Yes it has!

We managed to miss posting all winter. We had a good one. As the kids are getting older we are doing more and more things that take up all of our time. School is it's usual time taker upper (and a very good one at that). I seem to be running someone somewhere all the time. My neighbors comment on it, so I guess it is unusual to them. The lady next door does it as much, if not more than me though.


I can't post pictures of all her dances, well I could but that would take longer.


Elaine at her Christmas Dance Recital.


I could not get a good picture from this angle, but here is Elaine singing at her school program.


Stephen singing at Christmas program.

Has it really been that long?

Here we are at the Orem Turkey trot, now called the run for your turkey race. I guess it has been a while since I posted. I guess you all have to play catch up while I get it all out there. It may take a few posts, because obviously I don't have time or at least don't take the time to do this often. Thank you for your patients!


Allison and mom about to walk in the race.



Allison finishing way before mom.



Mom finally finishing.



Stephen finishing his race.



James and Elaine are now in the 2 mile race. James is finishing here.



Here is Elaine finishing her race.

Vacation

They do decorate well there.


Oh, yeah, we did go trick or treating there.

First try

Second try

Patiently waiting for Toontown to open




They all had fun in the sand

Halloween a lot late

Trying to get a picture with someone not making a face or just not paying attention is just too much to ask.



Of course Allison was on her own schedule so she got her own picture.

Let's Play Catch-up!

I know some of you will be terribly disappointed, but we are not allowed to video tape the Play Allison is in for copy right reasons. We were however allowed to take flashless pictures(and of course most of them did not turn out well). I will post some of the ones that did.











Here she is in the Harry Potipher's wife scene(the Glasses)

It's Coming!

Okay, I am only talking about spring. Those silly little crocuses in the front yard are popping out. It's going to snow on them and I am going to loose them again. They popped out last year and then froze. The green stayed for a while but the flowers were gone. The greens from the other bulbs are popping up too. I love when spring comes, but I have a lot of yard work to do. I like the work but had no idea it took so much each season. Did mom and dad do this much every year and I was just oblivious? I knew about the mowing and the watering, but that's only part of the yard work.
I guess if it is time to pull on the work gloves and get to the shovelling, does that mean I need to get the ladder back from my brother-in-law so I can take down the Christmas lights?

Do any of you have an opinion on the Little Giant Ladders? I am thinking of buying one.

It Has Been a While

It is amazing how fast time can fly by and you can feel so busy, and yet have nothing to talk about or say on here. The kids are still in school, the snow is almost melted, of course someone is sick, and we are expecting snow tomorrow I think(I have not seen the news for 2-3 days).

Most days are good and busy. So far every one's schedules are working well around each others. I am glad to have a responsible child who is old enough to help me out. I find myself thinking 'oh, if she could drive I would have her do this and this.' Am I crazy, I don't want her driving. I would never see her. She would not be as helpful because she would have the freedom to do all the things she wants to but can't because mom can't drive her there. I am glad she is independent, it will be good for her.

Hey, some of you do home school for your children. Can you tell me the pluses and minuses to doing it. And how do you get started with it.

Tag

Here are the rules: You answer the questions below and at the end of the post you tag 4 people. Then go to their blog and comment to them that they have been tagged.
What is your husband's name? Rob
How long have you been married? 13 years
How long did you date? 1 or 1 1/2 years?
Who eats sweets? Me totally, well he gorges occasionally
Who said "I Love You" first? I'm suppose to remember stuff like that?
Who is taller? Him fo sho
Who can sing best? him again
Who is smarter? him again
Who does the laundry? me unless heaven for bid I should go out of town on the week end when he is home. Oh ya, he is a big boy he can handle it.
Who pays the bills? Me, I don't like cleaning up messes after others do weird things
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Who's right?
Who cooks dinner? me, he cooks for large groups and makes a huge mess.
Who drives? Me unless he is going out without me. He's too tired.
Who is the first to admit they are wrong? Me!
Who kissed who first? Again, I'm suppose to remember this stuff?
Who asked who out first? He asked me so I would have an excuse to not go out with someone else.
Who wears the pants? Neither or both
How did you meet? Working
Now I'm supposed to tag 4 people. I tag uh, you decide. I am way too out of shape for tag.

Halloween

This is Allison when she decided to make an appearence after all the trick or treating was done. She went with friends, and really needs to work on those communication skills. I will not get her a cell phone just because she is not responsible enough to pick up a normal phone to let me know what is going on.


This is us going trick or treating with some cousins, but no Allison


Elaine as a Jade ninja with her pumpkin


Stephen as a blue ninja with his pumpkin


James as a skeleton ninja with his pumpkin he carved.
Wow did we go down the wrong costume isle or what. Either that or rob talks about ninjas way too much!

Summer Over?

Well Summer is almost over. Well, summer break anyway. On the 24th of July when we were out by the neighbors she asked me if I was ready for the kids to go back. I am sure I made a face because I didn't think it was close enough to be even thinking about it. She then pointed out that we would be back at school in three weeks. No way man! Now here we are with only two weeks to go. I have to get them back on the right sleeping schedule and eating and functioning schedule. Now we only have a week and a half. I am ready but not really. I am not ready for the loving challenge of getting the kids to do their homework. Some of them care a little, but most of them could care less.

If anyone could let me know a way to motivate my children, it would be great. I have tried pointing out that the habits they form now will effect how they do things later in life, but that is to far away. They really can't see the future for themselves. I can, and I really hope I am wrong.

Tag- Do you really want to know all this?

The rules are as follows: List 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions/Collections, and 3 Random Surprising Facts About Yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

Joys
1. Swimming
2. Gardening
3. Alone time

Fears
1. My children being a burden to others
2. Too much selfishness in the world
3. not being able to help anyone anymore

Goals
1. Get in better shape so I can be a better example for my kids.
2. Get out of debt
3. Finish that darn Garden Area!

Current Obsessions/Collections
1. Boxes of stuff I probably will never need, but Might
2. I want to do lots of things with my house but won't because they cost too much
3. Understanding my children

Random Surprising Facts About Yourself
1. We bought a new natural gas car, to save on gas money, so we can pay for the car
2. I like the Backyardigans
3. I can't wait until Schools back in!

Pretty much everyone I know who blog have already been tagged. If you haven't and you want to do this, consider yourself TAGGED.

Rock climbing

We had a fun weekend with Robert Heaton and the kids. They got to stay at our house while Robert was up here looking for a house. He is moving up here because he can go back to work at the job he had before moving to Arizona.
Uncle Matt Monson loves to rock climb. He has been taking Allison and a friend to go climbing about twice a week. He took all the kids this time and the parents too, to help control chaos. Almost all the kids got to the top of at least one of the walls. Some were sensible and stayed at their comfort level!

Allison graduated from Orchard!

Allison getting her certificate.


The whole sixth grade singing.

Elaine was in 3 Dances.

Still not good at communicating!

Well, Hanna says I have to let people know I have this blog. That would mean I would have to keep putting things on this. I am not good at keeping things up. Have you seen my house? I am really good if I have a list or someone telling me what to do. I am just not very self motivated. I am finding that out the more things I try. Rob is the same way so we start lots but never finish. The difference is he is willing to pay someone to finish for him, I most definitely am not! So I might do what dad did and only post Once or twice, and then Why tell anyone.

Well on to other things. It is the end of the school year again. So the kids have all the end of year activities going on. I am not good at remembering the darn camera. And when I do take it I forget to share the photos. Allison has had her end of year concert, no camera though. I could just post a picture from one of the many other concerts though. Elaine had her dance recital. Stephen would have his preschool graduation if his teacher had not bugged out in March. James is about to get his Arrow of Light in scouts. Having the ward changes has put that behind, but we are doing it!

I did not realize...

I did not realize I have nothing to say on this. I started this because we set up a web page a long time ago. It has been under construction for about two years now. I don't know enough computer stuff to do it myself. Rob is just always busy doing other things. We started really working on it once and Rob wanted more space or something on the web page so he upgraded something. It didn't work and He got busy again so here I am wondering what I will put on this blog. Maybe you regular bloggers could help.

It is Spring break now and we are plenty busy. I almost have too much to do. I want the kids to be able to have fun but I have so much to do here. We are trying to finish three dresses for a wedding this week end, the yard needs a lot of attention. The inside of the house is even worse. Wow, we need to get rid of a lot of stuff. We went to the zoo today. We thought about doing more but then the arguing started, so we came home. The weather was great and so everyone and their neighbor were at the zoo. It's a good thing there aren't many lines at at the zoo.