Good Times

I stole these pictures from other family members' blogs and fb pages.  None of them are my own....but they pertain to me, so I felt entitled to do so.  Some are actually from last year, and some are from last weekend.

My youngest brother Jake was missing from this picture because he was serving a mission in Orlando Florida at the time.  

 But HERE, he is the one getting hitched.  

Me and my Grether Guys....They are the best of the best and I mean that.

They also married some pretty awesome ladies.

Here is the man of the day lookin' all Suave. 

This is my Mom whom I love and adore, and everyone thinks is my sister.
And I mean everyone, always.

Even the Vietnamese ladies that were giving us pedicures.

You Sistas?  No?  You her Mudda?  Nooo.

They couldn't believe it.

But we're not sisters.. she's just my super hot mom so everyone please leave us alone ok? ;).

Here is my sweet Grandma B.  with my newest nephew Eli, who I had the privelege of sitting next to for much of the trip.  He is precious.

These were from last year, when my girls got to meet and spend a week with their cousins.  They still remember that trip as the best vacation of their lives and talk about their cousins all of the time.

I can't get enough of these sweet pictures.

Thanks for letting me borrow your pictures everyone ;)  I will be stealing more as you continue to post them.

Scary lady

We were all hanging out in the girls' room a while ago, when Ty started acting a little weird.  He was looking over at the closet with a really scared look on his face and then started to cry.

J walked over to the closet to see what it could be that was scaring him.

Turned out it was Hayley's gold soccer statue.

So naturally, we pulled it down and tortured him with it.  ;)

If I had a penny for everything my kids are afraid of...

Back home

I arrived home from Utah yesterday after 3 1/2 days without my husband and kids.  I walked in to a vacuumed house with chocolate chip cookies on top of the stove.  The girls had their hair in pony tails, Ty had a new haircut, and he was doing somersalts on my living room floor.   When did he learn how to do somersaults?  I was so impressed by my husband's ability to keep the house in order while I was away.  Everyone was happy and healthy, bathed and fed.  Ty barely even smiled at me when they picked me up from the airport, which means Daddy was doing something waaaaay right.
(Don't think that didn't almost make me cry though. I expected a much more dramatic greeting from him)
My heart is filled with love and appreciation for J today.  He never ceases to amaze.

I had the best time with my family in Utah this last weekend as we gathered there for my littlest brother's wedding.  It was awesome to be all together again. Miss them already, but so glad to be back home with my 4 faves.



Tia asked for the truth today about the tooth fairy.  I asked her if she was sure she wanted the real truth.  She said yes....and then she said no.
Hayley said "Yes, Mom, tell us the TRUTH."
Tia then agreed.   They both looked at me with eyes that were hopeful, but that demanded pure honesty.
Somewhere, a little fairy died today, when I made 2 little girls stop believing.
A bittersweet...but kind of funny moment, as Hayley's response was:
"So YOU wrote that letter???  Oh my gosh.  And ALL this time I beLIEVED."

So far:
Easter Bunny-exposed
Toothfairy- exposed
Leprechauns- kind of exposed

Santa Claus- maintains his magical identity.   If they ask me the truth about him, I will lie.  Because what is a childhood without a little bit of magic?
They'll have to figure him out all on their own.

June

Before Father's Day, Hayley and Tia invited their Daddy out on a date to a restaurant and a movie.  

This is him reading Hayley's invitation.

Here is how it started:  

"My bong bang handsome dad is rocking the streets of Paladin!  He's teaching his skills of Passion and love he gives for his guitar."

Dad oh Dad could not stop one bit.  He's awesome at dancing and the beat.  'Rithem' as well and washing his feet."

etc. etc.

Then the invitation part:

"Dear Dad, I love your beard and your little mustache growing.  Your eyes are so cool and blue and your handsomeness will never end.

We are going to go to _____________.  We will wish to find tickets for _________.  We hope you enjoy your awesome date.  I've got money so don't worry.  I've got lots but you're gonna just have to wait."

I stocked Tia's purse up with candy for the movie and sent them off.  They had a great time.

What can you say about this picture, really? 

He always does this with his lips when he's concentrating.

This is Ty's favorite position.

Lounging like he doesn't have a care in the world.  At random times of the day, he'll just walk over to whoever, plop down on their lap and relax.  He even sits like this at the dinner table, often times with his feet on the table.

If he wasn't so cute....

On my second official day of training for the MudManX , getting ready to run my fanny off. (see previous post)  

Rascall Flatts is currently the only thing on my ipod playlist...so today I ran while I listened to "Bless the Broken Road"

over and over and over again.

I think I may need to work on this playlist a little if I want to be taken seriously here ;)

  

Ty doing a modified/old man version of his usual dance.

We're all going to die SOME day right?

So then why not die doing something awesome....like this:

                                        

                                          


                                  

                                      

                                 

These are electrical wires.

                                  

This is what J and I, and a few of our friends have signed up to do in  33 Days.
Which means I have exactly 33 days to grow something they call "Biceps."

If you can't get a hold of me this next month, it's because I'm in my basement doing curls.
Probably crying.

I'll get back to you when it's all over...assuming I make it.  ;)

Dirty dirty

Here is Ty enjoying a little music in the park last Sunday.  I don't think I've ever mentioned how much Ty loves to dance.  If there's even a hint of music playing, his body is in motion, even when I'm in the middle of nursing him.

Not that I'm still nursing him.

okayyesIam.

Mom had a sick day this week.  If we had tv, it would have been on all day.

But since we don't, my kids sat on top of me and watched Baby Einstein on youtube while I got some sleep.

Yesterday was the mud run that Hayley trained so hard for.

And I do believe the training paid off.  She was a superstar.

We cheered her on for a lot of the race, but she never lost focus.

Except for maybe 3 seconds right here, when I was like "Hayley give me a thumbs up!!"

When we picked her up at the finish line I asked her how she felt.  

Her answer:

"I feel like I pooped my pants."  

She hated it every step of the way.

But here is the hilarious part.  During the race, she "had to go pee soooo bad" that she just couldn't hold it any longer. So in the especially deep muddy parts of the race, she felt it necessary to let it ALL out. 

I personally apologize to every runner who had to swim through my kid's urine.

It kind of makes me wonder how many kids peed in the mud before we got there.

Summary of the mud run: SEEMS like it would be great idea, but in all reality  it's only fun for the spectators.  And even for the spectators, not so much fun, because we're the ones that had to touch the dirty kids afterward.  

Pink

For Christmas, J bought me some fabulous white towels. 

This weekend SOMEbody accidentally threw those towels in the washer with a RED tie dyed shirt,

(it was me) and as you can imagine every single one came out pink.

Instead of making me feel like an idiot, J just said,

"Everyone will just think it's for breast cancer awareness." 

Hahaha.  That's how awesome he is.

And here is Daddy covering up with one of those pink towels, sporting a farmer's tan that only he could make hot.

Posing before church. 

Why do I have to be the only normal one in this family?