The People

The kids got to hang out with the natives on the temple grounds, they loved the games we brought for them...
This woman sells used clothes in the streets.
These kids sell yummy candy!
This picture does no justice to the amount of people that are in every car! Oh yes, gas there is $5.00 per gallon!
Sweet Andrea! Savvy spend an entire day helping her clean.
This women set a bbq grill on the side of the street for hot dog sales!

Amazing fruit!

This is an avacado! It's the size of a cantaloupe. We couldn't get enough of them!

The Dominican Republic

Taking family vacations for us is a relatively new idea for us, but this was the best one yet! The place absolutely exceeded every expectation we all had. This trip provided so many unique opportunities for our family that we will never forget and our lives will never be the same because of it. You can't see people living like that and not look at your own life and see what you don't need, and look at the things that really make you "happy." The people, although they have so little in some interesting ways they have more... It was a stark contrast coming back to the U.S., seeing a man in front of us ranting and raving because the line wasn't moving fast enough and he was afraid he was going to miss his connecting flight. Sure enough he did, and sure enough we ran into him again (after we missed our connecting flight) and he was demanding a rental car, a hotel and a transfer to another city. It seemed no compensation could equal his burden of missed time! One thing the Dominicans seem to have plenty of is TIME!

No. 1 not 2

This is the sign Madeline and Savvy made for me tonight! If you look closely you can see the status I have achieved not number 2, but numero uno! I am not sure which is more fun with the kids actually going on the trip or getting ready for the trip. Every spring break we try to go somewhere fun... The kids get sooo excited and we can't wait to have them all to ourselves! This time we are excited to share with Darin's parents!

Seriously!

For the second time this week Easton I have been summoned to this little guy with blood spurting everywhere. This is one week I am glad there is only one of him!!! This was a vegetable peeler fight between he and Madeline, Easton being the clear loser. I do have to say Madeline cried harder and longer realizing her firm grip on the peeler had caused such a wound. Maybe a lesson learned...

Thank You, Thank you!

Madeline has started saying this to me all the time. "Thank you, thank you mommy so much for getting us the sweet, sweet baby." She says it as if we picked this brand out from the store... I couldn't have said it better myself...

Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory

It would be completely wrong for us to go to San Francisco and not go to the Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory. We have so many memories from San Diego. The chocolate factory was right next to our family's "all time favorite" restaurant, Royal Thai. A perfect evening would be Padres game, Royal Thai, and Ghiradelli Chocoalte factory brownie sundae. Every time we go to San Diego it's top of the list.

I am a wife

And for this I am grateful! I have a hard time leaving the kids at the current chaotic state of our life. I can't ever imagine leaving it to to someone else. Lucky for me, my mom was ever so willing to come spend time with her grandkids. I didn't feel I could leave everyone, because we want her to come back! We took Ava and headed to San Francisco last weekend. I think I got a total of 9 hrs. sleep in three days, but it was worth every bit of the sleep. Besides like my dad always says, we'll catch up in the next life... It was so fun, just being with the three of us. I never realize I need a break until I get one. I never realize how often our conversation gets interrupted until it doesn't. I love these convention trips because it's the perfect allocation of time for me. Darin goes to about 4 hours a day worth of education and I get time to do anything in the world I want to do. This time that meant staying in the hotel reading while Ava slept. Reading during the middle of the day, a complete novelty and a great way to spend an afternoon. SF is a great city and we loved being there together, just the three of us.

One thing I know for sure!

Boys get hurt more than girls. We have had minor cuts and bruises with the girls. Easton has had stitches four times and broken his arm. It has been so lucky for me that every time Darin has been home. One of these days he is not going to be there, and I am going to have to be pony up. Every time an incident occurs I scream for Darin and he runs in like the knight in shining armor to save the day. He is always so calm and I can't imagine him being in a field more useful to our family. We actually have never even been to the E.R.

Easton's Current Obsession

Easton is my one child who gets absolutely fixated on certain things. I am happy to say that he couldn't have been more thrilled about getting his scriptures. He kept asking me for his "own." I kept giving him the families copies and it just wasn't cutting it for him. I got him is own paperback quad with his name on it, and he had the prize to be one. He couldn't wait to get home and get started. He even wanted me to read while I was driving. When we got home we couldn't get lunch over fast enough. For an entire week it seemed he thought of nothing else. We would read up to twenty pages a day and it still wasn't enough for him. Try telling a kid you don't have time to read him scriptures. He is such a great kid! Lucky for me he is still excited about it, but doesn't ask so many times a day for me to drop everything and read to him. This is a picture of him reading to the neighbors, that have absolutely no idea what he's talking about. He couldn't wait to read some more. He saw the kids out playing and decided to go read. They all quit playing and went to get their "own" books. I was happy no parents called to complain...

Is a Puppy necessary?

So, this is a question I asked myself over and over. Some swear it's the best thing you can ever give a kid. I think a sibling is the best thing you can give a kid. After Much, much thought we gave in and neither Darin or I ever thought we would. This was the best Christmas present ever! The kids made all kinds of promises, and contracts we promised to get them a dog after a 6 week trial period. They did countless hours of research in search for the perfect dog. The girls had their heart and souls set on a Cavashon, and I found one that would be available at christmas time. I will post the video later of the actual surprise. We will be hard pressed to ever top this one. It was complete with tears from both the older girls and "giddy" excitement from the others. I didn't blog about her before now, because I wasn't sure she would really end up being part of the family after all the poop and peeing in my house was done!! I definitely have had my moments when I have kids crying, dinner to make only to turn around and see the dog peeing on my carpet. Are you kidding me, how did we end up here? Even still somehow she gets to stay another day, however not without "doggie school" at the prison. More on that later... The jury is still out, but we are pretty sure she was a good idea...

No Flowers for me please....

Out of all my favorite holidays. Valentine's is definitely very high on the list. I love that it has not become completely commercialized. At least not for us. I think come February I am always feeling like we need to be a little less indulged and therefore Valentine's is just a day to remember why we love each other so much. I told Darin no flowers. Flowers mean more every other day of the year than they do on this day. It feels like a check mark. I don't mean to make it diffucult for him, but to me they become meaningless on this day. I didn't feel I needed a darn thing from him because he is sooo great at the random and genuine expressions of love every other day of the year. We were able to steal away a couple of hours in the evening, and the day felt like a perfect celebration of all that we love. We always get flowers and small treats for the kids and they love it. Easton woke up early to make us all breakfast. He came in about 5:00 a.m. and asked how to turn the oven on... yikes!! He was disappointed to find the table all set and food ready for him. He wanted to do it for us. I love that boy. This is what I am loving about each of my kids.

Paris: She's becoming a teenager, but always still kisses me and tells me she loves me. She couldn't be a better example to her siblings.

Savvy: For having the biggest heart in the world. She cares for everyone, and is always doing nice things for people.

Easton: For loving Jesus

Madeline: Because I only have a few months before she starts kindergarten, and I am cherishing every moment and trying to play house as often as I can, because soon she will be able to say her "R's"

Ava: For giving me something to hold for some many hours of the day. She reminds me where we all came from.

With the kids on the trail

I have always been interested in  politics, although never so much as now.  Just like a good game, its' so much more interesting when you know something about he players.  So when we heard about the "Romney Rally" coming to town I knew we had to be there.  My kids couldn't have been more excited if it were Hannah Montana.  Here are some pics of the event.  Sorry, no pics of me, the kids and my sister Shauna with the man himself.  He did come up and talk to us and shook all of the kids hands.  My brother was caught with the camera in hand and completely..... "starstruck".  Not to worry my kids won't forget it anyway.  The long rally will also keep it etched in their heads.  As Romney has now "suspended", Paris thinks we should move to Canada.  I think we are the luckiest people on the planet to live in America.  I am reminded of that daily.  God please bless America...

The nice "Grandpa" who held my sweet baby....

Who is he.... I don't know, but there was this strange sense that you had seen many of these people before.  Definitely a large LDS base here!

the kids trying to get a glimpse

Idaho

What a great trip!  We just got back from McCall, Idaho.  What an incredibly beautiful place.  We snowmobiled, went to the hot springs and chatted and chatted.  It was the perfect vacation.  We feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

Reuniting with "old" Friends

I get so busy in the "everyday" and "present", I have to say I am not great at keeping contact with many friends that I love. We had two families we knew from residency in Oklahoma. They really were such an integral part of our lives there. They know so many things about us, other people we know now couldn't imagine. Things like the fact that we used to own an "ice shak" to make an extra buck. I actually made ice in our garage!!! We laughed and cried. It was sooo fun to reconnect. We look forward to doing it again soon. I also learned that Karen really knows how to travel!!

Not really the rodeo

So for a whole week now, Darin has been telling me how excited he is to take the kids to the rodeo.  He told me he knew I was that excited but thanked me for ponying up anyway.  Saturday morning Easton and Darin came in with breakfast in bed and note outlining the days activities.  It was all a big surprise to me.  The kids have known for weeks and were in on the surprise.  So the "rodeo" was in fact a night out at a great hotel, spa and great food.  I couldn't believe it when they told me.  No one ever slipped, not even Madeline, who is notorious for not being able to keep a surprise!  I adore my husband for so many reasons, but today this is my favorite!  He is so great about involving the kids in thinking of ways to make me feel loved and appreciated.  I have a hard time booking any kind of pampering service for myself, but go oh so willingly when someone else does it for me.  I always feel like there is so much going on out there, why should I be the one who gets to be in here relaxing.  I did have the thought that I want my life to be so full of hard work that I always have something on my body that feels a little pain.  Right now, my fingers are raw and scored from washing my hands so many times during a day, between poopy diapers and poopy dogs, I am getting a lot of handwashing in.  Thank you to my wonderful husband for a perfect night out, and my beautiful sister for watching 7 kids while I was relaxing!  I will post pictures soon.

Cooking Contest

Darin's brothers are all so competitive.  I figure if you want something done, make it a competition!  Someone came up with the fantastic idea of a cooking contest.  Most likely Darin after he lost at darts and pool.  He has so many other talents boys!  The bummer thing is now he is going to have to spend hours practicing so he can win next time.  We had a great pre-christmas trip with his family.

Gotcha!!

This tree looks small in the forest, but seriously we had to cut about 3 feet off!

My kind of Hunting

We are always looking for ways to solidify old traditions and make new ones.  This is a definite keeper to add to the rapidly increasing list.  The Christmas tree hunt.  Who knew the trees you buy have actually been chopped down sometimes months before they ever go into your house.  The fresh ones don't actually shed too much and you don't even have to by a fir scented candle!

The best part is going on a hike with the family to get the tree!  It was all fun and games until the beautiful day turned into a blizzard!  

2007 Thanksgiving

We spent thanksgiving in the mountains this year.  It such a great way to kick off the Christmas Season.  Every year I vow to be ready for Christmas by the time we give thanks and this year was no exception.  Every year I think I'm ready and then find out I'm not...  This year we tried to keep it simple, I feel like we send such mixed messages to the kids by saying remember it's all about Christ all the while getting so busy with the "season" that it can make it hard to remember Christ at all.  We are trying to find the balance between the magic of Christmas and childhood and the true meaning of Christ's birth.

Roughin' it

One thing I love about my family is no one gets worked up about things that aren't a big deal.  Maybe it's the big family mentality, regardless I love it.  So our furnace went out at the house will all 20 some odd people there.  Instead of people getting worked up and going home, we all went to the rec. center worked out, showered and bought ourselves a couple more days together with no hot water and no heat in temperatures in the teens and below.  The house actually did stay pretty warm, but love my family....

Hula Hoop Contest

So, you may feel like you've got some moves until actually pick up the hoop and go at it.  Turns out Easton is the champion.  We couldn't be prouder

Cuddles

Gingers

The Table

One More Year

Today as I trapsed through the middle school looking for my oldest daughter at her first "dance/social", all of a sudden I had this horrifying thought that maybe Paris would be humiliated that I was there walking through the dance floor with her four year old sister in tow.

I asked several friends if they had seen her, but to no avail.  After a few minutes accidental jabs to my head from would be "dancers", she surfaced.  She saw me and ran right over and gave me a big hug, and knelt down to meet Madeline's eyes and gave her a big hug.  She introduced me to her friends and we were off to piano.  I felt like I had won the lottery!

Just a beautiful evening captured

This is taken from my balcony...