Gotta Love Max's "Cool Runnings"!

I walked past the boys bedroom today and this is how I found Max. Totally unashamed that his bobsled is pink and has wheels. He is great. That kid has worn that helmet for the last two days. Ever since watching "Cool Runnings" again. His pants were even tight and stretchy like on the movie. That kid....I hope no one ever changes him!

Just needed to hear this today!

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

~Thomas Alva Edison~

Just thoughts!

Little miss Emma thinks that Mara's dance class it her dance class as well. The teacher made the mistake of letting her join them one day and she has been hooked on tutus and fairy wings since. Can't tell you how happy that makes me ;)

While in Utah, we inherited pink cowboy boots that fit Emma just a little too big, and she insists on wearing them. They are so stinking cute on her, I can't resist letting her, even though she clumps around in them and they fall off if I hold her! Her first complete sentence was...

"Hallie give me pink boots!"

She has said that too me so frequently this week, that we now call them the " Hallie gave me pink boots" boots!

I especially love it when she wears them with her tutu and fairy wings!

So with the fun stuff out of the way, I just need to say that I don't think I have ever gone through a worse winter! I can't tell you what the coming of spring means to me. I love the time change. Love that my kids were outside until 7:30pm and it was still light. Love that we played outside all day! love the new baby chicks and the new goats, but love them this year so much more because of the dark gloom this winter held on me. It wasn't just the winter, it was all the "happenings" this winter had.

We end (I say that with a hopeful note) this winter with our toilet overflowing yet again and flooding our basement yet again. Sam and Noah's room was completely flooded this time, so everything had to be moved. Ryan and I couldn't take it again, so we just ripped up all the carpet, pad, sheet rock, moldings, and moved all the furniture. ( why did it have to be the only room we have finished down there that got flooded?) We now have a cement floor, and it will stay that way until we can truly figure out why our drains think it okay to back up into our house.

All kids are upstairs, Sam in Max's bed, Noah sleeping with the girls, and Caleb and Max sharing a twin bed. We are cozy at our house. One blessing is that with Noah in with the girls they sleep the whole night in their bed.

I did not want another house project, and am still in denial...life can just go on the way it is, lots of people live in trail houses...that's just what our downstairs looks like now. No one goes down except to do laundry, we play outside and all watch t.v. together in our bedroom...all eight of us on the bed...that's fine right. We only watch two shows on t.v., so can I just be in denial for a summer? Would that be wrong? I just want to plant my garden and pretend the downstairs doesn't exist.

Four weeks of this semester left and not a single class done. So needing to be a better student, a better teacher, a better friend, but most of all a better mom. Way too many roles to fill. Just need to get this school thing behind me. but the Montana State board is giving me lots of grief...have I mentioned how much I hate politics???

I am so not even feeling like putting on a smile anymore, so if I am not so chipper, it's not you, just know I am going through my own little hell right now. One day it will end, be my friend then......stear clear for now......the bad luck just might rub off.

I can't leave you with a bad note, so here's some funnies for the night.

At the end of family home evening, Mara was sitting on Sam's lap and he had his eyes closed. She lifted his eyelids and said "Hi, Sam!" She kept doing it over and over, then Noah said "do it to me. She lifted Noah's eyelids and said "Hi, Sam!"

Thought the boys might just pee themselves over that one.

Emma was snugglin into bed tonight with Noah and trying desperately to stay awake for longer she said...

"Peee???"

"No", I said, "Noah just took you,"

"Pooo???? she said

"No"

"Gwarwar???" (translation: Water)

I fear I am in for it with that little sassy pants. She is way too smart for her britches.

She must come by it rightly, her older brother Noah was supposed to be doing his Math today and I came it to see how far he was. "I'm all done!" "really I said, you did that quick, let me correct it." was my reply. Seriously the kid had changed the date on the lesson he had done last week. Really, did you think I was that dumb? He got to do two math lessons today for that little stunt. But really, I was not that smart in school!

{Monday, Monday} In *Salt Lake City!*

Saturday We all headed to Utah and on Monday decided we needed some fun, so after school work was done,

We got Addy from school, hopped on the Front RunnerPlayed a little leap frog on the benches and ... ...headed into Salt Lake City.

The train conductor was a little "saucey" and kept telling everyone to keep their feet off the seat in front of them.
After he walked by for the third time telling someone to put their feet down, Emma crawled off my lap
walked over to the empty seat and promptly put her feet up on the window. I must admit I got quite a chuckle over that one! Hopefully she doesn't end up a rule "bender" like someone else I know well.

It was so fun to have Addy with us. She and Sam are only two years apart, and they get along really well.
I love it. She is such a great girl, and I miss her greatly, and always tell her she could be mine
(Just because I like her so much!)

The kids LOVED the front runner. I debated about spending the money, but was grateful that I did.

There is just something about what these two share. They totally adore each other!

I love it. And they have the exact same color of eyes!

We got off the frontrunner and then rode Trax to Gateway.

Went to the planetarium and then to Discovery

Emma loved grocery shopping!

MAx loved the horse

and Mara, Max and Caleb played in the helicoptor for a really long time!

Pretending to pick up the wounded and look for the lost!

Even the older kids loved it!

After the Discovery Museum, we went to the fountains...you can't go to Gateway and not get wet in the fountain

Luckily the weather was so beautiful, it was okay to get a little wet!

I love this picture! Probably because I love these two immensly, and this is just the kind of mischief they love!

Sam and Addy ran into Barnes and Nobel on a "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" search.

After the fountain we rode Trax to Temple Square. I haven't been there for so long and really wanted the kids to see it.

It was well worth it.

We saw the Joseph Smith film at the Joseph Smith Memorial building, and even Max had a few tears in his eyes.

It was so cute I looked over and he was just transfixed by the screen, with a tear rolling out of his eye. About three days later we were driving in the car and he said "Mom, you know when we walked into that building with the big statue of Jesus...Yeah, I had such a warm feeling in my heart there." Loved that moment!

It was so much fun. We didn't get home until late, but it was so worth it. It will never cease to amaze me how just being near a temple you feel the radiance of the spirit. I so miss that in Montana. Please of Please let there be a temple closer to us. It would totally change the dymanics of Great Falls....so much for the better.

Showdown skiing!

The boys have been lucky enough to go skiing most Friday's with their father. He took these pictures and should be the one to blog about it, so I will leave the narration to him Max

Noah

Samwise


Caleb

Two New Baby Goats!

Surprise! we had two baby goats when Ryan went out to check on them. I was sad I missed the

"Event"

but they were all healthy and happy.

See, birth is normal, natural and fine!!!!
The boys with the boy!

Waiting for another!!!

We thought that she would have another because she was so huge and I could still feel movement in her

Funny, it was just gas!!! :) how funny is that.

Last year she had three and the year before that four, so we were surprised she

just had two.

Mara with the girl.

Noah checkin out the goats!

I just have to say... I love baby goats, and so do the kids!

Still waiting for three other momma goats to deliver! I am so shocked they didn't come while I was in Utah.

Mara's got it down!

One of the boys was saying the preamble to the constituition the other day and got stuck. Mara piped in with what came next. I asked her if she knew it all....... here is her response. I was impressed that by listening she learned it!

Hey girl! I love your style!

Emma walked out of her bedroom like this today! So stinking cute! Love the bow, she found on her own, and the boots, she was afraid she would get left and thought that surly if she had her boots on we could leave her behind. She totally makes me smile, even when I feel like bauling my eyes out!

Love the toes sticking up!

*~{A Fancy Nancy Birthday }~*

Mara had her first "friends" birthday party today. She was so excited!

We started off making bead necklaces, bracelets and rings to get all fancy!

Sarahs came to help, she was amazing. She painted all the girls fingernails hot pink while I put glitter and

eyeshadow on them. They certainly were fancy.
Then they made fancy crowns, and even the boys indulged us a little and made some.
This is Emma, Eli and Mara.

Here's the whole crew after playing musical chairs. Kenna won every time except at the last when Mara

pushed her off the chair and claimed the title for herself. It was quite funny in fact.

I have never seen Mara so aggressive with anyone other than her brothers.

I hope she doesn't have that competitive edge to her like her father ;)!

as a side note, you have to notice Caleb's shirt. Somehow he thought that what he was wearing was fancy

"gangsta fancy" he said. And don't miss how low the zipper is down, with nothing underneath it. Oh he also made sure to wash with "man soap" so he would smell good for the ladies. Where does he come from?

He is so crazy. But can't help loving him.

We made cake in ice cream cones and then the kids decorated them with gummie worms,

Color craze Skittles and sprinkles.

Eli and Jace were the only boys, but they were cool with it.

Emma woke up halfway through the party.

Her hair was so funny.

We had gone swimming just before the party and she fell asleep on the way home.

Her hair is at that stage where it is just not long enough, yet too long.

Cadee and Mara

See what I mean about the hair.

At the end we opened gifts.

She had such a great time, and Cadee even got to stay and play for a while!

It was a great day.

Oh and the blender was one of the favorite gifts.
I came home today to find water and orange slices in it.

Okay people, it is just a PRETEND blender!

Mara, Mara, Four You Are!

How old are you today??...and so happy about it.

Princess wanted a princess castle cake....Just pretend it looks like one, and just don't comment about it.

Was kinda cocky after Emma's turned out so well...bit off a bit more than I can chew, but she loved it.


....finally, after waiting all day...she got to open her presents.

Emma was a little confused about why she couldn't open the presents.

Mara was so nice to share with her, even though I told Emma it was now Mara's turn.

What a great big sister she is.

All day Emma was saying..."Happy...Mine! NO, Happy Mra's" She is so stinkin cute. I love how she says Mara's name.

Mu- ras. She always adds an "s" to the end.

Sam and Noah gave her her very own webkins... now she won't have to use Caleb's account.

She loved it.

...AND....

The barbie what goes on the 'puter'(computer)(Liv)

I bought this while she was with me, but she didn't see. I had it in the back of the car and I thought it was smooth sailing, I had accomplished buying a gift for her when she was with me.

When we got home, that night, I asked her what she wanted for her birthday.

She said without missing a beat "that barbie what goes on the 'puter whats in the back of the car."

I still don't know how she saw it. She sits in the middle bench, so whatever. She is a stink.

Pop beads from Grandma and Grandpa

Caleb made her a birthday crown...he actually called it a tiara!

And a princess bike!

Love this little girl for the sweetheart that she is. She is so loving, so helpful, so willing to do what I need her to.

Her brothers love her so much and her little sister looks up to her and trys to do all that she does.

She love sparkles and glitter and purses and PINK!

She loves to dance to Taylor Swift and has the sweetest little singing voice I have ever heard.

At night she wants me to sing to her, but I do my best to sing soft so I can hear her.

We love her to pieces!

Happy Birthday LADY, from all of us!