Big Ed and Her Piglets

A short story, but a long blog post: "Adjusting to a New Place & Making Friends"

2012-02-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

This post is far too long and pretty personal just to warn you. It's been a hard adjustment in many ways coming here. I think the hardest thing for me is when I know my kids are struggling. I want them to be happy and I want them to have friends and do well. They are doing well, and they are making friends, but it is a struggle. We have our good days and bad days. It is hard to be the new person and not really know anyone, and they really don't know you either. Aubrey especially has been missing her long-time friends that she knew and went to school with for several years. Mariah also misses her friends and is really trying to make friends, but really having a hard time making consistent friends. She says that she asks if she can play with them and they say "no" sometimes and let her play with them other times. As the mother, I just want to help make things right and I want them to find good friends, but I do realize that it takes time to really get to know each other. I have been realizing that with myself as well. The people here are really nice, but they really don't know me and I really don't know them yet. I came to the realization this past week that I too, miss my good friends and family in Utah.
My close friends and family know that I really struggled in my last neighborhood. I LOVED my home and yard--loved loved loved them. I made some very special forever friends there as well. But for some reason I made some enemies. I haven't figured out exactly what I did or how I made them, but it was like a snow-ball effect. It just got worse and worse. It really came down to a few woman in my old neighborhood that gave me hell. They did pretty much everything they could to tear me down. They spread rumors about me to other women in the area and those rumors spread.
I am a very strong person. I have a strong personality. I do what I feel is right and best for me and my family and generally I really don't care what others think of me. For some reason they made my life their business and they didn't like my life. I really struggled with this. Everywhere I had ever lived before I had lots of friends and felt well-liked. Have you ever seen "The Music Man"? The song, "Pick-a Little, Peck a Little" is a perfect description of what was going on. My husband and I watched that about a year ago and we were just laughing, saying, "River City is just like Riverton!!" And we really felt that way. The silly thing is that there are so many good people there and I made so many nice friends there as well. I just happened to rub some women the wrong way in my direct neighborhood.
I pretty much got used to being prepared for rude comments and being torn down when I would see them. I would prepare myself mentally and try to keep calm. I was always on edge around them hoping that they would see that I wasn't this evil villan, but actually a really nice, good person, who actually didn't have a perfect, easy life, as they supposed, and that I had many trials in my life and it wasn't just easy all the time. The truth is they never tried to really get to know me and I never got to really know them. They really seemed to only care that they didn't like me and didn't want anyone else to like me for some reason or another. It sounds so crazy that I felt crazy often. I would convince myself that they didn't hate me and that I was just being silly when along came another incredibly rude or mean thing from them. In all honesty, I was getting really used to it and getting really good at ignoring it and just moving on with my life. I loved my home, the school, our yard, my kids teachers, and I had some of the best friends ever there as well and so did my kids. I would have been able to stay and be quite happy there. We had so many happy and fun times and I do miss my home, yard, friends, and family.
So when we moved here I was surprised how anxious I was feeling when we went to church. After the first week I was friendly, but cautious. By the next week I realized that I really didn't want to be friendly and that I really didn't want to make friends. I just wanted to be on the back burner. I realized that for the first time in many many years, I was actually scared and not the bubbly, friendly person that I thought I was or had been in the past. I spent some time in the bathroom before it was time for RS. I went in to RS late. I sat down. I felt nervous. I looked around a bit. I realized I didn't know these women. The sister giving the lesson gave a really nice lesson & it really brought me peace and I really felt the spirit. I started crying realizing that I was sitting there without people hating me and that I could just enjoy the lesson. I didn't have to prep myself for sister so & so to comment on how she had seen me . . . last week and that I was a bad example of what was being taught or to be pulled aside by someone and be asked why I did . . . that so & so had told them I had done. I realized that nobody was there to hurt me or get after me. It was a wonderful feeling, but also a warning signal to myself and I left RS with the realization that I had a deep wound that needed healing.
The next morning I went running. I prayed my guts out as I ran knowing how to let this hurt go. I just cried and cried as I realized I was so scared of the same thing happening here. I didn't want people to hate me and talk about all the things I did wrong and continually tear me down. I came to several realizations about myself on that run. It was very therapeutic. I won't go into details about it, but it's one of the things I LOVE about running.
Now just so those that are reading this are wondering what my horrible sins were--let me tell you, they were nothing. Stupid little petty things that don't matter-mostly little jealousy type things that were blown way out of proportion and ridiculous. But the first and foremost was running in a tank-top and shorts. That was the real clincher. A neighbor actually came over to my house and chewed me out. She was not the only one that had a problem with this, and not the only one that approached me face to face about it on multiple occasions. I was humiliated over numerous things starting with this, time and time again. Seriously, it was unbelievable.
Let me set the record straight. I am a runner. I ran 2 marathons while living in that neighborhood. When I say I am a runner, I mean it. I am a runner. I will run in a tank-top and shorts. I am an intense runner. I want to perform and run well. To do that, I wear actual running clothes. I am not out to attract other women's husbands. I am not out strutting my stuff to get attention (as one neighbor asked, "I saw you running yesterday and I was wondering why you like to run where people will see you. Do you just like to show off your body?". I LOVE TO RUN. It is my anti-depressant. It lifts my soul and helps me get through things emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. I have my best "thinking moments" on my runs. I LOVE IT. I LOVE TO RUN OUTSIDE. I hate the treadmill. I like the wind, the earth, outdoors, going a distance and racing myself back home. I love it.
I never want to feel how I felt in my last neighborhood again. I want to learn from it. I know I have judged others over stupid petty things before. I never want to do that again. I catch myself in this snare. I am working at removing it from my thoughts before it even turns to words or actions. We are all here striving for the same end goal. Why don't we build each other up rather than tear people apart? Why don't we look for the good rather than notice the things that bother us? It is such a silly thing. I have come to the decision that this is one of the ways we are "light-minded". To look at others and make judgments about them in relation to our own background and feelings rather than looking at them as Christ would and realizing that they are a child of God and that they are an amazing person in many ways and then to look for that.
I think we train ourselves to be petty and "light-minded" to make ourselves look good and to feel like we are better than others. This is not what Heavenly Father would have us do. He wants us to love each other and to work together in building up each other and building up His kingdom on the Earth. Satan can't always get to the righteous by making them commit a "big sin", but he can get us tearing others down and thinking we are so good and righteous and everyone must be "righteous" in the same way that we are or they are "sinful". It's really one of the ways I think he gets us and I know it makes Heavenly Father so sad that we would ever treat our brothers and sisters in such a manner.
I think we all feel like we are exposed or on a show or being judged against others at times and we want people to approve of us. We want to feel that we are where we should be at and that we are doing a good job. When we are around the type of people we expect to approve of us, it makes it even harder when they don't. The problem is, we can also be looking for them to not be approving of us and that can even worsen the problem. Or once we feel that we aren't being approved of, we start to fail in other ways. Once you see something "bad" about someone that you really don't know, everything starts to look bad. Just like when you see good about someone, often the "bad" is muffled, especially if you know them and care for them (which isn't a bad thing).
Think of the kids you played with when you were little. There was probably one that maybe they stank or had dirty clothes-and you probably thought they were always that way clear until you got to really know them later in life and realized they were a pretty awesome person. We all make judgments too quickly. We do it to ourselves and we do it to others. I think that happened with me. In the snow-ball effect, the more I heard things and the more I was hurt, the more I saw people hurting me. So what I need to do is not look for anyone to be hurting me and to not be hurtful myself. As simple as that sounds, sometimes that's really hard, but it is exactly what I teach my kids to do--to always be kind and thoughtful of others and to never be mean. So simple and so true.
I will have to say that it is hard to start again making friends, but I have my best friend with me, Jon. He is my everything and I love him so much. He knows me for real and he loves me. My children are next in line and I love them so much. I still have my family and I love calling and talking with them or reading their blogs and whatnot. I love my family and I am pretty much fine not having a bunch of friends. I have always been a home-body and like to do things at home, but I do enjoy talking with others and whatnot, of course it's nice to have friends that you can talk to and learn from. My kids do have each other, and we like to be together and do things together. In-fact we have done many really fun things together always, and have continued doing so here.
We went hiking last weekend, bought a fire-pit and built a fire in our backyard, roasted hot-dogs, and marshmallows and enjoyed the nice evening. It was really fun. We have done many really fun things and we do have family down here so that's been really fun as well. We are adjusting and we really are just fine, it just takes time and of course, we miss what we loved no matter how good things are here.
I have made one really good friend so far, and I am so grateful for her. I actually ran past her on a run over Christmas break. She was stretching on a bridge and I remember thinking that she looked like a good runner, and that I ought to stop and talk to her because I wanted a running buddy or at least someone that ran distance that I could get tips on where to run and whatnot, but I felt silly and just kept going. After I turned and headed back home, I saw her heading the same direction. I just started talking to her. After talking a bit, we decided to meet and workout together the following week. From there we have been working out pretty much twice a week each week. She is awesome and has similar running goals as me, but we need that core strengthening that we hate to take the time to do, so we do it together. I am grateful to have another woman to talk to that has kids my kids' ages and in many ways we can relate and learn from each other. I love staying home with my kids, but I don't get out to talk to other women much, so I really look forward to visiting with her and getting in some good strength-training as well! I really bond with my workout buddies. Emily, my dear little sister. I loved training for my first marathon with her. We did our long runs together and had so many cherished conversations and exciting adventures together! She is one of my cherished friends and examples! My dear friend Heather, who was a blessing to teach me about core-strengthening, will always be a cherished friend. It was always so awesome talking with and working out with her. She made training for my first marathon far better and enjoyable and I will always love her and her example in so many ways to me!
So here I am with a new start, making new friends, new memories, and running a new life. It is a good life and I feel that we were very blessed to come here. This is such a wonderful area, school, neighborhood, and ward. We will do our best to make the best of it amongst our idiosyncrasies.

BUSY days!

2012-01-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

So much fun and so much we have been doing! Though by Saturday night I felt all funned out! Ha ha! Monday we went and bought baseballs, mits, and a bat. We have Primary baseball here-so cool! I never heard of that before! We walked/rode bikes to a park 1.25 miles away (trying to get my kids really active, so we find new and different parks all of the time--there are tons!). We practiced hitting the ball and played at the park. It was a really fun park too-we will have to go to it again! Another day we went on an adventure walk toward a canal that has HUGE fish in it. Also there is a backyard with several unique animals (including a giant tortoise). There are also small seashells along the edge of the canal--way fun and we went 2 miles out (4 miles total--awesome job kids!). We practiced baseball at another park on Friday and several friends were there, so we got to play with them and I got to visit with their moms. Saturday we went to Aubrey's game. It was really fun to watch her play and I was really glad we had practiced through the week. She actually did pretty good! She did hit the ball usually within the first couple of throws (in Primary baseball you don't strike out from not hitting the ball. They keep throwing it until you hit it). Then we walked to and around the Riparian Reserve (about 4 miles total). We saw several neat birds, including my first Red Cardinal! There was a "gang" of geese on the path that about attacked you for food--really quite funny. Mariah really got scared of them and hid under a blanket in the stroller. That stroller was the best purchase ever by the way! I use it EVERY day. I actually only use the van a couple times a week, if even that. The garage door opener is connected to my stroller, not in my car. Pretty funny! But the truth is we live too close to the school to drive there. If we try to drive (which we have done twice) there is such a long line of cars to try to cut into that we take way longer than just walking the quarter mile there. Anyway, I was just thinking about how much we have been going to places--walked places actually-I hate car time and we are loving the weather (yes, I know that will change when the summer comes). It is really different for me to go so many places and parks; it is just not something I have done a lot of as a mom. Before we moved here, we had a huge yard, a swingset, a good road to ride bikes up and down, and of course, grandmas house and yard, which are amazing and lots of fun. We also had the best outside time during the summer when we have tons of family things going on. So we have great weather in the winter here and are just soaking it in. But, the kids can't do much at our house (when it comes to being outside). We did get a trampoline for Christmas-and they love that and it's awesome. But I want it to stay awesome and not be the only thing they get to do every day. Good stuff!

A New Year in a New Place

2012-01-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

So I just read some of my favorite peoples blogs and it made me think a little more about the new year and what I want to accomplish. Really my main things that I want to do are things that I am already aspiring to do without the New Year being my inspiration. But it's here, and you know the saying, "Thoughts, Words, Deeds". So it's been in my thoughts, I can write it down, and hopefully it will help solidify the deed.
My first and foremost goal I have really been working on already. That is spending more time with my most loved ones--my family. Spending more time with Jon, my dear husband and each of my children. I really want to feel that I am not only spending time taking care of them and their needs and running the house-keeping it clean, fixing meals, shopping, taking them to school and whatnot, but actually spending more time enjoying them. I do different things to make them a part of what I have to do (helping with dinner, etc.), but I want to do more fun, random things with them. I want to go on regular dates with Jon. We are terrible at that. I hate having to get a babysitter, but we just need to do it and go out.
My next goal is to have more meaningful scripture study and to do it daily, no matter what. I read for 30 minutes no matter what while in High School and College. I want to start doing that again, no matter what.
I want to start playing the piano again. I want to practice daily and get pretty good at playing.
Then the next thing I am also working on is getting in really good shape. I am working on that pretty well already, but currently, I am adding a challenge to that-helping my kids to be in really good shape as well. I don't want them to become couch potatoes, computer addicts, or exclusive book worms. Though there are good things on the computer, and though I do want them to love books a read a lot, I want them to enjoy the outdoors, to love hiking, to feel good enough physically to run around and be active. So these are the things I am aspiring to accomplish--though really none of them are things that are done--they are continuous, not a year-end and it's over kind of a thing. Maybe I will make some kind of a year-end goal thing. I generally don't do that, mostly because I just don't think that much about it.
More than anything I just want to enjoy my family, enjoy life, and do our best at walking this road together as a family. This past year threw a huge curve ball at us that I am still soaking in and that I NEVER expected or planned on. We moved from our much loved home in Riverton to a state I always said I would never live in-Arizona. So here we are. I am sad to be away from the beautiful mountains, from dear family, from our cute little home, our beautiful huge yard, our fruit trees and garden, and some dear friends. I miss all those things very much. I know my kids do as well. I feel it is my responsibility to help make the most of life and spear-head enjoying our new environment here in Arizona. So though we do miss Utah and many things about it, we have been enjoying it here and actually I am loving this weather right now! I think I am getting a tan with all the time we have spent outdoors! I will not love it in the summer, but I didn't love the cold in the winter in Utah either. I miss the snow--to have the snow for a couple of months would be perfect, while skipping the other 3 months of freezing cold that surrounds the bits of snow here and there. I love the fall as well. I LOVE the mountains. I love green and I love waterfalls and rivers. I do miss those things being just 30 minutes away, and in sight at all times. Fortunately we are in a very nice part of Arizona and there is a lake (yes, man-made, but it's still very nice) just 1 mile from our home. Also in this particular area the communities grow grass and trees and it's really quite nice. We are next to some farm-land as well and there are some amazing birds along a trail just 10 minutes from our home. My yard happens to be all rocks. That will change when we get a home of our own, or maybe we will rent a different house next year. The people I have met are super nice as well and our ward is wonderful. It's not perfect here, but it wasn't perfect in Riverton either. No place is perfect, but as long as you are with those you love, you cling to the gospel and move forward in life, happiness can be found. So here we are and what's funny is my goals are pretty much the same as usual--though our environment has changed, we are pretty much the same old Hansen's as we always were--just with a bit more sun.

2011-12-04T20:22:00.001-08:00

So I haven't blogged in FOREVER! But I wanted to quickly make a post. We are LOVING it here in Gilbert. I love the school, I love the ward, and I love the people I am getting to know. I miss my dear friends and family in Utah, very much, and so do my kids. But all I can really say is that we have been greatly blessed. We are in such a nice location and around such good people it really is wonderful. I was nervous to leave Utah, and to leave green grass. I am sure when the summer comes along I will really really miss Utah, but for now, I am not missing the freezing cold weather and there is green grass all around me (they say it's a Gilbert thing, so I guess this is where we will stay as long as we are here)!
Anyway, the reason I wanted to blog was to say how much I have been enjoying my family lately. I think the move has really brought things closer to heart. I also just feel more like a real mom, not sure what is different exactly. I have just been enjoying it more. I don't like getting up ever, but it all starts with getting up early, then on to fix breakfast (sometimes even pancakes!!), fix my kids lunch, walk them to school, help them with schoolwork, make cookies with them, cook dinner with them, go shopping with them, go to the park, watch and listen to them playing, listen to their days, pray for them, fix them dinner, a snack, and kiss them goodnight. It's a long, exhausting job, motherhood. But I love those kids so much and I want to do so much more with them.
I am loving watching Amelia as she gets into that adorable innocent stage of walking, talking, learning, and growing. I love listening to Jonathan playing legos and singing his own theme music (quite loudly too--hilarious, and yes, I did get it on film!), I love when Mariah smiles at me and gives me a big hug, I love when Aubrey laughs her real laugh and her sweet smile. I love being their mother and I am grateful for their sweet spirits. Moving here has been really hard for them. Mariah started crying as we walked into her new class on the first day of school. Aubrey was the star of her old class and though she is making lots of new friends, it is really hard for her to not be the leader. Jonathan gets lonely while his sisters are gone and I am busy unpacking, shopping, and whatnot. Amelia has finally been weaned and is not happy about it. But they are such good kids and they are trying so hard and really doing a great job. They are making new friends and our ward is awesome. My kids are such good friends as siblings and generally play really well and work really well together. I really love it and I want our family to be close. I love doing things as a family-it's a great gift indeed to have a wonderful family!

August 2011

2011-08-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

Mariah having a little party with her toys while I was weeding in the front flowerbed.

Amelia helping me weed in the front flowerbed. She really did bend over and move her hand in the motion I was as if she was weeding too. It was really cute.

Jonathan & Aubrey playing with their duplo lego guns that they made. They get pretty creative!


Aubrey building a structure with these sticks. It's pretty amazing actually. They are all balanced against each other.

Aubrey's first day of 2nd grade! I sewed on a letter "A" to help distinguish hers from other kids (since it was the Target sale generic backpack, I figured there would be others just like it at school). She really liked the "A" on it too!

Mariah's first day of first grade. She did not want a letter on her backpack--but she may change her mind and decide she wants to personalize hers' a little.

Amelia loves to watch her siblings playing outside. She squeals and hits the glass and gets so excited watching them!

Jonathan's first morning with his sisters both gone to school. Dad got out the Star Wars toys for him to play with. He wanted to take a picture and he actually did take this picture.

Sorry for the side-ways pictures! I turned them before putting them on my blog, but they turn back. I am not sure how to turn them on the blog.

Aubrey and Mariah are both enjoying school, though Mariah isn't enjoying that it is all day long. Her favorite part of school is recess! Aubrey doesn't have a favorite part--she enjoys it all except for Math (ironic since she is so good at math).

It is different to just have Jonathan and Amelia home during the day, but nice too. I am glad the girls get out early on Fridays. I wish school ended just an hour earlier so we had more time together on regular days. I try to utilize the time they are home and do some fun things or have them participate in what I am doing (like making dinner). I can't believe how busy I am each day and how quickly time flies.

Some of the cute, sweet, or funny things kids said this week:

Jonathan, "Mom, why do you kiss dad?"

Aubrey put me down on her paper as the person she most admires.

Amelia started clapping a lot and waving. She also plays with Dad's Star Trek ships and makes cute sounds as she plays (he has been teaching her of course).

Aubrey and I learned how to play "clue" for our special time this week. That was fun. I was surprised that she caught on. We tried to show Jonathan and Mariah but they didn't really get it.

Jonathan and I made cookies together that were super yummy! He is getting better at cracking the eggs.

Mariah is an amazing helper with Amelia. She plays very well with her and completely adores her.

Amelia can go down the stairs very good now. She was so excited the first time and we all clapped and cheered for her. It was so adorable.

All of my kids are really good kids and I enjoy being their mom and doing things with them.

Family Fun this Summer!

2011-08-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how quickly the summer has gone by! We have done so many fun things as a family and I don't want to forget them! One of the things we started doing was to have "journal" time on Sunday afternoons, so for my journal entry today I decided to blog about some of the fun and new things we have been doing this summer.

We started things off with Emily, my dear sister, coming out from Florida! 2 days later, Emily, Jeremy, and myself ran the Utah Valley Marathon together! It was a great marathon and I would like to run it again--but this time without a bladder infection and without a nursing baby. Those two things slowed me down a bit, but I still ran the whole thing and did a pretty good job! Before the race, Jeremy (my brother just older than me) and I had some great training runs together--we did our final long run of 21 miles here in Riverton. We did awesome on that run and I felt GREAT afterwards! It was neat to run to Bluffdale, turn around, run to South Jordan, then run from the river trail, then up to and around the Oquirrh temple, and then back home. Jeremy is great to run with, but doesn't live close enough to run regularly together. I would love to run with him on a regular basis, but alas. I sure wish I could find a female running buddy around here--especially one that can do distance. I swear there is one out there and I will find her one day. I sure miss running with Emily--who moved to Florida. It was so fun to have her around again and we had so much fun her last night here. I stayed at my parents and we played games, visited, laughed, were silly and had a great time!

So much to tell about, but not enough time, so I will sum up--we spent many fun days playing with cousins throughout June and July. We had all of the Robertson's visiting over the 4th of July! It was crazy with so many little kids, but really a lot of fun. Jon's family came out at the end of July and we had several family gatherings at our house. We almost finished our kitchen before family came, but not quite--oh well. We still haven't done anything since all the family came out because we have been so busy and doing some other great things--I will blog about doing the kitchen when it is finished and add pictures from before and after, but that's its own side note.

We ended July with Jon running his first half marathon! I am so proud of him and still can't believe that he actually did it! It was so awesome to see him coming to the finish line! I was really nervous for him and hoped he would be able to do it--and he did awesome! He is amazing!

Then we had the first week of August as our own little family to do what we wanted. It was so fun--a "stay-cation" as they call it. We started Monday with Temple Square. We took the kids to the top of the Church Office building, walked around the visitor centers, and then took Trax to Gateway and ate dinner in the food court. It was crazy going to Gateway--not that it's bad, but such a different spirit than being at Temple Square all day. It is so amazing how this little city is very much like a city on one block and then on another block it is so peaceful and beautiful all around you.

Tuesday we went up Provo Canyon. We hiked Stewart Falls. The kids did an amazing job! They never complained and hiked quite well. We packed dried fruit, granola bars, and water bottles for everyone and just took it nice and easy. It was a beautiful hike! The mountains were so luscious and there were green ferns growing all over the trail--really quite beautiful! I love the mountains! Then we built a fire, roasted hotdogs and marshmallows and sat around the fire for a bit. It was so fun!

Wednesday we went up to Ogden to the Train Museum. It was cool, not anything super amazing, but we enjoyed it. We then went to the Roy Aquatic Center. We went down the waterslides many times with the kids. It was super fun--perfect for kids! We stopped at Grandma Hansen's on the way home and had dinner with them. They had hid $12 worth of quarters and nickles in their sandbox--so then the kids spent about an hour playing and digging in the sand to find the money--that was pretty fun!

Thursday we went to the Zoo. They had a dinosaur theme thing going on which was fun, but distracting from the real animals. They had these fake, but pretty realistic dinosaurs placed throughout the zoo that moved and made noises. I think my kids really weren't sure if they were real or not--at least Jonathan was pretty convinced that they were real--especially since many of the real animals didn't move or make noises. But it was really fun and the kids really enjoyed it. We then went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner--our favorite! We thoroughly enjoyed it!! And then we went and saw Kung Fu Panda 2. That was a little crazy with Amelia--she was pretty tired of being held or in the stroller since she hadn't been able to crawl around all day, but in the end, we conquered and between Jon and I we saw pretty much the whole movie! It was a really cute movie by the way.

Friday was stay at home/project day, which the kids didn't care too much for, but hey, they got to play in a room FULL of legos (we only have a huge tote full) while Jon and I worked on some yard projects we haven't been able to get to all summer. We finally worked a bit on our fence, front flowerbed, wood pile, and garden. It was nice to get those things looking better.

This week, the girls last week before school starts, we went to Grandma Robertson's to spend a couple of nights. We hiked up the Aspen Grove Timp trail up to second falls with Grandma and Grandpa, then got some yummy icecream treats (thanks to Carrie Scillito Magnum bars are now a favorite treat amongst the Robertson clan--the double chocolate are absolutely irresistable!). The kids had so much fun spending the night and playing the next day. We had a picnic with Becca in Salem, swam in Grandma's pool, played in the irrigation, watched some fun movies, and then it was time to come back to reality. That's always the hard part!

It has been a great summer! We have implemented things that I have always wanted to do as a mom and I have really been enjoying that. Aubrey and I started making a quilt together last year that we haven't finished, Mariah and I started making a hat that we had never finished and Jonathan had a few things he wanted to sew with me. I decided to take 1 hour 3 days/week and each kid got 1 hour of sewing time with me to work on a project of their choice. It has been really fun. We didn't do it the weeks that we had too much going on with family and were gone all day, but we did do it many times. Aubrey's quilt is coming along, Mariah's hat is done and we are on to another project, Jonathan is making a "lion" bag--it will be pretty neat when it is done. It's good for the kids to learn that things take time, but when we work on them, they do get done.

We have also started Family Council on Sundays and afterward we write in journals. I think that has really helped with the kids knowing what it going on. We discuss things that need to get done that week and the things we are planning to do. We schedule their sewing time, chores, and fun activities. It has been nice to get things in better order. And that is currently what I am working on in my house--getting it in better order. I am liking it quite a bit!

Playing "Princess"

2011-03-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

Um so my kids are pretty darn creative and they have a lot of fun together. I want them to be best friends, and I think they really are--most of the time anyway. I don't like having too much "friend" influence in my home--possibly a bad thing, but I like my kids to have fun together. They do have friends at school, but I really only like friends to come over one day a week--the rest of the little time we have after school is not for friends to continue to influence my children--since they have already been with them at school for about 8 hours--another thing I really hate. Hmmm--homeschooling--hmmm--thought about it many times, but don't think I could really do it without it being detrimental to my children's education and social skills and possibly my sanity (I don't like them gone all day, but some of the day is nice).

Okay, so off my little soap box and back to my post. The kids were playing "princess" and of course, Jonathan is always a "prince" or Robin Hood or something like that when they play those kind of things. There really are mostly girl dress ups--which we have actually been collecting some more boy-type dress up things, which Jonathan loves of course, and of course, his Darth Vader costume is one of those things. So while playing princess, the girls convinced Jonathan that it would be fun to dress him up as a princess and Mariah as the Prince. Aubrey is extremely talented when it comes to art and creativity. I love the hair she came up with!!

Well, all I have to say is that it really was pretty darn funny!! The truth is, I had forgotten this had happened (they had played this quite a while ago) until I was going through my pictures the other day and came across these. I laughed so hard I almost wet my pants. Needless to say, I knew I had to post them!

"Born-Again Motherhood" or Finding Content and Joy in My Life Here & Now

2011-03-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't really keep a journal anymore--and I really should. I also don't scrap book either. Jon is AWESOME at recording things and we have a lot of family movies, which I think is the best "scrap-book" of all because you can actually hear and see what we have done. But it is really nice to ponder and explain my own feelings and thoughts as I raise my family and move forward in this "test" of life. So I am warning you, this is really long, it has many of my ponderings as of late. I don't care if nobody ever reads it, but at least I have written it down somewhere and it is a nice way to sort out my thoughts. So here it goes.

Sometimes it is hard to keep the eternal perspective that this life is really just a test for us to proove ourselves and eventually become Gods ourselves. All I really want more than anything is to be with Jon forever and to see my children find a spouse that they love and want to be with forever. I have been pondering a LOT on being a mom lately. I really was getting tired of the constant house-work and the little tasks I have to do each day. After having Amelia, things had really gotten disorganized and I just felt like things were piling up and I couldn't keep up with it all. I would have to say that I really needed a break. So, the opportunity came up to go on a trip with the kids (Jon couldn't take off work) and my parents down to Arizona. I went. I was tired of the house, of the messes and of the cold dreary winter. Some sunshine really sounded wonderful!

So we went and got to see my little brother Jay--really fun to see him at his school and spend a little time with him. I stayed with Jon's sister, Kathy and my parents stayed with my brother, James and his wife, Emily who had just had a baby--my parents went down to help out with the newborn. Kathy and James are in the same ward! Pretty ironic, really! Jon's other sister, Mary is also in the same ward with them as well--so we got to see her and her kids also. It was a really nice opportunity to spend some time with several different family members all in one trip!

I would have to say for me the nicest thing was to get to know Kathy and her family better and to see how she ran her household. It was so good for me and such a reminder of my responsibility as a mother and to find joy in it. I think I find myself trying to do so many other things that I want to do or "need" to do that I get crazy and busy and then I don't get anything done and cause stress to my kids and husband. When I first came home I was actually quite depressed and I wasn't sure exactly what it was--I had such a wonderful time in Arizona and I really missed what I felt there. It was hard to come back to my disorganized home with all it's funny little problems--like the silverware drawer falling out if you pull it all the way open, or the lack of any space for things in the bathrooms so the counters are full of stuff, the carpet that I hate because it still looks gross the minute after you vacuum it, the disorganization of the kids room and all the rooms really. I just didn't have a nice enough home to keep up nicely like Kathy did--and I was also being really bothered at how much we are paying to be living in an old home with so many inconveniences when with the current market you could get a much larger and nicer home for what we paid for ours. I was also frustrated and hurt from people in my neighborhood and my calling. Finances are ALWAYS a struggle. I do so much to live so tight and we do live so tight and I wanted some financial freedom. I thought about how we could have some financial freedom if we weren't paying so much for our house. I really wanted to just leave. To move and start somewhere else all fresh and new without people getting on my case for not doing things how they wanted them done, have a smaller house payment, have a budget that isn't just enough to buy food and an occasional something here and there. I was depressed needless to say and didn't know how I was going to get on top of it. It starts with prayer, that's for sure. Really it's the Sunday School answers, plus some physical exercise--for me, running is my anti-depressant, mind you, I don't just feel like running all the time and when I am running consistently, I often am actually getting less sleep and when you are down, you are much more tired, so it is pretty hard to convince yourself that you should get up early to exercise (because I have to get up really early to run), but when I am running consistently, I can handle things much better and I am able to clear my mind and think and ponder on things better, not to mention my body feels better--so running for me helps physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. If you have depression problems (which I think everyone does--it's just everyone deals with it differently--get spiritually and physically active). Amy's Theory: Spiritual + Physical = Mental and Emotional stability. Well, I could do a whole blog post on that! But not for now, sorry for the tangent.

So back to my strugglings--I was praying and searching for what, I don't know--something. I wanted to find the joy and peace I felt at Kathy's home, but I didn't want to be Kathy, I just wanted to feel content with what I have and where I am at in my life. And if I was supposed to be or do something different, I wanted to know what that was. I started to run consistently. I made some phone calls I needed to make to clear some things up with some people. I was scared to do it, but I prayed to be able to do it, be strong, but not rude or angry and it went just fine. I found a running buddy (if you are having a hard time getting up, get a running buddy that you have to meet--then you will really go).

I started to realize that the reality of it was not the nice home. I know plenty of people with nice homes and theirs' aren't what I was looking for--it's the spirit of the home--and the homemaker is the main creator of that. I knew that our home was a blessing and that when we bought it, it was where we felt we were supposed to be. We were making it financially--barely, but I had been blessed to be able to live tight, to not let lack of fashion, and fashionable kids, and whatnot get to me--because we just can't worry about that. We are to be nice and comely. We are clean and that's good enough.

But I really was searching for something--I still felt discontent and like something wasn't right--I just wasn't at peace yet, but I was starting to feel better about things. I was praying to learn and do what I needed to learn and do. I also was praying to cherish and enjoy my children more and the more I prayed for help in cherishing being a mom and cherishing my children, the more I was remembering to sincerely work on cherishing and loving my children and being a mom.

I can't actually put my finger on it to be honest. But here I am almost 2 months later and I am a different person. I am a different mother. I have a whole new perspective and I really am not sure what it was that was bothering me so very much before, or I should say why it was bothering me so very much before. There are definitely things that bother me and get to me, but I can move on. It is really amazing to me. I am loving my children so much more, I have been gradually getting my home in better order, I have been enjoying cooking new meals and taking care of my families physical needs, and I really feel like there is a change in my life.

I would call it "born-again motherhood". I know being a mom can be so hard, but I also know Satan wants us to be discontent with it. We are here to raise these spirits so that they can accomplish what they are meant to do. I look at my children differently and with a love and joy that I wasn't feeling a few months ago. I have felt it other times in my life, but I had let my frustrations and upsetness, and discouragement take those feelings over. My kids aren't different, they aren't amazingly good and obedient (though they are good kids that often amaze me at just how good they really are at times) and they do fight and get upset. But who doesn't?

We are all people and we all have feelings and emotions. We have to decide how we will handle and act out on our feelings and emotions. Are we going to let them get to us and get us down? Or are we going to address them, and move on realizing that some of them we can't do anything about and some of them we can. The main thing is to keep an eternal perspective. This life is a test--a time to prove ourselves worthy to attain eternal life with our loved ones. It was after the earthquake in Japan that I thought, you know, if we all die in an earthquake, I am okay with that. I am ready when it is our time. I for sure don't want to leave my children of course, and I for sure don't want to leave this earth before I can raise my children (and I have made Jon swear to never get sealed to someone else if I were to die first--he can re-marry, just not get sealed--I am not a sharing my guy type of person).

But it hit me that it doesn't matter if we don't have a nice house, nice clothes, go on nice vacations, have nice cars, a fancy yard, or this and that. I already knew that deep down, but when you see so many people with nice things, clothes, going on big trips and so on, it is sometimes hard to keep that eternal perspective. All that matters is that we are righteous stewards over what we have been blessed with.

We actually do have a nice house (not according to the latest home designs) but we have a good home, we have nice clothes--they are clean, they are modest, we have nice cars--they work and they get us where we need to go, we do have plenty of food and plenty of things. We have more than enough. We are greatly blessed. I love my family so much. I love my children so much and I hope to raise them in righteousness and teach them and guide them so that they may make righteous choices when they are older and so that they may be happy.

I feel happy, I feel at peace. I have the same financial problems, I have the same house, I have what I had 2 months ago (well, except I bought new kitchen cabinets on ksl that are filling up my garge--so I don't have a garage to park my car in, but I do have the potential to have new cabinets in my kitchen--frankly, I am really excited about that) anyway, all that has really changed is me. I know I will have ups and downs all through my life, I know I have some coming up pretty soon here, but I know I can get through them. We all can.

I knew their room stank!!

2011-02-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so kids rooms stink. Especially at night I have come to learn. They are real sweaters and they can really stink up a room. We go in to tuck them in each night--kiss their little heads and make sure they are covered and warm. Each time we open that door--whoa--a whiff of lovely sweat mugginess.

Well apparently there was more to the story than I realized. So we haven't gone through the dress-ups in a long time but I was tired of the tote of dress-ups which not only included several cute little princess dresses and accessories, but some legos, cars, trains, oh, and don't forget that pair of gloves of mine that I have been looking for oh, and Jon's Sunday belt and tie. After dumping the pile of "Dress-ups" onto the floor and telling the kids to clean up the toys and only put dress-ups into the dress-up tote, I went to nurse my sweet little Amelia who doesn't put toys in the wrong place--oh wait, she can't pick them up yet, but she soon will. Sitting, reading, and nursing in the other room I was, and much to my wondering eyes would appear but Mariah with her favorite little dress-up princess glove only her excitement was not about finding the glove, but what she found in the glove--yes as it happens, Mariah is my little raccoon and loses things all of the time and then is as excited on a Christmas morning when she finds her little purses or bags, or sock, or glove, or anything that can hold anything, stuffed full of old things she had "lost". This time she found a lovely white hard-boiled egg.

Yum Yum.

Thanks Peter Pan!

2010-12-14T14:46:00.000-08:00

You know, I am thinking Jonathan takes things a little too seriously. He absolutely believes all these fairy tales are real and that people really have the force--including himself.

Jonathan comes down the stairs without his pajama shirt on. Jon asks him where his shirt is.

"My Shadow took it".

"Your what?"

"My Shadow is teasing me and took my shirt"--he says this with his huge wide open eyes and absolute seriousness--it is so hard not to bust up laughing.

I don't know where his shirt went. We got a different one out for him to wear.

Thanks Toy Story!

2010-12-14T14:39:00.000-08:00

Jonathan was playing with some star trek action figures.

"Mom, where is Data?"

"Jonathan, he was broken and couldn't be fixed so Dad threw him away."

"I was thinking we could make a new arm for him out of paper."

"I don't think that would work, and it is too late because Dad threw him away a while ago. He's not in the garbage can, the garbage man already came and got him."

Panicking, "the garbage man already took him?"

"Yes Jonathan, it was several weeks ago."

Sadness and tears welling up, "Mom, can you get the garbage man's phone number?"

"I don't think we can call him. He doesn't go through the garbage, he just takes it all to the dump."

His absolute horror sticken face tells me what he is thinking--Data standing in a pile of garbage, holding out his one good hand as he gets closer to an incinerator. He didn't like Toy Story 3--and started crying in that part of the movie.

"Jonathan, don't worry, there isn't an incinerator where the garbage man took our garbage"

"He's not getting burned?"

"No, he is just fine. You know Jonathan, he's not real. Toys don't come alive when you aren't looking."

But I know he thinks they do.

Jonathan's Cute sayings lately

2010-10-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

I thought I better just jot these cute little things down before I forget!
Jonathan turned on the music on Amelia's babyswing (details on her birth coming soon). She randomly moves her arms and hands in the air while she is sitting there. Jonathan saw her doing this after he turned on the music and exclaimed, "Look Mommy, Amelia is conducting!" It was adorable--he was completely serious!

I was cleaning the kitchen and Jonathan was talking to me. He told me that his cousin Taylor had the force.
I am serious Mom, he really has the force". I asked him how he knew his cousin had the force. "When we were at their house, he held his hands out like this (holding his hands in the air like Yoda would) and the trunk on his car went up! I am serious; he didn't push any buttons and it just went up when he put his hands up!"

Jonathan was sitting by me while I was nursing. He was being pretty funny and I said, "you are a funny kid" He responded with "No I am not funny!" I said, "Yes you are" he responded, "No I am not!"
"Yes you are."
"No I am not!"
"Yes you are and you are really cute!"
"No I . . . well, I am cute."

He really is a sweet little boy and I adore him. He surprises me at how smart and witty he is. He really is funny in a witty way sometimes. He has really been enjoying reading and counting more since both girls are in school. It is fun to see him grow. I can't believe how much coming home from the hospital with a newborn has made him grow! He is one big kid now!! He is actually doing very well with the baby. I have been surprised. He really enjoys her and doesn't seem to mind or be bothered that she has come into our home. I expected a fair amount of jealousy and possible dislike of the baby, but he really loves her and loves being her big brother. We often all nap together on my bed in the afternoon before the girls get home from school. He and I usually hold hands when we nap. A few times he has held Amelia's hand--it is really quite cute!

Picnic & Library

2010-08-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

We decided to go for a picnic and then to the library yesterday. The kids were really good about doing their chores and getting ready. Aubrey even made the sandwiches while I was getting ready. Jonathan rode his hotwheel and the girls rode their bikes. Aubrey wanted to ride slowly next to me while I walked and just hold my hand. It was really sweet. We talked the whole way there and then we sat in the grass and talked together while we ate. They asked some question about baby Amelia (who will be joining our family soon) and discussed having babies (not in detail--no worries). It was fun to visit with them and see their interest. We also talked about their favorite things that we have done over the summer--it has really been a fun summer--their highlights were swimming, St. George, Aubrey enjoyed school (she was in school until July 2nd), the Rodeo, doing things with cousins, etc. Then we went over to the playground and played for a while. After that, off to the library, checked out some books and movies--they were really good there too--they each picked their books and sat and looked at them while I picked out some movies for them. Then we checked out and walked home. It was really nice--just peaceful and enjoyable. I thought it was tender that Aubrey wanted to hold my hand the whole time--I think she is nervous about me having the baby and about starting school next week.

Our Day

2010-08-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

I pretty much always take my kids to the Doctors with me. My last appointment the nurse commented on how good my kids are. I was surprised and she said that they aren't super loud and don't run all around and she is way impressed. She said they can usually tell when kids are there, but with mine, they don't know it until she comes out and sees them. It made me very proud of my kids. So last time after the appointment, we stopped at the DI and they each got to pick out a toy (and I was hoping to find some cowboy boots--I really want some so I can fit in here in Riverton--ha ha--not really, but it would be fun to have!)

Yesterday I had another appointment--I am down to the last month! They were pretty good, not as good as last time, but really, good kids overall. Then we went to Kohl's--I had to $10 Kohl's cards--YES!! I got 1 shirt for Jon and 3 for me and spent $5 total! They do have an awful lot of odd clothes and they are way overpriced. But if you check out their clearance, it's kind of like DI--you dig and you can find some great deals and pretty cute things.

After the store we went to Grandma's--they are always so excited to go! We start school next week, so our days are numbered as to what we can just go and do. We have had such a fun summer, but I am not ready for school to start. I just can't believe they are going to have Aubrey from 8:30-3:30--that's pretty much ALL day and I just feel like it's too long for the school to have her. By the time she gets home we will be fixing dinner and then doing homework and the day will be gone--it's just too young to spend that much time away from home. It's tempting to look into other options, but I know I couldn't homeschool and give all that would be good for her to be prepared to be force for good in this crazy world and environment.
Well, back to Grandma's. We were all starving for lunch. Grandma was out in here garden weeding. The kids ran back there to say hello and she told them lunch was in the garden--meaning the raspberries and blackberries. Jonathan and Mariah loved that idea and cheered "hurray!" and started picking berries. Pretty cute! I made them some sandwiches though, so they did get some real lunch.
We picked some raspberries, the kids played and I visited with Grandma. Then we went swimming. It was just nice to relax in the water. I made the kids laugh super hard when trying to get on a round inner-tube like floaty. I climbed up the ladder, centered my bumb over the center hole of the tube. Sat my behind right into the hole. This is quite hard to explain--I really need to draw a diagram, but to my surprise my belly was just too big for me to fold my bumb into the center hole enough to balance. I could not get enough weight distribution with my legs and I completely flipped backwards, headfirst into the water! I t was hilarious I am sure. We were all laughing so hard. I haven't seen all of my kids laugh at me that hard in my entire life!
After enjoying the pool it was time to get cleaned up and head home. We were all pretty tired on the drive home. It was really quiet, so I looked in the rear-view mirror at the kids. Jonathan was completely asleep. Aubrey was asleep laying in Mariah's lap and Mariah had her arm wrapped around Aubrey and leaning down asleep. It was really sweet and cute looking.

Making Zuchinni Bread with Mariah

2010-06-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

I often feel like time goes by so quickly and I don't spend the time I want to with my kids. I debate about doing things that I need to get done or taking some time out with the kids--or finding a way to incorporate them in what I need to get done.

I had some zuchinni I had thawed--trying to use up the last of what I froze last year before I have fresh to use this year. So after our walk to drop Aubrey off at school and laying Jonathan down for a nap, I invited Mariah to make zuchinni bread with me.

To my surprise, she didn't really want to--generally my kids LOVE to help me cook. But I convinced her with finding an apron for her to wear and letting her start with cracking the eggs. It was adorable as she cracked the eggs with her tiny hands--and she did a perfect job on the first one! Telling her so resulted in a squeal of delight and great excitement in continuing to help me. It was like her confidence had boosted 10 times and she was so cute helping me the rest of the time--apologizing for any time some flour puffed out of the bowl or sugar granuales sprinkled on the counter. I do have a hard time with any mess and quickly clean it, but it was well worth the effort to have her make the bread with me rather than doing it "perfectly" and "neatly" on my own.

Thoughts on My Family

2010-05-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I was thinking about how sweet, thoughtful and cute my dear husband and family is and I thought--why don't I post a blog?! I haven't done that in a long time. This past month has been so busy, but a good one. I have noticed more and more the sweet little moments of my children. I have been praying to be able to cherish and enjoy them more--not to get after them for the silly little mistakes and messes they make so much, but to see how they are trying and the good, innocence they have. I think that may be part of it. I also think my pregnancy softens my mother-heart. I think that is partially because I have a new spirit from Heaven in my body and it has influence on me. She is very sweet and I look forward to being her mother and holding her in my arms (Yes, I am having a little girl this upcoming September).

My little Jonathan is still my baby and such a mama's boy--and I love it. He is very full of energy and very much a boy. He climbs, gets into things, everything is a gun, sword, or light-saber. He is also very tender. He likes to be with me and help me with things. Sometimes it is hard to remember that even if it makes things a little harder, longer, and messier--I will one day regret not letting him help me out. One of his favorite things to do with me is to cook--he just really loves to help me fix meals and treats. He is really good at helping with chores and he is always happy to help Aubrey and Mariah with their chores--"Jonathan will you help me sort the laundry?" "I will Mariah"--very cute and I love to see them work together, even though it often turns into playing and they take a long time to complete the morning chores. He loves his dad--he looks forward to seeing him each evening--all of the kids do and rightfully so.

Jon is the best father anyone could ask for. My kids will have a hard time finding a man as good with children as their father is. He loves to play legos, he-man, star trek/wars, and anything else they want him to play with them. He is very imaginative and makes up silly stories at bedtime for them. He loves to use puppets and their favorite toys in his stories. They will all sit up in the bunkbed while he tells a story to them. He is very patient with them and sincerely enjoys them. He also reads to them--currently reading "Voyage of the Dawn Treader". He loves how Aubrey can read many of the words in scripture study and is excited with her as she tries to read her verse on her own. He is very good at being excited with the kids and enjoying with them what they are enjoying. He really is the best father ever and it makes my job as a mother so much better. I love being a parent with him--besides the fact that he is my best friend in the whole world. He would do anything for me. He is absolutely patient and kind to me in every way. He has never yelled or gotten really mad at me. He cherishes me and I can tell and feel it every day. I am so blessed.

Now I have talked about my Jon's, on to my sweet little girls. Mariah really tries so hard to please me--well all my children do actually, just in different ways. She needs constant encouragement and nourishment. She needs hugs, "I love you's" and a helping hand with responsibilities. She is very delicate and tender. I love holding her tiny hands--so delicate and precious. Yet at the same time, she is very daring and adventurous. She wants to fly--that is her dream. She is full of energy and gets so excited when she accomplishes something--she seems that she is about to burst with excitement! She does not like confrontation and if Aubrey or Jonathan want something in particular--she will usually let them have it to keep things peaceful--a peacemaker. Every morning I let the kids take turns handing out the vitamins. When it is Mariah's turn, she will let Aubrey and Jonathan both have the color they want--even if there is only one and she wanted it. When I have called on her to bless the food--if Aubrey or Jonathan really want to, she will say, "why don't you let Jonathan or Aubrey say it", and I know she wanted to as well. She is very sweet that way.

Aubrey is so responsible. She is an amazing helper and I will very much miss her this fall as she goes to 1st grade (why do they have to be gone ALL day?!?!). She gets up, does her chores (they each have to get dressed, brush their teeth, say their prayers, and make their bed (I am pretty easy-going on that one), and they have an assigned chore (unloading the dishwasher, sorting the dirty clothes, picking up a certain kind of toy in the play-room, etc.)--anyway, she will try to do her things without being asked. She is very quick and thorough with them as well--like I said, very responsible. She is very tender too--she is very good at helping Mariah and Jonathan to be happy when they are sad or upset. She is very aware of others and their feelings. At Mariah's birthday party there were a couple of kids that weren't playing with the group and weren't too happy. Jon asked Aubrey to include them--immediately she did and they were having fun the rest of the time.

All three of my children are generally very good and really are trying to be good. They are kids--they do fight, hit, get upset, and disobey. But overall, they are kind, thoughtful, and trying to be good. Another thing I love about them is that they generally play very well together and are dear friends with each other. I love that. I love that we don't have friends over all of the time because we are just happy as our own little family. We have done a lot of yard work/gardening this month and the kids play very well outside while Jon and I work. They come and help us on and off as well. They all helped plant a few plants and seeds into the garden. They helped stomp down the furrows. They helped water the plants with fertilized water after being planted. We discovered a nest with robin eggs up in one of our trees. The other evening while we were out there working, we noticed the eggs had hatched. Jon held up each of the kids on a ladder to see. Though I was VERY nervous and scared, I climbed the ladder (had to stand on the very top) to see. It was a cute little moment with our family.

Last Saturday (Mariah's birthday), she took a new polly pocket outside--shoes and all. Of course one of the shoes fell off into the grass. Aubrey and her looked and looked and could not find it. I decided to go help them, though I didn't have much time as I was getting ready for her birthday party. We said a prayer together to help us find it. Aubrey was sure it must be in this one section. We were all looking there--I thought I should step over a few steps and continue looking where Aubrey had said. There is was--in the grass. We talked about how Heavenly Father guided us to find the shoe. We said a prayer of thanks. It was a really sweet tender mercy and lesson to the girls that they have a loving Heavenly Father who listens to them and will help them in their concerns. We have had many sweet moments like that and I wish I had written more of them down--some are on paper fortunately.

Like I said, my kids are so sweet and my husband is amazing. I am so blessed and we have many blessings and tender-mercies in our daily lives.

For now, I will close and head to bed before I actually turn 30 years old!

Aubrey in Kindergarten

2010-03-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

We had our first child start school this year--yes I was very nervous and even sad to see her go. On her first day of school I even teared-up. She has very much loved it though and is doing quite well. We just had parent-teacher conferences. When I went in to talk to her teacher, she just said how Aubrey was so kind to everyone and such a great person to have in the class--she even got a little teary-eyed and so did I. She said that she is at a 1st grade reading level now and that her math skills are exceptionally good (which we already knew--she could multiply before kindergarten). It was really nice to hear and Aubrey just sat there very shy, but very pleased. I have been telling Aubrey all year to always be nice to everyone no matter what and that she will be liked. She has made many really good friends. Her class is awesome and is full of really nice and good kids--I wish there was a guarantee that they would all stay together through grade-school--it's the cream of the crop in her class. Anyway, I am very pleased with her and I am not looking forward to 1st grade when she is gone for most of the day!! Why do they have to take our kids for SO long!! Since I haven't blogged in forever--here are some pictures from Aubrey's first day of school--she was so excited and ready to go!!

Aubrey getting her backpack--she was excited & ready to go!

Aubrey doing the Star Trek Vulcan "goodbye" to Jon.

Aubrey posing in front of the door before going to her first day of school.

Awesome Shopping Trip!

2010-03-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

This was awesome! I got 19 items for $10.16 total!!

There are 8 pouches of tuna (those were FREE after using the coupons!!!), 2 boxes of shredded wheat, 5 packages of pasta, 1 Wesson oil, and 3 packages of Robin Eggs (just in time for Easter)!

Blessings and Miracles

2010-03-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't blogged in a LONG time! But I have been thinking that I ought to just type a few things while I am remembering them. I am much faster at typing than writing so my journal isn't very full either. My kids are growing up so quickly. I am so proud of them and love them so much. No, they are not perfect, but they are good kids who really try. I have enjoyed our walks home from school (after we drop off Aubrey and her friend--the way there we are usually running late and almost running to get there, but the walk home is more pleasant and relaxed). Jonathan and Mariah just look around and enjoy the earth around us and it really is quite cute to see their enthusiasm. It is good for me to get out as well and go on a walk in the middle of the day--though if I had a car, I know I would drive Aubrey to school--so a perk to not having a car is that we have to take a daily walk that otherwise I would not take the time to do.

The thing I mainly wanted to blog about today is a major blessing and miracle in our life that has been gradually happening and fulfilled just recently. Now this is not something I am pleased to admit, but a part of our life that we have been constantly working on. Since we had our first child, we have acquired debt each year on things we just didn't have the money for, but had to pay--like car problems and mostly on medical things (1st major thing being having a baby--we didn't have the money for it--fortunately we did have insurance, so it wasn't outrageous, but several thousand).
We made the decision that I would stay at home and quit my job when we had children. Financially, that was a terrible decision. I had a degree and a teaching job (so not a lot--but good for starters), Jon was going to school and had a dinky phone job on the side, but we knew it was what Heavenly Father would have us do for our children. We lived in many crappy places and lived off very little. But expenses still come that must be paid. Each year we would get enough tax return to pay off any debt we had acquired from the previous year. When we bought our home, we had debt that we had acquired from Jon losing his job, medical, and whatnot. We assumed that we would be able to pay it all off with tax return. Well, this was the first year in our home and with a decent income (once again, not a lot, but good for where we are at in our lives)-- and we did not get enough taxes back to pay off our debt. We are quite tight in our home and with the regular expenses and rainy days that we all experience--anything after regular bills and needs that was left was just enough to put towards debt--not towards savings. We were very disheartened and knew that we had to do everything we could to try to not acquire more debt and to pay it off--we had one year before interest began on it--one year to pay it off. We started to really focus on our finances--more so than before--and to really pray for help and to be able to get out of debt. I even prayed that we would be able to get completely out of debt before the interest would begin. Blessings came--I learned to shop a new way that cut our grocery bill in half--our parents would slip us some money here and there. We tried to live on a very tight budget.
But the reality is--you still have rainy days. We had many amongst the blessings. We acquired more debt as there wasn't any other option. Our car had many troubles and we had more medical things. Jon's job changed their policies on commission--making it so we were getting a couple to a few hundred dollars less depending on certain things--and of course as with most people over the past couple of years--no raises, no bonuses. We didn't have much to work with, but kept trying. We decided to up our fast offerings (and we felt we were paying generously already--but felt that adding a little more wouldn't break us). We weren't always perfect--we would go out on a date every once in a while--not spending lots--but nonetheless, spending some. We did still buy birthday & Christmas presents and we did still do some fun things as a family--so we could have put a little more money toward our debt. Overall though, we actually were quite tight.
As the year came to an end and the new one commenced, we felt that we really had improved and had worked harder on being better and living tighter. But we still had debt and we knew we would likely not be able to pay it all off with our taxes--but we hoped and prayed that we would. We filled out taxes and came to discover that we were not getting as much back as we thought, and we would still have debt to pay off. I was so frustrated and even angry. I complained to Jon about how hard we had been working and praying at getting on top of our finances and being able to save for a rainy day before one actually came. We had been going without things more and more and felt that we were doing pretty much all that we could do.
The next week I went through all--and I mean all--every penny that we had spent over the last year--no matter how ugly it looked. I categorized it into months and discovered that there were a couple of things we could do better at. I also discovered that we had indeed improved over the year and that we were spending very little and most of our expenses really were to the car, medical, mortgage, and regular bills. It was really good to see and Jon and I sat down and looked at it together. I knew that if we continued to live so tight that we could eventually get out of debt as long as nothing else came up--so pray for no more rainy days until we were out of debt! I got a hold of myself and knew that though it would take a long time--we were improving and we would eventually get on top of things.
Well, we hadn't actually turned in our taxes yet. We decided that it was time and Jon decided to review everything one last time (though we had done so together many times). But this time, he caught something. He realized that we did qualify for something that we had thought we didn't qualify for--it was like the wording had changed--it was a credit that we had qualified for the previous years, but not this year--but now, we did qualify--we had read it wrong!! We were now getting more back--still not enough to get out of debt--but a lot closer--infact we would just have $1000 left in debt now. It seemed that there was some light at the end of the tunnel after all. We turned in our taxes and waited to be able to get the money and pay off everything that we could.
The day finally came--we got back State first. Federal got delayed by a week, but we finally got it. But when we got it, there was $800 more than we thought we would get back. Those of you who know me, I am very skeptical--was this a blessing or a mistake? What do we do? Do we call the IRS and ask why--I don't want to owe the government money--or do we just use it. Jon said it was a blessing--I was nervous and wasn't sure. If this was a blessing, we could use our grocery money and delay payment on a medical bill for the month and pay off the rest of our debt--and FINALLY be debt free! I so wanted it to be a blessing, but I wasn't sure.
Well, a letter came from the IRS--I was scared to open it--I knew it would answer the question as to whether this was a blessing or a mistake. It stated that there was a change made to our tax return because we qualified for this other thing and that the following year if wanted that again we would have to fill out the form, but this year they did it for us. It was then that it hit me hard--this wasn't a blessing--this wasn't a mistake--this was a complete miracle!! Our prayers were truly answered.
We are now out of debt and I know it is a miracle and nothing more. I know Heavenly Father answers our prayers and that he blesses and helps us. I know that he really is mindful of us even at times when we are weak and don't see it. We have learned a lot through this that I am so grateful for that. This year will be a hard year--we already know we will have a lot of medical expenses. Now I pray that we can keep on top of it (and that our car will be good--no more expensive problems!!) and keep living tight and moving forward in doing all that we can do. We have sincerely been blessed and taken care of time and time again!

Running the Marathon--all 26.2 miles!

2009-11-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

My cute family after running the marathon--what great supporters!
(And thanks Jay for strutting into my cute family picture.)Disclaimer: This is a REALLY, REALLY long post. It's actually more like a short story. It starts with me getting started to the end of training and running the marathon. You can skip around as much as you want--it was more just for me to sit down and write my experience while I remember it.
The Very Beginning:
I started running in college--loved it! Ran about 4 miles 4 times per week--never felt better and got more done in all of my life--the perfect anti-depressant really!

The Beginning--to the marathon--my first Half-Marathon--Provo Canyon:

Well, it all started last year--with my little sister Emily really. I wanted to get back into running--I had run in college, but through my pregnancies and what not I had run on and off, but never gotten fully back into it. I hurt my back badly (2 herniated discs and a bulging one) and found that exercise was the best thing for it--as long as I was exercising, my back did alright--when I stopped, my back got in trouble. Back to Emily--she started running. She signed up to run a marathon!!! The crazy woman just up and signed up for a marathon! She started training for it--she trained very well infact and fell in love with running. She did awesome at her marathon (even though she got quite sick the week before it and the doctor told her that she wouldn't have the strength to run it). Her marathon was very inspiring. It really made me want to run again--to really be able to run well. She convinced several of us siblings/in-laws to sign-up and train for a half marathon. We started the training. I wasn't convinced that I needed or even wanted to run a half marathon--running a few miles every couple days was good enough for me--so I thought. I actually didn't sign-up for the half marathon--though I was training for it along with several others. We were quite busy at the time--selling our home, moving, working on our yard, planting a garden, and so on as is everyone's lives--so I trained, but as minimally as I could. Training was a 19 week process--going from not really running much to running a half-marathon. I possibly would have not run the half-marathon if Emily hadn't actually called and told me that she had just signed me up, so I better continue training and run it. Now I was committed. On my final run before the half-marathon, my knee started killing me around mile 6 and I was supposed to run 10 miles! I ended up walking quite a bit at the end and I only did 8.5 miles. I was pretty worried that I wouldn't finish the half. Emily explained what the knee injury probably was and gave me pointers to help it (i-t band--stretching, ice, ibuprofen). So I ran the half marathon and it was really neat to accomplish. It was really hard at the end, but had some really fun parts as well. I really felt great for accomplishing such a feat--and to be doing it with siblings was really neat as well!

We all ran the Provo half together--August 2008

I did a half!! Now what?!
(writer's disclaimer--this gets personal--don't read if you don't want to)
I decided that I wanted to keep in good shape--I kept up the running. I started to think about running a marathon--no way, I would tell myself--that's crazy! I started to actually feel like I should run a marathon and that I would be grateful that I did! No way, I would tell myself--too much work and dedication and time that I don't have. Plus we would probably get pregnant soon--we had been trying for almost a year now, but with 3 other little ones, we weren't too concerned that we hadn't gotten pregnant.
Well, time went by and I finally decided I would train for a marathon with my brother, Jeremy. We both began training--two weeks into it I found out I was pregnant. A sigh of relief went through me--thinking, oh, now I don't have to run a marathon, phew--but I am in good shape and that is great so that I can keep running through my pregnancy.
Well, two months later we lost the baby--well, not sure what happened actually--it didn't form correctly and there wasn't much left of it when we did the ultra-sound. Just had 12 weeks of being the most morning sick I have ever been in my life for nothing--that's no fun for sure!

It is Time--do it already! Training Helps---
I began working out with my friend, Heather--we would run to a park, work out and run home--it was great! Another friend of mine told me that she had decided to run a marathon. She was going to run Top of Utah--in September. I was intrigued. My family and I ran a 1 miler together--really fun, I loved it and so did they. I was enjoying running and being in shape. I went to Jeremy's marathon in May--he did awesome! It was so inspiring once again! I knew I wanted to go for it for real this time and that I really wanted to do it! I was enjoying the workouts I was currently doing and I knew that I could do most of my training in the mornings and not take time away from my family. I moved forward with training. I reviewed several training schedules and planned out what I thought would be best for me--Tuesdays & Thursdays--2-3 mile runs and workouts with Heather. Wednesday--medium runs and Saturdays--long runs--working gradually from 6 miles to 21 miles over the course of 18 weeks. I was very worried about getting an injury in training--especially with my bad back. Both Emily and Jeremy had had injuries in training and I had heard all kinds of horror stories about how a marathon is so hard on your body and you should just never do that to yourself. But I honestly felt that it was time and that I needed to do this--I needed to run the marathon--I didn't know why, but I needed to do this--even if it was just for me. Jon was in full support and was willing to let me do whatever I felt I needed to do. I prayed that I would know how to train to help prevent injury and to be able to do well on the marathon. The more I ran, the more I studied tidbits and learned things here and there from other runners, the more I realized that my workouts with Heather were giving me perfect strength training to help me be stronger and do better on my long runs--and ultimately help prevent injury--answer to prayer!
Emily and Jeremy gave me lots of tips about running and distance--eating, stretching--and whatnot. Jay helped me out too (my little brother who is an exercise health nut--an awesome one though). After my long runs I would take ice-baths--yes it sounds crazy, but boy does it heal quickly! I would be sure to get lots of protein for quick healing--drank nasty glutamine powder before long runs. I got pretty sick during the middle of training and my doctor gave me an inhaler--I had asthma in high school and the beginning of college. This helped me greatly--the inhaler. I came to realize that it would really be helpful to have a gps watch to know if I was running far enough. Our finances are tight and I was trying to spend as little as possible on running this marathon. I looked on line and found a used one for a pretty good deal. I called the guy--he was close to Jon's work--Jon went to the bank, got the money and bought the watch. A week went by and the bank hadn't withdrawn the money from our account. Hmmm. . . I told Jon to go back and ask about it--we couldn't assume that it wasn't coming out and then bounce something. The bank had no record of it and said not to worry about it--it was their mistake! Definitely a tender mercy! I got my gps watch for free! It greatly helped--what I thought was a 10 mile run was actually a 9 mile run. I found myself watching my pace and pushing myself to go faster--and always getting in all the miles I planned on--knowing how far I had really gone was very helpful in training.

Training Runs:
When I got to my 14 miler run, Emily ran it with me because I was nervous to run that far on my own--had never run that far before. When I did my 16 miler, Jeremy ran that with me for the same reasons. At the end of both of those runs, I thought I wasn't going to make it--well, I knew I would, but it was so hard and several times I thought I was going to puke or loose something out my back end--you do feel quite sick at times on long runs. I was learning how to gage how much and what to eat/drink during a long run. I had to do my 17 miler by myself. I was pretty worried about that. We were visiting Jon's parents and so I had to find a place to run. I decided to go on the Legacy Parkway trail. I was nervous that I didn't know where bathrooms or water was, but figured they would have some along the way over that long of a distance (though I went out 8.5 miles and turned around). I had my water belt filled with gatorade and a granola bar--so I had at least something--I would need water eventually and I figured I would find some. I had listened to this awesome soundtrack that had a great beat and was powerful--it was in my head helping me along the run. To my dismay, every stop just had a nice little sign--no restroom and no water. I started to get worried as I realized I may not get more drinkage, so I drank sparingly. It got really hard the last few miles and for strength I thought about my dear little family and sweet husband and gave thanks for them--it was actually a neat experience. Thoughts of the temple gave me strength as well. I made it--and I actually felt pretty good! I ran all 17 miles! Went home, took an ice-bath and drank--my favorite--a muscle milk--yum yum!
The hardest training run I did--
was my 19 miler--Emily, Jay and I all met at this awesome trail I had found while camping--that was at the mouth of American Fork Canyon. I wasn't sure how far it went or all the ins and outs. We ran the first 7 miles on a dirt trail--kind of cool. Then we followed a paved trail that took us close to the American Fork temple--we needed more miles, so we ran past the temple. It got quite late, we ran out of drinkage. We still had about 6 miles to go. We did come to a park where we were able to get more water--we greatly needed that! It started to rain quite hard and then turned to hail--that wasn't too fun. At mile 18 I felt like I was "hitting the wall". We had one last huge hill to go up and then we were almost there. Close to the top of the hill that was killing me I somehow got another wind and then finished out feeling great! It was a crazy, hard run! Lots of hills, not enough to eat and drink, and we were unfamiliar with the path. But it was neat to do together (not to mention that it was quite dark at the end and a guy pulled over to "offer us a ride" and the second he saw Jay he sped off--so it was a good thing Jay was there with his rippling muscles to scare off the creepy guy up to no good).

The scariest training run I did:
Emily and I were meeting up Provo Canyon--we were on a little different schedules and I was on a short-long-run week and she was on a long-long run week--I won't explain, but she was running about 15 miles and I was running about 10. She parked 5.5 miles up the canyon, ran down with Jay to where I parked and then Jay left and she and I continued back up to then come back down. Well, it got pretty late--and pretty dark. Though there were actually still quite a few people on the trail as we went up so we didn't think too much about it. When we turned around and were heading back we realized it was actually quite dark--darker than we realized. We also realized that we hadn't seen anyone else for a while--we were almost done though and were just passing Bridal Veil Falls--just a couple more miles to go. South of the falls the trail goes down or up--we stayed up on the top trail. We could see someone ahead and they didn't appear to be moving. Emily called out to them--hey, who are you? I waived my gps watch light at them to see if they flashed one back (many runners have one and do that to let you know they are coming). No response. As we started to get closer we realized it was not a person and it was quite large. It was also not looking at us, but at a group of people down below standing around a fire-pit. At that moment we both looked at each other and said, I think that's a bear! Emily told me to just go down--off the upper trail and onto the lower trail. We ran down--cut through trees and dirt--slipped a bit--I was in front--Emily was not right behind me for a second and I was so scared to turn and look--but I did and she was there, had just slipped--we ran for our lives! We ran under the bridge to Nunn's park--the darkness freaked us out and we screamed as we ran under. We were too scared to look back but as we came to the campground I got worried about the people around the campfire that the bear was watching. We weren't going back, but we did find the campground host and told her. She called police and we had to make an official report. We were so freaked out-2 more miles to go to my car. We continued running on the trail, but it was so dark that we kept getting freaked out of something jumping out at us or any shadows we saw made it unbearable. We decided to run on the highway-yes really dumb--but too scared to take the trail. The highway was quite dangerous really--there is not much of an edge there and lots of cars honked at us--thinking what crazy girls running on the highway--and they were right, but they didn't know that we had just been scared to death by a bear. We finally made it safely to my car. We were just shaking all over and super freaked out! I drove Emily back up the canyon to her car. The people around the campfire and around that area were being sent home and cops had a big spotlight at the sight. We never did find out if they spotted anything, but a bear had been spotted around there a week earlier as well. It was quite the run--I bet we went so fast and I wish I had thought to look at my gps watch to see our pace when we ran away--I bet it was FAST!

My final and my favorite training run:
Jeremy, Jay, Emily and I all had signed up to run the marathon at this point--really neat to do it all together! We decided to meet for our final run. We met close to Utah Lake and ran up to Bridal Veil Falls and back--21 miles total. We met at 5:30am--it was dark, but I hate running in the heat, so early is better for me when I am going to be running for several hours. We all ate our power bars, filled our water-belts with gatorade--Jay had planted some gatorade on the trail as well--and off we went. What I really enjoyed about the run was talking with each other. I have come to learn that you really get close to those you run with. I think that's because you have a lot of time to really talk and because you are working hard at something together so you bond in that way as well. Jay and Jeremy were funny--competing the whole time, but trying not to show it. These two girls passed us at a certain point on the trail and that just upset Jay. For the next several miles his goal was to find those girls and pass them. We did finally meet up with them, talked with them for a while and passed them--but they were training for a marathon as well and one of them was in really good shape--they were good runners. They actually passed Emily and I as Jay and Jeremy kept ahead and got a ways ahead of us--we didn't really care though, it was just the last 5 miles or so of the run anyway. At about mile 19 it got pretty hard--I hold out well until I get close to the end--I try to trick my mind into thinking I have an extra mile more than I really do so that I hold out better--it works sometimes to a point. But I got another wind and really it was a great run! I could have kept going and actually I did for about .25 of a mile. We all stretched out and went home. Jay and Jeremy got talking about how they hope we won't mind if they don't stay with Emily and I at the Marathon--it was kind of funny and we told them that when it comes to the actual race--each to his own to do his best. We probably would all be at different paces on the actual marathon. I actually felt really good for the rest of the day--those ice-baths really help is all that I can say about that!

The Marathon:
The night before was quite the night. Emily, Ben, Sophie (Emily's 6 month old baby), Jay, Jon and I all shared a hotel room. Jeremy and his family stayed with his sister-in-law. It was quite the room--oh did I say hotel--I meant totally motel! Jay got the couch-bed--which seemed to be broken in the middle and every time he moved in the slightest it would squeak very loud. The wonderful air conditioning unit would go on every 20 minutes and would rumble and clank as it came on, waking up the baby who wouldn't really cry, but would get disturbed and fuss for a bit. After an hour of squeaking, rumbling, clanking, fussing, etc. Jon and I just started laughing--it really was funny and we weren't going to get much, if any, sleep--especially since we had to get up at 4:00am to be at the buses at 4:30am. Well, Emily got up extra early with Sophie and then pumped her a bottle. We all just got up and got ready. Jon drove us to the bus stop and amazingly, Jeremy walked onto the same bus as us within a minute of us getting on it!! I think that was a tender mercy--amongst the 3000 other people that were getting on buses, that's really quite amazing! We were all together and on our way through the city and up the canyon that we would be running down and through in just a few hours. It was freezing cold and there was a firepit to stand around. It was fun to visit with the other runners as we all waited. I got pretty nervous as we got closer to start time. And then, it was time. We all started out together and stayed together for a few miles--then Jeremy and Jay went ahead. I had to use the bathroom--darn it--bad for time! Emily waited, then she had to use the bathroom a few miles after that--I waited for her. I stupidly ate a goo--I never did that in training and I shouldn't have done that on the race if I hadn't done it before. It made me quite sick to my stomach and then I had to use the bathroom again--the other kind. I told Emily not to wait or we would waste a lot of time waiting for each other and we all had goals for our time. My goal was to do a good job--not really sure exactly what that was, but to keep under 9 minute miles throughout most of the marathon. The bathroom was a waste--had to wait in line for a few minutes and then I really didn't go very much and still felt sick. Emily had given me an ipod shuffle to use if I felt I needed it--I had never had music while running (except while on the treadmill--and I enjoyed that--seemed to help with speed), but was excited to try it out if I felt I needed it. Well, after coming out of the bathroom, I decided I would put on the shuffle and just book it--it was downhill at this point and I knew I was trained well enough to go pretty fast downhill and not kill myself later in the run. I went for it. I believe the music helped me go fast--I felt like I was flying and felt "flow"--where you just feel like you're not making any effort and you're just flying along. It felt AWESOME! It lasted from about mile 9 to mile 16. At mile 14 I thought I would see Jon--he and Ben were supposed to be there waiting and cheering us on. This is a point I regret in the marathon. I didn't stop listening to the music, I just looked around and was trying to keep a good form and run well--look impressive to Jon. I thought I would see him. But no, I didn't and I was really bumbed--I had really wanted him to cheer me on and to gain strength from that. The sad thing is--he was there--he was calling out to me--I just didn't hear him because I had music on--and he is filming me--I ran right passed him!! I was looking for a red shirt because that is what he was going to be wearing, but because it was cold, he had on a gray sweatshirt over his read shirt. Anyway--that and eating the goo rather than my powerbar, as I had done in training runs are my regrets from the marathon--oh and using the bathroom--won't wait in lines again--it will be roadside service for me. Next time (yes there will be a next time), I will stick to what I did on my best runs. And Jeremy informed me after the race of what he does--I like his theory and I will follow it on my next really long run to see how it works for me. He takes a bite of powerbar just before each aid station and then gets a drink at the aid station. This way he just stays pretty constant throughout his run. I like the powerbars better than the goos because it has more substance than sugar--so next time, like I said, I will be smarter and even if I don't feel like chewing (which is why I didn't eat the powerbar and ate the goo instead), I will chew, and when I expect to see people, I will not have my music on and then I can actually hear them calling out to me--could be quite the church lesson couldn't it?--anyway, back to the race--I remember running next to cars that were going very slow in the backed up traffic. Knowing people were watching helped keep me going and striving to keep a good pace. I stayed under a 9 minute mile for most of the marathon--which I was quite pleased with. The last few miles were pretty hard and I kept finding my pace was around a 10 minute mile and then I would try to speed up, but I usually couldn't very much. As I came to the end I could see my cute little family waving at me--they had a big bunch of red balloons so that I could spot them. Sarah and Ty Webster got those (my niece and her husband)--and they, along with Jons brother Eric and his family and my parents and sister Rebecca all came to cheer us on. Jon and the kids and a niece joined me as I came to the end and ran along with me. As I got to the finish line I got a final burst and ran ahead into the finish. It was awesome! I had done it. I ran the whole time except during the aid stations as I would drink gatorade/water and at the 3 bathroom breaks (such a waste of time, but oh well). My final time was 4 hours and 16 minutes--my average pace was a 9.4 minute mile (but that includes the aid stations and bathroom breaks) and my fastest pace was a 5.45 minute mile. It was awesome and I was very excited to have done it! Emily came in just after 4 hours, Jeremy and Jay stayed together until the very end. Jeremy came in just ahead of Jay around 3 hours and 45 minutes. My dear sweet husband emailed many many people and got them to send me cheering on/congratulation emails that he had me read the night before! He also had a trophy made for me and framed a recognition of all my races that he put together! He also got me a sansa clip (like a shuffle)! He was so good to me through all my training and running and I just love him so much for all that he does for me to support and help me accomplish goals that I want to do! He is a wonderful father and took care of our kids while I was on long runs and whatnot. I am very blessed with the best husband on Earth! Thank you Jon--I couldn't have done it without you!
Here are some pictures from the race:
My family waiting for me--the red balloons so I would know where they were--awesome idea!!

My cute boys!

My cute girls!

Close to the end--family joining me to run to the end.

After coming through the finish line.

Jeremy, Jay, me, and Emily after the race.

Emily and me--what a cute picture!

Me and my sweet husband Jon--we are cute!

Thanks to:

First, thank you to Jon, my amazing husband! What an amazing and wonderful support through all the training and on marathon day! Thank you for your sweet and thoughtful gifts and surprises on Marathon day--you are always so thoughtful and kind to me! Thank you!

Second, thank you Emily for helping me run a marathon and being such an inspiration and such an awesome sister--such a good example of so many things! You are amazing!

Third, thanks to Heather who helped me with strength/core training and keeping me strong and encouraging me!

Thank you Jay and Jeremy for your support--for the runs we did together, your tips and fun personalities--it was really fun to get to know you better as adults!

Thanks to everyone who sent me encouragement and congratulations!

Wow, this really was more like writing a book! But, hey, now I can remember it all better!

Mariah's 4th Birthday

2009-05-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well, as you all know, we start birthday's with making the cake together. Mariah was very kind and wanted Aubrey to help make the cake with us. They both put on aprons and were very good helpers--even if we did have an egg drop on the floor.

Here they are holding up the box mixes--yes we made two, we usually need that much to create whatever we are going to make. They are both getting very good at understanding the back of the box--I didn't even have to tell them how many eggs to get out and that we needed butter and water. It is really fun to see them starting to understand things.

And for their favorite part--licking off the beaters and the bowl.
The following morning we were having a princess birthday tea party--meaning we eat the food on little dishes and we have miniature food. Mariah helped me decorate the cake. This was one of my favorite cakes that I have made because not only did it turn out adorable, it was quite simple and Mariah was able to help me do a lot of the decorating. Here she is putting on sprinkles. She would also put the candy in the middle of the flowers. It was really fun to do it together and she looked adorable sitting on the counter helping me in her pincess dress!

What Mariah wanted for her cake was Snow White on top holding a basket of flowers and flowers all over the cake. She also wanted strawberries on the cake--which I bought and then I totally forgot and we did have a toy basket for Snow White to hold, but Mariah didn't want frosting to get on it. I think it turned out adorable and Mariah loved it anyway!

The previous night, Jon helped me get ready for the party--we wanted it to be extra special for Mariah. You can't really see the whole room, but Jon hung up ribbons all over with flowers on the end of each ribbon--it looked adorable. I made little red tulle bags/purses for each child and we put a bracelet and candy in each bag. Mariah handed them out to each person as they came. The little girls were dressed up and it was really fun to see so many little princesses!

We started with making "princess hats"--a little more complex than I thought it would be, but fun anyway.

Then we made little wands with Stars on the end and headed back to the kitchen for the main event--the tea party! We had lots of miniature food and adorable little dishes and silverware. The kids always have a fun time eating the food. Their favorite part is always drinking out of the little cups.

For dessert we served the cake. Mariah was so excited and had such a wonderful time!
Here is Mariah on the night of her birthday--I think she had a wonderful birthday--We had the party the day previous because several friends could not attend on her actual birthday. On her birthday, she and Aubrey had a primary activity and then we went to a park for a fun picnic dinner and had a lot of fun playing. Then we went home and opened presents. She loved everything she got--of course--Mariah is the type that will love anything and anyone--she says she wants things certain ways, but then is happy with pretty much how ever things turn out.
We had saved the top of her birthday cake from the party to have on the night of her birthday. We sang one final time, had cake, and then watched Finding Nemo and had popcorn. Then we put everyone else to bed and Mariah and I played with her new playdough set and had cookies and milk together. Wow! What a special birthday she had! She was beaming and so pleased to have turned 4 years old!

Toddler Pillows I Made

2009-04-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I am not sure what got into me--I get these ideas and kind of challenge myself. And then I create something and when it turns out good--I am really pleased. I made toddler pillows for 2 of my nephew's birthdays this past week. They both turned out really cute.
The first one I used the party invitation as my guide and this is what I came up with. I think my nephew will really like it--though he was too excited about his birthday to really take any notice. His parents (both lawyers) commented on how it was copyright infringement and that I could be sued. Though they did thank me fo the pillows as well.
Well, I thought it turned out really cute and plan to make another one for Jonathan. He will LOVE it! The first picture is just the pillow-case and the second picture is the pillowcase on the toddler pillow (half of a reguar pillow).The second pillow-case I made is for one of my very favorite nephews and my daughters best friend. I wanted to do something really nice for him because he is just such a good kid and I knew he would love it! I found a picture on-line for his--the funny thing is, I didn't know that the black things on his legs were tires until I got to the birthday party and saw the actual toy!! Funny! When he opened it, he was very excited and exclaimed that it was even his favorite color. All of the little friends around him were petting the pillow oohhhing and aahhhing. It was really adorable and made the work very worth it. I love to create things and do things for people when they really like it. It makes it really fun to do and makes all the time and effort well worth it. The first picture is the pillow-case and the second picture is the pillow-case on the pillow.

7 years!

2009-03-29T17:47:00.001-07:00

Wow, tomorrow I will have been married to Jon for 7 years. I would have to say that at this point in my life I am pretty much exactly where I want to be. We have three wonderful kids, a nice home, a nice yard, and Jon is a better husband and father than ever! Since it is our anniversary tomorrow, I want to brag a little about my amazing husband, companion, and best friend, Jon. These are not in any special order, just as I think of things. I warn you, this is probably a little sappy, so don't read it if you don't want to--I won't be offended.
Jon--the amazing man!
1. He is always extremely kind and tender to me. He NEVER yells at me or gets mad at me--sometimes he gets frustrated with me, but then feels badly--and I usually deserve for him to be really mad at me at those times!
2. He is amazing with our kids! I love it!! He plays with them and he loves it! He brought many toys into our marriage and he and the kids build legos, play He-Man, play Star Wars, play Star Trek, and make up lots of fun adventures! I am not good at doing this, I feel too silly, so I really appreciate his talent in this area. I enjoy doing other things with the kids--things that don't require too much imagination. He is amazing at coming up with crazy fun stories that the kids just love!!
3. He is a good employee--I know this may sound funny, but it is because of his diligence, good people skills, and love for life that has gotten him into his jobs--along with his qualifications, but he really has done well and been a good employee and I appreciate that. I know that he will do all that he can to support our family and make it so that I can stay at home with the children.
4. He has a strong testimony and is very good at teaching our children and being a good example. He helps the kids read a verse of scripture every night at family scripture study, he helps teach them how to say prayers and be reverent and he teaches excellent family home evening lessons.
5. He keeps romance alive. Although we rarely go on dates because of cost, we have so much fun as a couple and we just love being together. We have "dates" at our home after putting kids to bed. We own a ton of DVD's because of this--we wait for a movie to come out and get it for $14 at WalMart rather than going to a theater and paying for tickets and paying a babysitter. He always compliments me, sends me nice emails of how much he misses and loves me, buys me little treats here and there and always holds and kisses me like he truly loves me.
6. He supports me in whatever I want to do. He doesn't boss me or get upset with me--he lets me do things I want to do and supports me in it. He would let me do anything and he would never get after me for spending money (though I am pretty good at not spending money).
7. He helps me immensly with the kids--he bathes them, gets them ready for bed, and for church, he plays with them in the evening when I am tired and often tired of kids. He lets me sleep in at least one of the days on the weekend and takes care of the kids--it is really wonderful.
8. He helps immensly with chores and housework and yardwork. He helps me to get things straightened up each evening, he vacuums and dumps the garbages. He helps with any chore that I don't get done or am falling behind on. He is amazing with the laundry--he checks tags and never dries things that don't go in the dryer. He loves to do the yardwork--he loves our yard. He and I really enjoyed working in the yard togethe last summer--making and planting our garden. We are even making it bigger this year!
9. He takes wonderful care of me when I don't feel good--brings me whatever I want, goes shopping and anything else he can do for me--besides taking care of the kids (he has had to do a lot of this lately with the pregnancy/miscarriage).
10. He is very concerned and aware of my needs and our childrens needs and really tries to address them. He tries to teach/play/guide/discipline the kids according to their needs and tries to really be sensitive to their individuality.
11. And one of my favorite things about Jon is his love and excitement for life. He gets so excited about things and he tries to always see the good side of things. He has a wonderful smile and a wonderful attitude! I just love it!
Okay, I could go on and on, but probably nobody is going to want to read this--I really will have to send it to Jon because he probably won't be reading it anytime soon and he is the one that should read it!
One last thing--
We recently watched "The Holiday"--yes it had some not so good material, but I really enjoyed that movie--such a fun and sweet romance that did my spirits a lot of good.
Anyway, after watching it I just realized how blessed I am to have Jon because he is like the romantic, fun guy in romance movies. Graham was so cute with his kids, totally romantic and tender in that movie and it just reminded me so much of Jon. It was fun to watch a romantic movie and rather than wish for such a romance to happen upon me (as I used to in my young single years) realizing that I had such a romance--I just need to see it more and enjoy it more!

So that is the first 7 years of our life together!

Jonathan's 2nd Birthday

2009-03-05T17:48:00.001-08:00

I have a tradition with the kids' birthdays to let them help me make the cake batter--and then they get to lick out the bowl. This has been a fun thing to do with them and we usually make it a day or two ahead so that it is cool and ready for decorating the following day.

Here we are putting the cake mix into the bowl.

And then cracking the eggs.

And tasting the finished product! Yeah!

I think our cake making was a success--see how happy he is!

The following day I had to come up with what was going to go on the cake--I usually do a character or something they love. Well right now, Jonathan loves He-Man--yes that outdated show from the early 1980's. We have several He-Man toys as well that he just loves to play with--I think much inspired by a very fun father, who also loves to play with the toys with the kids. So we got on-line and looked up some images for He-Man. Well, I did the best I could at making it similar to the image--definitely not perfect, but not too shabby, and especially for a 2 year old. He loved it!!Jonathan is watching and playing with He-man as he watches the cake being decorated--and Aubrey is also there by him pointing out the things on the cake that really aren't like He-Man--his hair is more orange, his skin is more brown, the wrist bands are too big, etc.

For those of you who don't know, when He-Man pulls out his sword and then holds it like this, there is white light all around him as he gains his He-Man powers.

Jonathan, what can I say--adorable! We actually took the cake to our family Sunday fast dinner so that cousins and family could all enjoy it rather than coming out to our house the following day--making it easier on people. Well, Jonathan didn't really understand that it wasn't his birthday yet, but we were doing the cake and we would do presents the following day. Infact that night he was quite sober and we said, "tomorrow is your real birthday and you will get balloons and presents". His face lit right up and he was VERY excited. Poor kid, I think he thought he just didn't get any presents.

He blew out his candles very well! He loved hearing everyone singing to him!

Another tradition I have is to let the birthday child pick whatever part of the cake they want--Jonathan got the whole sword! Some of the other kids were quite jealous about this, but hey, it's his cake!

We have another tradition that the birthday child gets to open one or two things in the morning that they can play with throughout the day, then we open the rest that evening after dinner. Jonathan is opening his morning gift. We also put candy or small toys inside of balloons and they get to pop the balloons to get the prize. The girls have always been too scared to pop the balloons. Jonathan was another story! He loved trying to pop the balloons and after his many attempts of jumping on and hitting and sitting on balloons with no success, Aubrey gave him a tack. With delight, he popped those balloons, not even flinching--Mariah stood far away and covered her ears!
Later that day, Jonathan was sitting up at the counter looking at the remnants of his He-man birthday cake. He looked up at me very sadly and asked, "where's He-man?" I reminded him that we sang to him and we all ate the cake. I asked him, "did you eat He-man's sword?". He sadly nodded his head and said, "yes." It was adorable!! I told him that it was alright to eat the He-man cake.
Here is Jonathan playing with one of his presents.

Here is Jonathan wanting to see the camera rather than posing for it--he got the foam sword for his birthday and tring to be like He-man, he tucked it in his sweater on his back--what a funny boy!

And finally, since we already did his cake and candles, we made some brownies and sang and blew out candles again! He had a blast! Especially with his birthday extended so much!

Ahhh-the quiet moments, but they just don't last

2009-03-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

Well here I am, looking at people's blogs while I eat breakfast. I try to do something when I eat because otherwise I think too much about what I am eating and the mouthfeel and all I can say is that this pregnancy, food doesn't do well with me, especially in the mornings.
The kids are in the tub, playing nicely together--a sound every mother loves to hear. But, why are they in the tub, besides the fact that kids get stinky and sticky in a matter of minutes and need baths on a regular basis.
Well, I woke up to Jonathan trying to climb into my bed, fortunately I have an innate sense of smell that instinctly kicks in whether or not my brain is fully functioning. This instinct told me to not allow him into my bed or to sit or lean against anything and to change his diaper immediately. Yes, he had a major blow-out diaper. So much so that I spent quite a while rinsing the onsie in the toilet to get all the grossness out. Jon would have just thrown the onsie away. This called for a bath, but Jonathan hadn't eaten or I should say, engrossed himself in, breakfast yet--which is usually quite the event in and of itself. He loves to make himelf into an art form with whichever cereal he is having. For this reason I generally don't dress him until after he is finished. So today, I fed him in the tub. It brought back memories of feeding babies and teaching them how to eat, so it was kind of fun, and he didn't get all messy. Aubrey and Mariah could use a bath too, so as soon as they were done eating, I had them get into the tub. Then it was off to start the yucky laundry, clean up the girls breakfast and ahhh, sit and read some blogs. Well, now I have taken too long-- Aubrey is calling for me to come and bath them and Jonathan is getting out of the tub. Off to finish a task in a day of a mother!

And you thought we only had 3 kids!

2009-02-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it all comes from giving the girls dolls I guess. But to the girls, their dolls are real and a part of our family. This is a birthday party Aubrey and Mariah put on for one of their dolls: Sally, Malie, Sophie, Emily, Doke-n-dokie (yes, my favorite of the doll names), He-man (that is a new name of an old doll that used to be a girl doll that is now a boy doll), Annie, Wanda Joe, Bumpy Bear, and of course--the ultimate favorite doll at the present--Cutie. I have surely left some names out, but I can't keep track of them all. This birthday party was for Bumpy Bear which is a teddy bear that was actually borrowed(?) from Grandma Robertson--I guess the girls are trying to convince him of where he wants to live. They set out plates for everyone, toy food, cups and dishes. Then they proceded to eat and celebrate. It was actually quite cute--they spent several hours doing this--I love when the play nice and are really into something. My favorite of the food items was the fish from the fishing pole game. Anyway, it was quite adorable and fun to listen to, though I was pretending not to listen so that they didn't get embarrassed.

And here is another luncheon on another day that Aubrey was putting on. She is very symetrical--notice how she lays everything out on each side to balance out. I love the random things she has used as "food" and what not.

The Jon & Amy Hansen Family in 2008--What do you know about us--what is True and what is False?

2009-01-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

This is the answers to our "Christmas Letter" we sent out--wait to read this entry until you recieve your Christmas Letter/Email.

Note--When we say Jon, we are referring to Jon, my husband and the father of our children. When we say Jonathan, we are referring to our youngest son.

The Jon & Amy Hansen Family in 2008
What do you know about us—what is True and what is False?

1. Jon got a new job in Murray, Idaho.

Answer: False--Jon's new job is in Murray, Utah--this is a small picture of where his office is.

2. Jon and Amy sold their townhouse and bought a home
in Riverton, Utah.

Answer: True--We love our house! Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures in the summer when it looks a lot nicer outside, but here it is in the snowy winter!

3. Amy ran a race in a Hooters shirt.
Answer: True--refer to Blog entry in the Blog Archive (right hand side of page) click the arrow next to 2008 and then click the arrow next to June and then click on "5k Run Against Pornography"

4. Amy ran a half marathon.

Answer: True--it was all because of her sister, Emily who actually ran a full marathon earlier in the summer and got several of her siblings to run a half marathon with her in August 2008. It was actually really neat to do and not as hard as I thought it would be--I plan to run more half marathons--I am not sure about a full marathon though.

In order of appearance: Emily Morrise, Ben Morrise, Jeremy Robertson, Jay Robertson, Amy Hansen, Emily Robertson, Rebecca Clary

5. Aubrey and Jon designed and made a Star Trek Enterprise ship out of Lincoln Logs.
Answer: False--It was actually made out of Legos. Jon and Aubrey drew out plans and worked on it for a couple of weeks. They really came up with something neat!

6. Mariah wore hot-pads for shoes.
Answer: True--it was really quite funny, though she wasn't trying to be funny, she was just "dressing up".

7. Jonathan hates playing with Star Wars toys.

Answer: False--all of our kids love getting out the special Star Wars toys--it is one of their favorite things to do with Jon. Jonathan very much loves Dad's special toys--he loves He-Man, Star Wars, Star Trek, and legos--just like his dad. He is just the sweetest and most delightful little boy--most of the time.

8. Our cat had two “6 toed” kittens.

Answer: False--she had five "6-toed" kittens--pretty spooky! We actually did get rid of all of them except for one.
9. We loved taking care of our yard and planting a garden this summer —Jon even loved mowing the lawn.

Answer: True--refer to December 2008 blog on our yard (in the Blog Archive, click on the arrow next to 2008, then click on the arrow next to December and click on "Our New Yard, YEAH!")

10. We canned peaches, pears, grape juice, dill pickles, tomatoes, tomato soup, apples, pumpkin, chicken, green beans, corn, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, and potatoes.

Answer: False--we canned all of those except for corn, kidney beans, and potatoes--refer to December 2008 blog on our Garden (in the Blog Archive, click on the arrow next to 2008, then click on the arrow next to December and click on "Our new House--and the garden Summer 2008")

11. Jon was almost arrested on Legacy Parkway.

Answer: True--Amy ran the Legacy Parkway 10K race--this was a race that happened in the morning before they opened the parkway to the public. Jon dropped Amy off for the race an hour before it started and was going back home to get the kids and his parents (we had spent the night at his parents home). Well, the security on the parkway was very tight and they only had traffic coming one way--to the starting line. They weren't letting cars out. So Jon asked several volunteers and cops how to get back out and was told several different answers, with a, "well, I am not really sure". Finally a cop told him to go a certain way. Several cop cars suddenly went speeding in the direction Jon had gone. They were after Jon and determined that Jon was up to something--like destroying the parkway--and that he was lying about dropping Amy off and having to go back home to pick up the kids and his parents since we didn't want to wake the kids too early and have them just waiting for the race to start in the cold. Finally they let him go, but made him go another way. It was a fun adventure!

12. Amy finished the infamous t-shirt quilt—it’s only taken 2 years!

Answer: False--it took 6 six years! It's not pretty by any means, but it has a lot of history--if that counts for anything! Jon and I started making it when we were first married. It is our t-shirts from our childhood up to when we first got married. Each year I have pulled it out in the winter-time and worked on it for a while and finally this winter, I finished it!

13. Aubrey made a life-size puzzle of herself.

Answer: True--Aubrey drew and cut out this "puzzle" as a Christmas present for her cousin, James (Emily's little boy). It was really cute and she worked really hard on it! She also had cut out boots to cover the feet, but had left them at home (this picture is at Grandma Robertson's house when she gave James the gift.

14. Mariah dressed up Skeletor (He-man villain) in her doll clothes.

Answer: True--our kids love He-Man--they are going to sadly discover when they go to school that nobody else plays with, watches, or even knows who He-Man is!

15. Jonathan has super powers—he’s still trying to learn how to use them.

Answer: True--Jonathan tried flying off of the stage at the Ward Christmas party--he almost convinced us that his practice flight only looked like a fall.

16. Aubrey is very good at writing and drawing—she used pretzels to spell out Mariah’s name.
Answer: True--she spends a great deal of time drawing and writing. This was a lunch-time activity that she and Mariah came up with.

17. We got to be in “The Days of 47” Parade in Salt Lake City.

Answer: False--we were in "The Days of 47 Children's" Parade--it was still pretty cool and they had a free children's fair afterward (bounce houses, blow-up slides, and other fun activities).

18. The kids milked a real cow at the Utah State Fair.

Answer: False, they milked a fake cow at the Utah State Fair--it was really quite a cute set-up done by FFA for kids to do farm chores.

So those are several of the events that took place this past year--of course many more fun and adventurous things have also happened! Our kids really are adorable and we enjoy them--most of the time! Jon is the most wonderful father and husband ever and I am very blessed and grateful for that! We love our home and yard and have had a wonderful year filled with many blessings!

Our New YARD!! YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!!!!

2008-12-28T16:15:00.001-08:00

We have thoroughly enjoyed our yard! What a blessing! It is SO SO SO good for our children! Not only have they been able to thoroughly enjoy themselves in sand, water, and outdoor creativity, but they have also enjoyed good health! While Jon and I worked on getting the garden in it would start to get late, but we wanted to get more done before we took the kids in and cleaned them up and put them to bed. . . we would set up our TV and let them watch a movie outside with popcorn and drinks! They thought working on the garden was REALLY fun and exciting! I think as they get older and have to help us, the excitement of garden work might die down, though we could still bring out the TV and put on a movie if it helps!

Here is Mariah and Jonathan playing in the yard.

The kids "helping" with the garden--I couldn't resist Jonathan's adorable behind!

Jonathan ventuing out into an overgrown corner that we cleaned out and planted grass under (it looks great now)!

Aubrey and Jonathan playing in the water and buckets--they really had a lot of fun!

Mariah giving her toys a bath outside.

The kids with their favorite cousins watching a movie and having popcorn outside.

A Beautiful rainy summer day and the kids running around in it.

The kids having a picnic for lunch--we did this many times--it was really fun (and no kitchen to clean up afterward)!!

Another picnic outside--we all ate outside together on the card table many times.

Our first snow!!

Our New House--and the garden Summer 2008

2008-12-28T15:17:00.000-08:00

We were very blessed to be able to sell our townhouse and to buy our house! We have thoroughly been enjoying it! The former owners left us a brand new barbeque as a "welcome home" gift with a note saying that they hoped we enjoyed the home as they did--very thoughtful of them. We have had several barbeques and fun events already!

Well to start at the beginning of our new home--we moved in the last weekend of June. We had planted seeds in planters in anticipation of planting a garden. Well, by the time we actually moved in those plants had way overgrown their planters--we had to get them in the ground asap! So we spet the first few days getting moved in what we needed and then got to work on the garden--which turned out to be a LOT more work than we had anticipated. But in some odd way, it was fun. The garden plot that existed was very grassy and the previous owners had one of those above the ground pools that you set on sand--so we had a huge circle of sand in the yard. We cut and moved sod from the garden to cover the sand and removed a LOT of the sand into the garden--a little tricky, but the kids were great helpers--filling buckets of sand and dumping them where we had already moved grass. We ended up doubling the size of the garden and getting all of our plants into the ground by mid-July. I thought the little plants would die, but once again, we were very blessed and the plants survived! We ended up having a wonderful harvest which we thoroughly enjoyed and even were able to have surplus to preserve we are still enjoying fried summer squash--one of our favorites)!
Jonathan loved helping me harvest the squash--he is so adorable--and in his father's favorite outfit (star trek academy) We also have two peach trees in our back yard--which made the yummiest peaches ever! We were able to can what we didn't eat and we are still enjoying those as well!

I had an enrichment in my previous ward about using a pressure canner and we learned how to can dried beans (pinto, black, etc). It was really neat and just what I needed!

I inherited my mom's pressure canner and got to work trying things out! I had a lot of fun learning all about canning different things and perhaps got a little carried away, but hey, I didn't have a newborn and I wasn't pregnant (a new thing for me for the past 5 years) and we have a wonderful backyard that the kids can just go out an play for entertainment--so I was able to make the time to learn how to do some canning!!

Here I am in front of the garden with some dill pickles and tomatoes I canned.

This is a picture of most of the things we canned (I say we, because although I did most of the actual canning, Jon did a lot of the harvesting and took care of other things to allow me to have time to do the canning)--a lot of it was from our garden or yard and some of it was given to us. We were very blessed!

Pumkin Patch--2008

2008-12-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

For the first time in Pmkin Patch history we actually found the witch in the maze!! The kids were very excited!

Jonathan really tried to keep up with the other kids and most of the time he actually did keep up with them. It was really cute!

Here are my three adorable kids!

Every year we go to the Pumpkin Patch in Vineyard with Grandma Robertson and cousins. It is really fun and something the kids look forward to all year! There are blow-up bounce house and slides that they really enjoy as well. Jonathan got really brave and actually climbed up a slide and went down it. James (favorite of all cousins) would just launch his body off the top of a pretty tall slide and go flying! It was hilarious and amazng! Aubrey and Mariah were definitely amazed at his bravery!

Amy still exists--she just doesn't have the internet

2008-09-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been forever since I last blogged! I don't have any pictures with me, but so much has happened this summer and I don't have much time, but we love our home and yard!! I have run some races--2 10k's and a half marathon. I have been doing a LOT of canning and storing of produce from our garden--it is really so much fun to create food storage for your family from your own harvest!! Anyway, my kids LOVE our yard and home and we have been greatly blessed in many ways!

Bridal Veil Falls

2008-06-19T08:41:00.001-07:00

Some of my friends, Emily and I have been having an "adventure/nature day" once a week. Yesterday we walked on the path up to Bridal Veil Falls. It was perfect for little kids! I haven't been up there in a long time, but the hike was short and pretty and the bottom of the falls is a great shallow place for kids to play in! The kids just had so much fun playing in the water--I got in to with Jonathan. There was no way he was going to just watch the other kids, but he is still a little wobbly on bumpy surfaces. The water was really cold, but you got used to it. It was really fun to see the kids walking together up the trail and talking with each other. It was fun to watch them play in the water and climb on rocks. After playing in the water for about an hour we hiked back down to the picnic area and had lunch. The kids loved that too and hiked around the area while we ate and visited. It was a really fun morning!

5K--Run Against Pornography

2008-06-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

I was joking around with Emily, Johanna, and Heather about how it would be really funny to wear a Hooters or Show Girls shirt to this run. Then I thought that it would really be funny to wear a hooters shirt with the "no" symbol over it. Well, Jon had some guys visiting his office from head-quarters last week. They were actually going to Hooters. Jon told them about this run and how I thought it would be funny to wear a shirt and put the "no" symbol over it. When they got back from Hooters, they handed Jon a sack--two shirts. Now I had to find a second wearer. My siblings didn't really want to, though Jay said he would if I couldn't find someone else. I asked Johanna--whom I had originally joked with and she was planning to run the race with me. She, like myself, thought it would be really funny and said yes. So I made the symbol to put over them and we were set! Now the actual race was really fun! It was really nice to have Johanna to visit with while we ran. We did really good, I thought. We were the last to come in from my family--Emily did great, Jeremy did great, coming in right after her!! Way to go Jeremy!! Jay thought the race was an hour earlier than it actually was and actually showed up for it at that time--and he had another committment that kept him from the race. Bec did great and was pushing Grace! I was pushing Jonathan and having Johanna to talk to and stay with really helped keep me at a regular pace. We only stopped and walked once and not for very long! It was really fun to my siblings there too--though I am the slowest of the bunch so I really didn't see them during the race, just before and after. Jon and the girls were at the finish line and cheered each sibling on as they came through--he got everyone on tape and that was fun to watch! Anyway, I look forward to the next race and I like 5k's because that's a normal amount of running in one shot!We packed cold cereal and sippy cups of milk for the girls. They sat in the double stroller with Jon and cheered runners on. They were really cute!

Clue--it's one of my favorite games! Can you play this version?

2008-06-03T20:50:00.001-07:00

What is this a picture of? If you are not sure, look at the next one.Still not sure? Well, then look at the next one.
Come on, you should know by now.
Now you really should know!
And here is how my front door became looking this way!
I really shouldn't try to fix things unless I know what I am doing. Now the door really is unusable. The door got jammed--it's been sticking off and on every once in a while. This time I could not open it. I thought, "well I will just take it apart, open the door and figure out what is wrong with it". After unscrewing the inside handle and the outside handle fell outside, which happens to be connected to the main middle section, I tried and tried to get the center out, but to no avail. Jon is gone and will be home soon. I think if he works outside and I work in, we can maybe get it back together and hopefully unjammed!

Memorial Day

2008-06-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

I was assigned to bring the dessert to the Hansen Memorial Day luncheon. I think it was pretty creative. Jon and I had a lot of fun thinking it up and making it!

Wheeler Farm

2008-06-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

Emily and I and our kids went to Wheeler Farm for Harrison's birthday. We packed up some lunches, got in Emily's car--we all fit, and went on our way!!! We had lunch first thing when we got there. Jonathan felt so grown-up to be sitting this the older kids at the picnic table! It was really cute to watch how excited he was.

AFter eating, we walked around and looked at the animals. The kids LOVED looking at the animals. There were some geese that almost nipped Aubrey's finger! There was one that was really honking at us--the kids weren't quite sure what to think!

The kids even got brave and started petting some of the animals--particualarly the sheep. They touched the baby chicks too--they really were enjoying the baby chicks until they heard a rooster and ran off to find where it was! It was fun to see their excitement!

The tree-house they have built is really neat! It would be fun to build something like it someday. We took a wagon-ride around the farm and that was really fun too. Then we went to Emily's house and celebrated Harrison's birthday. It was a really fun day! Thanks Emily!

Mariah's 3rd Birthday!

2008-05-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

We had such busy, but fun day! And Mariah had a wonderful day! She was just beaming and all "grown-up" by bedtime (and exhausted). We started with having three balloons hidden around the house--each one containing a small toy inside. She had me pop them though--she didn't like the sound of the pop (most kids don't, but it is fun to have a prize inside the balloon). Then she got "special cereal" for breakfast (Marshmallow Mateys). Then Grandma Robertson came to pick us up to go to her house for a birthday get-together! I hadn't been able to decorate the cake yet (do to hopefully finding "our house" and making an offer and what not), so I took the stuff to decorate with us--I should have known that there was no way that I would actually get it decorated before afternoon naps--though I tried. The kids had a BLAST together, though they kept the adults very busy! We had macaroni and cheese for lunch (not very healthy, but one of Mariah's favorites--she only eats two things for lunch--peanut butter sandwiches and mac and cheese. It was really fun to have friends and cousins over for her birthday to play! Emily even was able to make it. It was her birthday too--Mariah's middle name is after her--but she got really sick a few days ago and has been preparing for the last 8 months to run a marathon this Saturday, so she was trying to just take it easy and get better, but she decided to stop by and take it easy at Mom's--which was really nice to have her there.

Mariah got such nice gifts from everyone! She is just having so much fun with them right now. After lunch Mariah handed out fruit snacks and toy rings to everyone. Unfortunately I didn't get the cake made before friends had to leave, but I promised them I would bring some cake to them later (which I did--and it's a good thing too--they were counting on it! What cute kids!). Aubrey, Mariah, and James watched Enchanted with Grandma and had popcorn. It was really cute! I was able to finish decorating the cake while they watched the movie. I would have to say that it turned out REALLY cute! It was late enough that we got some pizza and subs and had dinner. Then we sang happy birthday to Mariah and Emily, Mariah blew out the candles and immediately pulled them out of the cake and licked off the frosting! It was pretty cute! The kids all wanted specific parts of the cake, but all were content with pretty much any edge piece with lots of frosting--and that's all any of them ate anyway! When we got home Mariah got to finally open all of her presents. She got a little toy purse and a new doll with hair--she was so adorable with them and felt all grown up! She kept saying how she was now grown bigger and bigger and now could have this or that or she could do this or that--it was really quite cute to see her trying to be so grown up! Here are some cute pictures from her birthday:

Here is the "Annie" cake (from Little Einsteins)--it was actually really fun to make! I used one of my large wedding cake pans (so it's two box mixes). Mariah helped me make the cake and got to lick out the batter after we were done. I printed off a coloring page from the Disney website, scanned it larger and used that as a guide for Annie. As I decorated the cake, Mariah watched on and off. Though James Morrise was extremely interested while I decorated--he would ask questions and was really excited and enthralled about it--it was really cute!

Mariah--quickly taking out the candles to lick off the frosting!
Mariah at home, showing us how old she is turning with her fingers.

She is about to open her presents.

These are some of the cute things she got--she is waving to us with her doll (that she LOVES)!! She was VERY excited about the Star Wars toys as well--yes, Jon is her Dad!

The girls and their "Birthday Parties"

2008-05-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

Aubrey and Mariah LOVE to play Birthday Party! It is so cute! They have a toy birthday cake that they love to pretend to eat. Yesterday Aubrey set up a huge birthday party for her doll, Sally. It was time for Mariah to lay down for her nap, but Aubrey asked if Mariah could stay up for a little while for the birthday party. They sang, opened pretend presents, gave their stuffed animals that were in attendance play dishes and served them cake. It was really cute!Sally's presents are in the basket by the table. She opened them before I came into the room. I think they were wrapped in pillow cases and bags.
Sally has the yellow birthday hat on and is Aubrey's doll that is the sister to her baby doll. Aubrey is Sally's mother. She is very serious about that too!
Aubrey told me the names of everyone in attendance--the teddybears were grandpas and she has made up names for them, though I couldn't quite understand what she said their names were.

I asked it I could attend, but was denied attendance because I am not Sally's friend. I am Aubrey's mother and I can't be both, so I can not come to her birthday. It was pretty funny!

Jon's Official Graduation!! Yeah!

2008-05-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

Jon got to walk for graduating in December. It was fun and exciting for him and to see him. When I graduated, I didn't go to the Marriot Center ceremony where you walk on the ramp--I kind of wish I had, but that's okay. Myself and Mom and Dad Hansen came to the big ceremony at the Marriot, while Mom and Dad Robertson babysat for us--I think they had the harder job, though I really hate being in the Marriot center and it was almost impossible to find seats (and we were 45 minutes early)! I am VERY glad I did not have the kids there--I get vertigo on those stairs and really feel like I am going to fall over. It was REALLY neat to hear Elder Bednar speak since that is who was the president of Ricks College while Jon and I were there.

It brought back a lot of memories of attending devotional hearing him. We love him! I remember at my Home Ec Woman of the Year ceremony, Jon came and we talked to President Bednar after--he told Jon to focus on his mission, not to have a girlfriend--I was a little annoyed about that, but we did "break-up" and weren't official boy-girl friend. We were just best friends. And then Jon played in the orchestra at my Ricks College Graduation. That was pretty neat. I have pictures of us together after--he in his tuxedo and me in my graduation gown. I will have to put those pictures with these ones--that would be fun to see how we have changed!

Well, back to Jon's graduation. Mom and Dad Hansen brought binoculars and we did finally spot Jon in the huge crowd! They took us out for dinner afterward--we went and got the kids first--and we decided to go out of the Provo area because we knew all of the resturants would be packed. Well, after driving around Springville, Sapnish Fork and surrounding areas, we decided upon a little place in Spanish Fork, which turned out to be pretty interesting--making you wonder if you were going to have food poisoning later, but we were all too hungry to find a different place. The food wasn't too bad actually, well, not bad tasting, I am sure it had more grease and salt than anything I have eaten in a long time. It reminded me of My Cousin Vinny when they go to eat breakfast (it's cooked in a huge amount of lard). It was quite the experience! Mom Hansen is still embarrassed, but it was fun.

Well, the following day both parents and the kids and several siblings came to Jon's College of Family Life Graduation ceremony--it was still pretty big and it was also in the Marriot center, only you didn't have to fight so much for seats. Mariah was hilarious. Dad Robertson and I were sitting by her and she was so onry from being up late the night before and getting up at 6:30 that morning. She would just scowl at you no matter what you said to her. We just kept laughing. There were two girls sitting in front of us that kept laughing too--one tried to help Mariah with her coat once and Mariah gave her the meanest scowl, grabbed her coat, and said, "don't do that!!" We all started laughing while I apologized for my too tired to handle it, onry, funny, girl! Then Jonathan was out in the hall with Mom Robertson and they had free chocolate milk and cinnamon rolls. I was out with them for a little while and got some free food. Jonathan grabbed the chocolate milk--you guessed it--before I knew it there was chocolate milk spread across the "H"section of the Marriot Center hallway. Fortuately there weren't many people out there yet, so we were able to get it cleaned up.

We had a good time overall and it was a great opportunity for the kids to see their Dad graduate and the importance of graduation--education. We went to a reception held afterward where we got to visit with professors and have more BYU Creamery chocolate milk--how can you EVER pass that yummy stuff up! Nobody else makes chocolate milk like theirs!

I love these family pictures! Mariah got to where she couldn't hold still at all--she was just jumping and running around! She is in the air on the second picture!

Besides all of the house projects, we have had a FUN week too!

2008-04-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

Monday--Joseph's b-day party (in West Jordan)--Way fun and the girls loved their Little Einstein bags and treats! The meat Matt made was delicious and the Rocket cake was adorable! I especially love that Joseph only wanted to invite Mariah if she would play nice with him--I think he has a lot to do with that consequence. The girls got Joseph a star wars storm trooper character. He was pretty excited, though he didn't know what it was. But James sure did and when I said that we had a hundred star wars characters at our house James stopped breathing for a minute! Josephs new Little Einsteins room was awesome--you did a great job Margaret!

Wednesday--James' b-day party (in Lehi)--Way fun again! Emily did a fun treasure hunt for items for their lunch (juice boxes, cheetos, fruit snacks, etc.). The Lightning McQueen cake was pretty awesome too! The girls got James a little star wars lego set. They made party hats and had a lot of fun playing together!

We went home only to hurry and pick up our new furniture--it took three loads and I had 5 minutes to get ready for Bec and James' Sealing before I had to pick up the babysitter. Fortunately police weren't around the roads I took and we made it to the temple with time to spare. The sealing was beautiful--I loved when they brought in Grace--and she was beautiful! The dinner afterward at Chiles was also a lot of fun--I love going out for dinner because you get so much time to visit because you spend so much time waiting!

Thursday--We showed the house to two people (reason for getting the new furniture the previous day). Then Aubrey and I had a picnic at our friends house--it was REALLY fun! We were going to meet at the park, but it was so cold that we went to her house, spread a blanket on the floor and ate there.

Friday--Shopping for organizational things for the house and for fabric to recover a kids couch from Grandma Hansen's childhood--it's going to look great (if I get it done!) Jon watched Mariah and Jonathan while Aubrey and I went shopping. It took way longer than we planned--Jon developed an incredible amount of empathy for stay-at-home moms!

Busy Days!

2008-04-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

Wow! I didn't realize all that I can get done when I put my mind to it! This past week has been so busy! It all started with deciding to sell our house. Then we decided the bathroom needed painting and that the kids room trim needed re-painting. After doing that, I thought the caulking in the bathroom needed redoing to match the nicely painted walls. Well, that turned out so nice that we decided we should paint the other bathroom upstairs. Then we were noticing how oddly the hallway downstairs was painted--the trim is oppisite of the two rooms connecting to it--checkerboard-like--so next we painted that--and boy it took forever because you have to be careful not to get any paint on the grout on the floor and the trim around the doors and baseboards was dark green (in the living room and kitchen the baseboards are the light cream color--kind of weird) and we were painting light cream over it--so it took some doing to cover the green. But it looks GREAT now!

While I was painting the hall Jon was replacing the dead microwave that is over our stove (we have been using a regular microwave on the side). Wow! I had NO idea what a project that was going to be! We couldn't get that old microwave out for anything! It seemed to be wedged up into the wall between the cupboards. We were pulling and hanging our bodyweight on it to try to get it to move--no success. We googled it to see if there was another way--screws we didn't know about commecting it somewhere (we had already moved the screws on top that seemed to be the only thing securring it). We found our exact microwave--GE Spacesaver 1986--and lo and behold! We were doing exactly what it said! So now we figure it is just jammed tightly between the cupboards and we just have to get it out. Well, Jon started pounding at it and taking it apart--I got a little worried about radiation exposure as panels started coming down. Then he started undoing this screw--the microwave budged! There was another screw on the other side and one more screw that were all holding the microwave to studs in the back of the wall through the upper vent. If he hadn't taken it apart up there--we would have never found them. The microwave came out nicely and easily--a little too easily--after that! Boy it was a beast too!

The new microwave took quite a while to install. 9:50 pm came around and Jon realized he needed some bits for his screw driver to finish installation. He made it to Home Depot 2 minutes before it closed and got what he needed.

The first picture is the kitchen with the old microwave--doesn't the new one look GREAT!--and now we can have more counter space!

This is the other half of our kitchen--I love our huge kitchen!
Meanwhile I was finishing painting the hallway which I then realized that the hall had a wall that connected to the kitchen--I now have a painting project for tomorrow. The kitchen! I didn't realize the hall and kitchen "off-white" color was PEACH! With the nice new creamy-white hallway--you can REALLY tell that our kitchen is peach and green, not cream and green!

Well, here are some pictures of the changes in our house! It has been really nice not only to paint, but to organize and get new furniture and finish sewing curtains I started when we moved in! All of the things I have wanted to get done since we moved in (well, not all) I have been getting done this past week!

We got new furniture--yeah! I made the curtains that are in my room--I think they are cute.

I repainted the trim in the kids room--the previous owners had painted half of the baseboards green and only the bottom half of the baseboards were white--they must have been in a big hurry!
Well, that is how our house is coming! Now we can post the pictures on some house selling sites!

My Profile Picture

2008-04-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

Some of you may wonder what in the heck is that a picture of? Well, it is not the best picture, but it is a cow in a field, tipped upside down. The top caption says "Really, I'm Fine. . . ". My mother-in-law had a pillow that was embroidered with a similar scene. She has since lost the pillow, but when I saw it, I thought that was so funny--and it describes most mother's lives--people ask how you are doing and everything may be in shambles, but we say, really, I'm fine, though it is probably obvious that we are not fine! Anyway, my mom had seen this pillow when we (Jon and I) were first engaged. She loved it and wanted to find one. Finally last Christmas I decided to go ahead and design and make one for my mom for Christmas.

This picture is of the pillow I made.

We are selling our house!!

2008-04-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

With Jon's new job being in Salt Lake, we decided that rather than spend $300+ on gas each month and having Jon gone more than 10 hours each day, we would move closer to his work and use that gas money on a larger house payment and get a house with a yard. So we have put our townhouse up for sale. We have spent today organizing, touching up with paint, and cleaning. Mom Robertson came and helped--even though she was pretty sick--thank you so much Mom--you were a lifesaver!! We got a storage shed this morning and Jon took several loads of stuff to help our townhouse look less cluttered and larger.

We still have several things we want to do and then we will take pictures of the rooms and house and add those to our listing on Craig's List. We have had four inquiries about it and one person came to see it this evening. We are also going to list on for sale by owner sites and we are going to make a nice flyer to put outside infront of the house. Anyway, it's been pretty crazy around here! We found several homes in Murray and Taylorsville that are similar to Jeremy and Rosannes (split-level) but smaller, that we really like, but we have to sell before we can buy! Well, I hope you all have a great General Conference weekend!

April Fool's

2008-04-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I am not a fan of April Fool's because I hate to have tricks played on me--and I learned early on in our marriage that when I played a trick, I got ten times a trick played back on me! Well, Aubrey and I decided to play a trick on Dad--pretty much what she did before--mess up Jon's DVD's. Only we did it really good! We mixed them up and even switched them around in the cases! I am a little worried about the repercussions of this. I guess we will find out what happens! Jon's family is avid April Fool's people! It's one of his mom's favorite "holidays". She always did several tricks--like sending a birthday cake to the choir room when he was in high school choir (it was not Jon's birthday) and the cake she ordered was actually a frosted cardboard box, parking his sister's car on the grass by the stairs of the seminary building, getting the janitor to open his locker and fill it with stuff, put peanut butter on the steering wheel of his car (and then do it again later), putting corn syrup on his bathroom door handle (and continually putting it on throughout the day), putting gelatin in the toilet bowl so that it sets (clear color), I could go on and on--Jon's family is ruthless when it comes to April Fool's, but he knows I don't really like it--though I am easing up a little, I want to play some jokes, so I guess I have to take some!

YEAH! We got a job!

2008-04-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been given two job offers and have made a decision! The pay is much better so we are excited about that, but it is in Murray, so we are not excited about that. We will have to see how the commuting goes and then decide if we want to try to sell and move or stay and commute! We love our ward so much and have made so many good friends that we would be very sad to move. And we just bought this townhouse, so we aren't sure it would be good to sell so soon. But I hate the thought of Jon being gone so much of the day! The nice thing about moving would be that we would be in the middle of both Grandparents! So we will just have to see! And for those that are wanting to come play--we will have a play day soon! Jon will be starting April 14th--we will definitely have a playday that week, here at our house! It sure has been nice to have him home though--I am REALLY going to miss his help and the "vacation mode" we have been in (sleeping in, staying up later than we used to and watching movies and having popcorn more often than we used to or probably should--I think I have gained ten pounds these past two months)!! But I am also really looking forward to be back into the swing of things and having a better schedule and being more on top of things and of course--inviting friends to come and play, since I can't have Jon to play all day, ha ha! Thanks to everyone for all of their prayers, love, and support in our behalf--and for that secret "Easter Bunny" who brought us food, treats, and adorable Easter clothes for the kids!

Sweet little Mariah!

2008-03-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

Mariah woke up very early the other morning and climbed into bed with me. I just layed there holding her and she started singing "Twinkle Little Star" to me (one of her favorite songs). She is really so sweet and tender. . . most of the time!

Aubrey--testing her dad's OCB

2008-03-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is usually called OCD, but in our family we call it OCB because it is not a disorder, it is a behavior--just how we are. Jon loves his DVDs. He has them in a certain order on the shelf. He notices when there is one missing or moved. I always tease him about this and I guess Aubrey caught on because yesterday Jon noticed a DVD was in the "wrong place". He moved it back, wondering who moved it--blaming me, who was innocent entirely in this case. Well, later on he noticed it was moved again. He blamed me because he thought it was too high for the kids to reach. Aubrey started giggling and much to our surprise, she confessed that it was her! We were so surprised that she had thought up this scheme herself that we all just started laughing, much to her delight!

DRUG BUST. . . well, not quite.

2008-03-26T12:17:00.001-07:00

Wow! What a night! We had stayed up late (our usual routine) and were laying in bed about to go to sleep when a loud truck pulled up and stopped right by our window (our room is right next to the street on 1470 East). The engine continued to run for quite a while. Jon decided to get up and look out the window. There were two guys just sitting there--one with a cell phone that he kept checking. Finally they turned off the engine, but they continued to just sit, periodically checking the cell phone. We didn't like this situation and now it was 12:30am! Jon went down stairs and turned on lights to let them know they were disturbing us. They still sat and waited for something. We decided to call the police and ask if we should be concerned. We sat upstairs peeking through our blinds, hoping they wouldn't see us as we talked to the police. The police said that this seemed very suspicious so they would come out and check it out. Then the truck started up, drove over to the park right next to another truck that appeared to be parked. Then the truck drove away really fast. We told the police they had left, so nevermind. We turned our lights off, settled down from the "excitement" and layed back in bed, being quite tired now that it was almost 1:00 am. Not ten minues later the truck was back in the same spot. We called the police immediately and they said they were on their way and it would be about two minutes. Meanwhile the passanger was getting something out of the glove compartment. He stepped out of the car and there on the seat was two little plastic baggies with white stuff in it!!! At least that's what it appeared to be from the crack in our blinds that we were watching through. Then he grabbed the baggies and disappeared out of our view! We just couldn't see him and we weren't sure where he went. About 1 minute later he got back in the truck! And about another minute later the police showed up--three cars, two of which with huge spot lights shining on the truck. The truck from the park drove away while the police were getting out of their cars (I am not sure if they noticed or if they were even suspicious of the other truck). The police made each guy come out, one at a time and the police had them hold their hands up in the air while they checked them. There turned out to be three guys--the third was in the cab, which was tinted so we didn't see him. He was the creepiest looking. Well, the three guys just sat on the curb while police searched the vehicle for drugs. They searched and searched and talked to each guy individually about what they were up to (probably checking for consistency in story). We realized that the police hadn't found anything, so once again we called the dispatch and told them we had seen something that appeared to us as possible drugs on the passenger seat and that the passenger had left the car and was out of our view for a minute--we didn't know if that would be helpful. They hung up and called the head cop on the crime scene (we had quietly opened our window so we could hear what they were saying--though we couldn't hear much). The message was relayed to him and he started to search around a little more thoroughly. After a long time (almost 1 1/2 hours) they gave up and let the boys go. We were so disappointed that they didn't find the drugs! If only they had gotten there more quickly, darn! The police left and it was quiet again, but now I was paranoid that there were drugs hidden somewhere on our property and that these guys would be back to get them! So I woke up to every noise all night and wondered if something was going on outside--or if they knew we had called the police and were going to get revenge on our family--But we did all wake up alive and well--except extremely tired! We looked around outside. There are many places they could have hidden something, but maybe we didn't see what we thought we saw! Who knows! Hopefully they will learn not to come to the street by our house again--if they do, we are going to call the cops sooner!

Continued Easter Celebration 2008

2008-03-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

We spent Saturday with the Hansen's in Kaysville. The Easter Egg hunt was a little more challenging for the girls since they were the youngest (by several years) that were involved. The family let them go look first for a little while. They did very well though and thoroughly enjoyed it! There were also suckers hidden around and stuck in the ground in various places. I think they ate more suckers that afternoon than they have in a lifetime! Then we had lunch together and the kids all played together while the adults visited and tried to stay awake! It was really nice!

Sunday--finally Easter Day for real! The girls looked adorable in their new dresses (left on our doorstep as a surprise)!! Jonathan also looked adorable, but we didn't get a picture of him :(

Easter Celebration

2008-03-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Friday, March 21, 2008--Easter Celebration

This morning Aubrey, Mariah, and myself met at the park for an Easter Egg hunt with ward friends and neighbors. Each child brought a dozen eggs, and while the kids played on the park, the parents hid the eggs around. Then all of the kids got to find a dozen eggs. It was really fun--lots of kids were there and they were all so excited. Aubrey enjoyed playing with some friends under a big pine tree--they were "making a garden"--unfortunately they had dirt all around their lips--I think they decided to take some samples of the garden.

After the park, we went to Grandma Robertson's for an Easter afternoon with their cousins. We had lots of candy, we colored eggs, made bunny ear hats, and had an egg hunt outside! I was really suprised how much the kids, especially Aubrey, James, and Joseph, loved dyeing the eggs! It was fun to show them different techniques and see them get excited! Their bunny ears were adorable! Emily shared the idea and brought the bunny ear hats ready to assemble--the kids colored them and glued cotton balls on the them. They were just the cutest thing ever! The kids, of course, loved the Easter Eggs hunt. It was just an exciting, full of fun day! The pictures of the kids wearing their bunny ears was taken on Sunday morning so their morning looks and bunny ears are a little in distress. But they look cute anyway!

Grandma Robertson made these cute carrot candy holders and filled them with m&m's. The kids each got a basket and tons of candy, a homemade card, and the cute "carrot".

Ice-Skating--December 2007

2007-12-15T21:23:00.000-08:00

For Jon's work party we went ice-skating at the 7-peaks arena. The girls really enjoyed it--we would take turns holding their hands and helping them skate around the rink. At the end Aubrey got really brave and skated all by herself around the rink twice! I was very impressed! We took Jonathan out also and he loved it, but they told us that we couldn't take babies, so he just got to watch the rest of the time. After we skated they got dough-nuts and hot chocolate. We all had a great time!

Halloween

2007-11-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

The kids were too sick to spend the day at Grandma Robertson's with their cousins, so we tried to make it really fun at home. Everyone dressed in whatever black and orange they had. We made sugar cookies and then decorated them--the girls loved decorating their cookies--they would add some candy, eat it, lick off the frosting and be ready to decorate again! They didn't ever actually finish eating the cookie! That evening they were doing a little better so we decided to let them trick or treat a little. We dressed them up (Aubrey as a pirate, Mariah as a lion, and Jonathan as a bee. They were adorable (as you can see)! As soon as they remembered that you get candy at each door--they were running from door to door! Living in this area with townhouses everywhere makes for many doors without much walking--a definite plus with little kids!

Carving Pumpkins

2007-10-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

We went to the Pumpkin Patch (Vineyard, Utah) with Grandma Robertson and the local Robertson cousins! The kids look forward to this yearly tradition! They all enjoy going through the corn-maze (I think the girls really enjoy holding the boys hands as they walk through the maze--they really are adorable)! After the maze, they get to see some interesting animals--goats, turkeys, rabbits, roosters, chickens, and maybe a few other odd creatures. Then they get to play on the playground area and in the blown-up toys! Then we top it off with a little toddler oriented spook-alley (meaning, not spooky, just kind of dark). After that we get to pick out our pumpkins to take home and carve!

Carving the pumpkins is getting more exciting as the kids get older. This year Jon and I each helped a girl--I helped Aubrey and Jon helped Mariah. Aubrey enjoyed pulling off the top after I cut it and helping get the insides out of the pumpkin. Mariah on the other hand, would not even touch the insides. She was very disgusted by it. She would decide to help Jon pull some out and then change her mind as her hand got close to the seeds and goo. She did finally touch it and squealed out in fear and disgust! It was quite cute and funny! Jon also carved Jonathan's pumpkin which is a Star Trek Enterprise ship--perfectly scary for Halloween! Ha Ha!