Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

MARATHON BLOGGING!

I know it has been forever since I blogged. Partly due to busy, but, mostly due to lazy! So here is the marathon of all posts! Hope you don't get bored.

LABOR DAY!

So at the last minute we decided to get one last camping trip in before the summer was a distant memory. We headed out to Ophir. My kids enjoyed a weekend of getting dirty, eating junk food, and not having to comb their hair (yes, hair combing is a big deal at our house. Britton and Ryann might refer to it as torture.) The first couple of days were great. We played in the river in the hot weather and rode the wheelers. By Sunday it was looking a little gray. By 6:30 PM we decided we didn't want to stay if it was raining and we would have to stay in our trailer. So we packed up and headed out. Well, it didn't go as quickly as we thought it would, and we pulled out at dusk. Now because Ophir is so close we had taken the trailer out Thursday night and parked it. We came home and then went out to stay on Friday. Brandon decided he would follow me in his jeep pulling the wheelers. This was fine until I realized I would have to pull the trailer home. Normally, in good weather, this would give me anxiety. When we pulled out of our spot to head down the canyon it started to rain! The rain progressively got worse and worse. Now let me remind you, Brandon is in his Jeep, with only his bikini top on and half doors - no walls! It got dark quickly. It was raining so hard I couldn't see the lines on the road. So, I was freaking out. I was carrying precious cargo. I had a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel. To add to the drama, the jeep headlights started to flicker, so he was depending on me to lead him. So the normally 45 min. drive home took two hours. I aged five years during those two hours, and was never more thankful to have arrived home safely. I am so grateful for my husband who I always feel safe with. Please don't make me pull the trailer ever again! We just had to have one last camping trip!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Well my first born started 2nd grade. I can't believe he is getting so big. I was a little concerned when we went to see who his teacher was going to be and it said "other". The teacher he had gotten had been killed three weeks earlier, so they had been left scrambling to fill the spot. I totally had envisioned a string of subs coming and going for several months until they found someone permanent (and crappy). Much to my surprise, we went to the open house to meet his teacher and it was Leah Wright. She moved out here when Conner was just newborn. She was originally in our ward. The boundaries have changed numerous times since then and she is unfortunately no longer in our ward. Needless to say, I was thrilled!! She is amazing and will do a wonderful job. Conner was excited for the new year.

SAD DAY!

Well the sad part about Ryanns birthday was that my amazing G-ma Conrad had a stroke that day. My mom ended up flying out that afternoon to be with her. She was improving for the next couple of days and then suddenly took a turn for the worse and passed away on the 10th of August two days later. The positive side: she didn't suffer long, and she gets to be with my G-pa who passed away almost two years ago. The crappy side: I wasn't ready!!!!!!! I have heard so many stories of how wonderful other people think their grandparents are, but, let me tell you, they pale in comparison. I truly had the most amazing grandma in the world. We only got to see each other a couple times a year because she lived in Colorado, but, every time was special. She has traveled the world. My G-pa was a geologist so they moved about every one to three years. They lived all over the United States and stretching as far as Peru. Her stories about her life were amazing, she loved to share them and I loved to hear them. She and my G-pa loved the outdoors. I remember many a summer they would meet up with us at some camping spot. It was at one of these camping spots that my granparents gave me my first taste of Beer!! My mom was probably not pleased, but, no worries - I didn't like it! She once bribed me to keep my room clean. She said if I could keep it clean for one month she would get me a new bedroom set. I kept it clean long enough to get a new daybed (which I loved!), but, didn't maintain it long enough to get anything else. Whenever we went to her house she would take us shopping to pick out our favorite cereal. This was a special treat, because at home we were not allowed to eat sugar cereal. She also bought us new shoes and a new outfit. She was a firm believer that after highschool we move away to college. She wanted us to be independant, both financially and physically. I took her advice and moved away to college my freshman year. After a couple of days I called my mom crying and said "come get me, I am not staying her!" I was lonely and scared and didn't think that was the place for me. Well, my grandparents found out that I wanted to come home and they loaded up and headed over to me. They showed up the next day. They stayed with me through the weekend, took me to dinner, went and saw a movie - The River Runs Through It (the only movie I've ever seen with my grandparents), and reminded me of the importance of a college experience away from home. They then wrote me out a check and they were off (just kidding about the check). They made it better. Because of them I was able to endure a little longer. I ended up having one of the funnest years of my life. I made new friends that I still keep in touch with. They were right, going away from home for college was an amazing experience and a chance of a lifetime. She was a fierce competitor when it came to cards, and she was famous for doing whatever it took to win. She loved the news and current events. Everytime we talked on the phone she would ask who I was voting for and why? One of her last trips over was when she came for Ryann's blessing. I was so grateful that she got to meet her. She truly was an amazing woman and I am so blessed to have had her in my life. We were kindred spirits, I always joked that I was her favorite, I truly believe we had a connection. Grandma I will miss you terribly and look forward to the day we meet again. I Love You!

RYANNS 1ST BIRTHDAY!!

Her Princess Birthday Crown!

(I loved this face!)

On August 8th, (8/8/08) Our sweet baby girl turned one year old! I can't believe how fast a year has gone! It seems yesterday I was bringing a baby in pink home for the first time. I remember thinking, "is it really a girl?" Yes, it was really a girl! Our sweet baby girl cried non-stop for the first four months!! It was a long four months, and I was questioning whether or not a third baby is really what we wanted. After four months she was an absolute joy. She has been happy and content since. She adores her brothers. They walk into a room and she lights up. No one can get a faster smile than Conner or Britton. She loves binkis and "lovies" (little terry-cloth baby spitup rags that she loves, therefore "lovie"). She refuses to walk, if you stand her up she picks her legs up. The picture above was the one second we got her to stand behind her new toy. We have a tradition at our house that we make a "birthday shirt" that they wear on their birthday. It's hard to see in the picture, but, Ryann's says things like: I'm one today, Happy Birthday to me, Princess, and her name accross her back. I love doing these shirts, but, I'm sure there will come a day that they refuse to wear them. Conner's last birthday he refused to wear it to school, he only wanted to wear it after school (I tried not to let it hurt my feelings). We had a fun day celebrating with family. Happy Birthday Ry! We Love You!

Fourth of July with some of the cousins.

Fourth of July at the parade, can you see the crowds!

Conner playing soccer.

Britton sort of playing soccer.

Swimming lessons (Corynn, Kaleb, Conner, Britton)

Lagoon, after winning the shark (we probably could have bought one with what we spent to win it, but, the kids think this way is more fun).

Some of the cousins outside Pin-Whillies (sp?) a restaraunt on the way home from Moon Lake.

Camping at Moon Lake, ya gotta have the headlamps!

Camping at Moon Lake.

Okay, my family is asleep and I have a brief moment to update. I have spent the last week with sick kids, one right after the other. I and my children have been under house arrest since Monday night, we are all going CRAZY!!! If I have to clean up throw-up one more time I'm going to die! So I'll take a brief break from my reality and step into cyber-reality.

I realized we've had a buzy summer and because I started a blog so late in the summer there are no posts about it. So I thought I'd do a quick re-cap of our summer so far and then add a few pics. We started out the summer with soccer, this was Brittons first year and Conner seems to gradually like it more every season . They both did well, and had a lot of fun. We then headed to Moon Lake to go camping the first part of June. We had a blast! Mostly Brandon hauled the boys around fishing, hiking, and just having tons of fun, while Ryann and I hung out by the trailer (which is okay with me)! We were accompanied by everyone in my family except Tierney (Brett's trip was cut short after he got a call that his garage had been broken into, unfortunately). Well this is my first time loading pictures and it seems they loaded above my post so we'll see how the rest of this lays out. We have also been to Lagoon this summer, we do try and make it once a summer. The older the kids get the funner it seems to be. (Ryann didn't have much fun, but, she was a good sport!) Brandon won the kids a big shark, they were thrilled, I was not! Next the kids had swimming lessons, they loved them. They took them with cousins, which always makes it more fun! Just a side note, Lagoon day was also our eleventh anniversary - HOLY CRAP! I can't believe it's gone by that fast! Happy Anniversary honey I love you! After this we headed to Tabiona, with his whole family, where we have our annual 4th of July celebration. This is a cute, little town my in-laws grew up in and they bought her child hood home. So every 4th of July the town has this big celebration with a parade, a dance, a rodeo, and huge fireworks. The kids love it, and it is so nice to get away from the big crowds at home, plus they get a haul at the parade. After the fourth was when we headed to Mesquite, which I already covered. So all-in-all, we have had a busy and fun summer. I love having my kids home and out of school. I'd sad that it has gone by so fast, but, we are going to enjoy every last minute!

"Vacation"?

So I said it would just be a couple days, ya well, it's been a little longer. At the last minute we (my children and I, my other half was unable to get work off last minute) decided to join my parents on their vacation in the very hot Mesquite. Outside of the heat it was very nice. I was thinking about it and trying to figure out why vacations are enjoyable? We still have to feed, bathe, care for, and clean up after our children, not only that, but sleeping is a near feat!! Then I realized, I don't have to BE anywhere. I don't have any swimming lessons, doctors appointments, birthday partys, museums, parks, I don't have to provide any entertainment! On vacation we wake up, eat, and head to the pool (we only come back from the pool to eat again). So outside of a little "water logged", and over "junk-fooded", it was a nice break from day to day life. If I can figure some of this stuff out I will try to add a slide-show.

Here we go, Peer Pressure!

I'm caving! Everyone else is doing it, so why not me? I'm just going to spend a minute getting things set up tonight. I will download some pictures and put in some more info in a day or two when I have some more time.