the robertson family

Phx Zoo

2012-02-08T02:06:00.001-07:00

The kids had an early release day, and Scott was actually OFF WORK, so we grabbed some culture passes from the library and headed to the zoo. It was a beautiful day for it. The Monkey Village is one of our favorite exhibits. You go right inside the cage with the monkeys!

Mamaw Christmas

2012-02-08T01:11:00.001-07:00

When Scott went out to Texas for residency interviews in January, he stayed the first night at my Mom's house. While he was there they gave him our Christmas presents from my Mom and sisters to bring back to Arizona with him. And, can I just say how hard it is to get a picture of 3 excited kids without at least one of them blurry?! Yikes-a-bee!

New Year's Eve

2012-02-08T00:44:00.001-07:00

We didn't do anything too exciting for New Year's this year. We just had pizza & soda and watched Cars 2 (a Christmas gift from Aunt Cecilia). The kids slept outside on the trampoline.

Pick Up Chicks

2012-02-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

On MLK Day when the kids were out of school we took them over to the feed store to pet the animals. They loved playing with the cute little chicks!

After that we picked up some Papa Murphy's, then got some fresh fish from Lee Lee's, a Chinese market the kids like to go to and pick out their own fish. The girls picked out parrot fish, because they look like they are wearing lipstick. At home we ate our pizza and watched Kung Fu Panda 2.

Date Night

2012-02-08T00:31:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago Scott & I went out on a date to Buca di Beppo. We'd never been there before, and it's kind of a neat place. It was fun to go out, just the two of us.

Dance Class- Numero Dos

2012-02-08T00:24:00.000-07:00

In the class description, all that was mentioned was 'tap shoes required'. So, on the first day of class I took the girls in normal clothes and their tap shoes. Well, apparently they are supposed to be in the whole 'leotard, skirts, tights, ballet shoes' get-up in addition to the tap shoes, and all the other little girls were dressed that way. I asked the teacher after class if that was required, and she said, "Uh, yeah." A whole ensemble times two?! Oy vey! Not cheap, my friends, not cheap. Especially when we have pretty much NO money because of Scott's traveling expenses and paying for his board exam.

I looked online, at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and Target, and the cheapest leotards I could find were $7.50, not to mention the tights, skirts, and ballet shoes. Then, as I was driving by, I thought to check at Savers (a thrift store like Goodwill or DI). There on the rack were two, and only 2, dance leotards. And, they were in the right size! Plus, they had 2 skirts, one in the right size and one a size up (hello, safety pin!). The total cost for all four items was...drumroll, please...$7.25!! Talk about a tender mercy! I was blown away! The girls were so excited to have 'real' dance clothes. I think they look so beautiful in them, and very grown-up.

I might be a little biased, but I think they might actually have some dance talent, after watching them in class compared with some of the other little girls. Check out Katelynn's pointed toe, and the way they hold their arms so gracefully!

Dance Class

2012-02-07T23:57:00.002-07:00

I signed the girls up for a 6 week Ballet/Jazz/Tap class through the city recreation dept. They were SO excited when we told them about it and showed them their tap shoes. But, Michael was sad and said, "I want to learn how to tap dance!" Silly kid! Anyway, here are pictures from their first class.

Bike Safety Party

2012-02-07T23:44:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday the City of Peoria and the Fire Dept put on a Bike Safety Day. They had free lunch, activities, a bicycle obstacle course, and gave out free helmets to any kids who brought their bike and didn't already have one (aka, our kids). It was at the Sports Complex, so it was close enough for Scott and the kids to ride over to the party on their bikes. I met them there later after attending a baby shower. Looks like the kids had a great time! Caution: Lots o' pictures!

School Christmas Parties

2012-01-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

Decorating the Tree

2012-01-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

We waited to put up the tree until after Scott got home from his clerkship in Texas. We listened to Christmas songs, trimmed the tree, ate Almond Roca, and put up the Christmas village.

On another night we put the angel up on the tree, talked about the shepherds and the angels, sang Christmas carols, and had hot chocolate.

Christmas Adam

2012-01-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

The day before Christmas Eve we went out to dinner as a family to Red Robin. The kids were starting to guess where we were going while we were driving there, so Scott went down a different road and parked at a restaurant across the street to throw them off the scent. We were all laughing so hard!

playing tic-tac-toe

The kids LOVE Red Robin. I don't know why, but they do. Every time we pass it they beg to go there. Of course, I love Red Robin, too, so I guess I can't blame them.

After dinner we drove around to look at Christmas lights. One of the kids' Primary teachers told us she had an awesome display in front of her house, so we went over to check it out.

It was a fun evening!

Family News

2012-01-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

A few big things have happened in the last few days. Scott's Mom had brain surgery on Tuesday to put in a stent. She stayed in the ICU, then was released from the hospital on Wednesday. From what I hear she is doing well, and we hope and pray for her good health and a smooth recovery.

Also, Scott's Grandpa Stark passed away on Wednesday. He would have been 90 years old on February 7th. He lived a good life, and was ready to reunite with his wife. We do not know yet when his memorial service will be. Hopefully we will be able to attend.

Scott is in Texas right now for residency interviews. He & his friend Shaun (that he drove out with) arrived Tuesday night and stayed with my Mom & sisters, then headed up to Frisco on Wednesday. His first two interviews are on Thursday. We are praying he does well on his interviews, 'cause their outcomes will greatly affect our life for the next 3 years!

It's funny, because I had a dentist appointment on Monday and they scheduled my next appointment for 6 months from now, and it really hit me that we don't know for sure where we will be in 6 months! It will all just depend on where we go for residency whether we will be here or not. It hit me like a ton of bricks! It is a strange feeling to not know for sure where you will be in only a few short months. But, life is full of changes. All we can do is trust our Father in Heaven, hope & pray for the best, and hang on for the ride!

*BTW- Jaime, I hope it's okay that I basically copied your blog post. I tweaked it a little... :)

Updates

2012-01-08T01:51:00.001-07:00

Hi! So, I just realized I haven't posted anything since mid-December. Yikes! I have plenty of things to post, which I will do later, considering it is 1:33 am and I should really be in bed. Anywho... on to the bullet-points.

* On Friday Scott took Part II of his board exams, which he HAS to pass in order to do his residency, plus the test costs 900 buck-a-roos to take, so he kinda needs to pass. We won't find out how he did for a couple of months, but I'm sure he did fine. He's been studying his butt off for that test!

* On Tuesday Scott leaves for Texas for residency interviews. Then, a few weeks from now we will submit our program ranking. Eeep! We will find out if he matched & which program he matched with, aka where we are going, in March or April.

* The kids start school again on Monday. They are not so excited about that, of course. Mommy is somewhat excited, though. But, I'm not excited about the early mornings. If you can't tell, I'm somewhat of a night owl. (Hence, it's 1:38 am)

* This afternoon we went on a family rollerblade (well, I walked) with Penny (our dog) down the trail by our house and over to Rita's, this awesome Italian ice & custard place. It's fun that the kids are old enough to do stuff like that. It's wild to me how old they are getting. (I swear I say that in every one of these dang "update" posts)

* BTW- if you were expecting a Christmas card from us and have not yet received one, have no fear. I sat down to mail them out and realized I had no envelopes that they fit inside! Who knew 4x6 pictures don't fit in an A2 or a normal, short white envelope?! Everyone? Oh, my bad. And, even though I've been to the store a jillion times since I made that discovery, I have forgotten to get bigger envelopes every time. SO, sometime this month I will be sending out our Christmas/New Years? cards.

* We did some fun things in December, like Christmas parties and the like. I will post about them and include the coordinating pictures at a later time.

* I seriously don't know why I am even still up. We have 9:00 church now. Curse you Pinterest, Facebook, and blogs! Why?! WHY?! *shakes fists in the air*

* Oh! Oh! One more thing! I was released as Primary Chorister and called to be the Webelos leader. How funny is that?! I haven't had a non-music calling in probably 10 years. And I don't know *anything* about scouts. I'm the oldest of 7 girls and only 1 boy, yo. But, I hear it's a fun calling, and it will definitely be a learning experience. Sad to be leaving 'normal' Primary, though. But, happy to be able to attend Sunday School and Relief Society. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Well, I think I'm getting a little keyboard slap-happy, so I will 'talk' to you again soon and post about those other things we did, 'cause if you don't blog about it, did it really even happen? Duhn, duhn, duuuuhn...

Hay Ride

2011-12-14T21:35:00.002-07:00

During our ward Christmas party we were supposed to have a hay ride to visit Santa, but it got rained out! So, on Monday we had a spur-of-the-moment hot cocoa/hay ride FHE so we could still have our hay ride!

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

Our Ward Christmas Party this year was GREAT...and mostly because Scott made it home right before the party and met us there! We were SOOOO excited to see him after 10 long weeks!!

The kids did the Nativity. Katelynn was a sheep, Michael was a shepherd, and Emma was an angel.

I taught the Primary kids how to do the sign language for the first verse of "Silent Night". They all loved it.

We had to go and see Santa, of course.

Holiday Concert

2011-12-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

The kids had their Holiday Concert at school last week. It was grades K-4. The first grade sang, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "I've Got Rhythm". Yeah, random, I know.

Katelynn's hairdo for the concert. She wanted me to take a picture of it.

The whole first grade.

Katelynn, on the bottom row.

Emma, on the top row.

I didn't get a picture of Michael that wasn't blurry. :(

Emma Lost a Tooth

2011-12-14T20:06:00.002-07:00

Emma FINALLY lost a tooth!! She was so excited and proud! Now she has 3 more wigglin'.

It's so funny, because whenever one of the kids tells Scott about a loose tooth he says, "Oh my goodness! My kids are falling apart!" It makes the kids laugh and laugh!

Goofy Kid

2011-12-03T02:28:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we were watching "Miracle on 34th Street". The kids were really into it, and the wide-eyed looks on their faces really cracked me up. I tried to get a picture, but as soon as the camera came out Katelynn had to go bonkers. I told her I was trying to get a picture of them with wide eyes, and this is what I got. Goofy kid...

Thanksgiving Readers Theater

2011-12-03T02:07:00.001-07:00

The day before Thanksgiving they had a couple of things happening at the school. First, it was the Turkey Trot, where the kids are divided up by grade level and run a race. Michael got, I believe 6th or 8th place? among the boys. I'm not sure. He got knocked down, but he got right back up again and kept on running!

Later, they had the Thanksgiving Readers Theater, which was their little Thanksgiving play. It was pretty cute. I was grinning seeing my little Pilgrims and Indians up there!

Black Friday

2011-12-03T01:57:00.001-07:00

On "Black Friday" I braved the madhouse that was Joann's Craft & Fabrics, with all three kids in tow, to get fabric to make the kids' Christmas PJs. It was CRAZY! The line to check out looped all the way around the store, and the wait for getting fabric cut was crazy, too. But, they had the snuggle flannel fabric on sale for $1.49 a yard! Plus, there was a coupon for an extra 25% off your whole purchase. Cha-ching! After Joann's we went to Barnes and Noble, where I picked up a few things. Much harder to buy gifts when the kids are with you. Ha ha! But, I had a worker put my little stash up at the registers for me, then told the kids to go look at the Angry Birds while I checked out. Sneaky, sneaky.

After B&N we grabbed some lunch from Fry's, then headed to the park to meet up with 2 other families we know with triplets. All the kids got along really well, and it was fun to have some girl talk. And, the weather was gorgeous! We were all in t-shirts! We miraculously were able to get all of us in the picture with almost everyone looking at the camera!

Chuck E. Cheese

2011-12-03T01:46:00.001-07:00

The kids went to Kira's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Kira is a friend in Michael's class. It was Angry Birds themed, and her mom made an awesome cake for it. And, can I just say, Chuck E Cheese is a crazy place!! It's almost surreal! Anyway, the kids had a great time.

Michael's Lost Tooth

2011-12-03T01:30:00.001-07:00

Michael lost a tooth at school. When he got home he kept taking it out of the little box to play with and show the girls. He ended up losing the tooth somewhere in the house. He was really bummed, 'cause he wanted to put it under his pillow and get some money. So, Scott & I suggested he write the Tooth Fairy a letter explaining what happened. Here is the letter he wrote.

Dear toufeari, I lost my tooth in the basroom today. So kand I have sum mune tonit. love Michael.

Translation: Dear Tooth Fairy, I lost my tooth in the bathroom today. So, can I have some money tonight? Love, Michael.

Last Soccer Game

2011-12-03T00:54:00.001-07:00

Cabin Fever!

2011-12-03T00:17:00.001-07:00

On Veteran's Day weekend the kids and I headed up to my friend Risa's family cabin with her kids. We figured since both of our hubbies were out of town we would take the kids and head up there for the weekend! It was so fun. The kids had a great time with their friends, and Risa & I enjoyed giggling late into the night. Ha ha!

Alive, I Promise!

2011-11-30T23:20:00.001-07:00

Hello! Just wanted to do a quick post to let you know we are still here. I just haven't posted for a while. Things are good here. A few bullet-points:

* Scott is currently in Temple, Texas for a clerkship. His last day is Friday, so he should be home on SUNDAY! Woo hoo! He really likes the program there. It's definitely near the top of our list.
* For Thanksgiving the kids and I were invited over to my friend Aupreille's house, and Scott was invited to his friend Jon's friend's house (Scott, Jon and Spencer are all living in the guesthouse at Jon's friend's ranch this month). A good time was had by all, and we are very appreciative of wonderful friends who take such good care of us!
* The kids had their last soccer game a couple weeks ago. They were much better this year than last year, I believe. They are still in the drawing class with their friend, Izak, although we didn't make it yesterday because Michael stayed home from school sick with a fever- 102.2, baby!
* Had my booth at the craft show a couple weeks ago. Didn't do very well, but that's okay. It was a learning experience and I was able to build up a decent inventory. I plan to list a bunch of the cards on Etsy, where people will actually be searching for handmade cards.
* One thing kind of crazy...we found a fraudulent charge on our credit card for over $11 THOUSAND dollars!! It was at some farm & ranch store in Great Britain! Nuts, huh?! They tried to buy some stuff through Orbitz, too. Glad we caught that one!
* I've been teaching a girl in my ward voice lessons, and they've been going really well! I feel myself singing better since I started, too, because I am more aware of how everything is supposed to work, I guess.

That's all for now. I have had a killer headache all day, so my brain is kind of foggy, but I wanted to get some kind of post out here since I've been razzed by a couple of people that the Barbie post was the last one I had written. ;)

Operation Barbie Modesty--Fail!

2011-11-21T21:16:00.001-07:00

 I was tired of seeing a Barbie lying around the house naked, and I had seen some people online draw on underwear with a sharpie, so I thought I'd give that a try.

Well, I couldn't find a black Sharpie, but I did find a red one. I thought, "Hmm, yeah. That will be fine. Red underwear." 

Uhm, no. The coverage isn't very good, and Katelynn kept saying, "Mom, it looks like she is covered in blood!" 

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 15

2011-11-16T01:28:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful that I was able to borrow a card table from a friend for the craft show I'm participating in this weekend. Also grateful for Michael's excitement about his lost tooth. Other things--chatting with a friend at the park while the kids were at their art class, teaching a voice lesson, dinner on time. Oh! And it was Scott's birthday today! He was able to go out for barbecue with two friends he is doing a clerkship with right now. Grateful he is having a good time on this rotation...and that he'll be home in less than 3 weeks!

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 14

2011-11-15T12:44:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful for the beautiful weather. Fall slash Winter has finally arrived in Arizona! It's chilly enough in the morning that you need a sweater or light jacket, but during the day it is sunny and there is a light, cool breeze blowing. Ahhhhh!! So nice!

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 13

2011-11-14T00:22:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful for my children, even if they drive me bonkers sometimes! The ward we attended today in Prescott was having their Sacrament Meeting Primary Program today. During the program one of the little boys was asked, "How do you know Jesus loves you?" He answered, "I know Jesus loves me because he gave me my family." Tears sprang to my eyes. I know Jesus loves me, because He gave ME a family, too. We hoped and prayed and waited for our children to come for over 2 years. During that time my faith was really tested. I didn't understand why I was not receiving the blessing of having children when I was doing all I could. But, then our prayers were answered and three little babies were sent down to join our family. I have truly been blessed.

After that little boy's answer the Primary sang "I Feel My Savior's Love", which is one of my favorite Primary songs. Here are the words:

I feel my Savior’s love,
In all the world around me
His Spirit warms my soul
Through everything I see.

He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior's love
The love He freely gives me.

I feel my Savior’s love
Its gentleness enfolds me
And when I kneel to pray
My heart is filled with peace.

He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love
The love He freely gives me.

I feel my Savior’s love
And know that He will bless me
I offer Him my heart;
My shepherd He will be.

He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love He freely gives me.

I’ll share my Savior’s love
By serving others freely,
In serving I am blessed,
In giving I receive.

He knows I will follow Him,
Give all my life to Him
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love He freely gives me.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 12

2011-11-14T00:20:00.001-07:00

I am grateful for friends that I can stay up laughing with late into the night. :D

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 11

2011-11-14T00:17:00.001-07:00

I am grateful that my friend Risa invited the kids and I up to her family's cabin for the weekend. Our kids get along really well together, and we always have a great time. A post about the trip will be coming later.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 10

2011-11-11T00:44:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful for a car to drive. A friend called me and needed a ride somewhere and I was able to pick her up and take her where she needed to go. So often we take having a car for granted.

I am also grateful that we were able to meet up with a different friend at the park for dinner. We haven't done much playing at the park since school started, so it was nice for the kids to play and for me to chat with my friend.

A little change.

2011-11-10T14:38:00.001-07:00

I was starting to feel bad that it is already the tenth of November and I still had all Halloween decorations up. So, this morning I did a little bit of a switcheroo to my display, and removed all the bones and spiders from the shelves. Have a look-see.

Not a huge, dramatic change, but just a little something to say, "Yes, there is, indeed, a holiday between Halloween and Christmas."

Crankin' Out Cards

2011-11-10T14:26:00.001-07:00

I've been making a bunch of cards to sell at The Holiday House next week. I took a quick pic of some of them. Could you click over and take a peek at them, then tell me what you think? Thanks!!

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 9

2011-11-10T12:09:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful that dinner turned out! Last night I went through the effort to make this yummy soup, and when I tasted it right before I was about to serve it I discovered that it tasted metallic! I guess the can of tomatoes I used was past its prime or something. So, it was past dinnertime and I was scrambling to come up with something else for dinner. Tonight's dinner turned out great. The kids ate it up and asked for seconds! Yay! Sometimes things work out as a mother!

We had pork chops broiled with a glaze of stone ground mustard, honey and dried rosemary on top, cream cheese mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables. Nothing too fancy, but it was good...and didn't taste like metal. :)

Halloween

2011-11-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

On Halloween the kids had a "Fall" party in their classes, which I was able to attend.

After school we got a jack-o-lantern pepperoni pizza from Papa Murphy's, came home, got dressed , ate the pizza, then headed over to Midwestern for their annual Halloween party. They always have games, crafts, snacks and bounce houses. The kids had a great time. When that ended we went home and trick-or-treated around our neighborhood.

After trick-or-treating I chatted outside with the neighbors and the kids played with the neighbor kids.

All in all I'd say it was a fun day, although it would have been better with Daddy around!

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 8

2011-11-09T00:06:00.002-07:00

Today I am grateful for the schooling in music I've received, and that I am able to share that talent with others. I taught my first voice lesson today in many years, and it was nice to feel some of that musical knowledge coming back to me. I'm teaching a sweet girl in my ward, and we are swapping voice lessons for babysitting. So, I am excited to teach voice again, and I'm also excited to rack up some babysitting credits. Night on the town, here I come! ;)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 7

2011-11-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for healthcare: that we have access to modern medicine, that we have insurance that covers it, and that we have healthcare providers we like. Today the kids had a dentist appointment. They LOVE their dentist. He is always excited to see them, and remembers things they've talked about at previous appointments, trips we've gone on, and comments on how much they've grown. The kids always have a blast at the dentist's office.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 6

2011-11-07T10:52:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful for the opportunity to go to church, and the sense of community felt there. We live in such a great ward, and there are so many people there who care for me and my family. I am also grateful for the Spirit felt there and the lessons we can learn about our Savior from each other through the power of the Holy Ghost.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 5

2011-11-05T17:33:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful for nice weather and nice neighborhood. The kids have been outside playing with a bunch of the neighbor kids for the last few HOURS. I'm glad there are kids close to their age that live nearby, and that the weather is cool enough now for all the kids to play together outside.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 4

2011-11-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

There are many things today.

First, I am grateful for the police officers, firefighters and military who risks their lives for us everyday. In our city a police officer was shot while on duty and died, leaving behind a wife and two young children. They live in our stake, and the officer was good friends with some of our friends. The news is awful, and I get choked up every time I think about it. Our ward helped with the luncheon following the funeral, so I went to the stake center to drop off a salad. While we were there, the procession arrived, complete with a ton of officers on motorcycles, and many big cars with tinted windows. Michael said, "I think I saw some spies!!" The kids asked why I had to bring a salad to the stake center, what was going on, why were the flags around town halfway up, etc. I tried to explain everything to them. It gets harder when the kids get older and you have to tell them about sad or difficult things. Although I don't know the family, I mourn their loss. It is very saddening. I can't imagine what they are going through, or the shock they must be feeling at this time. But, I am very grateful for the men and women who put their lives on the line everyday for our safety. It is amazing.

Second, I am grateful for the opportunity I've had to attend the Strengthening the Family class I've been able to attend the last couple of months. Our last class was tonight. Scott was only able to attend the first couple of classes with me, but it has given us an opportunity to talk about the things we are doing right as parents, and other things we need to improve on. We've learned a lot about how to be better parents, spouses, and people. It has been a great experience. If you get a chance to take it you totally should!

Third, I am grateful we were able to trade the kids' Halloween candy in at a local dentist's office for free kids' meals at Red Robin. I let the kids each pick out 15 pieces to keep before handing the rest over. There are several perks to this. #1- no more candy in the house, for the kids AND me. #2- we love Red Robin, so that will be a fun family activity. We don't go out to eat very often. #3- the candy gets sent to the troops serving in the Middle East.

Fourth, one of my bestest friends & family members, who shall remain nameless (don't want people getting jealous...), sent me Michael Buble's Christmas CD today!! When I opened the envelope I literally screamed! Just that very day I had been thinking to myself, "Hmmm, when does Michael Buble's Christmas album come out? I'll have to tell Scott to get me that for Christmas." So, I was VERY excited! The kids were excited, too, because they love listening to Michael Buble. (Do I have them trained well, or what?!)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 3

2011-11-03T20:18:00.001-07:00

Today I am grateful for a husband who tells me I am doing a great job, even when I don't agree. I am so blessed to have Scott in my life. He is so wonderful to me. It's sad that we can't be together right now, but we are halfway through! We have been extremely blessed while he has been gone, though. The Lord has sent extra blessings our way. This last month has just flown right by! Scott does so many things and sacrifices so much for our little family. We are truly blessed to have a husband and father who strives to do what is right, and is worthy to hold the priesthood! His residency application was due a couple days ago.When I was looking over the application I felt such a swelling of pride as I read his letters of recommendation. He is good at what he does, and will be a great bread-winner (foot fixer?) for our family.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 2

2011-11-02T21:08:00.002-07:00

Today I am grateful we were able to review the words on the kids' spelling list and have a dance party at the same time! It felt a lot more effective than sitting at the table. :)

Here is our Dance Party playlist.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 1

2011-11-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

For the month of November I am going to post each day with at least one thing I am grateful for. There were several things today.

One, I was able to hang out with one of my best buddies Risa, and she cut my hair for me! I've been needing it cut for a while, and it is SO great! And, it's always a joy to be with Risa. SHE is so great!

Two, the kids started a drawing class today. I am grateful that the kids are able to do fun things and expand their talents. There is a Youth Scholarship program through the city's rec program, and without it the kids wouldn't be able to take this class or do soccer, because we wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise, with Scott in school and us living off of student loans and all.

Three, while the kids were in class I was able to catch up with my friend Kate, who I haven't talked to for a while. It was so nice to chat, and she is such a fun person! And, I got to hold her newborn baby, which is always a treat.

Four, we got two guinea pigs today! A friend of a friend moved to California and needed to rehome her guinea pigs, and we were the lucky ones to get them. The kids are enamored with them. I think they will be a fun addition to our home.

That's a good start for today. I am excited to start this challenge, and hope it will help me to have a fresh perspective and greater appreciation for all the many blessings I have as we head into Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Trunk-or-Treat

2011-10-29T23:46:00.005-07:00

After we got home from soccer we went over to my friend Risa's house. She had asked me to help roll the hot dogs and buns in foil for the ward party tonight. When I got there she was about to leave to pick up her mom from the airport, so I left the kids there with her hubby and went over to the church to help with party set up for a little bit. Then I ran home, grabbed everyone's costumes, then went back to Risa's to begin the hot dog wrapping! it took a decent amount of time and organization, but it was SO worth it. It made serving a lot more stream-lined, and there were a lot of great comments about it. So, when it was time we got ready for the party at Risa's, then headed over to the church for the party.

Michael was excited to see his friend Bradley. He always likes to give his friends hugs. It is so sweet.

All three.

Katelynn, the clown.

Emma, the Watermelon Fairy

Michael, the pirate.

Some close-ups.

Arrgh, mateys!

Enjoying their spoils after trunk-or-treating with Shea.

It was such a great party. Everything looked so cute and was well organized. There was a flash-mob dance to Thriller, carnival games for the kids, yummy food, and a huge trunk-or-treat. It was nice to visit with friends, and know that my kids could go play with their friends and not have to worry too much about them. The Halloween Bash is one we look forward to every year. A great time was had by all!

Head in the Game

2011-10-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

This morning the kids had their third soccer game of the season. On the way to the game they wanted to listen to "Getcha Head in the Game" (from High School Musical), and were talking about how they needed to get their heads in the game for today's game. Ha ha!

The other team was creaming us! But, it's all for fun and skill-building, so that's okay. Emma was excited for a chance to play goalie during this game. I felt so bad, because it was her first time paying goalie and the other team got three goals while she was goalie! But, the fourth ball that came her way she stopped. She looked over at me beaming and gave me the thumbs up! :D Here she is going after the ball during another part of the game.

Both Emma & Katelynn running down the field.

Hi, Michael! What a handsome young man!

After the game we stopped at QT and got ICEEs/Slushies/Frostees...whatever they call 'em. Katelynn insists on making crazy faces! On one hand I think it's funny, and on the other hand it drives me nuts!

A nice pic with all three looking and smiling!

Nursery Fun

2011-10-29T22:50:00.001-07:00

For a little over a month we have been attending a parenting class through the stake. It's been really awesome, and they have a nursery for the kids while Scott & I (or just me for the last month, I guess) go to class. The kids love going to the nursery and always have a blast. The people who ran the nursery last night did face painting with the kids! Katelynn's is a tiger face. Michael's is a skunk, and he kept turning around and "spraying" people. Ha ha! Emma's face was a butterfly, but she was already washing it off by the time I started taking pictures.

Rainbow

2011-10-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

The other day the kids were playing outside and they spotted a rainbow. Katelynn ran into the house yelling, "Mom! Mom! Come quick! There's a rainbow outside. Let's go! We've gottta go find the pot of gold at the end. Come on! Come on!" Ha ha ha!

Cookies

2011-10-26T09:58:00.003-07:00

Monday night I had my friend, Cassi, and her kids come over to decorate Halloween sugar cookies with us. The kids had a great time covering their cookies with ridiculous amounts of frosting and sprinkles, and drinking spooky red punch.

Random

2011-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

After school on Friday we met with some friends at the park to celebrate their friend Kaden's birthday. I had to snap a shot of Katelynn's chocolate cupcake covered face.

Emma really likes to do her own hair. On Sunday she had changed it three times before we were halfway through sacrament meeting! Oh, speaking of which...we had the Primary Program on Sunday. The kids did great! Michael read his whole part all by himself, and Emma did most of hers by herself, too. Katelynn said, "My name is Katelynn Robertson." before she said her line. Lol! I am one of the Primary choristers (my friend just got called to be the second chorister with me. Yay!). We've been preparing the music for the program all year, so it's a relief to have it over and be able to focus on teaching some of the other "classic" children's songs. We had a practice for the program on Saturday with the kids, and it was a bit rough because I had NO VOICE! I woke up Friday morning without a voice, and didn't start to get my voice back until Monday! Yikes! It's still a little hoarse, but at least I can vocalize more than a whisper! Anyway...that was a long tangent. The pictures below are of one of the hair-dos that Emma did all by herself and was especially proud of. Not too shabby! I'd probably do without the crown clip in the front, but other than that I think it's pretty good for a six year old!

Pumpkins

2011-10-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

After the kids' soccer game on Saturday we went to Trader Joe's to pick out pumpkins to carve. They love the little, child-sized shopping carts, and were excited to pick out their own pumpkin. Then we went home and worked on carving them. Emma's is a cat. Katelynn's is Minnie Mouse. Michael's is a bat. Emma did NOT want to put her hand inside the gooey pumpkin at all! Katelynn volunteered to clean Emma's pumpkin for her. We had a Harry Potter movie on while we carved to add to the Halloween spirit.

First Soccer Game

2011-10-21T17:12:00.000-07:00

The kids had their first soccer game last Saturday. It was dang hot, but the kids had fun.

Go Michael!

Emma, contemplating her next move.

Smiling for the camera during a break.

Katelynn playing goalie.

Their friend London posing for the camera.

Relaxin' during a break.

Go Piranhas!

Good game, good game.

Bananagram

2011-10-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the school year I was packing the kids' lunch everyday. Sometimes I would include a banana, and use a toothpick to write them a message on the peel. Well, the other day I came into the kitchen to find that Emma had written a message on a banana for me! She used a pen, though. Ha ha! They sure are sweet kids! Oh, and Katelynn wrote the part that is circled. It's supposed to say "school", I guess.

More Halloween Decor

2011-10-21T10:01:00.004-07:00

This post is mostly for Scott so he can see some pics of our Halloween decorations. Some of the decorations should look familiar to a few of my friends who used to craft together every month. Miss you guys!! Like how we incorporated a couple of Scott's bone models for school in our decorations? Ha ha!

Decorating for Halloween

2011-10-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Today I let the kids do some decorating for Halloween. They did a great job setting up our little graveyard in the front yard.

Then, they directed me to the perfect spot to hang the skeleton.

While playing outside with the neighbor kids they made 'the longest hopscotch board in the world'.

It went down the sidewalk all the way past that group of kids.

Early Release Day

2011-10-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had an early release day from school. First, we played at the park with our friends. Then, we went to Subway for lunch with the Adams and the Cherringtons. This was a big deal, because we never go out for lunch. After lunch we headed over to the Cherringtons for a play date. It was a fun day!

OMSI

2011-10-04T23:44:00.004-07:00

While we were in Oregon in June visiting Scott's family we went to OMSI. The kids had a great time checking out the exhibits with some of their cousins.

Fun in Tampa

2011-10-04T23:11:00.001-07:00

Scott was in Tampa, Florida the month of July for a podiatry clerkship. He was able to go to the beach every weekend, and some weekdays! He went deep sea fishing off of the looong pier with a guy from the Ohio podiatry school, who was also there for a clerkship that month. Scott spied a family of three dolphins swimming together. A group next to them caught a manna ray. He caught a fish or two, and a SHARK!! It was just a baby shark, but it was still a shark! He was very excited about it. He had a great time in Tampa.

Where Oh Where Has Our Little Cat Gone?

2011-10-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Our cat, Daisy, has been missing for a couple of weeks now! The kids wanted to make flyers to give out to the neighbors. It's really strange...there has been a rash of missing cats in our neighborhood. A couple days before Daisy went missing we got a flyer from a neighbor missing her cat, and since Daisy went missing we've gotten flyers about 2 other missing cats! That's four cats within a week! Is there a cat-knapper in the neighborhood?!

Actually, there is a possibility she was eaten by coyotes, but we haven't told the kids that. Coyotes live in the dry river bed near our house, and there have been reports in the news about coyotes moving closer into residential areas, and being more aggressive because they are hungry. I hope that's not the case, but it has been a while since we've seen Daisy, so her return is not looking promising. Sad...

Hike?

2011-10-04T22:11:00.001-07:00

One night we wanted to go on a hike, but ended up wandering around because we went the wrong way to get to the trailhead. But, the kids still had fun, and we played at the park afterwards.

Enchanted Island

2011-10-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

We were able to meet up with our good friends, the Larsons, at Enchanted Island in Encanto Park. It was a fun little place! The kids had a great time, and it was great to hang out with our friends!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2011-10-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last week my awesome friend, Risa, informed me that she was taking my kids for a night so Scott and I could have a kid-less night before he left. We had never been to a Diamondbacks game, and were able to get free tickets, so we went! We had dinner at Thai Basil, then headed over to the game. We got there during the 5th(?) inning (whoops), and near the end considered leaving because it was kind of boring. Sorry if that makes me un-American. Ha ha! But, we're glad we stayed, because shortly after we talked about leaving the Dbacks loaded the bases, then a guy hit a homerun! 4 points in just a couple of minutes!

It was great to go out with my honey and not have to worry about how late we were out, or about picking up the kids and putting them to bed. Risa even took the kids to school the next day. Hello, awesome! I told her that I am totally taking her kids for a night soon!

The Cat in the WHAT?!

2011-10-04T20:44:00.002-07:00

So, the kids thought it would be funny to put Daisy inside Michael's fleecy, jumpsuit thingy. Crazy kids...

Cold Stone

2011-10-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

One night last week they were giving away free ice cream at Cold Stone if you donated money to Make-A-Wish, so we thought it would be fun to take the kids out for ice cream, since we never do that. They had a DJ there, and the kids were having a great time dancin' to the beat. I love watching their awesome dance moves!

Katelynn's Drawrings

2011-10-04T20:30:00.001-07:00

This post was originally written December 13th, 2009, and for some reason it didn't get posted. I think her drawing has improved since then. ;)

Today Katelynn drew a picture of my bro-in-law and sis-in-law. It was so cute that I just had to take a picture of it and text it to my sis-in-law. I love that they are doing better and better at drawing.

Here is the picture. She said that Jaime is holding the balloon and David is holding baby Oakley.

You know you're a MOMMY when...

2011-10-04T20:28:00.002-07:00

I found this post tucked away in my "Drafts" folder, and thought I would share it with you all. Enjoy!

You know you're a MOMMY when...

...you can justify cereal as an acceptable lunch slash dinner.
...you have ever used not-so-cheap eye makeup remover on a doll.
...two messes are made in the time it takes you to clean up one mess.
...you choose the number and type of social activities you will attend based on whether or not you want to deal with getting a babysitter or taking the kids with you.
...you keep crayons and snacks in your purse.
...a conversation with an adult is a welcome change of pace.
...you are over the age of 20 and are given a high-five for going pee in the potty.
...the bottom half of your Christmas tree looks strangely sparse.
...you know the words to more Disney songs than Top 40 songs.
...you hear a loud noise and assume somebody's in trouble. Either that, or you know someone's in trouble when it's been too quiet for too long.

Cartwheels

2011-10-04T20:21:00.001-07:00

One of the neighbor girls that the kids have been playing with a lot has been teaching them how to do cartwheels. Here they are practicing in another neighbor's yard.

Bye, Daddy!

2011-10-04T19:57:00.000-07:00

Scott

Quick Update

2011-10-01T19:06:00.002-07:00

An update post from my sister-in-law prompted me to do my own update. I haven't done much posting lately, although I have plenty of pictures to post. Here is a list of things going on with us:

* Scott left yesterday for NEW YORK. And, he is DRIVING! We really wanted to make it work for him to fly and rent a car when he arrived, but it is just so expensive. He will be gone for over TWO MONTHS. For the month of October he will be in Johnson City, New York, which is in the "Southern Tier" of the state and near the border of Pennsylvania & New York. It is about 2 1/2 hours south of Albany and 3 1/2 hours north of NYC. Then, for the month of November, he will be in Temple, Texas, which is an hour north of Austin and 2 1/2 hours south of Dallas/Fort Worth. So, we won't see him again until the beginning of December! Luckily, he will be in the Phoenix area for the rest of his rotations until he graduates in June, except for a week in January when he will be in Texas for residency interviews. We have already started the residency application process, which is both exciting and scary! It's crazy to think that next summer we could be moving somewhere completely across the country, and that we have no idea where that might be!

* The kids are getting settled into first grade. The girls have been having a hard time getting their work done, which is frustrating for all parties involved. We're starting to make some progress in that area, though, and hopefully things will continue to improve! I'm having a harder time feeling connected with this school. A big part may be that last year I was at the school a lot volunteering in the classroom. This year it doesn't seem like they want any parents helping out in the classroom. It's hard for me because I love helping out and seeing the kids at school and getting to know the kids in their classes. I don't like feeling like I'm not wanted or needed there, when the kids spend 7 hours of their day, five days a week, at school. I feel like I hardly ever see them anymore, and they are only 6!

* The kids are having a good time riding their two-wheel bikes around the neighborhood and playing with the neighbor kids. It's fun that they're old enough to do that now with little supervision. They are becoming so grown up! They are also going to be playing soccer, although we missed the first two practices and the first game! A few days before their first game I got a mass e-mail from the guy with the city Rec department saying, "You should have heard by your coach by now. If not, e-mail me." So, I e-mailed him saying, "I haven't heard from our coach, and I have three kids on the team!" I wasn't contacted by the coach until after their first game. Ugh! So frustrating! Oh, well. That stuff happens sometimes, I guess.

* I am busy getting our house de-cluttered and organized. I've decided that anything I don't feel like (potentially) moving is getting tossed or given away! I'm also going to be busy crafting it up to get ready for The Holiday House, a craft bazaar being held in November. I am going to be selling handmade cards (single cards, as well as matching sets) and other paper crafts, like "neighbor gift" gift tags, gift card holders, placecards, cupcake toppers, etc. I pretty excited about it, but way scared at the same time! I've never sold anything crafty before, so I feel like I'm really putting myself out there. We'll see how it goes. Now I just need to build up my inventory, and find the right price point for my items.

That's about all I can think of right now. I'll pull the pictures off of my camera and get some other things posted soon.

A Rough Morning

2011-09-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

This morning was rough for Katelynn. She refused to go to school. When it was time to leave I went out to get the other two kids into the car. She started crying, screaming and climbed up onto her bunk bed. It took some effort to get her down and into the car. After we got to the school I was out at the car with her for about 15 minutes, then finally carried her into the front office, since by this point school had already started. She cried for another 10-15 minutes in the office, then the principal took us into her office. She talked with Katelynn, tried to get her to calm down, and asked her why she didn't want to go to class. Katelynn kept saying she was scared and wanted to stay with me. After a while the principal was able to convince Katelynn to go, and she took her to class.

When I was out at the car with Katelynn I saw a friend of mine who had just dropped off her kids. As she was driving away she mouthed, "Good luck!", and gave me an encouraging smile. After I left the school I sent her a text telling her that we had just barely gotten Katelynn into class. She texted back that she'd wanted to help, but didn't want to intrude. Then she said that as she was walking she saw the other two kids and said, "Hey, Michael. Have a good day!" He said, "No, it's going to be a GREAT day!" and gave her a big smile. That totally cracked me up. At least one of the kids will be having a good day at school today, right?!

The Faith of a Child...

2011-09-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

"I'm getting older now, so I can do jobs around the house. I want to get the house all cleaned up so that Jesus can come and hug us. He can come and hug us at night when we're asleep. So, He will come and turn off His light, then come in and hug us. He'll have to turn off His light, because if He didn't we would see the light and wake up and say, 'Whoa! It's Jesus!' So, He'll have to turn off His light before He comes in to hug us. Do you think he can do that? Of course He can..."

- Katelynn

The Pit

2011-09-18T00:36:00.000-07:00

At the kids' school they have a environmental habitat thing and the kids call it "the pit". They wanted to show it to us, so we walked over there one day.

Red, White & Blue

2011-09-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

Last Friday the kids' school held a "Walk of Honor" for the 9/11 Anniversary to celebrate local heroes- firemen, police, EMTs, and military. They asked the kids to dress up in red, white and blue that day. It's been a while since I have dressed all three of them matching, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to snap a few photos with them in their patriotic clothes. I think these photos depict their different personalities pretty well!

Puddle Play

2011-09-18T00:10:00.000-07:00

We had a couple of days last week with a decent amount of rain. One night we let the kids play in the puddles, since that is a rare opportunity here in Phoenix!

Matinee

2011-09-17T23:44:00.000-07:00

This week Harkins was showing some free movies to celebrate their anniversary. So, on Monday we took the kids to see Mr. Popper's Penguins. After the show the kids wanted us to take some pictures of them outside the theater.

On Thursday Scott & I were able to go on a date to see Larry Crowne.

Riding Two-Wheelers!

2011-09-17T23:25:00.000-07:00

Now I have three kids who can all ride two-wheel bikes! Katelynn and Emma really got it down when we were up in Oregon visiting Scott's family. But, Michael showed no interest. Here are some pictures of the girls riding in Oregon.

Just in the last week or so Michael has gotten the hang of it. Now they love to be outside in the front riding their bikes! I'm glad we live at the end of the street and that the street doesn't really go anywhere, because then they can ride their bikes out there without me worrying too much.

Toad Time

2011-09-17T16:39:00.001-07:00

Sometimes we go on family walks at night on the trail by our house. One evening the toads were out in full force! We caught a few keep as pets, including this huge one! We kept them for a few days, then let them go. The kids are wearing gloves because we weren't sure what species of toad they were. Better safe than sorry, right?!

Scott, releasing the beast.

Hiding in a bush. Can you blame him? ;)

Saturday Morning at the Park

2011-09-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the kids woke up on Saturday morning wanting to go to the park and practice soccer. I had been on the fence about whether to sign them up for soccer again this year, so I thought it would be a good to go and see how interested they actually were in playing soccer. It was a beautiful morning, and we got there nice and early so it wasn't too hot yet.

First, they practiced kicking the ball up the hill.

Then we headed over to the playground. Michael--Rock 'n Roll!

The kids are pretty good at swinging by themselves now. They are great at pumping!

This is the least silly face I got out of Katelynn. She has this thing for making the goofiest faces whenever I pull out the camera.

Hi, Michael!

Playing goalie.

Going for the goal.

The kids decided to climb the trees. With no low branches to grab onto, the kids had to come up with some different methods to get up the trees. There's the bottom boost...

the back-stand...

and the head boost.

Now that's using your head!

The kids joined another girl at the park to play some t-ball. Swing, batter batter, swing!

Success!!

Feelin' Hot Hot Hot!

2011-09-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

** I have not posted for a loooong time, so I am just going through my pictures and posting a bunch of random things that have happened in the last little while. Enjoy! **

Back in August before school started the kids wanted to go to the park one day. It was super hot, but I obliged. It was the WRONG thing to do! UGH! It took forever to get there, 'cause the kids kept stopping, then by the time we got there they were so hot and tired they didn't want to play! So, we ate our picnic lunch, stayed in the shade for a few minutes, then headed home.

Oh and I forgot...on the way home Katelynn was having a hard time and was not wanting to ride her bike, so Emma & Michael went ahead of us on the trail. They got so far ahead that I couldn't see them anymore, so I was worried about them while I was trying to drag Katelynn down the trail. Luckily they just went home and got there safely, but still...Oi!!

Yay for Kate!

2011-09-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kate, is expecting her third child-- a girl! (finally!) We met at P.F. Chang's, and it was so much fun! Looking around the table I felt so happy to be there with these great friends to celebrate!

Jillian, Kate & Risa

Congrats, Kate!!

First Day of School

2011-08-29T00:43:00.000-07:00

I know that school started a couple weeks ago, but I just barely got the pictures off of my camera to blog them. I can't believe the kids are in FIRST grade now!! It is so crazy to me. This year they are attending the public school in our neighborhood. Everyone we've talked to said they love the school, so I think it will be a good year. Plus, it's only a mile away from our house, so the daily commute is a lot easier. I told the kids that if they get better on their bikes they can ride them to school once the temperature cools down a bit. We're still in the 100s every day!

We wanted to put all the kids in the same class, but they were separated into three different classes because of how late we registered. Fortunately, there was one kid from our ward in each of the three classes, so they each had a familiar face in their class. Phew!

Emma has Chloe in her class. It was so cute when we walked in to class because Emma & Katelynn ran up to give her a hug. While they were doing that I overheard another parent voicing concerns to the teacher about her son, since he was new to the school. I said, "Oh, this is my daughter's first year here, too!" The teacher looked at me funny because the girls were hugging Chloe. I told her they knew her from church.

Katelynn has Brandon in her class, as well as a boy named Jude that was in their Soccer Tots class a couple years ago. Michael was bummed that he wasn't in the same class as Brandon, but after watching those two in Primary the last few weeks I'm thinking it's a good thing they aren't in the same class!

Michael has Samantha (Sammie) in his class. When Michael came in Sammie got up from her desk and came over to say "Hi" to him. Then, when she went back to her desk, she said to the boy across from her, "I know him because he goes to my church, and he was on my soccer team. He's a really great goalie!" That made me smile.

After school I realized that I hadn't gotten a picture of all three of them together yet. They got impatient with me to take the picture because I was busy talking with my friends! That is one thing I've really liked so far about having them at the local school. Several of my friends' kids go there, too, so I can ask them questions, see them at drop-off or pick-up, see their kids at school, etc. It's nice to have that built-in community from church. It makes starting at a new school a lot easier!

Oh, and what is one of the kids' favorite parts about being in first grade now? Eating lunch at school! It's the little things, I guess. They think it's even cooler now that they can get their lunch from school. Good luck this year, ~~babies~~ big kids!

Swimming with Friends

2011-08-12T23:40:00.000-07:00

A couple times this summer we've been able to go over to our friends' house to swim and play. It's always a lot of fun. The kids play well together, and I love hanging out with my buddy, Risa.

Ward Campout

2011-08-12T23:24:00.000-07:00

The day Scott got home from Florida was our ward campout. Scott's been dying to go camping, so he was all for it, even though he'd just spent several hours on a plane. The camp was help up in the National Forest east of Camp Verde. We had a great time!

Princess Party

2011-08-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

The kids were able to attend their friend's Barbie Princess birthday party.

They danced around with the 12 princesses on the movie.

They decorated tutus.

And they had this awesome ice cream cake that my friend made! The kids were so excited when they saw it! Here is Emma with Lexi, the birthday girl.

Playdates

2011-08-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Last week the kids had a couple of playdates with friends. First, their friend Bradley from church came over. Here they are eating popcorn and watching "Justice League".

Then, later that day, their neighbor friends came over to play for a little while. They were running around the house and having a blast! I think they were vampire clowns or something? I don't know.

Bike Wash

2011-08-03T21:20:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the kids asked if they could have a bike wash. Sure!

When I came outside to see, Katelynn said in this announcer-type voice, "Welcome to Katelynn's Bike Wash!!"

Funny Kids

2011-08-01T09:37:00.001-07:00

As we were driving through Utah and Arizona on the way home, the kids said some funny things.

There are letters on the mountains in Utah. When driving through Beaver Katelynn said, "Remember Y, G, B. It might make a word!"

While driving through the desert in AZ, Michael said, "This looks like a desert that cowboys are supposed to ride in."

As we were driving, Katelynn started saying she missed Jesus and wanted to see him and give him a big hug. Then she was asking me about when he died, the holes in his hands, etc. One thing she said I thought was really interesting. She said, "He died for us first 'cause it would be kinda dangerous." Hmmm...something to think about.

Swimming

2011-07-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

The other day we went swimming for the first time all season! I didn't get any pics of the kids in the pool, but here they are on the way out. It cracks me up that the girls wanted me to wrap their heads in the towels.

Kids' Class

2011-07-27T22:41:00.000-07:00

At Gold's Gym they have kids fitness classes 3 days a week. One day is a sports agility skills class, one day is a boot camp-type class, and one day is an aerobics class. I try to get there for it when I can, and the kids seem to have a fun time with it. Here are some pictures I got of them the other day through the glass. Ha ha!

Silly Girls

2011-07-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

It's so fun to hear the kids play together and all the crazy things they come up with .The other day the girls were being extra silly. They were trying on all these clothes with both of them inside the clothes! Shirts, pants, underwear...crazy, I tell ya! Here are some pics I was able to snap of the silliness.

Michael's Tooth

2011-07-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

Michael lost his first tooth! (Finally another one the kids has lost one. Katelynn's been losing 'em left and right!) We think he may have swallowed it! The tooth had been loose for a little while, and the other day we were eating popcorn. I saw Michael from across the room and said, "Hey, bud, did you lose your tooth?!" He felt inside his mouth and said, "Yeah! I didn't even notice!" We looked around for it some, but never found it. Then I suggested that maybe he had swallowed it. He thought that was hilarious.

Drive Home!

2011-07-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

The drive home was full of...fun. I have a power steering leak, so I had to keep stopping every so often to check my fluid level and refill it. PLUS Katelynn decided to throw-up. Emma said she threw-up, too, but that she "drank it". *Shudder* AND, I also had my 'check engine' light come on, so I was pulled over to the side of the highway for a while, while Scott talked me through checking different fluid levels and what-not, then decided whether I should risk it and keep driving. Oy! Here is one of our "I have to throw up, pull the car over!" stops.

But, we still had some fun along the way. One place we stopped had a LOT of trash on the side of the road, and the kids asked if they could clean some of it up. Sure... Katelynn was talking about how we need to clean up the Earth because it makes Jesus happy when we make the Earth beautiful. I had to practically drag them back into the car, because they wanted to stay and keep cleaning up. I wish they were that excited about keeping their bedroom & playroom clean! ;)

For dinner we stopped at Burger King. Crowns are a must!

I thought the kids would play longer n the play area, but they just wanted to get back in the car and go home! I was ready to be home, too, but we still had about 4 hours to go at that point, I believe. Luckily they all fell asleep shortly we got back on the road and stayed asleep until we got back, except for Katelynn, who still wasn't feeling that great. We arrived home about 1:45 am. What a long day!

Singing for Larry

2011-07-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

While I was in Utah I found out that one of my old professors from UVSC, Larry Johnson, had passed away. The family had asked if his former students, friends & colleagues would sing two songs for his service, Danny Boy (his favorite, which we sang every year) and O Lord God. I had planned to leave for Arizona Tuesday, but decided to stay and attend his funeral Wednesday morning.

On Monday and Tuesday night we had choir rehearsals to practice the two songs. Although it was a sad circumstance we were meeting under, I was thrilled to see a bunch of my friends from the music department. Some of them I hadn't seen in many, many years.They all commented on how big the kids have gotten, and how well behaved they were. That always makes a momma smile. :)

One of the voice teachers brought her daughter along to the funeral to watch any kids who might be in attendance, which was wonderful. Then I could focus on the service and not worry about keeping the kids entertained. Blessing! It was wonderful to sing in a choir of that caliber again. It made me realize how much I miss it. It also reminded me of how *close* I am to finishing my bachelor's degree. I have actually started doing a little digging around to see if I could finish up and graduate this next year!

Playdate

2011-07-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

While we were in Utah I was also able to get together for a playdate with a couple of my friends from UVMOM (Utah Valley Mothers of Multiples). I've actually known Lyndsie a lot longer, though. We were in the same BYU married student ward, so we went through the trials of trying to get pregnant together, then worked on restarting the MOMs group after she had her twins & while I was pregnant with my triplets. We met Heidi through UVMOM, and have been good friends with her these many years. It's crazy that we all met so long ago, and now our kids are becoming so grown up!

Pirate Island

2011-07-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

While we were in Utah we met up with some friends from our old ward at Pirate Island. It was so fun to see them, and to see how much their kids have grown up! We got "The Kracken", which is this huge 2 feet wide pizza, and spilt it between the four families, and it worked out just perfectly!

Discovery Park

2011-07-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

In Utah we met my friend Bryn at the park, and I was able to meet her new hubby! It was SO great to see my friend, and the kids had a good time at the park. Oh, and when we drove up to the park Michael said, 'Hey, this park looks like Hogwarts! Lol!"

Scottish Festival

2011-07-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

We went with my sister, Chaia, and some of her friends to the Payson Scottish Festival. The kids had a good time. We found out that we are part of Clan MacKay (pronounced Ma-Kie, with a long "I" sound). The kids loved the balloon animals, face painting, swords and Bison Brew they were able to bum off their aunt!

Grandma C

2011-07-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

We couldn't go to Utah and not visit my Grandma Coleman. We would be in big trouble!

Roadtrip to Utah

2011-07-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

When we left Oregon we went to Utah. Here are some pictures of our travel day.

Stopping for lunch at a beautiful rest area. I brought along a picnic lunch.

Oh! It was funny...in my bathroom stall there was a little poem. It said:

"If you love your man

Have some class

Don't write his name

Where you wipe your *%$!"

The scenery was so pretty, and I was getting a little bored, so I took some pictures on the way. (That's probably a really bad idea, now that I think about it.)

Katelynn, Michael & Penny are sleeping, and Emma's doing a seek-n-find page.

One time when we stopped for gas I let the kids get push-up pops. Do you remember those things?! I hadn't had one in ages!

Fourth of July

2011-07-26T19:10:00.001-07:00

We spent our Fourth of July in Oregon with Scott's family. See, Kristen, you're not the only one just getting to a Fourth post. We didn't do a whole heckuva lot. We had popsicles.

The kids played in the sprinklers.

We did some fireworks. Grandpa let the kids light some of the little ground worm things, which they thought was pretty cool.