things happening around here:

Well, Here's the scoop folks.
My washer broke down last week, and I just got a new one today. Jared stayed home from work and installed it for me, then monitored it so that every time it stopped, he put in a new load of wash. He also vacuumed the whole house and swept the kitchen for me! I love that man.

A fever/sickness is going through my family. It started with me last week, and now it's gone through Sam, Rusty, and Tommy. Guess who's next? Jared. He couldn't help kissing me when he got home from VA on Friday, so I bet he will be getting it next. It's an awful bug too. It attacks your throat. I thought I was almost over it yesterday, but my voice was a bit raspy which made me sound exactly like Chris Daughtry. So after singing a few of his songs (it was fun), I'm back to having a scratchy throat today, and I no longer sound like Chris Daughtry, which really stinks, because that was fun while it lasted, and totally worth it, I would do it again in a heartbeat. j/k
Other news...Mary lost another bottom tooth and got 2 dollars from the tooth fairy last night.
We are going to try to sell our house because it is so expensive to live here, high utility bills, and endless repairs.
I register next week for my first classes! I'm totally stoked about it.
I'd better get to bed. It's 1am here. I just couldn't settle down my mind. Good lookin' out folks. May the schwartz be with you...

It was my birthday today...

Today I shared my birthday with Father's day...So Happy Birthday to me, and Happy Father's day to my Dear Jared, the Father of my 6 chir'in.
I had a wonderful birthday, with the best part being the two hour nap I took this afternoon, and the date that Jared and I went on last Friday courtesy of Suzy, who babysat for us. Thanks Sugie!
Thank you to all of you who remembered me this year.

Happy Father's day Jared
I love the way you are firm with our kids about the rules
I love how you take the kids out for hours of fun while I clean the house on Saturdays
I love how you grow out your beard so our babies will always have something to hold on to while you give them raspberries.
I love how you provide so well for their needs.
I love how you are a great example to them with your church attendance and gospel knowledge.
Thanks for being here, staying here with me and the kids, accepting your responsibilities like a REAL MAN, being a steady presence in our home
Thanks for getting up every morning without complaint and going out there to slay dragons, so our children can grow up with a loving stay at home Mommie.
Thanks for all you do each day around the house...feeding the baby, getting everyone to bed, keeping all these rascal boys in line, and so much more.
Thank you for loving their Mother, and showing her respect, courtesy, and kindness.
You are loved, appreciated, and adored.
(When he reads this, I know he is going to vomit, because he can't stand when I get mushy-gushy like this, but I can't help it if it's all true!)
I hope everyone has a great day!
Love to all

Hello Ya'll

Guess who got her ears pierced recently??? Mary! The little princess of our family. She was so excited that I said "Yes". I thought she would faint when it happened, but she was so brave and didn't even cry one bit! She picked out some rainbow colored flower earrings. She looks so pretty!Tommy had his first day of "Summer Journey" school (basically, it's like kindergarten) today. He said it was really fun there, that they played legos. That's about all he remembered. His teacher is Mrs. Thelen, but he calls her "Miss Feelin's" which I think is so adorable...

These little cousins are good buddies

Little Russell and Jackson are beginning to be good buddies! They play together a little, as shown here. The sad part is that Rusty likes to bite down on anything that comes into his mouth, and Jackson likes to stick his fingers in Rusty's mouth. He's gotten bit two times now, poor little thing.

Fun in Colorado

We took a family vacation to Colorado to see Jared's Grandma. It was a wonderful trip. We went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo while we were there. The kids had a blast!

Grma Peggy was very happy to see us. She is 86 years old. She is a wonderful lady. I love her very much. It was worth more than anything to see her and for her to see the kids.
She loved little Russell. Here she is feeding him a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

Our hotel had a nice pool and hot tub, which we took full advantage of. Unfortunately though, Isaac got an ear infection and Jared Sr. got food poisoning! But aside from that it was great.

So you might wonder what's going on with me right now? I haven't blogged for a long time! It seems like there is just one thing after another for me to keep busy...having my Mom come over for a visit, my trip to Utah, then having Susan and her kids living with me for a month, and then our trip to Colorado. Not to mention that the kids are now out of school so I am in heaven with being able to sit around and take it easy (because what's the use of cleaning, it will be messy again in 5 minutes anyway, so I'm relaxing) LOL

I am getting excited to start school this fall at Columbia College. Before then, I'm hoping to get a bunch of landscaping work done outside, and tear down all the cottage cheese ceilings in my house. That's my goal for the summer. We'll see what happens.

We had some fun recently...

I got to see my sweet sister Sals

My Mom and I went to check out the amish community just North of here, of course we had to buy matching aprons and other goodies.

I got to be with all my sisters and my Dad! This was a great vacation for me!

I've been so out of touch with reality...

I am trying to get back on my feet after a lot has been going on. My Mom is here to visit (hopefully for the whole summer), I went on a trip to see some family for a week, and now my sister Suzy is here to stay with us while looking for an apartment. So with all of this going on, I don't have any time to blog. I am trying to get back to business. I have some good news, which is that I have maintained my weight loss of 8 pounds through all of this! I started my program of working out and diet in February, and have slowly lost 8 lbs, which is staying off, even though I took a little time off from the gym for my trip.


Now you guys know what a goof ball I am...take a look at my big guns LOL...I can bench press 100 lbs. now. Yeah, I'm all that. And yes, I'm flaring my nostrils in this picture, it was just one more muscle I decided to flex. haha

Tommy feeds Rusty

Hey folks...

Here is a great quote from my last Sunday school lesson.
President Thomas S. Monson:

“I have many memories of my boyhood. Anticipating Sunday dinner was one of them. Just as we children … sat anxiously at the table, with the aroma of roast beef filling the room, Mother would say to me, ‘Tommy, before we eat, take this plate I’ve prepared down the street to Old Bob and hurry back.’
“I could never understand why we couldn’t first eat and later deliver his plate of food. I never questioned aloud but would run down to his house and then wait anxiously as Bob’s aged feet brought him eventually to the door. Then I would hand him the plate of food. He would present to me the clean plate from the previous Sunday and offer me a dime as pay for my services. My answer was always the same: ‘I can’t accept the money. My mother would tan my hide.’ He would then run his wrinkled hand through my blond hair and say, ‘My boy, you have a wonderful mother. Tell her thank you.’ … Sunday dinner always seemed to taste a bit better after I had returned from my errand” (“The Long Line of the Lonely,” Ensign, Feb. 1992, 4).
What a wonderful example of being a true Christian.

This weeks happenings...

Hi people. It' s time to tell you all about this weeks happenings. We have been having a good week so far. I've been so busy I don't know how I've managed to keep my head tied on. I'm excited to have my Mom coming on Friday to spend some time with us. I'm trying to convince her to stay all summer, but I don't think she will. It will be so nice to have her here for a while. Today we had Mary's best friend over to dye some eggs (yeah, it's a little late for that, but what the heck) They had a lot of fun. Note: Isaac is being a true big brother in this picture as you can tell. Why do they feel the need? LOL

More egg dying fun.

Jr. got his braces on yesterday. His teeth are pretty sore. Today I had to go to the school and give him his orajel. When I got home, the phone rang again and he asked me to bring him his wax, so I had to get the kids back in the car! Poor baby. I remember well how painful it can be. Good luck little buddy.

I got a haircut. Just sayin'.