A little Field Trip to Bogus!

I'm trying to think how I should go about writing this little update. I'll try and stay positive since everyone already knows what it really takes to do any type of trip with any number of children that consists of hats, gloves............... cinching, tightening, straightening, re-straightening, buttoning, zipping, itching, snapping, whining, did I say whining?, sweating to death in 30 degree weather, and then redoing all those things mentioned above after every potty break! Lets just say I think we got our exercise in today! I only got two pictures of Hayden and both are of him on his knees. He wanted me to make sure and mention that most of the time he was not on his knees. He was completely soaked by the end of the day. I had to give him my gloves. His gloves were so wet they felt like he had gone in the bathroom and ran cold water in them. I couldn't believe he could even keep skiing with his gloves like that. He never complained, I only found out they were wet when he handed them to me to go to the bathroom.
This guy was so independent he would just jump on the lift and go solo. If he beat us down he never even waited, just took off! I have to admit he did do a lot of crying. He thinks he needs to be perfect and so he just cries over every little mistake until you wonder could this kid really have any tears left?

Halle was a firecracker as usual! She loved it! She could not get enough. She never got cold and never wanted to leave!

Brent did most of the work with Halle! My knee does not like the snow plow!!

Halle was in heaven! She never got tired!!

These guys went and went and went they did not even want to stop for food.

O.K I took a lot of pictures in just a little bit of time, because my hands were freezing, I thought Halle looked so cute!

It ended up being the most beautiful day! It started out a little cloudy and ended up sunny and warm, well around 35 degrees!

We started out early and were on the slopes by 11am. We planned on only staying for a few hours as we thought the kids would get tired! Boy were we wrong! We didn't leave until 7pm and that was because I was tired(:

I always wonder if I should write anything along with the picture, because you know when you look back at pictures even if the whole trip was a disaster when you see the pictures you think oh wasn't that fun!

We actually really did have fun! There was absolutely no one there, but us, and the kids had a blast. Hayden decided that this was definitely the way to do it (skip school)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KARA!!

One more Thing!

Halle and Kelton were talking while eating lunch. Out of the blue Kelton says, "Do you know how you know when your in love with a boy Halle?" Halle just stares at him and so he launches into "If your in love with a boy you will dream about him every night in your dreams and then you will know that you are in love with that boy!" Halle then responds with an emphatic "Yes, I knew that." Just a picture of Halle on one of our freeeeeezing little jaunts around the block! Have I mentioned that I don't like the cold??

This is Halle posing after she opened the fridge and accidentally poured the pickle juice all over her head. I actually laughed so hard my stomach hurt. She is super sensitive to smells so the smell of the pickle juice was more than this little red head could handle. I say red head so you understand the drama that goes with it!

Halle and Kelton were playing together I guess that is what you call it. Kelton was driving a little remote car and then running after it. Halle had joined in and was trying to get to the car before Kelton, on the way to get the car she decides to grab around Kelton's leg. He of course comes tumbling to the ground. He turns to her and says "Halle there is a time for hugging people, but now is not the time. You could have hurt me." I'm glad he viewed this as a form of hugging, I actually think it was more of a hold on to your leg so I can get the car before you move!! Oh the joys of being a mom!

We decided to go skiing for Kara's Birthday. We decided to treat the kids by skipping school one day to go. I decided I better warn them before hand just in case the skipping school thing was a problem. They all were horrified that I would mention missing school. No one wanted to miss school. Kelton was afraid he would miss the chocolate milk, Kara just does not like to get behind on any work, and Hayden had two problems he would miss a day on the Oregon trail and might miss earning his team some points, and the second problem which scared me a little until further investigation was that he might die! Oh and to clear up the "he might die" , he meant he might die on the Oregon trail, I mean 3 people have already been shot in his class on the Oregon trail, and he would hate to be gone when he was killed. Well we did talk them into just missing one day of school since it looks like it might be our only chance to go, but they are all a little weary of this still! I'm glad they like school(:

Valentines Update!

This year we let the schools celebrate Valentines Day for us! This is Halle at her preschool Fondue party!



Kelton's class had a little party too. They played heads up 7 up. The kids loved it! It was funny watching the kids slowly figure out how to play the game. It is a hard concept for a kindergartner to understand that you only get to touch one persons thumb!


Kara's class just handed out Valentines and then pasted them into a book. As we were addressing our Valentines the kids kept adding more people to their list. The bus drivers, oh and the PE teacher, the librarian, the computer teacher, the music teacher..... I thought it was nice, but I was getting tired and we were onto making homemade Valentines as we had ran out of all the store bought ones. We finally finished (: I don't think I love crafts! I like to look at other peoples, but I actually don't enjoy spending a lot of time making things like Valentines cards.

Hayden's class just handed out cards too. Here is Mr. Star Wars setting up one of his many battles!

Kara the other night got all the babies out and made beds for them around the playroom. I thought it was cute. She was getting so into tucking all the babies into their beds and kissing them all good night. She does this really intense little clap when she is doing things especially when she is really into what she is doing. I think it is cute and funny!

What to do with this child of mine! Sometimes I really don't know what to do with this guy!

The kids have been building with those beads that you iron. It has been like a factory around here building clones, and robots for Hayden's army of bead people.

Here's a few of Hayden's favorites right now. He really likes the Shadow Children. Thank goodness there are a lot in that series to keep him busy. If he does not have a book to read, well then we all suffer a little. He's entering that stage of lets see who I can annoy and chase!

So last night Hayden was allowed to read until 10 and then he was to turn out his light and go to bed. Instead of following these instructions by his parents he got up took all of my rags and stuffed a life size Hayden. He then decided he wanted to wake up Kara and Kelton and scare them with this stuffed dummy. Kelton was so tired he never woke up, but Kara started to cry, not because she was scared, but because Hayden woke her up. Well Hayden ended up in big trouble. So now you know why I say "what to do with this child." Lately he has not been excelling in the area of obedience! I really don't want to go through the teenage years. I can just imagine coming into Hayden's room when he is a teenager to find this stuffed person and Hayden gone.

The next day Hayden made another one of these stuffed bodies the same size as Mr. Keltonator. Then the next day he stuck his underwear into the sink and filled the seek with water (to rinse his undies, we won't go into the details of this) so then he lay down into his bed with the water running. Well he fell asleep and flooded the bathroom. I came in after exercising to hear this trickling and it seemed to me the ceiling in the kitchen was bulging a bit. Brent said, "no Hayden was probably showering and he did not think the ceiling was bulging." Well he decided to go and get the kids moving any how! Well let's just say all those rags Hayden had stuffed into those pretend bodies came in good use! The joys of parenting.

We did have a nice weekend as a family. We went and saw the Lightning Thief. Hayden me and Brent had all read the books so we were excited to see the movie. We ended up seeing the Tooth Fairy movie on Friday because they were sold out of the Lightning Thief and the kids were devastated! Seriously Kara and Kelton had been so excited about seeing a movie and they had worked all day doing chores, getting ready, counting down the minutes until the movie was to start that when they heard the movie was sold out they just broke down crying. So we decided to see the Tooth Fairy movie on Friday (it was O.K.) and the Lighting Thief on Saturday (it was great, they did say the A word a couple of times and Medusa lost her head which was a little gross, no one got into bed with us Saturday night so I don't think it was too scary).

Hayden originally was a little upset that we were seeing the Tooth Fairy movie as he thought there was no way we would ever take them to see 2 movies in one weekend. Well everyone was really happy, but they soon forgot about all the fun we had together over the weekend when it was time to go to bed and Brent did not have time to play with them. You'd think we never do anything with them.... so of course we need more lessons on being grateful...........and maybe we will just have to send them to Haiti for a while!

Well a little update since I wrote this post last week, but never published it, because I accidentally erased a few of the pictures and did not have time to download them until now. I went to a woman's roadshow. I can't remember the name of it, but it was absolutely great! I'm so glad I went. I actually feel a little bad about complaining about my strong willed sweet little first born child. I think I'll try to be a better mom, more like those amazing ladies that put on that great little inspirational show for us. I wish I could remember their name. If you ever get the chance to see them you should go. I loved it! I haven't felt like that in a long time. So so glad I went(:

So this is what happens to an update when you write it over a 2 week period and get interrupted at least 350 times. It ends up being a jumbled up mess, and now my computer is saying it is not going to save any of my changes!

Halle also gave a talk in church today. Before we left for church she through a fit because I would not let her wear her bright pink polk-a-dot socks with her light up princess shoes. I did however let her change her dress to the Laura Ingles pioneer dress! Then of course she ended up having to come home during sacrament because she through a crazy fit about Kara's puppies collar. Then I ended up giving her talk (she did stand up by the microphone and mouth the words)! I just had to add this little bit of fun! Oh how I love this crazy girl of mine!!

Rocker!

Halle was invited to a Rock star Birthday Party! She was so excited about it! This was her 1st birthday party invite and she carried her invitation around all week and would tell anyone that would listen how she had been invited to a party! Kara did a good job making her feel even more special about being invited to the party by saying, "How come she gets to go to a party, uh that's not fair." Halle loved her hair and kept getting this little pleased embarrassed look on her face when she would see herself in the mirror.
Kara is my little conservative girl, but Halle is just the opposite!

Halle had a little chocolate on her mouth as she was getting ready and Kara just kept saying. "I think we need to wash her face!" Kara couldn't think of anything, but cleaning Halle's face off it was rather distracting to her.

I think she is a cute Rocker!

We had a little snow! It was great snow because it was really wet so the kids were able to build forts and a snow man too. It melted way to fast!
Hayden is pretending like he is throwing a snowball at Brent, the other kids obviously think he is crazy. Hayden still loves to be a soldier! He loves wearing his snow clothes because he thinks he looks like a soldier.

Halle said to me, "He's not going to talk is he mom?" Then she said, "well maybe he would if I had my magic wand."

I told Kelton and Halle we needed to go to Target and Kelton said, "Oh can we get a snuggeee?" I said, "Whats a snuggeee?" Kelton said, "It's a really cool blanket that you can keep your hands free!" I'd say the commercials are working, even a 6 year old wants one. I told the kids we were not buying anything at Target, but that didn't stop Halle from crying all through the store when she really really wanted to buy the Little Mermaid costume! Kara is counting down the days to her Birthday again. Every day we recalculate the days, hours, minutes until her Birthday!

Dance Recital and ...........

I love Dance Recitals. Kara and Halle were both very exciting about the recital. Halle asked me every day for 2 weeks if she could "go to the stage and dance." She wears her costume everyday!

Kara's group did a great job remembering their dance. They were chosen to be a part of another dance recital this Saturday.


Halle' s group well lets just say they remembered one move and that was to spin in circles when the music changed. They looked cute and they thought they were fabulous!

Halle loved putting the make-up on, but Kara absolutely refused. She thought Halle looked a little scary with eye make-up. I think she finally let Aunt Natalie put a little on her, but she was not letting me close to her.

Hayden and Kelton wanted me to leave them home. Why don't boys like ballet? Hayden has been playing basketball and he loves it! He also wants nothing to do with girls. Brent asked him what if you had to pick a girl you thought was nice. He thought the idea was revolting and informed us that you don't even have to think about liking a girl until 8th grade. I don't know where he came up with 8th grade.

O.K. these next pictures are old pictures that were on the camera card that Brent put in my camera for me for the recital. I'm just glad he put a card in for me or I would not have any dance recital pictures. I uploaded them and thought they were too cute to delete. Kelton brought home his report card today and his teacher described him as a sweet and genuine child. I have to agree with her(:

I had to put this in here for Brent. Look at the guns on that guy (: Can't wait for summer!!

So lets see my little update. Kara is sick today. I think she has the flu, but she is still up and running around. I have spent the last few days getting fingerprinted, notarizing, and catching up on paper work. I tried the lemon juice thing and it did not work. It did help in making me feel nauseated, which is a good thing if your on a diet! I am on to my next venture of drinking gallons of ionized water and taking hydrangea capsules. I am on pill number 15 and have consumed over a gallon of ionized water today. It wouldn't be that bad if I did not have the throat the size of a pea! It takes me 15 minutes to get down each pill. They go down and then they get stuck. They then slowly dissolve in my throat, ugh, what a process. I think my throat is revolting though because it seems to be taking longer to get the pills down. 5 more pills to take today and then I start the process over tomorrow. I think this is going to work. Next thing on my to do list Get an Idaho Driver's License. Can you believe I have been here almost 3 years and I have not gone down and gotten a new license? What a procrastinator I am. Well my Nevada license is about to expire and I really don't want to take the driving test. I don't want to take the written test either, but that is inevitable!

Unloading the Dishwasher.........

I asked Kelton to unload the dishwasher and ......................................................... No they never grow out of it!

Kelton says to me "Mom why does Halle always copy me? When I say I want ice cream she says me too or when I say I want some soup she says she does too." I say "well maybe she just likes all the things you like, maybe you should try telling her you want some fried tomatoes, I bet she won't want that because she does not like tomatoes." Kelton goes and asks her and sure enough she wants fried tomatoes if Kelton is having them. So there goes my theory. I then say "well then your going to have to be a good example and eat healthy food so she will too." He looks at me and says, "Mom your so lucky to have me." I say "Do you eat healthy foods?" and he says, "well not right now, but I am going to start tomorrow!"

Halle and me went on a field trip to downtown Boise! I guess she has not really been to many very exciting places because she thought it was amazing! She was overwhelmed by all the huge towers and the fountain in front of one of the buildings. Before we left she said, "can I go see that fountain just one more time?" I can't imagine what she would be like if she got to go to Disneyland or something.

For my #1 Fan

Grandam this is for you! Grandma reads my updates regularly and she was wondering what happened to me! Thanks Grandma for being my #1 FAN! So I haven't taken many pictures lately, but here are a few! Halle always gives me a good reason to get out the camera! I don't know where this outfit came from, I definitely never dress like that(:
Oh what to say about Halle. She keeps me entertained all day long.

This is something very rare so I had to take a picture!

She was being rather bossy and then all the sudden she was so quiet, I went to find her and this is where she was. She gets really bossy when she is tired!

Update: for those who want to be bored out of their mind read on! I'm feeling a bit boring so it should be an extra boring update(:

January well I don't like January or February! Sorry to anyone who has a Birthday at this time! I just heard on the news or maybe it was a commercial for the Dr.s that you can be allergic to the cold. I think I am allergic to the cold! I am grateful yesterday was a beautiful day no wind, blue skies and in the upper 40's. I know I shouldn't complain about the weather there are a lot worse things than the cold, but I still don't like the cold!!! So anyways I'm still trying to pass this stupid kidney stone and am really getting tired of it! Actually it's not that bad, it only acts up occasionally. I tried the coke and asparagus thing. It didn't work for me, but I only could get down about 13 Asparagus and 1/2 can a coke before I thought I'd Ralf! I also tried the Lemon juice thing. Way better than asparagus. I don't think I like asparagus anymore! So Brent helped me squeeze 20 or so lemons and I drank 12 oz of lemon juice straight and then you drink about an ounce in 8 ounces of water over 12 hours. I think this may be working. I don't know though because I can still feel the stone, but I have hope that it is working. I did feel rather sick the one day of drinking the lemon juice, but I think that is because I tend to go a little overboard when I do things and so I was drinking double the amount of lemon juice, who knows, I certainly don't.

I also finished filling out my nursing paperwork so I could possibly get a job, and then I realized that it had been over a year since I had requested the paper work so I have to redo the whole thing!! Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

We have been doing late nights with the kids. It is this really fun idea a friend of mine told me about. I don't know maybe I wrote about these, well anyways the kids love them, and it makes bed time so much easier and faster! So one night a week the kids get to stay up with us for about 45 minutes passed there bed time. The great part is that if your not in your bed when the clock strikes 8:30 (for us) then you lose your late night. It has been really fun spending some one on one time with each kiddo and they absolutely do not want to lose their late night so they are in bed so quick when it is not there late night. Halle walks around saying "oh is it my late night? I don't want to miss my late night!"

I also started a chore chart well actually it is more of a "if you want to be in this family chart." I made a list of all the things I wanted them to do in the morning and when they get home from school. Easy stuff like put shoes under bench, back pack on hook, coat on hook, homework in basket, piano, etc. stuff only Kara does with out being asked. They put checks by the items. Kelton said, "I love this!" So far it is working. I am determined to keep it up, unlike most of my other failed attempts at charts and rewards. This one is really easy so I think I can manage it!

Halle is at a friends right now and I am cleaning my office, well I should be! My computer in the kitchen died, so I don't look at the computer like I used too. Brent is working like crazy and for once in my life I actually am encouraging him to work all he can! Funny how things change when circumstances change!

Well I hope this is a good year, and I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, sunny, hopeful January!! I am grateful for hope(: I can't imagine a world with out hope!

Happy NEW Year!!

I should be posting my goals for 2010, but I'm not. I've got them in my head for now and will soon be putting them on paper. I'm a little behind. As I woke this morning not wanting to get out of bed contemplating homeschooling just so I could start the day a little later, I sleepily got out of bed and got going. The kids were excited to head back to school and I was a little sad even though it is quite chaotic with everyone home and all the friends. For the 2 short hours I was home alone I thought wow it is quiet here. I embraced my alone time and feel rejuvenated now! I'm ready to put away the Christmas decor. that I have piled on my dinning room table and start a new year full of optimism and with out regret! That is my biggest goal for 2010 no regrets. If I think of making cookies for a neighbor I'm going too! If I look at closet that is disorganized I'm going to organize it. If I pass by a sticky window I'm going to wipe it. If my baby girl wants me to read a story I'm going to stop cleaning and do it. No more excuses for me! O.K I guess I decided to write down one goal so you can all hold me too it. Hopefully it makes me a better person and not a crazy mess! We took our annual trip to the ice rink. The kids love it. It's a little cold for me, but I have to admit I am the biggest wimp when it comes to anything cold. I only endure for the children!
Kara, Kelton, and Hayden! We always make them wear there snow suits, because they fall like crazy! If they were adults every bone in there bodies would be broken, and they wouldn't be able to get out of bed for weeks! Kara thought I should wear my snow pants too!

Kelton was speedy with this and Brent thought of the game push the children as fast as you can on this little walker and have all the other kids chase you!

Did I tell you that it is impossible to wear these guys out! They never wanted to leave.

Halle was a trooper she loved skating, but she also is a whole lot of work with out that walker. She almost killed me twice. Did I mention I'm not a great ice skater! Brent is actually really good, well at least he is better than me, the kids, and most of the people on the rink, so that qualifies you as really good in my book.

George enjoyed eating the ice off his skates! It seems gross, but he doesn't seem to get sick from it!

So I was bad this year and took a million pictures and did not get one family picture well actually that is not true my mom took one family picture of us after our family reunion of not showering for 3 days. So I'm starting off the new year with a family picture of all of us at the ice rink.

Nat and George and Reggie also joined us at the Ice Rink. Nat was wearing little bobby socks so she wasn't feeling the love her feet were hurting!

My sister Kerri and her family came down for a little visit and we all went to open gym at a gym in town! Her family is in the process of possibly adopting so they brought along some nice little boys.

Brent giving instruction to Kara! The owner of the gym asked Brent if he would like to be a coach. That was before Brent knocked a hole in the wall with his buns of steel!! Now I think Brent will just be working there to pay for the hole!!!

Brent showing off a little!

I'll admit it is quite impressive that a 40 year old man can hold him self horizontally on the rings for longer than 3 seconds.

I'll tell you one thing Brent is good at playing and kids absolutely love him! I know it is hard to believe, but they think he is funny too! I guess I think he is funny too when he's not being annoying, but I guess I'm annoying too so ..........

Sister Kerri! I don't know what she is doing probably throwing a ball at my dad since he was the official camera man! I didn't put any of the but shots of all of us, so you can all thank me later, even though I think all your booties looked pretty good!

Grandpa took this picture too. I think he must have been trying to get me in the picture, but I think it would have been cuter if I was not in it! They are all just glad it is a picture of their faces.

Brent and Halle!

Halle and me!

Me Halle and Reggie!

Tan, Kelt and Uncle Mark! Sorry no shots of Hayden. He was too fast for the camera!

Kelton stuck in the pit!

The END!