Higbees In Real Life

Proud of my Baby Girl!

2010-05-04T21:42:00.001-07:00

This year Vie really wanted to try a solo for her dance competitions and I couldn't be more proud of her! She did a sassy little dance to a great song by one of my favorite artists, Regina Specktor (thanks Ayley!) And in the dance she was a "French Chicken"! Well, needless to say, Vienna "Chickened it up" and did a great job. She place well in every competition even getting 2nd overall at one! Great job Vie, we are so proud of you! Her are a few pics of her costume and such!

Better Late Than Never, Right?

2010-04-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

Little Buddy with Dad! 3 months

Moments old! 10 lbs. 7 oz. and the sweetest 10 pounds you ever saw!

So, little (big) Buddy had his birthday on the 14th! Yes, I relize that the 14th was like forever ago, but better late than never! I've been realizing that sitting down at the computer is probably the most time consuming thing in the world and I always opt for snuggling with my sweetheart over sitting in front of this thing. So, while he is at a late football meeting I will get these oh so important blog posts done. I realize that many of you have given up on me. To them I say sorry.

Little buddy turned 2! He is such a fun kid! What a great one to end on! I love how giggly he is. I love how he growls like a dinosaur! I love how he has to unload my grocery cart at the store no matter how heavy the items may be. He is CRAZY about his brothers and sister and they are of him! He loves trains, dinosaurs, Mickey Mouse, Cars, FOOD, and pretty much doing whatever his brothers are doing. He doesnt say much, but he definately knows how to communicate and he gets everything he wants thanks to his siblings. He has developed a funny little personality and he makes the best facial expressions! He has a very tender heart just like his brother Kael and hes adventurous like Saxon but he is head over heels for his big sister who takes great care of him. We love you Cache! Happy Birthday!

Has it really been that long??

2010-04-05T23:26:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I can't believe it has been that long since I have actually sat down at my computer! I am finally just getting my pics out of my camera from our California trip in February! Boy do I have some catching up to do (that is assuming there is anyone out there who will even bother to stop by anymore!) So it's spring break this week and our plans to go down south to get warm were foiled by dance rehearsals and a dance competition and loads of work that Bryce is trying to plow through, However just Bryce and I are going down to Las Vegas for 4 days and we are leaving on Saturday! WOO HOO! So, at least mom and dad get a spring break. Well, my plan this week is to get caught up on the last month, it's been a fun one. So as they stay on the tube, STAY TUNED! or DON'T TURN THAT DIAL ("dial" I guess that one dated me a little!) While you wait, watch my slideshow of our Cali Trip! We had a blast. Disneyland, the beach, the "Zoo", a super fun condo in Oceanside, a perfect trip! That is the sad thing about trips, they always leave you wanting to go more.

2010-04-05T23:22:00.001-07:00

Disney ROCKS!

2010-02-04T21:07:00.000-08:00

So a friend of mine told me about the GIVE A DAY GET A DAY Disney Program and I decided to give it a try seeing as we were planning on heading out to SOCAL the end of this month, well, it turned out to be the funnest thing! We made blankets for the project Linus foundation and the kids had a total BLAST. Vie said, we should do this all the time! Kael, who is a little tenderhearted felt sad for the kids who were sick, had to be taken from their parents, or lost their homes to a fire, for whom the blankets would go to. Even Sax got into it! So we spent an evening talking about how lucky we are and that there are many who aren't as lucky as we are and we should do everything we can to try to help. They were already planning the next family service project that they wanted to do! So I thank Disney for motivating us to do this project! I did however notice that when we stacked up all of our blankets, Kael shouted out, "Wow! Thats like 5 free days at Disneyland! WOOHOO!" You can only hope they get the real point!

Angels Among Us

2010-01-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I am exposed to people in my life that act as angels. Many times they are life-long friends who help me realize something profound. Or complete strangers who perform even the smallest deed that I admire. Or finding someone who has corageously endured extreme hardship or loss. I am so grateful for these people who have inspired me in my life. They have inspired me to be a better wife, mother, daughter, and woman. I honestly feel that we are all here to help each other along on this difficult and trying journey. Without shining examples in our lives, we can too easily forget why we are here, and how are we going to get through this. I'm grateful for a mom who is my biggest fan and who wants more than anything, my happiness and success. I'm grateful for friends/sisters, no matter how close or far away they are, who exhibit unconditional love and who continually inspire me to "hang in there". I'm grateful for the women who share their stories of courage and strength while they endure hard times or loss of children while demonstrating an unshakable faith in Christ. I am very blessed with so much. I know this. My heart is full. I only hope that in return to those angels who have touched my life, I can somehow do the same for someone else. I can in no way believe that I can be as influential as some have been to me, but I can try. This is my Thank You. Many who have tremendously touched my life will read this, and many do not even know I exist, but no matter. Thank You, for being my angel.

Festival of Trees!

2009-12-05T22:33:00.000-08:00

Close up of the sea turtles.

Close up of one of the other turtles.

Vie, her friend and her cousin at the Festival.

Decorating Day.

Vie putting on the topper, myself, and mom. Decorating day.

So, last year I was inspired to put together a tree for an event here in Utah called The Festival Of Trees. Its a charity event where people donate trees that are then auctioned off and all the proceeds go to the Primary Children's Medical Center. It is amazing event and every year my family enjoys seeing the amazing trees and being a part of the whole event. I was inspired to do a tree because of a situation that a family in my neighborhood and ward was in. This amazing family took on an 8 week old baby who was shaken and abused by his father at only 6 weeks old. He was shaken so badly that both of his optic nerves were severed and he had such severe brain damage that there was little hope for recovery. He was thrown and both femurs were broken, his rib cage was smashed and he wasn't expected to live very long. This foster family took him in and gave this tiny little baby so much love and cared for his every need. He was the same age as my little Cache and it was absolutely heartbreaking to compare the difference. Here my little guy was growing big, hitting milestones while this sweet little baby was just strugging to stay alive, and all because of a man who's lapse of control changed this little boys life forever. This little baby was never going to see, interact with others, or function at all by himself for the rest of his life, but through the love and care of my friends, he made unbelievable strides in his recovery. Sorry to say he passed away at 8 months old from a seziure he suffered in the night. My friend told me sadly, why would God make him stay and suffer for so long. (He had grueling rehabilitation visits) I told her that I knew exactly why he had to stay. He for the last 5 months, got a chance to feel love here on this earth. He wasn't lucky to be born into a loving home, but he found himself among a family who cared about him very much, and gave him a live of love, regardless how short it was. This little boy touched my life and he touched many other lives. I feel greatful to have been born to loving parents, and to have children of my own that I can love and care for. His little spirit had a purpose here and I felt compelled to remember him. The tree was called Turtle's Tree. He was known as Turtle by his foster family for the adorable little mannerisms he had. It was an absolute joy to put the tree together and to let my children have a hand in it too. It was a very special experience, one that I will never forget. So here I present to you Turtle's Tree.

Halloween!

2009-11-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

I'm on a blogging roll I guess you could say! Haven't had internet for awhile because of a downed modum, so I'm getting all caught up now! Halloween was so much fun this year! I absolutely love this holiday! I love anything creepy, scary, and most of all, I LOVE scaring my kids! What a mean parent I am. I know. So this year we decorated the yard and my awesome nephew sat outside in a mask and scared kids coming to trick or treat all night! What a blast it was! Kids have to earn their treats when they come to our house. My kids went candy collecting with all of their cousins and got all the candy their little hearts desired. Saxon was Nacho Libre, Kael was a Zombie Army Guy, Vie was a football player, and Cache was a Skunk (my little stinker!). It was a great Halloween! Grandma Higbee put on a fantastic Halloween party the night before too. Complete with games, food, pumpkin carving, and a spook alley. Kids had a blast (parents did too!).

I LOVE FALL!

2009-11-02T21:20:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love this time of year! The colors, the weather, the coziness of it all! Thought I'd share a few pics of fall!

Family Vacation!

2009-11-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

We are a big trip family! LOVE to go on trips together. This year has been a rough year for trips though. B has been really busy with work and we haven't had a lot of time to travel like we would like to. So, for the first time this year, we did our "big" family vacation to one of our favorite places, the Oregon Coast. We love how beautiful it is up there and we love getting a chance to see Grandma-Great and Grandpa-Great! We had such a great time. Seeing the beautiful coastline, going to lighthouses, the aquarium, whale watching, shopping, relaxing in the condo, and just being together. It's always hard to come home from a good trip. I think I could be on a perpetual vacation for the rest of my life and be completely happy. So, here are a few pics of the trip!

Depoe Bay.

Bryce and Grandpa-GREAT!

Exploring Tide Pools in Newport!

Yaquina Lighthouse, Newport

Outside our Condo in Depoe Bay

Awwwwww. Now shut-up. I like this pic!

Old Town Newport

Outside our back porch.

Squishin pennies on the tracks at Grandma's house.

More squishin!

Vie and Grandma-GREAT!

Yard Clean-up, and a little tractor ride too!

Scaredy Cat!

2009-10-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

One funny little thing. If any of you know my kids, you know that they aren't scared of much. They have a pretty good understanding of what is real and what is "Hollywood" as I like to put it. They don't get scared of movies, haunted houses, stories, etc. Well, my baby might be the exception. I was loading some new pics on my computer with baby on my lap when the following pic popped up. He burst into tears, screamed like crazy, and we couldn't calm him down for quite some time. I guess we finally got a Scaredy Cat!! Then again, this would probably give anyone nightmares!

Happy Birthday Vie!

2009-10-06T21:06:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Vie's 9th birthday this weekend and it was a total BLAST! This year, she planned her own party and I have to admit, she did an amazing job. It was a fall/Halloween themed party and with a handful of her closest friends it was a complete success. We had a Halloween Runway Fashion Show, told scary stories around the fire, painted nails, did facials, ate junk food, talked, laughed, and watched a scary movie. It was a crazy night with 10 crazy girls! I love having a girl, especially a girl who is so much fun! Vie never lets things get boring and I love her for that. She is definately the life of a party!

Her ACTUAL birthday was Sunday and she was a little bothered about having a Sunday Birthday, but we made it great! Some people may think that when you live in Utah that it's so easy to go to General Conference, but I'm here to say, it's not that easy. Getting tickets ahead of time is nearly impossible and getting there 2 hours early to try to score a ticket is not much fun, needless to say, I have never been to conference in the conference center. So, when a friend told me she could get two amazing tickets to conference I was stoked, and on Vie's birthday no less! We got up really early Sunday morning and headed downtown. It was an incredible morning. Lightning storms surrounded the valley and we had a great show the whole drive up there. When we got to the conference center we realized just how amazing our seats really were! We were only 20 yards from the pulpit and it was incredible, not to mention that the Sunday am session was so good. Vie and I had such an amazing time. What a memorable birthday. Being able to see President Monson so close. Watching his little mannerisms. I love how he gently gathered his wife to leave the session and have us a big smile and a wave on his way out. Truly a chosen man he is.

When we got home we did the usual conference Sunday stuff. Lounged around the house, did art projects, and listened. We finished off her birthday with her birthday dinner and a carmel cheese cake (at her request). Her gift from us was her own desk filled with art supplies and it was a big hit! She's been drawing every second since she got it!

To top off our amazing weekend, B took the day off work and we took all the kids up the canyon Monday. That was truly amazing. I know most everyone has a love of where the live and I am no exception. This place is a truly inspired place. We drove up Alpine loop to see the leaves and earlier that morning brought snow to the mountaintops. The mix of the snow and leaves were extraordinary. This little drive made me realize how blessed I am to live in such an amazing place. When I am up there, all the stresses of life just disappear. It makes me realize that there is so much more. That life has a natural rhythm and with or without me, it just keeps going. It's good to have those humbling moments. When you get so busy with home, school...LIFE, I love taking a step back and realizing that it's a big world and what I'm doing is so small in comparison. I guess you could say that it was not just a drive in the mountains.

After we got home, Bryce played card games with the kids, took them to the park to play kickball, and we all relaxed the rest of the night away. Makes me realize that I married a pretty awesome guy! So, this was a big weekend. Lots to report. Lots to be thankful for.

A Perfect 12th!

2009-09-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend Bryce and I celebrated our 12th anniversary. We went up to Logan, the college town where we met, and had the best time. We golfed, ate at all of our favorite places, walked around campus, reminisced about how we met and great moments we've had in our marriage. We slept in, saw a football game, and had the most relaxing, but fun, weekend. When we got to our hotel, sitting on the table in our room was a bouquet of flowers from my sweetie. Words cannot describe how happy I am that I married this man. I remember before I married that my criteria for my future husband was someone I could laugh through life with, and someone who saw things the way I did. I couldn't have married a more perfect man. He's been making me laugh for 12 years and I seriously can't imagine life without him. He is my very best friend, and I love him with all of my heart. Happy Anniversary Babe!

Our sushi feast!!

At the football game! The Aggies won, WOW!

Did I mention that I love fall?? This is hands-down the best time of year! Driving through Sardine Canyon when the leaves are changing is probably one of my favorite things to do. I love the cool nights, the crisp mornings, and all the color that goes along with this season. These pictures make me so happy! Just a little side-note. Happy Fall!

Getting Caught Up!

2009-08-22T00:05:00.000-07:00

So much has happened the last month! I'm definately not doing very good at keeping up this blog. Ever since I have gotten my Iphone, I rarely turn on my computer anymore! I do lots of checkin up on my friends and family, but very little posting. I apologize to those great friends of mine. Don't give up on me!

So, summer is pretty much coming to an end and I can't believe how fast it's gone. I intentionally did not schedule much to do this summer with the high hopes of the kids feeling like they really did get a "summer BREAK". I have to admit, it was nice to not have to do anything, but if you're wondering if it makes the time go by slower, no dice, it still flies! In all, it was a very relaxing and fun summer. Although that last week before school started was rough. I think the kids finally started to get a little sick of each other and I then got a little excited about that first day of school!! I might as well start with that, then I'll work backwards, all Tarentino-like.

Gotta love back to school. My sweet Vie has ALWAYS been very fashion conscious. I swear it started before the age of 2! That girl has always known EXACTLY what she wants to wear and how it should be worn. This year, I've noticed her take a very interesting turn in her fashion choices. I've always let her dress the way she wants and let her pick out her own clothes and she has always done a pretty good job of doing it, and her sense of modesty is very impressive. I think its funny that my little fashionista has grown a fondness for the 80's!! She is loving neon, crazy hair, funky plaids, and yes, jelly bracelets! Check out the back to school outfit! Pay close attention to the shoes! She HAD to have them and when I told her that I wouldn't buy them because I didn't think they were "practical", she forked out the money herself! What a girl! I have to admit, it was a very creative BTS outfit. Gotta love that girl!!

K on the other hand, what a dichotomy (spelling please??) He would be completely content wearing basketball shorts and an old t-shirt everyday! I did pick out his BTS shoes and I have to admit, they are pretty rockin. Sax starts next week and it's been a painful week for him. He wants to start so bad. All the kids love their teachers and classses, and I have a feeling its going to be a good year!

Had a few birthdays this month. B had an ALPINE DAYS birthday this year which is his favorite. Every so often, his birthday falls on our city day celebration. When he was a kid it was particularly fun to have a parade, carnival, and fireworks on your big day and since my hubby really is a kid at heart, he still loves it. We had family and friends over for a BBQ and after, we went to a rodeo and then to fireworks! It was a great day!

A couple of days later, Sax had his birthday, complete with a really freaky monster birthday cake. If any of you know Sax, you will know that he has a deep love of anything scary. Where do kids get this! So I whipped up a very disturbing cake. We invited a bunch of friends over to go to the dinosaur museum, but when we got there it turned out to be thousands of people waiting in a line at least a half mile long to get in because of a big special they were offering. I whipped out my phone, made some calls and we headed over to a kids bouncy place to have our make-shift birthday party. It was a little crazy at the time, but it turned out to be a great party!

Sax is such a great part of our fam! It's always fun to reflect on their birthdays how they came into this earth and what part they play in it! He gave me so much grief getting here, and I have to admit, he continues to give me a little grief now and then, but I love that about him! This family needs him. He's always making things fun, making everyone laugh, and his take-life-by-the-horns attitude makes him the coolest kid I know. I sure love my little "monster"!

Well, i realize this is a pretty long post, hopefully you're not all bored to death, but it all had to be said! Now that summer is over I'd have to say the best part of summer was really, just doing nothing. Being together, campouts once a week in the backyard, looking at the stars, reading good books together, spending time with good friends on the front porch at night, going out on the boat, biking, and other not-so-summer-fabulous things. That's what I'll remember most about this summer.

It started so well, and ended so badly!!

2009-07-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about our last weekend. We FINALLY took the boat out and all I can say is it just hasn't been summer without getting out on the lake. The kids absolutely LOVE the boat and we love spending time together on it. The water was perfect for tubin when we hit the lake so the kids went crazy! All got dumped from the tube except Saxon and I swear it's because of his DEATH GRIP that he has on the handles. Vie tried wakeboarding for her first time and she got up on her 3rd try!!! I can't believe it! I swear it took me half a day to get up on that thing when I was a kid! She's amazing! It was a great day on the lake and we had plans for an even better next day!

No, I didn't bother to clean his face, this shows his true colors. He never stops eating therefore he ALWAYS has food on his face. That's just how he rolls!

K, these next two pics make me laugh. These boys look so tough, and I am loving K in his dad's shades chuggin a SHASTA!

Some great friends of our invited us crawdaddin' up at Strawberry Resevoir. We had never done it and we decided to make a camping trip out of it. We stuffed the car, threw the canoe on the top and headed up to the Lake. We found a perfect little camp site and put the canoe in and headed out. It was perfect! Later we met our friends and the kids had a blast catching crawdads! Little did we know the chaos the was lurking on the horizion! (I'm so not a writer!)

Our friend Tyson and a nice big CRAWDAD!
Saxon and a Red Ryder BB gun (no, he didn't shoot his eye out. Just a bunch of cans.) I love how his shirt is off and he totally looks trailer park (notice the background). Thats my boy!!

Well, a little storm was coming and it was getting pretty late so we thought we'd get back to camp. The storm beat us there and with it came microburst winds up to 70mph. Our tent, filled with our bedding, cooler, food, crib and chairs had blown away and was completely destroyed! B and I held on to what was left of it for dear life as the kids tried to round up whatever they could from the inside. The wind was intense, the rain was coming down and if losing our new "cabin" tent wasn't hard, just then a big gust of wind blew the canoe off the car and it took off our side mirror on our way down. There was not a lot of room to fit everything in the car and we piled gear on top of the kids (who were crying their heads off mind you) and we ended our disasterous camping attempt by driving home at 11:30pm. Definately a camping trip to remember, that's for sure. And the whole weekend started so well! Who Knew???

Here lies our 16-man Cabin Style tent that the kids picked out for dad for Father's day last year. May she rest in peace.

Summer ROCKS!

2009-07-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

I seriouslly love summer! I love the BBQ's, get togethers, trips to the pool, and just hangin out! We've had a blast this summer so far. We didn't plan any trips or anything crazy like that, but just hangin out is what summer is all about. It's been a busy few weeks with the 4th and Kaels Birthday! My brother Scott and his fam came out and played for a few days and it was fun to catch up with them. For the 4th, we had a fun BBQ at grandma and grandpas house, then headed over to our house for fireworks. With neighbors, family, and friends, we accumulated over 60 people and it was so much fun. Stadium of Fire, WHATEVER! We rocked it!

Kael turned 7 this last Sunday and we celebrated as a family this year. It was a day of all of his favorite foods and playing with his new toys. What a great kid he is. I have no idea what I would do without him. He is most definately the calm one of the family. I love how inquisitive he is, always trying to figure things out. And most of all, I love his compassion and concern for others. He's pretty good at knowing when someone just needs a hug, or when being helpful is really needed. He's an amazing kid, and I'm glad he's mine! Happy Birthday buddy!

Great Father's Day!

2009-06-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

So Father's Day was last week, I know, but I wanted to do a little post about the man I married and what an amazing father he is. I couldn't have picked a better man who loves his family more than anything in the whole world! He's such a fun dad. What dad runs to the toy aisle with his kids when you go shopping? He never says no when the kids want to play cars, throw the ball, or jump on the tramp. He's crazy about his kids, and they are crazy about him! So thanks babe! For being the coolest dad around!

I'm Back!

2009-06-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, I know its been way too long! Things have been crazy here for sure. Recital was this past week (woo-h00) and now that it is over, summer really begins! We've been busy the past little while with dance, baseball, soccer, playing, hangin out, and all the usual summer stuff. I really don't have a lot of time to get on the computer anymore it seems. Having my phone makes it so I don't HAVE to get on my computer anymore, but I can't post on my blog from my phone, so I guess that is why I have been such a blog slacker. I'll try to be better.

So, recital was a complete success this year! We did Tarzan and Vienna was in 6 dances this year. She was absolutely beautiful! I'm so proud of her. She puts in so much hard work and every year I notice her get better and better because of it! That is my favorite thing about being a dance instructor, seeing the growth! I am getting to the point where I am seeing some of my dancers that I have taught since they were tiny graduate and move on. It is so rewarding to see what accomplished dancers they are becoming! It is such a satisfying feeling to see them move on in life! My nephey Hank was in town and he even came to the show! All 2 1/2 hours of it! Brownie points for you Hank! Good job!

Kael is real excited to be starting football this summer. Yesterday he got his gear and he is super stoked! He didn't take it off all day!! He is all about practicing and getting good at throwing for when practices start!

Sax is still going strong! He runs the neighborhood. So into anything creepy and crawlie. Him and his buddies are always catching things. The other day a neighborhood kid caught a garter snake and brought it over. Now Sax has made it his life long ambition to catch one for himself. He's absolutely CRAZY about reptiles and bugs. Our garage is filled with little homes for all his unassuming victims. (reminds me of his uncle Brian!) Here's a pic of him doing his favorite thing called "midgee". Him and his friends put thier knees up in their shirts and try all sorts of tricks and call themselves "midgees". Should I be worried??

That leaves us with baby! So much fun this kid is! Yesterday I left a jar of Nutella on the counter from when we had crepes and when I came back, well, lets just say, he's a real Nutella fan! The kid eats and eats like there's no tomorrow and he's heavy as a small truck. He's walking a little, but prefers to crawl because he's so much more efficient at it. Talk about a busy body. Keeping up with him is a daunting task! Thank goodness for older siblings!

I am loving this time of year!!

2009-04-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am very impressed with myself for the updates I have done to this blog. I Thought I'd drop in one more post before I probably go dormant for awhile again. So, spring is "springing" and everything about it is beautiful, but its something else that I love about spring that gets me so excited. All the kids are comin out to play! And I don't just mean getting out of the house, but sports and dance. The past few weeks have been filled with dance competitions, soccer games and baseball/tball games, and it has been a blast! There is something about getting the whole family together, rain or shine, to cheer each other on. I love to see my kids get so proud of their brother or sister when they see them work hard at something and succeed. At Vie's last competition, Saxon was watching and looked over at me and said, "There's Vienna! She is AMAZING!" and a couple of weeks ago Kael made an awesome goal in soccer and he and his brother and sister were so excited that went out to celebrate (at the gas station of course). I love how sports gives my kids a chance to literally cheer each other on. I think you really get a sense of how a family is always there rain or shine, thick or thin, and I love it! So here's to spring, and ALL of the great games, and performances to come! Here are a few pics of my kids in action!

Wiggly Toothed Boy and Mulch Man!

2009-04-22T00:30:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of on a blogging rampage tonight, trying to get caught up on posts for my fam (and friends) and I really should be in bed right now if I expect to be worth anything tomorrow, but I'm gonna chance it with one more post! B has been in China for the last 4 days and I think the hardest thing about him being gone is, I don't want to go to bed! The thought of going to sleep alone is not one I'm excited about. So for the last few nights I have prolonged bedttime for way longer than I should. I've decided that I'm not a fan of business trips that I'm on invited on!

So, I have this kid, #2. Well he's lost a couple of teeth and the thing about him is, he won't pull them out! He lets them get so loose that it just dangles in his mouth, then when the thread of tissue is so dissentegrated that it cannot support the tooth, it just drops out. O.K. let me just say, I LOVE PULLING TEETH. My daughter has let me pull every one of her's out and to sit and look at the dangling tooth makes me want to scream! It's like talking to someone with a big zit on their face and wanting so bad to just say, "Excuse me, can I just pop that thing for you?". Well, I guess I just ratted myself out for being a tooth pulling, zit popping, nut job. But seriously, I don't know how many more dangling teeth I can take! Just thinking about it makes me want to go downstairs right now and yank it out while he's asleep, but I promised him that I wouldn't. That thing haunts my dreams!!

So all the springy weather has really gotten me excited to start planting some flowers, so I picked up a few things to plant in the front yard. Baby is so into being outside and also into eating EVERYTHING. No, that is NOT a good combination! I caught him eating, bark, rocks, Baylee's fetch ball (eew!), my gardening gloves, leaves, roller skates, and he even topped it off with a handful of mulch. It says on the bag that it promotes good growing, I wonder if that pertains to little boys too? I'll let you know!

Happy Birthday Baby! WARNING! May contain an abundance of really cute baby pictures, sorry, but its my blog so get over it!

2009-04-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

The REAL Birthday!

3 Days old!

2 Months old.

4 Months old.

6 Months old.

8 Months old.

10 Months old.
11 Months old.

1 YEAR OLD!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

So, my baby turned 1! What a fabulous 1st year it has been! I'm not sure if it's because I know this is my last baby, but I have really cherished every moment of this little boys first year! He is such and amazing kid with the most amazing personality. People are drawn to his adorable little smile and laugh! I swear he came into this world fat and happy and really, he hasn't changed much. I have never seen a baby so content with life. He eats and eats and eats like every meal is his last. He loves his sleep (which I ABSOLUTELY love). He's always content pushing around a matchbox car, and he even uses this adorable little giggle to communicate. Probably my favorite thing about this boy is his smile. He's always giving them away and he has a way of raising his eyebrows and tilting his head back to make it look even bigger. Yes, I have to admit, I'm head over heels for this little man and although I am a little saddened by this big milestone, I am so excited to see just what kind of person he is going to turn out to be. One thing is for sure, he is loved! I thought the "new baby" thing would wear off after a few months, but his brothers and sister are always trying to be the one who gets to sit by him, take him out of the crib, feed him, change him, play with him, carry him. Although it gets daunting at times, it's rather cute!

Here is my SAD attempt at a car cake. Lets just say that about half way through, I got bored with it and just tried to GET IT DONE! So, it's not my favorite cake in the world, but baby really didn't mind! He dug right in and almost finished it!

He even helped me make it!! Oh, and this is that smile I was talking about! ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!

Easter Time!

2009-04-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last couple of weeks that I don't even know where to begin! So, I guess I will start with Easter! Usually Grandma and Grandpa put on an awesome Easter egg hunt, but they were gone to Oregon so we decided to do our own. We had a few of the neighbors over and 200 eggs and a lot of wet mud, but it was great! For some reason the scouts decided to airate the lawn for a fundraiser that morning. Lets just say ariation pellets and rain DO NOT MIX! It was a muddy mess, but who cares really! On Easter Sunday, the bunny made a visit that morning bringing all sorts of fun stuff for the kids and later that afternoon Nana, Papa, Uncle Ron, my cousin Jack and his family all came over for dinner.

Kid Photographers!

2009-03-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

mmmm, little too close for comfort.

Love this one of me in my hubby's coat and looking fabulous!

Here piggy piggies!

A cute little tooshie! Wish it were mine!

Little Diva!

A Kids lunch!

I'm not quite sure were the cameraman was when this was taken. A cave? Who knows?

I haven't been a very diligent blogger lately. To tell you the truth, I'm going to blame it on my phone. I hardly ever turn on my computer anymore! And I check out all of my dearest friend's blogs using my phone so I really don't need to. So i am very sorry I haven't updated for quite some time.

We have an extra camera and every once and awhile the kids will take it and snap pictures all around the house. The best part about that is finding out just what they were taking pictures of! It gives me a glimpse of how kids view life. I have quite a file of very interesting kid pics. Here are a few of the most recent!

Our Trip!!

2009-02-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I had a crazy idea a couple months ago that I should go out to visit some family in Indiana and Ohio. Alone with my 4 kids, in February! Well, as crazy as it may sound, it turned out to be a great trip! The kids had a great time seeing cousins, I had a great time visiting and it turned out to be a fabulous trip. It's hard when family lives so far away and you only get to see each other every few years. So for this reason, my crazy trip alone with my 4 crazy kids was totally worth it.

Thanks Indiana Halversens for great "down home" fun! We loved shootin guns in the backyard, bowlin' with the Budwiser Bucket Boys, discovering the indoor flea market, spending good time at Wal-mart. My kids are head-over-heels for their cousins and aunt and uncle. Saxon misses his audience and Vie is in a state of depression without her "girls". Thanks for having us and for a few extra days at that!

Thanks Ohio Halversens for the blast we had up there! Our overblown Build-a-Bear experience at the busiest mall in the world, a super fabulous swimming experience, an almost COSI experience (lol), and good ol' "Chuckie's Fleas". But most of all for me, I enjoyed late night talks with sister-in laws and a nice sushi dinner with my big brother (notice my favorite moments were the quiet ones without my kids! hee hee!)

The hardest part about the trip was coming home and realizing how bad it stinks that we don't live closer. I have a pretty cool family. So, once again, I thank you for having us for a visit. We love you to death!

A little kick in the butt!

2009-02-08T19:16:00.000-08:00

I love those moments in life that sort of give you a little kick in the butt! Well, I had one of those the other night. Lets start by saying that I am feeling like I am in a big rut. I am missing summer, feeling a little overwhelmed with 4 kids, trying to keep up with housework, dealing with a very irritating foot injury, feeling uninspired with my choreography, and just trying to keep it all together on a daily basis. (wait, this gets better, I promise) So, just when I was starting to really get "down" on my what seemed so important life, that nice little butt kickin came.

I woke up the other night about 3am and couldn't sleep. I was wide awake and didn't really feel like getting out of bed to start some housework or something so I grabbed my phone to check out some internet news and facebook and whatnot. I noticed my little google earth app and thought it would be fun to zoom in on China see some of the places that my hubby is visiting on his trip this week. Ok, so I know google earth is so old and everyone has been there, done that, but this time things really hit me. (yes, I know it was 3am, bear with me!!) As I scoped out Bejing, Hong Kong, and Singpore I was in awe of the masses of people in those areas. Millions and millions of dwellings with hundreds of millions of people living in them and this is just one little part of the world. I suddenly realized how completely insignificant I really am in the big picture. Suddenly all of the previous things that caused my "rut" seemed so unimportant. Sometimes we get so caught up in what's happening our lives and what's around us that we really do think that the world is in some way revolving around us. My kick in the butt was such a good one. Suddenly things became a little clearer. I've had these humbling experiences many times before, but this one was so perfect.

So I talked with my hubby about the whole google earth rediscovery. I told him that I realized how completely insignificant I really am. His response was, "You're pretty insignificant to the world, but you mean everything to me." Leave it up to perfect husbands to REALLY put things into perspective. Thanks babe.

Help! Has anyone seen my baby???

2009-01-30T22:27:00.000-08:00

So, last April I had this perfect baby boy, Cache. Coming into this world at a WHOPPIN 10 lbs. 7oz., he came into my life and completely stole my heart. He has the most wonderfully pleasant disposition and people fall head over heels for him wherever we go. It's not hard to get him to smile, he does it so frequently and he is the most easygoing baby I have ever seen. I do have one SERIOUS problem with Cache though, he is growing up way too fast!!!

Its funny that with our oldest kids we are so excited for them to hit their big milestones, then we come to our last and we almost dread them. And why is it that Cache is growing faster than all of my others?? Or does it just seem that way? Oh, how I wish I could just bottle him up and keep him just as he is forever!! Everyday I see less of a baby and more of this adorable little person emerge. He's charming, lovable, and so much fun, but I am missing that little baby of mine. I'm not normally a gushy mom, but for some reason with this little guy I'm feelin it. I am absolutely, positively, unbelievably in love with this little baby of mine. Now, do any of you know how I can keep him this way???

I figured it out! (it's a miracle!)

2009-01-14T01:04:00.000-08:00

S , trying to master the backyard ice rink!

V giving K a skating lesson!

We made the kids pose for a picture on Christmas morning before they could open their presents! We also make them drink a full glass of egg nog. Have you ever tried to drink that stuff fast? We're so mean! Look at those excited faces.

Lights at Temple Square.

Alright, I figured out my picture posting problem! So, here are a few pics of the holidays for your viewing pleasure! Sorry so late.

What Time Is It?

2009-01-14T00:08:00.000-08:00

I've been spending way too much time on our home computer doing nothing interesting. I have failed to manage our files and have found that things have gotten out of hand and all the memory is being used. So I have been transfering files to our external to free up some space. I'm sure there is some technical terms for this problem, but I don't know about that. So, I'm spring cleaning all of our family photos and videos. Wow it's amazing how much we have done in the past 5 years! I'm feeling very nostalgic. Wondering where has all the time gone. I'm sure everyone does this.

Time is a funny thing. I find myself wishing I had more time everyday. Time to do this, time to do that, I guess that is why I am up so late! This is the only time I had to do this. So, for my New Years "Resolution" I am hoping to be more efficient with my time. Lately I have been finding myself so behind on things and it is driving me crazy. Of course having a 9 month old who is into EVERYTHING doesn't help, but still, I think I could manage things a little better. So, to my dear friends, I am wondering what little words of wisdom you all might have that might help me manage all those important things in life ie. family, housework, personal time, play, whatever!

And WHY CANT I POST PICTURES??? This is driving me crazy!!! HELP!

Happy New Year! (our holidays update!)

2009-01-01T22:21:00.000-08:00

I have been much too busy the past couple of weeks to get a new post on, so we will be playing a little "catch up". To all of my friends and family, Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you many joyous memories and successes! It's always a strange thing to look back on the past year and realize just how much has happened then to realize that a whole new year awaits you! I'm looking forward to it. If it's one thing I know it's the fact that you NEVER know what life is going to throw at you next!

This Christmas break has been so great! I think my favorite thing about Christmas break is all the days we spend doing NOTHING! Daddy is home, the kids are home, we all get to spend a lot of time together and that is the greatest thing about the break for me. Christmas was good to us. We spent the day sledding behind the car with cousins at grandma and grandpa's house then we had Nana and Papa over on Christmas Eve. My kids were lucky enough to get a visit from Santa (amazingly) and all of their wildest dreams came true. Then we proceeded to spend Christmas day putting toys together, using up mass amounts of batteries, and playing ALL DAY LONG! It was pure bliss! I don't think we got out of Jammies until 3pm!

The Minnesota girl in me decided to build a backyard ice rink this break and what a fun experience that has been. It started out pretty good then we had a few set backs with the water and leveling, but in the end we have a pretty decent rink for the kids to skate on and they have loved it! Vienna is doing really well and Kael now wants to be a hockey player.

So this has been such a great break for us and part of me is a little sad to see the kids go back to school, then again another little part of me is just fine with the idea. I'm sure most moms know what I'm talking about!! So for all of you once again, Happy New Year!
p.s. Does anyone know why I can't find a link to add photos to my post?? weirdsville!

I can't get NO respect!

2008-12-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

So, funny thing happened the other day. It's a usual morning of getting kids looking decent and fed and getting the house somewhat orderly. This usually involves many reminders that the boys have to do their chores before they can play. I hope I am not the only mother in the world who feels like cleaning is a never ending activity and the majority of my time is consumed by some sort of household management effort. The night before I stayed up late tidying up the basement and taming the chaos that usually occurs down there. Well as I am in the baby's room, dressing him I hear a call from the basement "Mom! The basement is already clean! The babysitter must have come last night!" Oh how I understand Mr. Rodney Dangerfield when he says, "I can't get NO respect!!!"

A sappy little bunch of this and that!

2008-12-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

I've noticed that it's been a little while since my last post. I love having my new iphone, but I do a lot of checkin, and not a lot of posting because I never use my computer anymore! Well things have been the usual hustle and bustle around here. Christmas shopping is done, other than those few last minute things, thank goodness. Now bring on all the Christmas programs, dance performances, Christmas parties, and all that! It's a great time of year. I just finished Christmas cards and I find myself wondering why??? But I love getting them then I remember why.

Vie had a dance performance this weekend at the Festival of Trees and she did her first solo! She was terrified before she went on, but she was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! It was such a proud moment for me. I loved seeing her put aside her fears and get out there and be perfect! Right before she performed she said, "Mom, there are a lot of people here and I have a lot of butterflies in my stomach!" She is such an incredible girl! I am so lucky to have her as my daughter.

So now we wait for the big day! Our advent calendars are in effect (all 4 of them!!! don't ask!) The kids are so excited. I love being in my warm cozy home, full of Christmas decorations, good smells, and holiday music filling the air. I love bundling up and going to the live nativity in my town and having my kids say "Is that really baby Jesus?". I love snuggling with my adorable baby by our fire as snowflakes fall gently outside. These are a few of my favorite things. I hope you are all having a few of these beautiful moments that make this time of year absolutely wonderful!

One last little thing. Did I mention that I absloutely adore my husband! Well, I do! He is seriously the light of my life and I love him to death!!! Thanks for being so wonderful babe!

Oh No! Not a Tag!!

2008-11-18T21:04:00.000-08:00

I have never done a tag before, but I thought this photo tag was cool. I thought it would be so fun to look at this years from now to remember what things were like at this time in my life and what better way to capture that than looking at things in your home (regardless the condition they are in).

#1 My Favorite Room

This is a no brainer! My front room for lots of reasons. It is the place we spend time together as a family. We read here, do homework here, have FHE here, I chill here, the red walls remind me of a sleepless night when B and I painted each brick individually, and it's the first room you see when you come to visit (so it's usually picked up and tidy!!) I Love this room!

#2 What are my kids doing right now?

Luckily at this percise moment they aren't fighting or messing things up! S was playing with Baby on the rug in the front room while K was getting a little dose of Nickelodeon on my bed.

#3 My Closet

Oh, this one is scary. It's small, its packed, its just plain SCARY! No, I will never have a closet like the ones on CRIBS. I have just come to accept it!

#4 My Favorite Shoes

For sure my Reef flip flops I got in Hawaii. They are perfect all the time. The only ones I reach for every day! So why do I have like 20 other pair?

#5 Laundry Room

As I like to call it, My Catch-All room! I'm not proud of it. Please tell me everyone has a room like this!

#6 Guest Bathroom

This room also doubles as my daughters bathroom so threre is usually a plethora of hair styling tools and products on the counter. Aren't pictures of toilets funny! ( I think I've been hanging around my 6-year-old son way too much!)

#7 Kitchen Sink

Really not much to say, its a sink, woohoo!

#8 The Refridgerator

This one scares me to death. Look at this monster! No matter how much I clean it out, it's still full!!

#9 Self Portrait

I hate these things, but oh wells, here goes! (I hope I don't get fat face!)

So, for whoever wants to do this tag, do it. I'm not gonna ask someone to. The only rule is that you can't tidy up before you take the picture. Grab your camera now and start shootin!

With a Thankful Heart

2008-11-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

When the weather cools and this time of year approaches, like many, I begin to think about the things I am most grateful for in my life. And like so many others, I have too many things to count. A husband who is my best friend and eternal companion, 4 truly amazing children, and much much more, but it is my mom that has been on my mind lately. It has been a truly difficult couple of months for her and I am thankful to have her in my life and I am grateful for the many life lessons she has taught me.

Two months ago my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer after a lumpectomy. What woman doesn't know a lot about breast cancer these days? It was just breast cancer awareness month and it seems like everywhere you turn there are articles and new findings about the disease. I myself had a scare in my early twenties. But when you find out someone so close to you has it, its difficult to process. When I first heard the news, my first response was "O.K., well, take it out. Lets get rid of this thing." I didn't want to believe that it was what it was. I was scared. I couldn't entertain the idea that something so horrible had it's grip on my mother. After the second surgery, the doctor told my mother that no cancer was found in the lymph nodes, but there were still cancer cells left in the breast, good and bad news. During these weeks of uncertainty I can't imagine the stress my mother endured. Working part time, dealing with little to no sleep, battling effects of a head injury from years ago, helping my father with his health issues, and now the uncertainty of breast cancer. She like usual handled it beautifully.

I am grateful for a mother who is so strong. She handles even the hardest of lifes trials with dignity and grace. I am grateful for a mother who is compassionate. She gives all she can to everyone and anyone many times leaving herself without. I am grateful to her for teaching me to find joy in doing a job well and for always being my biggest fan. When I am discouraged with life, parenting and feeling like I am just not quite measuring up, her words are encouraging and hopeful. She is an inspiration in my life. She is now in her second week of radiation therapy and she is feeling the wear of such a treatment, but she continues to handle it beautifully. I see that she is tired, not only from the treatments, but from the emotional burden she is carrying, but that doesn't stop her from playing with her grandkids. She is that Nana you go to because you know that she loves you with all her heart, and that is the best kind of grandparent any kid could ask for. She is a remarkable woman and I am proud to call her my mother.

So, this story has a happy ending. Her doctor feels that the radiation therapy will be very successful because she was diligent about mammograms and the cancer was caught early enough. She will have a few difficult weeks ahead of her, but in the end, I am confident that she is going to kick the cancer. This disease picked the wrong woman to mess with! So, with my heart full of Thanksgiving, I say thank you mom, thank you for so many things. I am thankful to have a mother like you. I love you.

It's Just a Hermit Crab! (for cryin out loud!)

2008-11-10T22:29:00.001-08:00

So, last week we had a little incident in our home that ended up being a pretty emotional event (for some) around here. S got a really cool Batman Hermit crab for his birthday and believe it or not, it became a pretty cool little pet. S would bring him out and let him crawl around the house while he played and it was a very big, very cool crab. Well, he took it out and it was walking around the kitchen and I had to run Saxon to a play date. Well on my way there I realized that Hermie was still out. I figured he would just crawl around and no harm would befall him, Boy was I wrong. Hermie decided to crawl through the posts of the banister and down he tumbled to the basement. When we got home we found an empty Batman shell and a sad little Hermit crab hiding behind the door. It was obvious he did not fair well on his trip. We helped him back into his terrarium where he spent the last few hours of his life. Yes, I know, its just a hermit crab, but this being our first pet to pass away, it was a big event. S really didn't care and he was already excited to pick out a new one, but K on the other hand cried most of the night saying things like, "He was a good crab wasn't he?" and "Do crabs go to heaven?" Yes, it was a very emotional night indeed. We put little Hermie in a Spongebob Gogurt box and said our last goodbyes to a very cool little crab.

Yes, we did get a new crab and he's not quite the same. Hermie was the size of an apple and very impressive and the new crab that Saxon HAD to have is about the size of an almond. Not as cool, but hey, S loves him! So, yes, there is a happy ending to the sad sad crab story. Moral of the story, When you have crabs, make sure you know where they are at all times!!

(ha, ha!)

So Much Has Happened!!

2008-11-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

"Partial" Family Photo at V's baptism!

Squirt!

Indiana!

Yoda!

Dead Ballerina!

Grandpa taking the girls out to the "haunted garden"

My kids on a hike up at Snowbird!

My favorite! Here we are posing for a picture, completely unaware that my 4-year-old is climbing over the edge of this lookout. Oh it's only about a 50 foot drop to certain death!! But hey! I need to smile for this picture so who cares! Yea, did I mention I am mother of the year?

I can't believe how crazy-busy things have been for us. It's been awhile since I last posted, so I guess it is kinda my fault. With my Iphone I do a lot of checking up, but not a lot of posting. This is the first time I have even touched my home computer since my last post. Well, where to start? We took the family up to Snowbird for a family retreat. That pretty much means that we went up there and did nothing but hang out. We hiked, swam, played, ate, read books, and watched movies. Our cars didn't move for the entire time. We did nothing and it was WONDERFUL! We have decided to do a retreat every year. Vacations are nice, but you end up GO GO GOING and never get a chance just to hang out together with out planning the next move. So it was fabulous! I even got to take yoga classes everyday including one taught by a very dear old friend. Thanks Kristen!

Then the whole Halloween thing happened! Bryces parents had the whole family over for a haunted treasure hunt and it was awesome! Grandpa paraded the kids around the backyard and told ghost stories. With the help of the older kids, ghosts and gouls came to life and thats when the screams arose. It was so fun and the kids were scared to death!! We were all having a blast! These are the kind of things that kids remember. I am so glad that grandpa put this on and I hope it becomes a tradition. K LOVES to get spooked, V hates it, and S THINKS he likes it, but when it comes down to it, he gets pretty scared!

Halloween night went as usual. Get dressed up, meet up with all the cousins and GET CANDY. What more is there to say? V was a dead dancer, K was Indiana Jones, S was Yoda, and C was Squirt (turtle from Nemo). Yea, they were all pretty cute I think!

Then next morning, bright and early was V's baptism. What a wonderful day that was! Everything was perfect and we couldn't be more excited for her. She is such and amazing daughter and I couldn't be more proud of her. I am so lucky to have her!

So those are the updates on our fam. I love this time of year! The weather, the holidays, the feeling in the air, It is by far my favorite season. I woke up this morning to Christmas music (yes, my husband is a Christmas JUNKIE) I can't believe it is already here. Things only get crazier from this point on. The funny thing is, things never stop being crazy do they? I think Ferris said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once and awhile, you could miss it!" Amen Ferris, amen.

I love this camera!

2008-10-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

My friend loaned me her Canon Rebel camera and while I had it over the weekend I totally milked it! I took pictures like crazy. Now I know what I want to ask Santa for this Christmas! Photography and the Guitar. Getting good at these two things has been on my to do list for a very long time! So, if any of you see Santa, tell him I deserve this camera! Here are a few pics of my awesome kids!

I am finding myself getting more and more busy everyday! Halloween this, classes, preschool, kindergarten, class party, take the kids here, doctor appointments there. Seriously, does this end?? I guess I have the next 18 years to figure it out. I have this office that is seriously so neglected that I am beginning to get used to things having a permenant residence on the floor! K, its not Oprah's messiest office in the country, but it's like a distant cousin. Every time I think today is the day to tackle this dreaded office, LIFE HAPPENS! So how do I do it? I guess it doesn't help that I have a 6 month old who as long as he is awake, thinks my time is all his. I have to admit, that part I don't hate too much. But when your talking long tasks, his 2 hour nap just won't cut it! So, I will probably end up letting this office go for another few weeks/months. Lets face it, Christmas music will be playing on the radio in less than a month. Yea, let the office sit! Any objections??

Another Perfect Family Vacation!

2008-09-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well, instead of going on a summer vacation, this year we decided to go in September instead. We headed off to California with some of Bryce's high school friends and their families to stay in Laguna Beach. I was a little nervous about staying in one house with three other families that consisted of 13 small children total, but to my surprise the vacation turned out great! The house was on the beach and we spent a lot of time there. The kids got along great and they all had a ton of fun. We went down to San Diego Wild Animal Park, Bryce and his friends got to go to a Chargers game to see their other friend play, of course we hit Disneyland for a few days, and it was an awesome trip! The worst part is for sure coming home. I hate all the aftermath from a trip. I think I could just vacation all the time and leave it all behind PERMENANTLY! But, that never seems to happen, so here I am, trying to pick up all the pieces of our life and put them back together again and dreaming of our next vaca! Trip highlights. For S, he could FINALLY ride Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, Sorin' over California, and the best, Splash Mountain! For K, riding California Screamin 6 times! For V, rekindling an old friendship with friends Izzy and Addie and boogie boarding and learning how to duck dive a wave. For Bryce, hanging out with old friends and his family at the same time, and for me, those precious moments every night after the kids went to bed and listening to the waves all night as I sleep.

Happy Anniversary Babe!

2008-09-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

Early Friday Morning I awoke early to a text. I opened it and there was a message from my DH. "Eleven years ago today was the happiest day of my life! Happy Anniversary my Love!" I have to admit it was a complete shock since the previous week we had been on a very busy vacation and I didn't really even have time to think about it. It was the greatest text ever! Our day, was not so great though. Bryce was driving home all day from California with three of our kids while I was home in Utah with the baby all alone. He finally arrived at 10 o'clock at night and recieved an amazing anniversary dinner complete with bacon and eggs and toast, then our day was over. No it doesn't sound so romantic, but it was fine. It was nothing like our anniversary trip to Hawaii last year, but they can't all be Hawaii now. He took me out the next night and we had our time. I couldn't have agreed more with his text. That day was also the greatest day of my life. We have had eleven amazing years together and to my shock, they just keep getting better and better! I truly did marry my best friend and life is so much sweeter with him around. Thank you baby for eleven truly wonderful years! I can't wait for the next eleven!! I love you!

Where to begin!

2008-09-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

The Spider tree.

Kael and His Fish (he earned it!)

We Love Uncle Brian!
The Ferris Wheel Incident.
Saxon got stung by a bee in the eye, sorry dude.
More of the Killer Ferris Wheel.

So many fun things have happened the past few weeks, and I have been a slacker and haven't posted any of them so this will be a catch-up post.

My brothers Brian and Scott came out for a (way too short) visit. We had a lot of fun seeing them. We went out for a trip on the boat, had a BBQ, and pretty much just enjoyed their company. I hate that you guys live so far!!

I got brave and decided to take the kids (sans Cache) to the State Fair last week and it turned out to be the best day!! I promised them only two rides and they chose the Ferris Wheel and the Gravitron (anyone remember that one??) I usually don't get that excited about the rides, but these two will always have a special place in my heart after this trip. We started on the ferris wheel. Kids were so excited we went up and up and up, then the operator left it at the top for a few minutes to let us have a good view. Well it was at that time that my dear daughter decided that she was afriad of heights! She had a mild panic attack and started bawling! This is the same girl whose favorite ride at Disneyland is Space Mountain, go figure! I am so glad I took a picture to capture the moment. She eventually got over it when the ride continued. Then we went on the Gravitron. OH MY was that the funniest thing I have ever been a part of. All 4 of us were laughing so hard that we had to b-line for the bathrooms when it was over. What a great time. We had treats, looked at some livestock, fished, got to see some pretty impressive Carnies, what more could you ask for. Definately one of the funnest times I have had with the kids. And at the fair, who knew?

On Sunday we went up to one of out favorite places up in the canyon, Cascade Springs. What a beautiful place. I love having the mountains so close. We packed a picnic and had a great time. The kids found a "spider tree" and had to climb it.

So now we start another week. We are leaving for Southern California this week so it's time for me to start the packing process, oh how fun. Here are a few picks of the great times we've had!

And They're Off!

2008-08-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well it was a big week of first days of school. Vie started 2nd grade, Kael started kindergarten, Saxon started pre-school and I am finally starting to gain a little sanity!! Here are a few pics. So far so good. Everyone loves it, especially me!!

Oh, another cute thing. Saxon and I were weeding the garden together today and we had such a great conversation. He said "Mom, I'm gonna use my instincts to pull these weeds cuz I got mad skills! I think I'm an expert!" Ok, just so you know, I don't say the term "mad skills" even though it is quite awsome. I am just bewildered and quite impressed that my four-year-old does! Mad props my man Saxon!

Been a Great Summer!

2008-08-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

Brian Regan, funniest comedian!

Happy Birthdy Saxon!!
Little Man is getting so Big!
"Toobin"
We had some of Bryce's family over for a BBQ on Alpine Days!

I can't believe school is already starting! Where has the summer gone. I would be lying if I said I am totally sad that the kids are heading off to school, sure I will miss all of the fun stuff we've been doing, but when you have a daughter who lives from one social event to another, school starting is a joyous event! We had a couple of birthdays the last couple of weeks and a lot of fun stuff happening with them! Bryce and Saxon both had birthdays the second week of August. No big parties, just fun family stuff for each of them. It was Alpine Days so we had a lot goin' on. I somehow got put in charge of making a float for the parade and let me tell ya, I am not going to be signing up for that one again anytime soon. Let just say "Otter Pop Disaster!" Never throw out otter pops at a parade, especially partially frozen ones. PLEASE take my advice! Saxon turned 4 and I am hoping some of the "terrible 3" attitude leaves with the number, but so far it has only intensified. You know Saxon, Intense is his middle name. For instance, we were eating dinner and for some reason or another he was sent down to his room. Well the rest of us found it funny that his protests were lasting so long and Saxon didn't think it was so nice to giggle, so from down the stairs we hear a very threatening, "DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THERE!!" Yes, my child is 4 and no, I don't think I say that very much, but maybe I need to pay more attention to what I do say. Well, he is the entertainer of our little family and I don't know what we would do without him.

To celebrate the last week of summer we packed in a fun-filled week of trips to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens, Wake-Boarding/Tubing, Jungle Jims, Bike rides, and everything else we didn't get around to doing. I think we did alright. Bring on school, I am ready! Oh, Bryce and I celebrated by going out with some friends of ours to see Brian Regan, like the funniest comedian I have ever seen. Check him out on youtube. We don't normally go see comedians in fact him and Seinfeld are the firsts, but what a great evening it is. Seriously, I don't know how someone can get up in front of thousands and make them all laugh unitl they hurt. What a talent! Well, that's all that is going on with us! Happy Back-to-school to you all!

Busy Couple of Weeks!

2008-07-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

Look Ma, I caught a 30 pounder!!
Watching Roman Candles with Rachel's kids and a few others!
Nana and Saxon watching the "Big" fireworks show.
Vie and her cousin. Lovin face painting!
I'm callin my dentist for an appt. this week!!

It has been super busy the last couple weeks, doing fun stuff of course! My dearest friend Rachel came down with her kids to stay with us for a week while we took a dance workshop together! It is so nice to be dancing again. I am always teaching and never get the chance to be the student so it was awsome. Also, it was nice to be dancing with my closest friend again! This week was Pioneer Day so we got to enjoy fireworks with nana which was great because we really missed her. While dad was here alone I took the boys up to go fishing with him and we didn't really catch anything, although Kael did catch Saxon!! I just love summer! I love all time to do fun things together. We went to the children's museum yesterday and walked around the Gateway. The kids played in the fountain, we went to California Pizza Kitchen and the kids got monster carmel apples. How can life get any better! Dance is starting next week (already!) and I can't believe it. Pretty soon school will start, then soccer, and everything else. I will be sad when summer is over. Oh wells, there is always next summer to do it all over again!

Kael's Birthday Weekend!

2008-07-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Kael turned 6 on Friday and we partied all weekend to celebrate. We started with a friend party at Liberty Land (a small amusement park) on Friday which was so much fun. He had a blast with his friends on rides, minature golfing, rock climbing and all that fun stuff. Then on Saturday we headed up the canyon with just our family for fishing, hiking, and smores (some of Kael's favorite things!) It's so fun to celebrate our kids birthdays I think! He got everything he could ever want including a Lego Indiana Jones Cake! We love you Kael, Happy Birthday!

Super 4th!

2008-07-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

Little Man, Cutest Kid EVER!

Self Portraits, This is the only way we get pictures of us together!! So Attractive!
My little Crazies on their 4-wheeler!
Kael doing one of his tricks on the slide!
Saxon and his bud (cousin) Caden and their sparklers!

We decided not to go anywhere and do anything extra special this 4th of July because it's nice to not have to battle crowds and we had an awome weekend! My 4th started out with a massage which I decided I will start ALL of my major holidays with. It was super!! After that we had a BBQ with some good friends and kids played all day on the slide in the backyard. Then we went over to Bryce's parents. We played volleyball, had an egg toss, and played with some water balloons also the kids love being with their cousins! We all came over to our house to light of a mass amount of fireworks which was awsome. We aren't really into the big shows on the 4th. Too many people, too much time in the car, and you don't have the possibility of a "rogue firework" to keep the night entertaining like you do when you light them yourself!! Luckily no-one blew up. So this morning after a big breakfast and cleaning off the street, we took the kids 4 wheeling near our house. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and Bryce and I topped it off with a date to the Gateway where we ate at one of our favorite restaurants (Ztejas) and did some shopping! I got a new fairway wood and I can't wait to hit it! So, I think the weekend was a complete success even without all the parades, firework shows, and Stadium of Fire! I have decided that I really love this holiday.

What a Week!

2008-06-29T21:42:00.001-07:00

Well, it has been a busy week for us. Lots of ups, a couple downs! Vienna had her dance recital Monday through Thursday and she did great of course! She was in six dances and she did awsome! We couldn't be more proud of her. She has worked so hard and she is really becoming a beautiful and talented dancer! I took some great pictures of her, but here's a down, LOST MY CAMERA!! There is a big search going on for it, so hopefully it turns up. Cache had his 2 month check-up and he's still getting big! He's off the charts in length and his arms are the longest arms I have ever seen on a kid! The kids and I went swimming on Friday at a friends house and wouldn't you know it, Vienna did a back flip off the side of the pool and hit her head on the side of the pool! No worries, a big goose egg, but now it is draining and bruising all under her eyes and her nose is super swollen. It's one of those things where it looks so much worse than it really was. She's o.k. though. So, on Friday night, Bryce and I decided to spend some MUCH-NEEDED time alone together and we went out with some friends to see Jerry Seinfeld! That was the funniest show ever! My face hurt because I was laughing so much. No need for crunches that night. It was such a great show. We had a nice dinner and a great night. So Saturday morning I got up super early and met with a bunch of girls to play golf. We had such a great time. I actually played pretty good too!! I made a quick COSTCO run and came home just in time to say goodbye to Bryce as he was leaving to go fishing with his friends out on the Green River. So the kids and I spent the day just playing around. We went on a bike ride/walk, played and grandmas, did a little gardening, and of course some pre-4th of July fireworks with all the neighborhood kids until 11PM! Let just say getting up for church was not an easy task! Today was a nice and relaxing Sunday, we all snuggled up on the couch for a family movie and now here I am getting ready to go to bed. Such a great end to a very eventful week. Now I'm ready for a nice dull and boring week, what do ya say!

Showin' Off Again!

2008-06-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

Saxon is always the "tough guy". He said the other day,
"NO ONE messes with my sister, or I'll punch em' in
the nose!!" Although I don't condone violence,
I thought it was pretty cute!

Kael and Saxon LOVE to steal my camera and take hundreds of pictures. This one was taken while I was shopping and they were bored.

Vienna loves it when I take pictures of her jumping off stuff. We have many many crazy pictures of her "in flight" lets say it makes for some very interesting shots!
This pictue was taken on Father's Day. I think it is absolutely precious. I am so lucky to be married to a man who is such an amazing father.
I love this picture because it is of things I love so much, my kids and Southern Utah!

O.k. So aren't blogs for showin off your kids? Well that's what I'm doin, so if ya don't like it, go somewhere else! I love how my kids make me laugh, so here are a few pics of how they do so.

I think I can, I think I can!

2008-06-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

So this is the month of the year I dread the most and having a new baby doesn't help. June is always the worst with our studio recital happening at the end of the month. swimming lessons, day camp, dance workshops, and baseball. We are approaching "hell week" for dance (recital week) and I don't know how I am going to get through it. Its hard being an instructor, light operator, and a mother all at the same time. Running a big show while doing your daughter's costume change is something I have mastered. This year we will have a added bonus of a 8 week old baby hanging out with me. I love teaching more than anything, but these recitals get pretty crazy. Not to mention, I made the mistake of scheduling my kids for swimming lessons all this month. I am sorta feeling like when is my chill out, take it easy summer going to come? I just keep telling myself to hang in there, it's almost over. I love teaching so much and I love the girls I teach. I feel so lucky to be able to be teaching exactly what I want to and I have students that are just as excited about what I am doing as I am. My own daughter included. She told me the other day that she loves her modern class and that when she grows up she wants to be a modern dancer too. How awsome it that!! So If I can just get through this crazy month, hopefully July will bring some peace! Yea right, I've got 4 kids, what is peace??? I did manage to get on my bike for a quick ride and go golfing with Bryce this weekend, so it's not all bad!

Ahh, Memories!

2008-06-11T23:29:00.001-07:00

I got my mom a slide and negative converter for Mothers Day this year and Bryce and I decided to try it out. We randomly grabbed some negatives in an envelope and had so much fun seeing these pictures of us from 1998! O.k. so they aren't vintage, but it seems like a long time ago to me. Hmmm, who has changed the most? I really can't say. So much happens in ten years!

Here's the Baby!

2008-06-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Cache! He is so amazing. My only complaint is that he is growing WAY too fast! I guess that happens when you start at 10 and a half pounds!! He's our big boy and he's keepin' up with the best of them! We blessed him on Sunday and had all of Bryce's family over.

I've Been Contemplating This!

2008-06-05T20:51:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking about doing this for awhile and have finally decided to start a blog. Isn't this how they all begin? So here goes. For all who care or don't care to see. This is my family, my life according to ME!

I have always heard moms complain about summer and I think I am beginning to understand why. I am officially in the summer transition period. School ended last week and we are all adjusting to having everyone home. Vienna is most definately a ray of sunshine, but sometimes likes to shoot her rays at all unsuspecting victims. It seems like the tension has grown in the past few days. Lets just say some people like to create drama where no drama is present. Although having her around is so nice with the baby. She is such a great helper. She is also a great friend. I enjoy her company when she is not trying to agitate her brothers!! It is going to be a great summer!! Now all I need is the weather to warm up!