. It was a great day be a Dad. In the last picture, I am taking the picture from where Logan shot and Logan is standing where the deer was.

I went DARK!

2009-08-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

My hairdresser is getting married next week and is moving to Chicago. I am naturally SO dark that I was getting my hair colored every 4 or 5 weeks. I decided that I would make that huge step and go brown. I like it. It is very different and was a little drastic for Jeff initially but now he really likes it. We shall see how long I can stay dark.....

Fish Lake Trip

2009-07-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a wonderful weekend at Fish Lake! We have always wanted to go there but never seemed to schedule it. We went with our dear camping friends and had a blast! Matt Ryan brought his canoe and Lars Anderson brought his pontoon boat as well. The boys fished and rode bikes and ate lots of marshmallows. The weather was perfect. It was much cooler at around 75 degrees the whole time. Much better than the 100 degrees here in Lehi. I sure love going with my family camping. I think these experiences will be lifelong memories for all of us. Thanks friends and family for a terrific weekend.

My brother's wedding day

2009-07-14T18:11:00.001-07:00

We are so lucky to have had the opportunity to go to the wedding of my brother Josh to his darling bride Kendra a couple of weeks ago. They are so cute together and they are so right together. The weather was beautiful and the day could not have gone any better. I feel so grateful to have had all of my brothers and my parents there that day. It can't get better than that! I even got to hold my newest cousin of my Aunt Heather. Her name is Lola Elaine after my grandmother. I am the oldest grandchild and she is the youngest. Pretty tender! Thank you Josh and Kendra for letting us be a part of your wonderful day! I am thrilled, I have another "sister" now!!!!!

MIss Utah 2009

2009-06-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well I finally am blogging about my Miss Utah week. I returned a week ago Saturday and it was amazing. I had 4 amazing girls and loved being their "mom" for the week. One of my friend's girls, Whitney Merrifield won Miss Utah. She is a darling girl and dear friend. I am so happy for her. She will do amazing this year representing Utah. Her talent was FANTASTIC! I feel so honored that I know her and her family. I wish her luck this year. We laughed, laughed some more, and laughed even more. Jen, we will see you here next year! Jenny, great times as always. Now we have to wait another year. It is a highlight of my year. :) Thanks for spending it with me.....

Post coming!

2009-06-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

I promise I will post Miss Utah soon. I am right in the middle of my brother's wedding.......give me a few days!

Shower for new sister!

2009-06-13T07:16:00.001-07:00

My two sister in laws and I threw a bridal shower for my future sister in law. She is marrying my brother Josh the end of June and we are VERY excited. She is just darling and we love her so much. She is actually from North Carolina, so we think that it was meant to be that he is marrying a "southern girl". My boys adore her and she and I am thrilled to call her one of my sisters now. We threw the shower at my sister in law's clubhouse. Becca was over invites, Angie did the decorations, and I was over the food. We served yummy southwest dip with toasted french bread, fruit and fruit dip, double layer chocolate cake, lemony shortbread cupcakes, chess cake squares, an artichoke dip, and some vegies! It was so fun and delicious. Everyone enjoyed visiting, and Kendra got some amazing things.....thanks Angie and Becca for all you did! It was so much fun! Here comes the wedding:)

Hiking the Subway!

2009-06-05T12:08:00.001-07:00

The week school got out, Jeff pulled the boys out of school on Wednesday.to go hike the Subway in Zion's. Early that morning they got up and left by 5:00 am. Our family hiked the Subway "bottom up" in April because the water was far too cold to swim through and be able to get out and warm up. So we never did the hike "top down" where you get to repel and see many beautiful rock formations. SO, Jeff decided to take the kids down for the day to do it the RIGHT WAY. I couldn't get out of teaching, so it was a father/sons trip. They got there, hiked it, ate dinner, and drove back getting home around 1:00 am. CRAZY:) I think they all had a terrific time and Garrett just plugged right along! I have amazing men in my life!

2009-05-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Garrett's 9th grade birthday. I can't believe he is already 9! I feel like it was just yesterday that he came into this world. He weighed 9 lbs. 1 oz. and was the cutest baby ever! He was excited to be here, and it was the perfect time to have a baby because it was already warm and basically summer. I rememeber taking him to Lehi Roundup that week. He was only 1 month old. He is my one child who has big blue eyes. I really don't know where he got those because both Jeff and I have rather small hazel eyes which Logan and Hayden both got. He also is known now for his "bright white hair" in the summer. He is such a joy in our home. He is my fearless child. I have always said that if he would have been around during Woodstock, that would have been his thing. He is always barefoot and isn't afraid to take a risk in ANYTHING. I will never forget when he was barely 3 watching him dive off the diving board at the outdoor Lehi pool. He never took swimming lessons but manages to be a great swimmer. He has a huge and sensitive heart and sometimes that is hard because he is the baby and has to be "big" around his brothers. He deserves kid time sometimes. For his birthday, he invited a few friends over to have a Xbox 360 party. They had lots of treats, played games on the big screen in the basement, and even had an Xbox 360 cake with controllers made from scratch (yes I am quite proud of myself). It is the first time I have ever used fondent. It was really fun to do. I think he had a terrific time. He received his very own long board from us. Now he doesn't have to use Logan's anymore. Happy Birthday Garrett. We sure love you!

Hayden's birthday from MARCH

2009-05-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I am pretty much a loser that I have not blogged about my sweet son Hayden's birthday in March. He is now the big "12" and loving it. Hayden is a very passionate person who cares about others. He is the center of attention with his friends and loves to laugh. He always has something quirky to say (He gets that from his father :)He was my smallest baby coming into this world weighing only 7 lbs. 7 ounces. That is small for me since my other two weighed over 9 pounds each. He was anxious and quick coming into this world and he let me know he was here the second he arrived, and he STILL let's me know he is here:) He is an amazing young man. He is so bright and all of his teachers just adore him. He always has a pencil in his hand drawing something, and is anxious to enter 7th grade next year. THe girls love him and he is so kind to everyone. I am grateful for his good example and his desire to do his best.
I love him so much and appreciate his wonderful sense of humor and the terrific way he desires to always do what is right. Happy late birthday Hayden. I had to add the picture of Hayden laughing. That is Hayden most of the time....it is contagious. I am back blogging!!!

Spring is really here!

2009-05-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

It has become a tradition at our house to find a nest built each spring in our wreath on our front door. Sure enough.....this year is no exception! We were pleasantly surprised to find 5 robin eggs nestled nice and safe deep in this wreath in their nest. I always marvel at this little miracle that our family gets to see each spring. It starts the beginning of summer and getting out of school. If we can keep our distance so that Mommy robin doesn't smell us, we will get to see them hatch and watch them as they fly out on their own. I love all of God's miracles.

The creative son

2009-03-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hayden wrote a poem about me.......I love him.

Hooray for me!

2009-03-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day because I get to work and learn how to be a better teacher all day!!!

Our getaway

2009-03-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

It has been some time since I have posted on my blog and I am sorry about that. I have been introduced to Facebook and have become obsessed. I usually can only be focused on one thing at a time. What am I saying, I am a teacher and a mom for crying out loud! Anyway, I thought I would post some pics of our cruise that we went on the end/first of February. It was great to get away and spend some time hanging out and relaxing with Jeff. We enjoyed laughing with friends, eating yummy chocolate melting cake, and I even did some kareoke (sp?). It was tranquil laying on seven mile beach in the Grand Cayman and kayaking in a clear bottom boat looking at fish in Cozumel. It was fun to take naps, read, and soak in some rays. Jeff enjoyed playing lots of B-ball and met a new friend that became a regular as well. It is always fun to get away and reconnect. I was grateful to my parents for coming out and I have to admit that I have never missed my kids so much before. I guess it's time to take the kids on our next getaway. They would have enjoyed it. I am glad to be back to normality.

Garrett's Simple Machine

2009-01-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

In third grade, Garrett had the opportunity to make a simple machine over Christmas break. He made a "Catapolt" as he calls it which is a "pulley". They had an open house in class to allow all of us proud parents to walk around and see the creations. Well done Garrett!

We are surviving

2009-01-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

It has been 2 weeks and we still have a puppy. Actually I have to say she is absolutely a DELIGHT. I never thought I would or could love her as I do. She is playful and outgoing at times and a great mellow lap dog at other times. She loves the boys unconditionally and wants to be by us all the time. She really has "completed" our family. I think it will go down in history as the best Christmas present EVER (I pretty much rock).

Merry Christmas!

2009-01-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

This Christmas brought many wonderful surprises. We spent Christmas alone as a family which was WONDERFUL! The boys woke up at 7 am PUNCTUALLY and we managed to open presents one at a time. It was so nice to relax and sit around my new fireplace!!! The boys enjoyed their gifts and enjoyed watching their brothers open their gifts. They were so proud of what they bought for eachother. The grand prize of course came a little later. The kids were downstairs playing and Jeff took off to "run an errand". When he was coming home, he called me to get the boys upstairs. I called them up and told them that there was one more surprise. The boys were so confused. I told them to sit on the hearth and close their eyes. Logan kept saying, "Don't be pulling my leg mom." I told him I wasn't. Jeff then brought in our new addition to our family (No I am not pregnant). The boys then opened their eyes to see a brand new puppy! She is a black and silver miniature schnauzer. Her name is Sadie and we absolutely LOVE HER. I know......am I on drugs? I couldn't believe it either but we really did our research this time and she is a much better fit as far as breed for our family. She won't get very big but will be a sturdy dog. She is VERY smart and quick to potty train and be trained. She doesn't shed and we lucked out because she really was the "pick of the litter." The breeders LOVED her and said she was the most playful and they said they would have kept her out of all of them if they could. I didn't really believe them until we brought her home. She is so playful but is a wonderful and calm "lap dog". She loves to be wherever we are and is doing fantastic with potty training. I still can't believe I did it but the kids are so in love with her. They have responsibilies and are doing great keeping up on their assignments. It should only get easier. Let Spring get here!!!!! I will try to post the video of when we surprised the kids as soon as I can figure out how to do it. I now have a girl!!!!

Christmas Eve

2008-12-30T07:30:00.001-08:00

We always enjoy every year going to spend time with my family on Christmas Eve. All of my mom's siblings live in Orem so it is easy to have everyone get together. Since my mom and dad live back east, it is a great time to see all of my family. We had a mexican theme and had lots of yummy food as well as many tasty treats. We also had the famous "Mint Julep" that we have as a tradition. Some of you have had my mint julep. It is really out of this world. Christmas Eve is always my very favorite night as there is always a program about our Savior where the kids ALL dress up in a Navitity (I was THRILLED Logan did it....it took some coaxing for sure). The kids are always so giddy and anxious for the next morning. So fun.

Swedish Tea Ring Making!

2008-12-28T14:16:00.000-08:00

Garrett decided to help me make my yearly tradition of swedish tea rings for the holiday season. They are a tradition that I had growing up and I enjoy continuing the tradition through my family! It was so fun to have Garrett learn how to make them himself. I told him that his wife would sure love him when he was older if he could learn to make tea rings now! We had a good time together......They turned out quite beautiful. Way to go Garrett!

My Christmas present!

2008-12-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

I always am amazed at the talent my husband has. I have always wanted a fireplace and decided that there was no better time like the present to ask for one before the holidays rolled in. My dear sweet husband took a picture of a fireplace/mantle that I liked and created a masterpiece. I absolutely LOVE it. He is so gifted and I believe my grandpa who was also a carpenter would be very proud of Jeff. He was very maticulate and careful in every single step of the way and wanted nothing but the best. It blew the picture I gave him out of the water and I just love waking up each morning to a warm fire. I love you dear. You amaze me. Thank you.

Tag you are it!

2008-12-18T13:17:00.000-08:00

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Really only wrapping paper.

Real Tree or Artificial? Artificial unfortunately. I am allergic to the real thing. But you can always find my head plastered down inside a real tree though at any grocery store inhaling the phenomenal aroma.

When do you put up the tree? Typically the first Monday of the month of December.

When do you take the tree down? Having an artificial tree allows it to stay up until New Year's.

Do you like eggnog? I LOVE egg nog! Many childhood memories there.

Favorite gift received as a child? Probably my personally sewn cabbage patch doll. Totally cool.

Hardest person to buy for? Any of my brothers. They buy what they want.

Easiest person to buy for? Garrett (Anything having to do with animals is a given)

Do you have a nativity scene? YES! I love it so much. I got it 5 years ago or so from Scrooge and Marley's and it is the most beautiful one. I fell in love with it the minute I saw it. I had to have it. Every year when I get it out I forget how much I love it.

Mail or e mail Christmas cards? Mailed Christmas cards for sure!

Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Maybe my vacuum a couple of years ago???? I know that is rude but come on honey, a VACUUM for ME????

Favorite Christmas movie? One Magic Christmas with Mary Steenburgen. FABULOUS! I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT. I think I shall watch it today as a matter of fact.

When do you start shopping for Christmas? The middle of November. I was pretty close to being finished the first week of December.

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Um.............

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Oh there are many things. I love my homemade hot chocolate, my mom's famous tea ring, and the wonderful sausage casserole on Christmas morning. YUM!

Lights on the tree? Yes can you say pre-lit????

Favorite Christmas song? just one? White Christmas probably.

Travel at Christmas or stay home? This year we are staying home. I am so excited!!

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Heck yeh!

Angel on the tree top, or star? A rustic star. It is rather cute but falling as I am looking at it actually.

Open presents Christmas eve or morning? The elves leave pj's on Christmas Eve, but all the others are on Christmas morning.

Most annoying thing about this time of year? Spoiled rotten kids that don't know how much they truly have been blessed with when so many have far less.....

Most favorite thing about the season? The traditions, music, and thinking about the Savior's birth.

Favorite ornament, theme, or color? Probably this old fashioned Santa. I love Santas.

Favorite food for Christmas dinner? I love a good honey baked ham with homemade rolls. I am pretty much done with Turkey after Thanksgiving. Bye Bye.

What do you want for Christmas this year? I really just want to enjoy being with my family and making more wonderful memories. I also want peace and harmony among my children. That is the greatest gift a mother could receive.

I tag YOU!

Gingerbread house

2008-12-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

It is that time again when the boys decorate a gingerbread house. I am amazed at how simple it is today to make a gingerbread house. Now several years ago I was still homemaking my gingerbread and cutting out the pieces for the house, but ever since they have made those kits I just can't go back. I remember growing up worrying that the sides would not hold even though they were made of that black tar. Boy they sure smelled good though.....It is always such a wonderful time to bring in Christmas and enjoy time together!

Hayden's Team wins it all!

2008-12-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hayden's soccer team went to St. George for the annual Dixie Cup Invitational Tournament. We left right after Thanksgiving and had games first thing Friday morning. Hayden's team came out strong and creamed all the teams they played. It was actually a little discouraging. It would have been more fun to have more competition but a win is a win right? In between games, we hit a brand new pizza/pasta joint called....???? I forgot but it was huge! We showed up with the whole team at 5:00 and weren't seated until 6:30. That wasn't so much fun, but frankly the setting was amazing. I felt like I was in line at Disneyland to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. There was a large boat where all the food was prepared, waterfalls, rocks and crevices to play in. Even ropes to climb. The kids had a BLAST waiting. I am sure glad because I was sure my insides were eating eachother. I was SO hungry. We finally got seated and ordered the mammoth pizza that serves atleast 12. It was called the Crackin and was GIGANTIC. We laughed SO hard when it was brought out. One slice wouldn't even fit on a plate. Funny funny. The pizza wasn't that great, but the environment sure was fun. Hayden's team made it to the championship game and it was played on the Dixie College Football Field. It was awesome to see the boys playing on such a huge field with the lights on! I was so proud of him and how he played his little heart out there as the BEST DEFENDER EVER! It was a great game and the boys were THRILLED to win. We sure enjoy going each year as now it has become a tradition. Hey, I even got up in St. George on the day after Thanksgiving and went shopping by myself at 4:30!!!

It turned out!

2008-12-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Well let's just say that I was asked to make one of three turkey's for the big Hale Thanksgiving dinner this year. I about had a stroke.....I have never made a REAL turkey. I have made many turkey BREASTS in my crock pot, but nothing where I stick it in a deep pan and roast it for many hours. I finally accepted that I could do it and ventured to Food Network for security and answers to all my worries. After much stress and fear, I found the recipe that I thought I could handle and carried it out. It was a huge success! I bought a new roaster pan, a digital meat thermometer, and a 17 pound turkey ($8.00 at Smith's Marketplace....love that place). When I pulled it out I could't believe my eyes! It looked just like I hoped. As Jeff was cutting it, he said, "I don't believe you can get it any better than this!" I was thrilled!!!!! It was tasty and moist which I was most worried about. My aunts thought it was fantastic as well. Here's to many more turkeys. Who was scared?

Clip clip snip snip

2008-11-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well I finally did it. I wacked my hair off! 9 1/2 inches to be exact. What can I say? I once had boy short hair. I loved my hair when it was really short. This time I only wanted to go to my shoulders but was convinced that if I went a little shorter that I could donate it to someone who truly needed it more that I! I had cutters remorse for the first few days as I felt frustrated and completely unable to style it in any way! I have since found a liking for it and have discovered many wonderful and fun ways to change it up (straight iron, messy curly, scrunchy curly, flipped out, little pony....the choices are endless). I am not sure Jeff likes it quite this short, but it's growing on him and I feel SASSY!

4th pic in 4th folder

2008-11-15T16:29:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh can you just die at how cute? I am not sure if this is really the 4th pic of the 4th folder, but I had to add it. This is my mom or "Nana" with Garrett in 2004 at Thanksgiving time. Oh I want him back like that! Oh what a flood of memories. Why how time flies.

Fall is here!

2008-11-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

Did I say how much I love fall? I have been thinking how excited I am that this season is upon us. We have truly been able to have a nice enjoyable fall and just now the leaves are starting to fall off. I love the wind, the bite in the air, especially first thing in the morning. I love that in two weeks we will be sitting with people that we love and cherish and celebrate all that has been given to us in plenty. I always love Thanksgiving because it is such a wonderful opportunity to truly sit and think about what really matters. I love my family. I love this holiday, and I love that it is the beginning or the start of the Christmas Holiday which is my FAVORITE. Bring on the mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, pecan pie, (you should hear a southern girl say "Pecan") and homemade stuffing. I frankly could do without the turkey.....weird I know but not so great. GOBBLE GOBBLE.

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

Well Halloween has come and gone once again! I can't believe how quickly it creeps up on us and flies by. My oldest spent the evening at a Murder Mystery Night which sounded like loads of fun. He was playing a "Beach Bum" which I see completely fitting for him. I asked him if he got to personally choose his character. He said he didn't, but I sure thought it was perfect for him. I was lucky to get ONE picture with him in it. Hayden was Batman, and little Garrett was Pinnochio. I know, hysterical. He wanted to be it the second he saw it online. I said, "Whatever you like." I really was skeptical that he would go through with it and wear it, but he did and became quite the talk of the Halloween parade at school as well as that evening Trick or Treating. I told him that he kind of was a celebrity. He said, "What is a celebrity?" I said, "It is someone who is very famous." He thought that was really cool. Hayden went off Trick or Treating with his friends, and Garrett, Jeff, and I hit the pavement and left a big bowl of candy on the porch (I know, LAME) with a note that read, "Take 2 or we will HAUNT you!" I have found out that many of course took more, but it was so worth it to go with Garrett and watch him have fun. He came home for a break at around 7:30, and then his friend Joseph came up to our neighborhood and they went back out for another hour or so! Those animals! It was a fun and festive night.

Halloween Party!

2008-10-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

I threw a little couples Halloween get together at my house where everyone had to dress up! It was so much fun to see what everyone came as. I was proud of Janine for dressing up because she sure didn't want to! We had a good time laughing, eating, and visiting. Besides wishing I had a bigger house for entertaining, I would say it was a huge success. Check out Dora the Explorer in the front row. She won best costume. Jeff of course was a deer hunter. So original....

What a sight.

2008-10-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

This is what I saw this morning as I was heading to work. I know you are all wishing you had this is YOUR garage. I am so lucky........

Jeff's luck continues!

2008-10-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

After 3 months of hunting as a dedicated hunter and going up for the final night of the rifle hunt last night, Jeff returned home with a 4 point deer. I must say, I was surprised that he hadn't gotten one yet, and hoped Logan would go up with him last night. He however had more interesting and exciting plans as a teenager does. Jeff says at around 6:00 he was on his 4-wheeler and saw it just off the side of the road. He knows that Logan would have been able to shoot it. Logan begs to differ because he thinks he is "deer cursed". Jeff was excited and had me take a few pics of his success. I still don't get it but know how happy it makes him. Way to go honey!!!!

Do I really want to tell all my deep dark quirks?

2008-10-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

I was tagged to share 8 of my quirks. Now I do not know how comfortable I am with sharing these things. Frankly, some may surprise you and others I know will NOT. Please do not judge me.......
1. I will NEVER leave the house dirty. I have to go through each and every room to make sure it is straight before we leave. I am embarrassed to say that I have been late to appointments because I have been doing dishes.

2. I have a complete obsession with poo. I know it is gross, but I am finding myself always talking about it and frankly I find it fascinating.

3. I absolutely love to read the obituary page in the newspaper. We don't get the newspaper, but when I do get my hands on one, that is the FIRST place I read. What can I say, I am fascinated with death. Creepy I know.

4. I hate my nose. I always have. I always am facing sideways looking in the mirror holding my finger over part of my nose to see what it would look like smaller. I secretly want to have a nose job but am too chicken.

5. I am obsessed with the show The Hills. I rarely miss it and know that it is a naughty pleasure. I would never want my children watching it. Hummmmmmm......

6. I have zero control when it comes to anything chocolate. If I buy something chocolate (which I do frequently) over the course of a couple days (maybe just one day) I will eat ALL OF IT. You wonder why I can't seem to lose weight. Hummmmmm.......

7. I LOVE BEETS. Any time we go to a restaurant with a salad bar I am quickly darting to check out if they have beets available. I love them. They are always refilling them at the bar after I have made a trip through. Jeff always is horrified. I love to eat them out of the can with a fork.

8. I believe I have (I know most of you already know this) OCD. Every night, I have to go around and check the locks on the house even if Jeff already told me he locked up. I also have to set the alarm clock 4 times before retiring to bed. Weird I know......

I tag Jenny, Christy, Lisa, Dorothy

More pictures of the birthday

2008-10-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

How handsome is he??????

My oldest is 15!

2008-10-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

I don't really know how to say what I feel about my oldest child Logan. He is such an amazing boy. I have always felt a closeness with him since he is my first born. He has the temperment of his father which makes us get along very well. He was born on October 12, 1993 at 6:35 pm. It was NOT any easy experience for either of us, and to say it in simple terms, he was 9 lbs. 3 oz. He was a beefy baby full of rolls from the very beginning. After pushing for over two hours, he finally entered this world with a large cone on the back of his head (not pretty and I quickly put a little hat on him). From the very beginning he was an easy going and pleasant child. He rarely cried and when he did it wasn't for long.I remember how white his hair was. People in the stores would always comment on how beautiful his hair was. He quickly decided that he did not like that he had "white" hair and wanted to change it to brown. He was quick to learn to read (is that a first child thing?) and he never struggled making friends at school. Logan has grown up so quickly. I find myself on a daily basis getting a tear in my eye as I think about him going out into the world on his own in only 4 years. He is such an amazing example to his brothers and has been labeled as the "peacemaker" in our family. He adds a very important part to our family to make it complete. I love him. I am proud of him and his wonderful accomplishments. I am so grateful that he loves the Savior and has such a strong testimony of this gospel. It is such a joy as a mother to watch him evolve into such an amazing young man. Happy birthday son. I am glad you are now at the age of DRIVING. Give me the strength. He is in the THICK of the teenage years and I am LOVING IT! I am proud of you son.

Garrett earned his Bobcat!

2008-10-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

Garrett is our youngest and we seem to take just a little more time getting things done with the youngest. Hence......Garrett finally earned his Bobcat. He is working hard to earn his Wolf badge.

I can't believe my baby is in scouts. What is this world coming to????????

Homemade Salsa.....YUMMY!

2008-09-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I am not a canner. I love to eat bottled peaches, pears, and other wonderful fruits and vegies but I do not like to can them. I believe it stems back to my childhood. My mother canned a lot and I frankly am not HALF of the person my mother is in that department. She has always been such a "homemaker" and I value that about my mother. I remember going to the strawberry farm and picking baskets and baskets of strawberries. Anyway....I went off on a different story. Sorry. I do however can salsa. I try to do it every other year as my family doesn't go through the salsa yearly so I save myself the stress and do it every other. Hayden was sure cute in offering to help me this year. It is a time consuming process and takes two days to complete. He offered to help me blanch the tomatoes which is probably the most time consuming part. It was fun to have his help and to let him see the work that goes into the salsa that he enjoys so much! Here's to a wonderful new batch of homemade salsa!!!!!

Going back to June

2008-09-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

I ran across these pics from our camping trip to Timpanookee in June. I decided I had to blog about this trip since it was so much fun. Timpanookee is one of our favorite camping spots. We love to go just as a family.

We didn't hike Timpanogas because there was still too much snow, but we did hike to the Timp cave (which I have never hiked to living here for 18 years).

I enjoyed watching the boys explore the woods and streams.

I marvel every day of the beauty that surrounds me.

It helps me reflect on what I have been given and blessed with each

and every day!

Hayden's Court of Honor

2008-09-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Hayden is well on his way towards becoming an Eagle Scout. He went to a court of honor on Tuesday night where he earned 5 required merit badges and received two rank advancements.
He is now working towards his Life. I am so very proud of him. He is only 11 years old and I find that Hayden is very driven and motivated. He enjoys working with his dad on scouts and it is paying off! I am thankful Jeff works with him because I don't have the fire about scouts like Jeff does. Way to go my little scout!

All together

2008-08-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

My parents came out this week to visit from South Carolina. We haven't seen them since Christmas, so it sure was exciting to get together. They stayed with my brother for the first few days and with me the last of the week. It has been a lot of fun hanging out with my brothers and their wives. I just love my niece and nephews. It is fun as my kids are bigger to play with the new babies and then give them back! I love them so much. Josh even brought his girlfriend along for our barbecue last night....ummmmmmmmm (she is in the white pants). We also got to see my dad's only sister Judy. She came down to visit and see all of her grown up great nephews. She couldn't believe how big and grown up they have gotten. Tell me about it!!!

Back to the books!!!!

2008-08-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Well the summer absolutely flew by.....I truly have a deeper understanding of how fabulous summer is when you are a school teacher. It is awesome to continue getting paid while not going in to work. That is the perk of being a teacher. Well my darling boys are back in school. Here they are as handsome as ever. They are rather cute aren't they???? They got their looks from their dad. I am quite proud. They were a little scared but excited with anticipation of what was ahead. I can't believe Logan is a FRESHMAN. He loves being the big shot at the Junior High. Hayden is a big 6th grader and feels proud to be the big shot of the elementary, and little Garrett isn't so little as he starts 3rd grade. He was the most excited to go back. He is quite social. Good luck boys. I will be home in the afternoon this year to love you........

5 days left of summer

2008-08-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Well there are officially only 4 more full days before school begins once again. Are we ready for a nip in the air, sweatshirts, busy roads at 7:30, and lots of homework? I don't know but it's coming whether we like it or not. I am thrilled to be teaching part time with another teacher this year and have been busy in the classroom getting ready. I just love her and am THRILLED we are working together. It is going to be just great.

HAPPY SCHOOLING!!

Holy Cow it's been 16 years!

2008-08-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Time sure flies by quickly. I feel like it was yesterday that I made fun of Jeff's UNLV hat while in the school parking lot. I didn't know him and yet I didn't have a problem making fun of him. Secretly I thought he was cute and wanted to talk to him no matter how rude it may have seemed. The following day I noticed a cute boy playing the piano in my institute class. Come to find out it was Jeff! I knew from that moment that he was the one I was to marry. I played hard to get for a while, but 6 months later we were married on July 31, 1992. I love him. I love how patient he is. I love his quirky sense of humor. I love that he is isn't afraid to get dirty. I love that he is my "Bob Villa" and can fix and repair anything. He is an incredible carpenter and I cherish everything he has made. He is a wonderful husband and an amazing father. He values the importance of being an Eagle Scout. He has helped Logan achieve his Eagle at 13 years old, and is helping Hayden now who has already earned 5 merit badges at age 11. I love that he enjoys the outdoors. I don't love that he kills Bambi's, but I do love how happy he is after returning from killing a Bambi. I don't love when I open up the garage door only to find a hanging deer carcus from the ceiling. I do love how proud he gets when he has shot a deer. He is everything I could have wanted. He is different from any other guy I dated. He is much better. He is my love. Happy Anniversary and for the last 16 years. Here's to the next 60! I love you!!!

Another picture....The Crown

2008-07-15T12:39:00.001-07:00

How could I not add a picture of the crown right before the winner was announced.

Miss Utah 2008

2008-07-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the winner of this year's Miss Utah pageant is Miss Sanpete Country Kayla Barclay. She is just darling. My roomie Jenny Thacker had two of her girls in the top ten, and the first runner up Whitney Merrifield was one of the two! It was so much fun to cheer on your own girls. Jen, I am proud of your accomplishments as well, you did awesome. All the girls did an amazing job. We had a long week of zero sleep but LOTS of laughs and fun. I look forward to this event all year. We had a devotional at the Joseph Smith Building on the first night where Mrs. Huntsman spoke as well as some words and musical numbers by Jesse Clark Funke who I LOVE (my dad also loves her). I was able to sneak up, meet her and get her picture before we left. That was really cool. We also on Friday were able to be the audience (all the contestants at Miss Utah) at Good Things Utah. It was so interesting how they worked things and how small the set really was. We enjoyed meeting the ladies after and getting some pictures as well. This will be another wonderful and amazing experience. I want to thank my wonderful husband for being such a great Mr. Mom all week, and I know that he would rather I was home. I explained to him that this to me is like hunting to him.....Thanks honey. Until next year........

A good ol' memory

2008-07-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

I got this from a friend of a friends blog. I thought it would be fun! I hope you will play along.

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Girl's Night Out!

2008-06-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well....I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the play we went to see last night. Some of my favorite friends and I went to the opening performance of the Broadway play The Drowsy Chaperone at the Capitol Theatre. It was FANTASTIC! Not only was it so much fun to go with the girls, but we found out that one of the main leads of the play was Jonathan Crombie who played Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables way back when! We were so excited about that that after the play ended, we waited outside the stage door for him to come out. He did, signed our books, and took a picture with us. What a great night. I love the theatre!

It's only been a week.....

2008-06-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

Well it has only been a week, and I have scrubbed my blinds, wiped down my baseboards, cleaned off my ceiling fans, rubbed my door panels, cleaned out my fridge, and organized my pantry. Am I a little neurotic? I am beginning to wonder if I can balance the life "at home" all day. It is quite a transition may I say. I better get involved in a good book because right now I sure am not going to be sitting by the side of the pool (brrrrrrr....). There's nothing better than being home all day right?

School's out, Garrett's Birthday, and THE Baptism

2008-06-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a crazy weekend for our family. Friday was the last day of school (Honestly I wish I could use profanity I am so excited), Garrett celebrated his 8th birthday on Friday, we took 8 eight year old's to Classic Skating Friday evening, and then first thing Saturday morning Garrett was Baptized! I can't believe my baby is 8! Where has time gone???? I was sure proud of him when I asked him why he wanted to be baptized. His response was, "So that I can GET THE SPIRIT!" I guess he must be expressing some of his Southern roots. I expected him to say, "Praise the Lord" next. He is just such a ball of sunshine and energy. He keeps us laughing every minute and we decided he would have fit in just fine during the Woodstock era. He is our "free spirit" and we love him very much! He received his own Quad scriptures with his name on them as well as a brand new suit. He looked SO SHARP. He looked like a future missionary. I think he would be ready to go right now if I'd let him. His uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandpa and grandma were all there at his baptism which meant a lot to Garrett. It was fun to visit and eat. I sure love family and love getting together whenever possible.

All our dreams came true!!!

2008-04-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

We made the trip to Disneyland over Spring Break. It was a crazy time to go but I just couldn't get off work any other time, so we risked it. It completely paid off! It wasn't busy at all except for all of the "Utah" people that I knew. That was sure funny seeing all of the BYU and Utes paraphenelia.(sp?)We surprised the kids on the Saturday we left. They were in shock because we had told them that we would NOT be going to Disneyland for "some time". We had a terrific time and enjoyed all being kids except when I got on the teacups. THAT was not very fun! Everyone needs a break now and then.......

Hayden's Birthday!!!

2008-04-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hayden turned the big "11" a couple of weeks ago, and I of course am late posting it. He is so grown up and getting just so darn HANDSOME! He has girls calling every day and he is too sweet to tell them to stop! Jeff doesn't have a problem telling them however! He is still completely into soccer, soccer, and more soccer. He loves hanging out with his friends, reading, and really loves "chilling" and playing X-Box in his extra time. He is extremely smart and manages to keep straight A's in his A.L.L. class. I am so very proud of him and all that he adds to our family. He had a few of his friends over for his birthday to watch a movie, eat cupcakes, and CHILL. I am enjoying how much simplier birthdays are getting as they get older!

We love you Hayden!

Happy Easter

2008-03-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

We sure had a wonderful Easter Sunday last week. I am posting late of course, and have other things to post about, so I thought I would start with Easter. It was a gorgious day and it was fun to spend it with my family. We all went out back and Jeff helped us to get family pictures with our new "clothes". I love my boys in green! Easter is one of my favorite holidays, and I don't remember the last "snowy" Easter we had (This Sunday is a little different weather...). I am just glad that last Sunday was so beautiful and memorable.

I see the light!

2008-03-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

It is official. I have exactly 2 1/2 months left until school is over. I can't believe I have actually survived this "first year". There have been some extremely
hard days, more hard days, and a few great "ah ha" moments. I have to admit, I am beginning to shed a few tears for MOST of my students because it is winding down. I really LOVE these students. It is hard to believe because I received one heck of a class, but they are MY class, and I believe I have been able to touch some of them in a way that I didn't think possible. I know I was suppose to get each and everyone of those kids. They have made me a better person. They have made me realize WHY I decided to be a teacher. By the end of next month, the core should have been taught and we are spending the first two weeks of May just reviewing. The last two weeks of school.......give me the strength. I hope I survive. I can already see the morphing of these students into "pre 6th graders". They are more emotional and are showing all of the signs of LIKING BOYS. We even had MATURATION on Friday. That was quite funny to see their faces. CLASSIC. Well, I can say I taught full-time 1 year. Hopefully next year I will be going part-time and splitting a contract. We shall see. May 30th here we come!!!!!

All I want for Easter is my THREE front teeth!

2008-03-08T18:22:00.000-08:00

Garrett recently lost his THIRD front tooth. He actually had THREE baby teeth in between his eye teeth. So slowly one by one they came out and now he has an extra large opening at the top of his mouth! We sure hope only TWO teeth come in instead of three. He sure looks cute and may have a hard time eating corn on the cob if they don't come in quickly!!!!!

Tag I'm it!

2008-02-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

How old is he: 38
Who eats more: I absolutely eat more than Jeff, hence the size of Jeff and the size of me!
Who said "I love you" first? I did. I know, I am a sucker.
Who is taller: Jeff. He is 6' 2" and I am 5' 11".
Who is smarter: I would say Jeff for sure. I am smart enough to graduate college, but Jeff has the brains.
Who sings better?: Me of course. However, Jeff DID sing Acapella Choir and Chamber Choir in High School.
Who does the laundry?: My dear sweet husband. He is Mr. Mom
Who does the dishes?: Jeff does, or the boys. I make dinner and they let me rest.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?" Looking at the bed, I do. I always sleep closest to the door. It's a weird thing.
Who pays the bills?: Jeff does. I am grateful I don't have to!
Who mows the lawn? Jeff or Logan
Who cooks dinner?: Me
Who is more stubborn? No question, me!!!!
Who kissed who first? Now, that is a funny story as well. HE DID!
Who asked who out? Jeff asked me to go country dancing at the "palace".
Who proposed?: Jeff and I were going to Preference, and we were at his house and he gave me a dozen roses and I noticed something shining on one rose, and then he got down on his knee and proposed. It was romantic. I got to show my ring off all night at the dance! I was giddy!
Who is more sensitive?: I am usually more sensitive than Jeff. It depends on the day.
Who has more friends?: That would be me for sure. I LOVE meeting new people. Do I know all of Lehi yet? Probably not yet.
Who has more sibling?: Jeff does. He has 4 brothers and 3 sisters. I have only 4 brothers. NO SISTERS. Boo hoo.
Who wears the pants?: I don't think I should answer that question.....
Now I'm tagging Becca, Michelle, and Janelle.

Super Valentines Day!

2008-02-20T17:35:00.000-08:00

I pretty much have the greatest husband EVER. A few weeks ago I went and splurged on all new makeup at Nordstrom's, and I told Jeff that that was my Valentine's gift. Little did I know that he had something else up his sleeve. Last year he bought me Les Miserables tickets for Valentine's Day. It was AWESOME. I came home this February 14th after a LONG day teaching to see my kitchen covered in new Fiesta kitchen dishes. I have wanted some for a long time and he was so cute to worry about what colors to pick out. He says I now have a basic set to get me started and that I can continue adding to them. He is so great. I am sure blessed for such an amazing guy!!!!! I love you honey!

Miss America 2008

2008-02-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I am finally blogging Miss America. I am sorry there are not more pictures, but we were so busy and going that we forgot to take many photos. It really was everything I thought it would be and more. Erika was a wonderful friend who was seasoned at Miss America and knew what to do and where to go. It was fun to be there "live". We stayed at the Planet Hollywood where Miss America took place. On Friday night we splurged and went and saw the Cirque du Soleil show. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SO SPECTACULAR. It was worth every penny. I have never seen so many beautiful people in one place before. The moms' of the contestants were just as stunning as their daughters. Well, most of them. Hee Hee. Even though Jill didn't do so well, the experience was AWESOME. Thanks to my honey for staying home with the kids and letting me go do something I love so much. Next year Jenny, we are there!

Let it Snow

2008-01-21T13:17:00.001-08:00

Well we sure woke up to LOTS of snow on this wonderful day off of school. It was so fun to know that none of us had to go to school and that we could just "hang out" all day with eachother. The boys could hardly wait to get outside and play in the snow. They are getting older and we have found that they haven't been able to really play much this year in the snow. So we wrapped and tightened and zipped them up into little snowmen and off they went. Oh to be a kid again......wouldn't it be funny if all the girls got together in their snowsuits, hats, and gloves and built forts and had snowball fights all afternoon? Yeh right. I enjoy it from inside my warm house looking out at them.