Justin Hines

We had the awesome opportunity to take our kids to see Justin Hines at Tuachan, several weeks ago! We all left so happy that we had experienced him and his music! He is an amazing talent, and though I felt kind of strange being about the only family there, I was so happy that I took all of them! Not only is his story incredible, his personality, his charm, and his will to live and share his talent was amazing! I left there full of gratitude for the health of my children, but also so grateful that they can see what can be accomplished even if you are dealt a hard hand in life! If you get a chance to check him and his music out, you can find him here.

Symphony

Way, way, way behind! As always! I was lucky enough to get to go with Karlin on a field trip to the symphony, before Thanksgiving! Wow! Field trips are a lot of work! I have no idea how more kids aren't lost on field trips after this adventure! It was fun to spend a little time with Karlin and watch her with her friends!

Friendship feast

Daxton had a feast at his school right before Thanksgiving. He was so excited to have both his mom and dad there to eat lunch with him! He wasn't so excited about his indian feather hat! We only got it on him long enough to snap a picture or two and then that thing was off! Thanks Sarah, for being our photographer! Note to self: Charge your battery BEFORE you go to the school! :)

Kenzie and her stories

Kenzie has spent lots of time at home, the last couple weeks, thanks to sickness! She started off with a terrible cough, that then turned into Bronchitis, that I am not sure is even still gone! She has found plenty of ways to entertain herself, and loved when her teacher sent home a project to dress a turkey and then write a story about how she dressed it. Her story cracked me up, so I thought I would share!

THE GREAT WISHING SNOW FLAKE

Once upon a time there was a little turkey named Sappy. At school he was called four eyes. He was selfish and cared about only himself . One day Sappy said to his mom, “I am wearing sandals, a short shirt, and shorts to school”. His mom said, “Its going to be cold outside”. I don’t care! I am the boss of myself!”, Sappy yelled. His mom sadly left. Sappy put his clothes and was mad because he doesn’t like yelling at his mom. He ate his cereal and left. Shshshshshh shshshshshs, the snow went, and Sappy was freezing. Finally he got to school, he shivered and sneezed the whole day. Bing, Bing, Bing went the bell, and all the kids left except Sappy. “Why are you not leaving”, the teacher asked? “Because I am cold”, Sappy replied. “Well, it’s better to run quick to your house, because your making no steps here”, said the teacher. He went outside and he watched his teacher go to her truck. “Broom, Broom”, went the engine as she started the truck and right in the back of her truck were blankets and jackets. Sappy decided to get in the truck and … borrow some blankets, not steal. He got in the back of the truck and VROOM the truck went and BEEP it pulled over and BOOM he fell out of the truck. The truck left, he did not know where he was. He laid near a tree and PUOFF, a snow flake appeared out of nowhere and said, ”I will give you ten”… “ten coats?” ,Sappy interrupted. “No ten…” ”ten mittens?” “No ten” …”, “Ten blankets?” “No! No! No! Ten wishes!”, yelled the snowflake! “Sweet! I know what I want! First, I want a comfortable hat. Next, I want a blue scarf. Then I want a striped sweater with red buttons. Also, colorful feathers too and new sparkled glasses and a green belt with a red button, then blue pants and green stockings. Next, I would like spotted boots and the tenth one, you surprise me!”

POOOF! He had a comfortable hat and a blue scarf and a striped sweater with red buttons, colorful feathers, new sparkly glasses and a green belt with a red button on it, blue pants with green stockings and spotted boots. But where was the tenth surprise wish? He must have forgotten it! Sappy put his hands in his pocket wondering where it was. Just when he put his hands in his pocket, he felt something. He took it out and it was a picture of his mom. It was 9:00 clock P.M. He got scared and closed eyes, a tear came down his cheek and landed on the picture. POUFF! Sappy opened his eyes and he was home and never was selfish again!

Thankful for Thanksgiving and Family!

We spent Thanksgiving up North with the family! It was fun, but cold! I am not a fan of cold! The kids thought it was awesome! They love to get all bundled up and go out in the freezing snow for fun! I don't see how that is fun, but at least they don't ask or expect me to join them!

We had the whole family together! I love that my mom and dad don't try and have us join both sides separately. It is so much easier on all of us to just be one big happy family, especially on Thanksgiving!
We ate dinner and then drew straws for dishes! Tony and my dad lost! They were so happy they got to do all those dishes!



We tried to get a family shot! Wow was that not a great idea! You really do need a professional with this many impatient people involved!
We also had the opportunity to go see the Rockettes Christmas show in Salt Lake. Well, some of us went! Tony, Troy, Kamren and Daxton opted for not going! That was fine with me since the tickets were so expensive! We had fun without them and I thought the show was great! My brother and his wife and daughter thought it was great too!

We are not the Rockettes, thats for sure! I even got a cramp in my leg trying to do a kick line!
We also took the Frontrunner to Salt Lake to see Tangled and go to Discovery Gateway. We all loved the movie and the museum, at least some of the kids did! Not so much fun for the teenagers!





We packed it in tight and had tons of fun doing it! My family thinks I am insane for all the plans I make when I come up! They just follow along in awe of all the things we get done! Thanks family, for a fun weekend and thanks for putting up with me and my crazy family!

The Crazy Mommy's Kid Halloween Party Extravaganza!!!

Last year, I was SOOOO excited when I got Halloween stuff for 90% off, a couple of days after Halloween. I had been dreaming, ever since, of the day I could put all of my "treasures" to good use! I think I was dreaming more about the food that I could make, than the fun that they kids would actually have, but they made their own fun! I am not sure what I was thinking planning this major shindig on the Friday right before Halloween, but oh well! It was fun, none the less! None of this would have even been possible if my great friend, Teresa hadn't stayed and helped! So thanks, T!

I made these fun eye balls out of donut holes and white chocolate!

These yummy Kisses actually tasted like candy corn! I think Teresa and I ate more than the kids!
Candy corn Jell-O!
Yummy cupcakes! We also had Mummy Dogs, which were little sausages wrapped up in creasant rolls. I missed getting a picture of those!

Not sure what was going on here! Or why, instead of stopping this, I was snapping a picture of it!
They had the most fun playing Red Rover! Who needed all of my crafts or cupcake walks! I told you! They made their own fun!
Daxton and his little buddy, pretty much stayed out of the action! They knew they would get hurt playing with all of those big kids!

We ended up with quite the crew! I told the kids that they could each invite 3 friends, they seemed to think it was fun, even if the kids there spanned from 3 to 10 years old!

Halloween-Post 1

Apparently it takes Bronchitis and Strep throat x2, to force me to edit some pictures and update my blog! :)

We had a great Halloween, as usual! Filled with parties and fun activities at school and the church! I don't know what it is I love so much about this holiday, except that there are really no expectations for Halloween-you can celebrate as much or as little as you like! That must be it, and I usually choose A LOT!

The morning started off at Daxton's preschool. I got to go and help with Halloween Bingo. They had quite the little party and by 11:30 he already had enough candy for 3 Halloweens!

Next, it was off to the Elementary school, to help with costumes and watch the parade! The school choir also had a performance. I am not sure how all of those kids had so many songs memorized for how little they practice!

She gets the "turkey" award, this year. She had a costume all picked out from the costume bin, and then the night before decided to pull a fast one on us! As we were leaving for our Thursday night date, she informed me that she wanted to be a super hero and that the costume was at Walmart...so if we could just go by Walmart after our date, she would love us forever! How could we say no to that! She even woke up at 6AM, the next morning, just to make sure we got her new costume!

After that, we had an awesome(crazy mommy!) after school, Halloween party with some of the kids friends....more about that later!

Then headed to the annual Trunk or Treat at the church. Tony isn't a fan of Trunk or Treat, but I say free dinner and getting it all done in 1/2 hour is great! Next year my family is boycotting! They all said we are going to dinner and doing some normal trick or treating! Whatever!!!

This year, we had a librarian(come on! it was stuff I already had!), a bald Elder Cheney(inside joke), a spy, a hippie, Wonder girl, and Thomas!

Kenzie and her spy costume cracked me up. She came up with the whole thing herself. I didn't even see the whole costume until I saw her at school with it on. Not one thing was new, and she was very proud of herself! I like free costumes!

Notice Karlin had a costume change from the day to the night! She somehow misplaced her first Hippy costume and didn't realize it until 5 minutes before we left for Trunk or Treat! In fact, we still haven't found that first costume. This one worked just fine, once she removed the Wizards of Waverly Place emblem from the bottom of it! I guess she doesn't like that show!

The story on the Elder Cheney costume! This is Adam Cheney. He is in our Ward. Since they are both bald, balding, blah, blah, what ever you want to call it....they decided it would be funny to be each other for Halloween. Tony was Adam, when he was a missionary 20 years ago(skinny but still bald)....and Adam was Tony, 20 years from now as a Dixie Direct guy(plump and bald). The funniest part was that they both shaved the tops of their heads to completely bald. Tony's isn't growing back too well, either! :(

Staheli Farm

What would we do without Staheli Farm in the month of October?!!! My kids think they are part owners!! Daxton even started taking his own dump truck by the time he had been there a few times this year. I love how care free my kids are when we are there....They have not a care in the world and I love to watch their faces and watch them just be kids.....and my husband too!!!

How funny is it that my kids and husband has more fun pulling the corn apart and finding the worms inside than they did trying to conquer the corn maze?!! Silly people!!

Dax and I, also got to go on a field trip with his old Preschool group. I love going to Staheli Farm during the day! Not a lot of people, everything is almost free! Staheli Farm field trips are the best!

He loved this pond! I was a little nervous, but it is pretty easy to watch 1 kid!

I love this little man!