WOOT WOOT

Addie had  a great day at school.  They had a few assemblies and a thanksgiving party.  At the Reflections assembly she found out she won the dance category.  She was very excited to receive 5 bucks.  They also had the Ken Garff reading assembly where she was awarded " Most improved reader"  She also got to get checked out a half an hour early since I was at the class party and everything was done by that point.  Now hooray for Thanksgiving break.  I hope the blizzard isn't going to be as bad as everyone is saying. 

when you've only got a 100 years to live

As long as I can remember I have always wanted to be older.  That is until I turned 28..Suddenly I realized that many years had escaped me.  Now I am getting older way too fast.  My kids are growing up too fast.  My life is passing before my eyes and I am not ready.  I haven't accomplished anything yet.  "15 there's still time for you".. where was five for fighting when I was wishing those years away.

2010  has not been a good year.  In fact it probably goes down as one of the worst years of my life so far.  But it has been a year of growth(not physically, I hope) in fact I may have aged 3 or 4 years this year in knowledge and understanding.  However, amongst all the hard times I still feel blessed.  I still have great family and friends and everything we need to survive as a family. 

List of good and fun things this year

went to Disneyland
Landan got hired at FedEx
Addie turned 7
Trey turned 4
Celebrated 12th anniversary by going to Vegas
ran a lot of races with one of my favorite sisters
Both boys gave up the diapers. (super good thing)
got to go to 5 birthday dinners of my closest friends since High school.  I am so happy since graduating 15 years ago that we still get together for each others birthdays.  I have the best friends.
expanded my dinner menu.  thanks to a favorite cousin with an awesome food blog.
Had a girls trip with my mom and sisters
Had a girls trip with Addie, Carlene and Hallie
Had a boys trip with Trey, Carlene and Waylon.
Peyton turned 3
We have all been fairly healthy and that is a great thing

 I believe we are the masters of our fate.  We can't control some things but we can control how we get through them.  In about 24 hours I turn 34. This year is about having no regrets, moving on, and making the best of things  cause "every day's a new day"

                                Photos were taken by Jared Heelis

halloween and such

 October was a very busy month.  It seems like we had an overload of fun activities and not so fun activities.

Halloween adventures took up a lot of our time.  We went  to a family Halloween party with an awesome haunted house.  Trey had a school trunk or treat and Addie had a Halloween party at her school.
 We had SEP conferences.  For the most part Addie is doing great!  She told me before the SEP that her teacher would say she needs to work on her handwriting, quit talking so much and stay in her seat better.  Guess What?  Addie was exactly right.  Next time why bother hearing it from the teacher.  I will just ask Addie and save me a trip. Ha ha!

On Halloween (utah halloween) I ran a Halloween 5k and managed to be the top female finisher.  I was awarded with 2 Jazz tickets.  The seats are right behind the Players bench.  I wish I cared.  We also went trick or treating.  Trey and Peyton loved it.  Addie complained about being cold the whole time.

 We also went to pirates pizza this month.

 Trey's preshool class

 Addie and her besties at her school

 Addie with cousin Gracie and cousin chad

 My kids on Halloween

Trick or treating wagon style.

Peyton turns 3

Peyton had his 3rd birthday on the 29th.  I woke up that morning at surprised myself by feeling really sad about it.  Since I think Peyton is our last kid, it really hit me that there are no more babies in my house.  You would think I would be happy since the last couple of years have been really difficult with the boys.  Oh well life goes on.

I made invitations online for Peyton's birthday.  They should have arrived according to their estimation by the 20th at the latest.  On the 25th I had still not received them.  I emailed the company.  They immediately responded back with "that's weird, we will check with the mail system."Next day I asked them what they found out.  I received no reply.  I couldn't get them by phone or email.  I finally took the picture they sent me to approve and printed it out.  So the invitations said proof on them.  But I covered it with a sticker.  The day before Peyton's party the mailman brought the invitations to my door.

 In case you couldn't tell by the invitations it was a Thomas the train birthday party. During  the entire party my mom, Carlene and I were pulling the kids away from the cake and train set. My mom said the party would have been just as successful if all they did was come over to eat cake.

 We played pin the 1 on Thomas.  The kids liked seeing Grandma try to play.

 We played Thomas the cake walk

 Eating cupcakes after everyone had a chance to win. BTW, cupcakes with 3 and 4 year old kids is not the best idea.

 We had a pinata..  Waylon really gave it his all!  Poor pinata

 you can't go wrong with a pinata.

 Each of the kids got to take a turn wearing the Thomas the train costume

 finally, it was time for cake.

 Peyton loved opening presents.

 This was the mess I was left with after the kids went home.

Later that night we went to Hogi Yogi with all of the grandparents to have frozen yogurt.  Peyton had a very good birthday.

mom and daughter weekend

So it was the annual Mom and Daughter girls trip with Carlene and Hallie.  We went miniature golfing, did lots and lots of shopping, and went to fun places to eat.

 Addie and Hallie totally didn't get the competitive part of mini golf.  They just usually placed their ball in the hole and ran off to the next one.  At least they had fun.

 We took advantage of Saturday nights kids eat free.

 See how grateful my child is to get free food.

 we bought bracelets to support a good cause.

 The rats left Hallie and Addie presents.  Good thing we didn't see the rats

 Addie woke up with her hair looking like this

 We enjoyed yummy food and root beer floats at Red Robin

Addie wanted me to write that we had so much fun that the adults were too worn out and Addie had to drive us home.

aren't we a funny people

I love facebook and I hate facebook.  It is so good for keeping in touch with friends, new and old.  It is how I find out everything that is going on in my family, neighborhood etc... 
I personally love when people use it to post pics of their kids and the cute things they say ( I better love it because I am sure guilty of it)  I love it because it is nice and shows me how much they love them. Makes me feel that I can relate to them, we have something in common.

I love when people use it to send out reminders of events that are coming up!  I can always use the extra reminder.

I love it when people just post funny things that put a smile on my face.

I love it in times of tragedy, grief and sadness how people reach out with their kind words to show love and support.
I love that anybody can ask any sort of question and someone has the answer. For example: last year I wanted to surprise my mom with a CD of Chester the chubby elf, a record we used to dance and sing to at Christmas time.  I couldn't find it anywhere on the Internet, so I threw it out there on facebook and within minutes, good friend Shirley had the answer of where to find it.  That was so awesome!

I love all the dinner ideas, and fun activities for the family I have discovered by reading friends posts.


But I am amazed at how sometimes facebook turns into a place where people state things that they would never be so bold to say in person. 
I hate it when people post mean things because I can't turn away from it.  I feel that it is my obligation to stick up for whomever I think is getting the bad rap.  I realize it rarely does me or anyone else any good.  It usually just makes the problem bigger and messier with more people getting involved... but I can't help myself.

I hate it when people post something on facebook but then act mad that People know about it.  I want to scream "duh you just posted it for 400+ people and you are going to get mad that people are talking about it. What part of facebook did you not understand?"
I hate it when facebook fights turn into grammar/spelling lessons instead of sticking to the topic in debate.

I hate it when people claim they are not drama, but everything they post on facebook is drama.  If   a drama mama is who you are, wear your title proudly.
I hate that I am posting about facebook on my blog and that I am on facebook and have a blog. (But I love it!)  Truly truly a love/hate relationship with facebook.  kind of like my addiction to diet coke only there is nothing I hate about diet coke...

So I am going to sign off with my facebook advice:  If it isn't something you would ever say to someones face, don't say it on facebook. 

things keeping us busy

The beginning of October my mom, sisters and I went on a girls trip to St. George.

 We stayed in a very nice house owned by Carlene's inlaws.  We all got our own rooms.  Hooray! because I didn't want to hear anyone snoring or talking into the wee hours.

 We went to see a play at Tuacahn.  It was raining and so it was canceled.

 Angie, Kristine and my mom were so upset...

 so very disappointed.

 So went back to the house and ran up and down the stairs and then went to the movie "you again" in our pajamas.

 We all had a good time.

In much sadder family news, 5 year old niece, Lily died of a severe reaction to E-Coli bacteria. (She is the one in pink pants)  She was a very sweet girl.  We will miss her.

 In very happy family news, we were able to go watch Foed and Kelly legally adopt Chad and then become an eternal family.

Addie, chad and Kelton inside the court building after finalization.

We went to the pumpkin patch with Grandma Carla.  The kids had loads of fun.

Addie jumping of the hay.

Trey also went to a different pumpkin patch with his preschool class. 

Addie had a tea party with a couple of friends from school.  That is all for now!