Once you get behind, you can't ever catch up...

Hello all! Yes, we're still alive. :P I need to apologize to the couple of people that actually read our blog- I could say that I've been extremely busy, which is totally true for those of you that know how crazy things have been lately, but in all honesty, I could have more than likely found some time to update. Blogging, to me, is like journal writing. And I SUCK at journal writing. I do really really well when I first make the goal to write in my journal, and I'm solid for about a week. Then it slams to a halt cuz I can always find something more interesting to do, and nine years later I try it again. Do you have any idea how hard it is to catch up after nine years?? Hahaha :) So I sincerely apologize and won't make any promises, but will certainly give it a good effort. :)

Just a quick update, and I'll try and post some pics at a later date- Let's see, I finished my CNA class and did my clinicals. That was so much fun! I think I found my calling in life when I was working with rehab patients. They have such great attitudes and are really trying hard to get better. When I worked with long-term pts who were there until they die, it just made me sad. I promise I won't get on my soap-box about this. :) Anyrate, now I am just waiting to take my state tests and then off to find a really part-time job! I'm heading out for Girl's Camp this week- I've had a ton of fun preparing for this! I have some great YW and awesome fellow leaders; I'm sure going to miss them when I have to just be in Primary again! ( i know, primary is a wonderful calling. But I've been in for so long I now have tenure.)

What else? Wade's been having some medical issues; they thought it was his spleen, and then they found an ulcer, but now they think it's his gallbladder. Poor guy's been in pain for so long, and to be honest, it's starting to worry me a little. He goes in for a hyda-scan this week and hopefully they'll find out that it is his gallbladder and they can get it taken care of. If not, he has to have a CAT scan. Thank goodness for good insurance! :)

The kids are doing good. Not much to report there. They're trying really hard to have a fun summer with a mom that's as busy as I've been lately. If they hear the phrase "i've just gotta get this stuff done for camp" one more time they might start packing their bags and move in with grandma. :) LOL Oh! I did audition for "Beauty and the Beast" up at the playhouse last Saturday! This week are callbacks, of course when I'll be at camp, so I'll be putting some miles on the truck. ;) Wish me luck!

Loves to all! :) Thx for your patience with me!

Race for the Cure

Way back on the 9th of May Wade and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure down in Salt Lake. We've been doing this for a few years now as that Wade's mom Dorothy is a breast cancer survivor of 8 years. The first year we did it there were six of us and this year there was 21! Maybe someday we'll have all 60-some of us. :) Any rate- wanted to share some pics. Enjoy!

They have booths set up to walk around before or after the race and you get all kinds of free stuff. Free stuff is good!


The pink piece of paper on Lauren's back is a way of walking in remembrance of someone- either someone that has passed away or a survivor.


This was at the beginning of the race and literally the last time we saw Wade's parents. Lol (they're the ones turned around facing the camera) They hustled through the race while the rest of us took our sweet time.


Me, Wade's sister Crysty, and her kids Wyatt, Brianna, and Courtney. We picked them up at 6:45 in the morning! What troopers!


In front and behind us. Yes, as far as you can see up the road, that's people. We really felt bad no one came. :P

Out of all the great things I saw, this was the sweetest. :) I'm sure there were lots more stories like this, they just happened to be the people who had to put up with us. Haha

Literally being "corraled" into Gateway. We felt a little like cattle.

Wade and his mom. Wade made his t-shirt, by the way.

The whole gang!

Questions

Olivia is my question-asker. There's one or two in every family. I'm sure part of it comes with age, but Livi is mine. And it's always the really hard questions, too, like- why do we have trees, why do noses have boogers in them, how come we only have two arms and legs, why does she have to have two sisters, who is Heavenly Father's father, that sort of thing. (the answer is Grandpa God, by the way) Today was nothing new, but always interesting. :)

O: "Mom, wouldn't it be so weird if there were twins that were a boy and girl?"
M: "Livi, there ARE twins that are a boy and a girl."
O: "NO there's not!"
M: "Yes, twins are just born on the same day at the same time from the same mommy. They can both be boys, or girls, or one of each. Isn't that cool?" (thinking I'm doing such a tremendous job of explaining this)
O: (thinks for a sec) "Wouldn't it be weird if Ethan and Isabelle were twins and were both in Sunbeams?"
M: "Yeah, that would be weird."
O: "What would happen if they were like teenagers and they got separated?"
M: "We would probably be really sad."
O: "Yeah. I would sure miss Ethan."

LOL!!

In the doll crib. Again.

Why did I even buy this kid a bed?

Ethan's baptism

Abby had her first choir concert last week. The first of many, I'm sure. :) She did such a great job! I was so proud of her! She's been such a trooper- she had to be to school at 7:30 in the morning on choir days and was always so excited to go. Ethan leaned over to me in the middle of the concert and asked if he could do it next year. YES!!! Raising these kids RIGHT!! Hahahaha :)

On Saturday my sweet little boy got baptized! Ack!! Crazy! When do these kids ever slow down in the up of the growing? LOL It was a great day and he looked so handsome. What an awesome kid. :) Thanks Julie for taking some great pics for us!

Olivia just being Olivia. :) Love that kid!

Hold on to your butts

This morning I was driving the kids to school and as usual we were crossing our busy street and I hollered out "Hold on to your butts!" (yes, I say this quite often when we cross our street. It's from 'Jurassic Park', for those of you that wanted to know). Pretty soon Izzy piped up in the back:

I: "I held on to my butts, mom!"
M: "Your butts?"
I: "Yep! All two of them!"

Later on I was sorting the laundry and she saw the toliet plunger and wanted to play with it.

I: "Can I play with that and pop things?"
M: "Um... no, we don't play with the toliet plunger. That's gross."
I: "Well, I'll just have to get my own at the store and then I can pop things."

'Wicked' was... Wicked!

Last week I got to go to "Wicked" with Wade! It was so awesome and I was planning on blogging about it the very next day, but had to wait until SOMEONE (who shall remain nameless) downloaded the pictures from his phone onto the computer. Sorry, that's the only camera we had with us so the pics are probably not all that great. Nonetheless, I intend to share with you. :)

Wade surprised me at Christmas with tickets (Aack! How great is that?) that he'd gotten from his cousin Rob (THANKS ROB!!). When we found our seats we were SIXTEEN rows from the stage!! SIXTEEN!! I think the closest I've ever sat to the stage at Capitol Theatre is WAY up in the balcony somewhere. It was incredible! I can't go on enough about how amazing the show was, and if you get me started, you'll be sorry. :P So I'll give you the highlights- Glinda (Galinda- with a 'Ga' haha) was incredible. She had so much energy and was ping-ponging all over the stage. I've made it a goal to be that energetic in the next character I play. I came out with a whole new respect for the song "Popular"- I've played it at a million auditions and heard it sung by countless teenagers and had gotten tired of the song. Watching it actually being performed was amazing. Fiyero (the male lead; handsome prince if you will) was dashing and swanky and everyone fell in love with him immediately. Until he sang. OH MY LANDS!! His tenor notes literally had me melting in my seat. WOW. But the best part was when Elphaba (the 'wicked' witch) walked out onto the stage and the audience went nutz. I got a big lump in my throat and started to cry- I was so excited that I was finally there! The music was incredible, the costumes and special effects were fabulous and the story itself was so touching- I of course was crying at the end. Wade was like 'sheesh, can't take you anywhere without you crying at the end' Hahaha :) All in all, a wonderful, music-filled night that re-inspired me and energized me to keep doing shows. What a great experience! Thanks for a fun night Wader! Love ya!