Look who's 3!

Mason is my funny little boy. He is always up to something, and of course always making us laugh :). We are so grateful for him!The best part about summer birthdays? Slip-n-slides with friends! Mason and London playing on the Slip-n-slide (they liked to chase each other, but didn't quite get the 'slip' or 'slide' part) :)

The Happy 3-year-old!
Mason wanted a Monster Truck birthday :) This was my solution - and I HATE making cakes! (It looked cuter before all of the cupcakes were eaten :)Mason - very happy with his presents :)Testing out his power tools and safety goggles - he might have to follow in his daddy's footsteps!Normally he would NOT have gotten away with this, but the little stinker knew it was his birthday and he could get away with ANYTHING, so he got out of his bed and climbed in to cuddle with Mom and Dad at night. We still eventually made him go to bed in his own bed, but he didn't get in trouble, and we let him stay for a little while - just because he was so cute! :) 8/12/2009

Rock Climbing Montage 2009 :)

We were able to get out and go rock climbing with my neice Amanda and her husband Ben a few times this summer - so much fun! Here is a collection of photos from our random excursions :). For some reason there are mostly pictures of the kids, none of Amanda and Ben or me, but we were all there, I promise!

My little McKinley at the top of her first full climb (she usually only goes a little ways then comes down, this one she was determined to finish, so she made it to the top of a 60 foot climb! It was with a little help, but she was very brave! When she got to the top she sat back to repel down and looked around and said "It's so beautiful up here!" Her daddy is VERY proud.)
Matt making the climb in Rock CanyonMatt climbing againDirty hands - such a boy :)Mason getting ready for his climbMason climbing - that's as far as he goes, he is my cautious child :)McKinley's climbDoing SO well - it's higher than it looks actually - and then... we don't really know what happened, she freaked out and wouldn't move and had to be rescued by a random college boy climbing with his friends on the route next to us. It was hard not to, but we were laughing at her random panic attacks, she was saying really funny things while she was up there, but would not let go of the rock so that Matt could repel her down. I am sure she would have eventually calmed down enough, but it was really funny to watch this boy rescue her. :) And we have plenty of photos, so we can blackmale her for life!

"The Farm"

I know I have posted about this before, but we LOVE the farm-land behind our house. The kids are especially entertained by the combine in the summer - they could watch it for hours!



A random Itty Bitty Ball photo from this summer's soccer session - cheesy but cute! :)
7/30/2009

THIS is why I love Bear Lake

A couple of cute kids :) - and a gorgeous view from the cabin4-wheeling, and more beautiful viewsLook at that water - B-E-A-utiful!Matt surfing - what a stud :)Family boating - what more could you want?McKinley surfing with Daddy - she LOVED it!Mason surfing with Daddy - he wasn't so sure about it!Mason was happy to be safely back in the boat :)Hanging around on the boatPlaying on the beach and in the waterFun with the whole family!The ice caves - I didn't take pictures inside, but Uncle Greg takes us up there every year, the kids think it's so cool to see snow in July!
7/21/2009 - 7/25/2009

Kiddie Pools, Bowling, Sprinklers, and other Summertime Fun

Again, posting photos from months ago, my OCD won't let me just forget them and move on, so here you go!
Would you like some water with those toys? The kiddie pool is small as it is, but the kids decided to fill it with every toy they could find! :)
He just cracks me up!McKinley, Mason, and their friend Jaxson - they all loved their goofy bowling shoes!Silly bowlers :)In case you can't read it, Mason totally beat me. I am a TERRIBLE bowler!On a hot summer day there is nothing better than sprinklers!Apparently the dog needed a bath :)Laying out - McKinley and JaxsonMason and Jaxson checking out the water at the Discovery GardensSummer is so much fun!

Photos from 7/14/09 - 7/17/09

Maybe I should read to my kids more often... :)

I started this post on 7/8/09, but never uploaded the video, so here it is. Better late than never! :)

The other day my kids wanted me to read to them, but I kept procrastinating because I was trying to get housework done. It got really quiet, and usually that's a bad sign. This time, however, it was really sweet. I found McKinley reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear to Mason in his rocking chair :). They are such cute little friends!

Okay, so I figured out why I never finished the post, the video is too big to upload. Bummer, it was cute. Here is a photo of the moment anyway.

My sentiments on cleaning... and a reminder :)

(if you have been to my house, or been around me when I am in a bad mood, you know that's true!)

Last and final reminder - I will be making this blog private as of midnight tomorrow night (November 1st)! I don't want anyone to be left out, so please leave your e-mail in the comments before it's too late! :) You KNOW you would miss me!

Family members are NOT for sale!

So, as many of you know, I am not a big animal person. Don't get me wrong, I am nice to them, and I tolerate them, but I am not a huge fan. Well, don't ask me why, but we do have a dog and a cat. The dog has become a problem lately. It is not his fault, he is actually a REALLY good dog, he doesn't chew anything, is fully potty trained, and obeys pretty well. Unfortunately, we don't have a fence, we live in an average sized house, I don't have a TON of patience for him, he annoys the kids, and he is always in the way. So, he mostly stays outside in his dog-run. I really just feel bad for him, we don't take care of him like we should, and with winter coming and a baby on the way, I just think he deserves a better home. Well, we decided to discuss it with our kids last week. This is how it went:
(Matt was on the floor wrestling with the kids while the dog kept trying to join in and lick them, which of course made them whine about the dog, as usual)
Matt: Should we just sell Monty (the dog)?
McKinley & Mason: Yep.
Matt: Really? You guys don't want him?
McKinley & Mason: No, we don't like him, he is annoying, just sell him.
Matt: Okay, are you sure?
McKinley & Mason: Yes, sell him Dad.
Matt: Okay, McKinley take his collar off.
McKinley: Okay. (She takes his collar off)
Matt: Okay, open the door and let him out. He can just go.
McKinley: NO! I really do love him, I don't want him to go (sobbing).
Matt: Really, you love him now?
McKinley: YES!
Mason: NO! (Mason proceeds to open the door, let the dog out, and slam the door closed amid McKinley's hysterical crying)
McKinley: I want him BACK! We can't let him go!
After some talking and convincing, Mason agreed that he should come back. They opened the door and of course the dog was just waiting on the porch for them to let him back in. I guess we won't be getting rid of the dog THAT easily. The next day I took the kids to the mall and Costco (in the same day, big mistake!). They were not behaving by the time we got to Costco and they could tell that Mom was REALLY annoyed. I warned them that they needed to behave, which prompted Mason to whisper to McKinley "we better watch out and do what she says or Mom will sell us like she wants to sell Monty!" Later that day McKinley had to be sent to time-out in her room. She sat there yelling at me through the door, and all the while Mason would run by and yell back to her "Mom's gonna sell you! Mom's gonna sell you!" Apparently Mason had taken the whole idea of getting rid of annoying family members to heart. After all, they include Monty in their prayers, we take him on hikes and family trips, and as far as the KIDS are concerned (this doesn't include me), he is part of the family - whether we like it or not. SO, I guess we are stuck with the dog. I don't want my kids to live in fear that they will be sold if they are annoying - or do I? :)
HOWEVER, if you would like a wonderful potty-trained 2-year-old boxer who LOVES kids and comes with dog pillows, kennel, and anything you need to take care of him, let me know, I am not opposed to him 'accidentally' disappearing in the middle of the night!

PS - this photo is like a year and a half old, I couldn't find any with the dog and I haven't taken pictures in forever!

PPS - DON'T forget! This blog will be going private in a week and a half! If you haven't left a comment with your e-mail so I can send an invite do so ASAP! I don't want to leave anyone out! And don't worry, I won't publish your comment if it contains your e-mail address!

20 Week Ultrasound, it's a....

Haha, made ya look! :) No, we didn't cheat, we made it through the ultrasound and still don't know what gender the baby is (we are sticking to our resolve - it sounds so fun to have a delivery room surprise!). Halfway there, though, yea! I actually really enjoyed this ultrasound - our kids were really into it - and I actually paid attention to all of the medical things they check, instead of worrying about what gender the baby is. The baby is healthy, and there is only one in there (phew!). My kids are SO excited for this baby, they talk about it all of the time. When anyone asks Mason if he wants a brother or sister, he says "whatever Heavenly Father wants to send us." :) We had a talk about it once, and I guess it stuck, because that is all he will say. Well, in case you want to peek, here are the ultrasound photos (notice I even mounted them on a gender-neutral background, not even a hint!)

PS - don't forget we are (really) going private November 1st! I don't want anyone left out! :) Leave your comment here with your e-mail address - I won't publish it if your address is in it!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I was thinking this morning, I really don't learn my lesson very easily. How many times have I done something and said NEVER again, but yet find myself doing it A-GAIN (still saying never again!). Here is the list I can think of right now. Hmmm, maybe I should just never say never and save myself the embarrassment. :)

• After Mason's traumatic birth I said I would NEVER do it again. :) Um, problem, since there is a baby in there and it has to come out somehow.
• Never EVER buy another piece of workout equipment, I never use it. Just bought my second treadmill (total we have purchased and returned or sold 1 previous treadmill and 2 ellipticals, not to mention the Wii Fit, collection of workout videos, aerobics steps, and weight sets all collecting dust in corners of my house).
• I would not gain 65 lbs. the next time I got pregnant. I know better now. I have done it twice, and it will probably happen again no matter how hard I try to avoid it. (Hence the purchase of another treadmill, and the gathering of workout equipment from the far corners of my house)
• After the 1st half marathon I said NEVER again. I ran 2 more that year. Would like to do another one after the baby. THEN never again. :)
• Put more money into fixing a car than it's actually worth. Let's not talk about Matt's truck right now. Sore subject.
• Cut my hair while pregnant. I do it every time. I hate it every time. I am trying to talk myself out of it, but I REALLY want to do it, even knowing I will regret it.
• Preschool Pals. We did it last year, taking turns teaching, chaos, craziness, never EVER again. Doing it again this year. McKinley loves it. At least we learned enough to make improvements.
• Coaching Itty Bitty Ball at the rec center. It's a love/hate thing. I actually love it, but it just adds one more thing to my crazy erratic schedule, and every session I say I am done. But, alas, the next session rolls around and I can't imagine not doing it. Until it starts. I have done it for over a year now. And intend to continue. And continue to say NEVER again after each session is done and life returns to 'normal.'
• NEVER schedule Dr. appointments at 9 am in Provo. Yeah right. Why do I always think I will make it on time for SURE the next time when I can't leave my house before 10? I just scheduled my next Dr. appointment. It's at 9 am.
• Start another project before I finish the last one. I always say I will NEVER do that again. But, they are so tempting to start, and the final finishing details are so tedious and easy to procrastinate. Let's count the number of unfinished projects around my house. Actually, let's not. Let's just say there are many.

Well, if I don't leave now I will be late to pick Kinley up from Preschool, AGAIN, but there are plenty more items on my list of lessons never really learned. Gym memberships being one of them, but we will go there another day. Ah, how quickly we forget. :) At least it gives me something to blog about... and laugh about... afterwards.

He was here, and then he just isn't anymore...

Since this IS my journal, I thought I'd record a little story that I wanted to remember, you don't have to read if you don't want to. :)

Matt has been working on a remodel for a friend of the family lately. He and a few of the other subcontractors he had hired spent a late night on the job the other night. The kind homeowners ordered them pizza, so they all stopped for a bit to eat and talk. Matt has a pretty loyal working relationship with his subcontractors, he pretty much uses the same ones over and over once he finds ones that he really likes. There was a tile guy named John who was there working that night. Matt had spoken highly of him, he had done several jobs for Matt and was a good craftsman, as well as a fun person to be around. They finished eating and talking that night, then they all went home. Matt told me later that he really enjoyed talking to John. Yesterday Matt called me on his way home from work to tell me that he had just gotten a phone call, John would not be finishing the job, the tile company would be sending someone new to finish the job, John had died of a heart attack that morning. "I can't believe it," Matt said, "we just sat there talking two nights ago eating pizza together, I mean, he was just here and just fine, and then he just isn't anymore. I mean, I really didn't even know him that well, but he was such a nice guy." Our hearts and prayers go out to John's family at this time. Now, I tell you this story to tell you of a lesson it taught me. None of us know how long we have here. Not a single one of us has an exact date and time. Now, I am a procrastinator. I always think I have more time than I do, and I procrastinate projects until the very end of the deadline. What about when there ISN'T a known deadline? I mean, there is one, we all have one, but we don't know when it is. Am I making the most of what I have, while I have it? Or, am I waiting until there's no time left? I think this gentle reminder hit home more with me because of Matt's parents' current health situation. They are doing well with their treatments, but we constantly worry about how much time we have with them. Why? If we make the most of every day that we have them, it doesn't matter how much time or how little time, we won't have any regrets. Do we want to know when so we can wait until the end? I hope not. Because, ultimately, we never know HOW much time. I have known a 70-year-old cancer patient who unwillingly survived for 10 years through the disease, while a friend was just riding down the the street at 20-years-old on a motorcycle and was taken instantly. We just don't know. Since we don't and won't ever know the exact day or amount of time, it IS up to us to make every day count, and to take advantage of every minute we have with those we love. Every card, every letter. Every phone call, every hug, every kiss. Each book we read to our children or grandchildren. Every word we say that could be our last chance. I say this not in grief or despair, but in an empowering moment of personal realization that we determine how MUCH we do in the unknown amount of time we have. We determine the impact that we have on those around us, and WE alone determine how we are remembered. So, here's to making it count, every minute of it. Today I vow to try a little harder to be a little better every day, and also to show my friends and family how much I love them and appreciate them more often (please don't judge me if it takes me some time to improve, change does take time!). Thanks to John for reminding me how precious life is.

Gone, but not forgotten

So, as I have mentioned before, Mason has a thing for flushing 'unflushables' down the toilet, so this story was inevitable. The kids' bathroom toilet has been broken for a couple of days. The plunger wasn't doing the trick, and Matt knew that he needed to remove the toilet and find out what was lodged inside, but as you can imagine it wasn't at the TOP of his priority list, ewww! Well, he will probably learn a lesson in procrastination from this one, since the toilet was free from raw sewage in the beginning. Last night some friends came by and we all sat outside and talked while the kiddos played. As it was getting dark Mason went in to go potty. I forgot about the broken toilet - and so did he. Matt and I cleaned up the toys, then headed inside, only to hear Kinley yelling "Mooooommmmm, you have to come see this!" I instantly remembered the broken toilet. Ooooops. I ran in to find poop water at least an inch deep covering the bathroom floor, the rug soaked, and the carpet getting wet at the edge of the bathroom. Gross! I grabbed the nearest non-favorite towels and started mopping up the edge to avoid soaking the carpet. McKinley informed me that since the toilet started to fill up with water when they flushed it, she just kept flushing it to make it go down... but it didn't... another oooops. We put the kids to bed, then started our dirty job. Which resulted in this:

Matt was not amused at my attempt to photograph the event for future generations. :) After lots of cursing and fishing with a bent hanger, Matt was able to get the object loose. As soon as I heard the clanking in the ceramic I knew what it was. I had noticed that the little resin frog statue that said "Toadally Loveable" that used to be on a bathroom shelf was missing a couple of days ago. It was broken in half, so I didn't really care about it, but I had forgotten to look for it. Matt was able to pull it out (seriously gross!) - here is what was left of it. Apparently the smaller end that had been broken made it through with the original flushing a few days ago, but this piece was a little too big :). So here is the funny part, I went into the kids' room (they were still awake) and asked if anyone had flushed my froggy statue down the toilet. Both kids said they hadn't. Then I went and got it (it had been washed off) and showed them, asking again who had flushed it. McKinley immediately said she had not, but Mason didn't say a word, he just stared at it with an incredulous look on his face. Finally he asked in amazement "Mom! How did you get that back?!?" GUILTY! But, it was so funny that I just laughed about it. Needless to say, we had a talk about only flushing human waste, not home decor, while Matt re-assembled the toilet. I spent the next hour or so sanitizing the entire bathroom, and all was as it should be. The kids are now totally amazed every time they flush that toilet, they say "Mom! Look, it works!" :)