Update

The kids are growing up so fast.
Zoe is almost an official teenager and has been trying out the new attitude on us for the past few weeks now. I am thinking of all the nasty things I said to my mom and am starting to realize why she would wish Zoe on me. Now I understand. Thank heavens Brad is here to back me up with her. She really responds to him. Don't get me wrong, she is a great kid, just a little more mouthy these days. She is a straight A student and a wonderful help around the house.
Lexi is getting ready to go to Jr High next year. She has had the same teacher as Zoe since almost 1st grade and so excited to get someone that doesn't know her sister! Ha ha. This year her teacher has given them monthly projects to work on. We have done planet studies, Greek and Roman mythology and even medieval PowerPoint presentations. This month the project is to make a functional music instrument. She and Brad have been working on a wooden harp. They made it with a big "L" in the middle for Lexi.
Big G has grown up a lot this last year. He is always volunteering to go places with me and to help out with the little one. He is really into wearing skinny jeans that fall off his butt. He loves skateboards and scooters and the new thing he loves is his Zombie yo-yo.
Mckenzie is growing her hair out long. It has gotten past the middle of her back and it is the prettiest dark brown and very straight. She spent the afternoon with me painting nails and toenails. She put turquoise on my toes with white dots and a smiley face. My nails were purple with sparkles. I did her toes purple with sparkles and white polka dots. She convinced us the dog needed his nails done the other night, so now the huge white boxer has pink on his front toes and blue on the back. That was a community effort!!
Little G has been working towards getting a new bike at the end of the year. He was struggling with sitting still and getting his work done at school so Brad offered a bike if he makes it through the rest of the year without any incidents. He has made it two months already since the deal was made and is counting down days of school. It will be a blue bike he has decided and he wants flames on it if he can find them.
Scarlett just got glasses. I know I am prejudice, but she should be the little girl on commercial for kids needing eyeglasses. She is so stinkin cute!! She is in preschool and loves every minute of it. Her teachers adore her and her favorite one is Miss Jackie. She got to take the turtle today for show and tell because they are having Reptiles as the subject for class this week.
Me, well I finally found a way to get out of the insane job I had and I am currently working for a few families cleaning houses. I start school at Utah Valley University on May 9th and plan on going into the dental hygiene program. It should take me about 3 years to complete. It is scary to go back to school, but I am really looking forward to a good job with good pay!

summer fun

The date is wrong on the picture, sorry. Have to read the instruction manual to change it and I don't want to spend my summer vacation reading! It was actually taken on the 5th of July.
This is a sad attempt at trying to get kids to behave for a cute picture for mommy to show off to all her friends and relatives. BUT, I love it. It makes me laugh.
We decided to have a picnic at the park and the kids climbed this tree for over an hour, played frisbee and collected golf balls in the trees. It was a good day!

Burraston Ponds

I know I should keep my favorite places kind of a secret, so they stay nice and peaceful, but I just love Burraston Ponds in Mona, UT. The kids and I ditched church early on Sunday since I didn't have to be in class (the elders quorum took primary classes in honor of Mother's day). We got some snacks and stuff and headed south. Our favorite spot was open so we stopped and got out for our picnic. Some Jerks!! had taken a big carp out of the pond and tortured it and then left the remains all over the fire pit area. Kids were kind of freaked out, so I sent them on a walk, got a fire started and cooked some fish. Smelled tons better within minutes.
The reason I love this place is because:
1: Used to go there with our dad and family camping when I was little.
2: Spent hours fishing there as a teenager. Even got my first speeding ticket on my
way there.
3: Clean spring water where you can see the bottom. I have issues with swimming in
water that I can't see the bottom or the fish swimming around me.
4: Tons of room to run and play where I can still see kids.
Anyway, I could go on for hours. Love the place. Hoping to spend some good time there and make lots of memories this year.

Mom is a sucker!!

This last week the M family that I work for went on vacation and I was asked to keep an eye on the pets. The kids and I have been having fun watching the baby kittens get bigger up at work, so Monday night I had to meet someone up at the house (work) and so the kids took off to see the kittens. They came running back up because something was wrong with the momma cat. Her front leg was dangling! After about half hour, Zoe and I had her caught and were trying to decide what to do. Her femur was showing through. I didn't exactly have permission to take her to the vet and spend a fortune. I thought forget that, this thing is in pain. I ran to the house to get a towel to wrap her in and Zoe held on tight to her. Blueberry(momma cat) went nuts when she saw the towel, and scratched Zoe good before she got loose. She ran up a ladder and into a haystack before I could catch her. I tried for about half hour to get her to come out, but no luck. The only thing we could think had happened, was maybe a raccoon had tried to get the babies and she protected them. We loaded up the 5 three week old kittens and went home for the night. The M's called that night and said to get her to the vet first thing in the morning if I could. So the next morning I had the ranch hand help me move the bales of hay and she was there, but really weak. I took her to the vet and was a little ticked off to find that when they told me the night before to bring her in first thing, they forgot to mention they were closed for a staff meeting. I pounded on doors, called emergency numbers and got no response. Drove across town to the other vet and took her right in. Got all the billing figured out and permission from Mrs. M to do surgery. The vet called me awhile later and said he had gotten the x-rays and there was something pretty interesting. She had been shot with a .22!!
Anyway... long story short. Mr. M decided he was not paying the bill, told the vet I took her in, I could pay for her. Sweet guy huh!? Mrs. M took care of the bill and I am the official new owner of a 3 legged momma cat and 5 kittens.
It has been a neat experience for the kids. They love getting the babies and feeding them with their little bottles. And of course, mom the sucker she is, we named them. ALL! We have a black one with white on its tummy named Puma. Tiger is an orange tabby and white. The cream one with grey ears and a grey striped tail is Coon. Macaw is cream, tan and grey. And our little calico is named Chameleon aka Cami. They are going to new homes, all of them when the babies are weaned in about 4 weeks. Me, Brad and Big G are all allergic to them. My garage has become the new kitten nursery. And yes, once again, its been proven that mom is a sucker!!

Time flies...

Thought I would try and get to my blog a little more often than once every 7 months!! Wow. I am still working for the M family. Just doing housecleaning, little kid watching, helping with animals. Pretty much whatever they want me to do. This last week I got to wash the dog and get the skunk spray off him. That was not pretty!! Used a hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dishsoap mix. Seemed to work. I have also been battling a pretty nasty kidney infection. Kids had a long week with a grumpy mom!! Poor Brad too.
Zoe has been working on two things. First is a powerpoint presentation for school on Falconry. Its about the sport the kings and royalty used for hunting. Second project is a room change. The older girls are going to swap rooms with the little ones. Mom can't lift brother up into that top bunk anymore. He is getting too big. The girls decided they want a jungle room. We have painted it a bright green. Then we will strip their bunkbed back to just the basic wood. Hang some vines around. Add some leaves to their curtains and stuff. We found a really neat leaf canopy for the top bunk at IKEA. They are pretty excited. Will post a picture when its all finished.
Lexi and I went on a 5th grade field trip this last Friday. Her class went to the state capitol and took a tour, then met with our state representative, Patrick Painter. It was pretty interesting to0. We got to sit in a few minutes during a legislative session. She had fun.
Garrett is loving Kindergarten. He is learning to read and is constantly trying to sound out new words. He loves to play on the computer and his DS at his dad's house. He can't wait for the snow to melt so he can play more outside again. Took his bike for a ride the other day and brought it home with 3 inches of mud caked on the tires. Ha ha! He and Scarlett are enjoying a new little brother at Dad's house too. His name is Mason.
Scarlett is not in preschool yet. She is wishing she was. Her favorite thing to play is school with McKenzie (Brad's girl). They make desks, have stuffed animals for students, and use a lot of paper! She tells everyone that she is in love with her new brother. Her other favorite person is her new Grandpa Randy. He even watched her while I worked the other day. Took her for a walk around Salem Pond. She tends to latch on and not let go of him when Mom says its time to go.
Thats it for this week. Will see you soon then.

Diamond Fork. Day by the river.

The river called today and we answered! We picked up Tara and her dog Kona and went up the canyon to a day use area. We climbed down a set of stairs, walked along the path for a bit, crossed the bridge and parked ourselves under the closest patch of trees. The kids walked around and made hot tubs in the river. It was the perfect afternoon. We had a nice picnic too. When we finally got back to town it was almost 100 degrees. Wish I could have stayed up the canyon by the river!!!

4th of July Weekend.

We went to the resevoir with my sister for the 4th. We had a fun time in the water and on the beach. Then we went to Brad's house for a BBQ and fireworks. Chicken and corn on the cob!!! He is the best cook. I don't cook when he is around, and I love it.