Lake Tahoe

So I finally made it to Lake Tahoe. We've been so busy this summer I wasn't sure if we'd make it to the lake this year. My friend Tammy invited us to go with her and her son Nate. I'm used to doing most things by myself so we went. It was a really warm day and the Lake was so pretty. The kids played in the sand and the water and Tammy and I got to visit. It was a nice time except for the fact that mommy didn't wear sunscreen and my shoulders, chest and legs are lobster-ish!! My own fault! We hope to go back a few times before the weather changes. If you notice in the pictures everyone has umbrellas or some kind of cover....except us! Good Times, Good Times!

Les Schwab Picnic

We had a store picnic last Sunday at Bower's Mansion Park. It was a nice warm and windy day but we had a nice time. Derek took the kids swimming at the park pool and they had a lot of fun. Gracie was the swimsuit model that day!!

Bryanna and 3 Teeth!!

Our Bryanna has lost 3 baby teeth! I can't believe that we are experiencing this already. I feel like it's too early. She had one tooth that the Dentist took out because the permanent tooth was in behind it and it just wouldn't budge. I wish I would have took a picture of it because the root was forever long and no wonder it didn't come out on it's own. After the 2nd one was out the 3rd one came out 2 weeks later!! She has been visited by the tooth fairy 3 times and she was very happy about that. She still has a beautiful smile even with a tooth missing!

Happy Birthday Derek, Honey!!

Today is Derek's 31st birthday. On July 22, 1977 the world became a better place!! In honor of Derek's birthday I would like to post 10 of my favorite things about him.

1. He loves me just the way I am

2. He is a loving, affectionate and fun dad

3. He is a hard worker and wouldn't have it any other way

4. He is a worthy priesthood holder

5. He respects his mother

6. He is very funny and always makes me laugh

7. He never forgets to say "I love you"

8. He can make up a song out of no where

9. He is very loyal

10. He is my one and only true love!!!

The songs that are playing are some of the top 100 songs in 1977

"Motherly love is....."

I found this cute article in a magazine and wanted to share it. Unfortunately I realized that I don't have very many photos of just me and my girls so this is the only one I had to post!!

Motherly Love is...

-pretending that you're already full when your child wants the one cookie left in the box.

-wishing it was you with the stomach flu and not her.

-cluttering up your precious storage space with her baby clothes because you just can't bear to part with them.

-always having his favorite snack in your handbag (and your favorite photo of him tucked in there, too).

-accepting the soggy half-eaten cookie she lovingly offers you (and eating it too).

-buying a box of cereal just to get the prize he so desperately wants.

-sitting through an entire Barney DVD because it's her favorite and she wants to share it with you.

-being driven crazy when he's with you, but missing him like crazy when he isn't.

-when, even after endless sleepless nights, continuous mounds of laundry and a house that looks like a toy store after a tornado, one little smile is all it takes to melt your heart.

-when the other child is always the one who started it.

-dealing with everything that comes your way without giving it a second thought, whether it's vomit, snot or poo.

-happily replacing your favorite painting with that lovely dried macaroni collage she made just for you.

Questions

My little Bryanna is so curious about everything. Lately she is asking A LOT of questions about anything and everything she can think of. Today it was, "who was here before we lived here, the builders?", and "how does the car go by itself without you?" and "what are machines?". So I asked Bryanna "why are you asking so many questions?" and she replied, "because I'm a question ask-erer". How sweet and innocent and funny she is!! I love the things kids say.

Thankful

I am so thankful to have the knowledge of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful to know that He loves me! It is a comfort to me during the trials of life to know that He will lift me up if I will ask Him. I am grateful to my ancestors who so faithfully followed in faith and because of them I have this knowledge today and I can pass it on to my children and their children and so on. Yesterday I was thinking how grateful I am to be able to go to church every Sunday and step out of the "world" and just concentrate on feeling the spirit and renewing my sspirit for the rest of the week ahead. No matter what kind of days I have I always know that there is a purpose to this and that someday I will be rewarded for doing what God and Jesus Christ want me to do and had planned for me. It is such an awesome feeling that He knows me individually and He loves me. I am so Thankful!!!

I've been tagged....I think!

I think Alison tagged me or else I am just a wannabe groupie!! So here it is-

10 years ago I was getting ready to be married and was married August 29th, 1998. My best girlfriends and I went to Manzanita on the Oregon Coast and had a girls weekend before I got hitched. It was the best time and I will always remember those times. (The pics aren't the greatest because they were copied on a scrapbook page) Love you gals: Denene, Emily, Jessie and Holly!!

The Happy Young Couple!!

Five things on today's to do list:

1. Have preschool at my house

2. Go to Safeway

3. Read some magazines

4. Eat some chocolate

5. Go to airport and out to dinner

Snacks I enjoy:

-Chips and Salsa from Chili's

-Chocolate anything

-Sunflower Seeds

-Goldfish

-Diet Coke

Things I would buy if I was a millionaire:

-Hybrid Suburban

-New House

-Pay bills

-New furniture for the new house

Places I have lived:

-Portland, OR

-Rexburg, ID

-South Ogden, UT

-Carson City, NV

3 Joys:

-Shopping

-Sleeping In

-Dates w/ Derek

-Seeing my kids again after a nice break!

3 Fears:

-Derek leaving this earth before me

-Bad people who do bad things to good people

-Airplane rides

3 Goals:

-To lose weight and be HAPPY

-Potty train Abby

-Take a photography class

3 current obsessions:

-Magazines (entertainment, good housekeeping, country sampler etc.)

-Blogs (posting and reading)

-diet coke

Random Facts:

-I have a tatoo of a rose (i got it when I was 18 and a little rebellious)

-I have really bad teeth

-I have never been to Disneyland either Alison

People I am tagging:

-Jessie

-Denene

-Emily

-Lesa Miller

-and everyone else who reads this blog!

One of those days..

Today is one of those days where my TV has been my children's babysitter. I have been consumed with cleaning my house today because Uncle Shawn is coming tomorrow and I like my guests to come into a clean and organized home. The girls do not want to play outside because it is VERY HOT and they are like me and don't like that very much. So Disney channel is entertaining them most of the day. I would feel guilty but sometimes you just have to have "one of those days".

4th of July

We had a really fun 4th of July this year. I was a little dissapointed that we wouldn't be able to do our own fireworks because of the major fire danger here, but we made the best of our first 4th of July in Nevada. We drove up to Virginia City about 20 miles away, for a parade. It is an old mining town and has a lot of all the old buildings and atmosphere. The girls had a lot of fun and got A LOT of candy! You would have thought it was Halloween or something. They got to pet a couple horses and there was even a dance team from Central Oregon performing in the parade, a little bit of home in Nevada. Afterwards we got ice cream and then headed off to the Minden pool. Minden is a little town about 15 miles away and they have a nice big swim center. Bryanna and Daddy spent most of their time in the "big pool" and the diving board. Bryanna is our no fear water girl!! She did have a life jacket on to help her get back up after the dive but I am constantly amazed at how brave she is! I spent most of the time hangin' out in the kiddie pool with Abby and Gracie. They are content to just sit in the pool for 2 hours. By then we were not in the mood to cook so we went to one of the only restaraunts here and our favorite, Chili's for dinner . At about 9:30 we headed out to the trampoline and watched the local fireworks from our backyard!! The girls loved it and we had a really good day! I am so grateful to live in the USA and for all the freedoms I enjoy!

Slie, Slide, Slippety Slide

Last week on Derek's day off we took the girls to our favorite park. We were the only ones there and we were having fun watching the girls go on all the slides. Derek and I decided to participate hoping the slides wouldn't brake down!! I love these moments as a family just having fun and watching the smiles on our girls' faces. Thes moments I always want to remember-

Let's Go Swimming!

So I put my brave face on and took the girls to the community center pool to swim. They had all been asking for a while now and I really wanted to take them as a family. Derek had to do inventory at work so I decided the 4 girls would just go. I put my bathing suit on (that was scary) and we went. They had a kiddie pool that was perfect for all 3 of the girls and I sat out and watched until they begged me to get in. I figured if the "grandma" could get in then I could too. It was actually quite fun and I loved watching the girls be so free in the pool. Gracie normally is very scared but she did awesome and so did Abby, she kept saying"i do it by myself". Bryanna is our water girl and she really wanted to go in the "big" pool but that would have to wait until the next time when daddy could go. We had a great time and we will definately do it again this summer!!

My 5 favorite things

I LOVE FLIP FLOPS. All kinds of them but I always end up with a few pair of Old Navy ones.

I love to just slip them on and go and i've never been one that loved socks so I can't wait for summer so I can wear them religously (although I do wear them through the fall too, unless it is snowing, i'm not that crazy!)















BIG SEXY HAIR ROOT PUMP/MOUSSE

Unfortunately I HAVE to have this product because my hair is thinning every year I get older. This helps to give the illusion that I have somewhat thicker hair than I really do!! I definately can't live without this product right now! I blame it on genetics!

DOWNEAST BASICS TEE (in white). I was introduced to these shirts when I moved to Utah and they are the best thing ever!! I wear them everyday and I am able to wear shirts I wouldn't normally get to wear. They are long so they can hide a little of the tush. Plus they are tight so that they hold a little bit of the "rollage" in. LOVE THESE!!

I love to Blog and to read my friends/family blogs. It brings me much joy to stay up all night and browse the blogs!! I love that the internet has given us this great way of keeping in touch and sharing eachothers lives!!

My favorite 3 girls!! I love these beautful, creative, smart little girls. I am grateful for them and they teach me a lot and I strive to be a good mom for them. They are my real "treasures".