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...

How did this happen

I fondly remember the days when I could at least guide my kids in what they would all be for Halloween and as a group we could be something...  Not so, this year!

A Skeleton pirate a witch and a troll

Halloween

The kids got to dress up several times this year, all the better.  We love Halloween

My big sister

So Madeleine was all geared up to be a fairy witch until Paris decided to be a "spunky ballerina" for our church party.  Madeleine couldn't change costumes fast enough.  She loves and admires Paris so much.  We are always grateful for their sweet relationship and Paris' fine example.

Outside movie theatre

We watched Evan Almighty

Paris' 12th Birthday

One thing I adore and appreciate about Paris is she is always willing to share her friends with her siblings.  Every party, every event she always seems happy to have her little brother and sisters around, and always seems proud of them.  Her Birthday was no exception.  

She planned the whole party, all I did was help with the execution.  She had whip cream contests, toilet paper contest, and they watched a movie outside on a projector.  It was a great night, with great friends and family.