Say it ain't so...

my first pig tails...

2011-03-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

Trying to get a picture of this girl is near impossible. She is always on the move and if she sees anything electronic, she makes a be-line for it. But something that I didn't think possible either, was getting 2 little pig tales on this girls head. We did it. It was hard, and her head turned a shade of red from the strain, but we got them! (no thanks to a slight mullet:)

my sleepy heads...

2011-03-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

This is what you get on your way to soccer, in the middle of the day, on a windy, cold day...two sleeping beauties...(who are undisturbed b/c they NEED a little mid-day rest)

my cute kids

2011-03-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

2011-03-14T14:15:00.001-07:00

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

my first pet loss

2011-03-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

Big Momma died today. She was Audrey's, the biggest, and a little scarier. It was a sad day. First, Michael discovered the death in the tank. Big Momma just sort of slid out of her shell...(gggeeewwww). Then he had a 'death' talk with all the kids. I was surprised that they were a little bit sad about it. Then we found a little box and put her in it. We had a little 'ceremony' for Big Momma in our back yard. Audrey even shed a tear. R.I.P. Big Momma...

my duel personality

2011-03-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

Jane is my 4th baby and has always been such a sweet little thing. I have reveled in the fact that she has been such an "easy", pleasant baby. Easy to settle and easy to please...I love this picture of her; her sweet little hands and all her chubbiness. She has been sweet, and sugary, and everything nice...

Fast forward to 2011...Jane is still sweet and sugary and everything nice, but there is also now a new, very loud dynamic that I would use to describe her. The word pterodactyl comes to my mind when she is just gibbering. She makes some of the loudest squeals and shrieks I have ever heard. I have even been shocked at some of the loud, beastly sounds that come out of this little person. Since she has learned to walk, and now talk more, she makes her presence known. She can say momma, dadda, baby, arf, eese (for reese), me me me (for food), and some sort of gah gah (for all gone). Mostly tho, she is yelling and screaming like a pterodactyl. Sometimes I feel like I have been transported into Jurassic Park. She is so loud now. She wants to be sitting on top of me, she needs....I mostly enjoy her funny antics and new found pterodactyl spirit, but I do also miss the innocent chubbers.

Here, we have a common face in the Jane repertoire of pictures...the blank eyes, the open mouth...this is where all the madness starts...she gets going....

going....

going....and then....gone. Her inner pterodactyl has been released.

But then, she goes back to being cute. She does look different than the other kids. She is all her own. But she is definitely learning to fend for herself in our little family. I love her.

my twins

2011-02-26T19:46:00.000-08:00

my bath baby

2011-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

When I start the bath water, Jane comes running. She is so excited to get in the warm water, that she can't even wait for me to take her clothes off. If I start the bath, then leave to get towels etc, I return to a PJ-'d baby in the tub.

Here on another occasion she got in with her socks on...At least she likes to be clean:)

my case of the butter teeth

2011-02-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Someone in my house took a big bite out of a cube of butter. I discovered these unmistakable teeth marks yesterday. I will get to the bottom of this; I think I have an idea of who it was. I am just wondering....why?? I like butter as much as the next girl, but my gag reflex kicks in when I think about taking a bite out of a stick of butter.

my first house pet

2011-01-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

For some reason, Reese and Michael were interested in a pet, but not just any pet...a hermit crab. Reese is pretty much allergic to dogs, and after my diarrhea/vomit experience with Katie, I was not interested. But these crabs have been brought up a few times over the months, but one day Michael decided it was time. He came home with all the things a hermit crab could want, sand, food, a coconut shell house, special water, a contained environment, and 3 crabs. The kids were oh so excited. The 3 crabs were named. Audrey's-big momma (because she is the BIGGEST), Reese's-Hermie (because Reese is logical), & Sadie's-Alice (because Sadie is so sweet). There was much excitement in our home and then there was fear. Dad got their home all set up then took them out and set them on the table. The children were startled, then a little shocked to see up close that these crabs resembled spiders with shells. Big momma was the most feared, because she was the biggest. Michael quickly devised a plan, the kids could wear a glove and it would be ok. They were all alright with this idea and started holding them with the glove. (except for big momma) The crabs are more active at night, clicking and chirping. The kids have gotten used to these little crabs with their little claws, and are now able to hold them bare handed! (except for big momma)

my halloween 2010

2010-10-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Luckily, Halloween was pretty low key this year. Costumes were easy and I wasn't dissappointed when Reese and Sadie wanted to repeat their costumes from last year. We did a trunk or treat at church Saturday night. Then we spent Halloween at Mom's, who did get 2 trick or treaters! I loved everyone's costumes. Mine was ok, I dont like how my hair turned out. Next time I think I would buy a wig. Those hairspray colors just don't look very nice.

Can anyone guess who Michael is????

my Easter weekend

2010-04-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

In 2010

I thought this picture looked familiar....
In 2008....

Audrey is quite the little sneek...but she is so cute doing it.

my golden Lion

2010-04-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

A momentous occasion in our lives as of late was the inception on The Pepperbox Four and their first show at a VERY seedy bar Ray's Golden Lion. The air was dank, there was a dirty show on the big screen TV, the floor was sticky, and it smelled of beer...but it was fun. They did so great. I was pretty amazed at how good they were! Kyle Blodgett guitar/vocals, Brad Blodgett drums, Doug Wadsworth bass/vocals, & Michael Huff guitar/vocals...

Some alternative names- High Priest Social or Big John and the Huff Mobile...

I was so grateful for all the friends that came and risked being seen at a bar on a Saturday night. We had a couple of high council members, a bishopbric member and a stake president...All in all, it was a very good night!

my friend's new camera

2010-04-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

My good friend got a new fabulous camera and offered to come take a BAZILLION pictures of my kiddos...these are some of my faves

I did make a collage of some of Sadie's faces because her faces make me laugh and she is always so beautiful.

Jane looks like she is flipping someone off...I immediatly thought my mother in law would like this one:) She could see the humor in it!

my roller

2010-03-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Jane is now 6 months and is just now trying to roll over. She is taking her sweet time with everything, which suits her personality just fine. She is sweet in every way. She is a joy and is very capable.

my march madness...

2010-03-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

I am trying to quickly get caught up with my photos...so this is a mad rush to put everything down.

Michael did the very fun thing of making St. Patrick's day fun. He made a green breakfast. I am not a morning momma, so these special breakfasts are very rare!

Reese woke up in the morning, got dressed, shoes and socks...packed his backpack and said he was going on an adventure to california.

Sadie's cotton candy hair caught in a photo....when will it COME IN! All my girls have very fine, thin, slow growing hair for the first 5 years of life....

my black and white babies

2010-03-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

my babies in color

2010-03-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

Who is who? You can tell they are all come from the same place:)

my fresh air

2010-03-04T19:12:00.000-08:00

A stroll in the park...spring has come and it is gloreous! Kids, run wild and free...

my mistake

2010-02-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

Here, I thought I had this wonderful outfit and looked so cute and stylish...then I saw this picture my husband took of me. I am completely inflated in the mid section. The truth hurts.

Here is another unfortunate photo of me. I am obviously breastfeeding my 5 month old. But I am wearing my dad's XXL shirt. Wow, I have such a distorted image of myself...

my hobby

2010-02-27T20:29:00.000-08:00

Another attempt to capture how precious a little baby is...

my day at the park

2010-02-27T16:53:00.000-08:00

My newly pregnant sister, Amy, came for a visit and we went to the
park. My kids are monkeys and have the need to climb on everything.

my favorite thing to look at

2010-02-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

my many janes

2010-02-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

I love the picture of her holding her hands, so cute! 5 mo.

my railroad adventure

2010-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

The kids LOVED hiking around the desert hills of west k-town.
We found lots of footprints and interesting things. They love to play, run, jump, breathe the outdoors!

my little princess

2010-02-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

Audrey's favorite birthday party. Monkeydoo's is such a fun spot. She made a tutu, earings and had a fun makeover...a little girls dream come true

my bloody pulp

2010-01-28T20:32:00.000-08:00

We tried for so long to get this first baby tooth out. With daddy's help, it finally gave up the fight. There was a little blood involved but it was worth it. Audrey is on her way to adulthood.

my reluctance

2010-01-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

Audrey wanted and got a shorter a-line hair cut. I was conflicted on cutting her hair b/c it has taken 6 years for it to finally grow out. Plus she has given herself a couple of very frightening hair cuts. Her hair was finally long, braidable, and full...but she wanted a new style. It turned out rather cute. She is turning into such a pretty girl. She decided to give her cut off hair to Jane, so she would not be a baldy baby anymore.

my ist pony-hawk

2010-01-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

Crazy hair day at school. We did a fun pony-hawk on Audrey and Sadie wanted to be like her sister.

my opposites

2010-01-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

My beautiful 4 month old....then there is my 3 headed beast

my new year

2010-01-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

January 1 2010! Jane is now 3 1/2 months...

My two babies, taken with Mike's blackberry....so cute tho, I just can't pass them up:)

SNOW!!!! It is always a lovely day when it snows.

my foul fowl

2009-12-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

The river front in K-town, should be an asset to our community. It should be a draw to its people and those who travel through our small little town. Instead the river has become a slightly frightening, murky place. Perhaps there is to much "night-time" recreation, an overuse of the men's bathrooms, or maybe a body or two has washed up on the shore...but, there is a place where the fowl have taken over. They breed there, defecate there, kill there, die there, swim there, and possibly mutate there...and we go there to feed them day old bread. These geese and ducks see you coming and flock around you until you are completely surrounded, squawking for your crumbs. Some have missing eyes, legs, or other parts...are they rabid? possibly. Have they been exposed to too much radiation from Hanford? Possibly. It is a very uneasy feeling, these fowl outnumbering and surrounding you. I now understand the full importance of the Hitchcock movie "Birds"...

I can see the apprehension in Sadie's face and in her body language...I do the same thing. Imagine a feathered created that is as tall as you, that weighed approximately as much as you, and that had an extremely loud guttural squawk and missing patches of feathers...these are the creatures of my nightmares....Here Sadie...go give this beast some bread and hope it doesn't take your fingers with it...

But, of course, the children had fun...

my month long birthday

2009-11-26T21:28:00.000-08:00

Nov. 7th , the cutie pie Sadie turned 3. Sadie has developed what we parents like to call,"sass". She wants to be fiercely independent and will demand to be heard. She will say, "Quite Reese, I'M talking!" (in her very high pitched, almost munchkin-like voice) She does, however, remain sweet and gentle to all things baby. She loves dolls and LOVES to take care of her little sister Jane. This is a trait in her I love. She is also a wonderful helper...if you say it in just the right tone...(and if it doesn't involve any of her toys or books). She is a beautiful little girl, inside and out. Sadie LOVES TO DANCE!!

Nov. 8th, the tornado that is Reese turned 5. Reese is always hopping around the house...usually on one foot. He is always making a weird noise with his mouth, he always speaks at the loudest possible volume, but he is so loving and affectionate. He is so tender. I had a video of him falling off a stool as he yells and cries in "pain" and he was mad at me b/c I didn't immediately erase it b/c he was embarrassed by it. He is nervous to look silly. He LOVES little babies and always pays attention to them. He reminds us to pray before we eat. He is extreme in his emotions. He lets me kiss and hug him all the time. I will take that for as long as he will let me...

Nov. 25th, the beam of energy known as Audrey turned 7. Audrey is excelling in school. She earns praises from her lovely teacher and is constantly pulling ahead. She is always reading and enjoys the Junie B Jones books. She always has a smile on her face and her eyes wide open. She is ready and excited for life. She has become more helpful and aware of her little siblings which has made me so happy. She loves to be silly and wild. She is so beautiful and tall and happy. She likes girl things, but is always making something out of sticks and tape and rocks. She is very inventive and has a wonderful sense of imagination.

Being a mother is hard for me sometimes. But it is also the most rewarding experience. When my father died, the only thing that brought me any type of comfort was and is the contentment of my children. Their smiling faces. I am so thankful to have such sweet, smart, loving children.

Happy Birtday:

Dad 26th (would be 59)

Mom 19th

Dad Huff 17th

my jane's blessing day

2009-11-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

Jane's blessing day was nice. Grandma Hazel, my mom, and evan came to our sacrament. Michael gave her a sweet blessing. Our hometeachers helped Michael bless. This was (another)day when I missed my big dad being here. Bro. Chan got up later and bore his testimony about how he felt the presence of family passed and how he felt that there were "grandpa's" here watching over us that day. I knew he was talking about us and I didn't care if it seemed weird. I really wanted to believe what he said and I was thankful that he verbalized those feelings. I know people have terrible tragic lives and I have it pretty good, but I miss my dad and it makes me sad.

my scary night

2009-11-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

What can I say...I love Halloween. I was a zombie, Audrey was a devil, Reese was Johnny from Karate Kid, Sadie was a cute witch, and Jane was just cute. I don't know if it is the treats or the fact that we celebrate the dark things in life, but either way...it is fun. Mom came over and babysat Jane while the rest of us collected candy. Reese and Sadie were a bit slow and constantly dragging me and Audrey down. I kept yelling..."HURRY UP GUYS!" and "C'MON!!"....then I realized they are 2 & 4 and we have been walking for a while. I guess if their bags don't get totally filled, I can live with that.

There's a Nightmare in My Closet

2009-10-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

my baby's first shot

2009-10-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

She looks so scrawny in these photos, but she is in the 95th% for weight and height. I think she is really long....

my dirt diggers

2009-10-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

dirt...a child's dream come true...at least my children. Love to dig, love to get dirt under their fingernails and love to bury things. With all the toys they have, they continue to go back to dirt. It is a staple and will never grow old. Can Santa bring them a box of dirt for Christmas?

my hair DON'T

2009-10-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I think I can just touch up my roots myself. 90% of the time when I buy my own hair color it turns into a disaster. When will I learn?? The words witch, goth, vampira, morticia, etc. come to mind when I look at myself. I have hidden my identity out of shear embarrassment. I went from blond with about 1/2 inch of medium brown roots, to blue black. After 5 washes (3 with baking soda) it is now black w/a hint of red. I cant believe how off the color was. I wanted a brown...I got suckered into the Chris Rock movie 'Hair' thinking, why am I always fighting to be blond? Then I saw a lot of pretty brunettes on Sunday. So I went and bought some medium (so I thought) brown to dissipate some of the blond and hide my growing roots. But the outcome of my good intentions was not as expected...of course...blackness. And I do not see the light. (literally)

My only hope is to continue to wash, and wash and wash and will one day see some semblance of brown again. I can hope. But for now, I am just glad that it is Halloween next week. I will fit right in...to the night. (I included this picture to demonstrate how my hair fades into the background, is it hair anymore? or has it become its own entity)

my thumb sucker

2009-10-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

This was one of the sweetest things I have seen. I have never had a thumb sucker and I dont think Jane is...but I thought it was sweet how she figured it out.

my baby photo shoot

2009-10-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

Jane Roberta

my new favorite hobby...

2009-10-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have become obsessed with crochet this summer and I LOVE it. Thanks to Grandma Hazel who taught us the basic single crochet and chain stitch. I took it from there and really learned how to do a lot on my own. I need something to do all the time. I like to be busy while I watch TV at night, then I don't feel so bad that I am wasting time. I've made beenies, booties, embelished burp clothes, flowers...I especially love these cute little animals. I am still an amature, so I can see all my mistakes. The little owl is my favorite so far.

my open blog...

2009-10-14T22:41:00.001-07:00

I have a lot of catching up to do

my soccer player

2009-10-14T22:35:00.000-07:00

We signed Audrey up for soccer this year. It has been fun. I discovered at Audrey's first game, that I wanted her to be good, really good. I wanted her to dominate. She is 6. I needed to calm down. As I watched her at her first game, she was waving to everyone, she was fixing her hair, and tying her shirt. It is fun for her and that is great. She has gotten a lot better over these weeks. She's scored goals and learned some good basics. Her coach is wonderfully nice. She just doesn't have that edgy competitiveness, but that's okay. I can live with that...

my little blessing

2009-10-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

The birth of my fourth child was highly anticipated. I could not wait to hold a new sweet baby in my arms. When I look back on my 30+ years the happiest moments in my life have always involved family. In particular the birth of all my children. The happiness that I feel when I first get to hold that infant is pure joy. It is peace. It is a miracle and I cling to that because in this dark world these moments are fleeting. I was trying to get pregnant for over a year. I didn't understand and continued to become increasingly frustrated. I finally decided to go to the doctor for "infertility" purposes only to discover I was pregnant a month later. The pregnancy was a smooth one, I gained 40 lbs and was freakishly large. But when my father died when I was 6-7 months pregnant I was slipping into a sadness where I was unable to see the sun behind the clouds. Being pregnant gave me the hope that I needed. I clung to the fact that I would soon have that peaceful, joyful feeling soon with a new birth. My father's death has been very sorrowful for me. Looking back now, I can see Heavenly Father's hand in my pregnancy and its timing. The only thing that has brought me comfort in the months following my father's death has been this new baby. I know the Lord knew me, and knew that I would need that purity, that miracle, to overcome my deep feeling of sorrow and hopelessness. I am so thankful for this baby, as I am for all my babies. Jane Roberta brings me comfort.

my funny faces

2009-10-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

We are sooooooooo excited for Halloween:) I think it is funny how Sadie finds it difficult to get her teeth in. Her faces are so funny...

my baby's bath

2009-10-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

Her disgusting remnants of the umbilical cord fell off in a shriveled purple/black raisin. (hallelujah); and we got to submerge her tiny little body in a warm bath. She is such a sweet 4th child. She is so easily contented and is a joy. I love that freshly bathed baby smell!!!

memory

2009-09-25T22:04:00.000-07:00

Just remembered a fun memory of dad. Me and Amy went to go spy on Johnny...he was suppose to be at a party at someones house. We drove with dad in the convertible to a house, we thought was it, me and Amy got out and began to peer in the windows to see if we could see anything. it was a pretty tame party, and all we could see was "parent" type figures. so we went around to the back to see if we could see anything from the back windows....trespassing was not a problem...all of a sudden we hear the engine revving and the convertible lights flashing on us. the revving engine again, louder and louder. it was so loud and conspicuous, me and Amy finally got freaked out that we would be caught and ran up to the car and jumped in. we were freaking out at dad b/c he was so flippin loud. he was trying to revers the car out of the driveway, but he couldn't reverse/control it very well b/c their driveway was on a little bit of a slope. it was so loud and ridiculous i am surprised they did not call the police. it was so fun and funny. we just drove away, and it turned out that we did have the completely wrong house.

my biggest baby (yet)

2009-09-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

my lovely hospital stay

2009-09-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Here we are...finally the day! My doctor scheduled me for an induction on Sept. 16 2009. He felt like the baby was big and due to previous large babies, decided to go ahead and try to have the baby a week early. I was dilated to almost a 4 and was 75% effaced. So my body was headed in that direction. They started me on pitocen and slowly upped the dosage. I got an epidural pretty early on just b/c the anaesthesiologist was available at the time. They eventually broke my water and abt. 9 hours later I was at the pushing stage. I pushed for only about 10 minutes and I had a wonderful 10 pound 2 oz. baby. Jane Roberta was a very smooth delivery considering her size. She came out looking wonderful and healthy and I am so thankful for that. She was born at 9:21 pm and was 21 inches long. She started nursing pretty well and was very content. What a sweetie!

so haggard!

pretty lips:)

my fair

2009-08-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Benton Franklin County Fair and Rodeo...baby!! This is always a fun time. We went with our good friends the Gales again and perused the stands and booths. I was 9 months pregnant and hoped that a day walking in the sun and standing on my feet would jump start my labor, but no such luck. The highlight for the kids was getting cotton candy and going on a ride. 1 ride is never enough, they want more, MORE more! The highlight for me was the "Beach Boys" concert at night. That was wonderful. They played all the songs I grew up on and it was the first time since my dad's death that I felt a semblance of happy. Michael worked at the book mobile and we got to hang out with him and eat elephant ears:) The walk to the car was awful, in the dust and gravel and we were all exhausted by the end of the day, but it was worth it.

my new school year

2009-08-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Audrey's first day of 1st grade. I couldn't get her to smile big...I think she was a little nervous. Her teacher is Mrs. Watts and she is very nice. Audrey is one of the smartest in the class and is doing great. Reese also started a new year of preschool. He really likes it of course.

Here is Audrey waiting in line outside of her class. And her she is at her new desk...she REALLy wanted to have a desk instead of a table.

my river rats

2009-08-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

We discovered a nice swimming hole on the Snake River. Although it looks like a nice spot, I refuse to get in, for fear of dead bodies at the bottom of the river. The kids really enjoyed swimming in the river tho. Our transformation to hillbillies is almost complete:)

Rocks and seaweed, oh my:)

my pretty lake

2009-08-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Before the wonderful Ahrens left to head back home, we decided to take a day trip to a pretty lake area. Mom brought a bunch of fishing poles and tried to help the kids fish...it was more untangeling and trying to figure them out tho. It was a beautiful area called RimRock lake, just west of Yakima. It was nice to get out of K-town. We ate at MINER'S on the way home, so good and one of Dad's favorite places to stop and eat.

funeral

2009-07-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

After we returned from our short lived vacation, life became a blur. We drove back to ktown as fast as we could all the while in communication with one other trying to make sense of the last minutes and seconds of dad's life. Michael said that the timing of his death was clearly an indication of God's hand in our lives. The family was gathering for a happy reunion, we had just spend father's day with him. I was expecting a baby, new life. When I got back to mom's house I want to see my dad immediatly, but we had to wait. I found a bag that the hospital gave to my grandmother. It had his clothes in it, the ones he died in. The shirt was cut open with blood stains on the front, his orthopedic shoes, his wallet, watch, pants, garments...I slept over and awoke to ryan leaning over me saying "Janelle, our father is dead."
The day to day was truly unreal. Family was all around, friends were there, food kept coming, flowers and cards were abundant. We were somber, but comforted in each other. I truly am blessed to have such a spectacular family and friends. The strength and comfort was there through so many cousins, aunt, uncles, grandparents, and siblings and good friends. I cannot express how utterly thankful I am for this and how comforting it was to lean on so many loving people. Everyone took care of us and it felt so good. At the time I felt sad and alone, but as I came out of the fog, I realized how wonderful and truly comforting everyone was. That is what carried me thru those first few weeks. Mom and dad's ward members went above and beyond in helping our family in so many ways.
When we got home from the coast I had an overwhelming urge to see him and hug him. It didnt seem right not to expect him to come home, it was hard to get used to him not being there....it still is. One night, someone came home to mom's house late and for a split second I thought it was my dad coming home with some treats he had just gotten on a late night sugar run. He would throw a twix or reeses at me.
We went to the funeral home to buy his casket and pick out plots and things of that nature. We had not yet seen him. We were sitting in the hall waiting for something and uncle Tom came around the corner saying that they were going to wheel dad into a different room. A worker then pushed my dad on a gurny past the hall. He was there, I wanted to hug him, he looked like he was sleeping but his lips were blue. I wanted so much to see him, but, seeing his dead body was the hardest thing to see. Once they had dad dressed and in his casket they wheeled him into a private room so we could say our goodbyes. I finally got to hug him, but he was cold and dead, but did look as tho he was sleeping. I was crying uncontrollably and didnt care. I would miss my dad and there he was...he was there....but he was hollow and cold. We saw him again at the viewing and I did the same thing...and had the same feelings....i wanted to hug him and get lost in his big frame and big bear arms. I cried all the time and watched in amazement at all the wonderful support that came to say goodbye to dad. We had a prayer service and the closing of the casket before the service at the Gage building. Ryan gave a wonderful prayer. I hugged dad for the last time ever and couldnt help feel an overwhelming sense of sadness. I would never, ever see him again. My kids would not know him, my mom would be alone, my brothers would not grow up with him. He was gone and they were locking him away. He was going to be gone for a time. I only want to see him and be with him and laugh at his smirk. The service was amazing. Jen gave a wonderful talk. Jon did a beautiful job on the Eulogy. Tom's talk gave us great comfort. We sang amazing grace as siblings and spouses. Amy and me were short and sweet. The auditorium was filled into the gym. He always said no one would come to his funeral, but he was very wrong. Everyone was so kind and wonderful. Mom and Dad's ward had a lunch for us after the service. I hate that he is gone. It isnt fair, but that is how it is right now. Milestones will be missed and there will always be someone missing. Dad made things fun and controversial.

my memories of dad

2009-07-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

Death notice in Tri-City Herald, ran 6/26/09:
Robert M. Blodgett
Robert Michael Blodgett, 58, of Kennewick, died June 24 in Richland.
He was born in Helena, Mont., and lived in the Tri-Cities for 13 years.
He was a chief financial officer in the software industry.
Mueller's Tri-Cities Funeral Home, Kennewick, is in charge of arrangements.

(Tri-City Herald obituary ran 6/27/09):
ROBERT MICHAEL BLODGETT
Mueller's Tri-Cities Funeral Home It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Robert Michael Blodgett. Robert was born in Helena, Montana on November 26, 1950. He was proud of his Bitterroot Valley heritage throughout his life. Robert excelled in athletics, serving as captain of the Kennewick High School football and basketball teams. He attended Ricks College on a basketball scholarship. Thereafter, he graduated with a degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University. A few of his professional accomplishments include certifying as a CPA and starting a successful Tri-Cities-based tax and accounting firm, working as the Vice President of Finance for an international shipping company, and most recently serving as the Chief Financial Officer for Vivid Learning Systems. Robert loved the Lord and was devoted to His church. He served two years as a missionary in Germany for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout his life, he held many positions of responsibility in his congregations, most recently as a counselor in the bishopric of the Rancho Reata ward. Most importantly, Robert was an example and leader to his family, which he loved and to whom he was completely dedicated. Surviving family members include his wife Debra Boyer, who he married for time and eternity in the Oakland California Temple on December 29, 1973; children Jennifer Lyn Ahrens, Janelle Lee Huff, Michael Robert Blodgett, Ryan Boyer Blodgett, Jonathan William Blodgett, Amy Rebecca Cook and Evan Christopher Blodgett; mother Hazel Evans Blodgett; siblings Dennis Clinton Blodgett, Thomas William Blodgett and Julie Kay Mickelson; and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his father Robert William Blodgett. A public viewing will be held at Mueller's Tri-Cities Funeral Home, 1401 S. Union St., Kennewick, WA on Sunday, June 28, 2009, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Chapel at 895 W. Gage Blvd. Richland, WA on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. The family invites you to sign their online guestbook at www. muellersfuneralhomes.com.

My wonderful, intelligent, & hilarious father died suddenly of a heart attach on June 24th 2009. He was found by my brother Michael on the floor in our house by the garage door. He called 911 and the operator preceded to give my mentally ill brother directions on how to perform CPR on my dad. The ambulance came and rushed him to Kadlec Medical Center where he was pronounced dead after 45 min. My grandmother, Hazel, (my father's mother) called my mom on her cell phone to inform us of his death. We were camping at Nehalem Bay, OR for a few days prior to a planned Boyer reunion. My mother became hysterical and immediately was in disbelief. She asked Grandma to tell Tom and Brent to go to the hospital and give dad a blessing to bring him back to life. We all immediately rushed back to Kennewick, it took about 7 hours and it has been a slight blur since then. All of our family, extended family, cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws etc. came to the viewing and funeral which was so wonderful and nice. Having so much family around and having so many relatives to offer comfort and want to help was the most comforting thing. My mom was devastated and zombie like. My brothers Ryan and Jon stepped up to the responsibility and were so comforting to all of us and very excellent examples of compassion, kindness, responsibility and spirituality. They were pretty amazing. Jen and Amy were wonderful as well. We all banded together to support one another and it was the most comforting to be around and with my brothers and sisters.
My father's death is such a stinging blow to me. When we first arrived back all i wanted to do was see him and be able to hug him. When we were finally able to see his dead body at the funeral home, I saw the workers wheeling him into the makeup room. His lips were blue and he looked the same, just asleep. That image will always make me feel sad. Those were the hardest times, to see his dead cold body and realize that his spirit is gone, but seeing him and wanting him to awaken and come home with us.
He was such a strong, stalwart man. My father was possibly the only other person on this earth that could bring me to the brink of realization. He had the ability to put my small stupid trials, cares or concerns into the proper perspective. He would always say to me with a crooked smile..."life is hopeless..."He of course was kidding b/c he knew that I was weighted down with silly things and he knew that I should snap out of it. And oddly, my dad, could always help me to do just that. I felt like he understood my deep sorrow and sadness in life's hurtful world. He knew I would feel the weight of things and he thru my admiration of him, or my respect at his intelligence, or thru my love of him as my father could always make me feel good about myself and about life. Now that he is gone, I fear that my relief at life's disturbing sadness will never leave me. I will not "get over it". Now there is only heaviness, burden and trial. There is no crooked smile at the end of a deep thoughtful conversation. Of which I had many with my father whom I respected and believed to be able to cure me of my ills. I am 32 weeks pregnant, I have just lost my beloved father and am having a hard time dealing with life at this point. I am so bogged down by my sadness. It has been so helpful to have my sister and brother here for most of the summer. I am scared for when they leave and I will be here alone to deal with my sad widowed mother, finances, bi-polar brother, my own family and family issues, my own mental health. Life is too sad. I cannot seem to discover how to have a happy existence. Is this possible? Why are we here to constantly struggle to find peace or joy? Why are those moments so fleeting? I have had nothing in my life that has maintained a feeling of satisfaction or joy in my life. Yes, I realize I have a good life in comparison to some. A home, food, healthy children (for now), but I cannot look back and say I have enjoyed my life or that I am happy.
We were able to spend father's day with him on the Sunday prior to his death. That was nice, I wish I could remember our conversations. we had Chinese chicken w/o bacon in the rice. I hugged him and told him I loved him.

Memories of my dad (to be added to as days come and go):
Playing prisoner for 30 min.
Him telling the boys to attack me and my friends with pillows.
Him teasing me and my young friends about boys.
Him being so angry with me for quitting basketball in NJ, but sending me flowers the next day. He was quick to anger, but quick to forgive and ask forgiveness.
Our trip to MT to see Amy run. So fun and funny to see my dad walking around the course as quick as he could to see Amy at different times in her race, binoculars in hand. Him holding up his pants with his hand and having suspenders on. His insane driving: driving while he has to go to the bathroom and bursting & talking or yelling b/c he could barely hold it in. Him insisting that he is NOT sleepy when in fact he would bob his head and swerve off the road. Me in literal fear of an accident while driving with him.
Him calling me late at night to tell me that he and Tom were driving around Kennewick with the top down, cruising for babes listening to wild thing.
Him calling me and leaving a slightly angry message about where my kids "hid" the remote control.
Dad saying that he will have to be the instigator at the reunion b/c Jon wasn't going to be there.
Dad sitting on the lawn in the cool grass enjoying the beautiful weather.
Our arguments over American Idol contestants.

What were our last conversations? I have already forgotten.

my racoons

2009-07-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

Sadie and Gracie were so funny and cute together. They played really well and would have these high pitched conversations about everything and nothing. They would like to take baths together and would always sneak up to mom's bathroom and quietly pour soap all over each other. One day, they were quiet and we went to find then and we came upon this sight. It frightened me at first, but then I laughed. They used Jen's mascara to decorate themselves.

my swimmers

2009-07-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

This summer we did swimming lesson in the same pool that Jen and I took lessons when we were kids. The cousins did lessons with us, so it was really fun! Audrey was a level1 and Reese was a Polywog. They both exceled in their classes and had a wonderful time. Sadie enjoyed running around the play area half naked...

my 4th 09

2009-07-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

my 'sticky fingers'

2009-06-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, Sadie has gotten into the terrible habit of sneaking into everyone's things. This has proven especially dangerous when it comes to my nail polish. I cannot believehow thick she coated it. What a fun mess to clean up:)

my Audrey's new bangs

2009-06-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

Audrey gave herself, yet another, haircut. I believe this makes 4 self hair cuts. Luckily this time she just cut a few wispy bangs. Michael took her to super cuts to fix it up. I think she looks really cute, and she thought she looked more like Hannah Montana...I guess so:)

my latest encounter with 'sweetie'

2009-06-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

Today was a day that shook me to the core.
My story begins Friday....
Me and the kids hadn't left the house all day and around 1 we drove over to mom's house to see what they were up too. I brought in my purse and cell phone (as I always do) and set them by the piano.
We had a nice time working and playing outside at mom's and then we went home around 5.
When we got home I set my purse on my dresser in my bedroom and went about my business to ready the kids for dinner and the evening. Periodically (later that evening), I would walk by my dresser and started to notice a foul smell. As it got later and later in the evening the smell got stronger and stronger and it was emanating from around my dresser.
It smelled like death. My biggest fear was that a mouse had found its way into one of my drawers and died amongst my garments. But I could not find the source of the smell. I will admit that my search wasn't as thorough as it should have been, out of pure fear of what I would discover.
So, I went to sleep, hoping that whatever it was, would just go away.
Saturday morning, I was going to run errands in the morning, so I got up, got dressed and grabbed my purse. AHA! I had found the source of the smell, (so, I thought)
The stench was coming from my purse. I pulled everything out and searched the inside of my bag, but nothing. Perhaps it was some food the kids ate that had turned bad....maybe....
Jokingly, as I left for the store I said to Michael..."It smells like something crawled into my purse and died..."
Well, as i was shopping, I looked in my OUTER pocket only to discover some type of mystery smoosh of grey matter. I gasped as the smell was POWERFUL at this point and was beginning to saturate all of the contents of my purse.
Horrified, I tried to look more closely at this 'thing' and could only make out, what I thought was some type of a claw. I had no idea what it could be, but I knew that it was alive at some point. I could barely have my purse on the seat next to me, I was so disgusted. At one point as I drove home, a plastic bag rustled in the back that made me yell out loud. This squished-up corpse had come back to life and was going to crawl up my arm....(so, I thought). I leaned as far as I could out the window on the way home. I wanted to be away from this dead thing and its smell.
I called Michael and informed him that I had a dire situation that he needed to deal with when I got home. I was tempted to light my purse on fire, and my clothes, and my cell phone...anything that was in my purse. (It didn't come to this) It hadn't touched anything, but was in the outer pocket alone.
When I got home I gave it to Michael to handle. He discovered a beak, a wing, and perhaps part of a leg. His conclusion...a baby bird.
Now, where the heck, could a baby bird have found its way into my purse? I hadn't left it outside and I only started smelling the rotting flesh yesterday.
Oh, that's right....I was at mom's for a couple of hours Friday where there lives a killer of birds....
I am blaming the 'squished bird in my purse' story on the beast they call sweetie...
Michael is the hero of this story and I forced him to take these disgusting pictures so I could document my most horrifying ordeal.
This was an experience that will haunt me.
Here are a few movie scenes I can now relate to:
1. horse head in the bed in the Godfather movie...
2. boiling rabbit in Fatal attraction come to mind.
Perhaps this cat has it out for me....

my two boys, father and son outing '09

2009-05-29T22:30:00.000-07:00

Michael and Reese ready to go on the Father and son outing with our ward. Reese looks so clean and spiffy. He loves to go camping and they really had a fun time:) Me and the girls watched movies and ate junk food all night...

my first musical

2009-05-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Audrey's school kindergarten classes performed all the songs and poems that they had learned throughout the year to their families on Tues. May 26th. The theme was in the Jungle. It was so cute and Audrey did a great job. She played the bongos first off with Brady. All the kids were really cute waving and staring blankly while they sang the songs. It was fun. Grandma Hazel and Grandma and Grandpa Blodgett came to watch.

the Huff visit

2009-05-20T09:49:00.001-07:00

Reese is always on the lookout for a tree to climb. We will be driving around town and he will say, "Mom, that looks like a good climbing tree." For some reason he LOVES it!

It was a quick visit, but we had fun! We drove to the Palouse Falls, went out to eat a lot (which was my favorite part). It was nice to have all the adult help around the house too to entertain the kids! The kids loved loved loved the visit as well and were pretty sad the day the Huffs left.

my piggy tails

2009-05-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah!! I finally got Sadie's hair into pig tails... Isn't she too cute! My babies hairs' always grow very very slowly.

my 4th pregnancy photos

2009-05-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

Let the belly begin...18 weeks (22 more to go)

22 weeks and I am already embarrassed about how large I am. Bleh.

32 weeks pregnant (there is a 10 pounder in there)

my easter kids

2009-04-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

my welcoming spring

2009-04-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung here! Finally! After a rather long and cold winter, we are finally starting to breath the soft breezes of spring. The sun is starting to feel a little warmer. The moments are fleeting, but we will take what we can get. I am sure at the end of summer I will be praying for cold breezes...but thats how it goes. We had the most amazing rainbow in the backyard the other day. It was so colorful and HUGE. It was a full arch and it was the most awesome rainbow I had ever seen...and we lived in Hawaii for a couple of years....

We do love traveling down 10th when the blossoms are blooming. Trees line the street for a few miles and it is just pretty. All the white blossoms down a staight road. It makes it feel new and fresh and pretty.

We did get some pretty blossoms on our baby cherry tree and they were pretty. I hope this tree turns out okay and can give us some SHADE on that side of our house.

my syndrome

2009-04-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

I think Sadie had a rough night. Reese actually took this picture of her. It just makes me laugh. Her hair is so cotton candy and it is constantly sporting this look...

my Easter 2009

2009-04-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Easter was really fun. We of course dyed eggs and had a hunt, in the house b/c it was raining on Sunday. I made a DELICIOUS turkey dinner. I was really proud of myself. Mom and Evan came over and brought some goodies. Audrey was so fast to find eggs and just zipped around, whereas Reese & Sadie slowly meandered around opening a few pieces.

my sleeping angels

2009-04-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

How can you not want to snuggle with these 2 angels? There is nothing I love more than sleeping with sleeping babies:) I only wish Michael loved it as much as I do....

my audrey's eyes

2009-04-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that Audrey has beautiful eyes? Have you ever noticed that her right eye has more green in it than the left? I love the color in her eyes, they are almost 2 different eye colors....love it!

my 32nd birthday

2009-04-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

I am officially 32. I had another good birthday. It was Sunday and the weather was magnificent! I got my eyebrows waxed for the first time, which turned out to be a great experience. I got my hair cut and I had a nice long nap.

Michael bought a ton of these huge strawberries that were so good and we ate at my Mom's house for dinner. She made the most ridiculously decadent Reese's peanut butter cake. It was so rich and yummy, I thought I couldn't eat another peanut butter cup....at least for a couple of days. It was a nice birthday:)

my grocery experience

2009-04-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

The feelings of anger are uncontrollable...why must I always go to walmart?

load 3 kids in the van
unload 3 kids out of van
push a heavy cart of food around a store that is a mile long
chase kids in the store
listen to a yelling son who is sick of being in the store for an hour
unload your entire food cart onto the check out belt
load your entire food bags back into the cart
load your entire food bags into the van
load your 3 kids into the van
drive home
unload 3 kids
unload entire bags of food to kitchen
take food out of bags and put in pantry and fridge
collapse on the couch for about 2 minutes of rest until 3 kids start whining for a snack

good times...

my siren

2009-03-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

my siren

2009-03-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

my sad neighbor

2009-03-09T16:57:00.001-07:00

(This picture was the best one we could get w/o a flash. This was early on, before all the other emergency people showed up. You cant really tell, but there are two automatic weapons on top of the car, pointed at our neighbors home.)

Friday night (Mar. 6th)around 9pm a police man came to our door and asked us to turn of our porch light b/c "they had something going on over here..."

It turns out that there was a police stand-off from about 8pm until the SWAT team finally went into the neighbors house at 3am. Michael and I watched the whole thing (mostly). It was very intense. And one of the most bizarre, crazy, scary, things I have ever witnessed. The police were there, then the SWAT team showed up on our street, then the bomb squad. Our street was blocked off and trucks, hummers, and squad cars filled the street, along w/all the emergency people. A police car was parked on our lawn with two officers pointing assault rifles at the house across the street from us. The police were speaking to the man inside his house thru the mega phone from about 10-3. Apparently, this man, Tim Walters (48), had pointed a gun at his wife and pulled the trigger. No bullet was fired, so she was able to call 911 and leave the house with her 2 pre-teen kids. Tim barricaded himself in his room and shot himself in the head around 11-12. At about 1am, the bomb squad set off 2 gas bombs into his backyard. This was scary, the noise was loud and it lit the sky. It felt like we were watching some war movie. Then the bomb squad sent a robot/camera up to the house and the robot entered the home. The police and SWAT did not know that he had shot himself until they finally swarmed his home at around 3am. Tim was a military man for 23 years and had guns in his home, plus, all the neighbors, so the negotiater/police/swat people were overly cautious. The next day a clean up guy came and cleaned up the inside of the house and removed a bloody box spring. This experience made me feel very sad. I don't know why, maybe it was the lack of sleep, or all the guns, or just the intensity of it all. But I felt depressed about this for a couple of days. I didn't "know" my neighbor, we just would say hello in passing. It upsets me that people make decisions that can be so hurtful to themselves or others and that they feel so desperate and sad. Saturday, me and Audrey and Reese went to walmart and bought kites. It was another blustery day here, so it was perfect kite flying weather and it was nice to feel fresh air and blue skies. Reese did wonderful with his kite, Audrey kept getting tangled up. Sadie sat in the van and watched, it was still pretty cold.

my second hockey game

2009-02-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

Michael got some free tickets to see the Tri-City Americans play. We took Reese & Audrey and dropped Sadie off at my mom's. The kids LOVED it. It was actually pretty fun to watch. The people got all wild and riled up and the game is pretty fast paced. We really liked it and the kids enjoyed going down the steps and watching thru the glass, they also enjoyed how NOISY it was. Fun!

my new couch

2009-02-27T11:00:00.000-08:00

A dream of mine has finally come true....owning a beautiful, COMFORTABLE, large, couch. It is a 3 piece sectional and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it! There is a micro fiber couch, love seat, & chaise. The chaise is my favorite spot to sit. Oh, baby, I love it!

my preschool 2008-2009

2009-02-27T10:42:00.000-08:00

Finally another stretch of teaching pre-school is over. I had quite the month...the beginnings of a pregnancy (nausea, TIRED), I had a full month of teaching sharing times on Sundays, & I had this lovely group of kids for 3 weeks of their class. It wasn't that bad, I was pretty busy, but it is over and I am not going to deny that I am slightly relieved. I was feeling burnt out on the last week, but we got through it and now I may pass the torch:) This group of kids is actually pretty great. There is (Sadie) Sariah, Natalie, Mikenna, Megan, Joel, & Reese. They are all pretty smart and pretty well behaved for a group of 3/4 year olds. Reese, is by far, in a different category as the rest of these kids. He know EVERYTHING, all the answers to what we talk about and /or learn. I needed to tell him to keep his mouth closed to let the other kids have a chance to get it. He amazes me w/his smarts.

my boob man

2009-02-20T21:41:00.001-08:00

Michael wanted to tell the kids that we were having another baby and I agreed. So he sat them down and showed them the ultra sound picture and told them the news. One of Reese's first comments was to point to my chest and say..."you feed the baby with those. This side is milk and the other side is water."

my racoon

2009-02-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

I found a literal trail of bread crumbs and followed it to a completely mangled bag of wheat bread. I thought some wild animal that was desperate for food and made its way into my pantry. But I continued to follow the crumbs and half eaten slices and discovered it was none other than my sweet 2 year old. She must have been hungry...

sadie 2009

2009-02-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

Sadie has been a joy from the beginning. That being said, she has definatly hit her stride in independence. She changes outfits about 4 times a day (herself) and she doesnt exactly understand how to match things. I feel like her face is constantly dirty and that she is dressed like a clown. She can go to the bathroom all by herself and she doesn't want help with hardly ANYTHING anymore (even tho she needs it). She is so tender and loving to her babies. She takes care of them and loves to cover them up w/blankets. Sadie has started to be a little demanding. She has started to say the word "no" a lot. She has started to ....disobey me and michael. We didn't quite know how to handle this at first, b/c she has always been so amiable, but she is starting to fight for herself and yell and act like the older kids. ahhh, it was nice while it lasted.

she is so kind to anyone who is crying or hurt. she immediately goes over to give a hug or a kiss to someone. She sings I am a child of God & itsy bitsy spider really well.

reese 2009

2009-02-04T15:30:00.001-08:00

this guy cracks me up, not b/c he tells the funniest jokes, (but he does have some) but b/c
he is so hilareous with his emotions. he does such unexpected things that it is hard to pinpoint exactly what it is. he has very particular taste, and he wants things a particular way. he is over the top smart. he already is up to par with a lot of the kids in audrey's kindergarten class. why are they so smart???

he is getting a little bit shy. reese wants a best friend and thats it. luckily he has one in joel. he likes to be in charge. he always wants someone to play with. he cannot play by himself. he loves spiderman.

he wore this CTR ring literally all week. never too it off. he has extreme reactions to different situations. but he is learning to control his rage and outbursts. his angry faces crack me up and the things he gets upset over make me laugh. i try not to laugh when he gets upset, but sometimes i cant help it. the other day we were fighting over socks...he only wanted to wear skinny socks with his sneakers and he didnt have any in his drawer. so i picked 2 different colored skinny socks for him....he just looked at me with his brow furrowed and his chin down and said..."mom, what am i? a clown?" i couldnt stop laughing, it just struck my funny bone. reese is so full of love and hugs and kisses. i can always count on him to snuggle with and he always wants to be sitting on me.

audrey2009

2009-02-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

Audrey is blossoming into quite a unique personality. She has been really into bum humor as of late, which michael and i both find very annoying. she continues to excel in school. it is shocking to me how smart she is. she is reading her beginner books and she is doing well in math. i love how bubbly she is and how she bounces back. she rarely feels sad or has a bad day. she still has boundless energy and is constantly moving, twitching, shaking, tapping....

she loves to do the dishes, which i love. she loves to play computer games and watch movies. she loves rock stars and anything to do with fashion. she writes pages and pages and pages of books where she creates her own characters and hundreds of outfits for them. she has a lot of friends and is kind to everyone. she is sunshine in a bottle.

my catch up

2009-01-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

January 2009

a lot has happened this month. Sadie has been potty trained and she does a great job. She is so good at talking. Her little voice always cracks me up. She can say a lot of words and she talks in complete sentences. She also can say actually, and she corrects me and michael when we are "wrong". if she gets hurt she needs kisses and loves. if anyone else gets hurt, she immediatly gives pats on the back and hugs. she can sing "i am a child of god" and 'itsy bitsy spider'. and it is the most cutest thing i think i have ever heard. she knows parts of the alphabet and she can count up to 10.

she has been switched from a crib to a big girl bed. she has a much harder time at night staying in her bed and falling asleep. she is up at 9 causing trouble and is the last one to fall asleep.

i am finally pregnant ( i think) and i am very nervous about having a miscarraige.
but i will hope for the best and be excited! i am tired a lot! and i HATE HATE HATE feeling sluggish:(
audrey has all of a sudden wanted to do the dishes. she asks "mom, can i do the dishes...please." i reply with a very happy YES! it is nice to have such a good helper.

reese continues to make me laugh. he is doing much better in primary and he does so great in preschool. he is so smart. he knows all the answers before anyone else. i hope he can keep up his smarts.

my little photographer...

2008-12-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

I allowed Audrey to explore her creative side by taking candid photos of family during the Christmas break. She enjoyed being a little photographer and she got almost everyone. These were all taken by Audrey...

my pretty christmas house

2008-12-16T18:45:00.000-08:00

my first nutcracker

2008-12-15T10:52:00.000-08:00

Audrey and I went to the Nutcracker ballet this year. Michael bought Audrey tickets for her b-day. It was actually suprisingly very good. The costumes and stage sets were pretty amazing. The dancing was wonderful. Both Audrey and I were mesmorized by the ballerinas. My favorite part with the Land of Snow. Audrey actually sat still and watched the whole thing. It was a little over 2 hours long. I think I might have nightmares about the Rat King. That costume was a little creepy.... but it was fun to spend time alone with audrey. She is turning into a little woman...

my funny baby

2008-12-07T14:19:00.000-08:00

oh, this made me laugh out loud!

my kiddies sugar high

2008-12-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

We had a really fun ward Christmas party. The kids got to talk to Santa and they really enjoyed all the goodies they got Audrey told Santa that she wanted an American Girl doll and Reese wanted a truck. Sadie was just mesmorized by her candy cane and could have cared less about Santa

. They are still jittery from all the sugar. I suppose we will need a detox plan.

my little tid bits

2008-11-30T21:10:00.000-08:00

Sadie has gotten into the habit of going thru Audrey's 'personal' effects. She found some glitter glue and thought it was makeup and put it all over her mouth. She also made a cute little candy turkey in her class that she was so proud of and so excited to eat...
The weather has turned from cold to colder here. But I have to admit, that I love waking up to FOG. I feel like I am up on Cape Cod.
Reese got his cast off after 3 week. His hand was a little stinky, but not too bad. I was always so suprised how he RARELY complained about having a cast or the pain of the break. His skin was a little flakey so we called him snake man.

happy 6th birthday audrey

2008-11-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Audrey is always so full of life and excitement. She always has a sunny disposition and is able to let most things bounce off of her. She is always trying to move forward in life and learn more. She is a really great organizer, but has trouble picking up her room. She has a kind heart and has boundless energy. I love her positive attitude and happy-go-lucky way of life!

my smart kid

2008-11-22T21:24:00.000-08:00

Audrey came home from school last Thurs. with a pile of of Thanksgiving day art projects she had made at school...which reminds me, she got her first report card and is doing wonderful. Michael and I had a parent/teacher conference and the teacher was so positive about how Audrey performed as a student. She said that Audrey was a hard worker and that she was constantly challenging herself to move forward and learn more. She said that in all her years teaching she had never had a kindergartner that wrote the word 'fashion' in her journal. hmmm...
Audrey is so smart, bright, and quick learner. Good job A!

my 3 november babies

2008-11-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

Sadie so sweet...

Reese so loving....

Audrey so full of life...

my 9 year wedding anniversary!

2008-11-18T10:06:00.000-08:00

9, yes, 9 years ago Michael and I were married in the SLC temple. Our anniversary was quite comical. I had a slightly frazzled morning/afternoon, and was still trying to get it together by the time mike came home from work. When he walked thru the door he had his eyes covered and then immediately put on his sunglasses at 6pm. He was irritable b/c he had just come from an eye appt. and his pupils were as big as pennies. We were both a little snappy with each other, so, I started to ball and had a violent crying jag...just b/c I was worn out from the day. But as soon as I started crying, Michael immediately melted and dropped everything and wanted to help me. I love my husband b/c he always wants take care of me and help me. He is committed to or relationship and our family. After we both had our little meltdowns (mine was slightly more emotional and large than his)...all was well again. It was just funny to me. We dined on Azteca (one of my favorites here) and watched a movie and ate reese's peanut butter cups until kingdom come.
It was a memorable anniversary. And I am so thankful for our relationship and family:)

my first murder

2008-11-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Here we are as 30 something adults, playing dress up and loving it! We were invited to a 'Murder' party and we had a BLAST! Our murder took place in 1936. Michael was a lawyer/golfer named Alvin or 'Pro', to his friends. I was Miranda or 'Randy' to my friends and I was a questionable 'actress'. I loved my mink coat and my beaded skirt. And I thought my hubby looked so cute in his hat! Neither of us were the actual murderer, but we both were shady characters. It was a fun party w/yummy food. And I think I like to get dressed up every once in awhile!
Here I am, in my bathroom, trying to look glamorous. Doesn't quite work, right?!

my spaztacular 6's...

2008-11-11T17:22:00.000-08:00

What a SPAZTACULAR party! Audrey had a friend birthday party today. I think it turned out really great, if I do say so myself...

She had 8 girlfriends able to come. They had a make-up area set up where they "applied" their own make up. Then they painted their own magic wands, we had a fairy dress up, relay race. They decorated their own star shaped cupcakes and they went on a 'treasure' hunt for their goodie bags. It was a little crazy, but I think it was great. Audrey received a lot of wonderful gifts and she loved all of them.

Here are some of the magic wand creations...

These 2 pictures cracked me up b/c both of these girls look SPAZTACULAR! To cute!

Below here are a few of the girls after their "make-overs", although, most looked a little too much like the joker from batman...They all LOVED the makeup! Every free minute, they would run back to the station and apply more, and more, and more and more and more and more......

happy 4th birthday reese!

2008-11-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

My Reese man...he is such a ball of emotion. He is so defiant and strong willed. Reese is my best snuggler. He always wants to kiss and hug and sit so close. He does not understand personal space. He is so quick to say sorry. He is forgiving and very loving. He is so smart and I am not just saying that b/c he is my son. He is. He is unafraid and adventurous (that is one of the reasons he broke his arm). He loves his sisters and his friends. He always wants to play with Joel. He says funny things like, "my suggestion is..." and "actually mom..." He will say "i love you mom," out of the blue and I can't be mad at him. He needs, and most of the time, I like to be needed. I love to hug him and kiss his soft cheeks. He likes spiderman and playing 'family' with his sister. I know I will be sad when he is 16. Can't we just have little kids forever?