dought I love it

Cookie Dough!

Today I promised Sam I would make cookies with her. I try to save the cookie making when Thayne is home because he likes me making cookies for him. Oh well, we made them anyways. My kids are old enough that they usually make everything without my help, but tonight it was fun doing it together. I forgot how nice it was to make cookies with my kids. The one thing that my kids do every time, is they don't finish making the cookies. They stick a bowl of dough in the fridge and then they pick at it until it is gone. Tonight was the one night I didn't mind. It is 10:30pm and I was looking for a snack, which I never do this late (I hate eating after 7:30) and I saw this bowl of cookie dough. Thinking I had great willpower I tried to walk away only to find myself walking to the spoon drawer and going back to get myself a nice hearty scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough and loving every minute of it.

Ahhhh, sweet dreams!

counting down the days

Every party needs a pooper!

Only I don't think you are supposed to be the pooper and not want a party!

A 16th BIRTHDAY PARTY!

It is hard for me to even believe that we are counting down the days until he turns 16, but it is almost here. I have been hoping TJ wanted to have some friends over for a party, but he has told us that he does not want one. He also said he does not want us to surprise him with one either. GRRRRRR! Does this have to be all about him? What about me? I have always wanted my kids to have a fun 16th birthday party and now he says he doesn't want one. OK really I know this is not about me, but I wish it was. This is probably going to be one of those that I have to suck up and realize I am not going to get my way.

We (Thayne and I) have asked him what he wants to do and he keeps saying, "NOTHING". This is to easy. Can a 16th birthday really be this easy.

I have 11 days to talk him into something.

All ideas are welcome.

Make-up day!

This is my day I get to make up for not getting Jess from the bus stop!

She had a half day today and the other kids did not. I went to her bus stop early so I wouldn't miss her and I waited. When she finally arrived she walked over and got in the car and said "why did you pick me up? you never pick me up!"

Rub it in why don't you!

I had a few errands to run and so we were off.

1st stop, lunch. It was a nice treat to be able to sit and have lunch just the 2 of us. I tried to convince Jess that I was way more fun than her boring friends. She just laughed and said "whatever you say".

2nd stop, visit to Sam's seminary teacher. This will be another post later, but he wasn't there but I was able to speak to the man in charge.

3rd stop, we ran to the post office to mail off some bills, I know not very exciting.

4th stop, Ross. Jess told me that her pants were getting to small and didn't fit. I said "oh your pants are getting to tight?" She said "NO! they are getting to small!" So I said "ya they are getting to tight". She said "small and tight are the same thing". It was so funny to argue about something so stupid. We did find a cute pair and off we went to...

5th stop- Albertson's. Picked up a few groceries and you know you can't go to Albertson's without stopping in the bakery to grab a cookie.

6th stop- HOME.

We had alot of fun just hanging out together. We didn't do anything exciting but I am learning that

it is not what I do with my kids that is important, it's just that I do with my kids!

Raining in QC

It's Raining!

Do you know what that means?

Football is cancelled!!!!!!!

It is raining today and I do not like the rain one bit, except when it means I don't have to sit in the heat for 2 hours. Football will be fun when it cools down a bit.

I was able to go and get my kids from the bus stop so they wouldn't have to walk home in the rain, except for you know who.....

The problem is her bus never arrives at the same time everyday , so I am always guessing. I was getting ready to walk out the door to get her and she walked in the door. I was happy to see she was dry.

I am pretty sure everyone has a child like this. She is our child that if we buy all the kids a toy, hers will be broken. You know what I am talking about. So of all the kids to not make it to pick up, it had to be her. Oh well, the good thing is that the rain had stopped and it was probably a nice walk home since it is cooler than most days,

just alittle wet.

Happy Together

Thayne is Home!

It has been a very long time since I did a 3 1/2 weeker. Hopefully it will be along time until I have to do it again. Today Thayne has been doing what Thayne likes to do, work outside. The heat is killing him but he keeps on going back out. He fixed my mangled lawn mower mess and the yard is looking back to normal.

The best part is when I was laying in bed this morning

he came into the room and said,

"would you like to on a lunch date with me"?

I knew exactly were we were going to go, our usual lunch spot.

El Rico's!

This is one of the best parts of having all your kids in school and your husband off work. Lunch dates!

To end the day with a bang. Thayne and I are going to sit at Wyatt's football practice for 2 hours tonight. Maybe if I can get Gena to go it will be a double date.

Just in

Surprise, Surprise!

NOT!

The new bachelor just announced and I will say I saw this one coming.

Oh Arizona

Things I learned about living in Arizona in the summer.

1. you have to eat ice cream very fast

2. you absolutely have to wear some kind of shoes on your feet

3. never just jump in your car and grab the steering wheel ( I forgot that one yesterday)

4. It is always good to have your own pool

5. when brushing your teeth, don't expect the water to be cold.

6. your armpits will pucker. It is just going to happen.

7. you cannot leave crayons, chapstick or food of any kind in your car.


Now this next one is very important

8. Sending flowers and chocolates should be discouraged. (just look at these babies Thayne sent me yesterday)

I called him this morning to thank him for the nice thought, and then I called him back to thank him for the replacement flowers that will be sent next month on our anniversary. Hopefully it will not be so hot then.

9. You must always watch where you are walking. TJ found a scorpion in the hallway last night right were I had been walking barefoot. (luckily we haven't found to many this year)

Last but not least

10. Don't try complaining about the heat. People don't care because they are hot too.

just bugged

You know what? Tonight I went to football, again. I always spray myself with bug spray so I don't get eaten alive. Tonight is the very first night I did not spray myself and I didn't get one bite. I was thinking that was kinda nice.

After football

I took Jessika to the church because she had a interview. I just want to say that I got Zonked 4 times while sitting on the couch waiting. Nothing at football. Eatin alive at the church.

conclusion

Well it turned out 2 other girls did not have their dads either. Jessika said she had a really fun time but it would have been more fun if her dad were there because he is crazy.

On the way home she said she even prayed that Thayne would be able to come home in time but it didn't work. I had to remind her that sometimes our prayers aren't always answered the way we would like them to. She agreed and said it all worked out anyways.

Whoooosh! I am so glad this night

is over and tomorrow is a new day.

daddy/daughter night

Tonight the beehives are having a daddy/daughter night. Jessika really likes spending time with her dad. Many times when Thayne is watching tv I will see Jessika cuddled up right next to him. Anyways, Thayne was trying to get home but his job is just pretty crappy right now. I know that doesn't sound nice to say but to be honest I was being kind by using crappy. Papa Denny is in Kanab so he can't go with her and so we were going to send TJ. It all sounded great until about an hour ago when TJ became a stinker (again choosing a nicer word) and said he wanted to go to his own activity. I can't go because of Wyatt's football and a parent is supposed to be there. So Jessika is going alone and she said she is fine with it, but it kinda makes me sad. I hope she is not the only one going solo.

We sure miss Thayne all the time but especially right about now.

Monday morning treat

After all of my lovely children were out the door for school this morning I started to do some morning chores. I hate morning chores especially on Mondays!


As I was cleaning I came across the best and worst thing possible.

Jujy Fruits!

These are one of my most favorite candies. Except the nasty black ones. I usually save those for Thayne if he is home or I throw them away. Yuckila!

I bought these last week and put them away (actually I hid them) so my kids wouldn't find them and eat them all. Well I usually don't eat until around 12:30, I am not a big breakfast person. After seeing these babies I had to have some and I have been eating them ever since. The green ones are my absolute favorite. I like them when they are a few days old because they are still chewy but alittle hard, which means today they are perfect for eating.

You would think

I should be sitting here with a ton of things to blog about, but really there is nothing exciting to report. Boring I know.

-A few days ago I was mowing the front lawn so it would look nice when Thayne comes home (hopefully soon). I noticed that the lawn look striped. I couldn't figure out the problem and just figured the blade got damaged and so it mowed uneven. The next day I saw the mower had a flat tire. Ah Hah! That was the problem.. So, yesterday I filled the tire and re mowed the lawn. Wow it looked much better. As I was finishing up the side yard I ran over some wire that our fence guys left in the lawn and it wrapped around the blade of the mower. Grrrr. I really do stink at this job. I looked under the mower and saw that it was fixable but it would have to wait for another day. The mower now sits on the lawn waiting to be fixed and I need to do it before Thayne gets home. I don't want him to be fixing all my problems on his few days home.

-Last night we had our adult session of Stake Conf. My friend Laurie called and said the ladies were going to meet the men for dinner in between Priesthood session and the adult session and wanted me to come even though Thayne was not in town. I love that my friends don't care if I hang out solo with them. I was still thinking of backing out at the last minute but decided to go. We had a fun time and I enjoyed spending time with everyone. I would have loved for Thayne to be there, I miss him tons. It is just nice having friends who keep me from spending Saturday night alone. Thanks Girls!

-Today is our Stake Conf. We are the only stake having a conference. I am not sure why but it makes me think it has to be for a good reason. I am sure I am looking into this more than I should but I am curious to see if there is something important happening in our stake. I guess I will know by 3pm today.

-Thayne has been in Quebec for 3 weeks. No I am not a happy camper about it being so long. He is not enjoying it either. I am crossing my fingers that he will be home Tuesday since Jessika has some daddy/daughter thing for her beehive class.
The weekends are the worst when he is out of town. This being the 3rd weekend he is gone makes me on the verge of losing it. Thayne always says,

"there is nothing to worry about, it always works out".

I repeat that saying in my mind on a daily basis.

There is a lady who spoke at a visiting teaching meeting a few weeks ago and she was telling a personal story and in the story the saying was said...

"it will be ok, and if it is not ok, it will still be ok".

This has become one of my favorite reminders that I can handle anything even if I don't like what is being given me, I can still handle it. I love finding out that I am a much stronger person than I thought. Even though I know I can handle it, I still want Thayne home NOW, I miss him so much.

Off easy

Football is cancelled for the night!

(music to my ears)

Why?

These babies right here!

The clouds came rolling in. A half an hour after practice started we were done. It didn't seem so bad when they called practice, but by the time we were packed up the winds were starting to blow. It was so nice to get out of there early tonight. It was not early enough to still make it to the Activity Days Award night I wanted to go to, but it was early enough that I feel like I have time to hang out at home with the kids.

I am done blogging and off to hang out .

It is hard to believe

Yes I could hardly believe my eyes.

This is post 205 for me. Who knew I had that much stuff to blog about. I certainly didn't. I think it is time to save my blog to a book like my friend Laurie did. I heard it is awesome. Sorry I haven't gotten over to look at your book yet Laurie, I am coming. I looked at my posts today and it said 204, and I just couldn't believe it.

I am looking forward to many more funny, memorable, boring and crazy posts that are ahead of me. I have learned so much and realized I have alot more to learn from myself and all of my blogging friends. Maybe I will even follow through with my promises. Like a updated picture of my kitchen color that many of you have said I haven't posted yet. I will do my best.

Tag Shmag!

Not sure who thought up this one but I will go along for the ride. I have been tagged by my sister Rachel.



These are the rules:

list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 surprising facts and then tag 5 other people. Leave a comment for the people you tag so they know they have been tagged.



*JOYS*


- having Thayne home


- roller coasters


- pedicures


*FEARS*

- eating fish


- TJ driving


- ghosts (just the evil ones)


*OBSESSIONS*


- photoshop, I am learning alot of new stuff so I love it.


- having my cell phone near by so I don't miss Thayne calling me.


- Black Cherry slushes from QT


*FACTS*


- In 17 years Thayne and I have only gone one day without talking to each other (phones went out in Mexico)


- I would rather live by the beach


- I don't wear lipstick, ever. Just lip balm or lightly colored lip gloss.


- I believe tan fat looks better than white fat. It just does.


****OK people I tag
Julia
Laurie
Gena
Kaye
Tauni


Have fun ladies!

dance

Oh to be 14.

Saturday night was Samantha's first official stake dance.

After many hours of deciding to go or not because her friends were either to young to go or had other plans, she decided to go and hang out with Jake and TJ, who both told her that she could hang out with them. She did see some friends of hers when she got their which was good because the boys tried to ditch her most of the night. I guess they still haven't learned that cute little sister means she has cute little friends. They will figure it out one day. She still had fun and got asked to dance quite a bit. My favorite is when she said, " Mom a guy 6'4" asked me to dance, it was kind of awkward". Samantha is only about 4'10". Oh how I wish Iwas there to get a picture of that dance. I am glad she went and I knew for sure next time she is only going to go with her posse by her side.

Piggin Out!

Isn't he so Cute?

Not to Me!

I am not sure I mentioned that when we got home from vacation from Utah a few weeks ago, we came home to 2 pigs in our yard. They just showed up while we were gone and made themselves right at home. There was a black one and a white one. We could not find the owners for them. We think someone just didn't want them so they just let them go and they found friends at our house. Thayne called around and got a livestock place to come and get them.

Yesterday a lady (not much bigger than Samantha) showed up all by herself to get them.

This was not going to work

I knew she could not do this by herself. There I was in jeans and a black shirt and flip flops in the heat of the Arizona sun chasing stinking gross pigs that aren't even mine, and trying to get them in a crate in the back of this ladies truck. I bet if someone was taping the 2 of us running around the back yard it would make a good YouTube video. After about an hour we finally got them safe and sound and on their way to a new home.

Hopefully they will find someone who likes them.

So there I was RED FACED and sweaty, very very sweaty. I see Samantha and TJ walking down the driveway from the bus stop. This is the first day I didn't pick them up from the bus stop because I was chasing pigs. So there I was, did I mention I was very very red and sweaty? The first thing TJ says to me was "thanks for picking us up from the bus mom".

HUH are you Kidding ME? You did not just say that!

Samantha says "mom why is your face so red"? Much better, she actually noticed I was working hard. After explaining to them what I had been doing, Samantha understood and felt bad, and TJ still irritated thought he should have come first.

I am sure it is just a phase that all almost 16 year olds go through, right? I will see how much better he feels about it when he has to walk home again on Monday just for being a brat about it. I can't wait.

2 Pigs down and now only a few cows and horses to go.

Gotta luv them

My Kids!

There are times when they are on my last nerve and I love getting in my car and going to the store to have a few minutes to think straight. However, they are the top priority in my life right now. Well Thayne is actually my top priority but being that he is in Quebec, my kids have my full attention.

Tonight I was kinda torn about being at Wyatt's football practice and Relief Society. I guess it is really called Home Family Personal Enrichment. Really, whoever thought of that name is crazy. What were they thinking "Relief Society, hmm that sounds to easy we need to think of a long drawn out name that we can call these women's activities." I don't get it but maybe that is why I am in primary.

Well anyways, tonight I kinda wanted to be at HFPE (even the initials don't flow) to hang out with friends but I knew that I needed to be at Wyatt's practice just in case something happened like he got hurt. Plus I knew if I was at HFPE I would be thinking about Wyatt at football the whole time. So I ended up staying at football and it ended up practice ended early do to weather. I still did not get home in time to go to HFPE but I would not trade going to HFPE for football practice any day.

Every time Wyatt made a good catch or did something good,

he would look over and see if I was watching.

I wouldn't trade that part of being a mom for anything!

The sweet taste of chocolate

There it was, I could hear it. Driving down the road this morning I could hear my phone ringing somewhere in my car.

Why wasn't it in my purse?

I dumped my purse out and for sure it was not there.

Looked under my seat, behind my seat and everywhere my arm would reach (yes while I was driving) and still I could not find my cute little chocolate phone.

The last place I remember having it was talking to Thayne last night at football practice. I got home and looked in the trunk of the car. Only thing back there was my chair and my book that I was reading. I could call myself but my house phones batteries are shot. I know it's in the car because I heard it. I was not giving up. My phone is my lifeline to Thayne when he is out of town and I needed to find it.

We make fun of the old HUGE cell phones we all had back in the 90's, but right about now it would be nice for mine to have been that big because then maybe I would be able to find the thing. Ok not giving up I had a thought flash in my mind. Really it was a flash of "check there" . I went to the back of the trunk again and saw the folding chair shoved nice and tight in it's little sleeve. I reached my hand down inside the sleeve and found my phone in the cup holder of the chair.

Yipppeee for me I found it!

Then the thought of how dumb I was for folding the chair up with it in the cup holder. I must have stuck it there after I finished talking to Thayne and then since I was talking to people around me when I was cleaning up to go I paid no attention to what I was doing.

Shocker I know!

So how I think about it is.....

I may have been stupid enough to do it, but I was certainly able to figure it out and find it all by my little self.

The joy and the pain

It just amazes me how these boys go out and run in 106 degree heat. They run and hit and run again. They do drills and then more drills for 2 hours straight. They look exhausted by the end of the night. Then as we walk to the car I hear how much fun football is and all the cool things that happened at practice.

I don't get it, but I am glad Wyatt enjoys it.

You Rock

Young Womens Rocked tonight! Really!

Samantha went rock climbing with the Mia Maids.

Jessika made prayer rocks

and me, I just sat like a rock for 2 hot hours at Wyatt's football practice.

Thank goodness there are no pictures of that to show you.

Nicknames

I thought I should explain alittle bit about Samantha's blog title. Sammy Soup! It is not a nickname that is used in our home a ton, but in our extended families you can hear her being called "Sammy Soup" or now even "Soup". I don't think Thayne has ever called her that, but I have called her it just for fun.

How she got it.

The short version is.... my sister Rachel started calling Samantha "Sammy Sue" when she was a baby. NOPE, her middle name isn't even Sue or Suzanne or anything of the such. Her middle name is Nicole. Now Rachel's middle name is Suzanne so I am thinking Rachel was crushed that Samantha wasn't named after her so she had to start something, I don't know for sure but it is just a hunch. Ok, back to the reason.
Rachel was calling her "Sammy Sue" and her kids must be deaf or something because all they heard was "Sammy Soup" and the rest is history. Soup it was and soup it is.
Rachel even wrote a book about nicknames with Sam's story of her nickname. It was a great kids book and could be published if we could ever find the copy of it. We lost it. I can tell you what color paper it is printed on but I have no idea where it has been stored. So maybe if we ever find it you may one day see a book in the store called ..
"Sammy Soup".

Here I am

If you are thinking to yourself

"Self, Heather hasn't been blogging that much the last few days what has she been doing"?


Well, I have been having fun designing Jessika and Samantha's blog. That's what I have been doing.

Since we have their blogs set to private you really can't see it, right?

Well I am going to show you what they look like.

This is Samantha's Blog

This is Jessika's

I am not posting these so you can tell me what a great job I did on them, I just wanted to show you what I was up do. My girls like them and that is what matters the most. Each time I play around with a new design I learn something new. In Jessika's I learned sparkles and glitter. Jessika could not sit still while I was doing hers, she just wanted to jump in my seat and take over. She has decided she really likes Photoshop and she wants to design stuff herself. Maybe I could bribe her for time on my computer with Mrs Photoshop.

I do want to clarify that I did not design Samantha's paper I used one from one that I downloaded. I really should find out where so I could give them credit. Jessika's background paper I did make and that probably explains why it is crazy.

loner date night

Yeah for me! Yesterday I did not stay home. My kids went to school and I went and hung out with my family. My brother and his family are in town from Logan. I know it is not like I didn't just see them a few weeks ago, but they are here to visit with my SIL side of the family.

After crashing Julia's house and hanging out for abit, my sister Rachel and I broke off and went to Paradise Bakery for lunch. I really think I should be alittle more daring and try something new once in awhile. Maybe next time. We talked and ate for awhile and probably could have stayed there for hours but I had to be home before my kids got off the bus. We did manage to go to a home store really quick to see what new little goodies they got in. I didn't buy anything but may go back.

After all of my kids got home we drove up to my sisters house where we dropped off the kids and all of the adults went out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. I went with Rachel & Stephen, Ethan & Shannon and Milo & Kris. Do you notice anything wrong with that picture? I was the only one without a date. It was all good and I never felt like the odd man out.

I wish I would have taken my camera. There are no words to describe our small group stop to Target. You know it was crazy when we are leaving the store and Shannon says "everyone in the store is looking at us". Not good! I am so glad it is not my regular Target. We had fun but, I missed you Thayne.

Thayne is working in Quebec Canada for a few weeks. This weekend he drove 6 hours to visit his brother in New Hampshire. He gets bored when he is out of town on the weekends, so this will be fun for him to see his brother and family and keep himself busy. I sure hope he is taking pictures.

I think that is all for now. I am just lucky to always have family around. They make me laugh and there are times they make me crazy, but I like calling them family.