I'm Back! Here's the latest...

Ava broke her foot jumping off my bed. 3 doctors had 3 different opinions. One doctor was confused, the ped. orthopedic foot surgeon said let her walk on it and let's see, the general pediatrician said let's cast it. I followed the advice of the specialist and a week later she is still pointing to her foot and saying "headache". May need a fourth opinion...

We played Mary Poppins:

Have had messy fun:

Took 8 kids (some not pictured) by myself to HSM3 and was busting up most of the time because it was so cheesy but super fun:

Russ had his 38th Birthday and got 20 minute hand and foot messages from Chad and Sarah (he fell asleep it was so good):

Sarah's present to Russ was a homemade chocolate ball with almonds, cut up Bit-O-Honeys, and other stuff. She wrapped it SO pretty lying on a poof with a clear box and big ribbons. Russ l-o-v-e-d it:

I got a tripod and so now I can do this:

and this:

and this:

and some more self love with this:

And to prove I am the best wife in the world (I hate guns), my husband got an SKS for his birthday:

Happy Birthday, Russ! Thank you for being the husband I'd always dreamed of and for always making me feel adored. In 13 years of marriage you have never criticized me once. You always lift me up and make me feel like a million bucks. You are my man.

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And because my mom is the most Christlike angel walking the planet earth, she and my Dad have agreed to watch my the kids while Russ and I go here next month. I am feeling panicky, excited, nervous, and blessed all at the same time. Thank you, Mom and Dad. How can I help YOU??? That is always the question and it never seems to get answered. I feel like a princess and like I can conquer and handle anything because I have this to look forward to.

And the winner is...

For Family Home Evening tonight we had a lesson on preparedness. We bore testimony to the children of the peace we felt this week even when the world was in turmoil. We are prepared. Wow, how did we get so lucky to have the gospel in our lives?!

We played a family favorite game of Bean Bag Archery and followed that with a very scientific taste test. The blind taste test was fun and I was very surprised by the results. The choices were:

A. Moos Milk (a product Utahns seem to love)
B. Regular Skim Milk (from the store)
C. Powdered Milk (from the cannery)
And the winner is...

Powdered milk from the cannery! Who ever would have guessed. It was Russ', Chad's, Ava's, and my favorite. Sarah liked milk from the store the best. The Moos Milk was everyone's least favorite (I think I must have made it wrong!). I have tried the chocolate Moos Milk and that is irresistible.
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It snowed last week and here is proof. Only 3 months this year with no snow in them. That is crazy!!! I'm already planning a warm vacation while at the same time shopping for ski clothes.


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And last but not least, I can never ever get enough of my parents! Seriously, we just laugh and laugh and I just feel giddy. I loved their visit this last Friday. Chad got his trumpet in the mail that night and Mom picked it up and played for the first time in 53 years!!!! I couldn't believe it! Even my Dad had never heard her play in his entire life.

And ooh la la, as if we all didn't know their house is amazing...their floor plan was just chosen as the 2008 Golf Magazine Dream House http://www.golf.com/golf/courses_travel/article/0,28136,1806776,00.html. What great validation after such a big undertaking.

NO FEAR!

Gotta love the safety goggles, curlers, mouth guard, and helmet combo!

Halloween at our house...

When I was about 10, I was desperate to put Christmas lights on our house. My parents had never put lights up before so I took it upon myself. I got out the Scotch tape and a few strands of lights and did my best to adhere them to the stucco. I spent the next few days frantically trying to keep up the lights that kept falling down. Scotch tape and stucco are not a good match! It was the saddest thing. No wonder as an adult I can't wait to put lights out for any occasion!

I spray painted some branches black and wrapped them in orange lights:

The 10ft tall Scooby is our annual staple and makes the kids giddy.
Now all we need to put up are our spider webs, pumpkins, and the head ache inducing lightning strobe light sound effects machine.

Happy Halloween!

The World Is Coming to an End!

No, not because of the collapsing economy, but because my girls are wearing Stop and they are miserable. What is that you may ask? It is a clear finger nail polish that tastes like bile and is for nail biters and thumb suckers. We had a nail painting party and every member of our family is wearing it. We are all gagging! Just eating popcorn is difficult!

Ava and Alyssa are die hard thumb suckers. All day and all night long. Here is a picture before they tasted it. They are so proud of their new nail polish!

Here is video of Ava tasting Stop for the first time, and Sarah can't stop busting up...

She tried to lick pillows and stuff, and then ran to the fridge to get water. But just an hour earlier, Sarah covered the water dispenser because Ava was making disasters with it...

My poor girls. I feel bad for them!