It's about time

After an eventful snowboarding trip which ended up with an ambulance trip to the ER, a broken leg in three places, a cast the size of Texas and your most special day being postponed you can now be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Graham you are one crazy kid, but I love the darn heck out of you and am sooooo proud of your decision to be baptized!! You are such a sweet boy, with a huge heart, and you make our family laugh everyday. Thanks for that!

Heaven on Earth

There is no better place in the whole wide world than the beach! Our favorite family vacation spot. Cousins, perfect weather, a little surfing, Ruby's, sand in the bathing suits that= rashes in the unmentionable areas, pizza, homemade icecream, bike rides with screaming toddlers, boggieboarding, boardwalks, walking to tacobell, staying with cousins, gosh you couldn't ask for anything better! Thanks Huntington Beach !

This was the week. The week that I have been dreading for years. The week I knew I would be alone all day, well at least from 7:30 am to 2:30pm. I feel a little lost. When I'm out I keep looking down to grab my friends hand, but she's not there. It's not only that she's not there, it's that they all aren't there. My house is empty now during the day, when just a few years ago it was full, all day. Full of Nick Jr. shows, morning snacks, story time, QUIET TIME, play dates, spills, smears, pb&j, sippy cups...

They are all where they need to be. Developing who they are. Making choices, friends, learning, and having fun. As crazy as the summer is, it's still hard to see them go. With that said I thought it was going to be harder than it actually was. Seeing Marcie so excited to finally be with the rest of the gang I just couldn't be sad. I was glad. Glad that she has this oppertunity to grow.

Now I need to do some growing too, and I hope I learn some new things along the way.

Busy Bees

My Give-a-way!!!!

Ok, so I just gave away all my size 16's.

I DID IT!!!!!!!! After 11 long years of me and my size 16's they are gone, given away, adios amigos, lost...FOREVER, never to return.

14's better not get to comfy, you'll be joining them all too soon and I won't be sad to see you go.

I've got this song ringing through my head from one of my all time fav's GREASE. I've changed the words and it goes like this...


"GOOD BYE TO FAT NIKKI!"

The picture says it all

I went to take the kids to do a little Christmas card picture taking yesterday. They were not so thrilled with the idea, but I promised them just a few shots and we'd be good to go. Ya know, it's not so fun when I HAVE to take a picture. The kids have cheesy smiles and they are embarressed their friends might see them with a collard shirt on, or sitting next to their sister for heavens sake, but then you get a picture like this that is worth a millon bucks! I'm not claiming to be a great photographer, or that I even know how to work my camera. I don't even know how to spiffy them up on any fancy spiffy up tool. But I tell ya, I'll love this picture forever!!!

Joy to the Lovin Family (a bit late)

Oh, what can I say...I Love this man!!!!!!

Not only is he the Best Father in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD, I'm lucky enough to call him my best friend. We all Love you so much D-daddy and hope you know that on this Thanksgiving day what we are most thankful for is YOU!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Moments like these

Right this very moment my girls are laying in the grass singing and the boys are playing catch with the football.

Life dosen't get any better than that!

First one gone & that dang loser Tooth Fairy

Poor little guy waited for two nights before the Tooth Fairy actually showed up. Guess she had a busy couple of nights. He found two whole dollars under his pillow instead of just one for having to wait so long, but I guess that means being patient pays off in the end. You gotta love that toothless grin!

Halloween 2010

Kenny and Dolly
Frodo

Alice

Zombie Football Player

The Phantom's Christine

What a fun weekend. From school parties, to friend parties, trunk-or-treat, neighborhood carnival, and then actual Halloween where we passed out candy at Aunt Sandy and Uncle Don's, I have to say we partied and ate way to much candy, but it is always so fun! Till next year my little spooks!

Some day's feel like CRAP

OK, so I'm a little ungrateful today and feel the need to rant, so here goes...

I've got a pile of laundry on my couch sky high to fold and put away. Sad thing is I had a pile there yesterday the same size. Laundy is like grounds hog day I swear.

My piano leg falls off

Allies shelf fell off her wall around 2am and fell on her while she was in dream land. It was sad.

My bathroom garbage had mold growing in it.

I have a kitchen island that has been sitting in my living room for over a week

Half of my kitchen is spread out all over my counters because my island is sitting in my living room.

Did I mention we had a flood two months ago? Hence the island in my living room that needs to go live at the dump.

My kids love their dad more than me.

I am on strike and will not ask (nag) my children (and hubs) to get their chores done around the house.

I think I need a life coach to follow me around and tell me how to handle L- I- F- E.

Oh, wait that would be prayer and scripture, so get on the ball already.

My batroom smells weird.

My dogs smear up my windows.

I have to recycle over 500 capri-sun pouches, which means taking out the straws, and squeezing out the juice.

Football practice x 2 boys x 2 days a week

Dance x 2 girls

Guitar

A tornado hit the kids room, but I'm not NAGGING.

piano

scouts

young girls

stake primary meeting

Pack meeting

School halloween party to paln

Water the garden at the school

kids still don't have their costumes ready

Did I mention I need a new kitchen Island?

Preschool

What's for dinner tonight?



I need a plane to wisk me off into the beautiful sunset of Hawaii...like today!

Heading Back

Well, they are all back. I always have mixed emotions about the first day of school. They really were ready to go. I feel everyone needs their own space and time to be themselves, have their own accomplishments, friends and activities. My mixed emotions come from wondering if I made their summer fun. Did we had enough beachy experiences, if I yelled to much, did we eat too many otterpops, was the video gaming out of control, did I go to Brimhall pool enough that my pass was well worth the money???? Well, I think all of the above happened, I just hope it was a good one for them. This year was hard, mostly because I know it's my last with a "baby" at home. I'm going to soak up as much as I can of this faze of my life with my baby and little buddy. The kids are just having the greatest time at school. It makes me happy to see that they are growing up to be well rounded people and looking forward to the challenges ahead. I love you guys and am so blessed to have some really AWESOME kiddos!
5th Mr. Mann

3rd. Mrs. Sherman

1st Mrs. Sloan

Bad Finger

Marcie: Mom, never hold up your middle finger.

Mom: Why?

Marcie: Because if you do you can't live with Heavenly Father and Jesus.

How the heck does she know the middle finger is bad anyway? I think my baby has been educated by some older "friends" ( or shall I say Jaden, Allie, and hopefully not Graham, he's too young for this info. as well). But I have to say, they did a good job at teaching. One less thing I have explain.

To my future Daughter-in-law...don't be scared, he's only 6. Or should I say-Darren don't take advice from your 6 year old son!!!!!

July 4th 2010 Woods Canyon

Graham: Dad, you should mess up your hair. You could get the LADIES.


Dad: I already have a LADY. It's mom


Graham: Ya, but you could get more ladies at work.


OK, let's hope and PRAY he dosen't mess up his hair when he's married.

Huntington 2010

I have to say, there is nothing better than a vacation with your family in sunny CA!!! We had just the most awesome time this summer. We stayed with Stacey and Mark and it was a swinging party. It was so much stinkin fun. Now Darren is obsessed with getting up on the board, so we will most likely be bombarding the Olsen's again too soon...but I can't wait!

Allie, Molly, and Marcie

Graham's "Santa Beard"

Surf's Up!

J caught his first wave with the help of Uncle Mark.

Now he thinks he's a bonofied surfer worthy to hang with the Huntington wetsuit crowd.

It WAS pretty awesome!

est. 6/22/96

He makes me happy

&

That's what it's ALL about!

XOooxXooOXxo

Meet Me Half Way

The Thursday before Memorial Day Dennis and Sharon called with the proposition to meet them in Eagar for a little camping trip. It is always fun hanging with the Lovin's and the kids love being with their cousins. It was absolutely beautiful. We did some fishing in the Little Colorado River and decided we were right in the middle of a Jane Austin movie. I could have stayed there forever. It really was just the best time ( except for my midget tent that I had a panic attack in. I will be buying the "MOTHER OF ALL" tents for the 4th camp trip.) We all decided to make it a Memorial reunion. Can't wait until next year!

Dancin' Queens

The girls had their dance recital this past weekend. They shook their goove thang all over the stage and had so much un doing it! You girlies did an awesome job!!!

Coon On The Prowel

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside...

Graham was a raccoon in the annual Kindergarten play ,"Little Red Riding Hood". This is a tradition at Johnson Elementary that has been around since the dawn of man, most likely. He hopped around an wiggled his coonie tail to some crazy song and made his coon family proud.
Even strep throat and an icky stomach couldn't keep this critter of the deep woods down. I was betting on one of those puke episodes you hear about. You know, when one kid pukes and then it starts an avalanche of pukes (or maybe waterfall is the right adjective). I had the video camera ready just in case. If that would have gone down, Graham, you would have been a ledgend. In any event, you'll have to settle for being a good looking coon.

We love you mister Graham man. You make a good coon, and a good boy.