Pool Fun!

Well, we've been busy over here, hence I've not blogged for a while.  Instead of doing too much catch up, I'll just post on one of the fun things we've gotten to do.  We've been busy with kids activities, church callings, and all the other things life throws at you, and I keep thinking after this event it will be less crazy, and then there is always something else right after that.  I really hoped to take this spring off from sports for the kids, but they talked me into letting them do it.  (I'm such a push over!!)  Dave keeps complaining about how crazy our life is, and I keep saying "I told you we should have taken this season off!"  So, next time I feel impressed to take some time off from all the craziness, I'm sticking to my guns!!  No talking me into it next time!  (I'm trying to convince myself I can be strong in this....)  

So, when Dave was off with the Young Men on the Triathlon last weekend, the kids and I decided to try out our pool.  The kids started out with just their bathing suits on, but the water was still too cold, so they ended up with their wet suits on.

They still thought the water was pretty cold, and spent most of the time outside of the water.
Ashley is definitely my warm-blooded one.  She lasts the longest in the cold water.  She has always been our little fish.  She's loved water since she was a baby.  She caught some pretty good air on this one.

Jessica had decided not to go in again, but didn't want her sister to outdo her, so here she is catching some air herself.  

Tyler didn't want much to do with the cold water, and decided he was done after one quick dip in the water.  I begged him to do a jump for the camera, but he wouldn't brave the cold again.

Kyle did put his feet in the water, but that's about it.  And Kelsey, I didn't even bother to put her suit on because I knew she would hate the cold water.  So she just chilled in the backyard with us.  She is such a cutie, and I can't believe she's almost walking.  (She can take a couple of steps, but then falls.  Another month and she'll probably be walking all over.  The funny thing is she is my earliest crawler, and my latest walker!  Go figure.)  

So, needless to say, the kids can't wait for the summer, and for our pool to get warm!!  (Too bad we can't have a warm pool, and not so hot summers!  Oh well.)

52 Blessings #15

This week I am thankful for my house.  Now, I only can dream this is a picture of my home.  It really isn't.  It is a $100 million house in Lake Tahoe, and our house does not look anything like this.  Ours is a simple, single story track house in a cozy little neighborhood.  But even though it doesn't look like this, to other people living in humble circumstances all over the world, my house probably would look like this to them.  So I am very grateful to have the home I do, and feel blessed to be able to raise my children with a nice roof over there heads, and all the comforts we enjoy living in our great country.  This weekend we were able to finish painting the trim on our windows, and it's always nice to see the finished product when you do home improvements.  I'm grateful for our home, and especially the family we have that makes our house not just a house, but a home.  

Time Flies!

I cannot believe it is already Friday.  Time is just flying by.  This week I told myself I was going to up my exercising, and I'm feeling it today.  It's been fun because I have been doing things I enjoy doing.  I've decided that's the key to staying active, doing things you love to do.  I played my usual basketball this week, and tennis one day, but I also threw in a workout at the gym, an hour bike ride, and played 9 holes of golf.  The golf was awesome.  Dave and I used to go all the time when we were first married, but I hadn't played in 12 years, and it was so fun.  Dave took the day off on Tuesday, just for fun, and we went and played.  Golf is a very tricky sport, a little frustrating.  You can hit the ball so clean and have a great shot, and then the next time miss it completely!!!  I hope I continue to get to play and get better.  I'm really enjoying it.  Dave of course is so excited since his dream is to retire and play golf everyday.  So, hopefully I'll get good and be able to keep up with him.  We'll see....

So, I'm looking forward to this weekend.  Not too much planned, but it's always nice to have a weekend with the family.  The kids have been saving up for a Wii.  We told them if they saved half, we'd pay half, and they did it!!  So we just got it.  (I know, we're a little behind getting one, it seems like everyone got one for Christmas.)  The kids are enjoying it, and I'm sure our weekend will be filled with exciting games of "Rayman Raving Rabbids 2"  (This is such a fun game if you haven't played it yet!)  And I'm hoping the weekend doesn't fly by too fast!!

52 Blessings #14

Can anyone guess who this is in the following picture?

This weekend we had the opportunity to watch General Conference and to hear from our wonderful prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.  So, if you guessed this was him, you were right.  I found this picture online and thought it was a fun picture of our beloved prophet when he was a child.  This week I am so grateful for our prophet, President Monson.  Growing up, he was always one of my favorite apostles.  I always enjoyed hearing him speak, and loved to listen to his funny, entertaining stories.  I am so grateful we have a living prophet on the earth who leads and guides the church today.  I truly am grateful to have this blessing in my life!!

No Fun Shopping!

Well, I had been bragging about what great shoppers my two youngest have always been.  It really wasn't bad taking them places like Costco or Target.  Kyle would sit so nicely in the cart, and once and a while I'd have to feed them food and stuff, but they were usually so good.  Well, not anymore.  My time is up and now it's double payback!!  The last couple of weeks, Kelsey has learned how to make that very high pitched scream sound when she is mad.  It's like she just discovered this and uses it ALL the time.  And Kyle refuses to sit in the stroller/cart anymore and wants to walk, and TOUCH everything!  Well, yesterday I really wanted to go to Bed Bath and Beyond to look at their rods and curtains for my two sliding glass doors.  I thought it wouldn't be too bad, but boy was a wrong!  The kids were fine in the stroller as I walked to find the section I wanted, but once I got there and the guy started to help me, it was all down-hill from there.  Kyle kept touching Kelsey, and she kept letting out that high pitched scream.  Not to be outdone, Kyle joins in and the two pretty much didn't stop crying from there on out.  I tried everything as I was talking to the sales associate, tic tacs, Altoids, I even let Kyle hold my purse, which was a bad idea.  As I was talking to the guy, he had gotten my wallet and started taking out my credit cards.  The guy says "you want him doing that?"  I looked over and yelled at him to stop.  I grabbed my wallet back and noticed my American Express card was gone.  Oh great.  So the guy starts getting on his hands and knees and looking around all over the floor and behind all the curtain displays.  I started to panic and looked all over, too.  After about 3 minutes, while the kids are still both screaming, I am horribly embarrassed by the whole mess and tell the guy he's welcome to get back to helping another costumer or whatever he needs to do.  I'm sure he's happier than ever to leave me to my crying kids and my lost credit card, and informs me if I'd like to come back later that night without the kids he'd be happy to help me some more.  He actually was quite nice about the whole situation, and informed me he had four boys himself, the oldest of which was four, so he was used to the crying.  (Thank goodness he was so nice about it!)  I was still really embarrassed and quickly left the store, but not really wanting to cuz I still couldn't find my card!!  But luckily after I buckled my screaming kids back into the car, I found the missing card behind my drivers license.  Kyle had put it back, he just decided to hide it.  Thank goodness I found it.  So, needless to say my kids are paying me back for the past year of being so great at shopping, and I think I'll spend the next year NOT shopping with them!!

52 Blessings #12 and #13

So, I noticed I'm a week behind in my blessings project, so my #12 blessing is my MOM and my #13 is my DAD!  I have the greatest parents, and they are a HUGE blessing in my life.  I am the first girl after three boys, and have always felt tremendous love from my parents.  They have supported me my whole life, and have made me the person I am today.  I tell them often, but I really hope they know how much I do love them.  I am so grateful to them for all they've done, and continue to do for me!  

This is a picture of Jessica and Ashley with my mom and dad, taken almost 3 years ago at the Stadium of Fire fireworks show at BYU.  (If you haven't been, it is an awesome show and still is the best fireworks show I've ever seen!)  It was so fun to take the girls to it with my mom and dad.  I have such great memories of things I've done with my parents  growing up, and it's so wonderful to be able to make more memories with my own children and their grandparents.  Thanks mom and dad.  I love you!!