Hunt Tricks

Milestones

2011-10-23T14:27:00.000-06:00

This month marks the second anniversary of when I started running. I've always tried to exercise, but this is the longest I've ever stayed with a program. Running has taken me places and allowed me to see and do things I never thought possible. It has given me so much confidence for it has shown me I can do things that I never thought I was capable of. I love that there is always something to be working for - running faster, running farther - and has shown me my true colors on how hard I am willing to work for what I want.

I wish I had a log of all the miles I have run and the countless times I have dragged my behind out of bed before sunrise to make it to the gym. I totally understand the meaning of "the wall" and know how far it is to any point in Vernal. I have run in temperatures as cold as 17 degrees and as warm as 90. I know all about gels, Gu's, powerbars, energy blocks, and sports drinks. I have enough running clothes for them to have their own load of laundry and am on my fourth pair of shoes. I have my own water bottles and know that it's almost impossible to drink out of a cup while running without getting soaking wet. I have been so sore I had to go down the stairs on my behind and so exhausted I couldn't move another muscle.

In the two years, I have run five half marathons and as of this past weekend, run three 200-ish mile relays.

And I can't wait to do more.

Time to Party!

2011-08-24T09:13:00.000-06:00

School started today!

The boys were excited to go back

and see their friends and meet their teachers.

Porter is started fourth grade

and Zach is starting second.

Andrew's kindergarten will start next week.
I love school!

Special Project Complete!

2011-07-17T19:39:00.000-06:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who donated things for my project for Primary Children's Medical Center! I was blown away and humbled at the amount of things that you took the time and resources to complete. Here are the totals:

69 Medical Dolls

18 additional Medical Doll Gowns
41 pairs of pajama pants
32 baby blankets
39 Eye Pillows
10 packages of underwear

I delivered the items to the hospital on my way home from California and it took my boys and I several trips from the car to get it all inside! Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help in making this project a success!

The Big 5

2011-05-30T22:04:00.000-06:00

Andrew turned five today.

We spent the day playing baseball and playing legos.

He ordered pizza for dinner and a baseball cake.

He woke up everyone this morning at 6:30

with an announcement to wake up - it was his birthday!

He loves to play baseball

and build spaceships with the legos.

He's ready and so excited for kindergarten.

We love this boy!

Zach's Words of Wisdom

2011-05-04T17:04:00.000-06:00

"If we didn't have any food, then we could go into the forest and shoot a deer. That would be plenty of food for our family because it would feed five elephants if they ate meat."

Zach: Mom, why do people lift things?
Me: So they can get strong.
Zach: And so they don't get fat?
Me: Yep.
Zach: Mom, you're not fat.
Me: No - that's because I exercise.
Zach: You were only fat when you had a boy or girl in your belly. Your belly was this big. (puts arms out showing a big round belly.) Did you even fit in the shower??

Hello Spring

2011-03-31T22:13:00.000-06:00

It's so good to see you.

Wouldn't you just love a kiss from this face??

What's a boy without a dirt mountian to climb on...

Oliver wanted a try, too - until he got to the top.

What happens when...

2011-02-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

you try to take a picture of your four boys on Valentine's day holding the four letters that make up "LOVE"??

Well, you get some of this...

and a lot of this...

Oops...

Just about there...

Good enough.

It's a good thing these boys are cute!

Project Update

2011-01-31T22:28:00.000-07:00

Many, many thanks to those who have agreed to help me with my project for Primary Children's Hospital! The sewing has begun here and I know many of you have started as well.

I have a couple of other requests from the contact person at Primary Children's. Some of then include:

- receiving blankets sized 36"x36" or 44"x44" with a girl print on one side and a boy print on the other
- plain pillowcases for the patients to paint on
- stretchy headbands for the babies in the NICU, sizes 12" to 16", made from any stretchy material (i.e. lace, stockings, elastic) with a flower or something to dress it up, if desired
- eye pillows - a 7 1/2"x4" 'beanbag' made from a soft material like silk, filled with about 5 oz. of rice

If any of these are easier, feel free to make them - anything extra is just icing on the cake! This would be a great project for YW or a easy sewing project to teach to young girls. Let me know if you have any questions!

Now I gotta go sew my dolls...

My Special Project

2011-01-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, Andrew had surgery. It wasn't for anything major - just a corrective procedure he needed done. We saw Dr. Wallis at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake weeks previous and he was fabulous. He was going to do a routine procedure, yet I fretted and worried - like all mothers. I mostly worried about Andrew - How to you explain surgery to a three year old? How would he react when he had to leave me and go with the doctors? He was still having a hard time going to nursery on his own!! How would he do in surgery? How would his recovery be? I talked with him a lot about what was going to happen, but I stressed and worried and prayed - mainly that this would be a good experience for Andrew and that he would have some sort of understanding of what was going on and that he would have the Holy Ghost with him to help him feel safe and comforted.

The day came and Andrew and I headed to the Primary Children's Hospital in Riverton. And my prayers were answered that day through the wonderful doctors and nurses there. They were amazing. Their first priority was my child - they knew just what to do to be Andrew's best friend; and therefore my best friend. We saw many people that day and as they approached us, they would talk to Andrew first - then me. We felt so comfortable and when the time came for Andrew to go into the operating room with the doctors, he hopped in their wagon and waved goodbye with a "See ya, mom!"

One of my favorite things was a little Medical Doll they gave Andrew. It was a flesh colored doll with no face, dressed in a hospital gown (like what Andrew was wearing). The nurses used the doll and their box of surgery tools to show Andrew what they were going to do to him when he went into surgery and get him familiar with the instruments he would see in the operating room. Andrew could then take his doll and draw a face and hair and color it however he wanted. He named it Andrew and was attached to it so quickly - he even took the doll into surgery with him.

When we left the hospital that day, I left with such a testimony that the Lord does hear and answer our prayers and for a deep gratitude for the wonderful people at Primary Children's who made this experience something I will never forget. And since then, I have wanted to give something back.

So I'm starting medical doll drive. And after talking with the donation contact person, she said the things they need most are pajamas pants and underwear in sizes 2 to young adult, so I'm adding them to the drive, too. I am going to be in Salt Lake on June 17th, so the drive will last for the next five months. The patterns for the surgery doll and its gown are here and here and here and here. The instructions for the doll are on the top pattern page. You will need to cut and tape the two medical doll patterns together. To ensure patterns print at the correct size, please set your printer settings to "None" under "Page Scaling." The gown can be made of cotton. I don't have a pajama pants pattern yet, but here is a pajama pants tutorial using a child's pants as a pattern. Then it can be enlarged or shrunk to fit various sizes. The pants can be made from fleece, flannel or cotton with a elastic or drawstring waist. And a package of underwear bought at every or every other visit from Walmart will pile up fast (I don't know about you, but I'm there more than enough).

Don't have the time or know-how to sew? Provide the materials and I will happily do the work. As you finish your dolls and/or pajama pants and collect underwear, please send them to me by June 15th so I can make one huge donation to Primary Children's.

I've had this project on my brain for a very long time and I'm so excited to finally put it into action! And I would appreciate any help in passing the word along. My goal is to make 25 medical dolls, 10 pair of pajamas and collect one package of underwear for every size. I hope I can count on your help as well! Please contact me if you have any questions or comments!

White Christmas (well, almost)

2010-12-21T11:28:00.002-07:00

Porter and Rhett have been praying

for snow so they could go sledding and snowball fighting;

and the weather has finally delivered.

The clouds dropped about 4 inches yesterday

and after snowing all night

we woke up to 8 inches on the ground this morning.

The boys were so anxious to be out in it -

we just put our snow gear on over our pajamas

and headed out!

Rhett and the boys have all sorts of activities planned

for the next few days from sledding to forts to snowman building.

It's going to be great!

Merry Christmas!

One Year Older

2010-12-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today Porter turned nine years old.
This past year has flown by -
it seems like just yesterday he was turning eight
and being baptized.
And not too long ago he was that tiny baby
we were bringing home from the hospital.

He is such a great boy
and I feel privledged everyday
to be his mom.

Happy Birthday, Porter!

P.S. Blogger is being stupid right now
and not letting me upload pictures
or any formatting...
I'll try again later -

Pinewood Derby

2010-11-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Porter raced in his first Pinewood Derby.

He built an awesome car

and it was FAST.

He placed a close second at our Scout Derby,

then a close second at the Ward Derby last night.

But the thing he's most proud of?

He beat both of his parents...

Snow Canyon Half Marathon

2010-11-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Time: 2:12:22

(almost 8 minutes off my previous time!)

Halloween

2010-11-02T11:26:00.000-06:00

Our Halloween was very fun this year.

The boys were able to dress up in their costumes

on multiple occasions - making all the work

very worth it.

Here's our Puppy:

our Scarecrow:

Tim Lincecum (a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants)

and our fierce Tiger (see those teeth??)

A lot of the fun we have on Halloween

is making all the yummy Halloween food.

Here's our Jack-o-lantern and Bat Pizza:

the delicious Twinkie Mummies:

Mummy dogs

Eyeball Meatballs, Goblin fingers, green worms, and bones

Dirt pie, complete with bugs and worms for dessert

And last, but not least, the pumpkins

Hope you had a fun Halloween -

We sure did!

P.S. Go Giants!

This Week in Pictures

2010-09-12T16:03:00.006-06:00

Another week has passed.

Here's what happened in our house:

Monday:

This is Rhett's favorite time of the year - College football has begun. I remember when we first moved to Vernal and we choose not to get television service. When college football season came around, I thought Rhett was going to have a panic attack as he tried to figure out how he was going to watch the games. Rather than call the cable guy and pay him extra to have him hook up our TV in a day, Rhett found a way he could watch any game he wanted over the internet (much better than TV anyways). So on the weekends, this is what is on Rhett's computer... all day...

Tuesday:

If I could have one wish, it would be to keep this little boy this way forever. He is the sweetest, most helpful person; and always ready with a smile. He loves to give out kisses and you can't leave or go to bed without him insisting he give you a hug and a kiss. He loves to help and will jump in with his assistance without being asked, without whine or complaint. He is so fun to be around and I love listening to him talk and laugh. I think he's been a little lonely since his brothers started school, but it's provided some wonderful opportunities for us to spend time together and play. He has grown up quite a bit since I moved him into his own room and put his clothes and things where he can reach them. He gets dressed on his own and insists on making a "lunch box" like his brothers. He loves to walk with them to the bus stop and waves goodbye and insures they get on the bus o.k.

The other morning, as I was done getting ready for the day I asked him, "How do I look?"

His response?

"Beautiful."

Wednesday:

I did take a picture for today, but it was on the cell phone and I don't know how to get it off. Today was library day where Andrew, Oliver and I go to the library for story time. Afterwards, we picked up Rhett and had a picnic lunch at the park. Since Oliver can 'cruise' now, I let him walk along the playground. He loved it. The boys' school had a carnival later that afternoon, so we ventured over to see what all the fun was about. The boys raced in and out of bounce houses - so much that I finally just sat down on the grass and tried to keep track of them. Porter spent most of his time on the climbing wall and was quite impressive to watch. I don't mind spending the money when they kids have such a fun time... plus, it wears them out!

Thursday:

Andrew started preschool today. He has been very excited about this day and so have I. He's in a fantastic preschool close to home and will go for three hours, twice a week. Today they had a small open house where the kids went for one hour; they toured the school, met the teacher and other children and did a short coloring paper. He was a bit nervous at first, but once the class got going he felt more comfortable and had a great time. And while he is gone, I will only have one child at home!

Friday:

When Rhett comes home for lunch, he will play video games with the boys. Today he played Rock Band with Zach. We have a guitar, drums and microphone, but since only the two of them were playing, Rhett decided he wanted to both play the drums and sing. And since he had to hold the drumsticks in both his hands, he rigged the microphone up in his shirt so he could sing into it. It was quite humorous, if you ask me.

Saturday:

The flags fly today in remembrance of that fateful September 11th, 9 years ago. As I think of the devastating events that happened that day, one particular memory stands out. I remember driving home from work, listening to parts of President Bush's earlier address and the many patriotic songs that were being played on the radio. As I drove down one particular street, it was lined with American flags and my heart swelled and tears came to my eyes as I became so proud to be a part of this country. From just that sight, I felt a bond - a unity with everyone who lived in this country with me. We were Americans and nothing was going to take that pride and honor away from me.

So many things happened that day. So many lives were lost and so many more lives were shattered. Nothing would ever be the same. The world became a scarier place. But the strength and compassion that formed in each person's heart from this tragedy has been remarkable. Race, religion, age, occupation, social status has all been forgotten and we are all unified in the knowledge that we are Americans.

And our resolve to never forget.

Sunday:

Last Christmas, Zach received a mini Millennium Falcon Lego kit. He put it together instantly, but like all other Lego kits in this house, it was demolished a few days later so the pieces could be used for other cool Lego creations. I always cringe when they do that, knowing that those sets will probably never be put back together. However, after finding the Falcon instructions, Zach decided he was going to put it together again. He worked for days - digging and searching through our box of hundreds of Lego to find every piece he needed. He is sure proud of his creation. And we are so amazed that he built it again.

Yep - They did too

2010-09-10T08:43:00.005-06:00

This morning at breakfast, the boys were talking about the storyline of Transformers 2. Zach made the comment that Optimus Prime had sacrificed himself for Sam. Seeing a great teaching moment, I commented that it takes quite the friend to sacrifice himself for another. I said, "Someone sacrificed themself for you. Do you know who that is?"

"Oh yeah!" Zach replied quickly.

"The U.S. Army!"

Last Week in Pictures

2010-09-06T15:06:00.004-06:00

Here's what has been going on in our house the past week.

Remember all the zucchini we picked?

Well, I've already frozen enough of if

so I figured the only way to get rid of it now was to start baking.

I made 10 loaves of zucchini bread

and a batch of zucchini brownies.

All the neighbors received a loaf, Rhett's work got two.

And it only used about 3 1/2 zucchini -

3 1/2 out of 30.... oh boy.

This cute little boy has reached a great milestone in the past few days -

He's completely weaned.

He has been so attached to nursing for so long -

for food more than comfort -

and it has been an issued I have stressed

and worried and prayed over for a long time;

especially since we are leaving him for 5 days next week.

But I have been pleasantly suprised at how well he has adjusted

and how well he has been eating.

It has been a wonderfully smooth transition

and I am very, very grateful for it.

Oliver has also developed a love for cars.

This Mac from the movie Cars is one of his favorites

and he can be found rolling it around the couch forever...
Looks like he's taking after his biggest brother.

I let the boys have a sleepover with their friends on Friday.

Porter and Zach each got to invite one friend over

and they had a blast.
This is the playroom after they got done with it.

I don't undertand why they have to get everything out

They can't even play in the room when it looks like this.

But they had a great time -

and they picked up the room later, so it's o.k.

But boy - there was a lot of testosterone going on in this house...

My boys have a love for Legos

and they love to build all sorts of creations.

I am always amazed at what they come up with

and the intricate details of each one.

Pre-made Lego sets have nothing on them.

This is Porter's creation -

a truck with his Lego rock band on it.

Notice the singer, the guitarist, and in the back is a drummer

and even a groupie hanging off the back.

Truly amazing.

Another one of Oliver and his cars.

We have a table in the playroom upstairs

and next to it is the box of hundreds of Matchbox cars.

He pulls them out one by one

and drives them around the table.

But don't try to move him from this table

or you have a fight on your hands.

And that's our week!

Zucchini Anyone?

2010-08-31T21:55:00.007-06:00

We are part of a community garden up at the high school.

We have had a great time planting our crops

and watching them grow.

We try to get up there as often as possible

to weed and water and

especially now since it's time to harvest.

But this is what happens

when you don't get there for a week and a half:

Just tonight (and we were only there for an hour)

we picked

a bag of peas

a small bag of green beans

a bowl of jalapenos

20 ears of corn

and 30 zucchini

some of which were longer than Andrew's arm.

We'll probably go back tomorrow

to finish picking peas, green beans, corn

and see if the watermelon is ready to bring home.

And then there's the potatoes and tomatoes...

Happy Harvest!

P.S. Anyone have any good recipes that use zucchini??

Top of Utah Half Marathon

2010-08-28T21:50:00.000-06:00

Official Time: 2:20:01

(Whew!!)

2010-08-26T21:59:00.001-06:00

First day of school:

YIPEE!!
(Aren't they handsome??)

Finally, a Celebration!

2010-08-24T21:16:00.004-06:00

We finally celebrated Oliver's birthday on Sunday.

He, unfortunately, got very sick on his actual birthday

and it was a few days before he felt well enough to enjoy a party

(and for us to have an evening with nothing going on).

Here he is with his "1" cake

And this is how he felt about his dad

trying to feed him frosting...

(in his defense, he did get sick about 10 minutes

after this picture was taken...)

Happy Birthday Oliver!

2010-08-17T21:37:00.002-06:00

Today my little baby turned 1!

He has grow to be a sweet person

and we are so glad he's in our family.

He is a total momma's boy

and loves yogurt and nilla wafers.

He loves to cruise across the furniture

and has taken a couple steps on his own

but is not ready for walking just yet (whew...)

I remember thinking this time last year

that he was never going to come.

And now a year has gone by...

He has been my hardest baby by far.

We've been working on him eating solids

(I've had to be very creative since he won't eat baby food)

and he still gets up in the early morning to nurse.

But regardless, I love this little boy to pieces

and look forward to the many more years we have with him!

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

How fast can you run??

2010-07-20T12:06:00.002-06:00

A Speed Monitor was placed down the road from us

so we decided to go have some fun

and see how fast each of us could run.

Here's the results:

Zach

Porter

Andrew

and Rhett

Andrew's Prayer

2010-07-05T22:06:00.004-06:00

As we knelt down tonight for family prayer,

Rhett picked Andrew to be the one to say it.

"Remember to bless everyone,"

Rhett reminded him.

So Andrew prayed:

"Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for church. (what he always says)

Bless everyone.

Name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Fishing

2010-07-04T16:27:00.003-06:00

It's quite a shame to think that we have been in Vernal for a year and haven't taken advantage of all the local rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to fish in. So yesterday, we got all the fishing gear out and ready, bought three more poles for the boys (because everyone has to have their own pole) and headed to Matt Warner reservoir for a day of fishing. After having to turn around twice and a few wrong directions, we finally arrived and got our spot staked out. Rhett spent the first hour getting everyone's lure on, teaching to cast and untangling everyone and everything. We fished for an hour or two with no bites. We tried everything - spinners, lures, power bait, and eventually decided that we should take a break and have some lunch.

After fishing for another hour and still no luck, a family came to the water and starting fishing no more than 20 yards from where we were. Within 30 minutes, they had two fish. We watched them catch 3-4 more (and they were throwing back some because they were too small) and started to wonder what we were doing wrong. I walked past them and asked what they were using - hoping to get their wonderful fishing secret. "Cheese bait" is what he told me, and offered me some. I took it back to our spot and we proceeded to outfit everyone's line with a triple hook and some cheese bait. After about 30 minutes (and watching the other people land 3 or 4 more fish), Rhett hollered - he had a fish on his line! He reeled it in and when we brought it up on shore, you have never seen 3 more excited boys in your life! I think the whole place knew we had a fish.

After that, the fishing was great - I caught the next one, then Zach caught one. Rhett finished with Zach's and two seconds after he threw out Zach's line for him again, he had another bite - a monster 16 inch trout. At one point, we were all sitting with our lines in the water when Andrew all of a sudden fell over with his chair – almost landing him in the water. Rhett went over to help him back up and grabbed his pole – and realized there was a fish on the line! Unfortunately it got away – it was pretty hard to explain to Andrew when his line came back empty, that he had had a fish but it got away. After I caught another one, Porter was starting to get pretty discouraged that he hadn’t caught one yet. So we sat for a little bit longer, and when I had another on my line, I let him bring it in. He was finally an experienced fisherman. Every time we would bring a fish in, Andrew would shout and tell everyone that we had a fish and Zach would yell, “More dinner!!” You would have thought we were catching $100 bills or something. We finally called it a day after catching 6 fish and having about that many bite and then get away. The boys are so excited to eat their fish. I’m surprised they’re not asking to fishing again tomorrow. We had a wonderful day.

Our Texas Trip

2010-06-12T12:23:00.004-06:00

We returned yesterday
from a two week trip to Texas.
We visited Albuquerque, White Sands,
San Antonio, Houston, Pampa
Denver and then home
for a total of
3,523 miles
and
65 hours 37 minutes in the car.

It was a blast and we did so many fun things.
We are already talking about doing it again...
(in a few years)

Some of the highlights included:
seeing old friends in Albuquerque;
lasting only 1 hour on White Sands because of the heat;
being able to see Mexico as we drove into Texas;
swimming in Greg and Jodi's pool;
Visiting the Alamo;
Eating at Rudy's, Taco Cabana, and Culver's;
The Toilet Seat Museum (need I say more?);
entertaining three children during a 1 1/2 hour blackout;
spending the day at Sea World and
getting to pet the sea lion;
being able to play with cousins;
playing at Galveston beach;
smoked brisket by Uncle Jeff;
visiting Space Center Houston and
playing in the Star Wars attraction there;
a three-day drive home with stops in
Pampa, TX and Denver.

Now we are home and ready to start the summer!

Andrew's Birthday Celebration

2010-05-26T22:41:00.002-06:00

Since we are going to be in Albuquerque for Andrew's birthday on Sunday

we decided to celebrate a little early

so he could have his dinner, special cake, and presents.

He is so excited to be turning four -

but his parents can't believe he's that old.

He is such a sweet little person

and we are so glad he's part of our family!

Every boy deserves his own big bag of M&M's

The request: a green cake with stars

They call me mom

2010-05-09T15:06:00.005-06:00

Happy Mother's Day

to all you wonderful, inspiring mothers out there!

I DID IT!!

2010-04-17T12:56:00.003-06:00

Official time: 2:25:03

(11:04 miles)

YEA!!!

Pictures later...

Happy Day After...

2010-03-18T21:58:00.003-06:00

St. Patrick's Day!!

My boys got these cool embroidered shirts from their grandma
and they were so excited to finally get to wear them!
I also found some St. Patty's Day tatoos from last year
so we had fun "decorating" our arms and faces.
Andrew and I made these rainbow cupcakes.
Have you ever seen anything more fun??
Here's what they looked like
after they came out of the oven:

Don't you just love the colors?

And here's the finished product:

Complete with plenty of frosting, sprinkles,
and a piece of leprechaun gold...
Here's the eaten product:

Isn't the inside amazing?!?
These are definitely as fun look at
as they are to eat!!
I usually don't prefer much cake
that doesn't have chocolate in it or on it
But these cupcakes are delicious!

Our local rec center had a fun St. Patrick's day party going on
so the boys and I headed over there
for mini-golf, a cake walk, face painting,
hot dogs, and other fun games.
Wish we had this day more often!

Half a Year

2010-02-23T12:23:00.004-07:00

It's been a half a year since

this cute little baby has joined our family.

and he has only a half a year left

to be our sweet baby.

He's sitting up unsupported,

and his first tooth will be popping up

any time now.

You'll have to excuse all the pictures,

but during our "photo shoot" this month

he was being so cute and I was getting the cutest shots -

I just couldn't get enough.

P.S. That bear is starting to look mighty small...

Mourning...

2010-02-04T09:48:00.001-07:00

Oliver won't take a bottle anymore...

'Nuff said.

My Quest

2010-02-01T14:49:00.003-07:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year

(besides completing every unfinished project

that is cluttering my craft area)

is to find breakfast and lunch alternatives.

Most of the time, breakfast consists of cold cereal;

and lunch was a big chaotic

considering I have to have Zach fed before he goes to school.

Plus, he and Andrew always pick different things,

so I was getting bread out for this,

and cheese out for that

and then there was this fruit and that vegetable

and then trying to decide something for me.

And the boys were eating the same thing

everyday...

So I decided to make things a little bit easier

and along with planning my dinner menu each week

I plan a breakfast and lunch one as well.

This is the second week I have done this

and I am loving it.

When lunch rolls around,

I make one thing, along with the planned side

and serve it to the boys.

Some of the meals require a bit of planning and cooking

but it's so nice to have something different.

Last week was tacos,

buttered noodles with parmesan cheese,

grilled cheese with noodle soup.

Today we had these:

Pizza muffins (as Zach called them)

with applesauce as a side

and they were a hit.

See?!?

Sometimes I alter the sides for me,

adding a green salad, or vegetable soup

to make the meal more "adult."

I have been doing the same with breakfast -

last week was banana pancakes

hot cinnamon rolls and fruit

and oatmeal.

The boys have to settle with cold cereal

on the days I go the gym.

But I have loved the simplicity

and the creativity in deciding what to fix

and how to serve it.

And I think the boys like it, too.

Zach is 6!!

2010-01-22T00:27:00.002-07:00

Zach turned the big

6 years old

on Wednesday and

I have never seen a kid more excited for a birthday!

We took treats into his kindergarten class

and got to wear the birthday crown.

He chose Little Caesar's pizza for dinner

then got to open his presents.

He got the Transformer Ravage that he had been asking for

and blew out the candles on his Lego Man cake.

He adds such a spunk to our house -

Happy Birthday, Zach!

5 Months Old!

2010-01-22T00:10:00.002-07:00

Another month has passed with this cute little boy.

He is changing so fast that sometimes I feel like

I'm looking at him for the first time.

I think he had learned and progressed the most

in the past month.

He is such a curious and busy little person.

He loves to be sitting up and in the middle of the action.

His favorite place is in my sling

sitting facing out, kangaroo-pouch style

where he can be with me and be able to see

everything that is going on.

He's always reaching out for everything

whether it's his toes, toys, or anything he can get his hands on.

He's learned that to be noticed he needs to be loud

and has no problem letting us know he's there.

He is the squirmiest thing ever

(which can get quite uncomfortable when he's eating)

I'm worried about when he starts moving -

he's going to be everywhere!

He is still such a joy

and I wouldn't change him for anything!

Porter's Baptism

2010-01-22T00:02:00.002-07:00

We got back from California

and spent the next week getting ready for Porter's baptism.

All the family came out to Vernal for the event

and it was a special day for him.

His grandpas gave the talks

and Rhett baptized and confirmed him.

His aunts and two cousins sang "I Am A Child of God"

It was a perfect day for a perfect boy.

California

2010-01-21T23:38:00.005-07:00

We drove to California the day after Christmas

to spend the week with my family.

We had a blast playing with cousins,

making beaded watch bands,

playing at Legoland,

dirt biking, going to the Clippers game,

hanging out and eating lots of junk food.

While we were there,

Rhett and I left the boys with my parents

and celebrated our 10 year anniversary

in San Diego - just the two of us.

We spent the time walking Seaport Village and La Jolla Cove,

watching the sunset and really doing lots of nothing.

We celebrated New Year's on January 1st

with lots of food, games and noise -

Christmas

2010-01-21T23:08:00.003-07:00

We had a wonderful Christmas.

I think Christmas Eve this year was my favorite one yet.

We read Luke 2 and did an activity

on the signs of Christmas.

The boys made cookies to leave for Santa

and wrote notes for him as well -

something I used to do as a kid as well.

I don't know who was more excited Christmas morning

Rhett or the kids.

Porter set his alarm so be could be up bright and early.

We woke up to Porter's smiling, excited face

and it wasn't long before the floor downstairs

was covered with torn wrapping paper.

Andrew loved unwrapping the presents so much

that he didn't care if they were his or not.

The boys got everything they wanted and more.

Once everything was opened

and the cinnamon rolls were eaten,

we packed our bags, left the wrapping paper on the floor

and headed to Salt Lake

and to California the next day.

Legoland

2010-01-21T10:44:00.003-07:00

For Christmas, my mom took us all to Legoland.
My boys were in heaven...

They marveled at all the creations
each of them made with Legos.
They rode the rides,
played the games,
but their favorite thing was the huge room
filled with Legos
where they could build till their heart's content
(well, not really until their heart's content -
we did have to leave at some point).

Zach's favorite was the "Lego sets" as he called them;
All the Lego city scapes.
We only saw half the park
a good excuse to go back!

We're still here!

2010-01-15T14:34:00.002-07:00

Just letting you know

we are still alive and kicking.

Just way too busy

and having too much fun.

There will be

LOTS of posting soon!!

Four Months Old

2009-12-20T14:14:00.002-07:00

This little baby

is such a fun little person.

And his personality grows more and more each day.

Now that he's four months

I've had to officially get out the bigger clothes.

I get sad when I have to do that

because it means my baby

is getting bigger and becoming less and less

a baby -

He's starting to laugh a little when we tickle him

and is starting to reach out and grab things.

He's chats up a storm when he's in a good mood

and loves to flash his adorable smile -

especially to his mommy!

His favorite thing is to be sitting up

or held facing out

so he can watch everything that is going on.

We sure love our little Oliver!

For Your Entertainment

2009-12-17T08:58:00.002-07:00

Just some cute pictures that were on the camera..

Now that Porter is 8 years old,

he gets to participate in Cub Scouts.

He loved his first meeting last week

and is so excited to go again today!

Next, this is what happens

when you try to take pictures of your baby

and there are three other silly boys around:

But aren't they cute??

A "Roaring" Good Time!

2009-12-14T09:52:00.005-07:00

Porter's Birthday party was on Saturday.

He decided on a Dinosaur theme

So I worked all week

(And paid a bit more for fast shipping)

to put together some fun activities.

I was a little nervous and stressed about the whole thing

wondering if the kids would be entertained

and if we had enough to do for the time.

This is the first party any of my kids have had.

But I have to say,

it was one of the most smoothly run,

fun party

there ever was.

While we waited for the kids to arrive,

they made dinosaur teeth and fossils

out of white clay

which we would then baked

and made into necklaces at the end of the party.

Our next activity was a treasure hunt.

I told the kids some paleontologists had found a nest of dinosaur eggs

and the kids needed to follow clues to find them

before the hungry dinosaurs did.

Rhett made up some awesome clues

that had the kids running all over the house

to each spot and eventually to the nest of eggs.

For the third activity,

I had taken some dinosaur skeleton toys

and packed them in a mixture of

dirt, sand, flour, salt, and water.

After drying them out in the oven,

they looked like rocks.

I told the kids that some paleontologists had found the rocks

and there was dinosaur bones inside

and they needed the kids' help to get them out.

I armed them with screws, hammers, brushes, and knives

as tools to use to dig the dinosaur bones out.

It was quite funny to watch

some would just scrape the dirt out quickly

while others would chip a little away here

and a little away there.

(Yes, that is Andrew with a hammer...)

Luckily, for time's sake,

the insides were still soft

or we would probably still be chipping away...

Porter opened his presents,

then we sang Happy Birthday

and had homemade ice cream cake -

with dinosaurs on top, of course.

We had a blast!

And Porter had a great time

which is really all that matters!

Happy Birthday Porter!

2009-12-06T21:45:00.003-07:00

Porter turned 8 years old today!

Wow -

Nothing makes you feel older than

having your kids get old.

He had a great birthday

filled with presents, cake,

and lots of video game playing

for he got just what he wanted:

Rock Band and a Guitar for the Wii.

I don't know who enjoys it more;

Porter because he gets to play,

or us watching him rock out

and Andrew being his background dancer...

He gets a friend party this year

which will be held next Saturday.

He's chosen a dinosaur theme

(no suprise)

and we have lots of games and activities planned.

He's also very excited to be baptized.

He's such a good kid

and we love having him in our family.

Happy Birthday, son!

Thanksgiving

2009-12-06T21:12:00.007-07:00

Thanksgiving week was a busy time

but it was so much fun.

We left home Tuesday and traveled to Salt Lake

We seemed to be doing something every minute of the days

and loved spending time with all the family.

Here's a rundown:

Tuesday -

Got to Grandma Hunt's house

Hung out with Aunt Laura, Boozer and Abby.

Wednesday -

I baked two pumpkin pies

thenwe went playing with Jenny, Savvy and Vanessa

at Classic Skating Fun Center

Where we rode bikes and scooters,

roller skated (which I haven't done in YEARS!
and it was so much fun!)

played on the bounce houses

And climbed in the jungle maze

Then we got home

and I had a Girl's Night Out

with Mom Hunt, Laura, Emily, and Stephanee

to dinner and to see New Moon.

Thursday -

Ran a 5K in 33:55.3

Baked a yummy Apple pie

Ate a delicious Thanksgiving dinner

and spent wonderful time with the family.

Friday -

We stayed warm in our beds

thinking of all the crazies out there on Black Friday

The boys built an awesome snowman

And that night we went with Grandma and Grandpa Hunt

to see the lights on Temple Square.

Saturday -

We got up and headed to Logan to see all my family

The girls went shopping

Later that evening, we went to the Fun Center

and roller skated (again)

and the kids climbed through the jungle gym

The boys had a slumber party with Cousin Kate

Who was too funny,

for when the lights were turned off

she promptly came out of the room

blanket in hand

and announced she was sleeping on the couch!

Sunday -

We went to church with Matt and Amanda

who were blessing their sweet baby, Gabriella

We left Logan Sunday afternoon to head home.

What a great week!

Little Boy Language

2009-11-30T21:01:00.004-07:00

I love listening to the boys.

It's so fun to watch them learn

about everyday life

and the terms that go with it.

For example,

for dinner today, we had

Turkey Popeye

And counted to

ithinidy

and before bed, read from the

Doctor and Covenants.

Love it!!

Old Man Zach

2009-11-18T22:02:00.003-07:00

I walked into the playroom this morning

to find Zach coloring with the markers

and his face decorated...

I said

"Zach, why did you color your face like that?"

His reply:

"Because I wanted to be an old man!"

I guess being only 5 just isn't working for him...

Three Months Old

2009-11-18T21:52:00.002-07:00

Three months has passed now

since we had our sweet Oliver.

It's amazing to think it's already been that long

yet it's been such a short amount of time.

He has turned into quite the smiler

and he loves to "talk"

His most favorite place to be is on his changing table.

He can be crying inconsolably,

but the minute you put him on the table and remove his pants,

he's all smiles.

He is the squirmiest child ever

and never holds still.

We have to keep an eye on him on the changing table

or he will push himself back with his feet

and scoot himself off the table.

He's getting better at night.

He was waking up again -

more out of habit than real hunger.

But a night in dad's arms broke the habit

and we're back to sleeping all night.

(YIPPEE!!)

Although during the day

he prefers to sleep in our arms

or sometimes in the swing.

He's such a sweet baby.

Snow!!

2009-11-17T10:08:00.002-07:00

We woke up to an inch or two of snow on Friday.

The boys were so excited to play in it,

they didn't even wait to get dressed.

They just put on their coats, gloves and hats

over their pajamas

and proceeded to throw snowballs

at anything that moved.

Porter spent an hour outside

with his friends after school playing in it.

The funny thing is,

we can't get the boys to play outside

when it's nice and sunny.

But add a little snow

(and chilly temps)

and they don't even have to be asked -

they are out the door.

Hopefully next time we'll get enough for a decent snowman.

On another note,

Porter and I got up at 2:00 a.m. this morning,

got bundled up in our

long-johns

sweaters

scarves

coats

hats

gloves

boots

blankets

and popcorn heating pads

and sat outside

for a bit over an hour

to watch the Leonid meteor shower.

We saw about a dozen;

but I think enjoyed looking

at all the beautiful stars even more.

There are some perks to living in a little town...

Seriously...

2009-11-17T09:32:00.002-07:00

Could you resist those cheeks??

Such a Sucker

2009-11-17T09:22:00.003-07:00

Let me begin this post with this disclaimer:

I really don't like cats.

We get a few cats that roam around our neighborhood

and when this one came by our house

looking for a little love

I couldn't help but be nice.

She is so cute.

But then she hung around

and I couldn't help but be a little nicer.

I started to feel bad for her

given it is quite chilly outside.

I put out some water for her

and even bought a bag of cat food.

Yes,

I even found her a box with a blanket

for her to sleep in.

I think she's adopted us

and we "adopted" her.

She stays outside

(we aren't allowed to have pets in our rental home)

And she greets us at the door everytime it opens.

She's very friendly and the kids love her.

Such a sucker...

Confession

2009-11-17T09:04:00.002-07:00

I have been on a real freezing meals kick lately

and one of my favorite things to freeze

is chocolate chip cookie dough.

I make a batch,

form them into balls,

the freeze them.

When you want a cookie,

Just take some out and bake them

no thawing;

and they bake up so nice and soft.

PERFECT

But I have found

that the frozed balls of dough

make wonderful treats as well.

I made a batch to freeze a couple weeks ago.

and that bag of cookie balls is so tempting

who wants to wait for the oven to heat up

and for them to bake.

So everytime I needed a "treat"

and yummy cookie dough ball would do

sometimes two, maybe three...

So here's my confession:

I ate the whole batch!!

never baked one...

and I know no one else ate them

(for I try to be sneaky when I do

in fear that the others will find out about

my yummy goodness -

then I would have to share!)

As I ate the last one,

I felt a twinge of guilt

along with a bit of sadness

because they were gone...

I think it's time to make a new batch...

Guess What?!?!?

2009-11-04T11:23:00.001-07:00

Oliver slept through the night!!

WOOO HOOOO!!!

Halloween Pics

2009-11-01T16:38:00.004-07:00

We had a great Halloween here in the Hunt household.

The boys were able to dress up on Friday for school;

however, it was for a vocabulary parade.

They had to think of a vocabulary word

and dress up as such

with the word and definition on the costume.

Some were quite clever;

most were just the kids in their costumes

with a proper word and definition.

Then Friday evening we made eyeball cookies

and carved the pumpkins.

The boys each had their own pumpkins and desired designs -

and as always, it ended up with the boys watching a movie

while Rhett and I were busy creating and carving such designs.

The pumpkins did turn out pretty cool though.

Porter carved a little pumpkin at school earlier in the week;

Rhett did a dinosaur one,

and I carved Zach's little pumpkin,

Andrew's doggy pumpkin

and an Aggie football helmet (Porter's desired design).

Halloween lunch was apple teeth and mummy dogs,

and mummy ham and cheese sandwich for dinner

with beetle wings (chips)

and frankenstein fingers (carrots) for dinner.

We then got the boys in their costumes

and went out the door.

They have a big carnival at the Community Center

with games and things for the kids,

so we headed that way,

then stopped at the ward party on the way home.

Rhett took the boys trick-or-treating afterwards;

they came home with some full size candy bars and cans of soda!

Needless to say, we had a great halloween... hence the many pictures...

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T14:24:00.001-06:00

Hope your day is full of spooks, ghouls, and ghosts!!

More of our day later!!

Halloween prep and soccer

2009-10-29T11:28:00.005-06:00

First, soccer.

Zach has started indoor soccer.

Rhett is his coach -

and they both love it.

For FHE this past Monday,

we decorated Halloween cookies.

Suprisingly, the boys decorated more than they ate

Rhett stood by, mouth watering -

frosted sugar cookies are his favorite.

I told the boys not to be upset

if any of their cookies went missing...

Today Zach is home from school sick.

I was up most of the night with Oliver,

then with Zach

And I've been trying to fight off a sore throat for the past couple days

so we're taking it easy today.

On top of that, it's frigid cold outside

(no snow, yet)

Another good reason to stay in.

I really should be working on Halloween costumes.

I'll get to it...

Two Months Old

2009-10-18T17:11:00.004-06:00

Man, does time fly.

Oliver is two months old now.

He is starting to smile and coo

and I love it.

Although, we are in trouble
His favorite thing is to sleep in our bed
and he gets his way most of the time
(mainly so I can get some sleep)
I've never kept a baby in my room this long
And while it's very convienent for night feedings
I'm afraid it's going to be rough
When we move him to sleep in his own room.
He prefers to sleep in our arms during the day as well
which makes it very hard to accomplish things some days
Oh well - I'm just going to enjoy
that he likes to be held
And I really wish I could just rock him all day
Without the constant nagging in my head
of things that need to be done

Here's a new batch of pictures
to see how much he has grown and changed
In the past month

Oliver's Blessing

2009-10-12T22:00:00.003-06:00

Bad, Bad blogger...

I know

I actually had to put blogging on my list

of things to do today

just to make sure I got it done...

Anyways...

We traveled to Salt Lake this past weekend

to bless Oliver at Rhett's parent's house.

With all our families in Salt Lake or Logan,

(with the exception of my parents in CA)

It just seemed easier for us to travel

and have everyone be able to attend

rather than try to get everyone to travel to us

And I'm so glad we did it that way

It was so neat to have all our family there.

We blessed Oliver Saturday evening.

Rhett gave him a beautiful blessing

and it was wonderful to have the grandpas

and brothers there in the circle.

Afterwards, we had a nice dinner at the house

and a great time visiting and spending time with everyone.

Oliver looked so handsome in his blessing outfit.

This outfit was made for my brother, Matt

by my Grandma Peterson.

My other brother, Dan was blessed in it

and my other three boys have been blessed in it as well.

It has some special history.

How grateful I am for our family
and being able to spend time with them
and that they would help us celebrate
Oliver's special day.

One month old

2009-09-17T22:12:00.002-06:00

My baby is one month old!
It's amazing to think that it's only been that long

but I feel like he's been with us forever.

We're still getting used to each other,

but we're learning

and getting more content everyday.

He's growing like a weed

and is already almost 9 1/2 pounds!

He face is starting to fill out

Which makes his cheeks even more soft

and plump to kiss

and he's got an adorable double chin

His brothers still adore him

and slather him with kisses constantly

Zach has proven to be my best helper

and prefers to be right next to Oliver.

By the way - this is not the same picture

as posted in a previous post.

It was taken today,

in the same place, and almost in the same position

to see how much Oliver has changed already.

Isn't he adorable??

Red Cloud Loop

2009-09-17T22:01:00.003-06:00

Labor Day weekend, we had

my mom, brother,

two sisters and their families come visit.

There are lots of driving tours here in Vernal,

so we decided to check out the Red Cloud Loop driving tour.

It was a 74 mile drive

that took us past Steinaker and Red Fleet Resevoir

through the Ashley National Forest

past Dry Fork Canyon

and back into Vernal.

It was quite an adventure

and we stopped where and when we wanted to

to see everything.

We stopped at a resevoir halfway through

for a picnic lunch.

Here's Porter attempting to touch

a huge praying mantis we met on the way.

Melissa and Zach
showing us how tough they are

Savannah and Andrew leading the way
up the hill
on the trail to see the petroglyphs

Zach, Andrew, and Savannah
with a petroglyph

What we do

2009-09-17T21:54:00.004-06:00

Since I've been an incredible slacker,

I forgot to announce that

Zach has started Kindergarten!!
He is loving everyday

and loves riding the bus to and from school

(which is a huge blessing,

so I didn't have to make three trips to the school everyday)

Here he is on his first day:

And what does Andrew do

now that everyone is gone?

Well,

we paint

we take naps

(well, at least Oliver and sometimes Andrew does)

we make forts

and do lots of reading

playing

and doing whatever we want.

Yesterday, after taking Oliver to the doctor

we had some time

so I asked Andrew what he wanted to do.

He said he wanted to go to the playground,

so we did!

We played on the swings,

the slide, the climbing wall,

the ladder, and the monkey bars.

I even showed him how I used to hang

upside-down on the bars

like when I was a girl.

It's what we do!

Our friend, Charlotte

2009-09-17T21:46:00.003-06:00

This is our friend, Charlotte:

She lives in the corner of our sliding glass door frame

on the OUTSIDE, of course.

Now, I'm not a big fan of spiders,

but since this one is outside,

and we rarely use the door except to go out and BBQ

and since she's quite facinating to watch,

we've decided to keep her.

Now just to put it in perspective,

this is her next to a quarter;

just so you can see how big she really is:

(now mind you, she is about 1-2 inches from the outside of the window

the quarter is on the inside)

but just so you can get an idea -

I always wonder if one morning I'll wake up
and find a word written in her web.
We don't know what kind of spider she is
I can't look at the spider pictures for too long
before I start to get the willies...

In fact, I'm getting them now...
time to move on...

This Past week

2009-09-01T22:57:00.005-06:00

Porter started second grade last week

You've never seen a kid so excited to start school again

He loves being able to go

and play with his friends and learn.

He also started flag football with his dad as coach

They played their first game today

and did quite well.

Zach starts kindergarten on Thursday

I'm counting the days...

We met with his teacher last week

and she was very impressed with how much he already knows.

I'm anxious to see how Andrew does with all his playmates gone

I guess he does have one left... me.

I am going to start lessons with him twice a week

To give him something to do

and to provide us with some one-on-one time.

Cute little Oliver is changing already

I hate how fast babies lose their newborn look.

He's a really good baby -

Loves to sit up and look around

and is even giving me a decent stretch of sleep in the night!

One Week Old

2009-08-24T17:26:00.003-06:00

I love having a new baby in the house.
They bring such peace and love.

Oliver's birth story is much different from the other boys.
Without going into too many details, I'll tell you this:
My water broke at 1:00 a.m.,
we were at the hospital at 2:00
My epidural went in somewhat last minute
and only lasted about 20 minutes.
The anesthesiologist rushed in to give me more medicine,
but I still felt A LOT more than I bargained for
(which I guess I shouldn't complain,
since I was trying to go without one in the first place).
Oliver was born at 3:50 a.m.
The fastest labor I've ever had.

The past week, I've learned a few things
having a baby in the house again

1. Baby cheeks are meant to be kissed again, and again, and again.
2. Not being able to kiss your baby's cheeks because you are sick is torture.

3. Bringing home a newborn baby does not guarantee peace and calm in the home - especially with a 5 and 3 year old around.

4. Having a wonderful, helpful sister is a great asset to have when your mom is in Africa and can't come to help.

5. A baby can dirty a full load of laundry in one week.

6. Dumbo is a tear-jerker.

7. Prayer brings tremendous peace to a post-pregnancy, worrisome, emotional heart.

8. Staying up late is not as fun as it used to be (and not worth it) when you're getting up with a newborn and three other kids.

9. The little kids who you thought were so tiny and petite aren't so tiny and petite when compared to a newborn.

10. I have the best husband in the world - who takes great care of me and all our boys. (wait, I already knew that...)

11. I really, really love babies...

Oliver Jacob Hunt

2009-08-17T21:48:00.004-06:00

Stephanie wanted me to post pictures and stats for her blog. I will spare her regular readers the 5,000 word story of his birth and let her ramble on about our unforgettable day.

Ollie is 6 lbs 10 oz, 20 inches long and was born 8/17/09 at 3:50 a.m. He has a small mop of hair on his head as you can see in the pictures. He is very quiet and active.

Mom is doing well. They should be coming home tomorrow and I'm sure there will soon be better pictures and better descriptions of our day. Thanks to our friends and family that have helped us today. It has been appreciated beyond compare.

(I do want it pointed out that I could have vengefully posted a picture of mom right after the delivery to counter the post of me and my mammoth gut at the swimming pool in her last post. However, I have taken the high road by refraining and instead whining like a little girl about it. That's what real men do.)

Three proud brothers

Ollie grinning at his mom

20 inches and almost 7 lbs of baby

15 minutes old already with more hair than his dad

What's new in Vernal, you ask??

2009-08-16T14:23:00.005-06:00

Well, let me tell you:

Porter got a new bike.

After spending some (paid) hours pulling weeds in the front yard,

Porter earned enough money for a new bike.

He picked it out at Wal-Mart,

and proudly walked it through the store.

He spends about every waking moment he can

outside with the neighbor kids riding and racing. As a result, Port's old bike got the training wheels put back on

and passed to Zach.

So I guess you could say

Zach got a new bike, too.

(quite the upgrade from the tricycle he'd been riding)

He wanted to try riding without the training wheels

but doesn't quite have the balance idea yet.

So the training wheels went back on...

doesn't slow him down though -

he keeps up with the other boys just fine.

Next, we got a membership to the Community Center in town

and they have a climbing wall.

Porter had been asking to try it

so last Wednesday we headed down there,

got Porter all harnessed up

and let him give it a go.

He made it to the top the first time!!

We were very impressed.

He scaled it a couple more times with no problems.

Even Rhett gave it a try -Then when we went again yesterday,

Zach gave it a climb.

He did a great job;

however, he gets a little nervous when he gets too high.

He and Rhett have a bet to see who can get to the top first.

I've been challenged,

But I need to lose a little belly weight first... :)

After climbing the wall,

we enjoy the huge indoor pool the Community Center has.

Andrew's a bit timid in the water,

but finally mastered this cool dinosaur slide.

He rotates between the slide,

and sitting out wrapped in a towel, warming up.

Next,

In our goal to take in all of Vernal's "culture"

and become true Vernal-ians

we headed to the Uintah County Fair to see the Demolition Derby.

Boy, was it a blast!

As each set of cars would come out to compete,

we would each pick our favorite to win.

We had a great time yelling and cheering them on

as they drove around in the dirt

and crashed into each other.

In between rounds were tug-of-war competitions

and a beard contest...

(nothing like small town amusement, huh?)

We dined on "fair food" of fried twinkies and fried oreos

(I highly recommend the non-fried versions)

And what derby is complete without a few car fires?

Thank goodness for the fire department...

Lastly, for those who have been reading this post

waiting for a particular announcement,

Here it is:

I HAVE NOT had the baby yet.

Which is something new to me - to be pregnant this long.

Although, to pass the time

and in an attempt to not go crazy with waiting,

I have made a few new projects -

Some embroidery things for the walls

lots of cleaning out and organizing

and have some other projects in line

to help pass the time...

waiting...

Overdue!!!

2009-08-09T14:57:00.003-06:00

Well, almost...

I know you're looking at my baby ticker and thinking,
"she's got two weeks left"
but for someone who's never been pregnant past 37 weeks
it's way past time to have this baby.
And it's amost a curse to have had my others early
because now I wonder everyday,
Is today the day??

We got back from our Hunt family vacation in Flaming Gorge yesterday
This is one of the few pictures I took:

There's not many things to take pictures of
when you're sitting back at camp... all the time.
But we had a blast anyways.
The boys loved being on the boat and
Porter was in the water every chance he could
Rhett learned he needs to start working out before we go
if he wants an easy time getting up on his ski.
Zach tried out the tube.
Andrew and I did take a short turn on the waverunner
and it was nice to be out on the water
even for a minute.

We had a bit of rough weather -
crazy wind the first night (which kept us all up)
a nasty rain storm on Thursday.
Other than that, it was kind-of clear, but cooler than normal.
We always leave with the sadness that it's over
but the excitement of going again next year.
We have it quite cushy that we are now only 1 hour away
And can go anytime we want...

Now it's time to get the boys ready for school.
I register them later this week
Zach starts kindergarten and Porter, second grade
And hopefully I'll be having a baby...

The Waiting Game

2009-07-30T22:12:00.003-06:00

The house is put together,

The baby's room is ready

So now we are waiting, waiting, waiting...

Meanwhile, we are having fun here in Vernal

and hosting lots of visitors.

Rhett's parents and sister came last Saturday afternoon.

The boys and Emily went out to Red Fleet

to find the dinosaur tracks.

Mom Hunt, Andrew and I went downtown

for lots of window shopping

(because in small towns, everything closes at 5:00!)

They stayed to hear us speak in church on Sunday.

On Monday, my sister and her two girls came to visit.

We toured the Dinosaur museum, played at the splash park

and went to the park.

We got a little crafting done as well.

Today, the boys and I went to the Community Center pool

and splashed to our hearts content.

Tomorrow's plan is a picnic at the park

with some friends from town.

That is, unless I have a baby...

Vernal, Utah

2009-07-22T21:50:00.004-06:00

I know I've been a bit AWOL for a while
I've been a little busy -
getting the house unpacked
things put away
pictures on the wall
weeds cleared in the front yard
and rooms set up.

We've ventured to some of the Vernal attractions
the splash park
the Dinosaur museum
the library
the temple
various other places around town
and best of all, Steinaker Reservoir
which is only 15 minutes away!!
We like Vernal, so far
it's quiet, clean,
and it only takes 5 minutes to get to Wal-Mart!

We've been back to Salt Lake already
My mom, brother, sister, and her husband

came to visit the week after we moved in

and helped tremendously getting things unpacked

and the house livable.

Then the next week we played with them in Salt Lake and Logan

with the rest of my siblings.

We crafted and I made a comforter for Andrew's new bed.

The boys are loving the space of the house

I've noticed less fighting

(because they're not in each other's way all the time)

and the mess stays upstairs in their room

instead of all over the place.

And we like having a yard again

(even if it's just dirt right now).

I think we're going to like it here...

We've Moved

2009-07-01T15:47:00.003-06:00

We're finally here in Vernal!

We made the move this last weekend and after a few glitches, and many calls to the maintanence guy, the house is almost in full working order. We are loving the wide open space, quiet, small town life of Vernal so far. Pictures and more later!!

California Vacation

2009-06-18T22:59:00.004-06:00

We got back last night

from a wonderful 10 days in California.

The boys and I went down last week

and spent the week swimming

playing with Legos

seeing "UP"

rocking out with Guitar Hero

walking Santa Monica Pier

and visiting the aquarium

playing on the beach

doing embroidery on Mom's fancy machine

a little bit of scrapbooking

and best of all,

relaxing.

Rhett joined us on Saturday

and we visited the La Brea Tar Pits

and cheered at the Dodger game.

It was way too much fun...

School's Out!!

2009-06-05T21:03:00.004-06:00

Today was Porter's last day of school

YEAH!!

Bring on the:

sleeping in

relaxed schedules

swimming

vacations...

and packing -

Oh yea - we're moving in a couple of weeks...

Happy Birthday, Andrew!!

2009-05-30T22:27:00.003-06:00

Andrew's three today!

It's so hard to believe that three years has gone by

since he was a beautiful newborn baby.

He had a great day today

Although he insists on still being 2 -

He says he'll be 3 on his birthday

and we've tried to explain that today is his birthday

and he's 3 years old today

But he likes being 2.

Andrew got to go swimming with his dad and brothers

and then we had a party at the park with the family

We ate his Barkyardigans Pablo cake

and opened presents.

He was so cute -

As he opened each present from each person

He would give them a hug as a thank you

He's such a sweet boy.

We are so glad to have him in our family!

Happy Birthday!!

Milestones

2009-05-25T22:00:00.005-06:00

My baby

is not a baby anymore.

And with 5 more days

til his 3rd birthday

he is showing me

that he's not the little one

I really wish he would stay.

He has accomplished quite a few things

in just the last week or two -

"bigger boy" things...

He has figured out how to work the computer

and has his own computer game

that he likes to play

He has learned how to write his favorite letter

(that would be "A" for Andrew, of course)

and how to draw

a "happy, joy, joy" face

And after never having a climber
He has mastered how to climb out of his crib so rather than risk any more broken bones
we got a guard and made his bed
into a "big boy" bed

He loves to sing and dance
and can be heard singing random songs
every now and then
He's so sweet
and is starting to be able to play with his big brothers
and wants to do everything they do.

Yesterday he feel asleep after church
before we had a chance to change his clothes
Rhett made the comment that he looked so cute
laying there asleep in his church clothes
like a worn out missionary...

I don't want him to grow up
If it were possible to keep him
the way he is right now
I would do it in a heartbeat.

There's a quote in Finding Neverland that says:
A boy should never be made to go to bed;
For he only wakes up a day older
and before you know it,
He's grown.

Goblin Valley

2009-05-23T20:13:00.001-06:00

This weekend, we hooked up with Melissa and Dave and went to Goblin Valley. We left early Friday morning and camped at Green River. We spent a few hours at Goblin Valley - the boys were in heaven, for they climbed the rock formations, ran around and slid down the rocks. It was a great time. We were going to go back on Saturday and do some hiking, but after it rained all night and was still raining when in the morning, we opted not to go, for we wouldn't have been able to climb the slick rocks and it would have been very muddy. We left instead and headed for a dinosaur quarry just south of Price, but it was a dirt road to get there and we turned around after we started sliding on the mud and almost got stuck (but didn't, thanks for Rhett's and Dave's strength pushing the van). We ended up at a Dinosaur museum in Price instead, then it was home - and all too soon.

O.K.... I'll admit it...

2009-05-18T23:17:00.003-06:00

I'm a bit obsessed...

I found this cute game
for the new Disney movie UP
It's the Balloon Blow-up Game
and it's very fun to play.

A little disclaimer here...
I HATE video games -

o.k. - "hate" is a bit harsh,
but I really don't like them.
In my opinion,
they are a complete waste of time
and I don't like that my boys feel
like they have to get
their video game time in
every day
or their day is not complete.
I have played my share of Wii,
but I can't play for long
before I feel like I should be doing
something else
more productive...
I don't even like computer games -
they run in the same category in my book.
Life would be so much better
without the waste of time of the
PS2, Wii, X-box, etc...

But I can't get enough of this balloon game
I even dreamt about chains of balloons last night
And I can't resist playing a few
(o.k. - more than that)
games when I'm on the computer.

I may have to enforce
our 1 hour time limit rule
on myself....

Snowcone!!

2009-05-16T21:13:00.002-06:00

One of favorite things about it getting warmer
is the popping up of all the
snowcone shacks.
I love snowcones
and today we decided to get one
after Porter's soccer game
(which they played great!)
It was the best snowcone I have ever had
finely crushed ice
lots of flavor juice
and just the right size
for just the right price
it was heaven.
I wished I had my camera with me
to capture the boys
expecially Andrew
with their first snowcone.
The moment was priceless.
My dream one day
is to get a snowshack of our own
My goal is to have the boys run it
and earn money for their missions and college.
I think it's a grand idea
Rhett rolls his eyes
every time I mention it...

Later on in the day
we headed down to the complex clubhouse
to watch a movie
in the little theatre there.
The pool is there as well
and we decided to go out by it
just for a minute...
We stuck our toes in
the water was still pretty cold.
They have a little 1 1/2 foot deep kiddie pool;
Pretty soon our pants were hiked up to our knees
to walk on the first step
Before I knew it,
the boys had their pants and shorts
hiked up to their hips
so they could walk in as deep as they could
and soon their pants were wet
and their shirts were wet
We took off the shirts
and since their pants were already pretty much soaked
they got right in
and "swam" around
until one of the managers came out
to inform us the pools weren't open yet
and asked us to get out...
Oops...

Our Special Day

2009-05-10T16:32:00.005-06:00

Happy Mother's Day

to all you wonderful mothers, mothers-to-be, and potential mothers -

I hope your day was a great as mine!!

Another one

2009-05-06T09:07:00.004-06:00

Zach lost another tooth last night

It's been bugging him for a while

and we've been wiggling it

and made many attempts at pulling it out.

Finally, last night before he got into bed

I asked to wiggle it one more time

He said, "I just want you to pull it out."

I wiggled once, then pulled,

and out it came!!

He was so happy

Like a kid in a candy store

He couldn't stop smiling

with his tounge stategically poking out

of the new hole...

What's for dinner??

2009-05-03T19:43:00.003-06:00

Want an idea for dinner??
You've got to have this:
Teriyaki Roasted Salmon with Oranges, Fingerling Potatoes and Haricots Verts.
I normally don't serve my kids fish,
because they usually don't eat it.
But I did tonight and they loved this!!
Their plates were clean...

They were expecially diligent in eating their dinner
because we had this for "treat":
Chocolate Caramel Fondue
We laid out a blanket on the carpet
and went at it.
The only sound was the boys chewing...
And the first one to make a mess down their shirt??

Rhett...
Right after I handed napkins to the boys...

Why I LOVE Spring

2009-04-28T22:12:00.006-06:00

Need I say more???

Flowers courtesy of the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point.

Silence is Golden

2009-04-25T21:35:00.006-06:00

Silence...

Oh, how I love silence.

No yelling

screaming

crying

fighting

talking loudly

insane laughing

(not that I don't like that part)

But I really love silence.

Do you hear it??

...exactly...

Rhett went to Albuquerque today with his dad

to get the rest of our stuff

that didn't fit in the moving truck the first time.

He called to say they were there

and that he was glad I hadn't come

and seen the house

and friends.

He thinks I wouldn't have come back to UT
and he's probably right.

I miss Albuquerque a lot more than I thought I would

I loved our house

and beautiful yard

and all our friends

and all the attractions ABQ had

like seeing the balloons flying in the early morning

and the Balloon Fiesta in October;

the zoo with it's great animals and playground;

the jets that used to fly over our house on their way to the air force base.

It's very bittersweet being here in SLC

I know there are bigger and better things for us

waiting in Vernal

It's just having the patience

to finally get there.

The boys and I had a busy, but fun day today

We started with Porter's soccer game

He played goalie the first half

and poor thing -

all the action stayed down at the other end

so between standing there

and the cloudy 45 degree weather,

he was an icicle by halftime.

We warmed him up in the third quarter

and he played in the fourth and played midfield

so he got some action time.

Afterwards, it was to the grocery store

then home for lunch,

then off to the Museum of Ancient Life.

They have a series of exhibits at the beginning

where they explain fossils and how the earth was long ago

They boys didn't think to highly of it

and Zach finally said to me,

"Mom, I just want to see the bones."

We all had a great time

Porter was in heaven being surrounded by dinosaurs

What an awesome place.

Then it was off to Costco,
then home for dinner.
After dinner we cleaned up,
then played UNO together
Porter said, "I like nights like these"
I do, too...

On a side note
Zach started T-ball on Thursday with their first game/practice

The boys were hilarious to watch
Some had no idea what to do
and would hit the ball, then field it themselves
Others would hit, then run everywhere
but around the bases
I sure was proud of our little Zachy
who knew exactly what to do...

I'm off now to watch my movie
Seven Pounds
and enjoy the silence...

Daddy's Home

2009-04-24T17:03:00.003-06:00

The boys sure love their dad...

Rhett came home last night
after being in Vernal since Monday.
The boys were sure happy to see him
I was, too.
Andrew has freaked out twice
because he thought dad was going to leave again.

Rhett was home today
and the boys have had a great time.
They've built dinosaurs
played baseball
lauched parachute guys
played Wii
and we all went to the movies
to see Monsters vs Aliens.

Andrew only talks to Rhett now -
When he says something
and I acknowledge it,
he tells me
"no mom, I'm talking to dad"
This morning he got in trouble and was put in his bed
After a minute, he was yelling
"Dad! Come get me out!"
I went in to resolve the trouble
He wouldn't even talk to me
let alone look at me
I asked if he wanted dad to get him out
and I got a subtle nod
Rhett went in and got him out...

Boy am I lucky
to have married a man
that adores his kids
and his kids adore him.

Our Saturday

2009-04-20T08:49:00.004-06:00

I call it "our" Saturday

because it's the first Saturday

Rhett didn't have to go to work

Since we moved to Salt Lake.

I call it "ours"

Because we were able to spend

the WHOLE day together as a family

doing things we wanted to do

And what a perfect day it was, too.

The day started with Porter's first soccer game

(even though we are three weeks into the season

the first two games got rained/snowed out)

Porter played well

and was so excited to finally get to play a game.

His team is the Big T-Rexes...

Afterwards, we spent some time at Grandma Hunt's

where we finally had our Easter Egg hunt -

Now that everyone was well and could be there.

Andrew was so funny once he had all his eggs

He laid them all out,

then opened them one by one

Everytime amazed and suprised to see

that each one was filled with candy.

We then did something we haven't done in a long time -

the boys played baseball.

We all had a blast -

The boys loved hitting and running the bases

Rhett loved hopping the small fence and chasing after the balls

And I loved watching.

The boys hit so well -

even Andrew

He hits as well as the other boys -

for only being 2 1/2.

Andrew would hit and go straight to 2nd base

(because he likes the number 2).

Porter and Zach would hit,

then try to make it all the way around the bases

before Rhett would try and tag them out.

Once the boys had their fill,

we headed home so Rhett and I could get ready

for a date...

We dropped the boys off

to play with their cousins

and enjoyed a wonderful BBQ dinner at Famous Dave's

then saw the movie Knowing...

Good movie but very interesting ending...

(I'll leave it at that)

This week starts a new "era" for us

Rhett left this morning for Vernal

and will be there til Thursday.

I feel like we just got him back

and now he's gone again.

The good part is he will get Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays off.

Zach's grounded to his room this week

for hitting his brothers,

again and again...

Any ideas on how to get him to stop?

I feel like I've tried everything

And the only thing I have left is to keep him in his room

where he's not around anyone to hit...

I hate to have to come to that

but I'm seriously at my wits end...

I looked out the window....

2009-04-16T21:34:00.005-06:00

And what did I see???

Have I ever mentioned how much I love springtime??

The boys counted 25 of these trees in pink

just on the way to Grandma's house.

They are on the list of trees I want in my yard

When I finally get one again...

We were walking around the complex the other day

and saw a few of these trees

Without any prompting,

Andrew shouted excitedly

"POPCORN!!"

They are now known as the "popcorn trees"

I'd like to introduce

our future paleontologist

It was career day at Porter's school

and he decided to dress in his new dinosaur shirt

(make special by Grandma Peterson -

Thanks, Grandma!)

To show how much he loves dinosaurs

and wants to dig up their bones when he grows up.

Vernal will be the perfect place for him...

Scrapbooking, Easter and Fun

2009-04-15T10:21:00.006-06:00

I know it's been a while

but we just had too much fun last week

with so much going on.

My family was in town -

We went to Sunday morning conference.

I love being in the Conference Center

especially when the prophet comes in and out

and when we sing the interlude hymn

If people sang as well as they do there in sacrament meeting,

it would raise the roof...

What an amazing way to bring the spirit in even stronger

The choir singing "We Thank Thee Oh God For a Prophet"

works as well...

The week was spent at Aunt Myrna's

where I scrapped my behind off

(as promised)

I got about 16 pages done

and three finished that I had started years ago

I came home feeling very accomplished

and in hopes that the motivation continues

We would go over in the morning

and the boys spent the time jumping on the tramp

watching movies

playing with Uncle Dan

and enjoing their cousins

We would come home for dinner,

then when Rhett would come home and the boys were in bed,

I would go back over for another few hours.

It was a great time.

We had a nice Easter

The boys woke up to the "bunny trail"

(jelly beans led to their baskets)

They each received a home-made church bag

and a coloring book

We colored eggs

And would have made it to church,
but Andrew had been running a fever
and Porter got sick
So we stayed home and enjoyed being together.
Zach, Andrew and I ventured to Grandma Hunt's
for a wonderful Easter dinner.
We had to postpone our Egg hunt til next week
When everyone can attend...

Today is Rhett's favorite day

April 15th

The last day of busy tax season

I take that back...

Tomorrow will be his favorite day

when he can come home at a decent time

Or maybe it will be on Saturday

When he doesn't have to get up early and go to work

The relief of busy season being over

won't last long for us

Starting next week,

Rhett will be in Vernal Monday to Thursday

That will last until we move out there -

at the end of June

Wish me luck...

I'm am so excited!!

2009-04-03T18:53:00.003-06:00

Want to know why???

I'll show you...

A strong back and spine

Two little legs (so cute crossed, can you see?)

A healthy heart

A little arm waving hello

and an adorable little face.

And you know what else??

It's a BOY!!

Yes, another boy. We are thrilled.
Our little #4 was as cute as could be
squirming and moving around.
I could have stayed there forever
looking at him
and adoring him already.

The rest of the boys are thrilled as well
with the idea of adding another boy to the club.
Porter insisted we needed a girl
noting that we had enough "maniacs" in the family
But he loves the idea of anther baby joining the family.
Zach wants to play with him already
He's just going to have to wait til August...

Busy day

2009-04-02T21:41:00.004-06:00

Today was busy...
We got up,
watched a bit of cartoons,
and got ready for the day.
Then we took some more stuff to the storage unit,
went to Wal-Mart,
then I dropped the two boys off at Grandma's
for it was my day to help in Porter's class.
Once we got out of school,
it was back to Grandma's for the boys,
then home for homework and an early dinner,
then off to the park for Porter's soccer practice
where it was FREEZING!
The actual temperature was o.k.
but the wind was horrible
and we sat out there for an hour.
Zach was perfectly content to play on the playground
(I think he has his dad's cold weather blood)
but Andrew got a bit chilly -
me, too.
Finally it was home for tubs and showers
and off to bed,
so I can pick up the rest of the place
to get ready for the family coming tomorrow.
Tomorrow's busy, too
Errands,
cleaning,
things to get done...

I still have yet to watch my Thursday night shows
That's on the schedule after I pick up the play room.
Poor Rhett still isn't home yet
(it's 9:45 p.m.)
and I don't expect him home for another hour.
Darn that tax season...

Hump Day

2009-04-01T21:19:00.002-06:00

This morning, I so wanted it to be a lazy day
we didn't have anything particular to do
I would've prefered to sit on the couch all day
and read my book.
But the boys always have other plans.
Then I walked into our "play" room
and decided that it was way too cluttered.
So I rearranged the closet,
moved the two big filing cabinets into the closet
moved some other things around
and now there's a lot more space.
I started to go through the boys' room as well
trying to find space for their constant growing supply of toys.
I even changed everyone's bedsheets
and finished the laundry.
Pretty good for a lazy day, huh??

However, I did get lazy about dinner
and rather than try to scrounge up leftovers
for our leftover night,
I decided we'd better go out for burgers.
We ended up at BK -
the one with the playground, of course.
They boys were hungry because they finished their burgers
before they even wanted to play.
They were so cute on the playground together
helping each other,
waiting for each other
playing with each other.
I love watching them be friends
and wish I could remind them of those moments
when they are fighting like cats and dogs.

Two more days til family's here,
then it's party time!!

Bookworm

2009-03-30T20:47:00.002-06:00

This has become a popular scene around our place lately:I got some of the Magic Treehouse books a while ago for Porter
and he got more from his grandma over Christmas.
However, he never showed any interest in them -
Until this past week
Today he started his fifth book -
in about five days.
His mind absorbs them like a sponge
I think he read one whole book in one day.
I love that he loves to read.
He sits in my "reading" spot on the couch
and stores his current book
in the crevice of the couch where I usually store mine...
I'm starting to panic that he's running out of books
and I don't want the interest trend to end
I better start raiding the library...

In other news,
I got two scrapbook layouts done today!!
(thank goodness for idea magazines)
I was feeling really good about myself
(despite the fact that the layouts were for early 2007)
until I was going through pictures on the computer
and discovered that I haven't even printed
some pictures from late 2006...
Oh well, just add them to the pile.

I've discovered something fabulous...
pre-made, frozen dinners.
(I know, some of you have already been enjoying this great time saver)
I did one last week,
then with next week being so busy with family
I decided to do a little planning.
On Saturday, I made two different dinners to put in the freezer
and it only took an hour to prepare them both!
Tonight we enjoyed Chicken Rice Wraps -
which I usually double so we have some
for days we need something easy to eat.
Next week, we'll enjoy another.
I love being able to just pop them in a dish
and put it in the oven.
Saves time, saves pots and pans
I don't know why I didn't think of doing this before.
The only bad part is my freezer
(the little one that comes with the apartment)
is overflowing; you have to be really careful
when opening the door
so that frozen meat doesn't come crashing down on your toe...
and we have to tape it shut (hehe).
One day we came home after being out for a couple of hours
to find the meat that I had just bought that day
on the floor
and the ice melted
and some other things a bit thawed...
oops...

Sunday, Sunday

2009-03-29T22:10:00.002-06:00

What a regular Sunday...
Sleeping in, lazing around, church
Then more lazing around.

Saturday we did chores,
then all the boys got haircuts.
We hung out for a while,
then Mike and Laura came over
for a round of Seinfield Scene it.
The best part of the night??
I WON!!
Me, who probably knows the least about Seinfield
won the game...
I'm never playing again...
(gotta leave on a high note -
In true George Constanza style :) )

This week is a normal one
Until the weekend
Rhett heads to Vernal Monday.
He just got home from three days in Idaho on Friday
Worked half of Saturday,
And he has to leave again.

My parents, little brother, and sister and her girls are coming this weekend
We'll go to Conference
then spend the rest of the week hanging out and
scrapbooking!!
I have so much I want to get done.
I'm planning on scrapping my butt off... :)

Zach's Big News

2009-03-24T21:12:00.002-06:00

Zach lost his first tooth today!!

After days of wiggling and pulling,
wiggling and pulling,
his tooth was finally loose enough to come out this morning.
He couldn't stop grinning
and grinned at everyone he saw.
He's very excited for the Tooth Fairy tonight.
(I just hope she remembers...)

Melissa came down this afternoon from Logan
She needed Andrew's help with her homework.
We picked up Porter for school
then it was to Sports Authority for soccer shoes.
Rhett came home a bit earlier from work;
but just in time to eat, pack the rest of his bag
and head out the door for the drive to Idaho.
He promised the boys he would bring them back a potato...

The boys are in bed
Andrew's watching Caillou and will be in bed shortly
I will probably follow shortly after
I'm so tired.

Just when you thought it was safe...

2009-03-23T22:20:00.004-06:00

After a fabulous, sun-shiny, warm week and weekend,
we woke up to this:

What the...??? SNOW?!?!? Who ordered the cold stuff??

After not snowing hardly a lick all winter,
the white stuff reared it's chilly head
and reminded us all that the best snow in Utah
usually comes in March and April....

I would have preferred to spend the day inside,
however, I had to grocery shop
since it didn't get done on Saturday
(because we were busy doing other, fun things.)
So I braved Wal-Mart with Zach and Andrew in tow.
I really dislike taking the kids grocery shopping;
my patience is usually shot about half-way through.

But we survived two stores
(darn that wal-mart that doesn't have acini de pepe pasta
for my craved frog-eye salad)
and got the jitters out at Grandma's for a while.
Then it was to the school for Porter
and home for clean-up and dinner
and banana bread... YUM!!

Rumor has it it's going to snow/rain all week
We'll stay in tomorrow
then pick up Porter at school and take him to get soccer shoes.
He has his first practice on Wednesday -
He's pretty excited.

We were lucky to have Rhett home tonight
since he didn't have to go to Vernal today.
However, it turns bitter -
He's headed to St. Anthony, Idaho tomorrow
and will be gone til Friday.
So I get to play "single mom" all week...

yea...

Saturday is a Special Day

2009-03-22T10:45:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was another fabulous day.

The boys got up, watched their cartoons,

then did their chores willingly

and got their precious "Penny Store."

We were expecting Aunt Melissa in the afternoon

but she called to say she was sick

and didn't want to share...

(Feel better, Leepie!!)

So we called Rhett up at work

and met him downtown for a great time.

We rode Trax to Temple Square,

and visited the Church History Museum.

I loved going through the different stages of church history

and explaining all the stories to the boys.

Then it was upstairs to the "I Am A Child of God" exhibit

made just for kids.

There was coloring, temple building, CTR rubbing,

and much, much more.

What a fun way to have the kids enjoy the gospel.

When we got out fill, we walked over to temple square.

The grounds were beautiful as always,

with the first spring flowers

showing their brilliant colors.

It was pretty now, but in a month

it's going to be gorgeous.

I can't wait to be there for conference

I may not be able to resist spending the time outside with the flowers...

We hung out by the reflecting pool,

walked along the flower beds

and saw a new bride and groom

fresh in their new life together.

I took lots of pictures...

here's a few:

The last one is my favorite...

Today, we only have 2 hours of church.
The Draper temple dedication is today at 4:30
and since our church goes until 4:00,
they are cutting it short so those that are attending the dedication
can make it on time.
They had asked Rhett and I to speak
but we found out last minute yesterday that they are making some changes
and need the time for testimonies
Whewww...
But we still have a standing invitation for sometime next month...

Better get moving...

Spring!

2009-03-20T22:42:00.006-06:00

Today was another beautiful day.

I love springtime
The sun, the warmth,

the flowers and trees starting to grow and bud

with their promise of color

I really can't wait

It's my favorite.

We had to spend time out today.

Zach, Andrew and I went out a little earlier

to meet Porter at the bus

And spent the extra time flying down the hill on their bikes

There's not a more wonderful sound

than the laughter of a child.

We are missing our backyard right now

and the freedom the boys had of being able to roam

out in the grass, in the open.

In an attempt to get them safely outside,

yesterday we got a box, sand, and toys

and Wa-la!

Instant sand box!

Andrew could have spent all day

out there on the patio

dumping, pouring, filling and emptying

the other boys had their time as well

Mission accomplished

An hour before dinner was to be made

we headed back outside for more sunshine

We landed at the playground

for climbing, slides and a game of tag

On the way back,

Andrew insisted on being carried

I didn't want to

So he planted his feet and presumed his "pouty face"

Arms folded, frowny mouth, and sad eyes

I gave in (I always do)

(for the sake of getting home in a reasonable time, of course)

The pizza was made, ice cream for treat

and then off to bed -

For the boys, of course.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow

the morning routine calls for chores to be done,

then the "penny store" for the boys

(rewards to "buy" with tickets earned throughout the week for getting their chores done)

Rhett will be working -

Hopefully it will be easy going tomorrow.

I've been Productive!

2009-03-19T09:18:00.007-06:00

I was busy yesterday! Look what I got done:

1. Make a double batch of pizza dough - half I put in the freezer for our pizza night on Friday; the other half I divided into 6 pieces and made these cute little cooked pizza crusts for quick-make pizzas. When they were cool, I put them in a freezer bag and put them in the freezer to pull out the next time the boys need a quick pizza lunch!

2. Make a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. If you like the ones from the store, then these are for you. Soft, chocolatly, and super yummy, I'm suprised we still have some left. Zach and Andrew helped, so it was a family affair. What did I do with the rest of the big can of pumpkin? Put it in small tupperwares and stuck in the freezer for use next time! These cookies are really good for breakfast, too!! :)

3. Spent some time in the wonderful sunshine! The boys got their bikes and we tootled around the complex and played on the two playgrounds they have here. Notice anything?? NO COATS!! I love that spring is right around the corner!!

4. Rhett came home a little earlier than usual, while it was still light outside, so we took the boys and went over to the grassier area and played football for a while. We ended up at the playground for a while also. It was so fun to spend some time together as a family playing!

I even got, with the help of the boys, the apartment cleaned up and vacuumed, and our new Utah plates put on the van. I've even got some scrapbooking done! I've completed two layouts!! Hopefully the motivation and productivitiy continues...

The latest

2009-03-12T08:43:00.004-06:00

There really hasn't been much going on to blog about lately (which sounds really pathetic). We spend most of our days sitting around in our tiny apartment, taking care of the needs for the day and figuring out things to do. I've read 5 books since the new year started and am in my sixth. Needless to say, we're just biding our time until we make the move to Vernal.

Porter has learned to whistle. I think he whistled the whole time he was home the first day he figured out how. He was chosen as Student of the Month in his class last month for showing the quality of respect. He is doing great in school and reads anything and everything. His favorite thing is dinosaurs and he dreams of "digging up dinosaurs" when he grows up. I guess Vernal will be the perfect place for him. His top front teeth are finally growing in - which I am glad, yet I miss his toothless grins.

This is a common scene on our house: Zach in a cape, gloves and sometimes more with a light saber. He takes on a new character everyday. One of his favorite things is to "build" with his Lego's and he makes some pretty cool stuff. He's become my inquisitive child - always asking questions every moment of the day. He's become very curious about what words mean and has always got something on his mind.

Andrew's new favorite thing is to color. He can constantly be found in our play room, marker in hand drawing various scribbles and lines. He has mastered his shapes, numbers, and colors, and is quickly learning his letters; his favorite being "A for Andrew". His most common response to my requests and comments is "huh?" It's become a game; he says, "You say Hmmm, I say Huh." Then we go back and forth for a while. He's become quite the character. His other favorite thing is to get all the games out of the closet and play - after scattering them all about.

Rhett's been feeling the pain of going back to tax accouting. The poor man is never home. He travels to Vernal every Monday with his boss and they return Tuesday evening. He usually doesn't get home from work until after 7:00 in the evening during the week and is working Saturdays as well. Needless to say, we are both can't wait for April 16th. But regardless, we are very thankful that he has a good job.

I'm trying to maintain sanity in our cave of an apartment. I thought I'd get lots of scrapbooking done, but to no avail. I even made a goal of finishing one layout every week, but that hasn't helped either. I'm much more content reading a book or watching a random movie on TV. Any suggestions on how to get motivated again??

Yummy! (and healthy, too!)

2009-02-23T21:19:00.002-07:00

We made this Meatball Soup from Jessica Seinfield's book Deceptively Delicious tonight and I highly recommend it. I've tried a few other things from the book and this has got to be my favorite so far. The boys liked it and it's really easy to make. Sorry I didn't get a picture - I was too busy eating.

Meatball Soup

3 oz. pasta shapes, such as bowties or wagon wheels (I used the mini-bowties)
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes, with their juice
1/4 cup carrot puree
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
3 cups beef or chicken broth
3 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sweet potato puree
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 lb. lean ground turkey

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.

2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil and then the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Puree the tomatoes and their juice with the carrot puree in a food processor or blender, then add to the pot along with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the broth, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, put the bread in a large bowl. Add the egg, sweet potato puree, milk, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and paprika, and let soak until the bread is very soft. Stir to break up the bread, add the ground turkey, and mix until smooth. Form into mini-meatballs 1/2-inch in diameter.

5. Add the meatballs to the pot. Simmer, covered, until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the pasta. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

Note: If you don't have the purees, finely chop the carrot and the sweet potato in the food processor; it works just as well.

Enjoy!! (I'll let you know how the brownies with the carrot and spinach purees taste tomorrow!!)

Time to Clean off

2009-02-17T19:12:00.007-07:00

It's probably time for me to post a new blog entry, so in an attempt to find a theme, I cleared off the pictures on my camera flash card to see what we've been up to for the past few weeks. Here's what I found:

With it being so cold outside, we've had to be creative in figuring out things to do inside. To put a twist on lunch, we loaded up a muffin tin with lots of different fruits, sandwiches and snacks and had a picnic in the family room. The boys thought it was so cool and Zach requested we do the same thing the next day.

The snow is always fun to play in, but since we haven't had a good layer for a while, most of it is ice and dirt. So I armed the boys with spray bottles full of colored water and we headed outside to "paint" the snow. The boys thought it was a blast; on this particular day we were headed to the little playground, but it took us twice as long to get there because the boys kept stopping to spray the snow. Their bottles were empty by the time we got there!

The boys have a little CD player and this particular night they found a CD with lots of children's songs on it. Their particular favorite is Ring-Around-the-Rosies and they did it again and again. I love to watch them play together and find joy in doing things together.

For the past month or so, Zach had been doing his hair in a mohawk. This past week I was combing Andrew's hair and he requested it be "spiky" like Zach's. He wasn't satisfied with anything else. It's been like this ever since. (except for church)

I was sitting in the hallway one night waiting for Andrew to finish brushing his teeth when I all of a sudden looked at him, standing on the stool, brushing all by himself and realized that my baby is not a baby anymore. He's gotten so big and has become so independant - I don't want to let go.

I was watching my TV shows in our playroom the other night and had pulled out our easel so Andrew could have a place to draw. He was so cute the way he would lean in real close and concentrate so hard on his drawing. Such a little artist...

And this is what happen when you let your 2-year-old draw with markers....

For Valentine's Day, Aunt Melissa and Uncle Dave came down to spend the weekend with us. Friday night we had our traditional pizza dinner, then decorated cookies. The boys had a blast frosting, sprinkling, and detailing their cookies.

And this is one of the ten tulips Rhett gave me for Valentine's Day. Melissa and Dave stayed with the boys Saturday night while Rhett and I went to Joe's Crab Shack and relished our buckets of crab and shrimp then went to a movie. Thanks Melissa and Dave!!
Last but not least, (yes, I know I take a lot of pictures of Andrew), is a picture of Andrew Sunday before church. He was upset for some reason, and who can resist a cute pouty face?

What's on your flash card??

Draper Temple

2009-02-07T23:41:00.004-07:00

Today we went as a family to the Draper Temple Open House. What an amazing experience!! I jumped at the chance to be able to take the boys inside the temple and allow them to see what it was like. It is absolutely beautiful. I was overcome with emotion and the Spirit as we walked from room to room and I explained to the boys what each room was and what went on there. I long for the day when I can be there with all my boys as they go to do baptisms, and eventually go through before they leave on their missions and when they are married. The temple is truly a holy place!