My Celebrity Hair Stylists

Hello, bloggy blog. Sorry I've ignored you, but I've been sick, sick, sick. AGAIN. Finally better.

So what do you do when your body aches and everyone else is laying around sick too and thus has watched entirely too much TV? Grab all of the hair ties in the house and announce we're having a hair style contest! Everyone had a turn and I was the lucky model who got to sit on her bum and had her hair brushed for an hour. I was so miserably sick I could barely stand to move, so this was the best fun I could come up with and I got pampered all at the same time. Double bonus. I totally have the best memories of doing this to my mom growing up. We'd put 50 barrettes in her hair and she'd act like she loved it! We followed with an award ceremony and here is what Russ labeled each do...

Ava's Masterpiece got the "Springfabulous" award

(Yes, I felt as sick as I looked...)

Russ gave Alyssa's Do the "Patty Playful" award. (huh?)

Sarah's Creation: "Blue Bow Beautiful" Award

Chad's busted out the power tools and got the "Braid-o-licious" Award

We'll definitely be doing this again.

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My fairy godmother and fairy godfather stopped by (aka Mom and Dad). They knew I had been sick so while I was out driving kids around they stopped by and did all my laundry, scrubbed bathrooms, vacuumed the whole house, the garage, made dinner, etc. etc. I wish I had pictures of that beautiful sight! Watching my Dad push a vacuum around and my mom do her thing is so touching. Makes my heart melt.

Meanwhile, Russ has a job interview in Houston in a couple weeks. It would be a total career change into software sales. They may let us stay here. Maybe have to move. We'll see. I don't know anyone from Houston. I'd love to talk to someone that is raising a family there!!! Anyone have any Houston connections???

The Party

She turned 11.

Both teams united midway during the Mall Scavenger Hunt.

We posed like mannequins.

Sarah's wheelchair and crutches were a huge hit. Everyone wanted a turn trying them out. But Sarah has been miserable and just wants to be normal again.
Russ had visions of broken heels flying off on his team so he had them sit down for their picture.

On my team, I said, "Show me your walk girls! Like you're on the catwalk!"

The girls solved riddles, gathered items, and took cute pictures.Back at home for dinner, Chad got everyone's attention at the table and asked, "Ooookay. Now raise your hand if you have a crush on me!" Cue the chirping crickets. Oh, heartbreak. I quickly say, "Okay, raise your hand if you think Chad is good at being funny?" Everyone raises their hands. I hope that made him feel better because he loves to be funny.

I have gotten a little carried away with the sprinkles around the edge of the glass thing! This time is was rainbow sprinkles.

The cake mirrored her invitations. I was very impressed with my Ziploc bag squeezing skills and my ability to pull this off at the last second. 3 tubs of frosting, 2 cake mixes.

I have to add that just a few minutes prior to the party, Russ had JUST walked in the door from a scout camping trip in the ice and snow in 0 degree Montana. I said, "You have 30 minutes to shower, and then I need your help!" He happily took a team of giddy girls around the mall and helped host the party for the next several hours. Poor guy was dead to the world after all of that!!! He is my hero. And heroes get lots of kisses.

PS Russ is still job hunting. I was hoping he'd get the job selling Botox (I mean free Botox, who could resist???), but we found out later it was already filled before it was posted and he submitted his app. This is becoming a trend! Argh.

Proud and Not So Proud Mothering Moments

Proud.

Proud.Proud.The Invite to Sarah's Mall Scavenger Hunt Birthday Party.

Still Proud.
They are so cute.

Not so proud.

Jumped off a flight of stairs and said her foot hurt. Never looked swollen or bruised. I said she'd be fine. A week later (after delivering all these invites, running around the church a dozen times helping at the baptism fireside for 3 hrs, and going to school limping on it for FOUR days), I finally take her to the doctor where they determine she broke her heel!!!!!! Wearing a cast now. Oh I feel so bad. Now she will have to be pushed around the mall for her birthday party scavenger hunt in a wheelchair, poor thing!

Kind of reminds me of another not so proud moment here:
I dared her to ride her bike down this HUGE ravine. HUGE. She was so scared. I bribed her to do it. I kept saying, "You won't get hurt. I know you can do it. I'll give you a dollar!" She upped the prize to 2 dollars and went for it after about 10 minutes of me talking her into it. I mean she had my word she wouldn't get hurt, right?
She fell and got hurt. Really hurt. Cried the whole way home.

Not proud of my judgement.

But proud of her!

2009 Ended Fine

Our last week of Christmas break was spent vegging out, vegging out, vegging out, and hiking and bowling. We were going to hit the slopes, but Sarah injured her foot so we stayed put. (As a fifth grader, she boards for free this year at all the resorts!)
We love Tubb's Hill where we can hike to all of these private beaches along the lake. Alyssa says, "I hate this place, I don't want to go." And the whole time there she said, "I love this place!! This is the best day ever!" Sunshine and exercise do wonders for the soul! Russ can skip rocks and boulders with ease. I find that attractive.
Chad the eternal bird chaser.
We snagged Ben after work to bowl with us. He creamed Russ and me and even picked out a pink ball to prove how manly he was.

To prove how wild our New Year's parties are we invited the Elders. Actually, they invited themselves over because they had to pick someone to party with and we are cool like that! Although we always celebrate East Coast New Years at 9pm our time. I love it that way because I'm so selfish with my grown-up only time at night. And my kids don't know any different! The elders tried to reclaim their badminton record we shattered, but they couldn't do it. Russ and Sarah's record of back and forths stands at 152!

Later in the week when I took Sarah to the mall, I gasped at how old she looked. I can't stop staring.

She's beautiful.

But her outer beauty pales in comparison to her beauty within...I mean who else happily cleans the entire house while babysitting and with a broken foot? She also bore her testimony on Sunday and was profoundly touched by the Spirit. After she sat down she cried many happy tears. She's worked very hard at gaining a testimony of her very own and it's neat to see the fruits of her labors.