give me a break!

I thought the first broken bone would happen with one of the boys but Emma beat them to it.

She was climbing a fence at a friend's house (she said something about how they were pretending to be locked up with no way to escape). The end cap on the post came off and she fell, landing on her arm. I was changing Sawyer when the phone rang. The answering machine came on and I hear, "I think Emma has broken her arm." What!?

Emma, Sawyer and I spent the next three hours over at the ER, while my friend watched the boys. Emma was so brave the whole time through x-rays and getting an IV. They put her under in order to reset the bone. We get to go back into the doctor on Friday to get a permanent cast.

Today she is in pain but with some medication she seems to be handling it all very well. Here is the lesson to all of you, tell your children not to climb fences. And ask your neighbors if there are any curses on their house before you let your children go play. :P

so in love

Nine years ago today....



This morning, I was talking to my sister, Keri, on the phone. When I mentioned our anniversary, she said, "I am so glad that you married such a great guy. He really is so great. At the time, I really thought you were making such a mistake. I guess you were smarter than the rest of us."

Everyone told me I was crazy. I knew they were wrong.

Today, four apartments, four houses and four kids later, I am more in love with him than ever.

Dave, I am so incredibly happy that I get to spend eternity with you.

Happy Birthday, Francis!

Colin, thanks for being awesome, for letting Dave relive his college years through you, for playing with my kids, for serenading us on the guitar, for painting my walls, for working on my yard, and even for coming over and eating all my food. I love you. Hope your birthday is fantastic!

it's hot here

I could never live in AZ or TX or CA or FL. I can't handle the heat. It sucks the life right out of me. Even if I am inside basically all day, I just know its hot. Anyone else?

Anyhow, because its summer, I am struggling with the heat and the lack of a routine. Emma is bored. Slade wants to play the computer all day (I probably should let him since I know for sure it doesn't involve knives or water). Nathan won't take naps anymore. Sawyer is teething.

Okay, now that all the complaining is done....here are a few happy thoughts.

My sister-in-law will be able to get her cushions on her couch replaced under warranty. Relief. I was not looking forward to buying her a new couch.

We bought a three month pass to the local rec center. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it through a summer without a pool. And if I can get myself in gear, I can use it to accomplish the last two of my new year's resolutions--getting up early and losing weight.

I went on a date tonight with Dave. We went down to Provo to go to Comedysportz. Man, we are so not in the college scene anymore. We are old! It was good fun though. Lots of laughs. I think we will go again sometime.

I got my first issue of Organize Magazine Love it. I feel inspired to make a summer job chart and organize/decorate my laundry room. I think I should paint it a tangerine-ish color. Where else could I get away with that?

We leave for vacation in Colorado in a week. Yay! I can't wait to see all my family. And I am working really hard to have a positive attitude about going camping for two nights. Dave and the kids are really excited at least.

I get to go to a homeschooling conference tomorrow. Isn't my husband awesome for taking the kids two full Saturdays in a row!?

more photography tips

Here is another great post about photography over at the Simple Scrapbooks Studio blog by Rebecca Cooper.

recurring nightmare

I had to suffer through this nightmare AGAIN. This time it involved Slade, knives and my sister-in-law's couch.

love thy neighbor

I was going to write this post as another edition to our misadventures in parenting. Instead, I decided it would be better told as a story of neighborly love.

My boys were playing in the backyard with a friends. I looked out and saw Nathan with the hose turned on, playing in the grass. I went back to what I was doing. About 5-10 minutes later, Emma came rushing in to tell me that the boys had made a "pool" in the basement stairwell. Apparently they decided to make a waterfall down the steps. Our drain at the bottom was clogged up with sand (though even unclogged, I doubt it could have handled that much water) and within minutes we had a pool. Oh yes, a pool that seeped under the door and into the basement, soaking carpet, pad and concrete.

I sent Slade to his room and his friend home. I was trying desperately to calm the rage I was feeling. I gathered towels to try and mop it up and they were sopping wet within seconds. And then, my neighbors came to the rescue. I called one to ask if she had a wet/dry vacuum. Thankfully she did. Before she even arrived, another neighbor (mom to Slade's co-conspirator) came with her vacuum, followed shortly by her husband. I guess Emma had shared the news. All three of these neighbors were so awesome. They vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed. I protested that I should be the one working but they wouldn't let me do much. All I could do was stand there and be beyond grateful.

Dave went and rented fans. We've pulled back the carpet and hopefully it will dry before it starts to mold. Our neighbor called someone in the ward who knows how to lay carpets. He came by and offered his help in getting it back down when its dry. Wow, I am feeling overwhelmed by the service we were given today. I really hope that we can return a small part of that service someday, though hopefully it won't involve any flooded basements.

spt-through the eyes of love

I really liked Lelly's assignment this week. I don't know too many adults who like to have their picture taken. I've been on the other side of the camera a few times recently. It's hard! Hard to see beauty and not faults.


I had Emma take my picture tonight. She did a great job, if I do say so myself. Must be in the genes! When I asked her what she loved about the picture, she said:

how you're smiling with your eyes and face
your hair coming down
the roses that blend with your shirt

I appreciated her comment about my eyes. I love the color of my eyes. I also love the color of my hair. And most importantly I love the reminder that my daughter sees me and loves me just because I'm me.

Dad

I love you. I really feel so blessed to be your daughter. Thanks!

Happy Father's Day.

date night

Dave and I went out to dinner last night to PF Chang's. Yum. We were planning on going to a play afterwards but didn't make it in time. Instead we wandered around Home Depot, drove around our neighborhood and ended up at home. We had the Great Wall of Chocolate to enjoy but no forks so I snuck in the house to get some. The kids were supposed to be in bed by then but were instead watching TV. After enjoying our cake, we looked in the window to see if the kids were in bed yet. Still watching TV. Finally, we decided to just go on in because paying our babysitter so we could sit on the porch seemed pointless.

We came in to find:
Emma holding a fussy Sawyer
our nice crystal goblets out
crayon all over the wall above the couch
and the babysitter asleep on the floor

Nice.

cute!

Got these ones tonight outside while enjoying the beautiful evening. It is supposed to hit 100 on Saturday. Help!

spt-americana

I thought it would be fun to do these Self Portrait Tuesday challenges. Today's challenge is definitely a challenge: "this week's challenge is to look around your home and help us showcase the history and folklore of America!".

I'm looking around my house....not seeing much. Looking over here....nope....over here....nothing. Basically what I noticed while walking around my house is that I haven't decorated much! I am working on that as you might have noticed from some recent posts. The other thing I noticed is I currently tend much more to an international flair than "Americana" in my decorating. I see dolls, plates, boxes, tea pots from all over Europe and Asia. This is about the only spot, I'd say would qualify--a spot above a cupboard in the kitchen:

Even when the house is more decorated, I rather doubt I will find much more in the way of Americana. Not my style. I'd rather see Tuscan and French country. Although Kristi's post reminded me that I do love the colonial American look. It would be fun to add in some things that would remind us of Virginia.

weekend wrap-up

Our good friends from Boise called us on Friday morning to see if they could stay with us that night on their way to California. You betcha! It was so fun to see them. The longer I am gone from Boise the more I realize what a unique situation we were in there. We were (and definitely still are) blessed by the friendships we made there. Thank you to all you Boiseans for being such a sweet part of our life then and now.

Dave played his third softball game of the week on Saturday morning. Add to that the basketball he played during the week and his body is protesting all the sporting events. Many a grimace and groan have been heard around here. It won't stop him though. He has four more softball games scheduled for this week.

Emma also had an Irish performance at the Highland Festival at Thanksgiving Point. We paid $13 and sat for two hours to see her dance for two minutes. They did offer haggis for all to try but we passed on that. That evening, we enjoyed dinner out at Golden Corral. Its definitely not gourmet but its our favorite place to go with the kids. Little to no waiting to be seated, food at the ready, something for everyone and plenty of ice cream to keep the kids happy. And this time they all got balloons. Happiness abounding. Afterwards, Dave took the older kids to a movie while I took Sawyer out for a little shopping and then home to bed.

Sunday was full of musical numbers, rehearsals for other musical numbers, classes taught in Primary, naps, Sunday movies, playing in the sandbox, priesthood meeting, a walk and ice cream for dessert. Emma kept asking if we were having anyone over. Its become something of the norm lately, but much to her dismay we did not. Just family. Who wants to come over next week!?

a cold but colorful day

I had to turn my heater on yesterday! What?!? Its June! It feels like fall here with the cool temperatures and lots of rain. We had to cancel a trip to the zoo today. The kids can't play in our huge new sandbox that Dave built. No swimming. I hate the heat but this is even a bit much for me. Another reason (besides a vacation sans children) to be jealous of my friend, Brooke, who is off to Hawaii with her hubby.

However, because its cold, my brother is stuck working indoors instead of out. Which means...I am getting another room painted. I am painting my study/piano room. Its green again but definitely not lime. So color me happy. I love paint!


Every room I paint makes the current color of the main level look more bland. Its a very washed out sage green. I really don't like it. I am hoping to get the kitchen, living room and family room painted before the end of the summer.

Emma is having a sleepover with her cousin tonight. They think they are going to stay up all night. Ha!

Pachelbel Rant

Doesn't matter how many times I see this. I laugh every time. I find this particularly funny as a cellist but I thought the rest of you might enjoy it too.