Where is Spring?

April Fools Day - you're all invited to join us for dinner next year!

You can see how much fun we had on Easter!!!   Luckily,  we had an easter egg hunt yesterday - because it snowed 5 inches last night!   Where is Spring?    Eggs coming soon. 

As High as a Kite!

We've been having fun at our house! Not much time to spend blogging just playing. Enjoy!

 Workout Woman,  Sit on the Couch guy and I have started a new blog. Take a look - fitsnacks.blogspot.com

I can't find anything to wear!

Last night I had the most frustrating dream.  I dreamed that I was trying to find the perfect outfit to wear to an appointment that I had.  The closet that I was choosing out of was probably the size of my great room.  There were many many choices,  dresses, skirts, blouses, levis - whatever you might want for any type of occasion.  I couldn't find anything to wear and time was ticking.  I tried on many things and put together many combinations but nothing was quite right.  The appointment time was approaching.  I went to another closet in an adjacent room still nothing right for me.  The appointment time had now come and I was in a panic.  I finally just put on a pair of kaki's - which had a stain, were too tight, and too short - and I went to my appointment late.  Horrible.

I share this because as I have been thinking about that dream today,  I realize it is what I have been feeling as I try to make decisions for my family.  There are  many decisions I have to make for my children all of the time and they are counting on me to make the correct decisions for them. My children trust me.  What I realize now is that there are many different outfits I can choose from, but not all of them are going to be right for me.  I also cannot just be set on one outfit excusively because it won't be right for every occasion.  I might not be comfortable with my decisions all of the time.  In my dream, I ran out of time and I took the easy way out - comfortable kaki's - and it ended up horrible.  Sometimes I just want to take the easy road but that might not be the best one for me.

In reality,  my closet is quite small and I don't have very many outfits to chose from but I do want to look my best.  I don't have to make all our life decisions right now - just pick the right outfit for today. 

My Exercise Diary - Day 7

Day 7.

Well, that's the week. Thank goodness that's over. Maybe next time my wife will give me something a little more fun, like a gift certificate for a root canal.

My Exercise Diary - Day 6

Day 6.

Got Janell's message on my answering machine, wondering where I am. I lacked the strength to use the TV remote so I watched eleven straight hours of the weather channel.

My Exercise Diary - Day 5

Day 5.

I hate "Jillian" more than any human being has ever hated any other

human being in the history of the world. If there was any part on my body not in extreme pain I would hit her with it. She thought it would be a good idea to work on my triceps. Well I have news for you Jillian - I don't have triceps. And if you don't want dents in the floor don't hand me any barbells. I refuse to accept responsibility for the damage, YOU went to sadist school, YOU are to blame. The treadmill flung me back into a science teacher, which hurt like crazy. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like a music teacher, or social studies?

My Exercise Diary - Day 4

Day 4.

Janell was waiting for me with her vampire teeth in a full snarl. I can't help it if I was half an hour late, it took me that long just to tie my shoes. She wanted me to lift dumbbells.
Not a chance, Janell. The word "dumb" must be in there for a reason. I hid in the men's room until she sent Lars looking for me. As punishment she made me try the rowing machine.
It sank.

My Exercise Diary - Day 3

Day 3.

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the tooth brush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I am certain that I have developed a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer. I parked on top of a Volkswagen. Janell was a little impatient with me and said my screaming was bothering the other club members. The treadmill hurt my chest so I did the stair monster. Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate and activity rendered obsolete by the invention of elevators? Janell told me regular exercise would make me live longer. I can't imagine anything worse.

My Exercise Diary - Day 2

Day 2.

Took a whole pot of hot chocolate to get me out the door, but I made it. Janell had me lie on my back and push this heavy iron bar up into the air. Then she put weights on it, for heaven's sake. Legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made it a full mile. Her smile made it all worth while. Muscles all feel GREAT.

My Exercise Diary - Day 1

I found this story several years ago - and have wanted to share it ever since. I don't know where the original originated from - I have made some minor changes. I thought it would be appropriate to share this now since it is the first of a new year. I will post each day this week to give you motivation to continue with your new fitness resolutions.

My Exercise Diary

For Christmas this year my wife purchased me a week of private lessons at the local health club. Though still in great shape from when I was on the varsity chess team in high school, I decided it was a good idea to go ahead and try it. I called to make reservations with someone named Janell, who said she is a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and athletic clothing model. My wife seemed very pleased with how enthusiastic I was to get started. They suggested I keep an "exercise diary" to chart my progress.

Day 1.

Started the morning at 6:00 am. Tough to get up, but worth it when I arrived at the health club and Janell was waiting for me. She's something of a goddess, with blond hair and a dazzling white smile. She showed me the machines and took my pulse after five minutes on the treadmill. She seemed a little alarmed that it was so high, but I think just standing next to her in that outfit of hers added about ten points. Enjoyed watching the aerobics class. Janell was very encouraging as I did my sit ups, though my gut was already aching a little from holding it in the whole time I was talking to her. This is going to be GREAT!

Raptor Claws

I got scratched by a Raptor!

(actually - just a welt from a big rubber band)

How could I ever say I hate homework?

Just some good laughs featuring Peanut's finest

Look at #4

Pumpkin Arrives!

Our little pumpkin was born on Friday, Nov. 20th. He (Yeah a boy) was 6lbs. 7 oz. and 21 inches long. He was bigger than we thought he would be and we are grateful he is here.

Our little pumpkin had a hard time breathing so he ended up in the NICU with fluid and inflammation in his lungs. They put him on oxygen and antibiotics through an IV to treat for pneumonia. His oxygen hood made him look like an astronaut. We were only able to hold our pumpkin for a little while on Friday before he was admitted into intensive care. He was on oxygen all day on Friday. On Saturday morning they let him try to breathe room air and let me nurse him but he wasn't quite ready so he was back on the oxygen until Sunday morning. He was able to keep his oxygen levels up on Sunday so they let me hold and feed him. He finished his rounds of antibiotics on Monday and we were able to bring him home. Pumpkin is doing great!!! He is eating and sleeping very well. The kids all love him. Farmer is so proud of his little brother. He had been saying we were going to have a baby brother before I even knew I was pregnant. I don't think I have ever seen farmer so happy as when he met his brother for the first time - it was a moment I will never forget. We finally introduced him to Squeak - she is pretty rough with him. She does not quite know what "soft" means - she about ripped his arms off and poked his eyeballs out. We are going to have to watch her close. Luckily she is too short to reach into the bassinet so the only time she has access to pumpkin is when we are holding him. The first time she saw him in his carseat she just yelled at him because she wanted that baby out of the car seat so she could get in. She thinks he is a toy so their relationship may be difficult for a couple of months or years.

Petunia and Peanut are old pros at this baby stuff. They are really great with him and want to hold him all the time. Mr. Smiley called the school when pumpkin was born and told the girls. The secretary told him they were smiling ear to ear. I don't think they have stopped. The kids were not able to come to the hospital to see pumpkin so it was hard for them to wait to meet him.

We are really happy to have pumpkin in our home. He is a blessing and has already brought so much love. It is truly amazing how something so small can have an immediate affect on all of us around him. We can feel the love our Heavenly Father has for us just by holding this little boy. We are grateful that we have been given this precious little boy to have in our family. He truly is a gift straight from Heaven.

Check out his professional photo on hospitalportraits.com.

http://www.utahportraits.com/hospital/index.php?pg=baby&action=view&BabyID=112009jbt

Off to the races

On your Marks...get set..go!

Just try to keep up. Squeak turned one. Runnergirl started swimming lessons. We took vacations to Goblin Valley and Bear Lake. Our church almost burned down. We made a volcano, zip line and bouncy balls. Interested anyone? If you want to see more, look at the following post for each event.

Summer fun

You know those days when you wish that the church would burn down so you wouldn't have to go to church? Well, it happened. We came home late on Saturday and I needed to still do my Gospel Doctrine lesson when the news came that there had been a fire at our church. Kind of sad really, luckily only the kitchen and young women's rooms were damaged. Interestingly, the week earlier, I sat in the Young Women's room looking around at the decorations and enjoying the fact that I had helped decorate that room and relishing in the pride I was feeling. I am glad I took a moment to do that.

We will never forget 2009 as the year that we only had church 10 months out of the year. Actually, we go to Sacrament meeting at the Stake Center combined with another ward. Every other week we switch who goes to Sacrament only and who goes to the whole block of meetings. I say 10 months because at the first of the year we were made into a new ward so we only had Sacrament meeting for a month. Now we are every other week for a month or so.

Our science experiments are going so so. I never was very good at chemistry. Our volcano did have a pretty good eruption but our bouncy balls didn't really bounce. I think Mr. Smiley's zip line is a bigger hit. All in all we are having a great summer.

Only in Paris

Step back in time a decade or so and you will be in Paris.

Only in Paris does the Pizza joint close at 6pm on Fridays - oh that is if they are open that day.

Only in Paris can you play on a merry go round that teaches you to run fast or fly.

Only in Paris can you have a horse race on a swing.

Only in Paris can you freeze at the ice cave and get a sunburn at the lake.

Only in Paris can you drink sweet spring water.

Only in Paris can you bring your children to your childhood days.

Only in Paris can you be a kid again.

The only thing missing is the Swedish fish and the frosted root beer at the drug store.

Boo Hoodoo

We had lots of fun running and hiding from the goblins.

Catching tadpoles and trying to tame the little wild horse.

Mr. Smiley was his normal self. Other people think he is amazing as he is hiking for 3 hours carrying 2 kids in the pack. That is nothing for him. Next year he will have 3 kids in the pack. Easy.