Thanks Steve!

Steve gave me tickets to the Colbie Caillat concert for Valentine's Day. This past Friday was the night we got to leave all the kids and worries behind and just enjoy! We had a fabulous time and Colbie put on a great show! In comparing to the concert she did 2008 at Tuachan, I am still up in the air as to which I liked best. I LOVED the Tuachan concert 2 years ago, simply because it was at BEAUTIFUL Tuachan and how can you beat THAT backdrop? But, I didn't know as many of her songs then, so THIS concert was more exciting that way. Actually,once I heard the opening song BOOMING, I got so excited! I have both of her CDs and I knew all the songs this time. I was more invested! In fact, maybe the only thing I didn't like about this concert compared with her other, is that this one was over too fast. She didn't sing NEAR enough songs and I was surprised at the ones she didn't get to, like even her new album's title track, "Breakthrough." Her encore performance only included two songs, Lucky and Bubbly. Maybe if the audience would have shouted more or chanted her name, maybe she could have thrown in a couple more songs for us! But, nonetheless, every song she DID sing was fantastic! I added my fave of the night, her Bob Marley "Turn Your Lights Down Low" cover to my playlist. This version isn't as fabulous as the live performance she gave, which included an AWESOME bridge that is not included on this playlist download, but at least it's a bit of a reminder of the greatness that is was. Her back up singer and guitarist, and the night's opening performer, Justin Young, was pretty good too.

She is just such a talented performer and songwriter and I love her laid back, beachy vibe. She has some fun video links on her website that are fun to watch. Since her concert ended too soon for us, Steve and I came home and did some browsing through her site just to get a little more! She's great. If you can swing it, you should check out some more of her tour dates and invite someone YOU love to this excellent, fun concert! It was a really terrific evening! Thanks Steve!

Year End Wrap Up!

I saw this on Tib's blog last year and LOVED how simple and concise it was at re-capping the year, yet I never followed through with completing it myself. So, I am taking the bull by the horns this year and FINISHING it! Only problem is, this year was ALL ABOUT BABY for us, so the answers are pretty redundant, not as exciting as my 2008 re-cap might have been, but still a re-cap. So, without further adieu-in all it's glory-2009!

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Ate NUTELLA! I am so in love:)

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I made PROGRESS towards some new year's resolutions but did not reach my overall goals in any of the problem areas of my life. My resolutions were things like: live in the moment, treasure the little things, drop the guilt etc. etc. Like I said, I made baby steps but still have a LONG way to go. This year I am already getting a jump start on going further with those goals with the help of this super fun book that came in the mail yesterday. I am hoping that this will help me break some old habits and set some new standards for greatness for me and my family!

I also am going to continue the tradition of picking a Word of the Year -I did this last year (I don't think I ever posted ANYTHING about it, but I thought of it often). I was amazed at how many times my word would pop into my head at difficult or overwhelming moments and it calmed me. My word for 2009 was: cherish. This year, my word will be: SEIZE. As in SEIZE the Day or SEIZE the moment. This will be my year to GET it DONE and quit procrastinating. It is my ONLY resolution because I think everything else will fall into place if I can get a grip on this one stumbling block of mine.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

YES! Some extended family, some friends, and FINALLY-me (hallelujah)!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Sadly, I did attend one funeral this year. A fellow co-worker and friend.

5. What countries did you visit?

Never left the United States. Hardly left St. George.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More sleep and the ability to fit into my regular pants (as opposed to maternity and/or larger sized pants).

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 14th. Brayden made his debut!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Bringing a healthy boy into the world and conquering breastfeeding!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being able to keep up on all the housework, to do lists, quality time with family etc. etc. without losing my cool.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Not really. Just battled the little bout of baby blues that I always get after I have my babies. The only difference this time was that I was more aware of it, confronted it head on, came to terms with the fact that it is a hormone adjustment thing for me, and found ways to deal with it as best I could!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Um, the Bemis Easy Change Toilet Seat. I know, strange answer. Especially considering the fact that we bought a new vehicle this year too (our beloved Toyota Sienna which we love), but seriously-this toilet seat is amazing! It has changed my life:) Obviously, a woman with sons must have invented this. It is completely removable/washable and it makes me giddy every time I clean it:) Brilliant and WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF IT FIRST??? And, if YOU own one, why didn't you tell me about it before 2009???

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Steve- He is truly the most patient, amazing person.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

A few celebrities come to mind, Adam Lambert, Tiger Woods, The Gosselins etc. etc. Thankfully, no one that is close to me.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Brayden, Brayden, Brayden. And he was worth every PENNY, PENNY, PENNY!!!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Anything new having to do with being a mother to a newborn again. I was excited to wash the newborn clothes, get his room ready, go into the hospital to give birth, introduce him to his brothers, bring him home from the hospital, give him his first bath (you get the idea)!

16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?

Let's see, I will pick three:

Taylor Swift, Love Story This was on the radio virtually every time we were in the car. I have memories of Lewis, Conner and me singing at the top of our lungs on the way to school in Beaver Dam EVERY DAY!

Miley Cyrus, The Climb I am not a Miley fan but I have to admit, there were a couple of occasions this year when my baby was screaming for long stretches of time and I would pack him up into his car seat to go for a drive and this song would be on the radio. It actually lifted me up and helped me DEAL with that challenging moment. So, thank you Miley.

And then, for sure: Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling Just my favorite "feel good" song of the year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier. We have so much to be thankful for and everything we could have wished for.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. I have about 10 pounds to get off/or turn into lean muscle mass!
c) richer or poorer? Both. Richer; In friends and family. Poorer; monetarily. We have less money coming in now and we spent way too much money on Christmas this year. Whatever happened to the days when kids were giddy about getting a stocking with an orange and a fist full of peanuts???

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Sleeping and sleeping.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Complaining and worrying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Refer to the Christmas post below.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Yes. With my new babe!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Sadly, I watched WAYYYYYY more T.V. this year due to the large amounts of time I spent camped in front of the tube nursing my baby. Even more sad perhaps is that my favorite shows were the Today Show (with Hoda and KLG) and Dr. Oz type shows. The Kathy Lee Gifford thing is REALLY a shocker to me. She used to bug me to death. I think that is partly why I started watching. Now she is a guilty pleasure to watch and I love to hear her voice her opinions about things.

I guess I just have never had a chance to experience these types of shows before, with being a working girl, so this has been new to me and I have grown to enjoy the little tid bits of info. I get from watching these shows. I have been guilty of holding off my ravenous child for a few extra minutes to be sure I am feeding him during a prime T.V. hour (one that would include either the Oz man or Kathy Lee Gifford). I know, so pathetic.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I have no room in my life for hate. There are people I dislike but I just don't include them in my sphere. Hate is a worthless emotion.

24. What was the best book you read?

I really thought that THIS year was going to be my year to get back into books. At the beginning of 2009, I had been TWO years without my beloved book clubs and had gotten out of the reading habit. Unfortunately for me, it has been harder to get BACK INTO it than I thought it would be. I set the bar high by trying to do the FIFTY Book Challenge. A few days ago, I updated my Goodreads shelf and sadly, I only made it half way to my goal. Also, MOST of the books I did read were NON-Fiction! I just couldn't seem to get into the "novel" groove, even with great titles like, The Hunger Games and A Thousand Splendid Suns sitting atop my night stand (both books have gotten RAVE reviews).

So, having said all that and scanning through my Goodreads book shelf, I'd have to say that the BEST book I read this year, was the memoir by Jeannete Walls called, The Glass Castle. It was riveting and a true story of hope and resilience.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Sia, thanks Jen! Love her!

26. What did you want and get?

A healthy baby.

A happy family.

Some contentment.

27. What did you want and not get?

Some sleep. Sigh.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I haven't seen The Blind Side yet, but I have a feeling that will top whatever I put on here right now. But, for 2009, I guess the best movie was: Julie and Julia. I know, weird choice, but I didn't see a lot of movies and that one is fresh in my mind and was so inspiring to me. I love when a movie can pleasantly surprise you, which is what this one did. I wasn't expecting much, but ended up loving it and wanting to see the bonus features on the DVD (which are worth watching). I love that the women in this movie had ideas in their little brains and used them to turn their lives around for the better. I also enjoy well written movies and I thought it was so clever (very Sleepless in Seattle-ish) how the two life stories were intertwined so beautifully. Plus, Meryl Streep: amazing!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 33 this year, I think. Is that right? I have gotten lazy about keeping track. I was born in '76, so you do the math. Anyway, my b-day was on a Sunday and it was all about relaxing and enjoying the day peacefully with family. Just a pleasant day.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I wish I could say nothing because my year was AMAZING and so fulfilling. But I'd have to say, my year could have been much more satisfying minus the ugly cloud of depression that plagued so many days. It is debilitating and ridiculous. It's so strange to be the happiest you've ever been and at the same time get so overly annoyed and crazy over little, stupid things that really don't matter. Again, hormones are not my friend, but the clouds have lifted and life is looking beautiful again:)

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Oh goodness. So very sad. So trying to cover all the flabby areas with whatever is in the closet that will cover it. So trying to look polished and professional in clothes that don't fit quite right. So not wanting to spend money on bigger clothes but not wanting to look silly in the too small duds. A no-win situation really.

2009 was a blur of borrowed maternity clothes, husband's closet raids, and clearance rack specials. Not really my best fashion year (not that I have ever had a good one). Definitely not my best.

32. What kept you sane?

Keeping a routine and saying "NO"! Also, I have to say that I turned to food quite a bit this year, mostly chocolate. Hence the sad fashion sitch.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I don't know if I fancied any celebrities. I really admired Taylor Swift this year though. She is such a talent powerhouse!

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Healthcare.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

Brayden Taylor Peterson. Of course!

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

Never give up.

37. What are you looking forward to in 2010?

12 year anniversary with my sweetheart.
Conner turning 8.
Finishing some unfinished projects.
Remodeling bathrooms.
Reading more books.
Getting more organized and content.
Girl's Camp.
Family vacations.
Spending lots of time with friends and family.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

It is a tie between these two:

Oh, I just can't get enough.
How much do I need to fill me up?
It feels so good it must be love.
It's everything that I've been dreaming of

I give up, I give in, I let go, let's begin
'Cause no matter what I do,
My heart is filled with you.

-Colbie Caillat, You Got Me

Happiness is just outside my window
Would it crash blowing 80-miles an hour?
Or is happiness a little more like knocking
On your door, and you just let it in?

-The Fray, Happiness

Okay! That was 2009! Looking forward to a FABULOUS 2010! BTW. Are you saying it- "Two-thousand-ten" or "Twenty-ten" ? Just wondering.

Thanksgiving Day 2009

This year we spent the big day in Richfield with Steve's Mom's side of the family. Of course, no one's house can accommodate the hugeness of this family so we took over the town church which was just the right size. The food was GREAT, the company was FUN and there was plenty of entertainment for the littles. There was bottle rocket making and shooting, an Oreo turkey craft and Snowman craft (for the girls). My favorite though was the Rock Band extravaganza that took place on the stage for hours and hours.

It was fun to hear both Lewis and Conner ripping it up at the mike and also trying their hand at the guitar and drums. Of course, Steve loves to let loose and did a great job with David Bowie's "White Wedding". I think he will always be a kid at heart. I am so grateful for my family. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

Mad Men Yourself

So, it appears I have NOTHING better to blog about lately. I am stealing yet another fun find from Mindi's blog this time! It's a game centered around one of our ALL TIME favoritist T.V. shows, Mad Men. We are HUGE fans of this show over here. We just finished watching season two via Netflix and could NOT believe all that went on in those 12 short episodes. This show is just so brilliant and so well written and just captivating! It is definitely not for everyone, but I am just so intrigued with the whole idea of the 1960's being reinvented on the small screen. It is awesome! I enjoyed watching the episodes with the audio commentary of some of the creators talking about how they get their ideas and how they put the sets together etc. It is real intriguing stuff!
Anyway, I am so excited about the 3rd season starting up here in a few weeks. Can't wait to see how it is "all gonna go down" as they say! Since we are still in the thick of Mad Men, Steve and I could not resist messing around with this fun "promotional game" Mindi had linked on her blog. It's called, Mad Men Yourself, or in other words, create the perfect 1960's version of yourself. Here is my creation: (gotta love the donut)!

And here is Steve's: (he's got the donut too, seeings how neither of us drinks or smokes)! I think he is a little under dressed for Sterling Cooper, but that would explain why everyone is staring at him (and his 5:00 shadow)! Good stuff:)


Now it's your turn! Click here to play! It is way quick and fun and it beats trying to play "catch up" with all the stuff you really SHOULD be blogging!

If I had to do it over again. . .

I saw this on Tib's blog a couple of days ago and seeings how my boys have asked to watch it multiple times, I figure it is worth sharing. I can't remember how to post a You Tube video on my blog and I have no time to remember, so just click HERE. You will be glad you did! She titled her post, "If I had to do it over again. . ." I concur!

Jon and Kate Plus 8

So, we have just discovered this show. Well, we had heard about it, but since we don't get the TLC channel, we never got to see any episodes. People keep asking me if I've watched it since we are gearing up for our "multiples." It dawned on me that we could totally have Netflix send us the first two seasons! We watched the first few episodes last night and we are IN LOVE! What a GREAT family! AMAZING actually. It is SOOOOO entertaining watching this couple deal with their eight kids and actually ENJOY them too! It makes Steve and I feel more competent and ready to handle a simple, easy TWO! We were especially intrigued with the way this couple communicates and works through problems and even just their personalities! Jon and Kate are SOOOOO much like Steve and myself. He's pretty laid back and easygoing and she is more of the control freak, a little paranoid, but very on top of things-wants it done her way (cause it's the right way:)) I like how they come together in their living room at the end of the day to answer questions for the camera crew and to hear what they say about the day and their kids. They discuss the gripes they had with how the other person handled something and they come to terms with it, smooth it all out. They end up making a very good team and the proof is in their kids! AMAZING! This is truly an inspiring show. Two thumbs up! Actually, two ENTHUSIASTIC thumbs up!
Check them out!

Balancing Act

Well, it has been officially 16 days of school and I am still trying to find an equal balance in my life. Obviously, my blogging fun has suffered. I have missed checking in on everyone! I am also surprised that some people have actually sent me a little hate mail for not updating in over two weeks. Funny to see that I have some "regulars". So, I am taking the initiative right now and forgoing my plans to do a little light reading and getting this new post up. It is all about the balancing act! Trying to find a way to work hard, see results with my students at school, keep up on daily chores, and spend time with loved ones doing things I love! I am actually proud of myself today for taking the time to visit with neighbors instead of hurrying inside to get dishes put away. I'm also proud that I spent time watching my boys and reveling in them and the joy they bring. I remember when they were littler and Steve would suggest that our family should go to the park. I would just cringe at the thought! They were still little and needed help on the monkey bars, being pushed on the swings and being reminded not to eat the sand etc. I know it sounds terrible that I wouldn't want to go, but I was always taking the boys to the park on my own and I looked at that time that Steve was with us as a family to do more relaxing or productive things. I had a really hard time just relaxing and enjoying family moments because I was always thinking about the next thing I needed to get done. On one particular trip, I told Steve I'd go if I could bring a "project" to work on so he could hang with the kids. I look back now and realize how silly I was. Why couldn't I have just enjoyed the moment as well as my husband and just revel in our boys? Life is so fleeting and these are the moments I am already regretting. So, lately I have been trying to be less "project driven" and more "quality of life driven"! I am also learning when to say 'when' and, not bite off more than I can chew. I'm trying harder this year to not please everyone because you can NEVER please everyone! My motto, "do my best" that's all I can do! So, here is a little sneak peek at some of the ways we have tried to fit fun and enjoyment in to the mix of endless, busy, back to school work and not feel guilty about the enjoyment of them.

Broadway in the Desert!

This was an AMAZING play! The music was mesmerizing and could not have been done any better! I think the Tuacahn plays just get better and better every time I go. Steve and I were so appreciative of our neighbor Carolyn for letting the boys sleep over so we could see this play (we didn't get home until 12:30) but it was worth it. We needed this date night and how can you get any better than Broadway in the Desert?

Fishing on Monroe Mountain-

This ended up being a "father's and sons" escape with Steve's parents and Aunt Pam, Uncle Dale and Grandpa Staples. I felt a LITTLE bit guilty about not going, but it did not last very long! Steve was very aware that I was exhausted and needed some time to decompress. This break away from all worries and strife was just what I needed and to know that the boys were having the time of their lives made it even better!

Girls Only Brunch!

While the boys were out fishing, I had some "girl time!" This was supposed to be breakfast, but since the Bear Paw (the most fabulous breakfast food around) was so stinkin' crowded, by the time we ate, it was brunch! These are some of my favorite people whom I work with and we all decided to live it up and meet for this yummy and relaxing meal. The fun did not stop there though! We saw Mama Mia later that day and now I can FINALLY know what everyone has been raving about! It was awesome and fun and I can't wait to see it again (mom)! Also, Pearce Brosnon (spelling?) wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be.
I thought it was a perfect movie, Pearce and all!:)

Two (TOO) Cute Boys!

Top three reasons I love this picture:
1. His smile!
2. The fact that he's loving his new chore!
3. The little towel tucked into his shorts, just like dad:)

Okay. Picture four crazy kids, in a tiny room, with the lights off, the piano keyboard cranked with some jazzy ditty and the Lite Brite holding its own as the disco ball! A sight to behold for sure! Too bad this was the only picture that turned out of Lewis, Conner and their friends Courtney and Makenzie!
(I think the disco Lite Brite was pretty genius!)

Hangin' with Old Friends!

Everyone should have friends like these guys! They are the salt of the earth and we were so lucky to be in the same ward with them back in the day. Steve and Jeremy became fast friends and it turns out, I've known Wendy since she was a little girl (she was in my home ward growing up)! The point is, these guys would go to the ends of the earth for you and they are so fun to be with too! Their cute kids add a lot of fun to the house when they come over. I realize it is important to make time to be with friends, even if your house is a total disaster, it doesn't matter, invite those friends inside! They fill your cup every time:)

Snuggling. . .Need I Say More?

How adorable are these two boys? Kirk, my twelve year old bro is the coolest kid I know!
And Little Grant, they don't come much sweeter than this!

How adorable are these two boys? Kirk, my twelve year old bro is the coolest kid I know!

And Little Grant, they don't come much sweeter than this!

Ya know what? This post took me less time then I thought! I think I might actually be able to squeeze in that little bit of light reading! I am re-reading the book "Simple Abundance" as mentioned by my cute neighbor Nancy. She's got me all excited about doing my gratitude lists and finding the positives out of life rather than dwelling on the inevitable negatives. So, let's all go out there and have a wonderful week! Here's to the balancing act! Good Luck and hopefully I can check in on your blogs soon. Thankfully, life is beginning to balance out!

Continued. . .

So, it's hard to believe that a week from today I will be in my classroom with 20 or so new little kindergarten faces ready to take on another crazy year. I seriously don't know if I'm ready?! Last Thursday, I mentioned we were in Lagoon having the time of our lives. Here's a peek at how we spent the rest of that weekend, our last summer vay-cay of this year.
Friday-
We woke up and just sort of took it easy. Honestly, I think I slept in until 9:30. That is unheard of here at home! The boys rose earlier than that, but went off on one of their many explorations and so I took advantage! I finally woke to the smell of real food wafting through the ceiling vents. Lisa is an amazing hostess and cook and really pulled out all the stops with her elaborate breakfasts. This morning I think was the day she made a pancake variety. Some with blueberries, some with COCONUT (yes, that's right-they were unbelievable!) and of course, lots of fruit and an assortment of beverages to go with it. Delicious! After breakfast, we got dressed and ready to have a "downtown" day. We started off at "Little Italy" (a part of Salt lake has been dubbed this name because of the many Italian businesses in this section of town). Chris and Lisa lived in the REAL Italy for awhile and so they appreciate, long for, understand Italian fare very well. We went to this Deli called Tony Coputo's and it was amazing! I can't remember the name of the sandwich I had, but it was the best sandwich of my life! Awesome!
On one side of this place is the restaurant, but on the other half, is an Italian market. Now, I am a girl who really appreciates a little culture so Lisa indulged me and walked me through the market. It ended up being so much fun to taste test the olive oils, cheeses and huge variety of olives! There was one young man working there who was really in his element explaining all the different flavors of the oils and olives. He used phrases like, "woody texture that ends with a little more bite. . " etc. It was amusing. Of course, the boys would never have tolerated such a tour so they were outside doing acrobatics on the stairwells while they waited for us. It was a lot of fun. Lisa is one of my most "culture-y" friends. She appreciates theatre and art and things like that. I always feel like I've had an enriching education after spending time with her. Before they moved, she took me out "to tea" one day! I have never been to a tea shop before and it was such a fun experience. This little time at Tony Cupoto's will be another fun memory like that for me to look back upon and smile. It was loads of fun!
Just up the street a ways from "Little Italy" is The Gateway. It is a really fun shopping, museum, restaraunt experience. We started off at the Clark planetarium. My kids have never been to a planetarium before and I wanted them to have this experience. They loved it. There was so much to do and explore. They spent a lot of their time running around acting out elaborate alien invasions and space explorations on the moon and Mars landscapes, but we also caught the 3D movie which was excellent! Later on, the boys got to experience what it feels like to be astronauts in space by hooking up on the anti-gravity simulator (basically just a harness that lifts them up in the sky and somehow they counter the weight with this contraption thingy by fifty pounds so you can bounce and spin and basically fly)! The boys were in heaven. It was really dark, so my pictures did not pan out too well, but they can still looks at them and remember this experience. I was actually a little jealous and wanted to try it too, but a 70 year old grandma decided quicker than me and she looked so unbelievably silly, I was really glad I missed the boat. Maybe if a crowd of people were not sitting around staring and giggling and commenting, I might have done it! (Right now I'm wishing I would have at least snapped a picture of that lady, it was hilarious!)

So after the planetarium, we decided to walk around the beautiful streets of the Gateway and take in some shopping and relaxing by the fun water feature. Steve was probably just as thrilled as the boys (if not more) to cool off in his street clothes and relax without dying of heat. He wanted nothing to do with the shopping so he chilled while the boys and I found some great deals on school shoes (buy one get one half off at Famous Footwear), woo hoo!

As it started getting late, we decided to eat some dinner at Z (something or other? Help me out people, I can't remember?). It is a fun metro, mexican-y grill place. Very fun atmosphere and a great meal! As we were walking out of the gateway, we saw (and heard) a really great street musician and we stopped for a few songs. Steve absolutely LOVES outdoor, live, music entertainment. He could have sat there all night, but the kids would not allow it. He did a few really great renditions of some sweet tunes (particularly Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours") and it was a fun and festive way to end our day at Gateway. Good times!

A Mid Summer Night's Dream

Saturday-
We just sort of CHILLED this day. We needed a little R and R after all the running around at Lagoon and Gateway so we let the kids play and did a bit more shopping (the first day of school shirts for the boys) and then caught a movie in the afternoon (we saw Space Chimps and it was actually pretty funny). The best part about Saturday though, was the play at Sundance we were able to sneak away to. Lisa grabbed a sitter for the five kids and we headed up. Chris is in advertising for Utah Valley University and somehow they are helping to sponsor the revival of the Sundance summer plays. This was opening night for A Mid Summer Nights Dream and we got to be exclusive, V.I.P. guests at the back stage reception, pre-show. I had never experienced something like this before so it was really fun for me. We got to feast on yummy eats surrounded by the players and the BEAUTIFUL Sundance landscape. Chris and Lisa took us on a little walking tour of some of the fun parts of Sundance and then we sat down to an evening of Shakespeare. I have to say, this was my favorite version of Midsummer Night's Dream I have seen. I have seen it live twice and I've seen the Michelle Pfeiffer movie, but I actually liked this Sundance version the best. I think the director did a really great job and it was just so lively and entertaining! A fantastic evening!

One Last Hoo-Raw!

We sort of fell off the blogging planet this past week. With my first day to report back to school being tomorrow, we decided to spend last Wednesday through Sunday with friends in Salt Lake City for ONE LAST HOO-RAW! I have heard a lot of people use this expression lately. It is definitely that time of the season. Bittersweet, when we realize the sunset is closing in on our summer fun. We definitely made the right choice when we decided to spend our last vacation of the summer with Chris and Lisa and their family. They were AWESOME! Our agenda included fun things like: Lagoon, The Gateway, movies, a play at Sundance, shopping and dining out at some of the BEST restaurants Salt Lake has to offer. Hanging out at the Taylor house was a blast too. My boys and their boys get along like peas in the pod-not one fight, argument or disagreement the entire four days! Just pure fun and excitement. Here is a little breakdown of our good time:

Thursday at Lagoon:
The last time we were at Lagoon was about 3 years ago and we spent most of the time on the kiddie rides which was just fine with me! It was such a blast and I took a million pictures of my sweet little boys riding things like The Flying Aces, Kiddie Boats and Puff the Magic Dragon kiddie roller coaster. This year, they were all about being TALL enough to ride the major stuff! We started off the morning waiting in the 30 minute line for WICKED! It was just that-wicked! Conner was terrified. Last year at Disneyland, he was fearless. This ride really freaked him out! Luckily, it doesn't last too long so he survived. He was back to his fearless self on all the other rides of the day and although he didn't want to admit it-he really did want to ride some of those 'baby rides.' We could tell by the way he was eying them when we walked by. Steve and Chris decided to send Lisa and me and the two older boys to do some of the scarier rides near the kiddie rides so that Roman and Conner could be indulged a little without having to try and fake not liking those baby rides. It worked out pretty good. We met up with them later at the kiddie bumper cars (which Lewis and Christian really looked intrigued by, but wouldn't admit it). Steve said something that made a lot of sense. He said, "They are trying to grow up too fast. They won't be small enough to fit on these rides for much longer." We tried to make the kiddie rides seem just as cool as the others, but Lewis and Christian weren't buying it so it was back to the scary rides for us all. After lunch and just when it was getting a little too hot, we took advantage of Lagoon-a-Beach, the water park within the amusement park. I really didn't want to (my phobia of public showers and how I loathe what I look like in a swimsuit were major factors)but it was so blasted hot, it actually ended up being quite nice. Steve's favorite rides of the day were actually the water slides at Lagoon-a-Beach. My favorite ride was the Tidal Wave. Conner really liked the Collasus and Lewis claims that the "Cliffhanger" is his favorite! It is a crazy ride that suspends you upside down (for longer than I can tolerate) and then once it flips you back up, you're blasted in the face with a huge spray of water. When I saw my little Lewis on this ride, I seriously got nervous for him. I didn't think he would like it, but it ended up being his favorite and he waited in line for it twice. Overall, this Lagoon day was awesome. It couldn't have been any better actually. Just a relaxing, fun and thrilling day! Check out our pics below.
SIDE NOTE: I am having some technical difficulties with getting this slide show to work with my post so I had to do it as a seperate post below. I have wasted so much time fiddling with this problemo that now I'm going to have to finish this little re-cap of our vacation the next time I sit down to blog, so stay tuned! I know you will all be on the EDGE of your seat!:)

Our Lagoon Day

Five is for. . .

I have been a huge slacker with the blogosphere this past week. I hate it when I have an entire week between posts. I am secretly glad that I feel this way though because it means that blogging is working for me. I am actually keeping track of our family happenings and memories and I am thrilled that I feel the desire to stay caught up! So now, I just have to figure out where to start? We had a jam packed week. Steve's been back to his regular grueling principal schedule for the past couple of weeks and it has been a little weird not having him home. I guess to make up for the weirdness, we kept ourselves pretty busy, maybe even too busy! Anyway, I should have posted about our days as they were happening because I have a feeling this will be a long post, but no turning back now. I think I will do our FAVORITE FIVE, but with a twist. I'm gonna make each item its own separate post (so it's more like it would have been if I'd posted more this week). Plus, I am usually long winded so this will help make it seem less long:)

So, here's what we've been up to starting with number FIVE:

Five is for the FIVE hours (plus two more-so SEVEN altogether folks) that we spent at FIESTA FAMILY FUN CENTER this past Thursday! SEVEN hours! How is that even possible? Laura had a bunch of these "buy two get two free" coupons and she was so gracious with both me and Dani. It was a little confusing trying to figure out all the logistics of it all (it didn't help that Fiesta Fun was terribly understaffed) but we ended up with so many passes, we were there the whole day trying to use them up! We did it ALL! Bumper boats, kiddie cars, go carts, miniature golf, pizza for lunch and on going arcade! The boys were in heaven (there were 9 boys in all) and boy were they rowdy! At one point, one of Dani's little boys, Landen, got whopped in the face with a golf club and had a heck of a bloody nose! His shirt had a nice big red stain on the front of it for the rest of the day that looked like tie dye after a trip on the bumper boats. On that same bumper boat trip, I got MAJORLY soaked (never let a six year old drive while the fountain is on)! I might as well have jumped in a lake, it was that much water and I didn't get fully dry even in the 110 degree heat! Laura was awesome about taking a million pics, so here's a little slide show of the eventful, hot and LONG day!

Four is for

the FOUR new experiences we had this week. Our town has been growing like crazy this past couple of years and there are a few new hot spots around that we haven't been home to try yet, until this week. Also, I got to experience some real live court room drama for the first time! Here's a run down of each event.

Jumpin' Jacks- A giant warehouse full of inflatable bounce houses and foam flooring where kids can run around and jump 'til their hearts' content while the parents chill on couches around the perimeter. We went on a Tuesday when they have the buy one get one free deal, which is a good thing seeings how I'd probably never go there if I had to pay full price. It was fun but a little hot and smelly and I figured my kids could have almost as much fun for free at McDonalds. Actually though, my kids got QUITE the workout at this place! They were running around like wild dogs and both had bright red faces dripping with sweat- a sure sign that fun is being had. They had some friends they were playing hide and seek with and honestly, they would have stayed even longer if I'd have let them. We stayed for about three hours and the kids slept like babies that night. Maybe it IS worth the full price? Overall, I'd give it about 3 stars (out of five) maybe higher if I didn't feel like I had to hose them down before they could set foot in my house after getting so sweaty and filthy!.

New Rec. Center- A giant building that boasts a huge aquatic center, gymnasiums, weight rooms, rock climbing wall etc. We had the free trial week pass but honestly, I don't think we will even go back to use our remaining days. After this experience I was reminded of all the reasons why I HATE PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS! I went for the sake of my kids. Actually though, THEY were the ones who asked to leave. I think it is just too big and LOUD and crowded, there wasn't even a chair left to put my stuff on. It wasn't relaxing. Lewis was bugged at how loooong he had to stand in line for the water slide and then he claimed it didn't go very fast. He wondered why they ripped down the old pool (that had the ultra cool high dive and looked JUST like the pool on the Sandlot). I wondered that too. They don't make pools like that anymore. It had such NOSTALGIA. This place, I don't know. Conner LOVED the lazy river (and actually, I liked it too) but there wasn't much else to love. It was hot and steamy in there and full of people. I honestly couldn't even find my kids the first twenty minutes we were there. I resorted to having to follow Conner around (even though he's a pretty good swimmer) but it was the only way I could relax. After only a couple of hours, my kids were done and I was done and as we walked out, I remembered why I hate public pools; the slimy bathroom floors with the showers and the naked people (hello-it's still a PUBLIC place)! And the noise and the people staring at you and just all of the junk! I'd much rather swim in a nice, outdoor pool with fresh air, less people and a place to sit back and actually SEE my kids enjoy it. So, this new Rec. Center is only gonna get one lousy star from me.

Signature Suppers- A building set up like a professional kitchen with work stations where you can put together meals for your family. It gets rid of a LOT of middle men (like thinking about what to fix, making a grocery list, shopping and getting all the stuff out and measured etc.)! I made 12 meals in a little over one hour and I had a BLAST while doing it! This is definitely going to be a huge life saver for me this year. My goal is to get started with freezing the meals from Kim's store and then eventually, learn the ropes well enough that I can do it for myself at home once a month. This is for sure one of those experiences that you need to try out for yourself. I heard mixed reviews. Some people saying it's too pricey and others raving! I am more on the raving side. My schedule (once school starts again) makes it hard to even GET to the store, let alone get there with an actual list of ingredients to make real meals. Then, when did I seriously have time to actually prepare these meals? I'd say once a week, sometimes less! I honestly threw out more spoiled ingredients than I care to admit last year because I just couldn't do it! I don't want to rely on roasted chicken and pizza nights again this year. Having all of it pre bought and organized and ready to prepare at that cute little kitchen is JUST what I need! I am finally excited about cooking again. I give this place 4 stars!

Night Court- All I'm gonna say is I had to plead guilty with an explanation (and a dang good one I might add) and the judge dismissed the case. I had the unfortunate bad luck of being pulled over in our new car before we had the plates switched to our own. We had a hard time getting the title to the car and the DMV would not let us have temporary plates until the old owner sent the stuff. It was a long, sorted ordeal that had nothing to do with us and everything to do with the banks and the Honda people. Anyway, my luck would have it that I get pulled over on the DAY the stuff finally comes in the mail (not the next day after we finally got our own plates-murphy's law)! It turns out though, we are not the only people who did not know that it is BETTER to remove the plates altogether and drive around with NOTHING than to drive under someone's old plates. Seriously, if THAT is better, why didn't someone fill us in? We would have done it! Anyway, this is the lesson we learned from this experience. Plus, I got to have my first court room experience which, BTW, was JUST like the show Night Court that used to be on T.V. forever ago. The bailiff even looked just like that tall bald guy from the show (I think his name was Bull) and when he was rifling through my purse, he accidentally flung a bag of m&ms through the air. It was funny. I told him he could have all the ones that fell on the floor.

LAST Week's Five

I usually try to have my "week in review" (a.k.a. fave five) list up and posted by Sunday but it didn't happen this week. Instead of blogging, I found myself hunched over the royal throne for the worst half of an hour of my life and then the next couple hours laying around to recover. That's what I get for trying to cook a real dinner (not just meat and potatoes, I actually followed a recipe)! I don't know why I got sick? Steve ate the same thing and was fine. I've only had food poisoning one other time in my life (Cheesecake Factory on a girl's weekend) and last night was almost identical. Anyway-I've already thrown out the chicken enchiladas. What a waste of time that was! Okay, so back to the post at hand. Here are LAST week's top FIVE!!!!

FIVE: This is going to oust me as the worst launderer ever, but oh well! Seriously, one of my favorite things that happened this week was making it to the bottom of the laundry pile! I kind of dropped the ball on the laundry last week (just so tired of load after load-especially emptying out suitcases). So, we spent the week searching for clean clothes from piles of laundry baskets instead of folded neatly in drawers (actually, who am I kidding, there is always at least one basket like this in my bedroom). This week certainly took the cake though. I think I was in denial. School is starting again, right around the corner! I just want a FEW completely LAZY summer days! Well, finally on Friday, I snapped out of it and decided to take charge. The sad thing is, at this point, my only motivation for getting the laundry put away, was to have a few new items to hang up with the old. I took the boys to JC Penny's to buy their backpacks and a few shirts and pants. Laura also filled my trunk with some clothes for the boys and me. This was great motivation! I am happy to say, that by Saturday, all the clothes were carefully folded and put away. The old haggered and too small clothes were packaged up and sent to the D.I. and all the world smells of Downy freshness! Ahhhh. (side note: I just finished burning Conner's breakfast-dang blogging-so the Downy freshenss is now replaced with charred breakfast burrito).

FOUR: One of the WORST things that happened this week was tuning in to SYTYCD and seeing COMFORT IS BACK!!! I was so glad to say bye bye to her. For some reason, she was just bugging me! I was especially tired of seeing her solo routines (she was always in the bottom) so two weeks ago when she finally left, I was a little relieved! THEN, this past week, I see that she is back in the running (Jessica broke some ribs or something)! Ughhhh! But then, outta nowhere, Comfort actually did something I didn't think she'd ever do. She entertained me! She paired up with Twitch and they really danced their socks off with this number! It was awesome. Actually there were SO many fabulous dances this week. At least four that come to mind (not to mention Gev's solos). It was a relief because the last couple of weeks, SYTYCD wasn't WOWING me like it had done in the past. I actually resorted to looking up some of my favorite dances from season two (this and this) reminiscing about the good ol' days! But, last week's shows revived me! It is just wayyy good T.V.! Okay, one more favorite: THIS ONE!

THREE: We survived an ALMOST car accident this week! I can honestly say I am so grateful for anti-lock brakes and seat belts! I was just driving along, minding my own business driving straight through a green light at a four way intersection. There had to have been at least two or three cars that went through ahead of me, it was just a NORMAL green light situation!!! So, what explanation does the crazy lady who almost rammed us have for herself? She was trying to make a left hand turn right in the middle of the green light! There was no arrow for her! It was not her turn by any means! Was she just trying to sneak by? Are you kidding me? Well, luckily I slammed on the brakes pretty hard and she sneaked on by mouthing the words 'I'm Sorry!' as she floated past in slow motion (ya know how it all happens SO fast while you're living it, but it replays in slow motion as you think back on it?). Anyway, my kids tried to blame it on me at first. They were like, "Mom! What was that for?" and blah blah blah. I said, "Are you kidding me boys? I just saved all our lives! You should be thanking me!" All I can say is, maybe it is good to have near misses like that. Makes you realize how fragile life really is and how unimportant some things are. I think my boys have a greater appreciation for seat belts now too. They really felt them hard at work this time! Phew!

TWO: Our ward primary did a cute little service project on Saturday morning. We met at the church and walked to the nearby rest home and sang songs to the elderly people. It was very sweet and a great way to start off the morning. But, I had a hard time convincing the boys that it would be. I had an especially hard time getting Conner to cooperate. Actually, I practically had to drag him out the door, kicking and screaming (well, not literally, but he was being a brat about going). He was saying things like, "You're the meanest mom ever!" and, "Why do I EVEN have to go, it's not fair!" To these statements, I was calmly replying (trying hard not to giggle actually), "Conner, yes I am the meanest mom and life isn't always fair." Flash forward to about fifteen minutes later and that boy was lined up next to his buddies singing these words,

"If the Savior stood beside me
Would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind
If He were never far away?

Would I try to share the gospel?
Would I speak more reverently?
If I could see the Savior standing nigh
Watching over me?"

It was pretty precious to get a glimpse of him singing this song with his coy little smile, looking at me as if to say, 'mom, quit looking at me having fun. I'm still trying to be mad at you.'

ONE: The best part of LAST week was simply being home! No real agenda, not much to do besides summer camp and shopping for school clothes and watching the laundry pile up! It was so relaxing to just sit next to Steve and watch our boys play and play, or hang out in the basement and watch movies as we all worked on little projects. Indeed, it was a pure and true summer week! Not many of them left, so enjoy them while you can!

Mad Men

So, we read about this show, MAD MEN, that got HUGE rave reviews (five stars actually! Nothing ever gets 5 stars!) and appears on AMC (which we don't get in our Dish package). Steve and I decided to have the first season sent via Netflix to us and we are quite intrigued by it. I think it is so amazing when a movie or a T.V. show can pull off a whole different time era. This one is set in the 1960's with all the hair, furniture and fashion that goes with it. It's really amazing. Also, it is crazy to see pregnant women smoking cigarettes and letting their kids flail about it the car, sans seat belts, as they are driving. It is even more intriguing to see just how far our society has come in 40 years as far as women's rights and stigmas about suburban lifestyle. So far it is a very interesting show. Not one that I'd want to watch with my mom or kids, it has some pretty heavy content right from the start. I am able to look at it with perspective and say, 'ya know, if only these people had the gospel in their lives, they wouldn't be driven quite so mad!' So has anyone else seen this new show? We're only a few episodes in and we keep wanting to watch but we're not sure if it's gonna get to be "too much"! So far, it's just been great T.V. entertainment!

Game ON!

Like most families, we enjoy a good board game every now and then, but when summertime hits, it's practically MANDATORY to play game after game whenever the mood strikes! We haven't spent many "lazy summer days" home yet this summer, so our game closet has been a little lonely, until today! The boys woke up and I heard them getting into the game closet. I was STOKED because I knew we had all morning (with no agenda) to play to our hearts content! Conner whipped us both in a game of Clue first off and from there we went on to Dominoes and Uno Attack. I finally decided I needed to shower and do some laundry, but the boys continued emptying out the game closet. It has been an enjoyable "game" kind of day! Some of our top family games are:

• Apples to Apples



• Anchor's Away



• Old Maid (Steve is hilarious to play with.)



• Clue (Steve and I once beleived we were both GREAT at this game, until we played with our kids! They are AMAZING! Whip us everytime)!



• "Cranium" games (any of them)



• Rat a Tat Cat



• Scrabble



• Uno and Uno Attack

Anytime you feel like getting your GAME ON, hop on over to our place, we'll be ready and waiting!

Something Else That Made Us Laugh Today

So, we are still on a little vacation today, we are heading home from our trip to Tucson and our hotel only has PBS (at least that is what I'm leading Conner to believe right now, there might be more channels if I scroll to the next screen. . .). Anyway, I am making him watch Sesame Street (which he secretly still loves but won't admit). Here is a little clip of something that made us laugh out loud this morning! Seriously, it is worth taking two minutes to view. Enjoy!

James Blunt on Sesame Street

The Little Things

It's the little things that make life so great isn't it!?! I have been slacking on my blogging lately (I am completely immersed in an online class right now) and I have not been keeping track of my favorite things of the week. So, thinking back today and looking through my camera for pictures, I realized, the things I am most grateful for lately are the little things. The little things that I am able to squeeze into (or out of) the craziness of life. Whoever said teachers get the summer off has never been a teacher! Yea, you don't have the classroom full of kids to TEACH, but you can't stop being a teacher! I have already been to curriculum mapping, reading conference, an online class, and tomorrow I am starting another class! Not to mention summer school that I promised some friends I would do and then, by the time that is over, I will get to go set up my classroom and prepare for the new school year! YEP, I better start appreciating the little things! The things that have been making this summer so sweet! With so much going on this month, it would be easy to get caught up in the big things and forget that it's really the little things that make life worth living. Here's my list of little things so far this summer:

Relaxing with Steve on one of our "away" trips.

Seeing Conner walk around the house with this t-shirt on (it says kiss me). Umm, he wrote it himself with an orange highlighter! Oh, and he did it while looking in the mirror so it is completely reversed! LOVE IT!

Lewis willingly offering to help put away groceries and clean out the fridge.

Hearing the boys giggle through the door as they try to go to sleep.

Staying in a NICE hotel with all the little extras!

 

Conner snuggling up to me during a movie and covering us with a blanket. He is such a cuddle bug! Hope he never outgrows it!

Having friends to "hang" with at any given moment!

Knowing my boys have good friends too!

 

The new fish bowl for our fish, Finny Von Finnegan! He races around that thing like nobody's business, and it looks good on our console table.

Knowing that Grandpa is out of the hospital and on the mend!

 

Catching up with old friends while Steve took the boys to the fathers and sons camp out.

Seeing Lewis so excited to be in scouts!

Recently hearing Conner say, "Mom, I will make a good big brother."

 

Finding little things like this around the house, proof that I have a funny little boy in my life!

Seeing the kids home safe and sound after being away from us for an entire week!

Listening to Lewis read behind me as I wrote a paper for my class. I love that he wanted to be with me!

Partaking in yummy food prepared by loved ones who actually know how to cook with LOVE!

Watching (and re watching) clips like this from "So You Think You Can Dance"

Finding pictures like this on my camera!

Yep! Summer has been good to me so far. I just need to focus on these little things and not worry so much about the drudgeries of the inevitable! Time goes by too fast!