Funny picnic

Justin couldnt look at me because the sun was too shiny in his eyes, but there is his spoon.

Claire didnt have a hat to keep her ears covered so I took Ashleys headband and put it over Claires ears, do you think it helped???

We went out to get Justin off the tractor with Ryan, and decided to have a picnic too, it is a whopping 49 degrees outside, what better picnic weather then that! Anyway I left in such a hurry that I forgot to bring any forks or spoons with us. We had quite the collaboration of utensils. Ryan found a couple in his pickup glove box, they were not very clean to say the least, but they worked. Ashley used the serving spoon and I used Claire's baby spoon, Emma had a good plastic spoon, Ryan used a fork that was missing its middle parts, Justin...well he didn't eat two bites anyway, so he didn't need a fork. He was too busy checking things out. It was a funny lunch anyway, we were just happy to spend it together!! Fun times!

Ashley stars in Robin Hood

Ashley did such a good job in her production. She wasn't even scared at all. She remembered her line and did GREAT! I cant believe that these kids learn all of this in a week and can remember their lines, and songs and all of that. To be young again and be able to memorize.... Anyway it was so good. I think her stage down stairs has done wonders for her confidence. She was pretty quiet, but I blame that on genetics. Emma is the only one in our family with a loud voice, imagine that, Emma loud??? Ashley had lots of supporters, Grandma Telford, Grandma Violet, Bill Coffey, Dad, Mom, Emma, and Claire. Justin went to the matinee show but was not invited back to the evening performance, I wanted to get to watch all of it and Justin just cant handle that much sitting I guess. Ashley makes a very cute skunk, and we are so proud of Ashley for doing such a GREAT job!! I gave up on the video, here are some pictures.

Claire saying Mama

So I thought I was uploading Ashleys cute song from her play but it was Claire saying mama instead, it was going along really cute until she burped and then starts choking and then she quit talking. I took this last Sunday after church. She is getting too BIG! (It took 10 minutes to up load so I am not going to erase it now).

All about EMMA

Emma pointed out that she didn't have her picture on the blog lately so I thought I would dedicate one whole blog just to Emma. Emma likes to stay up late and sleep in even later. (she takes after her mother). She likes to play outside, but only for a little while. She always wants to have mom and Emma time. She has a very vivid imagination which gets her into a lot of trouble and also makes her have scary dreams about swiper the fox and Ashley taking away her toys, these dreams are very real to hear. Emma is very loud. She screams when she doesn't get her way and has been accused of being spoiled. Emma is a very good babysitter and loves to help take care of Claire, not Justin, only Claire. She likes having friends and does not like playing by herself. She is always begging Ashley to play with her. Emma loves doing puzzles and playing any kind of games. Emma is a couch potato, if I would let her she would watch TV all day and all night long, it doesn't matter what it is, she will watch it! Emma is a great helper for mom and loves washing dishes and sorting laundry, but dislikes setting the table. She is starting to read and cant wait for Kindergarten to start. Emma has the BEST laugh ever, it is contagious, she starts laughing and then we all start laughing, this is one of my most favorite things about Emma, she can always make her mama smile. Emma is the best 5 year old in our family. We love her very much!

Farming is in full swing

I finally got a picture of Ryan farming. It was too cold to get out and take any close ups though. The wind was horrible yesterday, but I have noticed it really melts any left over snow quickly, so that is one good thing about all the wind. The picture is of Ryan and Justin finishing some grain drilling. He finished the sugar beet planting and I never got a picture of that, he did it in record time this year. I have such a talented husband, I bet he is the fastest sugar beet planter in the WORLD!!!!!

Ashley's Rehearsals

Ashley on stage doing her part.

Claire sitting up so good, she can reach her toys and play a lot better now.

Justin finally pooped out at rehearsal.

This is some of the things that go on while we wait for Ashley at her play rehearsal. The kids enjoy playing in the bleachers, we are pretty much the only ones there so they can roam around quietly, (sort of quietly). Ashley is doing good, she actually has a line, I cant remember what it is so we haven't practiced it but she is excited to get to say something. It has been fun to go and watch. I took Justin in his underoos (no diaper) and we were in the bathroom 3 different times in 1 hour, so I put a diaper on him. I am so lazy when it comes to potty training. I think he just likes to go in the bathroom, but he did go every time?? He is so busy, I had a rough time keeping track of him at tumbling, I guess a big gym is not enough room for him, he has to roam the halls of the school too.

Emma and Ashley learned some cool new tricks at tumbling. They are getting really good, just in time to be done with the class I guess. This morning we have to run some wrenches down to Ryan at the farm. He forgot to get them when he left early this morning. I thought I was going to get to stay home, not the case I guess.

Pre-school day

Justin, Clay, Serena, and Emma working hard at pre school.

Justin and Clay coloring

Emma and Serena learning about 5

This morning was preschool. Emma's favorite day of the week. She loves preschool. We hosted it at our house this week and It wasn't a very exciting lesson, mainly just coloring and writing, but there was lots of playing afterwards which was tons of fun. These are pictures from last week, I haven't posted them because I thought I should ask their mom if I could post pictures of her kids on the www. Anyway she said that was OK. Pre school was at their house last time they learned about the number 5, so fun!

We had to cancel scouts because the church is being cleaned, we would have held it outside but it is raining today, which we need. So no scouts again. Ashley has practice for the play after school so we will go watch that instead of scouts and then go from there to tumbling. We only have one more week of that, which will be sad. The girls love it. Ryan is working in Richfield today he came in for lunch with Grandpa also, that was fun for the kids to see papa. There was a funeral today for a guy that Ryan knows so he stayed around to go to that. He died unexpectedly, he has two young children but is not married. Too sad. I hear Claire awake that wasnt a long enough nap.

Tuesday

Today we went to the book fair at the school. I had to work there this afternoon. I split the day with Kristen. I watched her boys in the morning while she worked and she took Justin in the afternoon while I worked. I kept Emma and Claire with me. Emma looked at books the whole time and then went out on recess with Ashley so that was really fun for her. The time passed quickly which was good for me. I let each of the kids get a book, Ashley got a High School Musical one, Emma got one with 5 different princess stories in it, Justin got one about Thomas the Train, and Claire got a super cute one called Me and My Dad. So kind of a fun day for the kids.
Ashleys auditions went well yesterday. She got a part (everyone got a part that auditioned). She gets to be a skunk, along with 6 or 8 other little skunks. She didnt realize that she was actually going to be a skunk animal, she thought they just called them skunks, She was a little dissapointed. But the worst was when she realized that she wasnt going to get to wear real makeup, just like black and white makeup. Anyway it was kind of funny, but she is still very excited. She has two rehearsals and then the show on Friday, my kind of practicing! I will keep you posted on how it all goes.

Tonight is enrichment meeting, they are talking about how to become an 8 cow woman, (you know like from the movie Johnny Lingo). I am excited it is a dinner and a couple of speakers and I think it will be good, I need the kind of pep talk to keep me going and remember the important things in life, being a mommy and a wife. It will be fun to get out too.

Ok, Ok, Last one for today

Today Ashley is trying out for a play at the school. She is very excited. I just hope she gets A part, we will see. It is Robin Hood and it is being put on by one of those traveling theater things. The people come and do all of the main parts and teach the kids their part and it will all be done in a week. I did one when I was in Elementary. I was a towns person, sounds like a big part huh! We are all excited for that today. We just have a normal week this week. I don't think we are going to get too busy. Ryan is planting his last sugar beets this morning, that went quick, thankfully. He likes to get in and get it done and we only have 500 acres this year so it makes it go faster. I am supposed to be registering horses and ordering over width permits for the semi but I am catching up on blogging instead. Where are my priorities?? My brother Kollins head stone came in and looks amazing, Sara calls it a monument, and it really is, it is big and really nice. Sara did an awesome job on it. We will go visit his grave when we go to the sister reunion in May. That will be nice, sort of. Well I need to get busy.

A favorite past time of ours

We love to read stories at our house. Every night we read at least 10 or 12, well not that many but it seems like it sometimes. All of the kids really enjoy reading, even Claire, she cannot keep her hands off of the books. It is kind of a tradition, I remember reading lots of stories and nursery rhymes on my dads lap. Once I could read I can remember following along with him and he would always skip words and it would drive me crazy, now I try to skip whole pages, I'm so bad, but I rarely can get away with it, I don't know how they know when I have skipped a page, but they do. Fun times reading stories with Dad.

Ryan will be horrified to see is balding head posted on the world wide web!!

Visitor at school

Ashley and Brooke getting off the bus.

Jessie, Ashley, Brooke, Emma

Ashley's cousin Brooke was here visiting for the week and she got to go to school on Monday with Ashley. I took her in at lunch time and then she rode home on the bus with Ashley. They had a fabulous time they said. It was a very eventful day at school. One of Ashley's friends broke her arm on the monkey bars. Another one lost his finger nail in football, there were lots of things for them to do and talk about. It was fun to have Jessie come too. She and Emma stayed home and played, well Emma bossed her around and Jessie played. I think they had fun anyway. We wish they lived closer so we could see them more often.

Ashley and Claire

Last Thursday I was doing all of the shopping for the Blue and Gold Banquet and so Emma and Justin went to grandmas for the day so I could get it all done. Anyway that left me with Claire and then Ashley after school. We didn't spend much time at home, we went down to play with cousins before they had to go back to Nevada, and we picked up Emma and Justin. Emma cries every time I show up to grandmas and says I don't want to go. I told her we aren't going yet we can play for a while. The while turned into 10:00 that night. Ryan was finishing planting one field and needed help moving to the next field so Justin and I went and picked him up and took him back to his pickup. Justin enjoyed a short ride in the tractor. I took my camera just to take some pictures of spring planting and went to get Ryan and left it at grandmas, so I will have to try again another day. It was a fun LONG day.

Claire not sitting up so well.

upside down Ashley

While I painted...

I thought I better do some catch up. This is what went on while I was painting. Emma and Justin created a tento, Emma wanted to call hers a hyster. Sounds funny I know but I was trying to get Justin to go get his shirt on that has a hyster (fork lift) on it and Emma must have thought that was a cool word and so her tento became a hyster. Kids??? They also helped take care of Claire. She didnt care for Justins glasses too much. They were good so I wasnt going to complain.

So Long, Farewell

Dad, Milo, and Ashley

We said goodbye to a dear horse friend this morning. I was a little sad, but glad too. We are selling Milo. He was our first colt born, the same time as Ashley was born, so he is 7 years old. He has finally become a good rope horse that Ryan has roped on. Ryan just doesn't get to rope enough to keep him, and we are getting quite a bit out of him (the real reason for selling $$$). I just have a hard time getting attached to these horses and animals. I don't know who is going to buy him so I hope he is taken care of which is the scary part, I have watched black beauty too many times! He left at 7:30 this morning and I made all the kids get up and dressed (sort of dressed) so we could take pictures and all say good bye. We will miss our Milo horse dearly.

The kids with Milo

In my time off

So I have sort of enjoyed being quarantined with strep throat, I couldn't go to scouts, which is sad, but happy too, but I have felt really good so I got a lot of stuff done around the house. I got the living room painted, it turned out good, it is brown. I told Ryan I wish I would have painted it a dark yellow, he said it is just fine brown, leave it alone. I like to change paint colors often. It is fun and something that I really enjoy doing, sounds weird I know, but it is my thing, I really get a re-charge out of decorating and re doing everything, I wish I could take some classes on it, that would be cool, anyway, I will post pictures when I have time to sit down and figure out this computer again. So the kids are good, no one is sick, I have been sooo careful not to breath on them, and we have been using lots of Lysol and Clorox wipes on everything and I think it has helped.
I guess I don't have much to post, we spent the day making chicken enchiladas for the Blue and Gold Banquet tomorrow night. (It is a scout thing) I will be glad when we get it done. We made 10 pans of them, we are also having strawberry shortcake so we sliced 16 pounds of strawberries, it was quick. Kristen (the other den leader) came and did most of it. In the morning I will go get the balloons and do all of the decorating and then hopefully just have to show up for the banquet tomorrow night. I got a babysitter for the kids because I want Ryan to come and help take care of Claire while I am busy with food and stuff. Also I have to present a couple of awards to some of our boys and I have never done it before, so I also need him there for the moral support. I told him a little fib though, I told him it started at 6:30 and it really doesn't start until 7:00 so he will hopefully be on time, we will see. Justin is needing me.

Trying to keep up

I haven't done a very good job of posting this week. I have taken lots of pictures but I am having some technical difficulties with my photo suite and so I cant post any pictures until I get that figured out, what a pain. We have been keeping busy, my house is still in a mess. We have figured out a flooring solution, now we just have to find the time to do it. Ryan started planting beets, which is good and bad. It is hard to have him gone so much. I wish I could get used to it but I don't think I ever will. We had a fun weekend with cousins from Nevada. We spent lots of time at Grandma Telfords and then cousins came here. I will have to post the pictures later. Ashley has a cousin (Brooke) who is her age and she got to go to school with Ashley for half a day. It was fun. They get along well and are about the same tiny size. They did lots of talents for us and all sorts of fun playing at grandmas. Emma and Jessie had fun too. We also got to see the college kids, they are off for a week before summer semester starts at BYUI. They are all doing good and are fun to spend time with. Justin is good, he is busy as ever. Right at the end of the last talk at church, before the song started and it was nice and quiet he shouts "TIME FOR NURSERY" I hoped no one heard, but there was a little laughter in the audience, it was pretty loud. Claire is just about sitting up, she tips over back wards and side ways after a minute or so. She sits really well in the boppy cushion. I some how contracted strep throat. Lucky me. I have had it a couple times and so I know when it is more than just a sore throat, so yesterday we went to the Dr. It was the fastest visit ever, I didn't even have to pay for an appointment. they just do the culture and tell you yes you have it and here is your prescription, it was like 10 minutes in the office, including waiting. I feel better already today, I don't have a head ache and I can eat again so that is good. I did weigh Claire while we were there and she weighs 16.000 pounds, that was fully dressed. So probably only 15 pounds. She is getting so fun and so cute. We are staying home today, not even scouts, I thought I better not go and expose all of them to my illness. I hope my kids don't get it, I have been trying to be really careful, we will see. We do have gymnastics tonight, the girls keep reminding me to bring the camera to take pictures of their tricks.

Our quick and easy re-model

Is there such a thing?? I am so frustrated with this whole vinyl wood flooring thing. We have carpet in our hall way, it has needed replaced since we moved in 4 years ago and we are finally getting to it. It is going to be so easy, all we need is the vinyl wood flooring that matches the kitchen and we will just lay it down the hall also. I should have known from the first day that it wouldn't be easy. I got online to find our exact flooring which of course can be purchased no where anymore. (we did put it in 4 years ago, but still you think you could order it or something, It has a 25 year warranty, so if I need some replaced where are they going to get it from?? ). So I just went to Home Depot and picked the closest match I could find, which it is very close, you cant even tell a difference. Oh but there is a difference. Apparently they change how the floor goes together every year! Why, I don't know, the very helpful (yeah right) man on the phone said that it is just a change in the technology. ARRRRR. So my husband, who is a perfectionist in these kind of projects insisted on taking out part of the floor and getting it all laid right, so there wont be any transitions, it will all flow together better, and it does, BUT we took it all, not all but a lot of it apart before we knew that the 4 new boxes that I had purchased will not work. Yes we should have checked that before we started tearing it all apart, but we didn't, so now I am going on my 4th week with no hall flooring at all, a quarter of the entry laid, (which it was all finished and fine, but we wanted to make it a little wider) and a big part of the kitchen out. Zero steps forward, at least 10 steps back. The worst part is I don't know what to do next. How do we make this work with out having to replace the whole thing?

So my house is in shambles for the next undetermined amount of time. I did pick the hall paint and got it all painted, and love it and so now I am going to repaint the living room to match. Why do I have to make it so hard! I hope this doesn't sound too much like a sob story, all though, I guess it should sound like one because it is!

the entry way, was finished, no longer finished
the kitchen floor, it is just the corner that is removed, and part of another corner you cant see in the pictures The long dark hall way, I like the paint job, it does seem narrow, but I really like it still. I think the lighter floor will help.

Living with Incredibles

I live with the incredibles, every day something incredible happens. Ashley came up stairs and said, "Mom the most amazingest thing just happened to me," It was so cute, she lost another tooth on top. It just kind of fell right out, it was loose, but I hadn't even wiggled it once yet. I like those kinds of teeth pulling. I told her she cant have any more come out until she grows some others back in.

Emma found the Halloween costumes and was trying some on. Dosent she make a great Violet? Emma had preschool on Tuesday. She loves it. They talked about the number 5. She did good writing it and spelling it. She is such a good student. She also got this generic Polly Pocket that she wanted me to post. Emma loves taking pictures and is saving her money for her own camera. So far she has 16 cents. She is always looking for something to do to earn money. I have to explain to her that she doesnt get paid to do her regular chores (bed making picking up toys, etc) She has to do a job for me or dad and then she can get paid. So Ryan has her check the horses water and give them two scoops of grain every day and then she can get a quarter. He wanted to give her a penny and I said that is not enough, so he said ok, ok, a dime. I told him she will be 34 before she earns enough money for the camera. So it is a quarter. She is pretty determined so we will see how she does.

Emmas cheepy polly pocket

Best Buddies, sort of...

Justin and Claire are always in something together. I think it is more like I put Claire down and Justin gets right up next to her. She pretty much cries at the sight of him now. He is always trying to pick her up and kiss on her, not gently, He always is trying to get his arms around her, or behind her, or just trying to touch her. She sees him coming from a mile away and will start to cry. It reminds me so much of the relationship that I had with my older brother Kollin. If Kiley and I ever started screaming or crying my mom would automatically yell, "Kollin, leave the girls alone" Then I think he would have to go in with her and she would alow him to poke and tease her, He was always putting his arms around, touching, being obnoxious just because it was fun to hear us scream I guess. Now I have a son the same way, does that mean I have to allow him to come and pick on me so he will leave the girls alone?

General Conference

Conference was so good this time. I loved being able to sustain our prophet in the Solemn Assembly. I know that he is a Prophet of God. What a great man, and also his counselors.

We spent most of the weekend at grandma Telfords. Uncle Bobby, Aunt Sara, Uncle Cody, and girlfriend were all there. It was fun to see them and the kids enjoyed playing with Jaci, I don't think she enjoyed it all that much though. Justin insists on beating every body up. I don't think he realizes what a pip squeak he is, one day some one is going to hit back and then maybe he will quit being so mean. Ashley and Emma got to spend the night Saturday night. They had fun with Cody's girlfriend. She was very nice to them and put up with all of their silly girl stuff. Ryan and I just had Justin and Claire for Sat. night and Sun. morning. It was nice to only have two, but we both agreed that we had chosen to keep the WRONG two. Grandma got the easy ones!! Just kidding, Justin and Claire are good too. It was a nice relaxing weekend, it is hard to get up on Monday morning and get back to work, well it is hard for me to let Ryan go back to work, he doesn't seem to mind going back too much.

Justin and Claire Ready for Conference

Crazy days

I have been so busy this week I guess I haven't had time to Blog much. Don't ask me what I have been doing, I don't really know just the every day life stuff. Scouts was really good this week, I had a good time at least. This month is all about magic, the boys love it. We sent them on a treasure hunt that had riddles and fun things that they had to solve in order to get the next clue. I think they thought they were going to just run through it all really fast, but we did good planning and had some hard riddles for them to try and solve. They would get a little frustrated, but everyone finished, we had to help a little bit. Wed. night we do the tumbling thing, makes it a busy afternoon but the girls love tumbling so It is worth it.
Thursday we stayed home and worked on the house and laundry. I had a hair appointment that afternoon (a practice for prom) but the girl didn't come, she re-scheduled for Mon. afternoon. I hope she comes this time because Prom is on Saturday, I wont do her hair with out at least one practice, I'm not confident enough in myself. And I know how bad it can be to have your hair done an hour before the prom and totally hate it and have everything fall apart. Isn't it fun to be a teenage girl! I so don't miss it.
Today was interesting. I had to go shopping and had a great list made, I am trying to get the girls room finished, curtains, rug, etc. and some other fun stuff but we got to the mall and Claire started throwing up, not just a little, but tons, and not just once, like 3 or 4 times. Poor little thing. It was every where in her car seat, all over her clothes. Good thing we were on our last stop. She has been fever-ish for two days, I thought it was just teething, but I don't think they throw up when they teeth do they? I have never had a kid have problems teething, none of them have ever had fevers or been sick at all with teething, so I know nothing about it. I hope she isn't sick. It is sad, I don't like having sick babies. So I got diapers and wipes and nothing else off of the list and we came home. I just love days like this. I also have come to the conclusion that Justin is no longer invited shopping. I spend most of my time chasing him around. It is amazing that we could even find him to bring him home. He just takes off, but even when he is standing next to me I still cant see him most of the time. He is sooooo busy. The one good thing about the whole day was I went shopping with my friend Kristen, which we usually go together, or at least quite often go together, after helping me clean up Clarie's yucky mess and helping chase all of my kids, and her own, she bought us Papa Murphy's Pizza and bread sticks for dinner. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have such good friends! And I am very happy not to have to make dinner tonight.
I am excited for General Conference this weekend, I went to the Young Women's broadcast last sat. and it was so good. It was good to see our new prophet and counselors. the messages were so good. I am excited to listen to more tomorrow and Sunday. Some of Ryan's family is coming so it will be fun to see them and get together for Sunday dinner, so fun!
I feel like I need a nap.

Shaggy

Justin was getting kind of shaggy on top, I have been trying to get around to a hair cut for almost 2 weeks now and it just never happens. Ryan was home early enough to help yesterday. Ryan distracts while I cut. It works out good. Actually this time Ryan did some of the cutting. He did the buzzing part I did the scissoring part. Justin is really good at getting a hair cut and he actually really likes it. He looks like a handsome missionary now.

Tumbling

The girls are in a tumbling class this spring. They LOVE it. I wish it was dance class, but we don't have that available locally to us, so I take what I can get. They are both getting better at kart wheels and rolling around and listening to their teacher, which is the best part I think. It is good for Emma at least. I enjoy watching, well while I am chasing Justin around, he is the one who could really use some structured instruction, crazy boy.

DR. MOM

Emma's sting, It is really quite a big one.

Mean mommy

Justin chilling, I wish he was chilling, he is burning up. I cant complain too much, at least I haven't had to chase him around today!

We have had a few boo boos today. Well Justin is feverish and just laying around, he says his tummy doesn't hurt, so I am not sure why the fever? Just hope no body else gets it. Emma and I have flushed two wasps today and when she went outside to greet Ashley from the bus she got stung (or whatever it is a wasp does, bites??). When Emma gets hurt she SCREAMS, you would have thought her legs and arms were all broken by her blood curdling scream, But no just a wasp bite. Poor girl, she is so dramatic. Anyway she did not want her picture taken and was screaming even more at Ashley trying to snap some pictures of her. So with the warmer much anticipated weather comes some draw backs also. We have a terrible wasp problem, I don't know if it is just here or what, but we have lots of friends who have them, and the church is swarming with them. Ashley got stung at church last summer. that was a fun one. I think I will still take the warm weather and the wasps over winter any day, And it is a nice day outside, finally!!