Easter Egg Hunt

We had a good Easter. I am still having issues with my camera and computer, so I can only use the pictures off my cell phone, which is highly irritating! I have the cutest pictures on my camera, and I can't post them right now, or in other words, I don't want to walk my happy bottom down stairs to the other computer to download them :)

Back on track--let's see---where were we? Yes--Easter. So on Saturday, we went to the Easter egg hunt. I ended up having to meet Jared there. He brought the kids with him. It took forever for me to find a parking spot (no I didn't come from home, so I couldn't walk), and I ran a marathon in order to get to the park by 10:00AM. Okay--so it was more like a 1/2 mile sprint, but it felt like a marathon--sympathy is what I am looking for people :)

So the fire horn goes off just as I round the corner. The kids at the hunt all start running buck wild. It took me about two minutes to find Jared and the kids. By the time I found the kids, the hunt was about over. Aspen ended up with seven smarties and Chaz got four or five. We must not have been interested in the eggs, because we ended up O for O in the egg department. Aunt Katie took pity on us, and gave Chaz an egg afterwards. Thanks Katie!! LOL--Wow, so I guess we didn't have it quite figured out. The good news is that the kids had a great time :) I snapped a couple quick pictures on my phone.

We had a great Easter. The kids got to wear their new outfits, the choir sounded awesome, we had dinner at Roger's house, the kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt there, and then we flew kites after the hunt. It was awesome. I would love to post pictures of the kids in their outfits and the kite flying, but unfortunately I am in a fight with my computer and camera still :) They don't like each other. (Can you tell I am not bitter at all?)

Anyways--more pictures later :) Here is what I have for now, until I get the energy to go downstairs and work on that computer (and my basement is freezing--so not enticing)

Back To Earth

Alright--so I basically fell off the face of the earth around Thanksgiving time. C'mon don't lie to me--you all enjoyed the festivity of a warm colorful turkey background for the better part of five months. It has been crazy, and we have had a lot going on alright? Does that count as an excuse? I don't even know how to catch up on the last five months, so how about I start with now, and then I will fill you in on later as we go?

Last weekend we went to Utah--Tooele to be exact for a baby blessing. O yeah, backup-- my little sister Jen was pregnant, and she had a beautiful baby girl on New Year's Eve. They named her Maddy. We stayed at Liz's house the night before, stayed up late, got up early, got everyone dressed, and headed to Tooele (also known as BFE). Just as we pulled into town, we learned that the power was out in the entire town, so there was no electricity, and church was canceled. Some phone calls were made, and it was decided to have the baby blessing at Jen's house. It actually was such a neat, spiritual, and powerful experience.

Liz, Jen, and I all coordinated matching Easter outfits, so the kids were all matching that day. We had to take pictures of course. It was priceless :) Joe was missing Meranda the whole time---okay back up again---my little brother is engaged to Meranda Giles!!! Yeah!!! More on all that later w/ pictures.

Anyway---here are the pictures from that day, and I am back, so ya'll can quit pestering me about updating my blog! :) Actually, I am glad you all are, so now I can get back into it.

Pooper Scooper. . .

Sunday morning--home with the kids. Aspen had a pretty nasty cough. I decided not to share it with the entire nursery, so we stayed home and watched Dora. Both kids had been up the night before, so I was on the couch watching the kids with one eye open and one eye closed. I started to drift off. In the distance I heard Aspen say "Chaz took his diaper off". "O"---I said. Two options---get up and put the dang diaper back on my son, or lay on the couch with my eyes closed. Option two was sounding pretty nice. Just one more minute, and then I would get up. "Chaz took his diaper off Mom"-----I know---I know---one more minute. "MOM!" I know---I know--- "the diaper"---I know---I know---. I was imagining Chaz walking close enough to me that I could snag him and reattach his diaper. In a perfect world, he would have it in his cute little hands and would literally bring it to me. "MOM!!! Chaz took his diaper off!" "I know!" I yelled back. "Chaz pooped his pants!" WHAT!!!!

I was on my feet in an instant. Then I caught a glimpse of my poop monster across the room. O NO!!!! He was completely naked, minus the nice brown coat he had self applied to his face, his hands, his waist, his thighs, his knees, and his feet. It was not possible. I did manage to grab a hold of him(while dry heaving), stampede down the hallway, dodge the poopy diaper, wipe him down with baby wipes, and throw him in the tub. Normally Aspen would be screaming that she wanted to get in the tub with her brother, but she watched in disgust, and did not make one attempt to climb into the tub (not that I blame her).

Long story short--the things we do for our children... and I decided to take pictures of a clean little blue eyed baby instead of a brown eyed chocolate covered monster:) You can thank me for sparing you--



Later that evening, Christi and Tyson came over. We cooked cookies and marshmellow popcorn. It was delicious. The kids sat by the oven watching the cookies bake and would blow on the glass to "cool the cookies down". It was adorable.

Trick or Treat

Like I always say--better late than never right? Yes, I have been a slacker and haven't updated my blogs in weeks, but better late than never :) Let's pretend that Halloween just ended. I can't believe we are halfway into November. Where are the days, weeks, and months going?

Enough about that. Here was our October:

We took Aspen and Chaz to the Halloween Carnival. Aspen had a great time, and Chaz slept halfway through the carnival, so I guess he had a great time too. Every game Aspen played, I swear she won! Either every kid won, or I am taking Aspen to Vegas, and we are gambling away our fortune! The highlight for Aspen was of course seeing Treyce (Chris and Sommer's little boy).

For Halloween, we took Aspen and Chaz to the Trunk or Treat at the church parking lot. I handed out candy to the kids and Jared took our kids around to all the other cars. After the Trunk or Treat, we took our kids to see all the grandmas and grandpas. It was such an enjoyable night. We didn't get to bed until late.

The night after Halloween, Jared and I went to a Halloween party at the Kirkham's house. We had such a great time!! My husband dressed up as a drag queen, and I went as Cruella Deville. We ate food, played games (Spoons and Bonco--did I say that right?), and then played Rock Band.

Carving Pumpkins

For FHE last Monday night, we carved pumpkins. Daddy cut the pumkins and made the scary faces, and Mommy and Aspen cleaned out the pumpkins and separated the insides from the seeds. We cleaned the seeds and later cooked them after they dried out. I think we jumped the gun a little bit because our pumpkins are already starting to look a little scary--not like the good scary--like the eyes and mouths are already starting to sag a little bit scary. O well. Here are some pictures from that night.

Strep Throat

Is it just me, or does it seem like flu season is starting early this year? My kids have had little viruses, bacterias, stomach flues, etc the last month or so. A couple weeks ago I took Aspen to the doctor for a high fever and sore throat. She also had a rash on her chest. Her throat culture came back positive for strep. I opted for the first time to go with the shot instead of the oral medicine because the doctor told me it would kick in faster, and she would start feeling better sooner. I figured this was the best option since I had to be in Salt Lake exactly twenty four hours later to see my bro fly home from his mission.
Aspen must have heard me tell the doctor we would go with the shot because she immediatley clung to me for dear life and kept saying, "I want to go home mommy". I felt so guilty knowing I could have saved her from the pain of the shot had I opted for the medicine. I had to help hold her down as they gave her the shot in her upper thigh. I kept thinking about the one time in my life that I had had a penicilin shot, and how painful it had been. I tried to hold back the tears as she cried in pain.
It was a relief when it was over. We had to wait in the doctor's office for fifteen minutes to make sure she wouldn't have a reaction. We called Daddy on his cell phone, and Aspen cried and told Jared that she didn't want any more shots. Jared told her that he would spank the doctor's butt if he tried to give Aspen any more shots. After Aspen was done crying to her daddy, she handed the phone to me. He told me how sad their phone conversation had been. I didn't know if he was going to cry, or if he was reprimanding me for opting to go with the shot. He is such a teddy bear when it comes to his little girl :)
After we got home, Grandma Jody came to see Aspen and brought her a Dora watch and a necklace. Aspen loves Dora, and she was thrilled to see her Nana Jody :) Here are some pictures that I took at home later that day.
BTW--Aspen was feeling MUCH better the next day. I couldn't believe how she had improved in just one day. I guess the shot was a good choice afterall :) (Does that mean I am an evil mom?)

Aspen trying to be a good sport

Aspen happy about her new watch

Aspen with her sticker on a stick--She got at the doctor's office for being such a good girl :)

Home From Africa. . .

After two LONG years, my brother Joe returned home from his mission last Wednesday night. He served in Ghana Africa and spent the majority of his mission in small villages--where showering consisted of using buckets of water, clothes were hand washed, and electricity was little or none. He learned to speak Twi, and grew to love all the people there--especially the little children. For some of the small children, he was the first white boy they had ever seen. They sang songs to him O Broony--(white boy) :--and some even cried when he had to leave. He served a successful mission, and I am so proud of him. He has such a strong knowledge of the gospel, and his powerful testimony shines through in his countenance, and makes me want to be a better person. He is such a great example to me, and I love him so much.

It was awesome to welcome Joe home. He flew into the SLC airport at 11:00PM. He and three other missionaries flew in together. Of course, they let everyone else go first, and had to wait to be the last ones off the airplane--like the anticipation of the last two years wasn't enough already :) We held balloons and home made posters (that Liz's kids had made earlier that day).

It was overwhelming to see Joe for the first time in two years, and none of us could hold back the tears :) Here are some pictures from that night. Welcome Home Joe! I love you!!!

Mom, Dad, and Joe--Home at last :)

All of us, that weren't in bed at least--Chaz wouldn't stop digging at my teeth :)

Grandma and Moto. . .before the plane landed

Liz and I--my sister in crime :)

Mom and Dad--I promise these are not the latest invention

Jen and Cody (and baby Madision--in Jen's belly)

Welcome Home Joe :)