Rare!

Note to self:



Don't ever forget Wednesday, October 29, 2008. It is the remarkable, rare day that Nate let me have the whole day off. I was complaining about needing a break and for the rest of the day he was busy as a bee, and redirecting me to the couch or bed to "put my feet up".




Here is the list that he did:



1. Vacuumed house, top to bottom, upstairs and down, including the tile.

2. Laundry, from start to finish. About 4-5 loads. Yes, that included even folding and putting it away.

3. Unloaded dishwasher, and did all the dirty dishes, all day long..

4. Washing my windows, front door, sliding glass doors, TV.

5. Taking Emily to and from school.

6. Picking up toys and books, etc.. all day long.

7. Propped me up with some pillows to read my book, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! oh and he even offered to rub my feet..which if you knew Nate, or saw my feet you'd know why this is so unbelievable!

8. Got mad at me for trying to start dinner, he took over and had the kitchen clean BEFORE we ate dinner. (Homemade Burritos with the works, which were delish)

9. Cleaned up dinner, and made the kitchen sparkle.

10. Helped get kids to bed, and then gave ME the remote..



I will never forget the wonderful feeling of being at home and not having to lift a finger!! I will look back on this day to remind myself that you DO know how to clean and take care of the house..
Thanks my dear, you read my mind!! Which for a man to do is rare. I understand that I will not get this treatment everyday and no, I won't get used to it.. Thanks for giving me the day off, it was a huge treat!! I Love you!

Happy Birthday/Lagoon

Happy Birthday to Daddy, Happy Birthday to you!!!

We celebrated Nate's birthday on Friday, with this adorable witch cake that my sister brought out to him! The kids loved it!! However, I couldn't get 29 candles on it, without ruining the whole thing! We went out to Applebee's and came home to dive into the witch!!

On saturday we had our annual Lagoon outing, it has been tradition since mine and Nate's third date. That is when it started I guess.. We always go to kind of celebrate Nate's birthday, and most of my family comes to join the fun.. However we have decided that Lagoon is getting way out of control as far as their prices so we might need to find something else to satisfy.. We were so lucky to have my cousin Erin and her husband Jake and little girl Lydia join us. We have just recently re-connected and it's been so fun to see them and get to know each other again! I always remember our summers as kids growing up, camping, and playing at Grandma's house! Fun memories.. They fit right into our crazy crowd, and we had a blast!! This year was the first year in a long time that I actually got sick on a ride. We waited in line for the Samurai and then snuck right back on when it was over.. So two times in a row of the samurai did me in..
The craziest thing was that my little brother Rob, volunteered to be hypnotized during Frightmares Hypnotist Show.. I was sad I missed most of when he was up rapping jibberish and dancing like a gangsta!! That is sooooo out of character for him, especially in front of a large crowd that it had us all laughing hysterically!! So I guess he was completely in a hypnotic trance!

Lagoon always is fun, the kids had fun on all the rides!! Easton would say, "again" when it would stop and he didn't want to get off!

Here is the whole gang!

Thanks everyone for coming, we loved it!!

CHILL!

I was having a "bad-mood" day, therefore making everyone around me in a bad mood.. I came downstairs and found this letter to me:

Need I say more? I found the humor in it and laughed and apologized for me being so grumpy!

Hogle Zoo 2008

Saturday was a day that I was not going to be cooped inside another minute! The kids were practically hyperventilating when I mentioned going to the zoo, so it was a HUGE affirmative! It was just me and the kids! We wished that daddy would've been able to meet up with us, but he was busy working. Quoted from Emily, "this is the best day of my life!" So I did good. Easton was on his best behavior because I told him if he screamed it would scare the animals, and it did the trick. The weather couldn't have been nicer, and even though it was crowded we had a great time. We were there about 6 hours, which was great for wearing the kids out! Emily walked the whole time, Easton was a bit greedy with the stroller, but she did awesome. We need to bring a wagon next time, so they both can have a break from walking. I loved the elephants, tigers, and gorillas! All the animals were fun to see! We all loved the new carousel, Emily chose the monkey so Easton rode the lion next to hers so I could stand in the middle. I was laughing cause Easton was showing no emotion during the ride. It was almost like he was scared or something.. Such a serious look on his face! Emily was "weeing" the whole time. Easton was a little more excited about the train ride. Which is never long enough of course! He didn't want to get out.. But we were winding down and hung out at the playground where the kids loved going down the snake slide. It was nice to sit and have a break! Oh and when we were feeding the ducks, and geese, the huge beautiful swan came over and reached up and bit me!! It left blood and the kids were so worried! No worries, it's healing just fine.. Who knew that those beautiful, elegant creatures could hurt someone!! I just laughed about it..cause it actually was a bit funny.. I liked how Easton told it that it was being naughty.. =) We left feeling tired but happy, it was a great day with the kids!

I loved watching the Tiger pace around his fence!!

This carousel was a hit, they wanted to go again!

It brought back memories of my childhood!!

Easton's not-so-quite smile..

It warms my little heart to see Em take his hand!

I thought that I needed to have a group shot since I'm the one taking all the pic's. I want the kids to know someday that I was really there!!

Easton was trying to get boogers I guess!

I could not get the kids off this slide! They loved it!

I loved being with the kids! It was a fabulous day!!

Me and my CRAZY's!!

Laughing isn't hard at our house! Easton's shirt says it all!!

Not so little anymore..

Look at how cute my baby brother is!!! Look here at his amazing pic's!! Great job Lis!!

Ghost pancakes!

Thanks Tanielle for this totally cute and festive breakfast idea!!! The kids thought they were so much fun, and we even tried a pumpkin!! Very fun! It just stirs things up a bit to have something fun for breakfast! Can't wait for Halloween!!!

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is awesome!!! My screen has never been cleaner! Thanks for all your help everyone!!!

marker madness..

Question: How on earth can I get permanent marker off my computer screen?? I made the mistake of leaving it on the desk, and well, there are scribbles everywhere on my screen!!! Please give me some tips to get it off! Thanks to anyone who can help me regain a clear view!

True Love!

My hunter has returned! sadly without an elk... He got back Thursday, which was a few days late according to what I wanted. But does that matter when there is hunting to do?? Let me just tell you how much I missed my husband. I seriously felt like this hunt lasted a whole month, though he was gone only a week!!! The days and even hours just seemed to drag on and on... It is a sign I guess that I don't do 'alone' very well. Eventhough I had the kids and family to hang out with, its the nights that really got me.. I was ecstatic to see Nate, although he smelled of camping and no shower for days... =) The kids went crazy and hugged him to death! It was so cute throughout the time daddy was gone, Easton would pucker out his bottom lip and say "I miss daddy" in a tone that would break your heart! Needless to say, we love our daddy and are so glad he's back!

Just a few reasons why I just love him to pieces!!

He is one smoking hot man! =)

He takes the time to "teach" his children..
He's not afraid to show his domestic side..
He can make us laugh till we cry!
He keeps the kid in all of us alive..
He loves his family so much!
He is my one and only, my very best friend!!
We love you daddy!!!

Another great weekend!

Last Friday was Emily's school Halloween Carnival. She was THRILLED to be able to go this year, to play all the games, and get candy! I rounded up a Snow White costume for Em to wear, but I couldn't get Easton even near his Dragon costume. Oh well.

They had a fun little train ride in the soccer field, plus bounce houses, a rock-climbing wall etc.. All of that stuff besides the train, was a bit intimidating for Emily and she informed me she'd try it next year. It was a mad house, and if it weren't for Emily's constant reminders of how awesome it was, we would've been outta there! It did remind me of the good ole days when we'd bob for apples, throw the bean bags, etc.. Some things haven't changed! The kids were excited to get their faces painted!

Easton held so still for her to paint his face! I was laughing because he seriously didn't move a muscle! Open mouth and all!
Finished product: Purple ghost with red eyes!
Happy Pumpkin!
Here they are enjoying a most adventurous train ride around the soccer field! The kids loved it! I, on the other hand, was a little bit nervous! How silly is that? It was a motorized train but pretty wobbly, plus the fields were wet and muddy... But heck, it made them smile!! (I love that I got my friend Camey in the background!)

Then..

Later that night I got packed to go stay at Grandma's for the weekend! Saturday we got ready and left to go for the day to Thanksgiving Point with some cousins! It was fun to see Aunt Joyce, her daughter Kari, and Kari's little girls and her neice! The museum had some fun coloring/craft tables that fancied Emily to a T..

Little Mia, Easton and Emily working on some pumpkin's!

I really tried to get her to smile, but Hannah was probably thinking "who is this weirdo?" It was the first time we'd met so she was still warming up to us.

Hannah, Grandma, Mia, and Easton

Easton, Emily, and Aunt Sarah!

There, she smiled! Aren't they cute??

The kids favorite was playing in the sand and water! This would be cool to have in my house, as long as they keep the sand and water where it should be! They had a blast!

After a great lunch, we headed home to Grandma's to play and enjoy a rainy afternoon. I love days where its raining and cold where you curl up and enjoy doing nothing! Conference was great, although I have to admit I missed the last session on Sunday since I fell asleep with Easton. Thanks Grandma for letting us crash at your place and for entertaining the kids!

On Monday, I don't know what got into me! I decided to get my tomatoes done and found myself in the kitchen ALL day long. It's quite the process to do salsa, and I'm glad it's now over! Sarah had warned me to wear gloves when doing the pepper's, but I forgot to keep them on when I was cleaning up all the juicy mess. My hands were on FIRE for the rest of the day. I read that soaking a pepper burn in Milk will help to take the burn out, and it helped a little. Emily suggested I use a ice pack, which helped a little also.. So word of caution for anyone doing salsa, KEEP THE GLOVES ON AT ALL TIMES!!! It was nice that some neighbor kids helped keep the kids entertained throughout the process, I forgot how time consuming it is! So yeah, I think I'm done with my canning for the year, although I feel bad that there are no apples on the tree this year! My in-laws have the best apple tree and for some reason it didn't produce any fruit this year. Oh well, less work right?

So here is the before:

And After...

Much needed Update!!

We are still alive. I promise. We've been distracted with life I guess. Nate, of all people, has gotten after me for not "posting" lately, I thought he'd be glad that I'm putting him before the computer!! =) Within the past couple weeks we've done some pretty fun and exciting stuff, so get ready for a run-down..

Here we are at the Church History Museum. Seriously a fun, FREE, place to have your kids entertained with educational and spiritual play. I took them here while my mom and Aunt Katie were visiting my Uncle in the Hospital. We had a few hours to kill until we met up with them and daddy for dinner later that night. Plus it was raining that day so any park's were out of the question.. Love this place, as do the kids..

Emily loves pretending to be Mary, she was so concerned it didn't look quite right, so she ended up being the angel instead.

This was Easton's favorite station. He loved building with the blocks and then demolishing his little creation. It amazed me how creative his little mind was in building his own replica of the Temple. He was so proud of himself!

The pretend Hospital Nursery was Em's favorite. She sat here coo-ing and feeding this little baby for a good half hour. Then she'd undress, then dress them, rock them some more, and then start the whole process over again! What a great little mom she is.
Easton just helping with the pretend Newborns..

Then later in the week we decided to get out of town. We'd put this trip off before, because of gas prices being so high. I finally decided that I wasn't going to sit at home and do nothing for the sake of saving a few dollars in gas. Or maybe a lot of dollars, but still. We need to make memories, and sitting home doing the same thing day in day out isn't cutting it for me! This was definitely a high-light of our last week. We went up American Fork Canyon to go fishing and see the fall colors. It was a blast! The colors were gorgeous and we all loved getting out into the great outdoors! We started off up at Silver Lake, but not much water was in that one... It had been years since Nate had been and in his memory there was much more to it than what it is now. So we ventured back down to the Tibble Fork lake. We took a hike on the far side of the lake so we could be in the shade and found a nice spot where the kids could play and we could fish. Emily has this awesome "little tikes" fishing pole that has proven itself in the past so we were hoping for good results again.
Notice Lucy in the background running out to chase the ducks! That dog had us all laughing cause it was a bit out of character for her to run into the water after them! She'd get out to where she could barely touch just loving being free! I was not thrilled though to have her back in the car making it stink like wet dog!

I loved being able to see the colors this year since last year we didn't get the chance.

Easton was of course throwing rocks into the water scaring the fish away..
Nathan's first catch of the day..

And here, so excited she was speechless, is Emily. Holding HER first catch of the day! I had been watching Nathan's fish since he had to run to the car to fetch his pliers to retrieve his hook. When all of a sudden Emily starts yelling, "MOM, I CAUGHT A FISH!!" And to my surprise at the end of her line was this little beauty!! She had reeled in the line all by herself, and held it up for all to see! I was trying to help her once she got the fish in, and try to take her picture at the same time! Words cannot express how excited I was for her, at age 5, to have caught her very first fish!! When Nathan got back from the car, he came straight over to his fish ( which I was able to let loose) and I told him to check out what his daughter had.. He too was thrilled!! Nobody could wipe the grin from his face, such a proud dad! So anyway, that was THE highlight of the day, and perhaps the entire week! She was excited to tell her classmates and teacher all about her day.. So for those thinking that those little "toy" fishing poles don't work,

think again!

And last but certainly not least, my peaches. This is something I love doing, but need a good day to get it done. I wanted to wait until Nate was home to entertain the kids, however I noticed the fruit flies swarming so my SIL Mel came to my aid. Mel showed me her "easy" method of doing the peaches and helped me get them going. It's funny cause once I get into the routine of blanching, peeling, slicing, steaming, sealing, it's a cake walk! But the sticky mess isn't my fav to clean up. I was able to put up only about 17 jars (there were some overripe, rotten ones in the bunch that had to be thrown out) but it will be well worth it. I love these peaches, thanks Selin's!! Now I need to get my tomatoes done... Our work is never done right?

So here we are, getting ready for Conference weekend, and Nate is leaving once again for the Elk hunt. I always get mixed feelings about him leaving, a) I want him to get an Elk because I love the meat, b) I hate having him gone so long cause I miss him! Plus Easton has turned into quite the daddy's boy and wants Nate to do EVERYTHING for him. So we'll see how the week goes without being able to at least call daddy to talk over the phone. There is no reception for his phone where they are camping so I'm lucky if I hear from him even once while he's gone. So good luck Daddy, catch us an Elk!!