Saving the Best for Last

We got together for a pool party that ended up being moved into the house due to "inclement' weather. Wish I could have changed my clothes for the picture:) Hard to imagine that it actually worked out great having 15 kids in the house. They all had a blast.
Here are my kids waiting for my friends who oddly enough are late. The kids were so excited to meet them, they were waiting in the driveway. I have to say they got tired and came inside.

I was so lucky to have amazing friends in my childhood. These girls have known me since I was probably 5. I haven't seen most of them in 12 years. We have kept in touch through Christmas cards, but really does that count? The thing is, it doesn't even matter, because these girls are a what Darin and I call "lifers", meaning friends for life, no matter how often we don't see each other. It was so fun to relive childhood memories and laugh about things that are only funny to people who have lived in Page and really there aren't that many of us. We had a blast!

Highlights
1. Hearing about everyone's families. I love all these girls' families and know them all so well!
2. Seeing all the kids, and realizing they are all extensions of us in different ways.
3. Seeing our mother's manifest in us.
4. Hearing about hardships and trials
5. Hearing about family members overcoming them and becoming wonderful people.
6. Seeing the good husbands my friends have married
Love you all, thanks for coming...
LowLights
1. Being afraid of getting fined $1000.00 if my friends were too loud and too loud
2. Not taking any pictures of the kids (i was a little pre-occupied)
3. Limited time, it would take weeks to really "catch up"

A Walk Down Memory Lane

We weren't able to cover everything, but here are some of the highlights.First stop: BYU, could there be anything better? We wanted to show the kids exactly where we met, and believe it or not, they actually wanted to see it. That would be the "wilk."
Where we came up with the "brilliant idea" of our first business. Yes, we owned the first Hogi Yogi in Texas, which is a whole other post or a whole other blog.
Since all we did was eat, and if you read my blog, you know I hate to waste, we definitely did some sharing. They have this new yogurt that is absolutely amazing, it actually is really healthy with "live cultures." I asked Darin if he wanted to start one he liked them so much. He said, uh no." I could pretty definitely say that food will never enter into our future as far as business is concerned:) Easton and Ava peering down at the little turtle that lived in the window well of the place we rented.
Wish we had a name for the little guy...

Practice

So while we were all dressed up with no place to go, I decided to make good use of the time and the clean kids and snap so photos. Here are my favorites!

More pictures from the trip

I had to post this to show off her one sparse little curl. Man, I love that thing. My girls are oh about 3 before they really have anything to show for themselves in terms of hair, so this little curl is a cause for celebration.
This is little Ava looking up at the turtle she actually wants nothing to do with. Easton keeps trying to force it on her, because he figures since he thinks it's soooo cool, she must too. Nope!!
The kids couldn't get enough of this waterslide that was actually broken, but they figured out all kinds of other ways to have fun on it!

We rushed home from Provo just in time for the Olympics opening ceremony. We like to sit close. Yep, this is one chair! Darin kicked us off after a few minutes. I must say I didn't get to watch very much of the opening ceremonies but Darin was mesmorized by the whole thing. One of my favorite things about him in fact is that he loves what he loves....

Walk down Memory Lane

Waiting to go in "Los Hermanos."
Me and Madeline in the restaurant, before she got "soaked" in fountain behind us...
Paris and Savvy sharing the Las Brisas. Anyone have the recipe? It is sooo good...


We loved this place, especially the yummy drinks.

This pictures is taken in front of my old apartment. This is where I lived while we were engaged. I have a picture exactly like this (only we are 15 years younger). I will have to locate it and insert here!

Our kids are getting old enough to actually want to now what kind of people we were before they came to be. Madeline lately is enamored by the fact that Darin is my "boyfriend" an I am his "girlfriend." She thinks it is sooo funny and often asks us to kiss to prove it. We decided now was the time to take them back to our "roots" and tell them a bit of "our story." We got so excited and knew we had way more packed in to our short little trip than was humanly possible, especially given the fact that we have in fact multiplied and replenished the earth. With 7 of us we don't move as quickly as we would like.

Road Trip

The Lion House, we couldn't wait to get the incredible rolls I remembered eating as a kid.  Easton is all about the "peace" sign these days...

The sprinklers were on and Madeline was getting wet!

The SL Temple grounds are absolutely stunning.  My grounds at home could use a little of this magic. 

We have known we were going to take the kids on a "road trip" before school started again, but we had a hard time deciding exactly where that should be.  We had decided on Mount Rushmore, and then at the last moment decided on Salt Lake City.  If you can believe it none of our kids besides Paris have ever been there.  She went last year for "camp Nanna and Papa."  She had the time of her life, but was definitely up for the adventure again.  We packed up and headed out Wednesday night.  I really don't mind driving at night at all.  I would always prefer driving all night and just being a little tired the next day.  Darin somehow usually "wins" on this one, and we end up driving until 11:00 or midnight and getting up early the next morning.  I can't even imagine how my parents did these trips with no dvd players.  I have a love/hate relationship with them, because on one hand I know we wouldn't be so ready to hop in the car so often without them, but on the other hand I can fell so guilty when I am enjoying my book tape, and I look back in the back and all of the kids are "zoned" out.  We definitely take a lot of breaks from the movies, and then we all end up being really glad we have every movie in the packet to fall back on!!

Temple Trip

We had a ward primary activity at the temple.  It was an outside tour of the grounds.  It looked like it was great, and I think the kids did learn a thing or two.  I say it looked great because between Madeline's bathroom runs (she suddenly came down with something wretched) and me being in charge of the whole thing, I have to say I pretty much missed it.  Darin got there at the end and I was able to get some fun pictures of some of the kids.  We had a photographer there to take pictures of families in front of the temple, but since Paris was babysitting (darn she's been discovered), I didn't think it would be right to take a family picture without her.  Someday I hope we can all be there together!

More Temple Pics

This chair is an Heirloom from by Grandmother.  Neva Kindred Smeath.  It is a replica from a chair from the original SL Temple!

High School Musical

We had so much fun.  It was fun to be out with just the "bigs."  We all loved it, and the music was fabulous!

More Temple pics

Sweet Baby

Working on my skills, with one of my favorite subjects...

A Word about Proportions

My sister was just here visiting me. She came to our house after our trip to the mountains for the 4th of July. We had such a great time. I am still waiting for the pictures, so I can post more. While she was here she made the comment that I feed my kids such small proportions and maybe they weren't getting enough to eat. I assured her that they were and reiterated to her how I hate wasting anything especially food. All of my kids are keenly aware that kids are starving around the world, and it doesn't feel good to waste. This is something I am pretty sure comes from 11 years of schooling and lean days. I hope this never leaves me and sinks into my kids. Anyhow, a week later my neighbor came over and saw the dinner I was feeding my kids, she didn't comment at the time but later mentioned to me that she can't believe how little my kids eat. You can imagine I was surprised to be hearing this again. Again, I went over the whole, "kids starving around the world and waste thing." I let her know, they are always welcome to come back for more, and I didn't think my kids went away hungry. So, fast forward to this morning. My sweet son Easton came into my room and said, "mom, go back to bed." Well I have been around long enough to know what this means. I rolled back over and tried to go back to sleep. He happily comes back to my room, and announces that I get to relax this morning because he has made breakfast for "everyone." This is the breakfast he has preset on each person's plate. Mmmmmm, maybe I ought to rethink this thing. One thing I know for sure I do love that boy to pieces.

Camping

Darin/Easton's sleeping bag that sent him to the car for the majority of the night
Our "tin foil" dinners courtesy of Paris

Madeline before she fell asleep by the fire

So we took the plunge, we kept our word and took the kids camping. Albeit a very short trip, it was so much fun, we are planning to do it again soon. It's so great to get away and do nothing but eat, and watch the fire. Oh yes, set up and clean up. The kids were a great help, and I must say we ate like kings and had to do a bit of detoxing when we got home.

What I loved most about this trip
1. Holding Ava until she fell asleep
2. Watching her discover the inside of the tent
3. Watching Easton "keep" the fire
4. Sleeping with Ava in my sleeping bag (this is also a low point)
5. The really great food
6. Hearing the kids say they would cancel all their parties on Saturday just to stay one more day.
7. Sitting around the campfire with the "bigs" after the little's fell asleep
8. Witnessing a father give up his sleeping bag for his son
9. Working with the kids
10. Discovering such a beautiful spot close to home

Low Points
1. Darin spending the night in the car
2. Realizing my bag was forgotten
3. The realization that my bag contained the diapers
4. The cold night, never would have guessed it could be that cold at night
5. Leaving so soon...

The Boy and his Fire

Without this guy...

This guy could have "never been". Easton could not get enough of the fire. Darin guarantees me it's a boy thing. He spent all his time gathering sticks, and keeping the fire going...He was devasted when we left and had to put the fire out.

Ava dresses up

At our house, you really don't have your "game on" until you can dress up. Ava started just yesterday. I thought the look was really complete with the shoes. She loves doing whatever Madeline is doing, and I am pretty sure this was Madeline's idea. This is fitting of both their personalities.

Alas, the Kitchen is Complete.... Almost

Now all I do is sing in the kitchen and make really healthy, yummy meals, just like I knew I would:)
I know it looks like there is a small animal growing in the corner there. I swear it looks better in real life...
Close up of the countertop. It's leathered and actually doesn't really look this picture. It's not really grey at all...
We are putting a butcher block on the island. I will post more pics when it's installed!

Madeline's Major Milesone

Can you believe my "baby" came home on this big yellow bus. We have the nicest bus driver on the planet, and her two siblings couldn't wait to host her on the bus. She is the smallest thing on there!

My Kindergawtno! She still can't say her R's and I am not teaching her. She's grown up quite enough already. Love that girl. She had a great first day, though she didn't give me much info.
When I dropped her off I had the "ugly cry" thing going. Someone asked if she was my firstborn. Noooo I reply. Seriously, just can't get enough of these kids. I am sooo glad I have more to come. Madeline asked me the next day if I was going to cry again when I dropped her off. No more cryin' for me I told her. It's actually been great to have the time with Paris...