When I picked Maddie up from school today it was freezing outside! I was waiting for her by the fence and she was walking real slow. I hollered, "run." She continued to walk slowly as I was freezing. When she got to me, I said, "why didn't you run?" Maddie replied, "there are animals that live underground and if you run it sounds like thunder to them and I don't want to wake them up."

Sophie's been sleeping in her carseat the last few night because she is so stuffy! But isn't she cute!

Sophie loves to talk to us lately! I love it! But everytime I get the camera out she rather stare at it then talk some more. (I don't know how to cut my videos, but she does a little talking from like 20 seconds-1 minute)

Our Weekend in Clarkston

On Friday we got Maddie out of school at lunch time so we could head to Grandpa Boyd and Grandma Jann's house. The kids were super excited to go to Clarkston. That night I was able to sneak out after the kids were asleep and go see a movie with my friend Brenda-not just any movie; we got to see Twilight together. It was fun to have a girls night with Brenda! I ended up getting back to the house at about 2AM. The drive out there was so foggy I couldn't even see the road!

Saturday morning, Andy and I got to go to the temple, which was much needed. We miss having a temple so close.

Then we got to have a nice quiet lunch together at Olive Garden. And we got to spend some time visiting Andy's Grandpa at the nursing home.

The rest of Saturday afternoon was spent playing in all that fun snow! We don't have any snow in Rock Springs, so it was fun for the kids to sled down the little hill behind the house.

Amber and Zeb came out both Saturday and Sunday. If was fun to see them, play games, and for the kids to play with Levi.

And of course the kids loved spending all that time playing games and reading stories with grandma and grandpa.

Monday morning at 8am all four of us had a dentist appointment to get to. It was time for checkups and I had chipped my tooth over Christmas and wanted to come to my trusted dentist in Smithfield instead of finding a new one in Rock Springs. Everyone's teeth look healthy! Garen went running out the front door because he didn't want anyone looking at his teeth, but we made it through.

On our way home Monday afternoon, we stopped in Bear Lake to visit Andy's grandparents. It was a nice half way breaking spot between Clarkston and Rock Springs. They were nice enough to make us lunch and let the kids play for a couple hours.

Then all the kids had a little nap the rest of the way home.

It was a very enjoyable weekend! But this morning its back to life; Andy headed to work, Maddie went to school, and me and the kids got some groceries. I also took Sophie to the doctor to get her checked out-she's been stuffed up all week and I was worried it was turning into something worse. But I guess I was being an over reactive parent because the doctor said her lungs and ears and everything looks good.

Girl Scouts

Maddie started girl scouts this week. My little girl is a 'Daisy'. I signed her up knowing nothing about the program. I've never done girl scouts or knew anyone who had, but I thought it would be fun. I'm really glad I did. They have some super fun things planned. The program is really great; it's kinda set up like the Young Women program. They complete tasks in categories like Respect and Charity and earn their Daisy as well as other badges.
Maddie's favorite part this week was playing the game daisy to daisy. You would start with another friend (daisy) then hand to hand, knee to knee then switch partners when they called daisy to daisy again and so on.

Zoe's Birthday party

We spent Valentine's afternoon and evening with our neighbors at their daughter's birthday party. The kids had a blast!

Cinderellas

Garen

Garen is at such a funny age right now. He's so cute and sweet and always making me laugh!

Silly faces-

This is Garen flexing his muscles-He's pretty tough!

And when we ask Garen to say the prayer sometimes he will do a wonderful job and other times he makes silly noises to make us laugh. But he always lets us know ahead of time. When we ask he he will either say, "I say Heavenly Father, or he'll make his noises in the video. He is too silly. It's hard not to laugh at him.

Daddy/daughter date

Sunday night Maddie and Andy got to have a movie night. They picked Madagascar 2 and had some treats. Garen went to bed at 8 and Sophie and I hung out upstairs while they got to spend time together eating thier treats and laughing at the movie. Maddie thought is was pretty neat to stay up with her dad till 10:30!

2 months old!

Man, time goes by fast! Sophie turned two months old on Sunday. In the last couple weeks she has turned into little miss social. She's always smiling at us and trying to talk. She went to the doctor and had 5 shots and a rotovirus vaccine that she had to swallow! Poor girl. Here's her stats:


22.5 inches long (50%)


12.8 pounds (92%)


So she is good and healthy and she's always making us smile.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's morning the kids woke up to find a new dart board game from their dad, some candy, and Maddie got a bathrobe. (she's always wanted one like mine).

With the Valentine's money from his grandparents, Garen picked out this guitar, and Maddie picked a new game.

Since Andy had to work, we had our Valentine's breakfast the day before. We had heart pancakes, muffins, fruit and bacon-

The kids and I just hung out during the day and made Valentines.

Later in the afternoon we went to our neighbor, Zoe's 3rd birthday party. Andy got to join us when you got home from work. It was a princess party so Maddie got to put on her Cinderella dress (don't worry,I didn't dress Garen up). They had a great time. (I'll add pictures after I get them from my neighbor).

Then after we put the kids to bed at 8pm. Andy cooked us up some yummy ribeye steaks and we ate dinner together and watched a movie. It was a nice day.

Little Sophie Valentine

Check out my precious little girl who is growing way to fast!

I made Sophie a tutu (thanks for showing me how Alisha) and a headband this morning, so I had to take some pictures. She didn't like the tutu very much, but I still got some good shots!

Mother-daughter time

Maddie and I got to spend some one-on-one time last night. We headed to the rec. center after dinner and went swimming. It was so much fun. We played red light, green light and practiced her swimming without a life jacket. Then we spent some time in the spa just talking and laughing.

After we were all dry and dressed we watched the hockey players for a little bit.

We got home after 9pm and Maddie was so excited because now she thinks she is all grownup because she can stay up late. (her usual bedtime is 8).

It was some much needed time together. I find my time with Maddie becomes less and less because she is at school all day and Garen and Sophie are much more needy, so my time goes to them more often.

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Senior Year vs. Now

IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR DID YOU...

1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes

2. Did you marry someone from your high school? No

3. Did you car pool to school? No,

4. What kind of car did you have? An awesome Ford Tempo called "The Flesh"

5. What kind of car do you have now? An awesome Chrysler Town and Country mini van!-yeah

6. Its Saturday night...where are you now? playing games and reading stories to the kids then watching some TV with the hubby.

7. It is Saturday night...where were you then? Probably throwing carrots at cars off of Lees Furniture, skinny dipping in the river, or laughing a lot with my friends.

8. What kind of job did you have in high school? My parents were very kind, I didn't have a job till after I graduated.

9. What kind of job do you do now? nurse, cook, maid, taxi driver, teacher, manager, hairdresser, artist, accountant, potty trainer, baby maker, dish washer, clown, storytelller, counsler, coach; in other words a mom.

10. Were you a party animal? oh yeah! (minus the alchol)

11. Were you considered a flirt? Probably

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? nope

13. Were you a nerd? yes, who isn't!?

14. Did you get suspended or expelled? No, just some detention and saturday school

15. Can you sing the fight song? I can pretend to

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? I'd have to go with Mr. Pringle

17. Where did you sit during lunch? Johns, Mr. Burger, Wendys, Subway, pizza hut or a friends house-usually sat on a chair, but sometimes on someone's lap.

18. What was your school's full name? Burley High School

19. When did you graduate? 2001

20. What was your school mascot? Bobcat-roar

21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? High school was a blast, but I would never want to give up what I have now

22. Did you have fun at Prom? of course!!!

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? No

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? oh Yes-2011 is coming soon

25. Do you still talk to people from school? Yes

26. School Colors? Green and white-the coolest colors ever!

27. What celebrities came from your high school?besides me, None that I know of

Senior Year-

Now-

25 Random Things

1. I like to do things quick, I graduated from High School at 17, Married 3 weeks after my 19th birthday, Had my first child at 19, and graduated from college at 21. I'm not very patient when I want something done.

2. In High School I made it to State Championships in Soccer, Track, and Bussiness Profesionals of America; and the thing is I wasn't very good at any of those things.

3. I got to make a short movie at Disney World where I was riding on the giant bee from Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

4. I was planning on going to England to teach, but Andy propsed to me instead. I think I picked the better end of that deal.

5. In High School I had a car called the 'Flesh'. It had the seatbelts cut out of it and it really had a mind of it's own. I totaled it once, but it came back alive. I got pulled over several times, one time with 10 people crammed in the car (including 2 in the trunk). And I backed into somebody in the John's parking lot. I think I was a little to rough on it because the transmission pretty much dropped out on Valentine's Day on the way to Gibby's house. I miss that car.

6. When I was 18 I worked in a group home with 250 pound Autistic girls that liked to bite, hit and pee on you.

7. I've had the same best friend since I was a toddler!- Carrol

8. I am a sarcastic person. I have something sarcastic to say abou everything, but I've learned to keep it to myself (because it bothers my husband).

9. So many people on these things admit they are neat freaks and can't go to bed when there are things out of order. I am not like that at all. Don't get me wrong, I like a clean house, but with three kids; I rather play with them, laugh, and get a decent night sleep then make sure my house is clean. So if you come to my house I will probably have dishes left in the sink, toys on the floor, and laundry pilled up. But, I'll probably be happy when you come.

10. I've climbed along the outside of the Twin Falls bridge. I probably thought I was cool when I did it and now I realize that could have been the death of me. And now I'm afraid I have a daughter just like me, help!

11. In High School I think I rode on top of cars more often than I rode in them.

12. I've been bunny bashing several times in my life. Coming home with blood all over my clothes beacause the boys liked to throw the dead rabbits at you was hard to explain to the parents.

13. I absolutely love working with special needs kids. They teach me more about life and myself than anything else could. I can't wait to teach again when all my own kids are in school.

14. I gave plasma through college so I would have money to eat. They payed you $25 a time and you could go three times a week.

15. I really only dated my husband exclusively for 2 months before we got engaged. And we were married 3 months after that.

16. I had all 4 of my siblings and their spouses in the temple with me when I got married, but no friends, since I was the first of my friends to be married.

17. I was 6 months pregnant with my first, going to school full time and a waitress. One night I wished I didn't have to go to work; then I got a phone call that the restraunt (Juniper Inn) had burned down! I didn't have to work the rest of that semester.

18. The first house that we bought got horribly flooded! The entire basement was full of water and the first floor (kitchen, family room). We walked around all evening with Andy's fishing wadders on, feeling helpless. It happened on my last day of student teaching and a couple days before graduation. It cost $30,000 to fix everything. We lived out of a trailer in our driveway for the summer. But we learned life long lessons.

19. I love to go down slides, swing, go on rides, and go swimming-So I'm glad I have my kids as an excuse for me to do those things.

20. I got my tonsils out at age 23. It was the worst month of my life! I mean I would have rather gone through labor 10 times than have the pain I had from that surgery!

21. I had my gallbladder removed my senior year of high school. It happened to be on the day of yearbook pictures, so I missed sneaking into every school club picture! I also went snowboarding a week later and ripped my stitches.

22. I took a hip hop dance class after my second child was born. I wasn't any good, but I loved it!

23. I haven't had the opportunity to play soccer in years and I miss it very much! But I had a blast coaching my daughters soccer team!

24. I plan to run my own preschool out of my home in the near future.

25. I would be completely lost without my wonderful husband, my 3 beautiful children, and the gospel!

Now I tag everyone!