homebodies

I keep getting asked what our big summer plans are. Well, here they are...they consist of just hanging around the house having a good time together...

This is the world's largest tent! We are going to a family reunion next year in Yosemite and we will be camping for several days. Because of this we decided that in order to not go crazy we would need enough space for all us. We bought this three-room tent last week and it is awesome. Lily and Adam slept in it Sunday night. They had so much fun having a camp-out on their own. Plus I was amazed at the fact that they weren't up at the crack of dawn...

Look who got a haircut! Doesn't he look so big? What a handsome little man; I just LOVE him so much!!!

The kids wanted to have a Toy Sale. So I gave them all the toys that are going to DI, Lily made a sign, and they were set. Unfortunately, despite their best effort they didn't have a great turn-out. I told them that maybe Saturday would be a better day for the sale....

Gracie's new haircut and the chocolate cookie residue on her face. Still she is as cute as ever!

After a while with no customers at their sale, Adam thought he would take charge of advertising Paul Revere style. He jumped on Lily's bike and rode around the neighborhood yelling, "TOY SALE TODAY!!! COME SEE THE TOYS...TOY SALE TODAY!!!"

Adam wanted to take a pic of Davie and me. And nope, I am not wearing any make-up; that is why I look ten years older...or just very ill.

Here's what $20 will buy at our house...hours of fun "swimming."

all aboard!

Lily asked the following question yesterday:

"Mom, when you go on a cruise does everyone dress like pirates?"

She had Scott and me laughing pretty hard. We told her that pirate clothes are optional...although, what do we know, neither of us has been on a cruise!

good times galore

It has been a while. Here are some photos that chronicle our last few weeks...

We had a great thunder/lightening storm and look at the rainbow it produced. It was so beautiful.

We remodeled our front walkway and one day Lily came in saying there was a snake enjoying the dirt path leading to the door. It was a little creepy, but the neighborhood kids loved it.

The Fourth of July (the Third rather) was such fun. Here is Gracie having fun with a sparkler. We went to the parade in the morning, which is always fun here in West Jordan. The kids got more candy than at Halloween. The weather was perfect - sunny and a little cool. It was a great day!

Getting ready to leave for the parade.

At the parade

Davie was having so much fun waving this little flag around. It was pretty cute.

Davie's 1st birthday! July 5th is Davie's birthday and we had a great little party with the kids. I can't believe my boy is one - such a cute little guy!

Gracie was "helping" him blow the candles out - look how anxious he is to touch it!

I love this boy!

I just realized that these are out of order....oh well. Monday (July 5th) Scott didn't have to go to work in observance on Independence Day. So we decided it would be fun to find a little hike to go on. We went out west to the Oquirrh Mountains near the Kennecott Mine. We found the most beautiful little hike. I think Gracie would have walked all day - she was having such a blast! Adam wasn't quite as enthusiastic, but was a good sport.

After the hike we went up to the peak to look down in the mine - it was HUGE and so cool. I wish I had gotten a picture.

Here is how the walkway turned out. Doesn't it look pretty!

crisis of conscience

Many of you know we have a cat. He is a beautiful little tabby named Mr. Peeps. He is also un-naturally LOUD. I kid you not, you have never heard a cat meow as loud as Mr. Peeps; I feel like he always yelling at me. I would like to say that we love Mr. Peeps, but at this point we feel more obligation than love; here is where my moral crisis comes into play...

Peeps is allergic to basically any type of normal cat food. He can only eat foods made with venison, rabbit, or lamb and rice. Basically if he eats anything normal he starts to itch and excessively groom himself to the point of hairlessness and scabbing. Plus he acts totally crazy. The cat food is impossible to find and cost about $35-$40 a bag versus it's normal cat food counterpart at $10 a bag.

So here is the problem. We don't hate Peeps, but we certainly don't love him either. Everyone keeps telling me to just get rid of him, but I feel a lot of guilt about doing that. I feel like we have had him too long to just toss him out. I wouldn't get rid of one of my children just because it "wasn't working out." Yes, I know, Peeps isn't one of my children and that he isn't important to our family in the eternal scheme of things, I just hate to treat a living being like that. I don't think animals should ever be mistreated and I really feel that we will be held responsible for how we treated all living things when we are met at the judgement bar. So I want to do what's right, but also what is good for our family.

What do you think? Would it be really mean to take Peeps to the Humane Society and have them try and adopt him out? I think they put them down after a certain period of time and if that is the case I think I would feel terrible only because I know that no one will want him. I just really don't know what to do. Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a guilt-ridden soul who thinks so much about everything. I think most people could just get rid of him and that would be that; but for me I agonize over it and want to make sure it is okay for everyone involved, including the dumb cat.

NEW INFO as of 6/15: I was wrong about the hypo-allergenic cat food - it is actually about $85 a bag. That might be the deal-breaker for Mr. Peeps.....

oh what fun...

...it has been to be married to Scott for the past nine years! We had a fun date to celebrate our anniversary; we went to a Lebanese restaurant and then we saw the Young Ambassadors perform at the LDS Conference Center. It was such fun! (why do I look like walking death and Scott stills seems to have that handsome, youthful glow about him? Doesn't he realize I am a whole six months younger!)

Look at my super cute stars I made. It is no secret that I LOVE the 4th of July and I am totally excited for it this year; I won't be thirty-two months pregnant like I was last year....

They look so cute in my dining room windows.

Adam was showing Davie his "tomato" bugs. Those boys adore each other.

Lily received the Bulldog award at school (she wasn't the only one; there was a group of them). She was soooooo thrilled and wore her medal for three days straight.

This boy is almost 11 months old and will not get to have a bottle in a month...I don't think he will cope very well with that news.

all girls are princesses and lily knows it

Emily: Girls go and clean your room please.

Both girls: Uhhhhh

Lily walks/stomps into her room; Grace goes in and starts to walk out again.

Emily: No no Gracie, you need to go clean your room.

Grace: No!

Lily (from in the bedroom): Graaaace! Princesses clean up!

Well said Lil. Now if she would only listen...

Dear Davie,

You remember that little stomach flu you kindly passed onto me? Well, keeping your poop in the diaper would be super appreciated right now. Thanks a bunch.

Love,

Mom

tragedy strikes!

All of my children have done this, but Gracie has taken it to the next level! What is the crime? Self-grooming, by way of the scissors!!!!

On Wednesday I went and had my hair cut and colored. When I came home everyone was full of ooooh's and ahhh's. Naturally Gracie was maybe feeling a little out of the limelight and probably thought I looked awesome, so she said she wanted her hair cut. It was the busy time of day; you know, the time when you are trying to get dinner going, homework done, and everyone is running around like little maniacs. So when she said that I just blew it off with a, "Oh Gracie, I will trim your hair tomorrow." And that was that...I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

About 20 minutes later Gracie appears in the kitchen looking like this (I am thinking she has a secret desire to be in a 1980's chick band)!

She had given herself a mullet. Not just a couple of nice little snips like Adam and Lily had done at this age - she cut everything up front. I tried to trim the back up a bit so it will look less mullet-ish, but it still looks terrible. Renee thinks I should take her to a salon and have them give her a pixie cut. I am not convinced. As beautiful as she is, she does have a chubby baby face and I am thinking a pixie cut may not be flattering on her (oh man, do I sound vain or what). But then again, a mullet is not too flattering either....

Good thing hair grows!

wow, look who thinks he is soooo BIG!

Is he not just the cutest thing you have ever seen!?!?!

Look how proud of himself he is! Clearly it was laundry day...

it is time for some privacy...why do people have to be such dorks?

I am afraid it is time to go private.

I keep getting comments from different porn sites - mostly Chinese (they have a translation button that I used and what is being written is NOT appropriate). It is really starting to bother me. I hate to think of who is looking at my life. It used to not bug me, but it has come to the point (after this most recent disgusting comment) that it really annoys me now.

So, if you would like to still view my blog (all two of you out there who still read it) please leave a comment and your e-mail address if I don't already have it. I am going private on the 20th.

Thanks!!!

davie

Davie is cutting his top two teeth. He is actually being pretty pleasant - it can't be comfortable. When they are in I will get a nice toothy picture to post. He is such a little cutie! Here is a picture from last month of him that I just love!

mother's day garden fair

Tomorrow I will be selling my Soap Star Mom products at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District's Mother's Day Garden Fair (WOW, that was a mouthful). It should be a pretty fun event; first it is free, which is always a plus, also they will have a climbing wall, live entertainment, good food, a balloon artist and clown, garden-themed workshops and demos, and a bunch of vendor booths. We have gone in the past and it has always been fun. So if you are in the Salt Lake region on Saturday May 8th come on down. It is just down the street from my house; the address is 8215 South 1300 West in West Jordan. It is will be going from 9 to 5. Hope to see you there!

just what the doctor ordered

Wednesday afternoon my oldest sister Lisa (in green coat) flew in from California to go to BYU Women's Conference with me. We drove down and stayed in the dorms and met up with my other sister Jennifer until Saturday. The Lord really knew I needed this - He seemed to direct me to the exact classes that I needed. This is my fourth (I think) year going and this was the first year that every single class was great. In the past it is always hit and miss; there will always be a dud, but not this year. I came home feeling like I can do this whole "motherhood" thing and this whole "life" thing in general. I am so grateful for those few days I had and all the wonderful things I knew but had to be reminded of. I loved hearing the testimonies of so many people who have struggled, survived, and continued to smile - it was a GREAT event!

Thank you Lisa for making the great effort to come with me and thank you Jen for driving back and forth from Springville (next year you should just stay with us in the dorms); I could not have asked for better Conference companions!

As a sidenote, I went to Wal-Mart today with the kidlets and amazingly enough they behaved themselves. Miracles really do happen!!!!