Rees' Ranch in Morgan

We had such a great time riding 4-wheelers at the ranch.Caleb and Max even had battery operated tractors and 4-wheelers to drive all by themselves. The girls all piled into the "John Deere" for a ride in the country. There is Sophie, Hallie and Mara. They had such a great time they rode the toys for hours until the batteries all died.

The pond at the ranch....what is it with boys and water? Sam and Curtis in the boat and Colin and Noah on the rock.

We spent all day saturday at the ranch. We saw the cows and chased some calves. We also got to see Miya's(our dog) mom and sister. The boys thought that was neat, and they got to shoot a "real" shot gun they loved it. We were so glad that we were invited and that it happened to be the weekend that we were down.

Black Eye Blues

Poor Mara got her first black eye!

Last Friday we went to gymnastics and Mara went down the slide, and a big kid didn't wait for her to get out of the way, and came down head first and cracked her nose with his skull. I heard her cry(really it was a scream of bloody murder) and went over, it didn't look that bad at first, but on the car ride home I looked in the rear view mirror, and saw a huge buldge on the side of her nose. I was so afraid that it was broken. She kept saying "Nose hurts bad mommy."

I felt so bad for her.Even when she woke up for her nap she said "Nose hurts bad!" The thing that was really funny is that at dinner last night, almost a week after the accident,when we were all saying what our "Highs" and "lows" were, she said "Nose hurt slide" for her low. she usually just says "High" when we ask her what her high is and nothing when we ask her low. I guess she is still thinking about it.

April 1, 2008Easter was so fun, the kids had great time coloring eggs. Saturday was really cold, and I didn't want to take Emma out in it forthe egg hunt, so Ryan stayed home with Emma, and Sam and Noah didn't want to go either, so I took Caleb and Max and Mara to the KOA for the egg hunt ( I know, only in Montana would there be and egg hunt at the local KOA) It was actually really fun and very well organized to a point.

The kids got to make a bag to put their eggs in and then run race with their age group (Mara was the winner in her age group-it was quite hilarious- She won a stuffed animal) Then they got to hunt for eggs.
 

There were tons of eggs, They split the group in half and led us around to the other side, but let the other group in first, so we didn't get very many eggs, in fact Caleb didn't get any, and Mara only got one. Max found four, but Caleb was so upset. He was the one most excited for the hunt. I felt so bad for him. There were all these kids with bags chuck full and all these other kids who found none. I told Caleb to remember how he felt and if he was ever the one with lots, to share.

We saw the easter bunny, and I wanted to take their picture so I made the kids go and stand by him, but they were a little timid. I did get the picture, but after Mara made me hold her and she was just squeezingme tight and wouldn't let go. When I asked her what the matter was she said 'Bunny eat me!' When Ryan saw the picture of the Easterbunny he said 'I'd be afraid that it would eat me too!'

Last week was Spring Break for all the kids, the whole week long, and we had so much fun. The highlight for the boys was going skiing one last time. Sam got sick the first run down, so they gave him goggles thinking it was the glare of the sun making him nauseated, but at the end of the third run he threw up. Sick!! He spent the rest of the time in the lodge waiting for everyone else to finish skiing.

My parents and Ryan's sister Jamie and her two girls came up on Thursday. We got to pick them up at the airport. Mara and Max had such a great time playing with Sophie and Hallie. I was so glad that they were here. It was so nice to have family around again'we miss them all so much. On Friday, Sam and Noah were of course elated to have Greyson and Addy and Coulsen come and play with them, and Max wouldn't leave Coulsen alone he was so glad to see him. Mara is still saying 'Where 'Chele' go? We are so sad that everyone had to go home. We got to meet Meredith's fiance Garret, and Max said 'mom he's going to be a fun uncle.' we are excited for them and their upcoming wedding. (It also means we will get to see family again soon.) Ryan's parents drove up on Saturday with his grandparentsand sister Tami and her family. It was so fun to have a house full!
 

We had so much fun visiting and letting the kids play and EATING!!!Ryan did such a great job on Emma's blessing. she looked beautiful, of course. After everyone left, Ryan and I were wondering how we ever left such great family. It's a good thing we get to see them often, there is just a sense of belonging that comes from being around family. Especially when you love that family so much. I think the greatest thing about us moving away is that we realize just how much we love our family. There is no way to take them for granted when the times you see them are so few and far between.
 

Yesterday I had my Newborn Ressusitation class. It was so cool. I learned so much. I love learning new things, and this totally satified my hunger to learn more (for a day or two) What a great new adventure this will be. Hope you all have a great spring and I hope warm weather comes soon. I can't wait to get outside and get a tan!!!!! 

Conference Weekend Surprise!

I had the best surprise Conference weekend when the Bouck's showed up. It was so good to have them. The kids instantly started playing together as if there had never been a seperation. We had such a good time. We went to Ryan Dam on Sunday for a picnic lunch, only to discover that it doesn't open until Mother's Day. We had quite a fine time eating our lunch on the dirt next to the trail that lead to the swinging bridge to Ryan Dam Island. The highlight of their stay was definitly getting to see the septic tank sucker-outer truck come and clean out all the poop that was in our septic tank. I don't think we will ever forget the smell, or the plumber crack that was sported by the guy that came.

We had a hot dog roast in our firepit Monday night. It was really fun. We were all standing around with our hotdogs in the fire, there was no wind at all(that is really unusual) then all of a sudden Lucy got blown over and Caleb's hat went flying up in the air and ashes spewed all over our hotdogs. It was so wierd. Ryan saw the twister come right through the middle of us, and then as suddenly as it started it was over, and there was no more wind. After eating out hotdogs(with Jalapenos on them--Yummy!) the kids roasted marshmellows and made s'mores. It was the perfect evening.

Lucy and Mara were instantly friends, and it was so cute to see them play with the dress-up shoes and dolls. Mara so needed to have a girl to play with, Lucy taught her how to play with the girl toys that she has. They were so adorable together. Mara still asks for Lucy. It is so nice to know that distance cannot stop friendship!

We are officially Montanans

I am so proud of Sam and Noah! They made it a full year without candy and desserts! They had a few struggles, and it was really hard at times, but they set a goal and accomplished it. The $100 incentive was often times all that kept them going, but they did it. They decided to buy airsoft guns with their money. I was totally against it for the longest time, but after much convincing, I finally conceded. They have had the greatest time with them. Last night they found a bunch of aluminum cans in the ditch behind our fence, and set them up for target practice. They had a ball! Ryan was out there with them, and he had as much fun as they did. The weather was perfect last night, and we stayed out until 8:oo. We were out walking in the fields and It felt like I was on vacation somewhere in the mountains. I loved it. It was so peaceful and the kids were playing so well. It was a moment of bliss. It was very needed after the stressful day that Ryan and I both had.

Swimming Scouts!

Last night Noah's activity for scouts was swimming at the La Quinta Inn in Great Falls. They needed parents to stay, so I took Caleb and Max and headed off to the hotel. Ryan had stuff to do in the clerks office at the church, and Sam had scouts at the church, so Ryan took Sam and Mara and Emma and headed to the church. It was quite fun, We each got to spend some three on one time with kids we usually don't have. The boys loved swimming! The cub scout leader was quite worried about Max and Caleb. I was totally watching them, but she kept saying "How long do you let them stay under before you go in after them?" I didn't know what she was talking about at first, but then I realized they were having contests to see who could stay under longer and she was worried they were drowning. What was funny is that I am so used to them doing it in the bathtub that I hadn't even noticed that there was cause for alarm. Max loved the hot tub, and I had to keep sending him to the "cold pool" because his cheeks were bright red. Noah is quite the swimmer, and earned his swimming belt loop.

Max quotes "Nacho Libre" all the time, and he and Caleb were posing at Eskeleto and Nacho in the picture above. Caleb told Max "we always lose because you only believe in science." to which Max replied "we always lose because you are fat." I got quite the chuckle out of that!

Oh, Deer!

Okay so you all know my feelings about meat. Not the biggest fan to say the least! So it was a great surprise to me last night when there was a knock at our garage door and a guy from Ryan's work standing there with a whole deer that he had processed just for us. UGHHHH! what will I do with it. Ryan conviently forgot to tell me he was coming with it. So tonight I am going to Chili's for a girls night out with the relief society, and Sam wanted sheep herder casserole. I usually make it without the meat(I know wierd) but since I was not going to eat it, Ryan told me to make it with the ground deer. Honestly, even knowing that it would not touch my lips, I gagged the entire time I was cooking it. I don't know why it is worse than cow, it's a mental thing I know, but I was so grossed out! I scoured the pan and the spatula that I used to cook it and then disinfected the sink where I washed the pan. My stomach was churning the whole time. It better not spoil my dinner at chili's. I know we live in Montana, and hunting is the only past time for 90% of the population, but I will never get used to it. A guy we know up here that is an avid hunter has already told me I am un-American, and un- Montanan, and I shouldn't take up space here because I don't eat wild game. I guess I will never fit in. I actually hope I don't ever fit in, if that is a requirement to fit in. Disgusting!!!
The older boys ate it all just fine, they even said it was good, but in the middle of the night, Caleb came into my room saying he had a headache, and then he went into the kitchen for a drink of water and came back with a barf bucket. I told him if he needed to throw up he'd better run for the toilet. He did, he ran and just made it before he lurched. All I can say is that if i ever had thought about trying deer meat before, all possibility left when I saw and smelt Caleb's barf.

Wal-Mart Embarrassment

I know that you are all thinking, how can anyone get embarrassed at Wal-mart? After all, it is the hub of wierdos and PWT. Well, I've managed to do it...again. I guess knowing me, you won't be surprised though. Yesterday, I went there to go grocery shopping (I live in Great Falls, there honestly is no where else to go.) When I got there, I let Mara out of her carseat, and then realized that if I didn't want a crying baby all through the store, then I'd better feed Emma before I went in. I shut the van door and went around to the other side to get in because I can't crawl over Emma's car seat. When I got to the other side I realized that I had just locked all the kids in the car. I started tapping on the window to get Mara to come over and unlock the door for me. She thought I was playing a game and started tapping on the window where I was tapping and laughing. I went to the other side to tell Max to try to get out of his carseat. I alternatly was going back and forth between Mara and Max to try to convince them to let me in. I figured that eventually one of them would be able to help me out. Much to my mortification though, the guy who brings in the cart saw me and came over. The most embarassing thing though, was that he was the same guy who just a month ago had to help me jump the car because the battery was dead. I am sure he was thinking what a dumb helpless lady. I hate that. I am very independent and not dumb (even though my actions prove otherwise.) Mara eventually got what I was saying and managed to unlock the door instead of just tap at the window. What's even worse is that when I got home and relayed the story to Ryan he said 'Why didn't you just use the key that is in the magnetic box under the car. I AM AN IDIOT!! I completely forgot about the key. I was so sure that Mara or Max would help me out, and If the cart guy wouldn't have come over, I wouldn't even think twice about it, but I felt like and Idiot. Please tell me that other people do these kinds of things and I am not just loosing my mind.

We had the best surprise last weekend. Kevin and Joy Bouck came up to watch conference with us. I was in the kitchen on Saturday looking in the fridge for something to feed the kids for lunch when the door opened and Joy came in saying 'we just thought we'd come over for lunch.' I just stared at her, my mind couldn't comprehend how she was there. I had no idea that they were coming, Ryan did, and he kept it a secret. He is quite the secret keeper. We had such a great time! Saturday we let Sam and Noah tend and we went to dinner after the priesthood session. Noah called just as I was pulling into the driveway and said that the toilet downstairs was over flowing. I went inside and there was water all over. In the hallway and into Sam and Noah's room. So Kevin and Ryan cleaned up toilet water and pulled up carpet and started a fan to dry the carpet. On Monday when Ryan went to work (he had to go in because all of his seasonal employees were starting, and he had to be there to train them) Kevin ended up spending the day figuring out what was wrong with the toilet. I am sure that is just what he wanted to do on his vacation. It ended up that the septic tank was full and the line was clogged. $300 later, We have a clean line and and empty septic tank. It was so funny because Kevin was out talking to the septic tank sucker outer guy and Joy and I were watching them from inside and the guy bent over and I have never seen a Plumbers crack as big as that guy had. There is no way he could have been wearing underwear. We laughed so hard! On tuesday when they left, we were so sad. Max wanted to go with them so bad. We couldn't stand to stay in the house, so we went to the library and then to the park just to get out of the house. We are so excited to come home in two weeks. I am going to my mom's to teach a class, and I will bring the three youngest and then the next Friday Ryan is going to come down with the older three and we will leave our van down there to see if we can sell it. I am so excited for Summer! Only a month and a half of school left. I can't wait.

~Emma's Blessing Day!~

What a perfect day....Well, as perfect as it could be. We blessed Emma Hope Arkoudas today, March 30,2008. We had a lot of family come, and that meant so much to us. We realized when we decided to move so far away that we would probably not have family at events like this, but we had both of our parents there, and Ryan's grandparents. Ryan's two sisters, Jamie and Tami and their families. Two of my sisters also came, Michele with her family, and Meredith with her new fiance(He actually proposed on his way home from the blessing.) My parents and Jamie flew in on thursday, and it was so cold! The boys were hoping that when Coulsen got here, he could help them get a tree house up in the tree. But by the time that they got here on Friday, it was freezing and there was a major snow storm. One of the only ones we got this year.

Ryan's parents had a heck of a time getting through the passes. Wouldn't you know that the

only weekend that we need it to be good weather it's not. We ended up having both fires going the entire time. It was freezing. The kids had so much fun playing with their cousins. Michele stayed at a hotel, and Sam and Noah stayed there with them the first night, and then Sam and Caleb stayed there the next night. They thought that was so cool. Caleb loves his aunt Michele. Mara got to play with girls!! She and Sophie and Hallie had a great time playing together and Sophie taught her how to play like a girl. That was so fun. The baby strollers got used and the dolls got carried around.

On sunday, we went to the church and blessed Emma and then came back to our house for dinner. We had BBQ beef sandwiches and the house was full. Ryan's parents and grandparents and sister Tami saw the weather report that it was supposed to snow again and decided it was best that they head for home before the weather got worse, so less than 24 hours after arriving here, they headed for home. We felt bad that they traveled all that way for such a short time, but were so glad that they were here for Emma's special day.

I love this picture of Ryan and Emma! He wore his pink tie just for the occasion, and Emma is looking at him like she knows exactly who he is and Ryan is looking at her like he knows just how special she is. I love it!

By Sunday night everyone had left except Jamie and her girls. Brian flew in that night, and unfortunately for him had to hear Mara cry all night long. She had molars coming in and it was making her ear hurt. I tried everything that I knew. I put garlic in her ear in case it was an ear infection, I tried zoning her, I tried lavender oil to calm her down, I tried peppermint oil on her back to get her fever down. I even tried tylenol. Yes, I figured that would do the trick. It was the first time she has ever had tylenol, but nothing worked. She still cried all night long. I felt bad for her, but I felt even worse for Brian in the next room being kept awake.

I had a neonatal recussitation class the next morning, so I didn't even get to spend the day with Brian and Jamie, but Ryan had the day off, and he got to take care of sick Mara, and try to be entertaining for our company. By monday night everyone had gone home, and Ryan and I sat on the couch and looked at each other and wondered why we had moved so far away from our family that we love so muc. It was kinda depressing. Having everyone there made us realize just how much we miss them, and how much we like having them around. I was thinking that I had a little bit of postpartum depression(something I've never had before), but when everyone went home, I realized that it most likely wasn't postpartum depression, but rather just a homesickness of sorts. I missed having everyone around when I had a baby to help, and to just know that they were there.

We are so grateful to all who came up and sacrificed there time and energy to be there with us on Emma's very special day....Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It meant so very much to us.

St. Patrick's Day

We had a most excellent St.Patrick's day, complete with green scrambled eggs for breakfast and Corned Beef and mashed potates with green jello for dinner. The kids were hoping that a leprechan would come to our house again like he did last year, but he didn't.

Last year Ryan and I were in Hawaii for St. Patrick's Day and Nikki Thomas was tending. She went all out and had a pot of surprises and glitter all over and leprechan foot prints. A leprechan came to Caleb's class at school and messed up the room and left glitter all over. Caleb thought that was pretty cool. He set up a trap for one, but they didn't catch him.

I am not liking that Easter and St.Patrick's Day were on the same week this year.

Last Friday Ryan took Sam, Noah and Caleb skiing for the first time. They absolutely loved it. Noah was very skeptical about going, and I had to pretty much force him to go. He actually told me he would rather stay at school and take his friday spelling, math and reading tests. He wasn't kidding either, I guess it's good that he likes school that much. He had a great time though, they all said it was the best thing they have ever done in their lives. Caleb got really brave and started booking it down the mountain, then caught an edge and biffed it really good. He had on goggles, and the imprint of them is still in the corner of his eyes. Needless to say he was pretty cautious after that and stayed right behind Ryan the rest of the time. I wish I could have seen them.

I stayed home and took Max and Mara to tumbling for the first time. They loved it! Max is a little monkey and he had a grand old time. I actually got to talk to some moms, and that was fun for me too. Max wanted to go skiing really bad, and he would have done awesome, but three was hard enough for Ryan to handle on their first time, so Max can start next year. They are already planning another trip.

Max had his first trip to the Emergency room, he fell off the dog kennel onto the cement floor, and got a concussion. He seemed fine at first, but then he got all listless and kept throwing up. It ended up that he was okay, but you just never know. I can't wait for the bill from that one. Of course Ryan was out of town, but thank goodness Ryan's mom was here to help me. Max slept from 9:30 to 3:00, but when he woke up at three, he was back to his old 'jumping off everything' self.

My sister Meredith is getting married in Nauvoo on June 17th, so we are driving 20 hours to go there. We are going to go through South Dakota, to see Mt. Rushmore, and then through Nebraska to winter quarters and we'll stop at Farr West and Liberty Jail and Adam-ondi-aman. I am really excited, I love road trips. Our only problem is seats in our car. We are one short, so we have to see about getting another car.

We are blessing Emma on Sunday March 30th, and the kids are finished with their no-sugar diet that day. They are doubly excited to see family and to have treats. Sam wants brownies and ice-cream. Noah wants Chocolate eclairs (the frozen ones from Sam's club), and Ryan just wants anything Chocolate. ( He has only been on the no-sugar thing since January) We are so excited to see family and have cousins to play with. We ordered baby chicks from the farm store, they will come in May. I am so excited. I was hoping to have them for Easter, but they don't come in until May. That will give us time to get our chicken coop ready so that no animals can get in to get the chicks.

I am going to take a newborn ressusitation class on March 31st. I have been reading the textbook, and it is so interesting. I am excited to learn. I am hoping to become a birth assistant at the birthing center where I delivered Emma. I am very excited about that.