our crazy days

I always forget...

2012-01-03T10:08:00.001-07:00

I am sorry that the posts are backwards. I forget to do them in the reverse order that I want them to post. Sorry, Christmas is last. Please scroll through them all, if you want.

Natalie's favorite thing...

2012-01-03T09:58:00.002-07:00

I have come to the conclusion that Natalie needs a video camera, or just a camera. If I leave my camera anywhere, I come back to find hundreds of pictures and a few videos on it. Some pictures are of things around the house, most of her brother and sister. I had to delete a few of the videos, as they were so hard to watch. I think she was spinning while filming. Here are a few of her creations. I apologize for any vertigo you experience while watching...

Fun with a cousin...

2012-01-03T09:55:00.002-07:00

I had to include some of these pictures of Ian and his cousin Mya! They were taken at Thanksgiving, Ian is 6 months, and Mya is 3. I absolutely love them! Ian obviously wasn't cooperating in some of the pictures!!!

Fifth grade projects...

2012-01-03T09:34:00.005-07:00

I sure can tell that Piper is getting older. Mainly, because of the length and depth of the assignments that she has. She was really looking forward both of these and I am grateful that she had a good time with both.

First, Night at the Museum. For those of you that have seen the movie, no explanation is necessary, but for those that missed it; Each student picks a person of significance to study. They are asked to research and write a report about their person. Then for the final part of the project, they write a little speech, and dress up as that person, and we (the parents, and family), attend the museum. Piper chose Florence Nightingale, she was so nervous, but she did a really great job. I made her a little nervous by waiting until the nearly last minute to sew her costume. It all worked out very well.

Second, was learning the recorder. I had my fears about this... I was sure it was going to be horrible, but she is really quite good at it. I was not treated to too many squeaks, but lots of pretty music. The culmination of this project was a Christmas recorder concert. It was a little bit rougher to hear, because there are students who just don't care to practice. I didn't get many pictures as I was wrestling Ian for the camera the whole time. (She also got to play her recorder at Thanksgiving with her cousin, Shakira on the cello, and a friend, [I can't remember her name, sheesh!] on the viola. Hopefully, she will pick up the guitar as quickly.

p.s. that is a band-aid on her eyebrow. She received a soccer ball to the face, which broke her glasses and cut her head. Right before the concert!

Christmas pictures...

2012-01-03T09:23:00.003-07:00

It was a fun first Christmas for Ian, he really liked looking in the bags,

he wasn't quite sure what to do from that point on, though.

I love this picture, Ian totally looks like he was posing for it.

He likes the box best, of course.

Opening their big present from us, yep, guitars.

Natalie opening her gift card from Gram Johnson!

Piper and Natalie reading and acting out the Christmas story

complete with recorder music interludes. It was very nicely done.

Michael and I decided this year to stay home and have Christmas with just our little family. It was fun, quiet, and relaxing. But, I still missed having the big family get together. Without further ado, here are some highlights of our celebrations...

Ian's halfway through...

2011-11-09T21:46:00.002-07:00

His first year, that is. I can't believe how fast the last six months has gone! I remember him being a little, tiny thing; now he is almost 20 pounds, sitting up, eating real food, etc... I love his little smile and the laugh that just bursts out of him for the silliest things. He makes my heart smile, and brings so much love to our house. His sisters love him so much, and even survive the spit up.

His doctor's appointment today went well. He didn't grow as much this last time, so I think that he finally remembered his genetics. Or maybe, he is just taking a break.

Ian and I are flying home to Colorado to visit this weekend. I am really excited, and can't wait to go. My girls are a little apprehensive about being home without me. They will have their Dad all to themselves for the weekend! It should be a fun time for all. Especially me!

A peeping tom...

2011-10-07T12:58:00.004-06:00

I was innocently washing dishes in the kitchen this morning, when to my shock and dismay, I say a peeping tom looking in my window. What on Earth? How did he get there? Should I call the police? I took a picture so that I could have proof...

I hope that I didn't scare any of you! I just have to blame my Dad for my sense of humor; it was just too perfect!

Photographic proof...

2011-09-28T09:18:00.003-06:00

Ian does carry some of my genes! Piper, who asked to be given credit for the photo, took this picture. I am not sure what it is exactly, but he looks like my dad's family. I did pass on something to my son, other than his angelic demeanor! :)

Ian is sooo big!

2011-09-17T16:24:00.002-06:00

I took Ian in for his four month check up last week. (Yes, it has taken me this long to get around to my blog.) Turns out that he weighs 17 lbs 6 oz already! He is also 26.75 inches tall. This puts him in the 90th and 95th percentiles, respectively! I think that he has forgotten who his parents are, because there is no way that he will continue to be this big. Or maybe, he will continue to be big and he will be the only tall Johnson- McKee. (I can always hope.) My sister Lindsay's little boy, Luke, is two ounces heavier than Ian; he was born in December. (I bet he is a good foot taller, though!) Ian's size throws people off; they ask how old he is and then are very shocked at how young he is. I also keep forgetting how young he really is. I keep waiting for him to sit up, roll over, and hey, start crawling! I will just have to be patient.

We also celebrated Natalie's 9th birthday last Friday. She was so excited to bring cupcakes to her class, and to eat the rainbow cake I made her. (It involved tons of food coloring, but boy was it good!) She was a little disappointed that I bought her clothing for her birthday, but I just can't see spending what little I have on more toys that she will play with for a week. Guess I am just a mean mom! I am so glad that she is my little girl! She is such a fun, and goofy young lady. She brightens up our family.

My three munchkins...

2011-08-16T10:58:00.003-06:00

I just had to post this picture of my kiddos... It pretty much says more than I could about their personalities. Yes, Natalie is a little goofy, Ian is wondering what in the world he got himself in for, and Piper is just showing everyone how cool she is. You've gotta love them.

Prepare to be amazed!...

2011-08-08T13:35:00.007-06:00

Ok, I am at least amazed. I can't believe how much he has grown in three months!

Piper and Natalie's new occupation...

2011-08-08T13:07:00.004-06:00

It has come to my attention in the last few days, that my girls have become paparazzi. Every time I leave Ian on his blanket, they approach with the camera. They are determined that they will be the one to get THE shot. Mostly, they just take some really funny pictures, or fight over who gets the camera this time.

Some of the pictures are very nice, and some are just plain weird. Unlike most paparazzo, my girls seem to try to get themselves in as many of the pictures as possible. It does make me laugh when I go through the pictures at the end of the day. So, for your viewing pleasure, some of my favorite shots...

Ian overload...

2011-07-16T15:55:00.002-06:00

I couldn't fit all of the pictures that I wanted in the last post. So, you get more here. I will hopefully get some pictures of his sisters soon. As soon as I can get them to hold still...

Ian is two months old!!!

2011-07-16T15:35:00.004-06:00

Ian at 6 weeks, going to church for the first time

I apologize for the long delay in this post, keeping up with all of my family is starting to take a toll on my blog. I do assure you, though, that Ian is growing well, and the girls are happy.

For a quick recap of the last month's achievements...

Ian weighed in at his 2 month check up at 13 lbs 6 oz, a whopping 4.5 lb weight gain since his two week check. He grew an astonishing 3 inches in that same time period. His doctor said that he was growing faster than most babies do. (I guess that explains why all of his three month clothing is too small, and he fits the six month stuff pretty well.) He has learned how to smile, and hold his head up. He sometimes talks to me while I am changing his diapers, he refuses to drink formula... Can't say I blame him. He just this week started to giggle every so often. He is discovering the cool little things at the end of his arms, they make the toys move, and they go into his mouth! I love to watch him, he is just so cute. He still sleeps like a champ, which I must say that I love. I really hope that he continues that...

Piper and Natalie were able to go to Lake Powell with my parents. They had a blast, and I really missed them. They came home with some impressive sunburns, which hopefully will teach them a lesson. Ha! Natalie left a ton of stuff behind on the boat, she must have been having way too much fun. This week they started tennis lessons. It is interesting to see how much fun they have just whacking a ball over the net. I wonder how long this fad will last, maybe for awhile. Who knows, maybe they will be the next Venus and Serena...

Ian's one month-iversary!

2011-06-07T08:09:00.004-06:00

I can't believe that it has been a month already. Time is certainly flying by, mostly in a blur. Ian is surviving his mother's baby retraining program, so that is great. We are all slowly getting used to this baby thing. Piper and Natalie love having him here, and are constantly kissing him and fighting over who gets to hold him. Natalie keeps begging to change his diaper, but I haven't let her yet. I guess I am worried that he will pee on her and ruin the experience for her.

Our trip to the dermatologist went well. The thing on his head is a great, big mole. It has a 6 to 12 percent chance of turning into a melanoma in the next decade. The best option is to have it removed, so that we don't have to worry about cancer. The next step for us is a visit to a plastic surgeon. Then we will know more about the surgery/ies that it will take for that to be removed. Lucky little Ian!

I think that Ian is growing so fast! I see him everyday and I can see the difference. He is getting little rolls on his thighs, wrists, and ankles. He is so cute! His hair is falling out, quickly. I think that his hairline looks a lot like Landon Donovan's. (Soccer player for the LA Galaxy and the US National Team.) After his bath yesterday morning, the water was floating with little black hairs, and he had a whole new hairline. Ian, the founder of the hairclub for babies!

Has it been two weeks? Really?

2011-05-21T12:04:00.002-06:00

Time has been flying by since Ian arrived. Maybe I can attribute that to the lack of sleep and trying to readjust my routine to include a newborn. (I really can't complain. He sleeps quite well and only gets up twice at night to eat. Sometimes, he even goes for 5 hours straight!) I am quite glad that school is out this next week. It will make it easier on everyone not to have to rush out the door in the morning. It will also lessen the sickness that invades our house. (Piper got a major cold two days after Ian came home. She then proceeded to give it to Natalie, and I am coming down with it. I am praying that Ian doesn't get it.)

To recap the last two weeks, Ian had some trouble with jaundice, and got to spend about 17 hours in a little tanning bed. He loved it! He would stretch out and go right to sleep. It was really tough on his mom and dad, though. Other than that, he eats and sleeps. He is starting to spend some time awake after each feeding, which is awesome.

It is taking some time for me to get used to having a baby again. I forgot how much laundry they make, and how much planning it takes to go anywhere. I am not looking forward to next Friday. We have to take him to Primary Children's Hospital to see a specialist. (I forgot to mention that he was born with a pretty massive birthmark on his head. It is being checked out by a pediatric dermatologist to determine what it is, and to make sure it isn't cancerous.) I am dreading the possibility that he will scream for food somewhere along that trip, and I won't be able to stop and feed him.

I am having a struggle with breastfeeding Ian. At first, I thought it was just the usual getting used to doing it again. Now, I wonder if it isn't because I fed Natalie with bottles for most of her first year of life. It was soooo easy! I am trying to get over my ambiguity, and just do it. So, keep us in your prayers. (It is getting somewhat easier, but Ian eats like a barracuda!)

He's Here

2011-05-09T20:17:00.010-06:00

Hello, It's Mike I dont blog so I'll just add some pictures.

Tomorrow is the big day!

2011-05-06T16:58:00.003-06:00

It has been decided that I will be induced tomorrow morning. I am excited, and yet, totally unprepared to have this baby. Funny, isn't it, how I have had nine months to get ready; now I am stressing. The decision was made based on a few things. One that the baby is big; two, I am all the sudden having massive swelling, and pain in my left leg; three, I am having many irregular contractions and am dilating pretty quickly, for me anyway. (I was sent into the hospital today to have an ultrasound on my leg, as there was concern over a blood clot. It wasn't a blood clot, just pregnancy.) Piper and Michael are quite excited, Natalie is really worried about me being gone. She keeps asking if she can come with me to the hospital, or if I really have to go. Sheesh! She is definitely my child.

I hope to have an easy labor, and no complications this time around. Truth be told, I am nervous!

Now we wait...

2011-05-03T21:25:00.002-06:00

I finally got to have my last ultrasound today. It was fun, and I am glad that this is almost over. The baby has finally turned and is heading the right direction. (Pun fully intended.) He weighs in at right about 8 lbs, and his head is normal sized! I can't tell you how relieved I am to see that his body has caught up to his head. My amniotic fluid is on the low side of normal, but still ok. (Maybe, I will get to use that as the excuse to be induced.) Now, we wait to see what the doctor thinks is best. I guess I will need to learn some patience!

2011-04-07T08:23:00.003-06:00

I had another checkup yesterday. All seems to be going well, I guess. I am now to the point where it seems that I spend more time waiting in the doctor's office than accomplishing anything with my day. My tummy measured a little smaller yesterday, meaning probably that the baby is dropping. (Please tell that to my ribcage. It is still painful.) I get to start my very fun, read boring, non stress tests in two weeks. (For all of you that have never done this, they hook you to a fetal monitor and hand you a button. Every time the baby moves, you push the button.) It is to check to make sure that the baby's heart rate behaves appropriately. I actually fell asleep once doing this test with one of my girls. It didn't make the nurse very happy, as I had to start all over! I will also be getting another ultrasound in the next two to three weeks. First, to check and see if the baby is big. Second, to check his position. I know that he is still breech. Then we can make more plans. Michael is hoping that I can schedule an induction, like the other two pregnancies. It sure does make planning easier. I am, on the other hand, ready for the baby to come; yet scared to death that it is really time.

One of my new favorite things...

2011-04-01T10:45:00.003-06:00

I found a new cookbook the other day. (I love cookbooks, by the way.) I was thrilled to get it home and discover all the new things to cook for my family. Everything I have tried so far has been a hit, except for the coconut rice. Piper didn't appreciate the green onions. Picky girl!

The coolest thing; the authors of the cookbook have a recipe blog. Yay! Even more inspiration for my menu planning. So... go check them out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

www.ourbestbites.com

(I am fully aware that I may be late to the party, and you will all know about them already.)

How big is he going to get?

2011-03-25T08:07:00.002-06:00

I had an ultrasound on Tuesday to measure the baby. Turns out he is only about two weeks ahead of schedule. Except for his head, which is measuring 5 weeks ahead. Big noggins run in the family. His estimated weight is 5 pounds, and he is still breech. Not just breech, but frank breech. (Meaning his feet are up by his ears.) One of my favorite ultrasound pictures clearly shows his foot right next to his ear. Wow! Flexibility, or is he just emulating his Grandma J?

Thursday morning I went in to the doctor. Surprise! I am now measuring 38 cm. How does one grow four centimeters in two weeks? (For answer, reread Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. I always did think that Michael shows some vampiric tendencies. :) ) Because of the baby measuring so far ahead, and my gestational diabetes, I will get to do another ultrasound at 36 weeks. If the baby is still doing well and hasn't reached linebacker size we will just keep waiting. If he is big, or my sugars start to skyrocket, or he is still breech, we will start to discuss a cesarean. I don't know what to hope for. On the one hand, I hope that he turns, so that I won't have such a long recovery. Not to mention paying for a surgery. On the other, as my mom pointed out, a cesarean may be the best after my hemorrhaging with Natalie. I am torn. I will pray for what my Heavenly Father knows is best to happen.

Baby updates...

2011-03-11T10:32:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, I went to the doctor for a check up. I had been worrying about the size of my tummy. I seem to remember being very much larger with Piper and Natalie. I was anxious to see what the doctor had to say. Turns out that my tummy is very large! I am measuring about 34 weeks, even though I am only 30. So, needless to say, my baby seems to be doing fine. I get to do another ultrasound in two weeks to check his size. Here's hoping he isn't as large as he seems...

Spirit Week and much more...

2011-03-04T09:59:00.002-07:00

This week at school was the much anticipated and highly entertaining spirit week. Thank goodness it does not involve any pep rallies, yet. I am posting pictures of the girls' favorite day. Radical Day! The name should explain the pictures fairly well.

Wednesday, the girls got to dress up as favorite book characters, but I failed to take pictures. OOPS! It was also the day of the dreaded dentist check up. Much to my surprise and delight, no cavities were found. On either girl. Woohoo!

Thursday night was the Daddy Daughter Dance for fourth grade. They have been learning and practicing dances since the beginning of January. It was fun for both Michael and Piper. I am including the picture of their "date". Natalie and I stayed home and played Connect 4 and watched Iron Chef America. (I would love to be a judge on that show.)

Happy March First!...

2011-03-01T09:40:00.002-07:00

We have now arrived at my second favorite season of the year. I love St. Patrick's Day, as most of you know. This year it is even more special, because it means only two more months until the baby gets here! It also means that the sun will start shining more in Utah and it might get a little bit warmer. March also heralds the start of the major league soccer season. Unfortunately, that means Michael will be busier than ever.

I found my dream home...

2011-02-17T19:09:00.002-07:00

Unfortunately, it is in England, and belongs to Chef Jamie Oliver. I love watching his cooking show that he does from his house. His garden is walled in with a beautiful brick and it is so organized. It makes my garden look like a dump. He has a wood oven in the garden with a prep table right next to it. I think that when I get a house, I would like that same thing in my garden. What fun it would be to cook in the garden!
I guess the best part of that house would be if the chef still lived there when we moved in. How nice would that be?

Day one... check.

2011-02-11T09:12:00.002-07:00

I made it through my first day on my diabetes diet. Four finger pokes later, and my sugars never topped 100. Not bad for a girl who is eight years beyond her last training class! I didn't even cheat by eating conservatively. My favorite part of the day is snack time though. I get to eat something, and I don't have to poke my finger. Always a plus!

The hardest thing is I feel like my day is now broken down into two hour increments. Eat something, wait two hours. Test. Eat a snack, wait two hours, eat again, wait two hours, test... You get the idea. It makes for a very long day. Hopefully, that will improve also as I become accustomed to the routine again. Enough of my griping.

The sun is actually shining here today and the girls are at school. Should be a fun day.

I failed again...

2011-02-10T08:27:00.003-07:00

I guess I have to say that I wasn't very surprised to fail another glucose test. I have gestational diabetes for the third time. I was hoping that this time would be different, even to fasting about the outcome. I am thankful that my family fasted with me, and I know that there is a reason that I need to struggle through this. I think it is because I need to know that I can do this hard thing, because statistics are not in my favor.

Fifty percent of women who develop gestational diabetes develop type 2 within five years of the original diagnosis. I have been very lucky so far to have dodged that particular problem. I was able to have a few A1c tests earlier in my pregnancy, and my sugars were fine. The level even dropped over a couple of months. I hope after I deliver this baby, that I will continue to be healthy. I am grateful for all the times I don't have to stick my finger and worry about the blood sugar level. The greatest blessing, nope, miracle to come out of this is that I didn't already develop type 2. Even after gaining fifty pounds in the last eight years!

I think that you all know what comes next for me, a lifestyle change. Maybe I will even take up running. Or not.

I have awesome girls!

2011-02-02T13:40:00.002-07:00

Last Friday, Piper and Natalie received their Super Star Awards at school. I have probably mentioned these before, but for a quick recap... They must meet certain academic goals, civic goals and personal improvement goals. Both girls met all of their goals before November, but they don't hand out the first awards until January. I am so proud of them for striving to do more than the bare minimum in school. I know that both of them are loving school and this helps to make it even better. Way to go Piper and Natalie!

Due to the size of the school, they split the awards ceremonies in half. I was lucky enough to attend two this year! Hence the pictures being taken at home. I didn't get any of them at the school together.

Hmmm...

2011-01-19T17:37:00.000-07:00

I am really feeling the need to decorate for Valentine's Day. I guess that I keep seeing all the stuff at WalMart and I feel behind. I guess I will get on with it then. ( I did already buy the class valentine's for the girls.)

Here they are, finally...

2011-01-17T09:46:00.002-07:00

Just when I was getting ready to post the pictures, the hard drive on our computer crashed. It went to the repair shop, and is in the process of being fixed. Dumb computer. In the meantime, we received a used iMac, so that is what I am using. It is taking a little time to relearn the computer stuff. But, it is nice to have a computer that doesn't break every other day.

I am posting some of the pictures, not all of them. I truly don't think that I need to expose my little son to the world before he even gets here! Which makes Michael a little upset.

The wait is over...

2011-01-04T11:00:00.003-07:00

It is official... we are expecting a boy!

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that news. I thought it would be a boy, but I was still prepared for another girl. Michael had his heart set on a girl, so he is a bit shocked. Once it wears off, he will be thrilled. (He cried when we found out Natalie was a girl, because he wanted a boy.) He didn't cry this time.

All seems to be well, and he is cute. Well, for an alien- looking 21 week baby. I will try to get the ultrasound pictures on here. They give you a cd with all the pictures now! What changes have been made in the last eight years...

Dear Santa...

2010-12-15T08:19:00.002-07:00

I would really love it if you would bring me a snowblower. I am unable to shovel the entire driveway by myself this year. Today, it snowed 7 inches, and it is still coming down!

p.s. would it also be possible to send someone to run it? I will provide hot chocolate.

A quick side note...

2010-12-13T12:32:00.002-07:00

I went to the doctor today for a checkup. The baby seems to be doing great, the heartrate was a little slower this time around. 154 beats per minute. I didn't lose any weight, but then again, I didn't gain any either. My A1C glucose reading dropped again, so I don't have to do my glucose test until next month. The 20 week ultrasound is scheduled for January 4, 2011, so then I will get to know what I am having. If the baby cooperates.

What a week it has been...

2010-12-13T12:11:00.002-07:00

I am glad that last week is officially over! It started off so simply... The only plans we had were Piper's hunter's education classes, and the usual work and school things. Piper's class went from 6 to 9 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Because she is under 16 she had to have a parent accompany her. I was the one picked to take her, because of Michael's work schedule. I attended the first hour of class with her, until Michael could get there. I had to laugh, because she was so mad that I was there instead of her dad. It was supposed to be their thing and I was butting in. She did really well with the material, our only concern was the fact that she can't hold up the gun long enough to shoot. After some modifications (a shooting stick and a gun rest,) she did just fine. While in class one night, she informed me that she couldn't see the screen in front of her. It was about ten feet away and she was wearing her glasses. This resulted in a trip to the eye doctor the next day. Her prescription worsened by about double in the last year! Yikes, new glasses needed. She asked if that was why she was not a very good shot yet. Most likely.
On Wednesday, she came home from school and told me she didn't feel very good. I was hoping that a little nap would fix her up, but she spiked a fever about an hour before her class. The poor thing had to take her final test with a fever and medicine in her system. She passed, barely. I could tell that the illness was making her confused, because I know she knew the answers, but she was incorrect on the test. Thursday morning the illness presented as strep, so off to the doctor we went. It turns out, thankfully, that she had a weird little bug, but it wasn't strep. I was starting to feel a little put out with all the money we had had to spend on her, and we weren't done yet.
Saturday morning, at the crack of dawn, we had to get her up to go to her final shooting test. I was in charge of layers and hot chocolate. She was very excited, and very nervous. (She was really upset because her new glasses hadn't arrived yet.) We finally got them out the door, but they were right back. She had forgotten her shooting stick. Off they went again. I walked out to the garage to get something and saw her targets laying on the ground. I called Michael and hopped in the car and drove them out to them. Yay! They finally had everything. Except duct tape and an eye patch. (I guess Piper can't close one eye and still see out of the other. Hmmm, good to know.) She passed her shooting test, and even hit the target rabbit in the heart. She is now officially a hunter. Too bad she can't hold up the gun yet.
Through it all Natalie was a trooper. She didn't complain about all the attention being showered on Piper, and she was very patient with the late nights. She decided that she will not be taking hunter's ed, because the book is too boring!

Today I am grateful for...

2010-11-16T20:06:00.002-07:00

I am grateful that I finally got to hear my baby's heartbeat. It seems to have been a long time coming. I have never had to wait until 14 weeks before, so it was nice to finally hear it. I am also grateful that I am still losing weight with this pregnancy! Hopefully, it keeps up for a bit longer, say six months!

p.s. the baby's heartrate was 161 beats per minute. Which totally throws my theory of a boy out the window. Both of my girls had heartrates that fast. Michael is thrilled...

A liitle tidbit...

2010-11-12T12:56:00.002-07:00

I am thankful today for children that recover quickly. I am thankful that the little flu bug that Natalie had hasn't passed to Piper (fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc...) It is a little hard to deal with that while pregnant.
I am thankful for the sunshine today. Utah has too many cloudy winter days, so it makes the sun even more welcome and beautiful. I think that growing up in Colorado ruined me for any other winters.

oops...

2010-11-09T12:17:00.002-07:00

Looking through the pictures on my camera, I realized I am even farther behind than I thought. Please bear with me as we revisit August and September also...

I signed the girls up for a cheer camp this summer. They loved it and they were able to be in the Salem Days Parade. Michael was less than thrilled with it, his revenge is hunter's safety. Watch out! Piper will be armed and dangerous. Really! Michael got to drive the ambulance in the parade, yes, our town is that cool.

Natalie celebrated her big 8th birthday in September. She received a karaoke type machine, that I do regret giving her. Along with a Selena Gomez cd and a personalized Real Salt Lake jersey. She was a bit upset that I didn't plan her a party, but she forgave me when we told her why I was not up to partying.

Halloween...

2010-11-09T12:12:00.002-07:00

Here is a quick rundown of Halloween... Pumpkin carving, school parades, trunk or treating in the rain and lightning, exhaustion.... Okay, it was only me that was exhausted! Many thanks to Grandma Sandra for making the witchy skirts the cutest ones in the city. Yes, those were the biggest pumpkins they could find.

Both girls are planning for next year already.

Natalie's big day...

2010-11-09T12:08:00.003-07:00

I realize that I am only a month behind on this post... exactly. Natalie was baptized on October 9, at 8 am. (Man that was early.) It was a great day, and she felt lik a rockstar, because it was all about her. I especially love the picture of her and Uncle Doug. She sure loves him.

Thankful...

2010-11-09T12:06:00.001-07:00

Today I am thankful that I am a blog slacker. This means I get to look back at the pictures of October and remember all the fun we had. I hope that you enjoy the look back also. I am also thankful for Facebook, as it allows us to meet cousins we haven't seen since we were little, or not at all!

A reason to be thankful...

2010-11-08T08:20:00.002-07:00

I was reading other blogs and was a little jealous of all those who have their Christmas up already. I was ready to rush out and change mine, and then I remembered Thanksgiving. I am really trying to instill in my girls a love for this holiday. I tend to rush right for Christmas, because it is my favorite holiday. So, this year, I am really emphasizing the thankful season. However short it will be.
I have much to be thankful for, including being told yesterday that my lap is no longer fun to lay on, because the baby is in the way! I am super grateful for two girls who can't wait to be big sisters to their new sibling, and are already planning on taking over as much of the care as they can. I am also thankful for a hardworking husband, who puts up with a crazy boss, so that we can be fed and housed. I am thankful that it hasn't snowed yet today. I am thankful that I only do nursery one day a week. (Yesterday was a very long day...)
For the next three weeks, I am going to try to find all of the blessings I can to be thankful for and maybe post some of them here. Hopefully, it will inspire an attitude of gratitude in our home that will make Thanksgiving as special as Christmas.

Surprise, surprise...

2010-10-13T16:53:00.003-06:00

Many people have asked me over the years if Michael and I were going to have more children. I always answered, somewhat snidely, "If Heavenly Father wants us to we will." As Natalie's 8th birthday drew closer this year, I finally came to the conclusion that I was only going to have two beautiful daughters. My body hasn't ever been very functional in that regard, and I was finally okay with the blessings we had. I actually was gloating one day to Michael that I wouldn't have to change diapers or stay up at night anymore.My girls are very self sufficient and I love it!
So, imagine my surprise when I started experiencing pregnancy symptoms! I was scared and very sure that my body was just playing tricks on me. I anxiously waited and waited and cried a lot. I refused to believe that I was pregnant and didn't want to do a test. I kept thinking, "why now?" What purpose is there in me having a baby when my girls are so old? Michael finally forced me to take a test, yes, I mean forced! I sat and cried like a baby when the result was positive. I no longer wanted to be pregnant. I don't want to do all that again. (The hardest part, finding out that I was pregnant on my youngest's 8th birthday!)
My darling husband had to call and schedule my appointment, because I was so devastated. I refused to believe that there was anything there, even when all of the tests came back positive. My doctor just smiled and said, "There is a pregnancy and I believe that you have about 7 months to get ready. It will be okay."
It has been a month since I took the test and I am doing much better. I am getting somewhat excited about our new one. We got to see the baby on an ultrasound the other day, and I am finally convinced that I am expecting. (I didn't realize that I am so hard headed!) I am due somewhere between April 29 and May 14th. The discrepancy is because of my dates and the baby's dates. I am 11 weeks and 5 days, but the baby measures 9 weeks 4 days. It must be a boy, because he is causing trouble already! I am looking forward to being off of the progesterone that I have to take. It makes me so sick and so sleepy, that I feel like an invalid. Maybe I will get to be a happy pregnant lady soon.
Piper and Natalie are thrilled to be having a new sibling. Natalie especially, because she will finally have someone to boss. Michael, of course, is over the moon. He thinks it will be another girl, hope he isn't too disappointed...
I only hope that Heavenly Father forgives me for my stubbornness. I was thinking that my life was great, and He added another blessing. One that I am still learning to see as a blessing and not a burden.

Hole in the Rock... or Were they insane?

2010-07-12T12:53:00.003-06:00

Here are the pictures that we took of Hole in the Rock. I imagine it looked very different when they came through. Seeing as how there was not a lake at the bottom! I can't imagine the trust it took to lower all their belongings down that cliff with a few ropes.

Lake Powell...

2010-07-12T12:39:00.002-06:00

I call our week at Lake Powell our stress fest because we all seem to forget that we are having fun. We really are having fun, and it is a great way to spend a week with family. I think that it is stressful because we have to worry about boats not sinking, boats staying anchored where we put them, children not drowning, sunburns, and tight quarters. (It really is fun, that just makes it sound so not fun.) I learned how to drive the jet skis by myself, and succeeded in not knocking myself off. The thought of falling into water that deep kind of freaks me out.

We took a long boat tour down from Hansen Creek to the Hole in the Rock. I think those pioneers were insane! We hiked up the little trail and I almost died, so I can't imagine going down with a wagon. We toured up the Escalante River Canyon on the way back, I have never seen such beautiful water in a lake. I wish that it was closer to the marina, because we could drive the houseboat there. But as it stands, the houseboat would take way too long to get there.

We enjoyed our usual sand storm while tied up at Hobie Cat Beach. I thought I had gotten a really good tan, until I showered when I got home. I had so much red sand on me!

My parents are selling the houseboat timeshare, so I guess we will need to come up with an adventure for our summer vacation. Any ideas?

Goblin hunting...

2010-07-12T12:29:00.003-06:00

We went to Lake Powell for the annual Johnson "stress fest" last week. On our way to Hanksville, we decided to stop in Goblin Valley. (All of the other families were traveling from Colorado, and Washington, so we had some time to kill.) On the way in to the valley Natalie asked where we were going. I told her that we were going to Goblin Valley, and she wondered why. Being a typical mom I told her that we were going goblin hunting. Michael then proceeded to point out a dust devil in the distance and told her it was a mountain troll moving. I thought that she was fine and realized that we were being silly. We got out of the car at the observation point and she was great, until I asked if she wanted to go down to the valley floor. I watched as a panicked expression crossed her face, then she went pale. I asked what was wrong and she said, "I am not going down where the goblins and trolls are!!! They might eat me, because I am cute!" I laughed which was probably not a good idea, because she really believed that there were goblins and trolls. I finally convinced her that there was nothing to fear and we went to the floor. I guess she is still at the age where she believes us implicitly. Note to parents everywhere, be careful what you tell your kids, they just might believe you.

Michael's 37th...

2010-07-12T12:28:00.001-06:00

I just love this picture, it says so much. Happy birthday, we love you!

Summer Art Studio...

2010-07-12T12:23:00.003-06:00

This year our school district tried out a new program. They hosted an art "camp" at one of the elementaries. It was three hours a day for ten days. Piper and Natalie had a ball! It was very well done and they were introduced to many new techniques. I volunteered to help two of the days, and I even had fun. The last day of the studio was an art gallery. Each of the students hung their work in the hall and the parents were invited to come and see. I was quite impressed with the talent and I really hope they do it again next summer. Piper did not leave much of her art to hang, so you get a very limited view of what they did. Natalie left a few more pieces, but not very many either.

A plethora of posts...

2010-06-10T17:17:00.001-06:00

I hope that you will browse all the new posts. I like to do it all at once, I guess. I will try to do better I promise. (Now where have I heard that before?)

At Grandma and Grandpa's house...

2010-06-10T17:01:00.003-06:00

We were fortunate enough to get to go to Colorado the day after school got out. We went to my nephew Iver's farewell. (He is serving in the Mexico City North mission, as he reported to the MTC just yesterday. I am not old enough to have a nephew on a mission, really.) We then got to spend the rest of the week just hanging out. Piper and I went to a Colorado rockies game with my dad. It was fun as always. Natalie chose to stay home with my mom and got to go to Diary Queen.

One of the highlights of trip, for the girls was making s'mores. Thanks to five acres, and my brother Doug, we have a pretty cool place to have a campfire. Their other favorite thing was the hot tub. My parents waited until most of us had moved out and put in a hot tub. I guess that grandkids are more fun...

We stopped in Glenwood Canyon for our picnic lunch on the way out and Natalie wanted her picture in front of the Colorado River. It was fast that day, but a week later it was so fast that the rafters couldn't go down!

Natalie's first grade program...

2010-06-10T16:52:00.003-06:00

It was Natalie's turn this year to be in the first grade Patriotic Program. (Capitalized because it is that big of a deal.) The first graders spend all year learning songs and then they get speaking parts. Natalie got the very first speaking part and she was very excited. Her favorite song was the Marine song. The picture quality is not very good, so my apologies.

Hershey Track Meet...

2010-06-10T16:47:00.002-06:00

Piper has finally gotten old enough to participate in the track meets. She was thrilled and she ran really well. She made it to the final in the 100 yard dash, where she placed eighth out of eight. I was impressed with her speed, and that she could keep up with all the kids that are five to six inches taller than she is. (Piper can still pass for a second grader, which is a bit of a sore spot.) It was a very cold morning, but it warmed up about the time we were done.

Pet Day...

2010-06-10T16:41:00.003-06:00

I only took two pictures at pet day this year. The first because the puppy was so cute. The second because it is Natalie. Our last surviving pet died before pet day (poor fish!), so Natalie took her stuffed cat Rosebud. Notice the leash, because the cat likes to run away!!! I love her imagination.

The Fourth Annual Edible Car Race...

2010-04-16T14:39:00.005-06:00

Piper's class and the other third grade hosted their annual car race. The catch? Cars must be made out of edible components. At least that is what the rules say, there was some severe stretching of that rule this year. (Axles made out of skewers, toothpicks, and nails? The things people eat!) Piper and I thought about what she could do and finally decided to make a car out of rice krispies and suckers. (Due to illness, we didn't start until Wednesday night. The race was Thursday!) We made a beautiful representation of a stock car, complete with numbers and windshield; left it out to dry overnight. Thursday morning we went to put in the wheels and discovered that the car hadn't dried. The suckers just fell out, and wouldn't support the weight. Oh no! We had ten minutes to figure out an alternative. I was inspired to run downstairs and grab a squash. (Thank goodness I grew them and then saved them.) Michael was able to flatten the squash and use the wheels from the stock car. When he had them in the squash I realized it looked like a mouse. We added some sucker ears and jellybean eyes and nose. A little frosting for the whiskers and away we went!

Piper was thrilled to have such a cute car. It didn't do very well in the race; making it only half way down the ramp, but it was fun. Out of the fifty-five or so cars, only ten were successful in completing the race. The kids loved it and I believe had more fun watching the cars crash and fall apart. Everyone that participated received a certificate, and the chance to discuss their awesome success or failure.

I will try to assemble a slideshow of the cars. I think that you will enjoy seeing the creativity!

Easter...

2010-04-16T14:31:00.002-06:00

Yes, I realize that it has been awhile. Unfortunately, you are going to have to suffer through my belated post. I hope that you will enjoy it!

We had our traditional Easter barbecue/ egg hunt at Stephanie's house. She and Brandon are gracious enough to let us come and use their yard. It warmed up enough that we could actually do the hunt in the yard.

The Salem City Fire Department hosts an egg hunt every year. We went out to support Michael and the guys. It was freezing and thankfully didn't last long!!

A night out with the team...

2010-04-07T14:39:00.004-06:00

Nat Borchers, Robbie Findley

Chris Wingert, a family fave

The always cool Kyle Beckerman!

We were fortunate enough to get to attend the private viewing of "It's for Real". It is a video that was put together to highlight RSL's championship season. It premiered at the theater across from the stadium, and the players and coaches were there. I felt special, what can I say. The video was well done and it was fun to relive the highlights of the season, and to get to share that with the team was an amazing thing.

The girls favorite part of the night? It was a tie between the soda and popcorn and meeting some of the players. The pictures were taken on a camera phone, so please forgive the quality!

Hmmm...

2010-04-02T21:49:00.002-06:00

When I started this blog, I never had any trouble coming up with things to post. I discovered that I ran out of things to say. Or maybe it is just that I don't think they are worth sharing. My dad; who was blessed with four girls, always said that we were vaccinated with a phonograph needle. Mine must have worn off! I will try to regain my gregariousness in the next few days. Or not.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2010-03-16T21:37:00.002-06:00

I love St. Patrick's Day, as some of you know. I haven't ever really decided why I love it so much. But after thinking about it I came up with some ideas... I think that most of it stems from a love of my family history. Some of my ancestors called Ireland home, so it is in my blood. I also love the whole idea of Ireland. A land of soft rain, and green fields. A place where fairies and little people roam. I love the music, as it calls to my soul. ( Yes, I do have a very romanticized idea of Ireland. I found out from an Irish friend that they celebrate St. Patrick's at the McDonald's. Yep! Here in the states we eat Irish food and wear green, and they go to McD's for the Shamrock shakes.)
Someday, I will get the chance to travel to Ireland. I am grateful to have been born in America and for all the many amazing things we have here, but my heart longs for Ireland. So, until then I will continue to celebrate the Emerald Isle and pretend that I am Irish. Slainte!

To all of my St. George friends... St. Patrick's is just not the same without you!!!

Worth a thousand...

2010-03-03T20:50:00.002-07:00

I truly believe that this picture is worth more than one thousand words. Piper and Michael are reading the exact same book. It is the second in the Inheritance Trilogy, Eldest. Note the intense look on Piper's face, she is an expressive reader, I can always tell what is going on in the book. What fun it was to come across this little picture opportunity!

Two little Superstars!

2010-03-03T20:43:00.002-07:00

Piper and Natalie have earned their Superstar Awards again this year! Woohoo, way to go! I am excited that they wanted to do all the extra things to earn the award, and glad that they got them done by the first month. So, once again, Congratulations to my little Superstars!!!

I was just kidding...

2010-02-25T12:19:00.003-07:00

I haven't yet found the time to update anything on my blog. So... I will just have to leave you all wondering what we are doing. I know I am.
The girls are busy with school, and have especially enjoyed this week. It is Spirit Week and they have done some fun things. Monday was Luau Day! (Yes, I forgot to take pictures.) Tuesday was backwards day. (Who seriously thinks these up?) Wednesday was Fake an Injury day. There are some disturbed little kids out there:) Today was Duct Tape day, I thought that my mom would do great at that one!! Tomorrow is Spirit Day, so they will wear their school shirts. It has been fun, and has kept me hopping to help them with ideas. ( I did get fairly good at make up black eyes.)
Michael is still taking his EMT courses and I think he is enjoying it. I have had my blood pressure taken so many times that I think my arm is going to fall off. I flatly refuse to be a guinea pig for his IV's!!!!!
Me, well, I am busy just trying to keep up with all of the things that I have to do, all while spending most of my time watching the Olympics. It is a very tough thing to do, orchestrating everything from the couch with a remote in one hand. Don't believe me, then try it!!! Haha!
I will try to make the camera play nicely with our computer, but I have learned that is like trying to mix oil and water.

When I get a minute...

2010-02-11T21:11:00.002-07:00

I am going to have a ton of stuff to put on the blog. If I ever get a minute to do it. On the plans for tomorrow; work, two Valentine's parties, dinner, volunteering at the library to celebrate the Percy Jackson movie opening, and the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. (Not to mention all the preparation for our Relief Society birthday party. Which thankfully is in a month.) I wonder why I can't ever say no. Hmmm, food for thought.

Are they bigger?

2010-01-29T13:01:00.002-07:00

Yes! They are. So for a little explanation... I took these with my dumb camera on my phone. Natalie is trying to be scary in one and she was trying to fly in the other. Piper is still a little freaked out by water, but we are making improvements every time we swim. Yay, Piper! Natalie on the other hand has no fear.

A small and very enjoyed vacation...

2010-01-29T12:53:00.003-07:00

I am finally getting around to posting these pictures! We had the best time in St George, mainly because it was WARM!!! (At least to us, the temperature back home was a whopping thirty degrees cooler.) The hotel was fun and the pool was very nice. We spent most of our days and nights there. The best part was getting to see some close friends! I missed getting to see some of you, and I am praying very hard that Michael and I can come again in May.

I hope that you enjoy these pictures from our little trip to heaven...

A vacation...

2010-01-14T20:59:00.002-07:00

I am sitting in a hotel room in St. George, Utah. Funny thing, though, it still feels like home! (St. George that is.) We are here for Michael's fireman convention. Yes, very exciting I am sure. He is very excited to take his classes and learn all sorts of fun stuff about fires. Glad it is him. The girls and I are looking forward to swimming and seeing our friends, and celebrating Piper's ninth birthday. (I can't believe that it has been a year since her baptism! Time seems to fly.)
I love vacations!

A few pictures...

2009-12-31T10:29:00.003-07:00

I think that you will see,

Our Christmas was a busy one.

Beneath the glittering tree,

Many cousins and great fun.

So glad that it is done!

(I am always sad when Christmas is over, but this year I am thrilled that it is past. It was a very stressful Christmas. Next year, I think that I will take a vacation instead!)

A Cheap Attempt at a Christmas letter...

2009-12-20T20:49:00.003-07:00

I am not and never have been a good correspondent. I failed the pen pal program miserably in first grade. So, obviously I don't do Christmas cards. I always want to, but I never seem to make it before New Year's. I am going to do a little attempt here at a Christmas letter. Please bear with me...
It has been a very tough year for the McKee family. Michael started out the new year with high hopes of a great job. It sounded too good to be true, turns out that it was. He lived in North Dakota for three months, while the girls and I stayed in Utah. His boss then expected him to move around the country every three months to different locations. The unfortunate side, he wouldn't get time off to come home and visit, nor would his boss pay to move his family. (Not that I would be up for moving every three months.) The expected salary never made an appearance either. After thinking it through, Michael decided to quit that job. His boss was angry and manipulated us out of $1000.00 dollars he thought that Michael owed him. Needless to say that was a big blow to a family already struggling. Michael was out of work for almost two months, before he found a job at Sam's club. He is still there and is a team leader, ( read; fancy word for more responsibility for less pay.) He also works part time for Real Salt Lake in the merchandising department and has really enjoyed the benefits. He was recently hired on as a volunteer fireman and EMT in training for the city of Salem. He starts his EMT certification in January. He is a busy man, and we are glad when we actually get to see him!
I was hired as an overload technician for Piper's third grade class. I wish that I could just be called a teacher's aide, as that is what I am. I enjoy the work and am even able to help my stubborn Piper without too many problems. I work for only two hours a day, and wish that it could be more. I am an Achievement Day leader in our ward, also for Piper's group, and was recently called to serve on the Enrichment Committee. I love being home to take care of my girls and I hope that I will always be able to find ways to make ends meet while fulfilling my calling of mother.
Piper turned eight this year and was baptised in January. She is in the third grade and loves school. Her favorite things are reading and recess. She is currently reading at a 7th -9th grade level and I get the challenge of finding her appropriate reading material. To challenge her skills she should be reading young adult books, but the subject matter is a bit too much for one of her tender age. I got her to start the Harry Potter series and she loves them. Her absolute favorite thing is to see how fast she can read a third grade level chapter book. Her current record is one hour. I think that she takes after me, and I think it is great! She has a tough time getting along with the girls in her class, because of all the drama. She hangs out with the boys most of the time and that worries me a bit. I hope that she will eventually find a girl that she can relate to, that isn't so fickle.
Natalie is seven and in the first grade. She is also loving school and is doing well. She can read at a third to fourth grade level, but she doesn't like to read because it is too boring. Her favorite subjects in school are friends and recess. Natalie is a social butterfly and has many friends, all girls, and loves to play with them and her big sister. I usually find them sitting next to each other in the lunchroom. I am grateful that they are such good friends. Nat loves to play on the computer and loves to cook.
I hope that our struggles this year have helped us to grow. I am learning to let go of the things that I can't control and hopefully will have less stress in the coming year. I am grateful for all of the many blessings that we do have. Especially for family and the gospel. I hope to have a better and brighter year and wish the same for all of you.
Much love, Diana

For my sister Kate...

2009-12-08T12:55:00.003-07:00

Our back deck railing...

trampoline...

Our street, yep, it hasn't been plowed yet. I assure you that it is there.

The mounds of snow we shoveled off yesterday, they will get bigger soon.

I found Snow, he is having too much fun here in Salem, Utah to leave. So you are welcome to come and visit him here, as I am all "funned" out.

The highlight of a not so Black Friday...

2009-11-28T15:07:00.003-07:00

I decided to not do the crack of stupidity shopping this year, and it was such a relief. (I just didn't think that any of the deals were worth sacrificing my sanity for...) I got up at the leisurely time of 7 am and then went to the store. I got most of what I was looking for, and the rest I will live without.
The stadium store was open on Black Friday, (Michael's boss is a marketing genius! Riding the championship wave while it's hot.), and two players came to sign autographs and do pictures. The girls and I rushed up to meet the players and it was well worth it! Thanks again to Nick Rimando and Javi Morales for giving up some family time to spend with the fanatics!

Here's my sob story...

2009-11-25T10:14:00.005-07:00

Piper and Natalie at Rio Tinto Stadium

On the field after the rally

I was so excited to attend the Victory Rally (or wowie, for those of you that have seen An American Tail) that I took the girls out of school early, and headed to Sandy. Woohoo, so much fun!!! (I had packed tons of warm clothing and food for the girls to help them not be bored, hungry, or cold.) I remembered the camera, we had great "seats" for the parade, etc...

It was so cold that the girls started complaining about ten minutes into the waiting. Then right when the parade was coming, the dumb cameraman from the news set up shop right in front of us. (He was standing in the street, with a camera on tripod, no less.) He was soon joined by some fellow newsmen. No matter what I said, he would not move. My picture opportunity got destroyed! I was sooo mad! Then the parade came by and the fans that were not blocked by really dumb, selfish news guys got to slap hands with all the players as they drove by. GRRR!!!!

To add to all the excitement and fun, the girls decided that now was a great time to start a fist fight over the blanket... oh yes, the joys of motherhood! At that point I was ready to go home, but we had to stick it out because Michael was working.

On to the celebration... It was fun to see and hear the coaches, players, and owner talk about the season and the joys of winning when everyone had counted them out. I was planning on getting some pictures to show, but right as they all came out, the batteries died. It was just not my night. The girls were freezing and hungry and bored, and made my night miserable as well. (Note to self- girls don't do well with things like this, find a babysitter...)

I am really glad that we got to go, and that I took the girls. It will make for a great memory, someday.

We are the CHAMPIONS!!!!

2009-11-23T13:52:00.003-07:00

Congratulations to my favorite team!!! It was a nail biter of an ending, but well worth the stress...
I had the worst stomach ache all day and couldn't figure out why, until the game was about to start and I was shaking so hard! (Michael, bless his little heart, found that funny for some reason.) Guess I was just really nervous.
Check out the team website to watch all the fun again...
www.realsaltlake.com

For those who care... that better be all of you!!!

2009-11-18T12:43:00.002-07:00

I just thought that I would add that little title to grab your attention. I have to say something that will most likely have all of you rolling your eyes and saying, "Silly woman, doesn't she know there are more important things to blog about?" I honestly do, but I am just so excited that I can't hold back.
Real Salt Lake is going to the MLS Cup this weekend!!!! I know, I know...
At the end of the season, we weren't even expected to make the playoffs. But we did. In our first series we knocked off the defending champs, who had the best record in the league. (Also, one of the games was on the road. We ended their season in front of their home crowd.) Then we beat Chicago on penalty kicks, because our 'keeper Nick Rimando, is on fire! He blocked three penalties. So, on to this weekend, we are playing in Seattle at Qwest Field against the LA Galaxy. Exciting stuff, huh? (For those of you that care to watch, the game is Sunday Nov. 22 on ESPN, at 6:30 mst.) GO REAL!!!!

Thank you for letting me share my excitement!

Halloween...

2009-11-03T19:58:00.003-07:00

These are some of our pumpkins. The "b" fell apart. But they still looked nice when lit up.

This is Natalie with her friends, Amanda (lion), Kaylie (pumpkin), and Allie (witch) at the class party.

Here goes trouble... Off to grandpa Jim's work carnival...

I am actually getting this one done quite quickly this month. I love Halloween, because of my girls. This year was no exception, but I had to put my foot down and limit Natalie to one costume. She kept changing her mind, until I hit on her being Lola. (She is Hannah Montana's best friend in disguise.) It was a fun costume to put together and looked really cute. Piper went back to her favorite costume of the last few years. She was once again Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. (Thanks to reading the books this summer, she is still in the midst of year four, but considering her age, I am okay with her slowing down on them.) She was very disappointed that I couldn't make her hair poofy, but I still think that she looked adorable. The glasses were a big help.

Soccer season...

2009-11-03T19:51:00.002-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the girls' teams. It was fun for all of us, but I was glad that it was over quickly. We had soccer five nights a week, practice on Mondays and games Tuesday through Friday. Each team played twice a week.

A little imagination...

2009-11-03T19:47:00.002-07:00

I found Piper and Natalie busily at work in their bedroom one day. I stopped to ask what they were doing and they told me that they were building kites. I figured that they were just appeasing my curiosity, but found them a few minutes later on the tramp. There was a little wind that day and the kites were blowing in it, (FLYING) and the girls were thrilled. I laughed at their imaginations and went on with my day just a little bit happier.

Here goes nothing...

2009-11-03T19:41:00.002-07:00

I am going to attempt a massive blog update. I hope that my patience will allow me to catch up with the backlog. (Or should that be; I hope that Michael's laptop will not make me so mad that I quit.)

First things first, here are some pictures of Natalie's birthday night. I never did get around to having a party for her. I think that she realized that my stress level (and pocketbook) couldn't handle the pressure this year. She is really a sweetheart and very forgiving.

Its been a long time!

2009-10-06T20:46:00.002-06:00

I finally decided to update my blog. Little did I realize that it has been an entire month!!!! Time seems to be rocketing along as usual. I started a job at the girls' elementary school. I am an overload technician (teacher's aide) for Piper's class. I get to work for two hours every morning, and I love it. It does have one unfortunate side effect; I can't seem to get anything done now. Sheesh, I work for two hours, for crying out loud!
Piper and Natalie are almost finished with the fall soccer season. They have enjoyed playing, and I have enjoyed watching them have fun. Michael is coaching two teams and he is having fun, I think. He doesn't say much, so I have to guess his moods.
We attended Michael's mission reunion last Friday night. I had fun getting to meet some of the people that I have heard stories about. They were all good things that I heard :)
When I get some more time, haha, I will put up some of the many pictures that I have to post. Until then, ciao!

Happy 7th Birthday to Natalie!

2009-09-09T11:03:00.002-06:00

Today marks the day that she has been waiting for all year. In fact, she has been counting down the days since January 15. (Piper's birthday.) I can't believe that she is seven. It seems like the time has gone by at warp speed, these last few years. I thought that we just celebrated her third... Happy Birthday, Natalie! I love you and your precious spirit. I love how kind and gracious you are turning out to be and I love your help around the house.

I hope that this year is a great one for you and that you will continue to be such a great example to us all.

Playing catch-up...

2009-08-26T09:47:00.003-06:00

I hope that you will enjoy the whole month's posts in one day!! I am a little behind, yep, they are all of August, and one July. I am a little behind, but hopefully, I will be on top of things from here out. Ha!
The corn survived the wind storm and we enjoyed the tasty stuff. In fact, it all got ripe at about the same time, so I spent yesterday boiling and freezing cobs and niblets. So much, that I didn't even want the fresh ears at dinner. I was feeling a little "corned" out. I am thinking of tilling the corn area under and planting some cooler weather crops. Maybe snow peas and lettuce, or whatever else I can force out of the ground.
I have been enjoying having my own produce section in the backyard. It is fun to go and pick things and then make up a new dish with it. Yesterday's new one... roasted butternut squash with purple carrots (they are really cool!) and onions. I drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled a little salt on top, then stuck them in the oven with the chicken until they were soft. Yummy! Nattie liked it, but Michael, Piper and Jim refused to touch it. No surprise there!

Piper's new hardware...

2009-08-26T09:35:00.004-06:00

Piper told me on June 6, that she couldn't see the scoreboard at the stadium. I told her that she shouldn't worry, that it was hard to see. All summer long she kept commenting how she couldn't see things that were far away. I thought she was being dramatic, and told her that we would get her eyes checked. Fast forward to the school open house... Piper went to meet her teacher, and the teacher told her to find her desk. It was in the back row, Pipe sat down and the teacher told her to read the board and follow the instructions. I was standing right behind her, and watched her struggle to see. She could see the "squiggles" and that was it. Oh, I felt so bad. We got the teacher to switch her desk to the front row and she completed her tasks. We went straight to our neighbor's eye clinic. He ran a little test on Piper and it turns out the she is near sighted, just like her dad. She got her adorable glasses and that started a whole new problem...

Natalie is jealous and wants glasses now. Her turn may come, as the test revealed a little near sighted tendency in her also.

School's in...

2009-08-26T09:30:00.003-06:00

I forgot to take pictures on the actual first day of school, so these are from the first week of school. Piper is now in third grade and loving it, and Natalie loves first grade so much, that I think she will be brokenhearted when she has to move on. Both have great teachers and lots of friends in their classes, so we are hoping for a stellar year. I , on the other hand, am having trouble adjusting to them both being in school all day. I seem to have way more time on my hands then I need. I miss them.

The All-Star Game...

2009-08-26T09:20:00.004-06:00

Salt Lake City, well technically Sandy, was host to the 2009 MLS All Star Game. Our opponent was the English Premier League side Everton, featuring US goal keeper Tim Howard. It was a fun game and I was grateful to be able to go and cheer on the All Stars. Michael was working, of course, and missed most of the game. It ended in a 1-1 tie, so they did the penalty kicks to decide the "winner". Turns out that Kasey Kellar and Tim Howard were quite evenly matched in their 'keeping abilities. Unfortunately, we missed a penalty and they made it. End of match, Everton wins. It was the first time that that the opposing side beat the All-Stars. It was a fun game to watch and cheer, even though I sat next to some really stinky people. (Deodorant, anyone?) I apologize for the quality of the pictures, but I have a little camera, that is not the best. The grainy pictures are my camera's best effort against the setting sun.

Have a little wind...

2009-08-06T14:05:00.002-06:00

I was so excited to post some pictures of my garden on here. I felt the need to brag about how good it was turning out, and guess what? I waited and waited to take the pictures to get the corn in the shot. (It was starting to ear.) Yesterday afternoon, we had a very large thunderstorm roll through. We weren't at home, but watched the storm on our way up Provo Canyon. When we arrived back home, I went to the sink to wash my hands and looked out at the garden.
The majority of our corn was laying flattened on the ground. The stalks just laid down, there wasn't any breakage. Our little swimming pool was two houses away, and popped, and one of the neighbors trees was snapped in half. It seems to me that the downburst chose our garden to flatten to remind me that I am not in charge of the awesome-ness of my garden. Pride goeth before the corn fall...

Hopefully, I will find a fix- it for the corn so that all the growth doesn't get wasted.

Anatomy at the Art Museum...

2009-07-20T10:26:00.003-06:00

Saturday morning, we headed over to the Springville Art Museum to see the quilt display. There were many beautiful quilts to be seen. After we saw the quilts, we decided to check out the scuplture garden. As the name implies, it is a garden with big and small sculptures set around. It is beautiful and would be a great place to host a reception. Michael and I went down one of the back paths and lost sight of Natalie. We turned to go back to the main area, and Michael commented, "Ten bucks says Nat is pointing and laughing at that man statue!" Sure enough, this is what we saw when we rounded the corner...

Beautiful sunset...

2009-07-16T10:56:00.003-06:00

I thought that I would finally get around to sharing this beautiful sunset. I wish that I was able to do better justice to it, but I couldn't get the indigo sky to show up in the pictures. So here is the sunset over Rio Tinto Stadium, where I was lucky enough to be attending a soccer game.

A picture says so much...

2009-07-16T10:44:00.004-06:00

I love going to see the Harry Potter movies on the day they open. I guess that I started a tradition of going to the midnight showing (yes, I am that nerdy.) Michael decided to surprise me on Tuesday with tickets to the midnight showing. He was so excited about it and thought that I would be also. Unfortunately, I was really stressed and not in a good mood, so this just threw me over the edge. I am sorry, babe, that my reaction wasn't what you expected!

To make a long story short, we went to the movie. Michael decided that we needed to go and stand in line at ten. As we waited in line, Michael decided that maybe this wasn't as much fun as it could have been. I will let the picture speak for itself....

He is going to be mad that I posted the picture, but I figure it is worth it. Sorry the picture is so fuzzy, my camera phone does not always take good pictures.

A little...

2009-07-07T10:12:00.002-06:00

I apologize to all of you, for not being very good at blogging lately. I guess that there is just not that much going on here. We are boring, to put it politely. The girls and I got to attend the July 3 game at Real Salt Lake. We felt like VIP's because we got to sit in the front row. (Thanks to Michael's boss, Brett, for getting us the awesome seats. At no cost to us!) It was pretty awesome to not have anyone in your sight lines. Too bad that doesn't happen often. After the games there were fireworks, of course. We were so close to them that we got ashes in our eyes. The girls got to meet David Osmond, who sang after the game. (He was a small blip on American Idol this last season, which is too bad, because he sings very well.)

Yesterday, we hiked up the Grotto Trail in Payson Canyon. It is a fun, easy hike with the added bonus of a waterfall and pond to play in at the end. It was very crowded yesterday, probably because it is free. We finished out our outing with a trip up to Payson Lakes. We are going to go camping there when we get a free weekend. It was really pretty and close to home.

Pictures, possibly...

2009-06-23T22:16:00.004-06:00

If this actually works I will be amazed! Not only that I will be flabbergasted, as I have been trying to get this figured out forever! I don't get this whole Windows Vista stuff. Just give me back my XP. The one very indistinct picture is David Archuleta. Take my word for it, because the camera doesn't do night pictures at that distance.

A little David Archuleta...

2009-06-11T14:30:00.002-06:00

On Saturday night, Real Salt Lake hosted the Colorado Rapids. It was a busy night at the stadium; many thing were on the schedule. It was the first annual Charity Begins At Home night, and the dedication of the stadium. The celebration included a salute to the military and a General Authority. There were parachuters and a fly by, but the highlight of the trip, for the girls at least, was David Archuleta. He came and sang the National Anthem and then after the game, he sang a few songs. Piper was thrilled and spent the evening bouncing off of her seat. She enjoyed the game, especially boo -ing the Rapids. Natalie, as usual, was calm and collected. I think that she enjoyed the game and the concert. It is hard to tell with her, though.
We had a great time together and Michael busted his hiney in the store. It was a busy night for them. We took Michael's mom, as she likes to attend the occasional game, but loves David Archuleta.
I took pictures, but haven't yet located the camera software. I will post them when it is found. Tomorrow night, we are going to cheer for my brother Doug's intramural team at BYU. They are playing in the finals. Go Doug!!

Death of an icon!

2009-06-09T10:19:00.002-06:00

The icon in question is my seven year old Dell computer. Unfortunately, it died leaving no survivors. Of course!! Last year I bought an external hard drive, and I was really doing well with backing up all the important stuff on my computer. I was worried that it would die with all of my photos, music, and family history stuff and I wouldn't be able to retrieve it. Fast forward to my complacency. I have not backed up the drive for a few months, so of course, I can't get the computer to start. I think that it is the Windows program itself, as it won't get past the little screen that says "start in safe mode". I know that all the files are safe, I just can't get to them. Frustration rears its ugly head!!
I am using Michael's laptop, which is really different. I have spent the morning trying to load software on it that I have on my computer. (Because, I finished Julie's quilt top and wanted to show her a picture, but now I can't find my camera software!) Ha!
Instead I think I will go take out my frustration on some dumb bindweeds in the garden.

Is it over yet?

2009-06-02T09:29:00.003-06:00

I have been super busy trying to keep up with my life. I always seem to be running behind, playing catch up. So, I apologize that I haven't put anything on the blog lately. I assure you all that I am alive and somewhat together.
The girls are officially out of school and loving the summer. I am, on the other hand, already dreading the next two months of whining, fighting and petty problems. Oh, my outlook is so positive today!
I finally have some plants growing in the garden. I have planted the entire thing twice! The first round of seeds didn't sprout, so I dug them up to see what was going on. Every seed had grubs in it, eating all the "good" stuff. I had Michael spray the entire garden with insecticide and then planned to replant. My wonderful mother in law purchased new plants and seeds, and we started over. Finally, things are starting to grow. Now, if I could just keep out the kids, deer, dogs, and cats. They keep stepping on all the tender plants, which kind of makes me boil!
Michael is working two different jobs to make ends meet. They are still way far apart, but we are going to survive! He landed a "dream" job. He got hired to work for Real Salt Lake in the team store. He gets to attend all the home games and work them. He did actually make a small complaint in passing about that. He misses getting to sit and cheer, but I think that he has fun with the job. (He also works some days during the week and all the special events.) His other job is at Sam's Club. He works there overnight stocking the store. It makes for an especially tired husband, but just shows how much he loves his family.
I am going to finish one quilt this week and then start another. Hopefully, without cutting off my hand or something with the rotary cutter.

At the Farm...

2009-05-18T17:02:00.003-06:00

I guess that when you live surrounded by farms, yet don't live on one, it is exciting to go visit. Today Natalie's kindergarten class went to the Thanksgiving Point Farm. I volunteered to go along, and shortly after getting on the bus wondered why I wanted to go. Imagine if you will; one school bus full of sixty lively and loud kindergartners, then drive that bus for one hour on the highway. Add in a couple of near miss accidents on the highway, complete with the smell of burning rubber from the semi next to us, and you get how the morning started. When we arrived at the farm, we got to stand around and wait. The farm people weren't expecting us until tomorrow. They scrambled while we tried to entertain the kids and keep them from running off into unknown places. (We had a very short time frame for the whole trip, so it was going to be close.) We finally got to tour the farm and see all the animals. Then we went for a really fun (read extremely boring) wagon ride. We arrived back at the picnic area for lunch, with 15 minutes to eat and get back to the bus. Try to make a kid eat faster, it just doesn't work! The return trip was slightly less adventurous, yet still took too long.

I am posting the pictures that I took, and hopefully you will see that even though there were some hiccups, we had fun.

Divine inspiration...

2009-05-12T18:32:00.002-06:00

I am feeling so immensely blessed today! I signed up to take the Family History class at church again, which always gets me researching my huge family again. I think that I stopped last time because I ran into an immovable wall. I got to back to my great-great grandparents and the line just disappeared. I began to think that they just hatched, no parents, no wedding, nothing beyond their lives in 1910. I honestly gave up. So fast forward to this week...
(My family did some work for this family with the little information that I found. We did the baptisms and the temple work for the dad and mom and two of the sons. But, we couldn't baptise the youngest son, because we didn't have his death information. We also couldn't seal the parents because we didn't have any wedding information.)
My mom gave me her password to ancestry.com, so that I could play around with the information there. I spent a few frustrating hours banging my head against the same wall. Just as I was about to give up, I got the nudge to try one more thing. So, doubting all, I clicked on the family tree option, and typed in my great grandfather's name. Click!!!! The very first result lead me to a family tree of Norwegian names, including my great-great grandparents and beyond. I searched forever for these names and found absolutely nothing. I guess that the timing had to be right. I found out the year of their marriage and found the death date for the youngest brother. My family is doing the baptism and temple work this week and then the family will be sealed. I am very grateful for that last little nudge! But, oh the work that still needs to be done!!

As my mother always says...

2009-05-10T23:26:00.002-06:00

I am the worst child in my family about calling home, so my mom always tells me to check in once in awhile to let people know I am still alive. I am still alive and doing alright. (At least, the last time I checked.) Oh, Mom, sorry that I never call home! I just realize that with eight kids you might be kind of sick of talking on the phone. So I just try to give you a break :)
I am going to take this opportunity to update all of you on my activities that have been keeping me from blogging. I really do have great reasons. First and foremost, it is spring and time to be planting. I have been toiling in the garden. Natalie and I bought seeds at Walmart and Michael decided to make a HUGE garden. It should take me a month to weed it every time. I will finish it and then have to start over. We have had so much rain in the valley that I am a week behind schedule. I should finish it tomorrow. (Fingers crossed.)
Next, my children attend the world's busiest school. There are so many things that have to get done during this last month of school, that I feel like my head is spinning. I am working hard in my calling as an activity day leader. We have a big group of girls with lots of energy. They keep us on our toes, and make life a little brighter.
I am still learning and experimenting with my sewing. My next project is a quilt for my sister, and a surprise for my mom. I hope that I can get them done soon.
Last, Michael has been without a job for one month now. He is probably getting really sick of me bossing him around all the time. I will be sad when he gets a job, because I won't get to see him all day. I have enjoyed having him around all day and getting to do stuff with him. (He does have a small part time job working in the team store for Real Salt Lake. He works during the home games and gets great perks, like watching all the games.)
I am also starting family history research again. I highly recommend it, as it is addictive in a good way and so much fun.
Thanks for letting me check in. Now you know that I am alive!!

How awesome am I ?

2009-04-28T21:24:00.003-06:00

I would have to say that I am pretty awesome. (If I do say so myself, which, of course, I did!) I decided that I would make my own couch pillows. I have never found any that I liked or could afford. I found plenty that I liked, but I could NOT justify $30 to $60 per pillow. So... I made my own. I hope that you enjoy the pictures of my stellar project. I made a quilt square for the front and then put this wonderful stuff called minky on the back. It makes them soft and cuddly. Yay me!

Sorry about the whole bragging thing, but I am very proud of myself, and if I don't toot my horn who will?

Fishing, but not catching...

2009-04-18T13:34:00.002-06:00

Michael and I took the girls to the Salem Pond for a little fishing while he was home. We had fun casting and reeling. The dumb fish are very savvy though, they would pop up all around the lures. I am glad that we didn't catch anything, as then we would have to use it. Ugh! We did have fun though!

My new quilt project...

2009-04-18T13:22:00.002-06:00

I am posting pictures here of the quilt that I made in my class. It was lots of fun! Now that I know how to do this quilt, you all may get one for your birthdays and such. I found that the quilt was easy to do, but I still messed up a couple of places. Oh well, it is hand made and I am still human. Enjoy!

Easter surprise...

2009-04-13T18:02:00.002-06:00

Michael got to come home this weekend! Finally, after eleven weeks away from us, he was allowed to come home. Now, it is not all good news! His company decided to close the office in North Dakota and to stop throwing money away. There weren't any jobs coming in, and yet Michael was still getting paid, and the company was paying for an apartment and the office building, gas and other things. He came home on Friday night, and the girls didn't know anything about it. I took them to see Hannah Montana, the movie, (the movie was very cute!) and Grandpa Jim went up to Vernal to pick Michael up. We all got home at about the same time, and the girls were ecstatic! I was surprised that I was able to keep it secret for two whole days.
It has been great having Michael back home; we were supposed to get him for a whole week, but he was called back into work. He has to go to Vernal on Wednesday evening, and we are trying to figure out how it will work, as we have only one vehicle anymore. I think that we may go up and stay for one day with him and then the girls and I will have to come home.
Because the week got shortened, we have been trying to fit everything in. I decided that the girls would miss the two days of school this week and have a traditional spring break. It was a popular decision this morning, but Natalie wants to go to school tomorrow. Piper is OK with staying home as she is sick with a sore throat and stuffy nose.
Michael took the girls to get their ears pierced this morning. Both of them are very excited and tell everyone that they run into about their new earrings. I expect that the fun will wear off shortly and it will become just another chore. I am the one who gets to apply the antiseptic three times a day and remind them to turn their studs. Side note, I didn't realize it was so expensive to get it done. Times have sure changed!
Michael and I got to attend our first soccer game of the season on Saturday. It was awesome and a little rainy. I hope that we don't have to move away from Salt Lake, but I am on the losing end of the argument. I will miss the games!!!

Pride Goeth Before a Fall...

2009-04-06T12:09:00.002-06:00

If the above scripture is true, which I know it is, then I must have been in need of a fall. I dropped the girls off at school this morning, then rushed off to run some errands. I had all of two hours to get to Costco, Target and the mechanic. (Thanks Lindsay, I found him and got an estimate for my timing belt.) Drive time to Target and Costco is thirty minutes from our house. So, needless to say, I was in a hurry. I got to Target and bought the Easter basket stuff I needed, then hurried to Costco. I was actually ahead of schedule, and stopped to get some gas. Then I walked into Costco, and this is where my mighty fall happened. I was wearing my cute, green wedge sandals, and they are somewhat hard to walk in, and the sidewalk had a big crack! For those of you that are picturing this, I hope that you have a great laugh! I caught the edge of my heel in the crack and my ankle rolled. This wouldn't have been a problem, except I was trying to hurry and my other foot was already in the air for the next step. Down I went! Embarrassing to say the least. I hit the ground pretty hard, think Sandra Bullock in Miss Congieniality, and sustained some bruises. Mostly to my ego and pride.
I jumped up and sat down for a second to catch my breath and evaluate my status. The Costco lady came running out to see if I was ok, and I was laughing so hard, I almost couldn't talk. I continued on my shopping expedition. About ten steps into the store I happened to glance down at my foot. It was really hurting for some reason. I had ripped of the entire corner of nail and it was bleeding. Visible damage is never a good thing! As the adrenaline rush wore off, I was starting to feel more pain. When I got home, I discovered that beside the nail, my ankle and both knees were very sore, ( I also scraped my knee, just like I did as a child) and my back muscles were tightening up. I think that it must have been quite the fall. The saddest part? I ruined my cute shoes and my pants will never be the same!
The moral of the story is this, beware of cracks, wedges and pride! Now for some Advil.

A little shameless self promotion...

2009-04-01T20:01:00.002-06:00

(Yes, I am going to talk about myself again. I guess if you don't want to hear/read about it, you don't have to. I came down with a cold this week and it has knocked me on my rear. I spent most of today sleeping, in between carpool duties and lunch lady stuff.)
It is officially April, which is the lucky month that I was born in. I am celebrating my twenty-ninth birthday (again). Most of you know how old I really am. I am just trying to postpone the inevitable march of time, which is impossible, of course!
My mother in law, signed me up for a quilting class at her shop. I am excited to learn how to piece quilts. I am learning a very basic square, and will post pictures after I learn it. I picked out all the fabric yesterday, and can't wait to get started.
I was going to make the background on my blog a birthday theme, but the only ones I could find were dumb. So I chose to go with the red, white and black. (Just like I am a University of Utah fan.) I hope that you enjoy it more than the obnoxious one I had last month!
Now I need to go put my kids to bed.