Flashback Friday...

Senior Year Cheer Squad - we had so much fun! That is a city garbage can we are all standing in. We wheeled that thing around to every game with prizes. I remember hiding from a boy once in that garbage can... Go Dragons!!

A Week in Review...

Gabe's "Ben 10" Birthday party. They were decorating cookies to look like an Omnitrix. (from the show)His cute friends.
Can't have a party without a cake!
A trip to "This is the Place" Heritage Park. Have you been here? It was really fun! They have a little train that takes you around, you get off, and tour the city. Here they are with ice cream...more on their faces than in their mouths!
The School House
And since we were so close - a trip to the zoo. We went right when the gates closed, and we were basically there alone! It reminded me of the days when I would take Gabe there after his Speech Therapy at the U. We visited the Zoo A LOT for a few years - winter is even a great time to go. Sometimes I know we were the only ones there.
Emma strikes again - this time with Mascara.
She is taking after her Dad...a Pack Rat. Jesse was the pack rat at his house growing up, and Emma is ours. Those bags are full of who knows what! If I can't find something, it is in Emma's bags.

More Gabe...

I SO love this little guy. There are so many things I love about Gabe...his tender personality, his imagination, of course - his big brown eyes, his love for Emma, his desire to be a good boy. I just love him and am so grateful I get to be his mom.

4 Years Old:5 Years Old:
6 Years Old:
7 Years Old:

Flashback Friday...

AND....It's somebody's birthday this week!!

I can't believe my sweet Gabe is getting so grown-up! I'll share a few pictures here on Flashback Friday, and more later. I love you, sweet Gabe!

Here he is about one month old:
4 months:
8 months:
1 Year:
2 Years:
3 Years:

A Week in Review...

This post should be titled "A Month in Review", since I haven't really done a review for a while. BUT, I had to share what a little troublemaker our Emma is. Here are just a few of the things that are sure signs of a busy little girl:

• While I was in the shower Sunday morning, she dumped baby powder and baby lotion all over the carpet in my room.
• She picked a lovely clump of flowers out of my front flower bed to bring to me. (okay that was sweet, but the flowers never came back.)
• She emptied and entire bag of wet wipes- all 88 - in the garage. They were too dirty to use.
• She took the lids off of about 25 markers and tested them all out on her hand.
• She pushed her adorable friend, Andie, off of the neighborhood playground equipment.
• She has locked herself in the car in the garage - don't worry, I had the keys with me.

As for Gabriel, here is what he has been up to:

• Getting used to his leg again.
• Trying to walk straight.
• Getting the courage to get back on his bike.
• School Shopping for supplies and clothes.
• Meeting his new teacher.
  

Back to School...

3rd Grade, REALLY?

I can't believe Gabe started 3RD GRADE today! He was a little nervous this morning. I think he was more nervous about recess and hurting his leg.

This is how I found Emma this morning...reading books in my bed. Like mother, like daughter :)

Flashback Friday

Since it is that time of year again, I thought I'd share my yearly class pictures...Kindergarten through 6th Grade. Please take special notice of the bangs. I loved my bangs.

Kindergarten: I was stinking cute.
1st Grade: I'm pretty sure Mom forgot it was picture day.
2nd Grade: I think we did my hair the night before, and then I slept on it.
3rd Grade: Still doing my hair the night before. Hey - my mom had 5 kids to get ready.
4th Grade: I loved that sweater.
5th Grade: It took me 5 grades to convince my Mom I needed the "cool" pictures with the double image. I was so happy.
6th Grade: Still sporting the bangs.

I did it!!!

I made it through my first 1/2 Marathon! Yay! The Provo River 1/2 Marathon was today, andI actually did it and survived!

The buses left the Riverwood's Parking Lot at 4:45 AM to take us up Provo Canyon. It was cold! There were over 2000 runners and about 30 porta-potties. Do the math....about 70 people per potty. And we all had to go before the race! No wonder they bused us up there so early.

Anyways, this is kind of how I felt towards the end...


I saw some neighbors and friends from the gym. I found my life saver, a friend from the gym - Stacey - about mile 8. We stuck together after that and encouraged one another. I don't know if encouraged is the right word. Stacey and her husband come to my Tread classes at the gym. She trained MUCH harder and better than I did for this race. So...when we hooked up I was honestly thinking, "Oh, crap - I cannot let her pass me. She is expecting me to do well. I cannot quit." So, I didn't. And either did she! Thanks Stac for the motivation!

Now that it is over...what did I learn?

• Take some ibuprofen before the race and right after - my legs are going to be aching for days.
• Find a good friend to run with.
• An i-Pod is a MUST.
• Train harder/smarter.
• My stomach does like my body pushing past 10 miles - thank goodness for bathrooms!
• I can do it again, and I probably will.

Oh - and I didn't really have a goal for my time - I just wanted to finish. But I think for my first, I did pretty well. 2:04.

Flashback Friday

I think there is some unwritten rule that states "If you grow up in a rural county in Idaho, you must participate in the local County Fair." Of course, this rule applied to me, and I reluctantly entered a sheep in the County Fair - more than once. And my nieces and nephews are participating in that same County Fair right now. Because the rule applies to them, too.


I actually look pretty happy in this picture. I'm sure it's because I know this is the last time I have to walk that darn sheep. Click on it, I'm pretty cute and have the sweetest smile. Click on it so you can see my belt buckle and my bangs.

Somewhere in the rules, there is something about owning a cowgirl hat.

Another year, another sheep...

Oh, but notice the blue ribbon. Uh-huh. And notice the perm. And the belt. Classy.

I almost gave up...

I have been trying for the past 24 hours to post a couple of pictures on my blog, with no luck. I really get annoyed when things don't work like I expect them to. Are you with me? I probably tried at least 25 times with much frustration. I was so ready to just throw the towel in. Who needs blogging anyways? Um, I do...so I tried in a different browser, and I decided to stay a blogger. A lazy blogger, but I'm still here. So here is what has been happening around our house lately.

Princess Emma has been EXTRA busy. Just two nights ago I found her in Gabe's art kit coloring with his markers. Picture it, laying on her belly on the floor, feet up in the air, on hand on her chin. I thought it was so precious. Then she came running to me like 30 seconds later looking like this....That would be white out. What do you do? Yep - take a picture an throw her in the tub.

The BIG news for the week is that Gabe got his cast off! Yippee! But, his leg is prety weak, so Jesse set up his Trainer in the living room and put Gabe on it to strengthen up his leg. It is going to take longer than I thought, but he'll get his strength back.

Whatcha reading?

I, like the rest of the nation, am reading Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer. So far, so good! Just as I expected!

I just finished The Host, another of Stephanie Meyer's amazing works. I couldn't put this one down. This is her first adult book, (the Twilight Series was for Young Adults, but hey, we are all young adults at heart, right?) I am always in awe at author's and the stories they come up with. No exception with this one. Makes you think....

Then, I also read Escape by Carolyn Jessop. Okay, I think polygamy is wrong, but it is intriguing to me none the less. Not to participate, but to learn about it. This is Carolyn's story of being one of many wives, her trials, and her escape. Not a feel good book, but I liked it.

Have you Heard?

The next Scrapbook Expo is coming shortly and enrollment opened today! It is September 19 - 20. I had so much fun teaching at the last Expo with Robert's Arts and Crafts, and am doing it again this year. The ABC's Of Me was such a hit, that I am doing it just one more time with cute, fun paper that works for a boy or a girl. I have had some of you ask about this book. It is super cute 6 x 6 album with a page for each letter of the alphabet. You put your own picture on each page to go with the letter. Emma and her little friends LOVE to pull this one out at church! It's a great way for your little peeps to learn their letters!



I am so excited about this next book - another 6 x 6 album. It is called Expressions of Me. It has 12 Expression Layouts such as excited, sad, grumpy, happy, etc. Each layout has a place for a picture and a journaling page. There are some expressions that Gabe and Emma have had that I never want to forget. (some I probably already have...)


And, two of my cute friends are teaching classes there too. Nat is doing a calendar class and Aly is doing a Christmas Box. Both so cute!

So go sign-up here.

And there are always fun vendors to shop at and tons of give-a-ways! See you there!

Flashback Friday...

Flashback Friday this week is twofold. One - to give the Flashback, and Two - to honor our 11th Anniversary.

I posted Wedding pictures on a previous Flashback Friday, but here are a couple more. Happy Anniversary, Jess! And to many more happy years to come!