Black Friday

This year I talked Chelsey into going with me. We left about 4 am, which is the latest I think I have ever left. She dropped me off at Wal Mart and she went to Target. As soon as I walked in the store, they started ripping off the clear wrap. I was in a panic because I hadn't been able to walk around and find where everything I wanted was. Luckily, I was able to get everything I went for plus some. I ad matched some of the things I wanted from Target so Chelsey wouldn't have to get it. Actually, there was one movie I didn't get. It was on Chelsey's list too, so I told her to make sure to find it. She didn't. Other than the normal fun chaos, checking out wasn't bad and we were out of there and back home by 6 am. I dropped her off and headed into town. Tracie was waiting at Kmart so I asked her to get me a few things there and I headed to Toys R Us. They opened at midnight, so I was pretty sure I wouldn't get anything I wanted, but I was able to find most of it. What I didn't find, I was able to find something else just as good.

When I got out of there, Tracie was still waiting to check out so I told her I would go put our names in for breakfast. She was a little while, but we had breakfast and IHOP and then headed to Kohl's. I got most of what I wanted there, but we had to wait in line to check out almost 45 minutes. That's crazy. After Kohl's, I went to drop everything off and my mom's house (11:30). I organized a little and figured out what I still needed, then laid down for a little nap. About 2 pm, I headed back out. I went to Kmart to try and exchange something Tracie had gotten me. What a mess! That store was gross. Lucky for me though, someone had changed their mind and what I wanted was in the go-back pile. I found a few things in go-back piles, always have them check there! While there, Tracie called and said we should do dinner and go see "The Blind Side". She hadn't even slept that night so I was shocked she wanted to go out. Since I was still in town, I decided to just hang out at the mall till it was time for the movie to start. We missed the early movie, so we went to dinner first, then saw the movie. It was really good. After the movie, we headed back to the mall to use a coupon she had. BTW, our husbands were with us this time. We were there until 10:15 pm.

I hadn't even SEEN my children the whole day! Lucky for me, they were really good and behaved all day. I kept calling to check on them, but it felt weird to be gone that long. I swore I was sleeping in on Saturday. Nope, up by 7 and decided to go use my last two coupons. I shopped till about noon, sewing up all the loose ends. Spent WAY too much time trying to find that stupid movie. Long story. Went home, did tons of cleaning, took a short nap and then got ready to go the the Stake Christmas Concert that Glade and the girls were singing in.

That lasted about an hour and a half, then we headed out to Glade's 20 year reunion. We didn't get there until about 10pm. Spent the whole time having the same conversation with different people. I was wearing new shoes and totally regretted that after standing for 2 hours. Mom was getting in at 11:30 so we went to the airport to pick her up. She was giving us the low down on her trip home. During which, she told a very touching story of helping my Grandma decorate her house for Christmas and how that was the first time in 4 years her house had seen Christmas. The irony here, is that the Christmas present I had been working on for my mom, was decorating her house for Christmas so it would already be done when she got home. Like mother, like daughter I guess. It was hard not to say anything as she was telling the story. When we got to her house, I had all the lights on so it looked pretty when she walked in. We didn't get home till 1 am. Long, long weekend.

Thanksgiving

I can't believe how crazy these last four days have been! Wednesday the kids had a half day and I had planned on doing my errands all morning while they were gone, but got stuck baking rolls and canning chicken. Took longer than I planned. Went and picked up the kids, put the little ones down for naps and headed out to get my nails done. I had made an appointment, but they called and wanted me there early, great! Got there early and waited until the original appointment time. Not that big of a deal, but I hadn't done my necessary errands yet and now I was really pushing my time. Once my nails were done (very sparkly), I ran to Wal Mart, got what I needed and headed home. Finished putting together everything I needed to take for our Thanksgiving dinner and headed out.


We always do Thanksgiving on Wednesday with Glade's family. I had told his mom I would help set up, but didn't show up early and she wasn't very happy about that. We were able to get everything put together fairly quickly and all was well. The kids play and we sit and talk, always enjoyable. When I told Bo we were going there, his face lit up and he yelled "you mean the place that has white cheese with black spots?!?" My sister in law makes a killer cheese ball and he totally remembered that.


We were home by 10 and got everyone in bed pretty quickly. We were all up by 6 the next morning ready to run the Turkey Trot. This year it was Glade and me, plus Stephen, Nick, Rhett and Dalin for the 10K and Brooklyn ran the 2 mile fun run. It wasn't as cold as last year, and I was feeling pretty good about it. I'm pretty sure it was completely uphill! It was so hard for me this year. I had thought I must have missed the mile 4 sign because surely it had been more than a mile.....nope. After mile five I told myself I didn't care anymore. My legs were killing me and I was so tired. Of course, I kept running, but I was not happy about it. Finally the park was in sight and the end was near. Unbelievable, I only finished one minute faster than I did last year. Sucky, very sucky. Rhett beat the turkey, so he got a certificate. He ran it in 50:56. Nick did 55 and Glade was 101. I got 109 and Dalin was 117. Stephen mentally took himself out of the race and came in a long time later. Crying of course. Someday he has to learn to be stronger than his brain wants him to be. We won the turkey for most family members to finish. It was extra fun this year because lots of our friends joined us.

We made it home in time for showers and naps. While we were gone, Chelsey and Whitley were at home busily making some of the dinner. I had started the turkey before I left. Woke up and finished up dinner and we ate! The meal was really good and the table looked beautiful. It was really nice. As always, we went to the movies with the Garr's after dinner. We saw planet 51. It was ok, but definitely not Disney. All the adult humor was off color. I hate that. After the movie, they came over for dessert and the kids all played. I really long, really great day.

Let the Holidays Begin!

This week is jam packed with school events and programs. Monday I did some shopping and then went to the kids last performance of Willy Wonka. Did I mention how great they did?? Tuesday I had so much going on, but still needed to run one more time before the Turkey Trot on Thursday. Bo's preschool program and feast was in the morning. He was amazing. Six little kids and he sang and smiled through the whole thing. No shyness here! He truly had a great time and loved what he was doing. Then we went to Costco for some last minute things. I can't go into detail, but I picked up something for my kids for Christmas and I was trying to keep the little ones from seeing it. The employees were very helpful in going through a few hoops to get me out of there with nothing being discovered. I was super impressed, and to top it all off, I guess there was a coupon I wasn't aware of so it was $50 less than I planned! Spent the rest of the day working on a gift for my mom. I sure hope she likes it!!


Got home just in time to get kids to scouts. I still needed to run, so after I dropped them off, I went for 3 miles. I ran almost all of it and finished in about 32 minutes. Nice! Now I only had one hour till we all needed to be at the auditorium for the kids school performance. I got there just in time, but had to sit in the back. Not too bad except I forgot super zoomy (my big zoom lens). Hence, the blurry pictures. The school always puts on a great concert, creative songs and very organized. Glade got there just in time to not miss any of our kids. After, we went for ice cream and headed home. I was exhausted! I really wanted to watch the Biggest Loser, but just didn't have it in me to stay awake. All in all, a very productive and nice day!


The other day I told Katy we were going to put piggy tails in her hair. She had a fit. She fought and cried and pulled them out. I was determined to win, so I kept pulling her back and putting them back in. She finally left them in, but threw such a fit I thought it was picture worthy. Me taking her picture just made her more mad. She jumped in my bed and got under the covers. Eventually all the picture taking made her smile and laugh, but the minute I stopped, she remembered why she was crying and started all over again. But....I won and she kept them in until nap time. I'm afraid for her to be 15.


Dalin, Brooklyn and Rhett - Christmas performance 2009



You can hardly see Rhett, but he is on the second row, 8th one over.

Brookyn right in the middle

Dalin waiting his turn to get on the risers

Dalin's grade stayed out in the lobby and sang carols while people arrived.

Bo on the right

Love that smile, Bo!

This is after the fight.

Checking to see if I'm still there.

I dont' want piggy tails!

Katy Jo

a big week

Yesterday started out with chores chores and more chores. With all that has gone on this week, our home was in dire need of some attention, so we gave it some. Once I got everyone on task and well on their way, I headed out for my 6 mile run. I needed to do it just once before Thursday to assure myself I wasn't going to die. Nope, still here. I really did not want to go, but I have given myself way too many excuses lately so I forced myself out. I even ran it outside versus the treadmill. It was killer. I'm counting on adrenaline to pull me through this week. I forgot to check what time I started so I really don't know how fast I did it, but I ran the first 3.25 miles with only walking a half mile of it. The way back was not that good. I have to say though, that having the finish line in front of you is much better on the psyche than running away from it. Today I'm just a little sore from it. I'll only run one more time before Thursday, and a much shorter run at that.

When I got home, the kids had mostly accomplished all their assignments, so I got them pizza for lunch and then sent them off to their afternoon performance. The babies and I had a nice nap! I did a lot of laundry and waited patiently for Glade to get home. He left Friday night to go ride the El Tour de Tuscon. It's a 109 mile bike race. He and some friends were all riding and were due home in the afternoon. He did really well and got a gold medal. I was super excited about that till he told me gold wasn't the best, platinum was. What?? Gold is always the best! Anyway, he was happy with his time and I was anxious for him to get home. He had worked late all week and we hadn't seen much of each other. Even though he was exhausted, he still took me out on a date and did a little shopping with me. I love him. He was seriously snoring withing seconds of his head hitting the pillow.

Today has been a nice day. I love Sunday breakfast and today was so chill that we were almost late for church. We came home and ate the leftover pizza and just hung out the rest of the day. No family Sunday dinner tonight so we fired up the grill and had marinated steak for dinner. Always a good treat. Glade, Chelsey and Whitley had choir practice and Rhett and I had to go to the Priesthood Preview where I was asked to give a short talk. It was really nice and I came home to dishes done and nice kids playing together. Perfect ending to an already good day.

The rest of the week entails: one more play performance, football game, school Christmas concert, thanksgiving on Wednesday, turkey trot and thanksgiving on Thursday, shopping on Friday, Christmas choir concert and Glade's 20 year on Saturday and Final Christmas Choir on Sunday. I think it's going to be a fun week!

New Moon

So I was feeling frustrated that I couldn't find a good time to go see New Moon so I decided to take Whitley and Stephen out of school and go see it with them. I'm not a very patient person. I was surprised at how crowded it was at that time. Now the anticipation is over and I can move on. It was really good, but I didn't walk out of there feeling like I did when I saw the Bourne movies. I'm lending that to the fact that I already know the entire "Twilight" story. No twists turns or suspense. When you have already read all the books and know how it's going to end two movies from now, it makes the movie going experience a little different. So, back to...I did like it, but I didn't go out of there thinking "wow!". It was way better than the first, just in quality alone. It stayed true to the story and even made me tear up at one point. Stephen thinks the whole idea of the vampires is "frickin awesome!". Whitley and I remain on Team Jacob. Now the wait begins for "Eclipse"...sigh.

Willy Wonka

It's that time of year again. The Performing Arts Center presents Willy Wonka. Chelsey played Mrs. Bucket, Stephen was Augustus Gloop, Whitley was a Candy, and Rhett, Brooklyn and Dalin were Oompa Loompas. They all were great! They have practiced hard and this last week has been brutal with early dress rehearsals almost every night getting them home after 9 pm. I'm sure homework suffered and I know our routines did, but it was all worth it. We took the little ones to see it last night and it was really fun. Unfortunately, Katy is just too little to appreciate fine art. She fussed through most of it. Chelsey sang really really well and Stephen was a hoot. He did SO good at delivering his lines. Very funny. Whitley just sparkles. I can't wait till it's her turn to shine. The three oompas were hard to find because they all look alike, but we managed to pick them out. Dalin just yearns to be center stage. Rhett did a great job as Head Oompa and was even praised by the director for solving a minor little problem all while staying in character. Brooklyn loves whatever she does. I was very proud of all of them.


It was hard getting pictures (chelsey actually took all these) of the oompas because of how they were situated on stage. Brooklyn was a little buried. We are going to try to get a few more of just them today.

Rhett is second from the right

Dalin

Rhett

Rhett

Dalin

Willy Wonka

Brooklyn

Stephen

Stephen right before he falls into the vat

You can't see it very well, but he has his tongue out licking his lips really big

Stephen

My little Skittles (second from the left) Whitley

Whitley fighting off Augustus (not shown) as he tries to eat the sweets

Augustus (Stephen) trying to eat the sweets

The Bucket Family (Chelsey)

Oh the Shopping

That's what I have been doing for the past few days. Right now all the staples of cooking are on sale for next to nothing and even sometimes free! It's hard not to take advantage of all the specials and stock up. My kids are rotten in the store so I've been going while my other kids are at play practice and Nick stays home with the two little ones. I'm sure I have gone way over my food budget for the week, but my pantry has never been fuller! (is that a word?) I'm debating on even going one more time. Now, it's not just the staples on sale, I think I have somewhere around 30 cookie dough/brownie mixes that I got for less than a dollar each. Some as low as 50 cents. I may have to add on to the pantry!

All this shopping has been very distracting from my running. I have only run twice this week and once would barely be considered running. For about 3 nights, I only got about 4 hours of sleep each night, brutal. I'm not nice on no sleep. The third night while I was laying awake at 4 am, I thought about just having my good cry right then and there, but decided then I would have a headache as well, so I decided against it. Yesterday I spent the morning at my mom's and then tried to nap with Bo, but couldn't shut my brain off. When I got back from shopping at night, Bo had a fever and an ear ache. I gave him some Tylenol, put away groceries, took some NYQUIL and headed to bed. Time : about 8:15. Probably not a good night to knock myself out with Bo being sick, but I was just SO tired! Kids came home from play practice, took the babies from my bed and I slept until this morning. Bo only woke up once and Chelsey was still awake, so she took him into her bed for the night. What a doll. I felt soooo much better today.

Today was Julia's birthday, so we went to lunch. She's 30!! Finally not a little twenty something. It was a fun lunch out and much needed. I came home and made cookies, not good, but oh so good! It's ok, it's only once a month I excuse myself to eat enough cookies to make myself puke. Kids have their last play practice today before performances start tomorrow. I plan on staying home, watching a sappy movie and putting laundry away. (it's become a mountain) Unless of course...anything else comes up!

I'm still trying to figure out when to go see New Moon. I can't go any of the times my friends are going, so I was considering getting Whitley out of school tomorrow and going in the afternoon. I'm a little bit "not" wanting to see it because then all the excitement and anticipation will be over. Double edge sword. Kind of like Christmas! We'll see how the week end plays out. My mom is leaving me for a week. I'm always happy for her to get to see family, but hate that she leaves me. I know, grow up already. One week from today, I'll be pouring over the sales adds and planning my route for the Black Friday shopping!!

Rhett's first race

Rhett had his first cross country meet today and he did SO good. I couldn't be prouder. He has never been one to compete well. He gets his 'sore loser' from me, but he takes it to a whole new level. Most of his life he has just quit when he knew he couldn't win. Since he started running, we have talked a lot about him being young and how this is mostly just practice for when he gets older. When the race started, all 50 or so kids took off and he got lost in the shuffle. I was afraid this would discourage him. They didn't run laps, they took them out and around the school, so we didn't get to see them except when they started and when they finished. I had no idea where Rhett would be. The first kid came in way ahead of every one and then a few trickled in after him. I couldn't believe it when Rhett came through the gate! He finished 14th. Amazing. Did I mention how proud I was?? On a side note, my emotions are out of control lately. As the girls came across the finish line and everyone was cheering for them, I teared up the whole time. I didn't even know any of them! I kept having to turn away from the lady next to me so she didn't think I was luny. Jeepers.

Bo is funny lately so I thought I would share some of his thoughts. Today he asked me if I could get him some short sleeved jeans. I knew what he meant, but I couldn't convince him they weren't sleeves. He also keeps asking when our chicks will start "pooping out eggs". I'm trying to get him to say "lay eggs".

Another Suspect

Ok, we are now down to one little chick. My dog, however, may be vindicated. I came home to see one little chick had gotten out of the pen so we went to get her and when we did, we startled the big bird trying to fly off with my little yellow one. He dropped her and she fell to the ground with a plop. She was still breathing, but not moving. We picked her up and put her in the coop to either recover or have her last moments in peace. I know which one it's gonna be. She was bleeding on her belly where he had grabbed her. So sad. But now I have to wonder if Jack even ate any of the chickens. I'm going to have to figure out how to keep the birds away now too. Dang animal kingdom is ruining my farm!

Daunting

Daunting is how I would describe my feelings about blogging lately. I want to, but the thought of it just seems too overwhelming. Life is really crazy busy right now and living it is exhausting enough, but rehashing it on a keyboard is just not that appealing. So many things I could blog about and so many of them my kids might kill me if I did. All that makes blogging seem stressful. Mind you, I didn't say my life was stressful or unpleasant, just busy. Here is a low down on each person individually:

Me: Living in the car, being glued to my calendar trying not to miss something and trying to enjoy the things we're doing. I'm a "stew-er", meaning I have a hard time just letting things go. I need to deal with issues and then let them go as "dealt with" and not continue to think about them so much. Such as - why would a child leave their scriptures right out in the middle of the yard to be sprinkled on??? Just let it go, easier said than done for me. I'm counting every calorie and trying to be a runner again, but it's not being that easy this time. I do not feel good running like I did before and it's very frustrating. Terribly excited for Christmas and yet a little gloomy that it's coming so fast and that means it will go really fast as well. I have a million things around my house I want to get done, but all the "necessary" things keep getting in the way. I think a nice vacation of me at home and my family somewhere else for a week would be very productive! Not likely. This weekend was our Stake Fall Festival and I was helping put the basket auction together. I love doing stuff like that, but it was a crazy day. Rain was not my friend this day! Still trying to master CouponSense and get the deals. Sad that I'm down to two chickens. Black Friday and New Moon all just days away!

Glade: Training like a mad man for the Iron Man next summer. He has been really helpful in getting the garden done, doing the "chicken" thing and getting our swing set put up. Other than training, working and taking me out on the weekends, I don't know much else about what he does.

Chelsey: She is a wreck. She is at the turning point of becoming an actual adult and facing all those big decisions. She is more than ready to tackle them, but a little nervous and emotional about it all as well. She has applied to a couple different colleges, but has her heart set on NAU in Flagstaff. Her friends are starting to leave on missions and she is seeing the inevitable separation that happens as you graduate and everyone goes after their own goals. She backed into someone the other day in a parking lot, didn't hurt the van, but the other car was a little banged up. She just can't catch a break. I feel bad for her and at the same time I want to toss her out into the cruel world so she can appreciate what she has right now. She'll do great, I have no worries about that. She is about to start track again and is in several different choirs and the play at the PAC. She eats like crap and doesn't get enough sleep. I wish she talked more.

Whitley: Whitley is great as always. She's the one who always comes to say "hi" and "bye" and "goodnight". She's helpful and nice and can be counted on in a pinch. She's frustrated about her braces, but has moved on from moaning about that. She loves school and her friends and doing church things. She's still disorganized but keeping it together at school for the most part. She is in the Christmas Choir and in the play at the PAC as is Chelsey. They both love being involved in things. She has taught herself to play the piano and I love hearing actual songs being played softly in the background. Chelsey can play a little, but she doesn't just like to sit and play like Whitley does. She is way too boy crazy and counting the days till she turns 16. Way too cute.

Nick: Typical 15 year old here. Ok, so he's not quite 15 yet, but he doesn't realize that. He's a pain in the butt to his siblings but they still love him anyway. He is only going half days at school right now and did really well the first quarter, not so much the second. Trying to figure out this kids brain and lack of "caring" about his schooling. He played soccer and was by far one of the best ones on the team. Now he is doing flag football, but that won't last if he doesn't get his grades up. He loves taking care of the chickens. He goes out every morning to check on them and feed them. He even likes to sit and pet them. Who would have guessed. He has passed me up in height, which is a good thing. We weren't sure if he'd ever grow.

Stephen: Stephen is still Stephen. Very caring and emotional, falls behind in his classes because he's too lazy to do the little things. Then spends a great amount of effort to catch back up. He is Augustus Gloop in the play and has really enjoyed that. He too, played soccer and is playing flag football. He has to miss his first two games because the play and football overlap. Today is the geography bee, so we'll se how he does with that this year. He has been working really hard to lose some weight and become more active. He is down 8 lbs in the last month or so. Very proud of him for that.

Rhett: Rhett is a changed boy. No more gloomy Rhett. When I ask him to do anything, he responds with an enthusiastic "Sure!" I love it. He is in the play as an Oompa Loompa and has just started cross country running. He is a really good runner. He and I went out Friday night on a little date and I had a really good time with him. His grades are really average, which is much below his abilities. Cross country has inspired him to try a little harder so he doesn't get "grade checked". He had to give up orchestra for awhile to run though. He really likes playing the viola.

Brooklyn: She is trying really hard to enter puberty. She asked if she could get a bra the other day. Sigh. She plays the cello and loves it. She is an Oompa in the play as well. She has gotten some really great friends and settled down just a little. She is great with Katy and loves that responsibility. She reads to her every night before they lay down. (they share a room) Her grades are the best they have ever been! She still struggles with reading, but she is doing so well, very proud of her.

Dalin: Dalin is a space case. He is funny and smart and clever, but can't stay on task to save his life. A little like Whitley. His grades aren't that great this year, but not bad either. He has really started to like to read so I'm not forcing it on him all the time. He's working on controlling his emotions or should I say tantrums. He doesn't deal with losing very well. He has started scouts and really enjoys that. He is an Oompa with Brooklyn and Rhett. If he can learn to follow directions, he'll do a lot of really great things. He's a hoot to be around, always has been.

Bo: A ray of sunshine. This kid is just the best. His smile radiates goodness and love. He's dang smart too. He loves his preschool. He's trying to read everything he sees and loves being quizzed on simple addition. He has that gift to remember weird things like Stephen and his Dad. He lays with me every morning and tells me he loves me all the way around the world. He truly is just a really nice boy. He has mastered the bed wetting thing and hardly every has an accident. He can't stop thinking about starting kindergarten and all the fun things ahead for him. Last night his aunt asked him how old he was. He replied with "Four. Half way to baptism!" I love him. He has a great sense of humor as well. Did I mention his smile??

Katy: Ohhhh Katy. She is a pill. Right now she is peeing all over my house all day. She was completely potty trained and now has regressed to practically nothing. I'm at a loss of how to get her back. When I make her go potty she just screams and fights with me. If I don't, she pees in her pants. Diapers?? I think not. I will win! Other than that, she's mostly a sweet girl who knows what she wants and fights hard to get it. I've never had a kid this strong willed. I'll admit...I'm softer than I used to be with my little ones, but she's tougher than any of her other siblings. She loves to wear dresses and put on makeup. It's hard to be mad at her when you see her so deeply engaged in trying to get her make up just right. She colors all over my walls and throws fits in the store. Still, she is an angel (in Bo's words - straight from Heaven). She loves Dora and Diego and can almost always be comforted by an episode. Grateful for DVR.

Jack: Stupid chicken eater. That's how I look at him now. He has eaten 4 in the last few days. I know it's animal instinct, but I don't like it. I'm trying to forgive him, but mostly I just want to leave him out in the cold.

So, that's the family in a nutshell. As you can see, life is whirling with exciting and time consuming activities. By the end of the day, I'm ready to shut it all down and climb into my new comfy bed. Oh yah, water bed sprang a leak, had to get a new one, that was an ordeal. So it's not that I'm stressed in a bad way, just a lot going on and reliving it can be a bit daunting. Bring on the holidays!

Hiking for the Holiday

I have spent most of my time on a treadmill lately and decided I needed some other sort of workout. I was actually running on the treadmill watching the Biggest Loser when Bob told them he was taking them up the mountain and that's when the light bulb went off. Glade and I had hiked this trail with a friend a while ago and the kids all whined that they wanted me to take them. I told them when the weather cooled down, I would. Not that it's exactly cool yet, but at least the mornings aren't bad. So....we took this holiday to take our hike. I invited Leslie and her kids and my mom to come with.

We left around 8 and got done around 10. The bigger kids zoomed right up while my mom stayed in the middle with the littler ones and Les and I brought up the rear with our two sick babies. Sofia had a fever the night before and appeared as if it might be coming back. Katy has had a terrible cough and it gets worse when she is winded. She kept saying "I can't ! My legs are breaking!" I switched between having her on my shoulders, to my back to my hip and occasionally on her own two feet. Leslie did the same with hers. It makes for a MUCH harder hike like that. We did all make it to the top and by the time we made it up, the big kids were ready to head back down. I definitely sweated more than I had planned. Thanks Katy.

Annika, Kaisa, Sofia, Leslie, and Britt

After hiking, we went home, cleaned up and headed out to hit some deals at the mall. It was a pretty productive day. The kids all have play practice tonight and I'm supposed to go running with a friend. We'll see how that goes!

Do Over

I do not want a do over of yesterday. The day was terrible for starters. My kids have become so nasty and mean to one another that I finally lost it. We left for school over 10 min early, so when in the car, someone asked "why are we leaving so early?" I told them it was because I wanted them out of my house cuz I couldn't take it anymore. They were a little stunned by my answer and the rest of the ride was in silence. I stewed all day over what I was going to do to make it better and let me tell you, some of my thoughts were not that nice. One thing I was sure of, this would be the topic of FHE.

The babies and I ran to Wal Mart to get a bin to assemble the cooking basket in and then to meet my mom for lunch. That went well and the kids were good so now the day isn't that bad. Went home for naps and laundry, picked up kids from school and instructed them that there was to be NO computer time. This was part of my new plan. I told them I would explain later. They all knew already. Whitley had an ortho appointment early so we left for that and Chelsey went to pick up the rest of the kids. I hate afternoon appointments because they are always so behind. I was there for over an hour waiting and then she finally came out. This was her last appointment before getting them off so I was supposed to consult with the Dr. to approve everything. When I saw the tears running down her cheeks I knew it couldn't be good. One more month. They over-corrected her this month and now it won't be until January till she gets them off. Dang girl has made me cry right there in the office way too many times. I'm sure the receptionist thinks we're a little coo-coo. They did give her 2 movie tickets to try to make her feel better. I'm sure that didn't even make a dent in her mood.

Got home kind of late and got dinner going. Started FHE right away and by then all the kids had figured out what was going on and had been on their best behavior. We spent the evening talking about how detrimental it is to tear apart your family with harsh words and criticism and how when our family is weakened, the door for Satan is left wide open. I think it was a good night and hopefully things will get better. We are starting "do-over"s for when they talk nasty to each other. I will say "do-over" and they will have to repeat the conversation in a more appropriate way. We had brownies and the rest of the night was pleasant.

This morning the kids were really nice to each other and one even asked me how they were doing. I told them it was good and she said "as long as you don't cry again!" Ok, so I got a little emotional last night, whatever works..right? I'm sure they are really just thinking computer time, but they are definitely not getting it back after one day! Wish me luck on this one....

Reunion Week End

Friday was a very productive half day of school. Spent the morning getting groceries and running errands and then the kids were off at noon. I have been trying to get caught up on all my canning from what I got on sale this week. Didn't happen this day! We went out with some friends in our ward who also helped us get the swingset moved. It's still in a few pieces and the kids are dying to get on it. They have already spent a lot of time on the part that is in tact. I think it's a wise purchase. I'll have to post pics when it's all up. It needs a little sanding and staining and a new swing, but other than that...great deal for $100.

Saturday, I went for a short run and then home to finish canning. The kids all had play practice and Glade had a triathlon that morning so it was a quiet day at home. Was supposed to go the my Reunion picnic, but didn't get my car back from getting the brakes done in time so we skipped it. Glade and a few others helped get the rest of the playground to our house and then they finished the chicken coop. I tried to lay down for a little nap, but had too much on my mind. I've been in charge of getting this basket together for a Stake Fundraiser and it has come together really well, but now I have a ton of stuff I have to try and fit in a basket! That will be a challenge.

Glade and I got around and headed out for the reunion. As I was getting ready, I began to think "why am I doing this?" What would possess me to want to go see people I barely knew 20 yrs ago? I only knew most of these people for 2 years of my life. I'm insane. We went anyway and it was good. None of the people I was really good friends with were there, but lots of people I "knew". It's always awkward at first, but then it got OK. We sat at a table with someone I didn't know at all and made polite conversation for awhile, then some other people came and sat with us. I knew most of them, but didn't hang around with them in HS. Turns out my kids go to school with some of their kids. Even better, Rhett has called their daughter. Small world. (and embarrassing one sometimes too) They passed out a few awards and get this.....I won one! Come on.....guess.........MOST KIDS. Shocking, I know. It was worth it though, I got 2 movie tickets, a $25 gift card to Toys R Us and some other little trinkety stuff. The next people under us had 7. Once all the formalities were over, they started playing music and we started dancing.

It was the most fun part of the night. First, just a few slow songs and a few couples dancing, then they did some fast, but no one would dance. Eventually, we went out and did it anyway. I love to dance and even though I may be too old to look good doing it, it's still fun. We danced till we were sweaty. It was just like old times, everyone dancing in a little circle just as a group. We stayed till about 11 and then headed home. We made plans with a couple of people to get together in the near future, we'll see if that actually happens. On a more personal and not so proud note: I'm guessing I was the only girl there that could say she had kissed all 3 guys at her table. Awkward. Note to the young - keep your lips to yourself, it will come back to haunt you.

Training

I suck at follow through so hopefully I can actually keep up on something this time. We have decided to do a race called the Ragnar Relay. It's a 200 mile relay from Prescott to Phoenix. It's teams of 12 running for 24 - 36 hours straight, depending on your speed of course. Each team member has to run 3 legs ranging from 3 - 8 miles and vary in difficulty. I'm definitely the weak link on our team, but the experience should be fun. It's not till the end of February so I have time to get myself in better running condition, and that's going to take some commitment.

Last night, Glade, Julia and I went running outside and went 4.5 miles. I ran the first 2 without stopping and most of the last two, but with walking breaks. Unfortunately it was quite slow. It didn't help that I worked my legs the day before so they were already sore, but I have alot of work to do to get ready for a race this big. Of course we are doing the Turkey Trot in a few weeks and then my goal is a half marathon in January and then the Ragnar in Feb. That's a lot on my plate! Having others around me doing the same thing should be helpful in sticking to it.

I wanted to spend the entire morning canning all the meat I bought for cheap yesterday, but instead, spent it in the DR's office getting a physical for Rhett so he can do cross country at school. I hate all the forms and signatures and CYA crap you have to do. Totally makes me grouchy. So now my fridge is still crammed with meat that needs to be dealt with and I have a busy weekend coming up. Might take some late night canning - probably not though - I like to sleep.

Illinois- the trip there

Our plan was to leave really early in the morning on Thursday. As per every other trip, Glade worked until 2 am so he was not really wanting to get up at 5. The kids however, were. We eventually pulled out about 6:30 and were on our way. The trip was extremely uneventful in a great way. We were able to make it there in about 27 hours. I can honestly say that the kids were 98% perfect. Hardly any fighting or whining and no unplanned potty stops. We drove through the night and they all slept and were just SO good.

Normally we do a lot of seat switching, but not this time. They all stayed put and were happy. Stephen and Rhett snagged front seat.

We put Katy where she is because it's the best place for the DVD player to hang. She always gets priority because she gets bored the easiest. It worked out well because Bo and Brooklyn were about the only other ones who would want to watch what she did.

So I noticed it appears as if little Dalin isn't buckled...raskal. Way in the back you can see Whitley. She and Nick hung out in the back most of the time. We only stopped briefly for lunch (drive through) McDonald's and spent $11.88. I had gotten pringles and other snacks to offset travel expenses. For dinner, we let them get out at Pizza Hut and have a little break from the car. It was cold! We were all still in our AZ clothes and let me tell you...we weren't in AZ.

Can't have a trip without the sideshot of Glade! In the morning in was rainy and cloudy which was really nice to not have to drive right into the up coming sun. We stopped at McD's again and let everyone get out and change clothes and brush their teeth.

Blurry picture on the fly, but just wanted to capture a little of the scenery along the wayside. Things hadn't quite changed yet, but every once in a while, you would see a little bunch like these.

A welcome sight.

Because we got there earlier than expected, Dad wanted us to waste a little time before we came to the house since he wasn't there yet and didn't want to miss the arrival. So, we drove around the little town I grew up in (Andalusia) and showed the kids all the sights. I'm sure I was the only one to really enjoy this, but whatever! This is the house I lived in most of my growing years. It was green with a big tree in front when we were there. It's amazing how big trees and foliage get over the years.

When we thought enough time had passed for Dad to get home, we headed to his house. Nope, still wasn't there yet. We drove by, then to the end of his street and back by again. Poor JoAnne, she saw us...but we never stopped. The kids bladders were about to give out, so we pulled down a dirt road and let the boys out to pee. They thought this was kind of cool. Rhett even yelled "There's corn on these!" City boy.

Finally we arrive. Dad and Jo waiting for us in the drizzle. The kids all piled out like a clown car and many hugs were then given. I love that my kids are so free with their hugs. Bo and Katy cannot possibly remember them, but they were just as excited to see them as the rest. Let the vacation begin!

Halloween 2009

This Halloween I told the kids I wasn't spending any money on costumes. We have boxes of old stuff that I told them to go through and either re-use or create something new with things we already had. They did a great job!!

Now, in all fairness, Katy was going to wear an angel costume we had, but I found this whole ensemble for $3 at a yard sale. I couldn't resist. Abby Cadabby - Rock on??

Whitley had high hopes of Cindy Luwho (Dr. Seuss), but couldn't make her hair right, so she went with nightmare ballerina girl.

Bo LOVED his cowboy costume and so did I. Low maintenance is always a plus!

Stephen went back and forth with a few ideas, but about an hour before Trunk or Treat, we came up with the gumball machine.

Brooklyn was a witch. I think she has been some type of witch at least 4 times now.

Rhett has had his magician costume ready for weeks. At the last minute, he decided to throw this together. He is an elf from some book series he likes. He and his friend Ben both did this.

After convincing Dalin I couldn't just "make" a dinosaur costumes from a few little things, he settled on a vampire..

Who can resist a cowboy??

Katy didn't get too far before she settled down to check the goods.

Chelsey had to work that night so it was a bummer for her. She went to a friends party when she got off, so it wasn't a total bust. Nick wore all black. He mostly helped with some of the games and left early with Glade so I never got a picture of him. We stayed at Trunk or Treat for a few hours, eating chili, playing the games and gathering treats. It was a really nice evening. Of course mom came with us and helped me multi task. Oh yah, early in the day while the kids were at play practice, mom and I went shopping. That, too, was productive and fun. She finished some of the sewing I needed done for play costumes and we went to lunch as well. Super day all the way around!