Nothing is concrete yet, except concrete.

Seems like forever ago that the kids started back to school. We surprised Dax's parents over Labor Day weekend with a visit. Their health has been sketchy lately and we hoped to cheer them up. When we arrived at their home, we Facetimed with them while we were standing on their front porch. Didn't take long for my MIL to say, "Are you on the front porch?!!" Wonderful visit. 

I have 2 kids in Junior high, now. Mack is enjoying 2nd grade.

Quinn started in my friend Jo's preschool. On the first day, she dressed herself and perhaps realized her leggings didn't quite go with the dress and said, "Sorry I wore these Halloween pants but they were just really pretty." I'm a fan of disregarding fashion/design rules when you think something is really pretty! Her teacher, my dear friend Jolona, lives out of town on a farm and has a huge garden. Her raspberry patch is impressive and she is so generous to share it with friends. We've picked and eaten over a dozen gallons of her raspberries. It's the best candy ever.

I made Dax his favorite deluxe cheesecake for his birthday. This year, we topped it with our haul from Jo's raspberry patch. Amazing. He said it was the best cheesecake he's ever had.

Lots of craziness going on at my house in the past 2 weeks. Like crazier than ever. Crazy good stuff and crazy difficult stuff. On the good side of things, we have projects going, finally! The back corner of our yard is like the last huge and annoying part of the yard that is unfinished. I've wanted a big patio forever. And Dax wanted a garage. So we are doing both. Here are progress photos from start to where we are currently!

catch all/eyesore

Footers poured for garage

forms for stem walls

stem walls poured, forms removed, backfilled, designing patio shape and leveling it

garage floor done, pouring upper patio

Finished! Love it!

Another angle BEFORE:

AFTER:

Dancing on the patio!

Waiting patiently for 7 years payed off! Dreams come true; time to party.

ramp for easy bike/scooter/wheelchair access to lower patio

And as always, when stuff gets cray in my life, my urge to redo rooms boils over. It's my way of controlling my environment in a small part. And gives me and out; something to focus on other than worries.

Mack celebrated his 8th birthday. He had buds over for burgers, dogs, and running games. He didn't love his birthday during General Conference weekend but he did get one message out of it. During Sister Neill Marriott's talk, he ran upstairs and said, "Mom! This talk is like our family. 'It will all work out.' Maybe not right now, but it will all work out!" Loved that moment. Love that kid.

My Cupcake is Cinco!

 My girl that has been four forEVER is FIVE. Yay. We had a few of her friends over for a slip n slide and cupcakes. Then that evening Uncle Matthew, Aunt Abbey and their kids came to party! Quinn's birthday always ends with fireworks since she was born on Utah's state holiday, Pioneer Day.

Quinn is a joy to be around. She loves to paint nails and is quite good at it. She is everyone's sweetheart and gives the best hugs. She sits quietly in primary and listens. She has a tender heart. She loves to be home and with Mom. She is kinda a vegetarian..prefers veg and fruit over meat. BUT. Her all time fave food is frozen raviolis that come from Wal-Mart. She can out eat a grown-up when we serve those. She is my only child that doesn't have a middle name so she gave herself the middle name, Cupcake. Perfect fit. When my other kids were giggling about her new middle name, she defended herself by telling them that cupcakes are the best and so it is actually a great name. I agree. She is onto something... naming people happy names like Cupcake, and Lemonade Stand (which is the name of a doll in our house) might be the key to a happy life.

 We took everyone fishing nearby and all the kids caught fish. Love it when they bite easy and quick.

 We headed to Vernal to check out the Dino Museum. Some call it the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. So take your pick.

 Love this next pic I snapped of Dax and his brother. They always joke that they look nothing alike but here's proof they are related!...

 We had a fun visit with those guys!
My kids all took swimming lessons. A new pool/rec center is being built in town. Looking forward to that!
This week was UBIC...stands for Uinta Basin in Celebration. It is held in our town and there are fun activities, competitions, and performances all week. Preslie, Mack, and Quinn did a drill team clinic and performed their dances on stage at the park. Preslie signed up and performed a dance solo at the UBIC talent show. We attended an art show, as well as local talent performances.

My littles rode on the drill team parade float. Preslie danced in the parade with her dance studio (farthest on the left).

The week ended with a concert at the park. This year we had a country guy Jason Michael Carroll. Fun and entertaining. It ended with an awesome firework show. We look forward to UBIC every year. Also loved the spicy mango on a stick and mango popsicles from the booths there at the park. Yum.

Dax is the new Young Men's president in our church ward. He will do great!

It's August, so that means cramming every last bit of fun in before school starts! Make it count!

heart coaster

What a week. I took Preslie in Monday morning to get her tonsils and adenoids removed. Dax was on a work trip so I left Hunter to care for the littles. Preslie was super nervous. When the nurse took her blood pressure, it showed.

 The freaking out was real!

 When she came out of surgery, she kept going, "Whoa!" "I don't remember anything!" "Are they really out?" "Whoa." "That wasn't even that bad!" (Later that evening, it WAS that bad) While we were at the hospital, my girlfriend Jolona took Mack to audition for Missoula Children's Theater. He's wanted to be in a play so badly so he went for it!

Preslie and I arrived home from the hospital and found out Mack got a part! He was to be a pumpkin in the play. Yay!
The next moment I found out that our dear friends tragically lost their 12-year-old son the night before. My heart has been so heavy. This spunky boy was my cub scout and his Mom was my den leader assistant as well as a good friend since I moved to Roosevelt. My heart is broken. Friday I went to the viewing. Upon entering the church, I felt sick knowing that my friend was going through this. I saw her and we just hugged and cried. There is nothing to say to parents who have lost a child. You simply hug and cry. I pray every day that they will unite together as a family and that they will be strengthened in their trials. It is amazing what happens when hard times come and you turn to the Lord. I've felt peace and guidance in the most crazy of life's trials. Though I've lost a few people that are close to me, this boy's death hit me pretty hard. I do have a testimony of eternal families and of the healing power of Christ's atonement.

 During the week, Preslie had friends come visit and bring popsicles and balloons. And a giant bear.

Although it's always crappy to get your tonsils out, I dare say (in this case) that doing it with an older child is slightly better because it's easier to get them to drink plus they're bigger and stronger. It's sad to see your kids in pain, but especially the little ones. Also reasoning with a 4-year-old with a sore throat is impossible.

My boys surprisingly have played really cute together this week. They generally don't hang out that much but I've loved seeing them have lightsaber battles and play Legos.

General Grievous

 Here are my tonsil twins with their matching hospital mugs. Good to have all the tonsil surgeries over with! Deductible was met, people. Mack is the only one with tonsils left in our family. That kid can never follow the norm! Good for him.

My father-in-law came up to play with my other kids while I took care of my baby teenager. Mack had play practice all week and performed in the play Cinderella twice on Saturday. He was totally darling and LOVED the experience. He even had a little solo part that made our hearts burst! Saturday night at bedtime Mack said, "Mom let's find another play I can be in right now."

Sunday we went to church and in sacrament meeting, Preslie told me she felt hot. I touched her head and she was warm and sweaty. Dax took her home, fed her and she went to bed. At that point, I felt apprehensive about sending her to girls camp the next day. Well, she woke me up this morning at 6 and had me drop her off at the church! I sure hope she does ok! She is one week out from her surgery and I sent her to the mountains with a bottle of Tylenol! So we will see if I get awarded Mom of the Year.

Quinn has been melting my heart. She made her own cookbook last week with her delicious salsa recipe in it and we were going to make it but she couldn't find her cook book. So I got out a little cookbook my grandmother gave me when I was little and she picked a banana bread recipe for us to make. We headed to the store to get bananas and I just loved our conversations and the fact that she wore a ring and that she gasped when we pulled into the store parking lot and said, "Capri Suns are on sale!"

I just have to share that as I was typing this, a super annoying big loud buzzy fly was circling around the room trying to break my concentration so I texted Dax who was in the other room..

Dax is pretty much the most fun husband of all time. I love how he keeps things light. Life gets too serious sometimes! Also- his cooking. So yeah, best husband ever.

winning streak

We went to Fantasy Canyon a few weeks ago. Cool place. On the way home, we stopped in Vernal to grab some snacks at Walmart. I dropped off Dax, Mack, and Quinn at Sportsman's Warehouse to browse while Preslie and I went to get food. (Hunter and his bud opted to stay in the car.) When we all met back up and started for home, Dax told us that they saw a walking stick in Sportsman's and Mack was way into it. Mack told us it was made from a bull penis.
Preslie: eww!
Mack: It's not like they just ripped a penis off a bull and made a cane out of it right then.
He is so logical. Dax told us it was covered in a shiny clear resin so it wasn't like you were touching an actual bull penis.

We cleaned our church building a few weeks later and as Mack was mopping the gym floor he said, "This floor looks like wood but it's covered in bull penis."

We enjoyed spending Easter/Conference weekend with Dax's fun family. Grandma's egg hunt was a hit, also Easter baskets, and playing with cousins/being together. My boys LOVE baby Audrey so much. They just melt for her. So tender!

We were able to attend a family dinner for my people in my sister's newly finished basement (apartment). My niece and her hubs have moved down there and will welcome their first baby next month!

Dax suggested we go see my Uncle Norman while we were in the city. Norm had bladder cancer and has had like 8 surgeries to remove it. He just isn't ready to go yet! He has to endure dialysis 3 days a week where he gets hooked up to a machine that drains his blood, cleans it, then pumps it back into his body at a chilly 36.5 degrees. He says it is the longest 4 hours of his life and he almost freezes to death each time. He and my Aunt Jane are the nicest people and so fun to go hunting with. They both live for the deer hunt and love cruising around in the mountains on their Razor together. Aunt Jane has always been able to spot deer miles away before anyone else can see them. Her enthusiasm and kindness is contagious.

Dax and I saw Ghost the musical at Hale Center Theatre in WVC. Awesome show. Our friend Kacey is the set designer and does an awesome job. Highly recommend!

On April Fools' Day, I pulled out of my driveway to take kindergarteners to school and there was a Century 21 sign stuck in my front lawn. Too funny.. I snapped a pic to send to Dax and was on my way. Later I saw that our newspaper was having a contest and wanted people to submit a pic of their April Fool's jokes. I submitted Mack furiously ripping the moving sign out of the ground. Well, for once Mack's rage came in handy; he won me 4 movie tickets!

The next day, I was checking my email and I had received one from my favorite home diy blogger. Thinking it was just her newsletter I opened it and couldn't believe my eyes when I read that I had won a GE lightbulb package and a $100 gift card from Home Depot!!! What a huge (shock) blessing as my basement bathroom (etc. etc.) has been waiting to get finished for years. I couldn't help but think of a quote I saw scratched on a piece of paper on my MIL's desk during Christmas..

"What you make happen for others
God will make happen for you."

Not saying that a HD gift card is a gift from God. But I'm not saying that it isn't. I have helped a lot of my friends paint, decorate and finish other projects in their homes. I love doing it, but it takes work and time away from my home and family. So maybe, just maybe this is my little tender mercy and it is my turn to check something off my own growing list of house projects. I've lived in my house for 6 years and have an unfinished basement and partially finished yard. It is hard to know whether I should finish those up or redo the things that are already wearing out in the finished part of my home.

We returned home from our family visits and found a message on our machine that Quinn had won the Easter coloring contest at the grocery store! Dax suggested that maybe we drive to Colorado and pick up a lottery ticket..

Spring Break has been lovely and free from the rigors of school schedules. I've also had one less kid because Wyatt (my nephew I watch full-time) was at his Grandma's for the week. I've organized, cleaned and de-junked closets, shelves, the storage room, garage, and back porch. I am like my Mom; I enjoy housework that makes things look beautiful and organized. Dax and I got a wild hair one afternoon and started a pathway through our future garden. I love when Dax and I do projects together. I'm the visionary and he's the efficient manual labor that gets it done. I'm a great assistant, but he stirs concrete better than me.

I love my big little Quinn. She is trying to repair her broken ravioli toy.

I enjoyed helping Preslie make an edible replica of a plant cell. It looked and tasted great. Brownie with cream cheese frosting and chocolate, nuts, and pretzel organelles. This project fulfilled its purpose; she aced the cell test.

This big guy, after months of begging, just got his own library card! It's like he's told me before, "I'm practically a grown man". Now, it's official.

Last night, Dax took Hunter out and set up camp for the turkey hunt this morning. At 5:30 am, they dragged themselves out of bed, got set up and scored a beautiful bird!

I won big when I landed this awesome husband. I love him and the family we have together. I enjoy blogging about the highlights of my life with them. I recommend blogging (or keeping any kind of journal). It is like free happy medicine. With no crappy side effects!

change it up

Wild weeks have come to pass... Quinn got her tonsils and adenoids removed on Monday, Feb 23. The following days were rough as she was in a lot of pain and cried and whimpered through the night for several nights. I felt like I had a newborn; it was non-stop care. I was also neck deep in planning our Relief Society birthday party dinner. Thursday, my brother Matt asked me to take Wyatt for the weekend so he could meet his online girlfriend. Quinn was a wreck, I had days before my big activity, Saturday was my birthday, and Wyatt was sick. Awesome timing, bro. I must be the nicest sister in the world, or the biggest chump. I had a crazy birthday with my 4 + 1 kids. By afternoon, I was so overstimulated so we left the kids for Preslie to watch while Dax and I went out. I did have a good birthday and I love my family, it was just a stressful week.

The morning of my birthday, I was relaxing in bed and I heard Dax and the kids coming down the hall. Dax says, "Ok everyone. Start singing!" Mack busts out, "Here comes the bride!.." I look over and they were standing in the doorway holding a giant plastic owl. I laughed so hard! I love those guys.

My awesome gal friends gave me a birthday lunch! 

We booked our California/Disney trip! We are so excited. The last time I went to Disneyland was in college with the Dixie Ambassadors. This will be my kids' first time.

I have been feeling like I am just getting by and keeping up with my responsibilities as a Mom and Wife. I've thought about quitting piano teaching. I prayed about it this weekend and I received my answer through reading the Book of Mormon, a sacrament meeting talk, and our home teacher's message. I've loved teaching piano for the past 3.5 years; it's a great gig for me and a convenient set-up for the neighbor kids and their Moms. I need to focus more on my own kids now. They are my top priority.

This past weekend Hunter performed in "Seussical the Musical". My friend runs a ballet and musical theater company and she really needed boys for the play. I made Hunter do it; he wasn't into the idea. But this weekend, he told me he had a blast and he was glad he did it.

Hunter is just left of the big tree

Monkey shot. The "Wickersham Brothers" from "Horton Hears a Who"

 Quinn is healed up now. It takes 12-14 days of recovery for a tonsillectomy. Her voice is slightly different. The doc said her tonsils were hu-UGE, as were her adenoids. Great to have that over. She is growing up so fast. I am in total denial that she will enter Kindergarten this fall.

Mack has been up to his old tricks (times one thousand) lately. He is a huge part of why I am quitting piano. I know he needs more structured activities to keep his mind and body busy. He is so brilliant; he literally cannot get enough stimulation. He multiplies large numbers in his mind as Dax and I are casually throwing around numbers in everyday conversations. Like last night at dinner we were talking about Broadway plays. Mack asked what Broadway was and Dax told him it was where really amazing, fancy plays were performed but they cost like $200 for tickets. Mack said, "That's 1200 dollars for our whole family to go." He has done this several other times this week. What 1st grader can multiply? I mean, they just went over double digit subtraction in school. He just needs more. Of everything.

Hunter is a diamond in the rough. He is so darling and smart and kind and wonderful but I forget that a lot because he politely lets others be the center of attention. He is the best 11-year-old on the planet. He loves to read lots of books and also learn about all kinds of little facts about science and history.

Preslie is by far the most responsible female in our home. She loves her dance class and has been begging to do other extra-curriculars. I hope she and Hunter will join the cross-country team this fall. She has recent motivations of getting in shape. She recently saved up for a new iPod. She is a great babysitter and is unstoppable when she sets her mind to something.

Dax has been on work overload but not the awesome kind. Office, administrative, and problem solving. He is going out to work in the mountains this week to clear his head. He is going through a mini-midlife and has been looking up apartments for sale in the Canary Islands. He also bought a new gun.

My mini-midlife consists of another room re-do for a friend, quitting teaching piano, and eating my weight in girl scout cookies. It feels like I'm recently torn between personal interests and the best interest of my family. Balance is the trickiest word to live by.

Be sure to share any Disneyland tips with me!

spending freeze results!

Our family goal in February was to spend ZERO DOLLARS on anything except bare necessities. Here is a report of how we did-

Necessary purchases:

church donations

mortgage

vehicles/gas

utility/gas/phone bills

milk, eggs, bread

Tires. We had previously planned to travel to Idaho in February to see my niece's mission report and my nephew's Eagle Court of Honor. Dax was nervous about the condition of our tires so we replaced them for the long trip as we were due for new ones. Then we all got sick and had to stay home. SAD. 

Vacuum. Our vacuum died lots of months ago. Our neighbors gave us an old crappy one they had lying around. It never worked that well and our carpets kept looking worse and worse. So we bought a new, amazing vacuum. Long overdue!

Popsicles, Sprite, yogurt, juice. Before the spending freeze, we had no idea Quinn would get her tonsils and adenoids removed in February. We splurged on some special foods and drinks for her recovery period.

Major victories(!):

Dax brought a lunch to work everyday in February! This saved us $50-$60.

Our grocery bill for the entire month (for 6 people) was $100, including special food and drinks for Quinn. We used a lot of stuff from our freezer, pantry, and food storage. Great to rotate through some of that and get creative with meals!

We were able to save money this month, pay extra on our house payment, buy tires and a new vacuum without dipping into savings. 

What we learned:

Not spending was a great experience and really opened our eyes to how fast little purchases add up and really make a dent in your budget (because we saw the opposite happen when we didn't make those purchases..that money stayed in our account and in our pockets!) The kids kept us in line every step of the way. We heard this a lot, "We can't buy that because we are on a spending freeze." 

There are so many things we can do without. We really have everything we need and way way more. We just have to look around and remember all of our blessings. "Gratitude turns what we have into enough." 

I really want to take my kids to the beach and to Disneyland this spring. When I remember that, it is easier for me to say no to impulse buys. All of it is just stuff. I want memories that will last forever!

it kind of looks a lot like Christmas (project weather!)

It is December 20 and look what is in my yard. Bizarre, yet AWESOmE!

Perfect weather to spray paint my nativity set white! I love it!

 I made this Nativity in my married student ward in Logan. It was dark red but has been reborn!

white nativity

Check out this weird antenna I found at DI.. I sawed off the black electronic part and stuck this metal part in a log and called it a Christmas tree. I love it! Industrial-cool.

industrial Christmas tree

 Loved watching my long-legged dancer at her Christmas concert.

leg extension

scorpion

 We saw Santa after. He remembered Mack's name and even felt Mack's bicep and told him he'd grown since last year!

 My big'ns had ugly Christmas sweater parties the last day of school. Upon Hunter's request, I took a regular sweater and whipped up a turtle wearing a santa hat for him.

 Everyone loves a gingerbread house, but no one loves it more than Mack. Candy is his favorite.

 The taste of Christmas is my family's favorite gingerbread cookies. I am a treat snob, so if I say they are killer delish, I mean it.

 My Mack earned a "WOW Award" at school! He is such a hard worker; I am glad he got recognized for it!

 I received this cool art project from a friend in my monthly lunch group. It is Western Family plastic cups colored with sharpies, baked at 350 degrees for 3 minutes and BAM>>>>

 Psychedelic ornaments! Really fun for the whole fam. Love activities that every age can enjoy.

melted cup ornaments

Dax and I attended parent day at Quinn's Christmas dance class. She wanted her Daddy to do the dancing with her. They both did a great job.

 Other highlights this month:

• family flu for a week
• SomEone is doing the 12 days of CHRISTMAS to our family! It has been so fun. A special gift.
• writing to and receiving letters from Jennekah (my niece on a mission)
• my other niece is having a baby girl
• my bedroom is looking HOT. pics to come-promise!
• 24 days of giving has been so wonderful. my love of service has grown. 
• started organizing my life using the bullet journal system. Very close to what I was already doing but way better. It makes so much sense to my brain. I LOVE IT.
• have been doing Insanity workout videos with friends twice a week and I'm seeing results already. Working out with friends is the best way. Even when I don't want to, they tell me they're going to toilet paper my house if I don't come.

This season is so amazing for the increased kindness and love shown and felt by people everywhere. I've had some cool "Christmas Spirit" experiences. The weird/cool thing is, the more I show love or serve others, it comes back to me a thousand percent. I LOVE CHRISTMAS.