my family is RAD

Ken and the kids ran the Color Me Rad 5 k race this past Saturday. ( I would have run it too but I have foot trouble). They had so much fun!

These are before pictures.









Here are some during pictures.

And some after pictures. 

Here's Tyler

During the race people would color bomb the runners with dyed cornstarch packets. After the race everyone looked so colorful and funny. We all had a great time!

Here comes Halloween Here comes Halloween!

Here comes Halloween! Cue spooky music. I love Halloween. Or rather I love decorating for Halloween! I don't know why, but I almost love Halloween more than Christmas. I love the ghosts, ghouls, vampires, witches and haunts. It is really a morbid holiday (or at least the way I decorate is). I don't really go for the cutesy style of decorating. I don't love gore, but I love to be creative and ghastly! I don't really even like dressing up for Halloween and the Trick or Treaters are cute and all, but the constant ring of the doorbell is a little annoying. LOL Do I really love Halloween? I guess I mostly love decorating for the holiday. I love seeing all the Halloween decorations in the stores, the fun creepy treat concoctions, and the creative costume ideas.

These are some of my decorations. I created some of them like the photos of my kids as vampires, the toxic treats drawstring bag as well as the creepy elixir bottles. 

Here is one of Teegan's costumes that is one of our favorites. The Mad Hatter from Alice in wonderland. 

I collected all of this stuff from garage sales except for the hat. She wore this 2 years ago but decide to wear it again this year. It is pretty awesome. 

Here comes Halloween!

Back to School. Where has the summer gone?

It is once again August and time for the kids to head back to school. Where has the summer gone? As this time of year approaches, I sometimes find myself feeling jealous of the school teachers that get to spend the day with my kids. I hope they realize what a privilege this is and how wonderful these human beings really are. Some how I just don't think they really get it like I do. The season brings with it the purchases of new clothes, new backpacks, new school supplies as well as new schedules, early mornings, packing lunches, sometimes new schools and new friends. And it also brings a quiet and empty house for several hours of the day. Although I welcome this quiet time, I also miss my kids.

Teegan reminds me that we need to take first day pictures. What a poser! Haha! Have a great year kids! Please remember to be smart, funny, courteous, kind, respectful, tidy, attentive, honest, and all those others great qualities I taught you about!

Teegan is entering 8th grade and her first year at Snow Canyon Middle School.

Tyler is entering his first year at Success Academy. This will be a new experience and a big adjustment. He spends half his day at the college and half the day at the high school. At the end of his senior year, if all goes as planned, he will graduate with a high school diploma and an associates degree from Dixie State College. 

Kindergarten to College and 5 minutes between

I remember the day as if it were yesterday.  She was so excited. Doning her new backpack, she looked and felt so big.We stood on the sidewalk waiting for the bus to pull up to the curb in front of our house. She was so excited to ride the bus and go to the big kids school. I was nervous and anxious for her. I couldn't believe that my baby girl was off to kindergarten already! I was excited for her too. She was growing up so fast. After she got on the bus and it drove away, I went inside the house and sobbed. Tori was off to kindergarten. No mom is ever really ready for this day.


We loaded her belongings into our Pilot and her little red Dodge Avenger. We followed her to the gas station and chuckled at her inexperience as we watched her fill her car with gas. She had so much to learn, so much more growing up to do. We knew it was time for her to be on her own. We were so excited for her new opportunities and experiences. We continued on to Cedar City following her the whole way. We helped her get settled into her new apartment, bought her groceries and a new phone. We hugged her and kissed her goodbye. "Good-bye sweet baby girl" I said hugging her and kissing her forehead. We climbed into the car and waved as we drove away. We had been so anxious for this day to come, so why was I so sad? It was a stormy, rainy August night. I cried almost in unison with the rain drops that fell onto the windshield.  I couldn't believe this day had come. I didn't feel ready to not have her live in the same house with me as she had for the past 18 years. I didn't feel ready to not see her everyday even if only for a brief moment, I didn't feel ready to not know how her day was or how she was feeling or to not hear her whistle to her bird or squeal a hello to Spice. I just didn't feel ready.

How can life go by so fast? She went to kindergarten and 5 minutes later she was off to college. Or so it seemed. I knew it was time to let her go, but it didn't make it any easier. She has only been gone for 6 days, but things are not the same without her. The house is so much quieter and a little more lonely and empty feeling. It will definitely be an adjustment. I think about her everyday and wonder how and what she is doing. Even as I type this I have to steal away to the bathroom to cry some more.

As mothers we spend every day nurturing our children. Day after day, year after year. Then one day all too soon they leave the nest and go venture out into the big world, not unlike a 5 year old venturing onto the big yellow school bus. I am not sure if we are ever prepared and I am not sure if this is a blessing or a torture. Maybe it is a little of both.

 

Can't we just go back and do it all again from the beginning? Time went by too fast. And I know I didn't teach her all that I wanted too.

I miss you Tori! sniff sniff! And I love you!

Tori graduated! WooHoo!

I can't believe that my oldest child is now a High School graduate! I know it was just yesterday that she was toddling around in diapers. How did this day come so quickly? I feel like my time with her is quickly running out like  the sands in an hourglass. I want to grasp her in my arms and never let her go! I know that it is time for her to take flight with her own wings, but I don't know if I am ready. Okay, sometimes I am so excited for her to go off on her own and have her own adventures. I just know I will miss having  her in my life everyday. When she was born and I was a new mom, I felt like I would have her with me forever, now looking back it feels like just moments. I wonder if this is how the end of our mortality will feel.

It was a great day, I am so glad that so many family members could share this day with her.

Graduation Day May 23, 2012

Kids! They just make me laugh

Kids! They make me crazy sometimes and they make me laugh sometimes, mostly I just laugh. What would I ever do without them? I'm so glad I don't have to answer that question any time soon. My kids really bring me joy. Although to them it may seem that I am always telling them what to do, getting upset with them, nagging them, yelling at them, giving them chores and what not, I do it for their own good! haha! Isn't that what a GOOD mother is supposed to do? Oh, these kids frustrate me sometimes to no end, but I wouldn't trade them for the world! I love them so much it hurts my heart. Is that even possible? I am not sure how it is possible, but my heart aches with all the love that I feel for them. Not even sure that makes sense to anyone but me.

I am so blessed to be a mom, and to such wonderful kids! I love them all dearly.

Teegan looking at the Solar Eclipse. 

Conquering the Grand Canyon

Tyler and Ken hiked the Grand Canyon June 2nd 2012! What an accomplishment! This is Ken's third time and Tyler's first. The most amazing thing about this accomplishment is that they hike it from rim to rim in one day! Unbelievable. Tyler said it was the hardest thing he has ever done physically. I am glad they had this opportunity to do this together. They bonded through miles and miles of hiking, 100+ degree temperatures, beautiful scenery. I am so proud of the two men in my life! They are amazing to me! I love them so much! I thought about them all throughout the day and am so thankful that they returned safely.

They went with some other young men and their parents.

Tyler has really accomplished some amazing things at such a young age. He received his Eagle Scout award at the age of 13 or barely 14 technically, hiked the Grand Canyon at 15 and also got his first job at Iceberg at age 15. He was also accepted into Success Academy this Fall. He will be attending High School and Dixie State College concurrently so when he graduates from High school he should have his associates degree as well. He is so responsible and dedicated. I am really impressed with his drive, determination and desire to succeed. He is really an amazing young man. I am so blessed to be his mother! I love you Tyler!

Dutch Babies/German Pancakes

German Pancakes/Dutch Babies

I think this is my original recipe from High school. It serves one person. I quadruple this recipe for my family.

Three easy ingredients.

Melting butter in the pan before pouring in the batter make it extra yummy.

It puffs up in the oven as it cooks. Hence the name puffy pancakes.

From the oven to the table. Sprinkle with desired amount of powdered sugar.

This is one of our favorite breakfasts. I first learned how to make it in High school Home Ec class. So delicious and easy. It only has three ingredients, Eggs, flour and milk. It is also kind of like a science experiment. You blend all the ingredients together with a mixer or in a blender for about 2 minutes. Put it in a 400 degree oven and after about 20 minutes it is a puffy, delicious masterpiece. We eat this almost every Sunday. It has become a Sunday tradition. Spriinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup, Yum!