Young Embellishment

2011-11-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

Modern Aqua Birth Announcement

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SYTYCD

2011-07-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

Winter Dance Recital

2011-07-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

Christmas Eve 2010

2011-07-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

Monkeying around for Ruthie's 6th Birthday

2011-07-06T20:32:00.000-07:00

FIREMEN ARE HOT

2010-12-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

Have a Heart

2010-12-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

Cooking up Tradition

2010-12-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

Rachel's 10th Birthday

2010-12-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

GRATITUDE

2010-11-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

MY TOP 10 IN 2010

1. Jason makes all my dreams come true! This year he took me to some of my favorite places on earth, the beach and Disneyland. He bought me flowers and pearls for Mother's Day and my birthday. He remembered my favorite chocolate raspberries on Valentines and goodies on Easter. In between working long days providing for our family, he is the best father I have ever seen in action.
2. My girls are tender and sweet and full of life. I am so grateful for their good health and ability to work hard to achieve their dreams even though at this age they change a lot. I am thankful they are kind.
3. Jack is such a bright spot of joy. Even though I can't get anything done ever, it is totally worth it to hear him yell mama and have him pat my head and give me a kiss.
4. Diet coke and chocolate!
5. Extended family that supports us and loves us through it all.
6. The gospel that allows me hope that I can do better.
7. Friends that share in my heartaches and help me forget them with laughter.
8. The inspiring beauty in the mountains, red rocks, and sandy beaches.
9. My health.
10. Forgiveness for those many times I am less than I should be, the ability to forgive others, and His great sacrifice so that we may be forgiven

Jack's Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

Jacqueline School of Ballet Recital

2010-07-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

Rachel has a secret she asked me not to tell her friends, so like any good mom I am going to blog about it! She loves ballet! It is her favorite. I am so proud of her. She is very disciplined and a very good student. I am so thankful for Jason that he works so hard and provides our kids with amazing opportunities. It is a lot of fun to be the mother of such darling girls. Summer showing of Swan Lake was very entertaining. I am looking forward to the rest of the years exciting performances!

over the shoulder boulder holder

2010-07-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

one of my daughters who will remain nameless to protect her identity, but if you know my family you will be able to insert the proper name in the following story. She asked me if she had big boobs and I said no. She asked again "but do I have big boobs for a kid?" and again I replied no. I further told her that I did not get curves until I was married and filling out a bra might not be in her near future. She was pretty disappointed.

Hideous Holiday Heater

2010-07-06T11:50:00.001-07:00

Our family celebrated part of the holiday with The Firth Family! They let us tag along for one of their boating adventures at Starvation. The girls were good sports especially when we stayed at a shady motel in Duschene because where else do you stay in that part of world?! Ruthie was thrilled with our room which had its own personal heater that really impressed her. Bekah was not as easily impressed and kept describing the room as homeless and hideous. Jason and I were a little concerned with the traffic our neighboring motel guest was getting from visitors to their room. We weren't sure what type of enterprise was being executed a few doors down, but luckily no trouble came from it and we were just mildly entertained and concerned.

Rachel was in heaven on the wave runner and all the kids really enjoyed cruising on the boat. The water was a bit cold and choppy or I could have really impressed everyone with my skiing skills which I will have to save for Lake Powell. Jake and Keelee were pretty crazy tearing it up on the wake skate. Papa Tim was a great boat captain and Momma Sam always makes yummy gourmet sandwiches. Jason and I had a lot of fun seeing how much candy we could consume on a 2 day road trip. It was fun to be cozy in a queen bed with Jack in the middle of us. It reminded me of all the crazy places we stayed at when we drove across the country during Jason's Navy days.

It was a great time and I was so thankful my kids had the opportunity to go boating. Keelee said our family was fun and easy which is one of the best compliments I have ever received. Dragging 4 little kids across a lake could quickly turn into a bad scene and I am glad it had a happy ending. My favorite part was watching Ruthie and Bekah scurry up to the campground bathroom together. They only had one pair of flip flops between them, so they each took one and hopped to the potty. It was the cutest thing I have seen them do. I just love my family and feel so thankful for them!

Independence Day 2010

2010-07-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Terrible Twos Begin!

2010-06-13T21:47:00.001-07:00

Jack Turns 1!

2010-06-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

Schools Out for Summer!

2010-06-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

So, the girls have officially been out of school for 3 days. I took them to Office Depot for some work supplies and they were intoxicated by all delicious paper and pen options. Rachel is already making her back to school supply list today! I caught her surfing target.com and writing down her picks for highlighters and crayons.

Mr. Potato Head

2010-05-20T22:49:00.001-07:00

Ruthie called Bekah stupid. I was sure to correct her. I told her next time say stupid head. I wish my kids would get things right. I just have to keep telling them over and over again.

Family Home Fifteen Minutes

2010-05-20T05:33:00.001-07:00

We were having a little FHE meeting this week. Bekah was assigned a modesty lesson with Jason so she could research some areas that were of particular interest to her. They did an awesome job. My favorite part was when Jason asked the girls what kind of husband they wanted to marry and Bekah illustrated her desired mate with a story. One day in Salt Lake it was raining and we saw a couple walking down the street. The man was not sharing his umbrella with his partner. Bekah says she does not want to marry somebody like that. I was struck with how long ago this incident was and how it made such an impact on her. She is such a clever little girl and has it all figured out. If your partner won't share their umbrella during a tiny rainshower, then I would hate to be stuck with them when the storm really gets going. I am so thankful for my good husband and how much I can rely on him to provide for us in every way. He is such a good man and I marvel at him all the time. I love this family I have even though there are some days when I get in the car by myself to run and errand and think I could just keep on driving all the way to mexico and never come back! Most days I have my head on straight and realize what a precious gift I have.

Bicycle Thief

2010-05-17T23:46:00.000-07:00

Rachel was swiping my mountain bike to ride and I was none too happy!!! We wanted to ride together as a family in Moab so we had to upgrade her to her own mountain bike. She was torn between that and a beautiful beach cruiser, but the shifting of the gears on hills sealed the deal for her. She and I rode a little ways together in redrock country. It will be a fun day when we are all trained and can ride slickrock together. Well, the practice trail at least :).

Mailee''s Gr8 Day!

2010-05-13T23:33:00.000-07:00

So proud of my niece Mailee for choosing to be baptized and become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! She is such a smart and fantastic little girl. I think it is incredible that she would want to follow Jesus' example.

Organic Egghead

2010-05-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

Jack Jack broke his arm the day before this picture and as you can see, he is one tough little man because he was not showing any signs! Here is grabbing our baby chicks one after another trying to get his tiny mugs on them. Our cousins Briley and Brielle even got in on the fun. Briley had to chase down a runaway chick under his momma's car! The girls each picked out 2 chickens from IFA and named them. Jason hauled all four kiddos to the store for the purchase which was his first outing with the entire crew. The girls liked to hold them when they were cuddly, but the chickens are getting big now and less affectionate!! Yeah for more farm fresh eggies around here!

Tortilla Factory

2010-05-11T23:13:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite family activities is cooking! We decided to try out making some whole wheat tortillas and they turned out amazing. If you have little kiddos that can help roll out the dough then have no fear because that is the majority of the work. I found using the kids tiny wood rolling pin worked the easiest even for me!
Check out the awesome recipe we used here.

MOAB

2010-04-29T08:09:00.001-07:00

First Haircut

2010-04-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

You can see Jack's crazy hair in his super man tee! He really needed a haircut and I made an attempt but almost cut his ear off so we decided to join daddy at his next appointment and have a professional handle it. So cute with a little faux hawk! Love him!

Oh My Hail!

2010-04-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

Trying to entertain kids during this crazy vacation time has been entertaining indeed. This morning we headed up to the zoo and took a brisk walk around checking out the animals that were not removed from their exhibit due to inclement weather. Bekah took off her coat and enjoyed bare arms and since I was not enjoying mine I put her jacket on. If only you could have seen me with her sleeves making it nearly to my elbows. I had quite the giggle at myself running the soundtrack to Chris Farley's SNL skit "Fat Guy in a Little Coat" in my head. I really pushed the girls to go into the indoor exhibits which I usually avoid because they are smellier, but today smellier was better than freezinger. Rachel got mad when I let go of the stroller and let Jack run down a small incline crazily, but then she turned right around and did it to Bekah letting her crash into a fence. We could not see the baby tigers and were very sad to miss them. But I did see my favorite animal which is randomly a rhinoceros. Jack Jack loved the merry go round. Ruthie was a sweetie pie wanting to push Jack in the stroller and Bekah was proud to be the only one to spot the cheetah.

We had a little bit of sunshine and headed over to visit Grandma Carol at work. We got the tour of the facility and the girls were impressed that Grandma's office was so well organized except for the CEO who they thought would do better to straighten up a bit. Grandma says that he insists he knows where everything is and I am going to save that one for when I am explaining my craft room.

Then we lunched at the Dodo where I was a busser as a teen. The smoked turkey with hickory BBQ sauce is amazing and we split a toll house pie. I tried to tell the girls that I knew someone who saved all their kisses for their husband when they got married and I could tell that the neighboring table got a kick out of that so I reminded them that Aunt Steph kissed as many boys as she could, so both options were available. We talked about how to choose someone you wanted to marry. They invited me to their special worlds and showed me the secret handshake to enter them. They have special names and rituals they have made up and it was darling to play with them for a bit. We had the most amazing waiter that knew how to cater to picky kids and moms holding a sleepy baby. We got hailed on and the girls practiced the different ways of saying hell and hail.

Trying to stretch out the afternoon, we passed the time by seeing The Last Song. The girls liked it but were sure to impress me by saying they did not like the one swear word in the movie. Jack gobbled up as much popcorn as his grubby hands could grab and his toothless mouth could suck down. I justified going sugar free on the next day when I wasn't so busy entertaining kids on a school break.

We rushed home and had FHE with friends making personal pizzas. High five to you if you read this babble all the way through. Some people say I never update my blog and to them I say...now can you see why?! We are busy having too much fun over here!

Thankful For The Message of Easter

2010-04-04T06:11:00.000-07:00

Snap your hand in a Z formation

2010-03-12T06:02:00.000-08:00

The crushed mirror on the passenger side led Ruthie to inquire as to how the damage was caused. I informed her that I unfortunately crashed it into the side of the garage while running to an appointment in a frazzled fashion wearing my new glasses. Her next comment was somewhat missed as I tried to focus on backing out more seriously this time as I pulled out of the garage, but she quickly retrieved my attention by asking "Should I have not said that, is that a swear word?". I realized that she had just said daaaaaaammmmmnnnn while surveying the rearview mirror damage. I affirmed that indeed she should have choosen a better word like oh my goodness or possibly darn it. This kid has a penchant for the naughty words. I try to blame it on the media but lets be honest her mom is a hot mess with four kids and her dad is a sailor. Rachel asked me why we have to go to church and it is because we have to hope that other people can teach our kids the things we don't and correct the things we do. By heaven we need all the help we can get!

Where Does The Time Go?

2010-02-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

Hello Ordinary Day

2010-02-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

Today I woke at 4 am to feed little Jack and had a hard time getting back to sleep. I started thinking about all the things on my to do list, my regret list, and my hurt list. Then I pray and try to remind myself that God loves me even with all those things on there. I had a very powerful dream and woke up entranced in the emotions of it which were mostly sad and tried to remember to be in the present. It was wonderful to wash and dry my girls hair and listen to Bekah's joy over learning about the water cycle at school. Ruthie fooled me into making her pancakes that she didn't eat. Jack demanded me at all times throughout the day with his beaming eye and giggling mouth. Rachel chatted me up after dance and filled me in on how she just loves loves loves serving hot lunch to the 1st graders and how she will be rewarded with free hot lunch all week for her work. We talked about the Holy Ghost with Daddy and how the power of the spirit can touch our lives. We checked a lot of things off the list today, but most importantly I listened to my kids and felt their spirit and I was enchanted by their joys and follies. We are working on our Valentine ideas and excited to celebrate this weekend. I especially am looking forward to my first taste of sugar in 4 weeks. Jason always remembers my favorite chocolate raspberries and waits in line to get them for me. He said the police were there keeping order in the line last year because this is serious business. Now if I can quit looking at all the fabulous crafts people are making on their blogs I could get some sleep before it starts all over again like a happier version of groundhog day.

Don't Worry I Snuck Some Blue in There!

2010-01-26T17:27:00.001-08:00

Bracken, Kennison, & Rachel

2010-01-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

Cooking with Rachel

2010-01-18T07:05:00.000-08:00

Growing up my mom did a great job of preparing food for us. She cooked almost every meal and it was always very well balanced and nutritious. Now that I am a mom I realize what a feat that is! It is especially maddening when you slave in the kitchen and your kids turn up their noses at your dinner table. All that work to get it there and then you can't even enjoy eating it because you spend the entire time negotiating how much and what they are going to eat. I was an especially horrid child and went through a phase when I wouldn't eat meat and I loved teasing my mom about her new recipes she tried out like a dish named porcupine.

Even still, as a young girl, I was very enchanted with my mom frying up flattened little balls of dough to make scones. I was mesmerized by the bubbling oil in the pan and impressed that my mom could create such delectable goodness. Rachel and I found a recipe online yesterday and had a lot of fun frying up scones for the family yesterday afternoon. It was a huge hit and they are so filling we didn't even make it through a quarter of the dough in the recipe. Our favorite toppings were cinnamon and 3 sugars, homemade raspberry jam, and honey butter.

Here is the recipe if you are so inclined to try it:

Ingredients
5 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
12 cups flour

Directions

1 Combine the first 3 ingredients.
2 Let sit 5 minutes.
3 Add remaining ingredients all except 2 c flour, put this in a little at a time till dough is no longer sticky (may not need all), and mix well.
4 Let dough rise 1 hour.
5 Break of dough about the size of egg and spread out evenly and about 1/4th inch thickness.
6 Deep fry till golden brown.
7 Top as desired.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T17:27:00.000-08:00

Warning Label

2009-12-17T22:42:00.001-08:00

Most things have a disclaimer nowadays and so should my blog! It isn't for bragging or complaining; for me it's about celebrating life's joyous little moments. If you know me at all, then you know I am a little too intense and probably get too heavy most of the time. This blog is my way of keeping it light. I am not perfect and make more mistakes than times that I actually get it right. Maybe one day I can make some progress. Hopefully one day, you will say that I pulled it together and it will be true.

Since I am being so honest here, I must confess that my five year old daughter had to taste soap on her birthday. I know it is a complete reflection of my parenting that she even knows this word, so I hate to admit it, but here it is. The day of Ruthie's birthday party her sister Bekah got into her party treats well before the start of the party. Ruth felt deeply betrayed and conveyed that emotion with the animosity a soap star would have been proud of by stating "You Witch." Now use your imagination and insert a different letter to the beginning of that word. You are saying to yourself "What, sweet little Ruthie?!" Yes, it's true. Out of all my children she has had a disposition to naughty words. Next time mommy will have to fast forward Olivia talking to Claudia that way. Does Clear play work for soap operas? I will keep you updated on ours as the next little offendor to use that word gets a hot sauce/soap combo!

Birthday for Ruthie Nannette

2009-12-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

parlez vous francais

2009-11-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Coleman asked me for help with the Nintendo DS, but I couldn't figure it out because he was playing in French. Then he was curious why I was playing a game on my laptop and I asked him didn't his mommy play games and he said no. Ruthie said that I did play games since I had my baby out and I didn't have a fat belly anymore.

Happy Veteran's Day to My Favorite Sailor

2009-11-11T20:58:00.001-08:00

Art With Heart

2009-11-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

These cute dancers helped raise money for Shriner's Hospital by performing at Art With Heart. All of the routines were so cute and the girls have the best teachers. Ruthie and Bekah are working on a Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy number for competitions next year.

The Best Part of Life...little people

2009-11-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Labor Day Weekend at the Cabin

2009-09-17T05:38:00.000-07:00

Photo Shoot

2009-09-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

My girls got their hands on the camera for a photo shoot of their new dance clothes. Thanks to Grandma Sam they are sporting their new uniforms for dance class. Sammy is a fun grandma to shop with and she spoils the girls generously. They are so thankful for her and I am sure it reminds my mom of the time she talked her grandma into buying her a pair of white gogo boots that her mother wouldn't get. Thanks for the new school clothes and dance clothes! We sure appreciate the new threads as you can see by the smiles here!

Alphabet Gratitude

2009-09-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

America's freedom
Babies chubs
Cars with tvs
Daddies that know how to swaddle
Every last drop of diet coke
Forever friends that make you smile
Gorgeous vintage linens & clothes
Happy hair days
Ice cream, chocolate of course
Jason & Jack
Kisses from kiddos
Lemon zest in salad dressing
Mommas good cooking
Naughty little girls stories
Oprah
Posts by inspiring bloggers
Quitting bad habits
Rachel, Rebekah, & Ruthie
Showers
Testimonies
Understanding
Vases of roses from the garden
Walking doggies
Xtra sleep
Zero drama

Seven Canyons

2009-09-05T12:27:00.001-07:00

An Officer & A Gentlewoman

2009-09-05T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Larvia Family is one of our dearest friends from Jason's Navy days. We were stationed in El Centro, CA home of the Blue Angels. It was exciting days there with a Walmart and a Sizzler. Jason and I both moonlighted as servers at the Barbara Worth Golf Resort and worked on our Associates Degrees. Friends were hard to come by because the enlisted crowd was a little rough around the edges and not very many married couples. There were a ton of characters, but our longest lasting friends have been Eric & Jerri Lynn. I remember driving 45 minutes to Yuma with JL to go to Target and maybe even the Red Lobster. She remembers the first time we met at a BBQ and I asked her name 6 times which I didn't remember doing of course; obviously. We rotated hosting eachother for dinner. They moved bases to San Diego and we would visit often especially when their darling Emily came along and could entertain us with her brillaint inteligence. Once every few years we get the chance to meet up and revel in the changes in each of our lives. JL is a very dedicated mother and wife. She just oozes kind service and creative talent. She has stunning eyes which she has passed on to her children. I admire her devotion to her faith and family. Hopefully, soon we will meet up in Old Town!

Grandpa's Workshop

2009-09-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

The kids had so much fun at the cabin in Park City last weekend. They were especially delighted when grandpa let them create projects from the scraps of wood. He kindly assisted them with drilling and hammering to create signs for their clubhouses and even a mailbox. Grandpa Bob is a talented craftsman and thankfully shares his skill with his family.

1st and 2nd Days of School

2009-09-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

Bekah started on the second day as did all the first graders. She can't believe how long school is when you are there all day! She never eats her sandwich that I pack her, but amazingly never forgets the treat. Rachel is a big fan of the crushed almond butter and our homemade peach jam. Our trees have been brimming with apples and peaches which we have greatly enjoyed. Ruthie helps momma bake and care for Jack while the girls are away, and even sneaks in some time on the Wii playing All Star Cheer Squad. She is getting quite good at making her bed and keeping her room neat and tidy. She has had a few playdates with the neighbor boy and her cousin Briley both of which are not very enthusiastic to watch her model her new dance clothes and watch her tap dance in her new tap shoes again and again. Jack is eating like a madman that has been without food for days. His daddy has a special way of putting him to sleep that momma just can't figure out. All in all we are settling into our back to school routine quite well.

Cousins

2009-09-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Jack Jack getting a Sunburn

2009-09-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Write His Will Upon Our Heart

2009-08-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

More often than I should, I let things get too heavy and focus on the wrong things. I am especially grateful for blogging and the amazing way it touches my heart. Two of the following posts have reminded me of the sweetness of gratitude and the power of focusing on the right things:

Chickie
This is going to be Raw & Long

I am grateful for a wonderful husband that provides for our family in every way especially the most important way. He always makes me laugh and forget my tender little heart aches. He sings me country songs and dances with me in the kitchen. My beautiful girls are kind, and at the same time they are wild and creative. Little jack is a mad man for his momma and slows me down so I can take in the beauty of life without rushing to check things off my list. I am spoiled with lots of family and genuine friends. Thank you to the many of you who remind me of the good news of this life. Today especially, that thanks is to Becky and Stephanie.

Yummy

2009-08-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ruthie licked the white cream filling out of each individual cookie in an entire package of oreos. Then she carefully stuck back the two chocolate cookie pieces of each one and placed them into the cookie jar. Needless to say, Jason was quite disappointed when he tried to eat some oreos.

Chubby Cheeks

2009-08-10T07:34:00.001-07:00

Sweetie or sweet talker

2009-07-29T22:42:00.000-07:00

Last night Rachel thanked me for all the fun stuff that they do like swimming and dancing. I was quite astonished that all of my efforts to entertain the dollies amidst keeping our new little man alive were finally being recognized and appreciated. Then I looked at the clock and realized it was nearing bedtime and Rachel's earlier request to stay up late was echoing in my mind. Bekah followed it up with some impressive gracious remarks and Ruthie agreed that I was the best mommy in the world. Did I really make an impression on my children or are they blessed with Daddy's charming gift of persuasion? At any rate they stayed up super late and I ended the day thinking I could possibly be the living up to my "non-stop fun mom" title one of Rachel's classmates gave me during field day.

Romance Novelist or Criminal

2009-07-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

This morning I was braiding Rebekah's hair and she told me that she wanted to live in a mansion when she grows up. I asked her if she was sure because that requires so much cleaning and she replied that she was going to have a maid. She further said that when she got divorced that she would get to keep the mansion and her husband would get the kids. Except she would like them on Mother's Day. This way her mansion would stay clean and the maid would have more time to serve her tea. I can't wait to see how these kids turn out. Some really weird things being said here and I am not sure if they are brillaintly imaginative or if our parenting is somehow missing the mark.

Bike Ride & Road Rash

2009-07-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

Bekah has been working hard on learning how to ride a bike with Jason. There has been some very serious injuries almost incurred until last night when one actually happened. Bekah ran over Ruth with her bike.

Thanks Neenie for Blogging!

2009-07-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Neenie hosts The Pink Teapot Etiquette Blog and she recently had a giveaway that I won. I promise it wasn't rigged! I won postcards which I used to announce Jack's birth. They did a fabulous job at uprinting.com. I am so excited to share them with you and recommend their work. Becky Kimball took the pictures and I am so thankful she graciously helped me get these photos for Jason for Fathers Day. You can see more of her talented work on her blog .

Party Planning at its Best!

2009-07-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

My super talented friend Brittany launched a party planning business One Charming Party. She has Bekah's Vintage Glam Barbie party posted on there among several amazing parties. She also has a blog with fun information on her mad entertaining skills. I recently asked her advice on some wedding favors and this is the scoop she gave me:

The four biggest trends that I've noticed in wedding favors are eco-friendly gifts/donations, cookies or other desserts, regional inspired and homemade jams.

I'm including some links for you to see what I mean. If this isn't what you are looking for then let me know and I can round up some more ideas for you. Hopefully this will get some ideas going though.

regional favors: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/regional-favors?autonomy_kw=regional%20favors&rsc=header_1

cookie favors: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/portal/site/ww/menuitem.8136b08594d37d3df8aeef105173a0a0/?vgnextoid=f78680a913ba9110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=header_1&autonomy_kw=cookie+favors

cookie favor from etsy (she sent me a sample and these are awesome, she can make probably anything in any color): http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5934602

jam (scroll down to the elderberry jelly pic): http://www.oncewed.com/8317/real-weddings-blog/real-weddings/a-big-sur-wedding-ii/
more jam: http://www.oncewed.com/7710/diy/reception-tables/diy-orchard-wedding-table/

tons of blue and brown here: http://www.favorideas.com/shopping/aqua-blue-5th-avenue-favors.html

Jack in his tanning bed!

2009-07-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Little Jack had high bilirubin counts and had to tan in his bed of lights for a couple of days when he came home. It was very sad not to be able to cuddle him and have to let him rest in there, but we are so thankful he is all better now and we can giggle about these cute pictures.

Happy Fourth!

2009-07-09T15:49:00.001-07:00

Big Sister Bekah

2009-07-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Little Jack

2009-07-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome Jack!

2009-06-28T21:33:00.000-07:00

Famous Author

2009-06-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

My sister in-law is going to be a regular blog contributor. Her first article brought tears to my eyes. It was very touching and I look forward to reading her column regularly. You can check it out at Better Way Moms.

Young Update

2009-06-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

So things have been a bit crazy around here as we have welcomed our new little boy Jack into the family! I am working on a post with pictures so stay tuned in! Today, Rachel got to go show off her riding skills for Spanish Fork TV's outdoor show which is featuring the Utah Ponies of America Club. Ruthie went with her and first prepared her own breakfast which consisted of 2 carrots and 2 chicken dinosaurs (sick). Bekah told me she needs to get some more fashion clothes because there is nothing in her closet that she wants to wear. Jack is in his suntanning bed; hopefully, for the last day as his jaundice count is on the way down!

At 2 am it all makes sense

2009-06-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, around 1:30 am I woke with some contractions. I decided to do some yoga breathing and positions on the floor in the dark to relax. I remembered a couple of years ago doing yoga in the middle of the night. I was really stressed out and took a shower to relax my muscles. I have a rod in my back for scoliosis and yoga helps me a lot. After the shower, I tried to release the trigger points in my shoulders by doing the plow position. It felt really good and I stayed there quite a long time. So long, that I couldn't get my feet to come down from back behind my head. I was stuck in the plow position and I thought at that moment how it might have been a good idea to get dressed after the shower in case the paramedics have to come rescue me stuck, dying in a contortion. I finally was able to release the position and laid their with my back spasming for a very long time.

That was the last of my late night yoga sessions until last night. With this giant baby in my belly, plow position was way out the range of possible positions, so I was relatively safe. As I practiced breathing in childs pose my mind wandered to my dream which had Greg Kinnear pointing. What was he pointing at? So disturbing, because why is he even in my dream. I couldn't resolve the question. The name mericek keeps coming to me, but when I google it I can't find anything. I love to go to dream moods.com to interpret my dreams which you shouldn't read too much into but I find very interesting.

I wondered if Jason realized I was laying on the floor for two hours and hoped that he would wake up and walk past me so that I could grab his feet from under the bed reinacting a scene from a horror movie. I love to hide and scare him. This would have been the ultimate. Alas, he did not wake and I calmed myself enough to return to bed.

Birthday Party for Bekah

2009-06-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

Jason & his darling niece!

2009-06-05T01:40:00.000-07:00

Rembrandt, Monet, & Davinci; Eat your heart out!

2009-06-02T05:06:00.000-07:00

Ruthie Dancer

2009-06-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Our littlest daughter tried out for dance team and this was the cute routine they taught her in 2 days and she performed for the audition. It is hysterically cute and I can't wait to see her other routines this year when she gets more time to learn them. Her and Rachel lug the strawberry shortcake boombox around the house making up dances and performing them. Bekah is collecting lady bugs.

3D Ultrasound

2009-05-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

Spring Fever

2009-05-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Trinity

2009-05-26T01:39:00.000-07:00

This blog is getting a readership from my kids! They are off track now and spending more free time on the computer. Bekah was trying to google glamorous kids birthday parties...lol. Rachel was googling state quarters because she is starting up a collection. Ruthie just sticks to barbie and webkinz. Lately, Bekah has been asking to pull up the blog. She was so excited to see the comments and her Kindergarten reading level was sounding them out. I thought that was so adorable. One thing that is not adorable, is my best helper Rachel who is the most perfect child has it in her mind that she is a member of the parenthood. She thinks it is like the trinity, comprised of three members. She is always inserting herself into adult conversations giving her two cents. I always have to point it out to Jay and say there is the trinity again. I try to be more gracious about it because in reality she is such a good girl and helps us out a ton. We are so thankful for her good influence on our family. All of our girls are a delight and are eagerly anticipating the our new male addition arriving soon!

Future Car Selections

2009-05-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Rachel Blue Lamborghini License plate: CALL ME
Jason said no way on the plate bc he is the only one calling her...Ever
Bekah pink mustang with FABULOUS license plate
Ruthie the best she could come up with is a black convertible bronco...

Starburst Team 2008/09

2009-05-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

I Have My Eye on Soccer

2009-05-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

The Newest Young Family Addition

2009-05-18T17:50:00.001-07:00

Ruthie & Rachel

2009-05-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

Our dancers practiced hard the last few days and then tried out for teams on Saturday morning bright and shiny. I am so proud of their progress the last year. Rachel was especially dedicated and stayed up until 11 pm practicing her routine the night before. It is so exciting to see her work hard for a goal and we emphasized that the most important aspect is doing your best. We are so thrilled for whichever team she makes because she is always a standout and has proven she can work so hard! Bekah told us she has her eye on soccer, and that left Ruthie to be my only tiny dancer. Her try out routine was a darling # to Angelica from Rugrats complete with sass and attitude. I hope I can get her to do it on tape for you! This has to be one of the best parts of life watching their little personalities develop.

Misadventures of Miss Bekah

2009-05-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

Our family had a road trip last week and we made a stop in St. George to visit my mom's new part time abode. Bekah spotted a darling boutique and informed us that she would be just delighted if she owned that store. After arriving at my mom's Tim showed her the lay of the land which included a water feature in the roundabout. She longingly stared at the top of the water wheel and expressed her desire to climb up there. Bekah is so passionate and intense. When we arrived at our hotel she discovered a red and gold jewelry box that she just had to have. I asked her to wait until the day before we left before buying her souvenir in case she changed her mind. Daily she reminded us about that box and the finally when she was able to purchase it she told us it was the best day of her life and she was going to polish the box often. She named it Ruby and pretty much was the happiest girl ever.

Since we have been home I have had crazy insomnia and slept in this morning trying to catch up. I woke up to the flash of the camera and discovered Ruth and Bekah in my room with the camera. I started looking through the pictures and found one that looked like a bum crack. Shocked I asked them what it was-horrified at the possibilities. Apparently, Bekah is skilled at putting her forearms together to make a fake bum for Ruthie to photograph. There was a picture of webkinz on the computer and the keyboard. There was several pictures of the Ruth and Bekah kissing the stair railing (their frequent dance partner). If they had a myspace I am sure they would be trying to post these pictures. I was at a loss for words when trying to think of a way to address this wacky photo shoot.

I tried to move on to homework and pulled out Bekah's folder which included a compilation of kindergarten artists interpretation of their favorite activity to do with mom. Bekah's drawing of me included a rather large pear shaped body with rectangle stumps for limbs. She spent so much time drawing me to look huge that she didn't have time to draw her own picture so she is just a floating head next to a ginormous pregnant lady. The next page a kid drew a stick figure for their mom. We got distracted when the doorbell rang and a giant package was delivered. Bekah instantly determined it was a package for her birthday...probably a flat screen tv. High hopes.

This is just a good follow up to her asking me last week how old you had to be to kiss boys. When I told her 16 she freaked out and said oh my goodness that is so far away...she really thought 13 was more appropriate.

Does anybody have some type of manual on how to handle these situations? Raising these little women is a lot more daunting than I had ever imagined!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

Check out my momma's day post on my VH blog!

Sneak Peak at Bekah's Vintage Glam Party

2009-05-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

We have been working hard with Brit from Dgoddess! She is starting a party planning business and Bekah is fortunate to have her 6th birthday be one of her beginning events. Today we discovered some replicated Vintage Barbie items at Walmart and Bekah commented that we just had to call her party planner and tell her about this. Brit has been very good to work with our demanding diva to achieve all the important party aspects. We are just not allowed to depart from such basics Bekah has deemed important like a 6 layer cake (watching food network too much!), pinata, sewing dressups, and making sure she gets a piece of her own cake this year (faux paux from her 5th bday). Bekah has held grudges from the last 2 bdays so we are determined that this will be a blowout not to be forgotten. Keep tuned for the exciting details!

Papa J & Lu

2009-05-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

Bekah said her favorite grandpa was Papa J because he drives a rockstar bus and she wants to live in one! They drove it to Nascar the other month and made a pitstop here in SL to catch up with the grandkids. It was so much revisiting the family favorite restaraunt in provo, The Brick Oven on Monday night which is free rootbeer night-totally dangerous. Papa spoiled the kids with amazing balloon creations. The kids had sooo much fun.

RA Sushi Bar in Vegas!

2009-05-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

Rachel Stephanie & Aunt Stephanie

2009-05-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

These gorgeous gals have a street named after them in Vegas! Wahoo!

Bubblegum Bubblegum

2009-05-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

Rachel's First Quilt in the Making!

2009-05-07T20:05:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day 2009

2009-04-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is a beautiful celebration of womanhood and in particular the woman in my life who nurture me. I am blessed with great friends and family, and most of all I am blessed to be a Mother. I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience life with my gorgeous girls and a wonderful husband.

Some days are hard and I forget to embrace the joy of life and let fear and doubt get a hold of me. I have enjoyed a reminder of hope and inspiration The Nie Nie dialogues, a blog written by a domestic goddess about her romance with her husband Mr. Nielson and her adorable troop of children.

Last year, I watched the Today Show and heard of Nie and Mr. Nielson's terrible plane crash and have followed their recovery. Sometimes, when I am sad or scared the bright light eminating from her blog warms my heart creating gratitude and motivation to live more fully and thankfully. My heart breaks for her hard journey of recovery and I will pray for her often. I hope this Mother's Day her touching story inspires you as well!

Kelbie's Purse

2009-04-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Wheeler Farm

2009-04-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Preparing for Baby

2009-04-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

This week I have been experiencing a lot of contractions so it is time for me to slow down and make sure that this baby gets all the time it needs to get cute and chubby. I think my public appearances are coming to an end and I am going to be staying home and resting. Jason and the girls are super sweet about taking care of me and helping me rest, so I am very thankful for them.

We are all very excited about getting things ready for the baby. It is especially on the girls mind and they love to pick things out for the baby. So far we only have a few outfits and a couple blankets. We are so grateful for everyone that has been asking what they can get the baby and especially friends planning on giving us their items they aren't going to be using.

This crazy economy I feel bad registering or asking anybody for anything. Really we are so grateful for anything as we got rid of all our baby stuff and thought our newborn phase of life was over. I am embarressed to remember with my first born I was so particular about every little detail selecting items for the baby. By the fourth one, we are just thankful for a healthy baby and appreciate the kindness of any gesture welcoming our newborn.

LDS Spring General Conference April 09

2009-04-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the fun people that post cute packets for the kids to work on during conference and especially our RS secretary for emailing one. It was a dream this year to have our kids be old enough to really listen and even take notes. We were so proud of Rachel's work we embaressed her by showing it to the Bishop when he dropped by our house to check in. I thought conference was particularly amazing this time around and really got a lot of out it personally. I have been wanting to share a couple of my favorite excerpts.

The newest member of the quorom took the time to apologize for the times in his life when he was less than he should have been. I think that is so poignant and very touching. There are so many times when I have made bad choices that have affected people negatively and I have great sorrow over that. I hope that over time I can replace that with making better choices.

Elder Hales encouraged us during these difficult times to ask ourselves if we really can afford our purchases and do we really need it? He said the most caring words we can say to our spouse right now is we can't afford it and we don't need it.

Elder Ballard said "You don't have to live like Laman to know its better to be Nephi". I can garuntee my kids are going to hear that one a lot growing up. Laman and Nephi are brothers in the Book of Mormon and Nephi follows the Lord while his brother Laman does not.

Elder Oaks said "You can't be a lifesaver if you look like all the other swimmers."

Elder Snow counseled us to thrive in these difficult times by:
1. Heeding the Prophets
They warn & counsel to weather the storm
2. Keeping an eternal perspective
change & challenge are part of the plan
3. Have Faith
faith & doubt cannot co-exist
4. Be of good cheer
laugh instead of groan

Rachel's Conference Notes

2009-04-24T11:47:00.001-07:00

Little Chefs

2009-04-24T11:30:00.001-07:00

Ruthie found this recipe online today and she helped me with Bekah to make these yummy muffins. I am in love with my new silicon muffin cups, just be sure to spray them with pam. Last time I forgot and I lost two when I made naploean dynamite cupcakes for Winford & Jake's B-days. The girls have a lot of fun getting eggs from our chickens for baking. They are always sneaking into the spice cupboard and try to make their own concoctions. Luckily, these chocolate muffins are edible and delicious.

702

2009-04-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

Treasure Hunt

2009-04-19T03:22:00.000-07:00

My girls are getting older and able to participate in funner activities including one of my fav past times...hunting for treasures at the DI-a secondhand store. I let them each pick something out and I think each of their selections is totally indicative of their little personalites.

The purchases:
Rachel-tea party pitcher
Bekah-giant '91 debate trophy
Ruthie-mini mirrored make up case
Jennifer-2 bridal veils

Rachel is totally practical and functional. She was very impressed with prices and the utilitarian features. Thank heavens she steered Bekah away from the giant stuffed animal collection. Bekah appreciates being recognized for her achievements and highly valued the trophy. She was really concerned that someone had left the trophy by mistake and would be missing it. Ruthie is all Diva. She has been watching the pageant shows on tv with me and has the cutest sassy pout pose. Rachel warned me Ruth's little makeup box said Britney Spears, but I said it was okay because Ruth can't read. I was really disappointed to see that Sandy DI did away with the jewelry collections which were quite amazing. Some of my great finds have included a green trunk and a church pew which I recovered in zebra fabric. I think it is a good thinking bench for the girls, but I wonder if it will give them an inner conflict. Good times to be had at the DI and I highly reccommend it!

Darling Giveaway

2009-04-16T18:39:00.001-07:00

Neenie is giving away fancy calling/business cards on her etiquette blog The Pink Teapot. Go to her blog to enter the giveaway! www.thepinkteapot.blogspot.com xoxo

Garage Sale

2009-04-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

Last month our family cleaned house for spring and made room for the new baby. We decided to sell some extra things at a garage sale. I set the girls up a cash box and a lemonade/donut stand. They have such an entreprenurial spirit and it is great math for them. The downfall with my idea is that I haven't taken the opportunity to shop a lot of these amazing sales so I am not familliar with what the going rate for things is. This is my 3rdish one so I have realized that it is better to take anything so that you don't have to move it back into your house or drive it to donate it!

It was a rainy morning so Ruthie performed quality testing on the donuts in the house while Rachel manned the cash box and Bekah flitted between the two stations. Bekah was overjoyed with the George Washingtons coming in and was making big plans on where to spend the dinero. I had to burst her bubble and let her know that we were not going on a huge shopping spree to Toys R Us, but would be using the extra money to pay off some bills. She was discouraged but comforted herself by using the play makeup to create a cosmetologist's impressionistic vision of Native American war paint. After smearing it everywhere, she wandered out to the sale and interupted Jason with an eskimo he was selling ice to and inquired if we had earned enough money to buy some food now. Apparently, we are either on wild shopping sprees or selling stuff in our yard to buy our kids food and for Bekah there is no comprehension of any middle ground.

We made fast friends with some of our customers and it was a very entertaining morning. Two burly guys pulled up in a giant truck with enormous wheels. Both gentlemen had all sorts of professional attachments clipped to their belt loops and exuded a "I could handle myself in the brush type of attitude". One of them asked Jason if we had any guns or mowers to sell which made me kind of afraid. Is it even legal to sell guns out of your garage and what kind of wacko just goes around hitting people up to buy their guns? The funny thing was what they actually left with. After carefully opening and inspecting 5 boxes of porcelain Winnie the Pooh figurines, they bought the entire lot. It was the last thing I would have guessed would be on their shopping list inbetween guns and mowers.

We still have 2 couches for sale if you know any buyers! Good Broyhill quality with a neutral jacqaurd fabric.

Dance Attack

2009-04-14T21:53:00.001-07:00

Grandma & Grandpa Award!

2009-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Bob and Carol drove all the way to Provo after working all day to watch Rachel's year end dance concert. It was super long and they had a wriggly Ruthie on their lap the entire time. Such dedicated grandparents. We sure appreciate their support and I know it especially meant a lot to Rachel. They made it to her competition at Thanksgiving Point along with Grandma Sam. Art with Heart earlier in the year got Grandpa Glen & V out to attend to. Our family is very thankful for supportive grandparents. They are our biggest fans and we appreciate them generously spoiling us especially with their time.

Easter Sunday 2009

2009-04-13T08:35:00.000-07:00