Build a Bear....

As mentioned in blogs past... last year was a bad year! Because it was a bad year we did not really go anywhere, or do anything fun with the kids. Well... I would argue that just being us is fun ;) haha, but some may not agree! Towards the end of the year we told the little ones that we would take them to Build a Bear and a trip to Toys R Us and make a weekend of just hanging out. Build A Bear was every bit as exciting as they had it in mind to be. They had a blast picking out which bear they wanted. They changed their minds a hundred different times until we insisted that we had to move past that stage to actually picking the bear and getting it stuffed! They are so cute with the kids and had them doing silly things which only made it more wonderful. And then on to picking out what the bears/dogs/frogs would be dressed in. We had a missionary bear, a cool dog, complete with a leash and a dog carrier (oh please! I started feeling like Hyrum was my dad with his dog! lol), a bride, a funky tie dyed frog and a fisherman. The kids had fun dressing their choices in everything from underwear, shoes to sun glasses! And let's not forget the stroller and chair! And because an animal would not be complete without sound... we had anything from roars to ribbits to barks to only a heart beat! Thayne started his nervous tics when we were standing in line to pay!!! :) I told him it might be best if he went out and walked aroudn until that part was done! They gave us the 6th bear free since we were buying 5 (I kept repeating that the BEAR was free to Thayne so he didn't stress over the outfit and shoes they picked out for Nate's bear... because heaven forbid Nate NOT get a bear even though he wasn't there!). It was so much fun. The kids kept telling us how wonderful it was. They are so proud of their creations. Those bears will hold a special place in their hearts, and their memories for a very long time!!! And just wanted to mention... you should not mind the pink and black bows with the purple shirts. We DO know how to match. They were looking pretty adorable in their pink and black outfit they were wearing earlier and a quick change in the Excursion didn't include a change of bows... mom slacked, what can we say???

Happy Birthday Kassi and Tanner!!!

Tomorrow is their 19th and 15th birthdays... but since I won't be home to blog, I am going to say a great big Happy Birthday to my kids! Kassi was Tanner's favorite birthday present the year he turned 4 and they have a really amazing and unique bond. We will be having a big party for them on Sunday but until then, I just wanted them to know that I think they are both amazing and I am so blessed to be their mom!!!

Can't wait until tomorrow....

For months we have promised the little kids that in March we will take them on a little get away... one that will include Toys R Us and Build A Bear. The time has finally arrived. We are doing separate trips. Little kids this time, big kids another time (No! They won't get a trip to Build A Bear). Willie decided he is moving up to the 'big kid' group now so it's just Wyatt, Hayden, Kalli, Hyrum and Kami. Nate is staying home with the big kids. What ever will we do with only 5 kids??? Thayne and I are really excited to run away with them. We are going tomorrow night after Thayne gets off work and we will stay until Saturday morning. I can't wait to share some fun experiences with the younger kids. Every single day they ask if they should start packing. They can't wait!!! I can't wait! I love to watch their enthusiasm. We are going to have a great time!

I hate my bed...

Up until 2 years ago we had a water bed... I LOVED it! But it had made it through many years and MANY moves and we decided it was time to get another. I wanted another water bed. But I caved and let Thayne get what was supposed to be a very, very good bed that we spent a small fortune on. I have not had a decent night's sleep on it since we bought it!!! Truly, I hurt every single morning. Most of the time I dread going to bed because I know I am going to be miserable! Thayne sleeps just fine on it. But then Thayne can pretty much sleep fine on anything. He says he doesn't. But he does! So I am wondering if I finally tell him I am getting a new bed... a water bed... or do I continue to suffer??? Did I mention I really hate my very expensive bed?

Something to blog about #4

I hope that in the end I will have tied all of this together but I have been thinking of some things Thayne talked about today after the funeral of a very great man. Jim had ALS. He and Carol had been married for 56 years and it seemed that they had a marriage that fairy tales were made of. She said she had never even put gas in her own car until he got sick. He took care of her, and from the sounds of it at the funeral he took care of everyone lucky enough to be called family. And friend. Thayne worked with him in the past and they were in the same ward as us and they were truly an inspiration to everyone that knows them. I talked to her last year when they thought my dad might have ALS and she told me that they had danced their whole life together and that not being able to dance with him was the hardest thing and that for their anniversary they danced... and that the memories of that dance would have to last her until they were able to dance together in the eternities. He treated her like a queen. What a gift it is to know people like this. At the funeral were people that Thayne and Jim had both worked with over the years. One of Jim's sons said that Jim had made better every life there, every life that he touched. In the end, isn't that the whole purpose? As we left the funeral Thayne said that he had been thinking about how people come into and go out of our lives and how we are so interconnected. Sometimes people come into our lives and stay, some come and stay for a while, and some leave quickly. But everyone seems to be interconnected. We have moved all over the country, and into Canada and still meet people that know somebody from our hometown, or from our family or from work. Do we understand that we need to make sure we are the best we can be in order to lift others around us. And that somehow, somewhere, it will come back to us. Good or bad! Take for instance my sister in law Kerry. Before we met Kerry, we were living in Manitouwadge, Ontario and we met people there (in a tiny little town) who knew Kerry. My parents went to Timmins to work and met Kerry and she and my sister became best friends. My parents moved away and we met others who knew them. My parents moved back and Kerry and Shayne met and much later got married. Fast forward to now.... Kerry's dad was transferred from Canada to HERE. Of all the places in the world, he is transferred to a mine here where they live now also. The world is a very small place.

So Saturday night we had friends over playing games. Our power went off, then on, then off and on again. Thayne knew that somebody was out there messing with the power box. It happened last year and had happened several times around the area. Our neighbor lost a freezer full of meat because some kids had done this to them. Garrett was here and Thayne and Garrett took off to find whoever was doing it. Garrett is kind of a hot head! ;) So he wasn't giving up. He gave chase (and later told the kids they were lucky his brother wasn't home because he was in much better shape and would have caught them right off and then they would have been in trouble!) and found out who they were (thanks to a boy that had been spurned by his girlfriend for one of the boys involved!) and saw them messing around at the house, just one road over from us. He called 411 and asked for the phone number... the boys were hiding inside and when Garrett called the number and the phone started ringing so he called Thayne who went over and told them they could deal with us now, or tomorrow morning! :) They were scared out of their minds!!! Thayne had called the sheriff because last time they did it they caused some major damage. The sheriff was more than happy to find out who they were because this has been happening constantly in the area and they think it's the new thing to do for high school kids. They caught one set of kids who had also caused serious damage to some homes and businesses. After a visit from the sheriff, they were pretty scared and apologetic. Yesterday afternoon one of the dad's and two boys showed up and apologized. It was the most sincere apology we have heard and the dad let them know that it wasn't going to be tolerated. Thayne said he was so impressed. We had an incident a while ago where some kids (of friends') did some pretty rotten things and instead of teaching the kids how to sincerely apologize they were looking for a fight and that their kid wouldn't do such a thing. We always try to make our kids accountable when they are stupid kids... and I always figured that I would never say my kids would never do something because as sure as I would say it, they would be out doing it. They have had to eat some humble pie before but it's good for their character to have to admit they were wrong. Funny thing is, the guy that brought the kids over is a guy that rents from the video store A LOT so we see him often. The kids are Kassi's age and she knew that they were the ones that did it before and even though a couple of them lied about their names... Kass had them pegged! :) Well, this morning Thayne got to work and one of the guys came right to his office to tell him that he was sorry his kid did that! He told him that he told his kid he ought to kick his butt... no... better yet he ought to take him to Thayne and let Thayne kick his butt. He said he told him, "Of all the houses you had to do that to... OF ALL THE HOUSES!" The boy asked why, who was it? He said, "HE IS MY BOSS and I ought to let him kick your butt!" Thayne said they laughed about how it seems that no matter where you go, there are ties that connect you. I think of meeting a girl on a baby board I go to, and then later meeting her mother in law who lives down the road from me. The man that sealed Garrett and Tiffany is related to a girl that was one of my best friends in 9th grade. The world is a very small place! I think we always need to be careful because we never know whose life we can touch and how we are all connected!

All is well in the world...

There are moments when it feels like all is well in the world. Those times for me are when all of my children are in my home enjoying each other's company! That happened last night. We decided to have a family dinner for Garrett's birthday. Everybody was here except Tanner who had to go to some hazmat course at the fire department... he wants to be a fireman and is finishing up some training.

My parents came out too and it was so much fun watching the kids. They were in rare form last night... the big kids were chasing each other through the house like the little kids normally do. They are just so fun! It is amazing to see the love they have for each other. Caitlyn put pony tails in Jace and Wyatt's hair and the girls helped hold Jace down so we could get pictures. It was just a fun night!!! We had sugar cookies and root bear floats instead of cake and enjoyed being together... and all was well in the world! And I am sharing all of their unflattering photos (ie... big mouths open, lol) because they were bugging me about the bad pictures! That will teach them!

Lunch with Garrett

We took Garrett and Tiffany to lunch Friday to celebrate his birthday. He likes to go to the Mexican restaurant so that he can speak Spanish with the waiters! :) Somehow lunch with Garrett and Tiffany turned into lunch with Garrett, Tiffany, Caitlyn, Jace and Dan... Jace's boss! It was fun. We laughed and joked and made fun of Garrett (we were celebrating his birthday... what did he expect???) and had a great time. Then they came and sang to Garrett and took pictures in his funny hat! It is always fun to hang out with my boys. I had a picture of Jace but it was too disgusting to share on my blog... he was being a smartie pants when I tried to take his picture and put a piece of meat in his nose... I almost threw up, so I refuse to put the picture on the blog! The boys told Dan that I always blog so of course Dan wanted to be included in the blog... there you go Dan!

Nate's second hair cut

Poor Nate got blessed with some really wild hair. Garrett had hair like this but now with sisters that like to mousse or gel his hair straight up, it doesn't know how to lie down. Thayne and Jace were sick of it and insisted on giving him his second hair cut. His hair grows fast! We went from this....

He loves getting his hair cut, it tickles and he laughs and tries to grab the clippers and do it himself and he loves when everyone claps and cheers for whatever he is doing. We are creating a monster. But we have all decided that mostly Jace has created a monster in Nate so when we can't stand to live with Nate... he will go live with Jace!!! :)

After his hair cut...