Moab 2013

Over Thanksgiving Break we went to Moab with Michelle and Marti's family.  We have never been on a family vacation besides Bear Lake this summer.  We rented a car and stayed in a hotel for two nights.  Super fun.  The first day, we Drove to Moab, got our tree permit, THEN went on a super fun hike to Delicate Arch.  Marti and I parked the cars, and the rest of them hiked up the hill.  We got some great pics.  I don't have any yet, because Marti had to hang back with me to get me up the hill to the top.  It was Great!  Jack and Nick did great and I finally got there.  Thanks to Marti.  We hiked up at dusk and it was kindof chilly.  SOO fun.  Then we went and ate at Pizza Hut.

Day two, we got up and started on our jaunt to get our Christmas tree.  We drove about an hour and then dropped off my rental car beause it wouldn't make it up the hill anymore and we all climbed in with Marti.  We kept going to the top and finally got out and hiked around to find our tree.  It was a beautiful day.  We found a couple of winners of a tree.  Andrew chopped them down along with Mckenna and dragged them to the car.  We found a sledding hill after and had some fun sledding.

We came back to the rental car and found it had slid backwards and across the street.  SO lucky it didn't slide off the cliff!  That would have been hard to explan to the Enterprise rental people.  We drove around and saw some petroglyphs for Nick.  He is studying Utah in 4th grade so he wanted to see them.

We left the next day.  We stopped in one city (can't remember which one) for a potty break and lunch.  Some of us wanted blimpie and some wanted burger king.  We are getting out of the car and Andrew was getting my purse since he wanted me to pay and he dumped my wallet all over the ground.  Receipts, credit adds, rewards cards, and money everywhere!  I was a bit irritated but tried to keep my cool...got our lunch then on our way to get gas.  Abi was putting in the gas and spilled it all over the car, the ground and all over her shoes!  Brooke and couldn't believe them.  I have failed to raise them.  Andrew says to Brooke " Brooke, the reason you don't do anything stupid is because you never do anything!". Soo funny and true.  Laughed all the way home.  We had a great trip.  Trying to make memories.  I hope they realize that!

 

Nick

Brooke and McKenna

McKenna

Nick

All of us

Jack

Brooke,McKenna, Abi

Jack

Michelle on way to restroom

Michelle and Abi

Andrew

Jack

 

Andrew, Jack, Brooke, Nick, Maureen and Abi

Nick couldn't wait

 

McKenna about to fall in the gorge

nick, Jack and Marti on way to some bridge

Christmas Thoughts 2013

Christmas is bitter sweet for me.  It was sweet while my children were young, but now that I'm the main bread winner in the family (and have been for the past 8 years..and have been my entire married life I just didn't know that) Christmas is a source of stress. I can't make ends meet each month, then throw a very expensive holiday in the picture and it is unbelievably stressful.  Lose sleep kind of stressful.  Pit in the stomach since october kind of stressful.  It seems the entire world has my problem, but no one else seems to dislike the holiday like I do.

The thing is, is that I LOVE to shop.  Especially for my family, the people that I love the most.  I love that stores are open late and there are super fun things to do.  But during all of that, I'm worried about how much it will cost.  Will my choices be good enough?  Will my family finally realize that we are poor?  I don't want them to feel like they are deprived or less desired because we have or they receive soo little.  all during church we are taught to remember the reason for the season.  That is a great idea. Even if we remember Jesus Christ Birth, I still have the money problem with the gift buying overshadowing that fabulous event.

However the Lord seems to remember me in my poverty and pain and crustiness.  This week, our RS president called me and said she had an anonymous donation for me.  .  She brought over two gift cards.  $100 to Target and $50 to Walmart.  Wow.  She said that I work so hard.  It is true that I do work hard but I don't deserve that!  I was totally caught off guard.  I'm not popular or belong to the clique or even the bunko group.  I feel like I go unnoticed all the time.  Soo kind for them to remember me!  It does relieve some of the stress and worry!  Which really, is when the spirit of Christ can enter you heart.

I have started an article to send into the Ensign about Christmas but I Have misplaced it.  I think I will begin again.  I'll write more later about what I wanted to send into the Ensign.

Turkey Trot 2013

Thanksgiving 2013 will be one I remember for a long time.  It started with a brisk 5K race.  Yes that's correct.  A 5k race.  3.1 miles of race.  Michelle, McCall, McKenna, Blake, Maureen, Brooke and Abi participated in the race.  Martin was actually the organizer and he had to work and save lives instead so he couldn't run with us.

So, Brooke and Abi and I have been training.  We had been running at the gym 3-4 times a week.  I just never thought I was getting faster or better.  I could never run a full mile without stopping.  We did train much better than I thought we would.  So race day comes.  We arrive abt 20 minutes early.  Lots of energy around.  People are fun and ready to race.  Every size was there.  Some even bigger than I am.  (Yes hard to believe). There were over 700 racers.  We got to the starting line, and we were off.  Brooke and I stayed together (she could have been faster if she went ahead of me). We ran the first mile - which was right to the front of target store our favorite store - and I looked at my phone and we had a 14 minute mile!  Okay so not that great for most of you, but it was my fastest mile from training.  I never could get under about 16 minutes.  Brooke I think had been faster than I had been in training!  But SUCCESS!!

Second mile was uneventful.  We did make a loop and saw Blake and Michelle.  They were ahead of us - surprise!  We kept running and around back of the Home Depot and Walmart by the dumpster part of the course and we are making another loop and we pass Abi going strong.  She was on her last bit to the finish line!  I thought we must be almost finished.  NOPE we had to make another loop and then come back around the stinky dumpsters!  finally we were at the same place as we saw Abi!
Then we looked up and there was Abi and McKenna who had finished and come back to jog us to the finish line!  Brooke and I finished strong.  Personal goal met.  I wanted to be under an hour and NOT last!  Success on both account!  Not even close to being last!  I think at least 100 people finished after we did.  Everyone did great.

Abi finished 11th place in her division in 30:09.  It was 117 place.
McKenna 7th in her age, and 38th place.  25:27.
Maureen finished 13 in age division in 44:30.
Brooke finished 34 in her division and in 44:15.
McCall was 31 in her age and 35:11
Michelle finished 13 in her division in 40:11.
Blake finished 34 in 40:10.

Super fun wan to start our thanksgiving!  I think we are all game for next year.  We may even run the st Patricks day race!

McCall, Michelle, Abi, Maureen Blake, Brooke, McKenna

Brooke, Maureen and Abi

Abi, McCall, Blake, Brook, McKenna

Birthday 2013

I had such a nice Birthday!  I went to get tires for my car (thats not the nice part) and then Brooke picked me up and we went treading.  THEN when I got home, my kiddies had cleaned up the entire kitchen.  The dishes were done and the floor swept!  That was all I needed for my birthday  (almost as nice as no fighting)  Then we had pizza and I got a gift card to red lobster, a gift card to Old Navy, money, donut holes and some nice notes!  Wow.  It almost makes it worth it having another birthday!

What Goes Around

So, my children were asking me what I want for my Birthday.  I said I just wanted them to not fight.  I really can't stand the fighting.  That is all I want.  And funny thing, is that is all my dad wanted his entire life.  Just for us to not fight.  After all these years, I understand how much he disliked our fighting. 

Car trouble :( and a bad attitude

So, my car has been shaking on the freeway. people said alignment... So had an extra five minutes yesterday so I dropped it off...now I need a new tie rod (which it seems like I replaced every tie rod I have..) and an alignment AND 4 new tires....for sure two tires but the other two could only go about one month more...
Now I'm awake at 2:00 in the am writing this because I can't sleep. Always something with money...not sure how to pay for this. I need four tires but only got two... Still need two more which is soo dumb to not get them (dumb but got to figure out how to pay for them). Then I read blogs and everyone has plenty of money and nice husbands and no one has to work and therefor, has time for cleaning, manicures, decorating, Church, exercise, AND they all seem to have money for stuff! Nice laptops, boats, MORE than one car, house that is bigger than a postage stamp blah blah blah!!
Oh and did I mention go on trips? What is that? A trip? Can't even think of the last time we went on a family vacation. But read a few blogs and people are sure goin on trips...Just cancelled the only trip I have ever thought of going on in about 10 years...guess I would rather stay home and fix my car. Then we can sit around and stare at each other on spring break and eat Mac and cheese cuz it is cheap. (Not to mention my cholesterol or blood sugar) and we can just get fatter an fatter. I'll be fattest at work in no time! Now I'm only 3rd fattest... But give me a few months and I'll move right up to first!

Quiet

Sitting here all alone.  It was nice while I got a quick nap....but now it's just lonely.  I Need to remember this when it's total chaos around here and loud and about a million places to go that I would much rather have it crazy with my family all around!  Just love them so much!!

The girls are at the store and the boys are at the park playing football.  This is not a long term quiet but thinking this is how it will be when they all move out and onward with their lives!!!

Football Banquet

Andrew had his Football party on saturday night.  It was over at Pizza Pie cafe.  I didn't go so I dont' have any pictures.  But he was awarded the most expensive play.  That was because when he sac'd the quarterback in the last game, the coach gave him $20 for it!   And he was also awarded the most playing time.  Congrats!! 

Jack playing football on the sidelines

Jack in the red shirt playing on the sidelines

Championship for Nick

Nick's team took the Championship for the 9 year olds this year.  They had a fabulous season and he had a great time.  It was fun to watch a winning team.  He worked hard.

 

nick on the far left with blue shirt

 

jack and some random kid playing during the game