Better than a song and dance for CHRISTMAS!!!

Well, We survived the HOLIDAYS!!! I guess it's time to update the blog. Christmas was great! Many of you know that my family has a Christmas tradition that is like no other. We draw names like most families. Then, we have to MAKE each other gifts without spending any money. This year I really lucked out. My wonderful husband drew my name. He gave me the best gift ever. First, he sang me a solo in front of the WHOLE fam. Just a side note, Joe doesn't sing. However, there is one song that he has sung over the past six years that he knows I absolutely love him to sing. Mainly because he sings it completely wrong, yet it always makes me smile and warms my heart. It is "You are my Sunshine". He was so nervous!!! His voice was shaking and cracking. He sang the first verse like it is written and then he changed the second verse for me. This is how it went;

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,

You make me happy when skies are grey

You'll never know dear, How much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away.

(JOE's verse)

Oh, I see heaven In your Brown eyes girl

You make me happy in every way

I'm only singing here, because I love you

Oh, Please don't take my sunshine away.

You had to be there to understand why, but I just started crying and laughing at the same time, which made him start to cry, which means his voice was shaking and cracking even more!!! It was the sweetest gift I've ever recived. After he finished his solo, he proceeded to pull out the rest of his gift to me.

He drew me a picture of the Ogden Temple using chalk. I have wanted a picture of the temple for the last six years because we were married there. The pictures here don't do it justice. It is beautiful. I can't wait to find a home were I can frame and hang this treasured picture.
He is Truely the BEST!!!!!

THE CHAIR OF DEATH

July was here and gone before I knew it, yet here we are half way through August!!! It's definately time to catch up. Joe and I have tried several new things this summer. Some of them have turned out great! Others have slapped us in the back and little in the face!!! I mean, LITERALLY, slapped us in the back and face! For those of you who don't know, my family has spent many summers on the water boating, tubing, and skiing. Well, this year my dad decided to buy a new toy for everyone to try out, an airchair. Sounds fun right? I thought so too. The first time out on the lake Joe and I decided that it might be a good idea to observe other people riding in order to get the hang of it. We watched and watched. Then it was Joe's turn to try. He jumped in the water, strapped himself to the CHAIR of DEATH, and grasped the rope. Looking very unstable, he yelled from the water, "Hit it", and the boat took off. We went about five feet before we had to turn around and pick him up. Once again, he grasped the rope and yelled, "Hit it" and once again we drove about five feet and then went back to get him. We continued doing this over and over until after about the 100th try. He came flying out of the water, shot straight into the air, and then plunged quickly back down again. The water looked like cement when he hit and the fin of the chair swung back, bending him in half, and slapped him in the back. Needless to say, he was done for the day. Then it was my turn. I jumped into the water, strapped on "The Chair" and reached for the rope. I struggled to get the chair to sit straight in the water. When I figured it was as stable as I was going to get it, I yelled, "Hit it". The boat took off and once again, they would drive about five feet and turn around. I got really good at coming out sideways and slapping my face on the water. Since that first time, Joe has mastered it pretty good and I am still in the process of getting out of the water up right. Better luck next time I guess.

Less than 24 hours in Omaha

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to fly with my sister's kids to their new Home in Omaha Nebraska. It was crazy busy but so so fun! It was the two of us, 5 carry on bags, a 4year old who has to go to the bathroom every 40 minutes (if your lucky to make it that long), a 19month old, and an 18 month old. "Bored" was not a word in our vocabulary. We had more than enough to keep our four arms, hands, and legs occupied. I'll explain why I add our legs to this list. We had a very smooth flight from Salt Lake City to Denver where we had about an hour and a half lay-over. We thought this time frame would be perfect to let the kids run around a little and have some lunch before we continued on to Omaha. Boy were we WRONG!!! Once we landed in Denver and managed to get all 5 bags with all 3 kids off of the plane quickely and without annoying any of the other passengers, we made our way through the airport to our next terminal. At this point, Molly informed me that she had had an "accident". Her pants were wet and her legs were itchy. We decided that Joe would stay with Mac, Mykell, and the bags and I would take Molly to the bathroom to get cleaned up and find some lunch for all of us. Molly and I headed out. It wasn't until we reached the restroom that I realized how wet her pants really were. We found an open stall and lucky for me My sister's mother-in-law had packed an extra pair of panies in the diaper bag. Molly changed her panies while I did my best to wash her little pants out in the sink. I was moving as fast as I could to get them dry using a hand dryer on the bathroom wall. I kept peaking around the corner to make sure Molly was still doing ok and I would see her little face prest against the crack in the door. About every 2minutes I would hear her yell "aunt Syd are you done yet?" Too bad those dryers don't work a little faster.:) Once her pants were dry we quickly set out to find food. We were "lucky" enough to be flying when the college Baseball Play-offs were going on so the airports were out of control. We did find a McDonalds that I thought would be perfect. My Idea was to get a couple of chicken nugget happy meals and be on my way. Well, I ordered the happy meals and then we waited and waited and waited. We stood in front of McDonalds with about a billion other people waiting for happy meals for about 25 minutes. In between Little Molly asking how much longer and letting me know how hungry she was. Joe called a couple of times wondering when we would be back and informed me that our plane had arrived and they would be bording soon. Molly and I returned to our terminal with dry pants and lunch a few minutes later. I wish that I would have taken a picture of the sight I saw. It still makes me laugh!!! Upon arriving at the terminal there was no question in my mind where Joe and the Kids were. All I had to do was pay attention to where every one else in the area was looking. Just in front of a row of seats, on the floor, I saw Joe's head. He had used the bags on one side of the chairs and his legs on the other to barricade Mac and Mykell so they couldn't run away. And they love to run!! The look on his face was indescribable. Mac was busy biting, throwing, and pushing almost every book and crayon that had been packed and Mykell was dancing around in a purple princess crown! It was Great!!! We eventually finished eating lunch, got faces wiped and diapers changed before bording our flight. Once we were on the plane Mac, Mykell, and Joe fell asleep and Molly colored and sang me song after song for most of the flight. We arrived in Omaha with 5 carry-on bags, a 4year old, a 19month old, an 18 month old, and a small peice of sanity left. We considered our mission a success!!!

Help!!! I'm FALLING and I need to get up!!!!

Even though this picture ended-up being a funny one, I was really in a dangerous spot. I was on a cliff edge about 20 feet above a very swift and rocky whitewater stretch of the river. It was crazy!!!

Who wouldn't kiss this cowboy?

Joe had a cowboy hat when we first were married. Unfortunately, it was left in the sun and it shrunk. Ever since, he has wanted to get a new one. What better place then in Jackson Hole. I decided we better document this occassion because, well, it was a good excuse to kiss this cowboy! :)

Fun in Jackson Hole!!!

Joe and I just returned home from a vacation in Jackson Hole. We had a blast! It has been several years since either of us has been there and it was nice to get away for a couple of days. This picture was taken during a fun little hike in Teton National Park. The run-off was CRAZY!!!

St. George

My sister, Terica, finally got me to commit to run a 5K with her in April. I am so glad that I did it!!! Although it was only 3.5 miles, I had such a feeling of great accomplishment when I crossed the finish line. The fact that my wonderful husband was there cheering me on and supporting me helped me keep going. Terica and I came in First place in our division and fourth place over-all.