Hop in-Hop out-Summer 2009

The Collins' and Hatches' Camp out!

Sabrina loved Dylan! Cute!
We've done lots of great things this summer. We finally planned a camping trip with the Collins' family. We went camping up by Toucanan. We found this lake with tons of frogs in it! I posted pictures of frogs....seeing how many you can see! They were so hard to catch! But we managed to catch a few!

Look very closely~!

A little fishing.....

Swimming lessons.....every morning! Proud of my two kids. They both passed levels this summer! Thank goodness this year we had great swimming towels! Thanks Grandma!

Summertime....Summertime.....Summertime!

Fishlake 2009

I've been one lazy blogger lately. I haven't really done anything extra. I'll I've done is play with my two youngest. Swim lessons in the mornings, lunch in the park, friends over to play, reading our allotted amount to win prizes at the library, scrap booking for the very first time in 15 years, making dinners every night, laughing at my oldest, yelling at my oldest, being smothered by my oldest (he thinks I will forgive him for his insane amount of game playing if he gives me hugs and Eskimo kisses!!!!!) I even watch t.v. at night, without cutting, sorting, pasting or coloring for the next preschool day. I loved watching THE BACHERLORETTE! I hate and love that show! It is sooo rigged....just to keep fans to continue to watch. I love to watch SYTYCD!!! Summertime to me is WONDERFUL!

This was our get away....Fishlake, Utah. My family (Parents and Brothers' and families) drove from Cali and we met them there. Mom and Dad decided to entertain the children by giving them a list of jobs to accomplish while staying at the cabin. If they passed these jobs off...they received a "Halla-Buck". Mom would set up a store of fun prizes in the garage and the kids could redeem their "Halla-Bucks"! The kids loved it! Some really loved it....some really didn't love it! I thought it helped the children do things they normally don't do at Fishlake...and lessened our load of chores!

We fished, played cards, laughed, had our annual Talent Show, hiking, watched movies, ate, played a little game of t-ball even.

This year the mom's all brought a craft for the children to do! I think I loved it more!

I love Fishlake.....memories of my childhood. Now my children can have those memories too! We are waiting for more of the little ones to grow older so we all can have a grand game of KICK THE CAN~ Soon to come~!

I think the most tender memory of this trip was when we were performing our family talents. Our sweet Peter, whom had cancer, was up in front singing to the top of his lungs "SUNBEAM"!! He was even doing actions! I teared up thinking we would've lost that little guy....but he made it! And is strong and feisty as can be! Love that kid! His cancer is completely gone! Miracles never cease! (Pictured below)

A horrible thing happened...after I left. My darling mother...you know the one that bribes children to work! She fell down the stairs! Backwards, and hit her head, back and arm on a big metal crate! They took her to the hospital...everything was fine....but she really hurt herself! Poor thing! It is hard seeing your parents get hurt! OUCH!

Oh, yeah....did I tell you Hunter got his first trophy for playing T-ball for Parks and Rec! He was thrilled! Can you tell?

Promise to post more ....before my summer ends!

100th POST ~Silly, Stinky and Annoying......True Love!~

Preschool Graduating class of 2022

What a wonderful experience! Finally, I found a big enough space for this event. The last graduations were wonderful, but tight! I am glad my bishop let me have it at the church.

These sweet children sang their little hearts out! They also spelled their first and last name...without hesitation. I was so at ease....knowing that all would go well. They are ready for Kindergarten! I love these children. I also love Ms. Julie. What would I do without her calm and collective personality. She has brought so much to our preschool!

Dylan...Graduating from MAC 8th.....Chiawana High here he comes!

Katlyns' singing and dancing group. Brooke Black is her teacher!

She did a great job! I would always ask her after each lesson, what she is learning. She would say, "You will see at the performance..." I was so surprised at how cute the performance was....and she had a solo!
She didn't even tell me! That is just her~

Look at that smile! Love it!

For some reason it has taken me forever to get my 100th post! I have no offerings, no giveaways.....I just have my everyday life posting.

You know, I do this for my posterity. My posterity means alot to me. I have always lived my life with them in mind. I have made plenty of mistakes in life for them to learn from. I want them to know that life isn't easy. Everyday I get out of bed to see whats' going to happen. I look forward to life lessons learned. New people to meet. People to serve. People to love.

But, what I mostly live for are my children. I never thought I would love someone so intense. It is a different love, than a spouse or a friend. It is a love that one can't explain. It is a love that will never end. No matter how silly, stinky, and annoying they are. I love them. I love to watch them grow, learn from mistakes, smile when they figured something out. I love to hold their hands, snuggle with them, smell them. I love to talk with them and see the light of the future in their eyes.

Happy Summer.......love on those kids of yours!

Crazy, Crazy April and May Part 2

In April and May I heard me some great tunes from this guy.......The New American Idol 2009!

Ya gotta have a baby shower in April......

We have lots of pregnant women in our ward....as you can well see.

Here she is....Shellie, the Momma -to-Be!


I threw a baby shower for a great person, Shellie Hansen. She is soon to have a her first child, a girl. She and I worked in the YW together. She is my visiting teacher now too! She is such a kind and loving person.I appreciate how well attended it was......here are a few of the people that came.



The First weekend in May the family goes to Scipio, Utah.......to help Shanes' dad brand the calves. It is a family tradition that we cherish. We spend time and work with extended family members. Gotta love the sound of calves.......

As soon as we got back from Utah, I threw in two field trips to Yokes! The best field trip I have taken. I love this Vikki. She is one of the managers...she is great with the kids.

Then threw in a Primary Activity.....Trip to the Temple. The children took a tour of our Columbia River Temple Grounds. It was a beautiful day....could'nt ask for more!

Look at my baby.....His Kindergarten Program

His part went ...."N" is for numbers we know 1, 2, 3.

This past weekend I threw a big dinner for over fifty people, to Appreciate our Primary Teachers. We served homemade lasagna, breadsticks, Olive Garden Salad, and Strawberry Dessert, Strawberry lemonade and everyone got a chocolate covered Strawberry...cause we Thank them "BERRY" much! The dinner was great! Well attended.....another thing checked off my list in May!

I am looking forward to June.....To say Farwell to my Preschool Graduating class! I am going to miss them soooooo much!

I love to stay busy....."An idol mind is the Devils Workshop"

Crazy, Crazy~ April and May!

I Had to post this picture of my preschool kids lining up their baskets for their hunt!

For some reason these two months are always jammed packed with activites almost everyday or weekend! I have not posted for many weeks....Here it goes!
It begins with the uplifting words from our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I loved Sister L. talk about Reverence and Respect. I came back to primary the following Sunday and plastered the words "Reverence and Respect" and pictures showing how to behave in primary. I think some of the kids got it?
Then, Easter. Our family tradition is to celebrate the "Easter Bunny" things on Sat. It was a windy day.....picnic was short....but it was a tradition kept. We had a fab. Easter Hunt in our backyard. The kids are getting bigger, but it needs to be done.....for the little one, Hunter!

Katie turned 10 this year. We had a fun girl party for her. We took them to see "Hannah Montana Movie" and then the girls came back and had a cake decorating contest. So fun! I loved every minute of this party. The girls were so well behaved. Here are the cakes.....

We had a wonderful time.....memories matter! Thanks to her cute friends for making that possible!

My Mother

I have always wondered if I picked my mom, or she picked me? Does anyone else think like that?

I wanted to grow up just like my mother. I have always adored her beauty and talents that she holds. I was lucky to get a few of her attributes...but I look like my father.

My mother and I had a good relationship. We worked well together. She knew me, and I knew her. We knew when to not step over....to get on each others nerves.

As a teenager, I loved her clothes. She had style. I remember sneaking into her jewelry box or closet. She got frusterated. But, let me wear em' anyway.

She taught me how to work. She always had a project. She would create a quilt, a dress, she would create a dance routine for the ward roadshow, she would be painting some room, making curtains, mowing the lawn, running chilren to ball practice, refurbishing some piece of furniture. She had plenty of callings in the ward. Always throwing together some production! She was dependable and on time! I appreciate her teaching me how to "Do your best, and Flush the Rest"!

Thank you for being my mother. Thank you for doing my laundry, fixing my hair, making my meals, cleaning the house, running me to everything, and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now that I am a mother, I wonder....How did my mom do it all those years? I even call her and ask her...."How did you survive?" "Will I survive?" It is a hard job....but oh how i wish I could be a mother to many more.

I am in love with my three beauties. I am blessed to be a mother.

I love you, MOM!

Brillant!

Uhhhhh.....I am thinking this is the new American Idol 2009! What are your thoughts?