Freaking Long Friday!

I know the year is half over, so I've got a LOT of catching up to do...
January was a big month. My sisters and I ran the St. George half marathon and had a blast.
JJ started sunbeams and is such a little man. He LOVES wearing suits and ties and shoes just like his daddy.

We finished out the month with our littlest monkey's first birthday. He didn't quite know what to think.






He looks so overwhelmed, but within days he got the memo that his terrible two's are right around the corner. He has been practicing for them ever since. Green marker, anyone?


February was a fun month. Grace's school put on a "Moms and Muffins" breakfast and we had a really good time together. And all this time, I've thought Grace looked just like her dad and then we got this picture back. Do you see the resemblance? I was shocked!

The kids' super Aunt Sissy took them to the Shark Reef for a great time. Honestly, everybody needs an Aunt Sis!




Another great of our many greats, was the swearing in of my dad as a Henderson Justice of the Peace. We dooted up in our Sunday best and were so proud of him!



Unfortunately, I didn't get any shots of the actual swearing in. Keeping all those munchkins still was the task as hand...

February was also Grace's sixth birthday. I can't believe my little lady is 6 years old! We alternate party years. This year we celebrated as a family at Chuck E. Cheese's. And true to form, I forgot my camera! Thank goodness for the Chuckster Cam!

Yes, that's me, the brunette. It didn't last long enough to even have any other pictures taken..and next time I try to do it, I truly hope my sweet husband changes his answer from, "I like your hair every way" to "DON'T DO IT!!" Grace wasn't sure it was even her mom in the picture!

March marched on like every other month, too fast! We celebrated St. Patty's Day the way my momma raised me, on corned beef and cabbage and hash browns cooked in a whole lotta bacon grease. YUM! It got so warm mid-month that we had to celebrate that with a whole lotta water in the back yard!



That's mud, I sware!

We finished out March celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary! WHAT? It seems like just yesterday I was sitting waaaaaaaaay too close to a hot 18-year-old, dreaming of the day he'd be mine!



It's quite a sucky thing to be at the point where you can finally say, "Oh, we looked so young!"

April started out beautifully with a Gibson family trip to my dad's friend's ranch. We watched conference, ate like pigs and played like kids. My parents brought up the 4-wheelers and we all took our turn. There were horses, the best dog Duke (who JJ still talks about), a stage perfect for the kids to perform on, green grass for playing Red Rover and Freeze Tag and more than enough fresh air for all!

I am so thankful to be so close to family.

This was the last picture ever taken of Jared wearing glasses.

Thanks to Lasik Eye Surgery, he has 20/20 vision...no more flipping him off early in the morning...bummer!

May started out with a trip to California. Jared's mom was in the USC Hospital and was going to be celebrating her 44th wedding anniversary and Mother's Day all alone, so we drove his dad down so they could be together. If anything means anything to her, it's family. The relief on her face when we all came in made the trip so worthwhile. The trip to the beach was icing on the cake!




Anytime we stay at a hotel the kids are in hog heaven. Then you add in eating out for every meal and 24 hours a day with their dad, it's over the top! But you add in their Papa, and it's almost too much!



More and more school days have come and May is now almost gone. We had to stop and document our carpool..

..and the best kindergarten teacher EVER!

Grace is super excited for first grade, but I have a feeling she might have to drop by and check on Miss Mackinnon from time to time.

..And I should probably check on my little monkey from time to time as well...

Wish me luck!

WHY IS IT???-just joking! I have decided to quit asking that stupid question-for now-and just embrace my psychosis!

At least the contributors are super cute!

WHY IS IT?...

Splashing in the tub can make me laugh or rage?
I can take on a mountain of laundry or not even manage to put on clean clothes?
Just one serving or serve me one of everything?
Blogging is like a journal or blog-stocking makes me crazy-insecure-I-suck-at everything-so-why-even-post?

WHY??? anyone?

Proof

As one who never shies away from praise and adoration, it is almost inconceivable that I have waited this long to report on my accomplishment! Well, we did it!



It was the perfect day for running..did I just say that?No really, it was. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it but I think the end was my favorite! (for obvious reasons)
It was such an accomplishment, I didn't even think twice about our El Torito excursion (or the other million calories consumed this past week). It was 13 miles! I at least have another million yet to enjoy...my pants say otherwise...


Aren't they cute? Now, back to me..

I convinced myself it was ok I wasn't losing weight, because I justified it(it-being the the 3 other stomachs that somehow found their way into my body) by the hunger pangs that seemed to overcrowd my thoughts by mid afternoon UNTIL I saw the REAL marathon runners...Holy Crap! They were finishing as we were hitting the middle miles, and they were bean-poles. So, I guess you COULD do this to lose weight, but based on my experience, I'll stick to WW. Darnit! Back to counting...

Coming soon: a look back at January. It's now time to move on from me. Can I even do that? We soon shall see.

Happy Trails-hopefully!

The countdown is on! In a little over 17 hours, I will be beginning the half marathon--that is, 13.1 miles. And all I have to say is...
What the *#!?* was I thinking?
So, if this should be my final post...I love you all.

CAUTION! I'm not sure how this one's gonna come out.

I'm trying really hard not to give into the beast. What I really want to do is curl up in fetal position (as long as I can still pig out and see the TV) and give into the self beating I've got forming in the back of my mind. Why? you ask?
Here are a couple of conversations I've had this week:
JJ: Mom, can you please put him down and pick me up and say, "Sorry, Gibby, not right now."
-AND-
Grace: I'm the only baby you wanted. You wanted a sister for me and got JJ, and Gibson...well, you don't like being pregnant.
However, I am CHOOSING to find Joy in the Journey. Thanks, mom.
I've decided a new year is a great time to take advantage of the opportunity to set some goals and get myself in check.
These are just a few:
#1-Hold ALL of my babies.
#2-Attend EVERY ward temple night.
#3-Count my many blessings-and complain only in my prayers or to Jared, and only when Grace is not listening.
#4-Make sure I finish those stories I start...yes, I really wanted a baby girl BEFORE I found out I was having a baby boy and BEFORE I knew what being a mother to the two of them could be.....and no, I don't like being pregnant. That is why it literally took both Jared and I to know that Gibson was exactly what our little family needed. (Sorry, I felt the need to explain.)
#5-More meaningful Family Nights.
And of course, a recommitment to daily scripture study, exercising and eating right, and probably most important
#6-Act on the Spirit-immediately.
Happy New Year! It's gotta be, right?

Oh please, let SOMEONE relate...
After working until 10:30 last night, then not falling asleep until 12:30AM, then waking up 3 hours later to serve as Bessie, the milk cow, then just staying awake for my 5AM run, then showering, ironing, feeding and dressing my whole family, then carpooling, cutting my mom's hair, eating with the King-Burger King-that is, and braving two stores with 3 very wound up children, (plus 3 more sessions of mooing) this is how it played out...
BESSIE:"S***, S***, YOU LITTLE S***s!!"
GRACE:"MOM?"
BESSIE:"I SAID, NOT ANOTHER WORD!"
GRACE:"MOM??"
BESSIE:"SERIOUSLY!!"
GRACE:"MOM???"
BESSIE:"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!?"
GRACE:"UM, WHENEVER, UM, SOMETIMES WHEN I'M FEELING ANGRY, UM...MAYBE YOU SHOULD PRAY."
Thanks, Grace.

Veteran's Day Getaway

Have I mentioned ever how lucky I am to live near so much family? I'd like to spout about how we have the BEST family, too, and really, who could I offend? I'm somehow related to just about everyone (yep, even Jared...7th or 8th--don't worry, so far our kids are okay) so I am really complimenting any who read this. And if I'm not, I hope you can too appreciate the family you have, because I sure love mine. I got to spend Veteran's Day with my family. Dave and Bec thought it would be fun to go have a picnic and climb around a mini-Valley of Fire called Redstone. What a blast! The kids had so much fun and because of my super sister, Kristin, I did too. Jared had to work and Kristin had the day off(gotta love those federal holidays) so she braved the kiddos with me. And even climbed around a bit:


I was a little slower due to 25 extra pounds on my back:

Fortunately, Uncle James and Uncle Dan were available to save the kids from any sticky situations:



Even our "tailgate party" was a blast!



Seriously, our little trip was just what I needed. So thanks, Dave and Bec, for the great idea! We can always count on you to help us make memories...

PRE-trickortreating:

POST-trickortreating:

I know TECHNICALLY Halloween is over, but I'm still burning off my sugar-buzz. Last night we all met at James and Natalie's for a family Halloween traditional meal(carrot chowder and rolls) and then ventured out on our trick-or-treating. Gibby was sick with croop(sp?) so he stayed and helped Jared pass out treats at our house. It was kind of nice having free hands so I could do this:

Lily, Min, Elaina and Grace

Bec and Z

Min, Elaina, Thomas, Avi and Nathan

the CREW

CJ getting some loot

Nathan and Thomas

Janie Rose and JJ

Sidney

Grace and Avi

Tiffney, Dan, Lucy, Elaina, Thomas and Nathan

Grace celebrating her loot...
Maybe I should have done a slide show--maybe I will! After the Gibson family fun, we headed over to Jared's sister, Kristin's ward Trunk-or-Treat, but like you saw, JJ was already undressed and was ready to gobble his goods. So after one more stop at Grandma and Papa Lamoreaux's (costume reluctantly replaced), we were good and done.



What a GREAT night!