Monday, April 28, 2008

I can't believe I forgot my camera!!!!!

This Saturday we had such a great time! And I forgot my camera. For those who we haven't told, we have signed Gabe(and Hiett) up for a new charter school that is getting built in Enoch. WE are so completely thrilled with the teachers, the Montessori type cirriculum, the uniforms and with the fact here is no cafeteria food. Every kid will bring a home lunch- cool huh? Anyway. In order for the school to function the way that the directors envisioned it, much volunteer work is needed. Ok, it is required. If you don't pull your weight, your kids are kicked out. But I kinda like that, it means you HAVE to be involved with your childrens' school and have more invested in it. Anyway- back to the story. The school was having a fundraising awareness type fair that we signed up to volunteer in. It was a pretty cold four hours, the wind was gusting like it usually does in Spring in Cedar City, but it was fun. The highlight, by far, was watching Gabe playing on the inflateables. They had a huge billowy slide that was two or three stories high, a bouncy room, which HIett loved too. And the crowning glory of inflateables- the Velcro Wall. HIett was too little, but Gabe absolutely loved it! They flung him up three times, the last being upside down! His only complaint was that the sun was in his eyes. I was laughing my head off and wishing I was right up there next to him. We ate goodies, played a few games and just enjoyed spending a few hours together. Then we came home, finished the chicken coop to the stage where we could move the chickens out of the garage and into their new home! Yippee, no more chicken smell in my garage! We had such a fun day together, it was a good reminder of just how much fun being a parent can be.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Couples Night

What a weekend!

My folks and sister Melissa and adorable niece Brynlee, came down for a quick little visit last weekend. And I mean quick. They got here Thursday night really late and were gone by 6:00 on Friday night since I had the Relay for Life that night. But just becasue it was short didn't mean that it wasn't fun! Anytime we get together it is fun and we mainly just sit and visit. The boys were so excited to see little Brynlee. Hiett especially enjoyed playing with her, and of course playing with Grandpa and Grandma. He had them all laughing with his saying the word, "sausages". Gabe loves it when people visit and tells stories and plays with everyone and tells them what to do. I don't realize that he is bossy until people come over. Well, he is his mother's child! We had a great time, and wish that the visit could have lasted the whole weekend.
Than we moved on to the Relay for Life, not quite as exciting, but a really cool experiance nonetheless. It was so cool to watch the survivors lap seranaded by a bagpipe band playing Amazing Grace, and the caregivers lap that followed. Then it was time for us all to join in. Since there were several members of my team there that hour, I decided to get some errands and cleaning done and then go back later when we needed someone on the track. I walked from 8:30 to about quarter to 12:00. I was planning on staying until 2:00 but me strange knee started to seize up on me and I could barely move, so I had to stop. It was great being involved with something like this.
To top off the weekend I was set apart as the second counselor in the Primary on Sunday! What are they thinking? We will see how this ends up, I may get an early release.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Busy weeks

Don't ask me what exactly I have been doing to make me so busy- but I have been going, going, going for the past while. We have been loving the warmer springish weather. We fly the kites a lot- ok, well Gabe flies them a lot. We only bought the cheapy ones, but he loves it. The look of joy on a kids face when the wind suddenly picks up the kite and it soars, is so priceless. I love kites for that reason alone. When the wind isn't blowing too much and creating a dirt devil in the side yard- sorry for that neighbors- we have been trying to get the coop finished so our laying ladies can have a little more room. OUr finished product should look spectactular- we had siding left over( um, like I ordered eight too many boxes with 200 square feet in each box- I shouldn't calculate things like that) so it should look like a very nice shed- it even has a window and a door. Thanks to Hans we got a smokin' deal on those. The boys love the chicks. They go out to see the "babies" several times a day. I'm so sad though, they are getting so ugly. All of their real feathers are coming in so they aren't little and fluffy anymore.
Thanks to all those who responded to my Relay for Life fundraiser. We are doing the night long walk this Friday night through Saturday morning. We hope for better weather than last year, right girls?

Friday, April 4, 2008

Relay For Life

I am excited this month is the Relay for Life. My friend, Lisa, is on the commitee for Cedar City's Relay for Life and she also is our team captain. We all have a great time working together to try to raise funds for cancer research. Each year the commitee lines the track with luminaries in memory or in honor of those who have had cancer- either survivors or those who lost their battle. As we walk the track and see the names of our loved ones and friends along with countless other names, we can feel the sense of urgency to find a cure for this horrible disease. Our team is hosting a huge yard sale/bake sale with all proceeds going to the cause. Lisa has also put together a 5k run/walk that will take place on the morning of the 19th if you know of anybody who is interested. I'm not sure what the entrance fee is, but last year we had great sucess with this 5k and so much fun. If you would like to contribute to this huge fundraising event call me and let me know. YOu can purchase a luminaria bag which I can decorate with the name of a loved one and bring it to the track with me to be honored with the rest who have battteles with this terrible disease.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

The odds are in my favor!!!

We now have WAAAAYYY more girls in the family than boys. OUr chicks arrived a few days ago, and if we assume correctly, at least 10 of the 12 are girls. Hans came home with them from Cal-Ranch. Six Barred Rock and six Phode Island Reds. They are cute little things! The boys absolutely love them and ask several times a day to see the baby birds. Hiett thinks they are turkeys- but he thinks all birds but ducks are turkeys. We'll work on that. We are looking forward to this whole chick farming experience.

WELCOME to our new home

We got moved in settled a few weeks ago, but it has taken me longer than I thought to get back into my groove. I hadn't realized that I HAD a groove, maybe it was more like a rut, but anyway, I am comfortably back into it and that is that. So, I am sure that you are all curious to see what exactly we moved into. You have to promise to not be jealous!!! Really.... everybody seems to think that I mind terribly our new home, but I don't mind it that much. I am with Hans, the boys have their dad and unlimited roaming space and so much more family close by, I would make the trade again anyday. Not to mention the projects that I am planning that will keep me busy for quite some time. Ready?
Well, the power plant pays for all of their employees to move within 40 miles of the plant so they packed us up and shipped us off. This is the truck arriving. It was huge! Our stuff only took up about 1/3 of the truck!


Hans and I are still in debate about what is happening with the exterior of the house. I want to get some paint and paint it, then get a good color match and do the shutters differently. The porch will be fixed- it sags in the middle and threatens to collapse whenever you step on it. I want to put a little roof over it, a simple little peak that stretches back to the trailer, that would hopefully break up the ugliness a little bit. we will probably be here for 21/2 to 3 years so I want to make it look like a home for us.

OK- let me explain that roof looking thing. Nevermind- can't explain it. But I am going to try to put little support strut things off from it to support a new piece of wood that will make it look like a beam instead of a chintzy shingled roof inside of a house. And that is faux brick paneling. he he he. I have never seen it before. I giggle when I see it. The next pic is the kitchen dining combo. The floor is newish lineolium, so that is good to stay. But the wallpaper is falling off and so I am going to practice my tiling and do a medium dark greyish tile and then strip the cupboards and paint them a white. The door knobs will be replaced too. Hopefully this will work with the mustard yellow stove- this trailer is 30 years old, so it is very 70's with the wood paneling EVERYWHERE!!


UNGH. The paneling is sooo dark! This hallway could use a coat of paint. Hans' grandma is skeptical of us painting the paneling, truthfully I am too, but this is so drab I have got to do something! The light fixture is going to be replaced so my dad doesn't hit his head everytime he comes over. Well, for that matter, most of the light fixtures will get to be replaced soon.


I saved the best for last!!! Our bathroom is horrid! Seriously- I don't mind it, it just makes me laugh it is that ugly. The floral nasty green print coordinates with the yellos tub, toilet and sink. The linoleum is the same shades and that crazy design you could sit and stare at for hours trying to figure out the pattern. A new sink is already in the works. A new shower curtain already bought, and so many plans floating in my head. Wall paper off, new linoleum, tiling another backspash, paint the walls, build a frame around the mirror to make it the focal point. So much to do. Will I get it done in my 3 year time limit?? Oh and the kicker, the washer and dryer are in the bathroom! Convienent!!!


We had such a fun Halloween! It got kicked off with an adult( that sounds naughty!) Halloween Party which was fun as it always is to get together with all of everybody. I love seeing all the costumes and wish I knew which file Hans put them uner so I could post them. Beau and Bonnie won my prize for best dressed- Beau looked hot in that eyeliner and black nail polish. Anyway, then on Halloween we had a bunch of the kids over for a little party and had a great time- I did anyway, I hope the kids did too. We went trick or treating in the "old ward" just to say hi to some folks we hadn't seen in a while. The boys had a great time. Tait slept through it all in his comfy bear outfit and Hiett only fell down two sets of stairs with his AWESOME hoomemade batman mask. I don't know how much longer I will get away with homemade costumes but until then- $6 always beats out $20-40 in my opinion, and I think the kids have more fun being "creative". HA ha. We had a great time and the candy is almost gone already- I swear I haven't helped too much!

My happy boy

My happy boy
How can you not smile when you see that!? Tait hung out on this blanket while we were fishing on Monday- he loves to be outside- and it's a good thing since that's where we are most of the time!

Our hike

Our hike
Yes, that is the road down there. We found this trail off the road up the Five MIle Canyon. We have loved the red rock scenery that is so prevelant in the Parowan area

Birthday Boy riding his new bike

Birthday Boy riding his new bike
He loves riding with Gabe on their"motorbikes"

The swinging of the pinata

The swinging of the pinata
Gabe is the only one who inflicted any damage at all

Argh MAtey!

Argh  MAtey!
Me and my pirate buddies- we had so much fun. Sometimes I really wich I were still a kid ro everyday was a birthday so I had a reason to be all creative and fun

Hiett

Hiett
The birthday crown for the king of the day