Painted and furnished

Finally we finished the long paint project and received our furniture.  I really love it!  It is our christmas to each other this year.  We also got a Temprapedic mattress and Trent is getting used to it.  I really like it!  As much as a 9 month prego girl can.  I know I will love it when I can once again stay in bed for an entire nights rest.

Little America the Great

Finally back on the Bloggin bandwagon.  The first weekend of this month we went to Little America in Salt Lake for the weekend.  It is a family tradition, we want to carry on.  We go and enjoy the lights at temple square, Movie, swim, shop for each other, and eat real good food.  

The only down fall for me was that Trent thought Trax was the best!  I, not so much.  But we lived through it.  We had a great weekend.  

One of the highlights for the kids was the breakfast buffet at the hotel.  (also for mom and dad).  It was wonderful!  The kids loved eating whatever they wanted.  I bet they each ate a lb. of raspberries Sat. Morning.  Tis the season of Great food, good fun, and memories with your family.

Now on to the 'tag'

I love to read everyone else's responses, so I am willing to rise to the challenge of being tagged.  

I will use the same categories Ashley used since she was the tagger...  Here goes

8 Things I am passionate about:

1.  My family

2.  The Gospel

3.  Good food

4.  Friendship

5.  The spa (Massages)

6.  Date night

7.  A clean house

8.  Learning from my kids and Teaching them new things in this crazy world.  

8 Things I want to do before I die:

1.  Go back to Jerusalem with my family

2.  Get in shape, at some point before death.  

3.  Raise independent, well rounded, perfect kids...   Part of that may have to wait till the next life :) Realistically, and most importantly, raise kids that know their parents love them.  

4.  Travel with my family throughout the world.  Different Locations, different trips, but I think making memories is more important than buying lots of stuff, and  I love to travel, especially internationally.  I enjoy other cultures, and always come home with new perspective.  

5.  Buy a nice Telephoto camera and learn how to use it, so I can take fun pictures.  

6.  Scuba dive more.  I got certified and have been maybe twice since we have been married.   I would love to explore the underwater world more.  I think I will get the chance with Porter as he gets older.  He loves sea creatures, and anything fishy.

7.  Learn to be more Patient.  I would have to admit that this is one of my biggest weaknesses.

8.  I would also like to feel confident in my scripture knowledge.  I love to listen to teachers, and leaders that know the doctrine so well that you feel like they actually knew the people  in the stories.  One of my Heros in this categories is Bro. Stevens.  He taught me a tremendous amount in Jerusalem.  If anyone 'round Weber State area gets a chance to take a class from him, I guarantee it will be wonderful!  

8 Things I say often:

1.  "Hurry and eat...  focus...  Seriously stop playing, turn around and eat!"  (especially in the mornings before school.)

2.  "Oh Reese, you have got to be kiddin' me".  (She is the queen of getting into things and If it is quiet I better run, she is either in the toilet, Pantry, Trents office, under the kitchen sink, or off somewhere new making a horrible mess. 

3.  "That doesn't sound very nice"

4.  "What do we say to..."  (Thank you)

5.  "Pick up all the toys and take them back where they go"

6.  "Don't make a big mess, one toy at a time"

7.  "I am completely exhausted"

8.  "I sure love you sweetheart"

9.  "I'm gonna count to 3 and then...  1, 2 ewwwwwww, thrrrrrrrrrrreeee...."

10.  "I'm Sorry"

I could go on, and on, I feel like I only have a few phrases that I use day in, and day out all day long!

8 Things I learned and Relearned this past year:

1.  You only get one chance at each moment, especially in the short years with little kids.  

2.  I can do  hard things

3.  Family is the most important thing

4.   Life doesn't get easier, so enjoy the ride

5.  Kids are like sponges, with the good and the bad.  

6.  I need to be more patient and enjoy the busy, crazy years with my 4 little ones, and the house can be a mess for a little bit, if it means spending time with the kids.  

7.  The distance between cache county and Davis county really isn't that far.  1.5 hours is all relative...  on that same note, a dvd  player in the car is very helpful to this analogy.  

8.  Each child is different and requires different teaching/learning methods.  

Well folks, there ya have it.  I have a lot to learn and a lot to relearn.  Life is what you make of it.  Thanks for giving me the challenge to reflect on some fun thoughts Ash.

Decor and the Drummer boy

I put lights on the Tree Monday night and then the kids and I decorated the tree Tree on Tuesday after school.  Then Tuesday night we got the front porch drummer boy put together.  We are getting close to being 'decorated', for the holidays.  It is such a fun time of year.  We used to joke about Trent's dad with all his lighted metal yard decor, and now Trent is into the same stuff, and just building the collection each year.  That goes to show there is truth to every joke, trent really loves all that at heart.  Maybe next year we will be the house with the entire santa, sled and reindeer on the roof.  

Family Night for 'THE TREE'

We went to the local Tree Place to buy a fresh christmas tree.  Somehow I think every year we forget what a pain it is putting lights on the tree, and don't just set up the prelit fake one we have in the basement.  Oh well, It is fun to put them on and have the tree die in a couple weeks, right?  Okay, out with the Grinch attitude, we finally picked a tree, it is about 8 feet tall, and a Noble fur.  Now come the decorations and yes, even the lights.  

Thanksgiving...

Hi all.  I have been a blogging slacker.  We had a great Thanksgiving though.  We went up to Midway, (near Park City) to my parents condo for the week really.  We went up late Tuesday, and were hoping for Snow on Wed. or Friday to Ski.  But no go on the Snow, so we (I should say trent and the kids...  

Rode 4 - wheelers, swam, went to a show, shopped and played games.  I don't have a lot a pictures to post.  I guess I was stuffed full of food all week, and didn't think about anything, but MORE FOOD!  We came down to Trents moms house on Thursday for Lunch/Dinner, and then headed back to the condo.  We did hit the Outlets at Midnight for a little 'early' black friday shopping.  We had gone shopping wednesday as well, and they already had the majority of the same deals, so there wasn't much new, except trent and Blake bought some Jordan basketball shorts...  WITH POCKETS...  and they absolutely love them.  I think they each got 3 or 4 pair and blake already had several, but I guess you can never have enough...  so I am told.  Then all the boys went to the fabulous BYU vs. U of U game.  All you Ute fans, I have to admit, I was nervous at that touchdown, but the Cougs pulled  through for us!  Anyway, all in all it was a wonderful weekend, and I am grateful for the time to gather as family and have time to reflect on the many blessings in our life.  We are very blessed and I know I often overlook the little things that mean so much.  Happy Thanksgiving All.  Now up with the trees and lights!

Paint situation

Just an update.  We have not decided on a color, nor are we really anywhere close.  I am sick of the project and quite like the patchwork walls.  Not really it is making me crazy, so hopefully after thanksgiving we will move forward on our colorful room!  

Productive Saturday!

We had a very productive Saturday.  Trent spent all day putting my newly painted furniture downstairs and then putting christmas lights on the house.  The kids played outside and ran a few errands with me.  I will have to get a night picture our our lights.  Porters reaction was...

"It looks Beautiful!  It looks like...  (deep breath) a candy house."  It was so cute and made all the work worth it.  
It is good to have that done before the snow.  

Way to go dad!

Seafood dinner!

On Saturday night we had a get together with a few of our neighbors on our street.  One of our Great neighbors had the idea to have a yearly seafood night.  It was wonderful, and best of all, they cooked EVERYTHING!  We had Salad, bread, and this wonderful pink grapefruit drink!  Then the seafood...  King Crab legs, shrimp, and homemade cocktail sauce, crab cakes, barbeque shrimp, and yummy oatmeal cake for dessert!  It, of course, was recommended we do it quarterly, or monthly after such a wonderful feast!  Thanks Scott and Kristi It was fabulous!

Dance rehearsal

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!I saw Becca and Carries and had to try this out on our family. We have all gotten a great laugh! Thanks for the fun!

furniture

So, the other painting project we have had in the garage for a while got started yesterday.  We got some furniture from trents g'ma, and wanted to update it a bit.  My vote was to do it all by hand.  However my crafty, handy, ambitious hubby told me that if I wanted his help then we would be spraying it.  So I turned the project over to him...  maybe I am the crafty one.  He made a big plastic room in the garage and off he went.  We got everything primed on Saturday and this morning he is spraying on a layer of paint.  Finally we will get it out of the garage...  and into the basement, till we are ready to move Reese.  

Paint, paint, paint

So, we decided that we want to paint our bedroom.  You know how you look around and think, it should be pretty easy, we could get it done this week...  Ya well that was about 3 weeks ago...  So first comes picking the paint...  That is where we still remain...  we have bought a few...  8 or so sample quarts, and this is what our room looks like right now.  I think we finally decided on a color and and accent color and are really going to do it this week.  I will update you with a final picture.  Wish us luck.

Warren Miller ski movie

We took the kids and went to the Warren Miller movie this weekend.  It was fun...  the kids were pretty amazed with the tricks and things.  Then they fell asleep the second half.  I took my camera but only got a picture of Kael and Reese while dad and porter were buying ski passes to the canyons.  BRING ON THE SNOW!  (I think)

Our princess

I had to snap a few pictures of Reese on Sunday when she actually left her bow in long enough for me to take like 10 pictures.  It was a miracle.  She had on her new shoes from Grammy and was modeling them for us.  What a sweetheart.  It sure is fun having a girl to dress up.  The boys just don't get into that stuff.

Friends

We had a fun Saturday.  We got together with some great friends!  It has been way to long since we were all together.  It was fun to do some catching up, and girl and guy gabbing.  The kids ran all around like wild animals;  Thanks Mike and Kelly for hosting the party.  We will host the annual Christmas breakfast up here.  So, this is the majority of the group.  Some of the kids didn't stop long enough for a photo, and we missed a few couples who were gone for various reasons, including new baby!  Congrats Sparrows!  Great company!  Fun night!

Halloween

Lots of trick-or-treating...  The mall, the church and the neighborhood, hey, its only once a year, right?.  The only problem were small costume oversights, for example, Haley went without shoes the entire time at the mall.  I didn't even notice till we were getting back into the car.  Oh well, what do ya do?  

Earlier in the day I tried to keep the kids busy by doing bobbing for apples, and donuts on a string.  These activities did not last as long as I expected and required way more set up and clean up than I expected too.  But it is all worth it when the kids are having such a fun time.  One lesson I think I will share with you all is that when doing donuts on a string it is far safer to stick with glazed only donuts, and do it outside.  Don't do frosted donuts with sprinkles in your kitchen.  Regardless, it was still fun.  We were so glad that my sisters kids Tanner and Haley could spend a few days with us too.  The kids already miss them.  

Bat poo cave...

Yes, Trent and the boys went on a 4 wheeler ride earlier in the summer and told me of a cave they found; so on sunday, Blake came up and they took us up the canyon to see it.  It is only about 30-40 feet long, but it is pretty steep and quite narrow.  Needless to say I did not make the climb.  But all the boys did and luckily no one got stuck getting out the other end, however it was pretty tight.  It gets its name from what is inside in a side cavern.  YUCKY.  But the boys love to climb and crawl and will make great spelunkers one day.

Flowers because...

Trent is so thoughtful.  He bought flowers for me the other day for no reason, but being pregnant.  I think he just knows when I am feeling overwhelmed as a mom and need a little pick me up.  I am so grateful because flowers are so impractical, and for a practical person such as myself, they make me feel spoiled.  Thank you sweetheart, you are the best!!

Primary Carnival

We got all decked out for the primary carnival today.  They had a lot of fun activities, including, coloring, cake walk, bean bag toss, spook alley, dart throwing, fishing pond, face painting, and more.  Not to mention dinner.  It was a lot of fun!  However I have to mention that it wasn't the easiest thing being 'mom', with my new figure; carrying stuff, lifting kids, etc.  But I am sure it was amusing for others to watch anyway.   

Ryka

So, a while ago my sister told me about a brand of shoe that was giving away 50 pairs of shoes a day, and so I entered, and forgot about it.  Then today I received a new pair of running shoes on my doorstep, WAY fun.  So check it out and maybe you will be a winner too.  

Go to Ryka.com and register to win.  I believe they are doing it through the 30th of October!  Good luck!

Pumpkin Walk

People in this valley are so creative.  Every year there is a 'Pumpkin Walk', where people make display scenes out of, what else....  pumpkins, and other gourds.  We went and looked at all the fun scenes for family night this week.  It was darling.  

A lot of them have music playing; anyone can enter a scene.  There is representation from a lot of schools, preschools, families, church groups, Dr. and Vet groups, scout groups, and others.  I would guess there were around 40 displays.  Lots of different themes from the Grinch,  Peanuts, and the old west, to Frankenstein, monkeys jumping on the bed, and sonny and cher  It was great!
Charlottes web was done by a family that is in our ward.  According to her is was a thrown together last minute project.  I about died, it was darling!  She is so creative!

Zoo in the fall

We went to the zoo the other day and it was so great.  It was wonderful fall weather and not crowded at all.  This was actually the same day as the childrens museum, we had a busy day of fun.

The crazy kids posing for a quick picture.  They were all so worn out by the time we left.  I think they would have all slept for a complete day following, if they could have.  It was fun. 
After Grammy bought everyone a churro, Kael realy wanted popcorn, and of course grammy spoils every request.  He was so grateful!  Fun day!