DigginbeingDoziers!

Tooting my own horn!

2012-02-07T05:02:00.000-08:00

OK, so I am not one to go around tooting my own horn but I think I've earned the right. I made yet another New Years resolution this year. My resolution was not some unattainable, lose weight, starve, or kill myself goal. My goal this year was to try to get more in shape. I decided on doing push ups and sit ups every day. So far I have done this every single day of 2012 ( I know the year just began but for me that's huge!). Yay me!! I started out doing what I could, now about every week or less I add a few more sit up or push ups. I tell ya, it's been harder than last years resolution of no ice cream and soda (which I stuck to the entire year!). I get up earlier than I use to so I don't have all eyes in the house watching me and critiquing me. I'm not doing this for them, it's for me. I've noticed a difference. I feel great and can't wait to see what the final out come is. I'd rather gain muscle than lose weight. My biceps are starting to resemble something a little like what they looked like in High school. Not that I was a huge body builder or anything but I was one buff chick thanks to hanging out with my brothers and the wrestling team.
If you made a resolution.....stick to it! It's an amazing feeling to know that YOU did it. I keep a journal. It helps me drag my buns out of bed at 4 in the morning to do sit ups. I don't want to miss a day and have a blank line in my journal. I'm putting my horn away now, I'm all tooted out. If you ever need an encouraging word to help you stick to your goal, call me, I'll be there for ya! Good luck!

Super Bowl 2012

2012-02-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

Today started out like any other Sunday. We were up early, went to church ( I loved all the testimonies and the great lesson in relief society), took my Sunday nap, and watched the super bowl! My parents couldn't come down this year to watch it with us, so it was just us having a party. We partied that's for sure! We had a full spread. The MVP of the food table was the grilled asparagus. It was a hit, thanks to our produce man for talking me into buying it. It was awesome, the girls ate it up! We also had zucchini squash, hot dogs, grilled chicken, carrots and ranch, black olives, chips and dip, and soda. We were stuffed when kick off time came around. We saw the Pepsi commercial with Elton John as the king. Sydney ran and found her colored rocks. She looks just like him and his goofy colored glasses. I got a kick out of that!

Clay was really into the game can you tell. He's just doing what his wife doesn't like to do. I did offer but he said no. I sat happily on the couch bundled up watching the very handsome Tom Brady play a good game. (I was cheering for the Patriots because their uniforms were cuter and they have the better looking quarterback, plus I don't like all the showboating Cruz and the rest of the Giants do. I'm sad my team lost but really it's not like I watch every game of the NFL season. I only watch the super bowl.)

Our favorite commercial of the night was this M&Ms commercial. Made me laugh, the song was funny, and the girls are still saying, wiggle wiggle wiggle. Too funny. We also like the new Sonic car commercial because it was filmed in Arizona (At the Eloy Municipal Airport), and because Rob Dyrdek starred in it. He's one funny guy.

Halftime was the best I have seen in a long time. Madonna rocked the stadium. Complete with old songs, cool dance moves, no wardrobe malfunctions, new songs, and of course Madonna herself. Amazing!!

Not your typical Sabbath day that's for sure. Maybe not the most reverent and calm, but we had a great time spending time together as a family. I do have to say this, I completely despise the Go Daddy commercials. I do every year. They're full of half naked girls and provocative suggestive language. I have no idea what they're even pitching or wanting me to buy, of course I'd never check out their website. I'd hate to end up on a site full of smut. They ruin the whole super bowl party experience every year. I wish they would stick to Internet advertising so I can choose not to see their lame commercials. OK, that's my rant! I'm done.

An eventful Sunday!

2012-01-29T16:59:00.000-08:00

We went to church like any other Sunday. Alex's stomach has been bothering her for over a week now. Last night she was hunched over and crying because it hurt so bad. I peeked in primary to see how she was doing and she was sitting hunched over, arms wrapped around her sides. She looked like she was in so much pain. After sacrament meeting we had asked our bishop, who is a doctor, what he thought. He didn't think it was an appendicitis but that she should probably be seen. We left church a little early and headed to the ER.

After the first nurse couldn't find a vein, made Alex bleed, and made her arm hurt, reinforcements came. A very nice nurse by the name of Jennifer came in, took blood from Alex's other arm and left to run tests.

Alex was very bored, in lots of pain, and very hungry. I kept nodding off and my tummy was rumbling also. After a few hours the doctor came in and said her urine and blood tests were fine. He thought she might have some kind of virus. He said to keep an eye on her and if she started to vomit or run a high fever come back. Home we went to eat lunch.

After lunch the girls played in their rooms, stopping every once in a while for Alex to hunch over and wait for her pain to go away. Their room became a huge mess but they were having fun. The newest game they love to play is recipes. The get bowls and spoons from the kitchen and make recipes with their stuffed animals and different fake spices. It's funny to hear the name of some of the things they pretend to make. The girls friend Madison came to play on Saturday and they must have played this same exact game for almost two hours!

Then after I took my Sunday nap, Alex and I made brownies. For dessert we had brownies and ice cream and played the game we got Clay for his birthday.

It's called beat the parents. It's a trivia game. The adults get questions that kids would know and the kids get questions about stuff adults know. It was way harder then we thought it was going to be. The kids won! We barely moved our pieces. There were lots of Harry Potter questions and stuff we had no clue about. The kids skunked us bad!

All in all it turned out to be a good day. I hope Alex starts to feel better soon. Poor little pumpkin!

Sewing weekend

2012-01-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

This weekend I hardly did a thing but sew. Thursday night we had a sewing night for a Relief Society activity. It made me want to sew even more all weekend. I did do the laundry but that was about all I accomplished in the area of housework this weekend. The Special Education teacher at school asked me to make her a few things. You can't really tell by the picture but this blanket has rice sewn into it. It's a weighted blanket for some of our Autistic kiddos to use. It's more of a lap pad than a blanket. The weight helps them calm down a bit.

This is also a lap pad filled with rice, just in a smaller size.

This is a weighted sock(also rice) to go around the back of the child's neck for weight on the neck and shoulders. I also made lots of different textured bean bags, some filled with rice and some with different objects. All these things are to help them with their sensory issues. It was a lot of fun to make so many different things. Alex loved helping me with all the rice and sewing.

At the sewing night on Thursday I finished the last two of my twenty four trees I was making. I then made them blocks and soon it will be a whole quilt of trees. I'm so excited to see it done.

I have all the small trees sewn into blocks, I'll finish the big trees soon, then it's on to making it a quilt!! What a weekend!

2011 blog book.

2012-01-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

It came, it came, it finally came!!

This year we went with a different company to print our blog book. I like this book because it reads just like the blog. All the posts stay the same and all the pictures described match with that paragraph. This book also came with an index. It didn't take as long to put together as other blog books have. All you have to do is go to blog2print.com, select a cover and size of book, upload blog, pay, and in a few weeks it arrives. So easy!!

2010's blog book was done at blurb.com and you have to download a program. It's labor intensive and takes a lot of time. I like this book because you can play around with different picture layouts and text layouts. Sometimes the picture on the page is described within the paragraph. It will say something like, in the picture below there is a fat cat but the picture won't be right under it because this program puts all the text together, you could separate them but then you'd be adding a lot more pages.

I'm having a hard time deciding which one I like best. I may have to order two of each year from now on. I also like all the different picture sizes in the old books, some are big, some small, some in between. In the new book they're all one size.

Let me know your thoughts, if you know of any other good blog publishing sites, let me know that too!! Thanks!!

Alex and Yasmin have a play date!

2012-01-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

Alex has been begging me to let Yasmin (her BFF) come over for a play date. Most Friday's we're booked solid, running errands, going to appointments, cleaning. This Friday (the 20th) Sydney had a field trip so Alex would be home alone. The perfect day for a play date. The girls cleaned the house Thursday so it would be nice and clean for Yasmin to come over. A friend came and picked up Sydney to take her to the school for the field trip. Alex and I went to breakfast at Burger King. While we were there Alex said she already missed Sydney and it felt weird not to have her there (she must have told me this over 20 times that day). Another friend came over to pick up toilet paper for a science project and asked Alex if she missed Sydney, she of course said yes! Then Yasmin came and all the missing Sydney flew right out the door. They played a game where they spun each other on the desk chair, then they'd jump up and run down the hall. It was funny to watch them stumbling and crashing their way down the hall.

Then the girls drew with window markers on the sliding glass door, ate some cookies I had just made, spun some more on the chair, looked at cards, played the Wii, played with Yasmin's Vtech tablet, and had another snack. Then they got every pillow in the house, piled them up in the living room and took turns jumping in the pile. They'd laugh and crash and bury each other with pillows. It must have been fun because they played it for over an hour. Then when they got bored of jumping in the pile, they lined the hallway with pillows and set up and obstacle course. Yeah, my house was pretty much covered in pillows by the time Yasmin had to go.

Alex and Yasmin have been friends for years. I think they first met each other in Kindergarten. They don't always have the same class but they always play with each other at recess. I'm so glad she has such a great Best Friend!

Sydney called from the bus and said they would be home earlier than expected. Yasmin was sad she had to leave early but had a good time playing with Alex. Sydney told us all about her field trip to the Symphony (they played 3 Lady Gaga songs) and about her tour at the Children's Detention Center (scary and she doesn't want to go there. The thing that shocked her the most was that the kids had no privacy when they went to the bathroom. "Mom, you could see the silver toilet from the window in the door". She couldn't believe it.). Once we got home Sydney was a little sad. I asked her what was wrong. She said she didn't get to play all day with Alex. I guess she missed Alex as much as Alex missed her. They played happily the rest of the night.

Symphony!

2012-01-21T05:45:00.000-08:00

Last night we went and saw the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra perform. We got all dressed up for our night out on the town. The girls got in free so with the other two tickets we took my parents. We went early and ate at Chili's, then went to stand in line at the entrance doors so we could get good seats. We were first in line but two little old ladies who were very grumpy thought they were the line leaders. We didn't mind to much, we could still beat them in a foot race!The music was amazing! So peaceful and wonderful. Poor Alex though. The couple that sat in front of her made out with each other the whole time. I asked if she wanted to trade places but she wanted to sit by Nana. Then the 3 little annoying high school boys behind us kept humming and whistling along with the music. Very annoying. The music made up for the rude crowd. It is truly amazing what composers can do, what instruments in capable hands can do, what the human body can teach itself to do, and the sounds that can be made when you combine all three. It was amazing, the girls loved it! My dad must have liked it too, he didn't fall asleep once!
Thanks to my principal for the wonderful tickets. What an experience! If you ever have the opportunity to go see a symphony, whether it be in Sierra Vista or some huge city, take it! It's money and time well spent!

Date night at the Symphony!

2012-01-20T10:15:00.000-08:00

Date night at the Symphony!I got 4 free tickets to the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra from my boss on Wednesday. The girls get in free with our two tickets so we invited my parents to come along too. Sydney is on a field trip right now. They went to the Symphony and then to tour the children's detention center. She'll be home around 3:00PM, then we'll wait for Clay to get home from work and head back to the Symphony. Hopefully Sydney likes Beethoven and Mozart A LOT!

White water draw

2012-01-16T19:32:00.000-08:00

This year to celebrate MLK day and having the day off from school, we went out to White Water Draw to see the Sand Hill Cranes that migrate here for the winter. We invited another family to go with us. The kids had so much fun. They thought this pile of dirt was the best thing ever!

The girls were so happy to have other kids to run around with. The weather was a little cloudy and cool when we first got there but by the afternoon it was sunny and breezy. Turned out to be a great day.

We took two pairs of binoculars and our video camera. Sydney had a great time looking at all the birds.

The wildlife preserve has set up decks and viewing platforms. These made it possible for everyone in our group to view the birds. It was an amazing site. Last year we went in February. We're planning on going again next month. There were cranes there, just not as many as there will be later on in the season. The cranes also chose the furthest field from us to land in, when there's more birds they have no choice but to move in closer.

I even got in on the action and took my turn to look at the birds.

The kids used the sightseeing equipment correctly for the most part. Towards the end I think they got a little bored, then they started looking for tadpoles in the water!

Clay got lots of amazing video. He stood on the other side of the shore to get video of all of us on the deck.

This picture just cracks me up! Is he looking for ants on the deck or what? The kids were so much fun to watch, almost as fun as the cranes!

I thought this was a neat picture. All three girls using binoculars while the boys use the viewing scopes!

I'm pretty sure this is NOT how you use this scope but they had fun.

We had a great time with our friends the Nelson's and their fun kids. I think a camping trip is in the works next. Can't wait!!

Daddy loves his girls. What better way to show your kids you love them then taking them out and exploring nature together. What a fun day.

At the end of the day, after the kids were worn out and tired, we made them sit for a picture. We all got a little sunburned, it could be wind burn too. It was so much fun. I think we may make this an annual trip. When we go back in February maybe the cranes will be closer where I can get a decent picture and post it. If you've never been to see the Sand Hill Cranes and you live in Arizona, you should make the drive. Best time to go is about 10:45AM. At about 11:00 on the dot the birds start flying in and landing from their morning feeding. It's amazing. The sky fills up with thousands of birds, the noise is almost deafening, and their landing formations are amazing. It's an awesome sight to see and it's right here in our back yard!

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Sunday drive

2012-01-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

Today after church we decided to take a Sunday drive. The dog loves to be in the truck, what dog doesn't. The girls always ask to ride in the bed of the truck. We of course always say no! It's not safe plus their hair gets tangled like crazy. They were so excited to ride in the back. On the way home we pulled over to see if they all (dog included) wanted to get up front with us. It was a cold day and I thought for sure they were freezing and would want to get up front. They said no, they wanted to stay in the back. They giggled and laughed the whole way, the dog loved having their company, and we spent some quality time as a family. I love Sunday drives!
When we got home I made everyone hot cocoa with mini marshmallows. It was the perfect end to a spiritually uplifting day!

Fingers and kisses!

2012-01-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

Last week, on Wednesday, Sydney hurt her finger playing tether ball. The school nurse put a splint on and sent her back to class with a pack of ice. Her hand was very bruised and very sore. She went to the nurse this week to get some Tylenol for a headache and the nurse looked at her still swollen still bruised finger again. She called me at the library and said I should get Sydney an appointment with a doctor. The nurse said she no longer thought it was just a jammed finger. I called yesterday and today we had an appointment. Sydney got her hand Xrayed and come to find out she fractured her pinky finger. Nothing they could do for it but it was nice to know (and see) exactly what was going on. It will be two weeks since the injury on Monday and she's still swollen and all bruised up. The picture above is not her Xray. I found this picture online since we don't have our copies yet. I'm sure this won't be the last time she jams/fractures a finger. She has such long thin fingers, and wanting to play basketball and tether ball and all the other sports she want to, I know it won't be too long before it happens again!

This next part is for journaling purposes. I may have written about it before but it won't hurt to do it again! I hope my kids realize what an awesome guy their Dad is. I hope they marry someone with a lot of the same qualities as him.

Every morning, whether I have a day off or not, I get up with Clay to make his lunch and pack his stuff in the car. Some days I would rather stay in bed, then I think, how sad it must be for him to eat breakfast alone, leave without saying goodbye and I love you to anyone, and to have to drive away from a dark sleeping house. So I drag myself out of bed, make his lunch (sometimes grumpily but it gets done), load the car and watch CNN until he's ready to leave. Most mornings we're running around like crazy, all of us trying to get ready for our day. On the days we don't have school it's usually calmer and more quiet since the girls are still in bed. Everyday I walk Clay out to the car, get my kiss goodbye, he tells me he loves me and I wave as he drives away. He'll usually turn on the light inside the car so I can see him waving back to me. Every once in awhile he'll even blow me kisses as he's pulling out. Awww, just makes me smile thinking about it. He doesn't do that to often, but often enough to make it special. See what I would be missing if I stayed in bed and slept. Girls, I love your Dad!

Just Dance!

2012-01-12T05:09:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched some of my friends kids after school. After homework was done it was time to play. Alex got the Wii game Just Dance for her birthday. That's what they did.....

Just Dance!!

After Just Dance, it was time for more video games, dinner, farkle, a movie, popcorn, and dessert! Most weekdays are boring and so routine. Work, homework, dinner, bed. It was fun to shake things up a bit!

Just Dance (and party, and have fun, and be a kid)!

Sydney's Christmas Break Famous Explorer Research Project!

2012-01-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

I was not a happy person when I found out Sydney's fifth grade class was assigned yet another research project. This project came at a horrible time of year. Christmas break is for spending time with family! The majority of this project had to be completed at home and over Christmas break no less! The names Sydney had written down as her choices were picked before it was her turn to tell the teacher who she wanted to research. She ended up having a famous explorer picked for her. She wasn't to thrilled. We dug our heels in and completed the project. Sydney volunteered to be one of the first to present her project and received an extra 25 points for doing so.
She did great! She was a little nervous but didn't stumble or stutter over any words. She built a homemade space shuttle, created a treasure box with a solar system and astronauts in it, wrote a report, and did a presentation board. Her famous explorer was a female astronaut. She did amazingly well. I'm just glad it's over!

Great Job Sydney, keep up the good work!

Poor guy

2012-01-10T04:50:00.000-08:00

Last Friday Clay hurt his back. He's had scoliosis since he was a kid. As he gets older the littlest thing can make his back act up. He hikes up mountains every day, sometimes I think he forgets he's not a teenager! The last time he hurt his back he was drying off after he got out of the shower. He made one tiny wrong movement and he was out for a week or so. This time he bent over to tie his shoe and out went his back! Poor guy, now because of his back he's walking around here like he IS an old man. Needless to say, we didn't get to go out or do anything fun for his birthday. I feel bad for him but he was in no mood (or condition) to be hittin the town. Good thing he'll take a rain check. I'll need a night out soon.

He had a good birthday with the usual presents, cake and ice cream. Alex got him a board game, Sydney got him some Garbage pail kid cards (yeah, they're back!), I got him a movie and a couple of gift cards. His Dad also sent him a gift card (thanks Jim), he got countless texts and phone calls from friends and family. It turned out to be a goodnight. He spent the night flat on his back while three of the best nurses any dad could have, showered him with gifts and love. What more could a guy ask for on his birthday.

We love you Clay!!

Happy 37th!!

2012-01-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

Pictures of the old farts party coming soon!

I love you!!

xoxo

Yes I am!

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

I am a Mormon. More than that, I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am more than a label, I am a child of god. I know my family can be together forever. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and I love him. Yes, YES I am a Mormon.

Smokey

2012-01-06T17:10:00.000-08:00

This is my parents not so new cat. They have this cat thanks to me. It looks a lot like my old cat Bonzo but twice as fat. We had some friends that use to live here and they had to move (the house they use to live in burned to the ground in the big fires last summer in Sierra Vista, they moved away about a month before the fires). They couldn't take their cat with them so I offered to take it. My parents weren't too happy when I showed up with a cat for them. My family is allergic and I thought Bonzo (who was still alive at the time) might need a play mate. Well, Bonzo and Smokey didn't get along so Smokey got the boot. He has to sleep in the garage. My parents didn't like him at all at first. He's a tad bit over weight, declawed, and an overly affectionate cat, plus he's a loud meower but they have since changed their mind about Smokey Just about every day, Smokey leaves a special present on the doorstep for my parents. Yep, dead mice (m words Aunt Bev, hide!). Smokey is awesome!! He's fat and has no front claws but man can he catch a mouse. Sometimes he even leaves two or three a day. Now who's the best daughter ever huh Mom. Yeah that's right, me! Good Job Smokey, you rock (so do I because I took you in....well I took you to my Mom's house).

So much for being helpful

2012-01-03T04:51:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you combine a bowl..... Full of hummingbird food.........
And a bunch of bees?
We had a hummingbird feeder on our porch out front. The birds have all gone for the winter but the bees have been having a heyday with the leftover food. I didn't want the bees by the front door anymore so I took the feeder down. I thought, well bees need food in the winter too. I decided to pour the extra food we had in the fridge in a bowl and put the bowl by the side of the house. That way the bees still got their food and we didn't have to worry about them being so close to the front door. Good plan. I checked the bowl the next day and the bees were a big happy swarm.

A few days later I checked it again. So much for being helpful! The entire swarm was in the bowl, drowned, and dead! Duh, if they fall in, they can't get out. What was I thinking!! So if there's a honey shortage or your flowers don't bloom because of pollination problems, I apologize in advance. Bees scare me but not enough to kill them all. I feel really bad. I think I'll let them fend for themselves next time. On a side note..... When the feeder was up and full of food, somehow a bee squeezed itself through one of the holes a hummingbird would drink out of. Yeah he drowned too. Not entirely my fault. Bees should learn how to swim or not be so driven by the sent of sweet sugar.
Sorry bees!

New Years!

2011-12-31T12:00:00.000-08:00

This year for New Years we had plans to spend the evening with my parents and Grandpa Stanley. At the last minute Grandpa decided not to come, so keeping in tradition everyone came to our house instead. I say everyone but Uncle Will couldn't make it so it was just Nana and Papa. We had tons of food! My Dad. I have no idea why he comes to parties. He's the life of the party if you couldn't tell. Every year it's the same story. We're all partying and he's sleeping. At one point during the evening he did wake up and come in the kitchen for a snack. At that time we were playing The Logo Game (thanks Aunt Debbie!) and my Dad walks in and answers the question correctly like he'd been playing with us the whole time. (the question was what is the name of the Borden Cow? I don't know if I spelled that name brand right but the correct answer was Elsie. None of us knew it but Dad) He grabbed a snack and went back to sleep. What??
We played lots of fun games, snacked and counted down the hours till we could celebrate the New Year!

My Mom was ready to party!

After games, it was getting close to Midnight so we broke out the fireworks and started lighting them off. Talk about fun! Clay climbed up and got in the attic and got our BIG fireworks down. They'd been in the attic for years. After a bottle rocket went off and landed in my hair one year on the Fourth of July at my parents house, we hadn't done BIG fireworks since. I was feeling brave. We had so much fun! I even lit a few. Many of our neighbors had fireworks as well. The neighbor across the street who usually fires off a couple rounds from his shotgun, got in the spirit of things this year and had a very cool fireworks display.

Last year it was freezing cold, windy, and rainy. This year the weather was perfect. We only needed a sweatshirt and we were good to go. Dad woke up just in time to watch the big ball drop, we blew our noise makers, and rang in the New Year with style. Do we know how to throw a party or what.Shortly after that we cleaned up and everyone hopped in the car and headed to Benson!

Last year my New Years Resolution was to lose weight and eat healthier. I decided to give up two of my very favorite things for a whole year. Soda and Ice cream. It was hard in the beginning but so worth it in the end. I did have soda once through the whole year. The little girl next door helped Sydney with her science fair project so I felt obligated to help her with hers. It was different colored Sprite. I had to drink it, it was warm and gross so I don't think it even counts because I didn't enjoy it. I lost 11 pounds over the entire year and have been able to keep it off. I feel better and look a little better too. I haven't been as sick this year as I have in years past. I plan on eating ice cream occasionally and only drinking soda when we go out.

This year I'm making a new resolution. Be more active and lose more weight and continue to eat healthier. My goal is to fit into my wedding dress. I tried it on the other day with the help of the girls. I'm almost there, just in time for our 14 year anniversary! Alex and I also made it a goal to do push ups and sit ups every day. I'm going to add in running or going for a walk at least three times a week. Hopefully we can stick to this for the entire year and feel better about ourselves in the future. Happy New Year! Make 2012 the best year ever!!

Get your game on!

2011-12-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the last night of our mini vacation, it's time to get our game on. I was tired from our busy day so I read my book while Grandma and the girls played games. The first game of choice was Farkle. Alex won the first game and Grandma won the second. Sydney didn't want to play Farkle and read her kindle instead (thanks Nana, Papa, Uncle Will, Aunt Tammy and Uncle James!).
Next they played Apples to Apples Family. It's such a fun game Sydney had to put her book down and join in. At one point everyone was laughing so hard they couldn't breathe, I thought for sure they were going to start crying. All I know is the clue word was gentle and somehow Thomas the Tank Engine in that category made everyone crack up. Even Grandma was laughing pretty hard.

After snacks and lots of games it was off to bed. The girls were still pretty giggly and hyper, they had a hard time getting to sleep even though it was past 11 PM. We're leaving in the morning. I'm sad to see our little vacation end. It was so much fun for the girls to spend some quality time with their Grandma and cousin. We can't wait to do it again!!

Biosphere 2

2011-12-28T21:07:00.000-08:00

We decided to spend the day at Biosphere 2 today. The girls were excited. I don't think they knew where we were going, or what all it entailed but they were happy to spend the day together. Everyone having fun on a girls only vacation. Say Cheese!
Biosphere 2 was an amazing sight from the outside. I couldn't wait to go inside.

7 people spent 2 whole years locked inside. They grew food, communicated with the outside by e-mail, they held video conferences with the media, and lots of other interesting things.

Inside, the girls got to play with an interactive water cycle display. Ping pong balls were the water and the girls had to make the ball go from the ground, to the clouds, to the plants. It was fun to watch them learn something while having a good time.

The first stop on the tour was the rain forest. You couldn't see much but lots of vegetation. We didn't stay in there long, good thing too. It was very humid and a little warm. I loved looking at all the plants but I did not like the humidity. Then we went out to the ocean area. It's a pool with a beach area. There are little waves every six seconds to keep the water circulating, and there's even fish. It was very exciting. We also saw a marshy area and of course a desert area. I would have liked to spend more time in each area but they had so many people wanting tours. It was walk and talk, no time to look.

After the tour was over, we went down to the ocean viewing area. You could see the fish and what was going on under the surface of the water.

The fish seemed to like the flash from my camera so I just kept flashing away to get them to come over. I actually got a picture (only one) of a fish during all the flashing.

They also had this whole interactive walk through for kids. There were a lot of stations to test their knowledge. All the coral, fish, sharks, and shells made you feel like you were under the ocean.

On the way out the girls were so captivated by oak leaves. I'm not sure if it's because they'd never seen one before, or the shape, or that there were so many. They begged me to take a picture so we wouldn't have to take a leaf home but they could still see it. How could I say no!

We saw this tiny little car when we were going inside but we didn't spend much time looking at it, we were so excited to get inside and go on the tour. The girls thought it was so cool they were taller than a car. We just had to have a picture on the way out.

After a fun day at Biosphere 2, we went to Macayo's to eat,and back to the resort to rest (and swim of course). I wasn't sure if the kids or even I would enjoy the biosphere. It turned out to be a lot of fun and very educational.

Swimming in December

2011-12-27T21:01:00.000-08:00

After a busy day spending time with our cousins, shopping, and visiting, we decided to take a swim break. It was freezing (OK not freezing but cool) out. Grandma Wing and I were bundled up in our sweatshirts. We visited with each other while the girls braved the frigid swimming pool water. OK, so the water couldn't have been too cold, there was no chattering teeth or blue lips. Sydney loved the swimming pool!
Autumn had a great time. The girls played mermaids and all kinds of fun games with each other.

The girls didn't spend much time in the hot tub which I thought was crazy. That's where I would have spent the majority of my time when I'm at a pool in December, even if we were in Tucson. It was still cold out!

After swimming and warm showers is was off to Chili's for some yummy dinner. We filled up on chips and salsa and we all had to take our dinner back to the resort with us. The food was SO good!

As soon as we woke up the next morning, what do you think the first question I got asked was? Yep, can we go swimming?? It's vacation, of course we can. We spent the day at Biosphere 2 (pictures of that soon), and then the pool. The girls couldn't get enough of the water. I was all bundled up with pool towels and my kindle and still couldn't get warm. The girls were crazy!

After a long day what feels better than a bubble bath in your swimsuit in the jacuzzi tub? Nothing! I didn't know that bubbles and a jacuzzi tub don't mix. We finally had to turn the jets off so the bathtub wouldn't overflow. It was so much fun. Non stop giggling and splashing. The girls had bubbles in their hair and bubble beards too. After they were all bubbled out, it was time to rinse off and get ready for bed.

We have to go home in a few days. I'm already sad. It was the perfect way to spend winter break!

Cousins

2011-12-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

Grandma Wing invited us for a little girls only vacation in Tucson for a few days at the resort she was staying at. Aunt Chalice brought Autumn for the girls vacation. We got to hang out with her and the boys for a few hours before they had to head home. We all went to McDonald's to eat and visit. Treyson was a hoot. He is so cute, I love it when he runs, his little blond curls bounce and fly. Too funny!
After lunch we headed over to the Reid Park Zoo. By the time we got there we would have only had about 30 minutes to see the animals. We decided to skip the zoo and just play at the park. We had so much fun with our cousins!

My girls play really well together the majority of the time. I think they do get a little bored of each other. Alex had a blast with someone other than Sydney. She loved playing and hanging out with Autumn.

Sydney had a great time playing chase with Braydn, they both love running.....a lot. All the kids had a blast at the park, they ran, played hide and seek, played in the sand, and played on the swings.

On the way to the car we found a perfect spot for a Kodak moment. The girls are so excited to spend a few days with Grandma and Autumn!

Girls Vacation!!

Family pictures

2011-12-26T20:52:00.000-08:00

Tammy set up family pictures while they were down from Montana. We haven't had Stanley family pictures done for years. We took a few pictures of our own while the photographer was taking separate pictures of all the families. My camera stinks so I'm excited to see the pictures a nice camera can take. Maybe it will even take ten pounds off!
I had a lot of fun hanging out with my family. Will kept us laughing, Araya and Mason kept us on our toes, and we all had a great time hanging out together. I can't wait to see the pictures. When I have them you'll have them!

Christmas Day!

2011-12-25T08:49:00.000-08:00

The older the girls get, the more fun the holidays seem. We had a great Christmas this year. It's comforting to know that we can afford the things the kids want and not have to be stressed out during the holidays. It's also nice that the girls don't go over board and WANT everything in the world to make them happy. Clay's work friend Matt sent a gift home for the girls. It was a beautiful book. They were so excited (Thank you Matt!) On Christmas Eve we let the girls open one present. They both picked books (Sydney opened her complete book series of The Sisters Grimm, and Alex opened her complete book series of the candy fairies). They went running off to their rooms to read. They were soooo excited. Alex got a full size sewing machine and a bike from us. A few of her other gifts that were her favorites were the Trashies from Mama, the kindle from Nana and Papa, and the memo board from Aunt Amy.

Sydney also got a bike. They didn't have the one she wanted so she got the bike pictured. We're taking it back tomorrow to see if they have the right one. She also got an ant farm, lots of books and clothes from us. A few of her favorite gifts were her Sisters Grimm books, her Kindle from Nana and Papa, and the kindle case Uncle Will gave her.

After we opened presents, we cleaned up and headed to Benson to spend the day with my family. Boys, you may want to leave the blog now.... girl subject matter ahead.

Christmas Eve I was hit with that time of the month (my period). It wouldn't be that big of a deal except that my periods are man made. We've been trying to get pregnant for years. The last two years we've been working with a specialist in Tempe. I haven't had a period for years. I finally had one last month. During that period I had to take two different medications to try to get me to ovulate, no luck. I thought I was so unlucky not being able to have a period all those years. How wrong I was. I felt like I was dying. I think they're so horrible (the cramps and flow and everything else) because I have to make my body have a period with medications. This Christmas period was no different. I almost didn't make it to my parents for Christmas. I was in so much pain and really would have liked to spend the whole day in my own bed. If Tammy and James can come all the way from Montana then by golly I can survive for one afternoon. Survive I did, barely. Let's hope this is all worth it in the end.

Christmas was great this year. Seeing all our families and friends added to the joy of the season. Hopefully I feel better soon and can spend some happy quality time with my family. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:45:00.000-08:00

Today (Christmas Eve day) a cold storm blew in. I thought for sure we were going to have a white Christmas. The storm was a fast mover and the temperatures dropped quickly. Being the softie I am, Cassius spent the day inside with us. Talk about a happy dog! The storm didn't stick around long, we didn't get much more than a light dusting as far as snow goes. There's always next year!
We'll continue dreaming of a white Christmas.

Can't wait!

2011-12-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Since we've been out of school Sydney has been wanting to sleep by the Christmas tree. I love the tree and the lights but I love my bed way more. Since Christmas is getting closer, and the tree will be coming down soon, I finally gave in and let her sleep by the tree. Alex joined in a few days later and our living room hasn't been the same since. They'll be sad to know they can't sleep by the tree tomorrow since Santa is coming. I think they'll live. Oh, to be a kid again!

Dishes get done, somehow....

2011-12-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

Our girls have one chore.....The Dishes! They take forever, sometimes the dishes aren't as clean as I would like, and I find these toys all over in the sinks and clean dishes. Hey, whatever works for them. As long as I don't have to do dishes I'm happy!

BBQ Master

2011-12-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

Clay is going to hate this post. Most people who know Clay never get to see the funny crazy side of him. At work he's very serious and professional, at church he's quiet and reverent and subdued, at school functions he's happy and focused on his kids. At home, well that's a different story. He laughs, he plays, he tickles, he runs around. He's one fun guy. Today was no exception. It never fails, every time we decide to grill the weather is horrendous. There's been a blizzard, strong winds, sleet rain, and hail. You name it, we've grilled in it. I say WE but it's really he. Tonight's weather was perfect for grilling. A storm was blowing in, the temperature was dropping fast. Perfect weather for a Dozier Barbecue!
I MADE Clay wear a hat so he wouldn't get sick. He was trying to show me his breath in the above picture. It was freezing out. I can't believe we picked such an awesome day to grill! I also told him I needed a picture of him wearing the goofy hat so when the kids look back they will remember their dad being funny and cool. We'll have proof. That is why, in our book, Clay is the Barbecue master!!

Go Bobcats!

2011-12-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

My camera totally stinks but..... If you look closely there is a Bobcat walking in the wash. I was taking my mom home from Mesa and the big family shindig when we turned to go down her road. She thought it was a coyote. I stopped and put the car in reverse and this is what we saw. He wasn't moving fast but he wasn't sticking around for many pictures either. By the time I got out of my car and into the wash he was already through the culvert and on the other side of the highway. It was exciting. A little side story you may or may not know. The first time Clay's Mom ever met her future daughter in-law (we didn't know that is what I would become at the time) I was dressed as the Bobcat mascot for our high school. It was at a basketball game, maybe football I'm not really sure. I was running around like a wild woman leading eveyone in the stands to do the wave. Yeah first impressions are everything! I have a picture of me dressed up but there is no way that's blog worthy! GO BOBCATS!

Annual Holyoak Shindig!

2011-12-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our annual family Christmas get together at my Aunt Bev's. I look forward to this party all year long. I don't know many families who get together every year with the WHOLE family (cousins, brothers, sisters, grandpas, nieces, nephews, uncles, spouses, everyone who was anyone was there!). I also love to see how my Aunt decorates. It's different every year. This year it was a little wild but so cute! Tammy, Mason, and Araya came too! All the way from Montana to party with us! Well, not really just to party, for Christmas too. I love these kiddos. They are quite the handful, they have lots of energy. I love when they come visit. I miss them alot. Living in Montana is a little far away for me to pop over and give them some loves. I get to hang out with them again on Christmas day, I can't wait!
Like I said, the WHOLE family was there...almost. The picture below doesn't even come close to showing how many adults and kids were there. If I counted everyone we had 42 people there, it was quite the SHINDIG! I think we were only missing three. I could be wrong. We were missing my brother James but his family was represented by Tammy, my cousin Sean couldn't make it, and one of my younger girl cousins wasn't there. That's it I think. Out of the whole dang family, only three missing, that's pretty good! We're getting a bit big for Aunt Bev's house. We may have to move it outside or rent a place or something in the next few years. I'm so glad someone goes through all the trouble of getting us all together. I loved hanging out with my cousins when I was younger and it's even more fun now since we're older. The kids go play, we visit, and everyone helps out with the food. I love family!

It just so happens Aunt Chalice (Clay's older sister) lives about 30 minutes from my Aunt Bev. We had a few things to get to her so she came over. More cousins!! My kids were in cousin heaven, they ran, they played, they ate candy, they ran some more. Fun times. I got to visit with Chalice and she picked up some of her black Friday deals my parents were able to score for her. What a fantastic weekend!

We finished off the weekend by staying with my Aunt Debbie. We ate LOTS of Christmas cookies, real popcorn ( not that microwave junk), played a fun game called the logo game, and spent lots of time playing with the new little weenie dog Bella. I also got a hanging towel from her but mysteriously I didn't make it home with it.......MOM, give it back! This is my very favorite thing about the Christmas season, family becomes so important to everyone else that they can't help but have get togethers. I love getting together as a family no matter what time of year. I can't wait till Christmas day when I get to see my brother James!!! Merry Christmas!

Basketball Championships!

2011-12-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight was the final game for Sydney and all the other kids who participated in the Jr. NBA. The boys and girls club of Bisbee sponsored the event.

Sydney's team (black lightning) played the gold team (the goldfish) to determine which team would be third and fourth. Sydney's team lost 12 to 20. You couldn't tell they had just lost, they were so excited about scoring 12 points! That's the most they had scored the whole season. Sydney enjoyed playing and will probably participate next year too! I'm glad it's over, it made the days (and nights) super long, dinner super late, and getting homework done a struggle!

Coach Andy was an awesome coach. He was so patient with all the kids, especially the kids like Sydney (ones who had never touched a basketball before).

Every kid who participated got a medal. The first place team got a medal and a trophy. They even handed out MVP trophies and most improved trophies. The boy that won MVP was amazing. HE could land a basket from anywhere and he's only in third grade. At half time they had a shoot off and this little third grader landed a shot from behind half court! He beat out adults. He won $18 for that shot! It was fun to watch!!

The teams also got certificates of participation.

After it was all over the teams posed with their coaches. Sydney's team had some of the quietest and shyest kids you've ever seen. At the end you would have never thought that. They were super excited about the medals and acting CRAZY!

Good Job Sydney! You go girl!!

Cowboy poetry

2011-12-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

Tonight was poetry night at the school board meeting. All the students who were chosen to be class representatives were at the school board meeting to read their poems aloud. There were 24 representatives but not all of the showed up. We braved the wind and rain and snow flurries to be there. Alex was a little nervous but had been practising. She did great!

The superintendent was there, the principal, lots of teachers, and about 15 students with their families. Alex did great. Hearing her read her own poem made it come alive. When I read it, there were a few rhyming lines about a cowboy. To hear her read it, she knew exactly how to make the poem exciting. Our school had two honorable mention place winners and one of our students, a girl in Sydney's class, won first place. This was a county wide event so that's pretty amazing. There was a girl in Alex's class that was too scared once she saw how many people were there to read her poem. We're so proud of Alex for being so creative and brave. Keep up the good work!!

Pantyhose!

2011-12-11T16:49:00.000-08:00

The girls, (I should say Alex) hate to wear pantyhose. Sunday's are great in the summer when pantyhose aren't a must. I hear nothing but complaints all winter long about pantyhose. I swear, my little Alex, puts holes in her pantyhose just so she won't have to wear any. Little does she know, she has a crazy mom who has stocked up on pantyhose just so she won't have to stress about it on Sundays. Today was no exception. The complaints started right after I said YES you have to wear pantyhose! The rips and runs started as well! I told the girls I would show them a fun time with their ripped pantyhose if they would promise to be careful and not rip or run another pair today! It worked, we got home from church in one piece. After lunch I showed them what my brothers and I use to do with my moms old (but clean) pantyhose. Let the fun begin!

Our little piggy!

Sydney in about 80 years!

Piggies have such cute noses (full of boogers but that's OK!)

After hours of giggles and running to the mirror to see their funny faces, the pantyhose had had it! We laughed so hard (I think Clay thought we were all a little nuts, but I did hear him snicker a time or two!) From now on we'll be keeping all our ripped pantyhose for rainy day fun!!

Christmas musical

2011-12-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

This year the third through fifth graders presented a Christmas concert. I only knew one song that they sang. It's the one the Chipmunks sing about a hula hoop.

All the songs were beautiful. The third grade (Alex's class) sang first, they were great. We got lots of video of Alex singing her heart out. She loves to sing. She was one of the few who did not need to be threatened with an F if they didn't show up, she was goin!!

Then we watched the fourth graders sing. They did good as well. There was a little girl in the very back row that kept the whole auditorium entertained. She was so surprised to see ALL of her family there, she went a little crazy. It was a hoot!

Then came the fifth graders (Sydney's class). They had some really difficult songs that were sang in two parts and in rounds. They were amazing! The songs were again some I had never heard, but they are songs I will not soon forget. After the fifth grade class finished, the third through fifth grade students took to the stage and sang two songs for the finale. AMAZING! Again, they were sang in rounds and parts. I was floored, it sounded like a professional children's choir. I was quite amazed. The auditorium was packed, standing room only, and the local Burger King shut down early since most of the workers were related to the kids singing.

The girls did great, looked beautiful, and the songs helped make it really feel like Christmas. Good job girls! We love you!!

Cowboy Poetry

2011-12-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Here is the poem Alex wrote for the Cowboy Poetry contest. Hers did not get picked to be published in the book. Out of 25 final poems only 5 were picked from our school, they were all from fifth graders. This was a county wide contest, Alex should be very proud she was picked as a finalist. Alex was a little sad she didn't get published. I, on the other hand, am very proud of Alex. She is an amazing writer with an awesome imagination.

We plan on matting and framing her poem along with a picture of a cowboy she has painted. Way to go Alex! We love you!!

Fridge notes

2011-12-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

We've talked about getting the dog neutered since we got him. Cassius is an awesome dog but has a few flaws. He lifts his leg (pees) on everything everywhere. Angus spoiled us, he only went to the bathroom in one part of the yard. Also, Cassius is very hyper with everyone except Sydney, this is a huge problem when hes feeling frisky. We've had this note on our fridge since summer. Alex wanted to remind us to TAKE Cassius to the vet. I didn't want to do it in the summer because of all the flies and bugs that might have germs that could infect his surgery site. Well, today I finally followed through and got the big guy fixed. He's handling it like a champ, I just hope he doesn't hate me forever now.
Uncle Will saw this note on our fridge and had a good laugh. For only being in second grade when she wrote this, I think it's hilarious. A blog worthy note! Thanks for reminding us Alex!

Alex the Poet.

2011-12-05T15:45:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Alex is our little writer. Last year she was one of 12 students picked out of 250 applicants to get her book published. It's a great story about a bad dog named Sally. Well, this year our school participated in a Cowboy Poetry writing contest. Here is the letter that was sent home with Alex today! We are so proud of Alex! We bought her a program for the computer called Storybook Weaver. She loves to write and illustrate her own stories. Sydney even helps out. I can't wait to find out if her poem is picked to be published, even if it isn't, what an accomplishment. Go Alex!!

Again this year!

2011-12-01T10:16:00.000-08:00

I always seem to fall behind on blogging this time of year. The weatherman is calling for snow here this weekend so hopefully I can snuggle up to my computer and get caught up. You'll have to scroll down since I'll be putting the date on the post as to when the event happened. There's quite a few so stay tuned!

I do have to say, the older my girls get, the busier I get. I welcome the running around, busy days and nights, and all the activities. I'm much happier when I'm busy. I'm so thankful for my girls, for the sweet spirits they are, for the joy they bring to my life, and excitement they bring to our daily life. I wouldn't change our busy life for the world!

Stay tuned!

Blogging LEAVES you happy!

2011-11-30T16:28:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun over Thanksgiving break we forgot to take any pictures!

We had a great time in Phoenix with Mama and Grandma Winckle. The food was excellent, the company was nice to see, and the kids had fun with their cousins.

We have no pictures to remind us of how much fun we had around the dinner table, playing Farkle with Great Grandma, braving the black Friday crowds, or sleeping on the airbed snuggled under lots of blankets!

When we got home, we found that almost every leaf on our tree in the front yard had fallen off. I am working on our annual family calendar and thought a picture in the leaves would be perfect for November.

The girls weren't too thrilled, Clay was at work, and I was freezing. We got a few good ones to put on the calendar. Good thing I went out there and raked up the leaves when I did. The weatherman is calling for wind tomorrow, no more raking necessary. I hope the neighbors don't notice they have a few 100 extra leaves! I saved a garbage bag, the neighbors got extra leaves, and the wind did it's job! Happy Fall!!

Paper Piecing Party!

2011-11-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

I am so addicted to yet another thing! I have problems. A friend of mine showed me how to paper piece and now I'm completely obsessed!

I'm making a tree quilt. I have two trees for each month of the year. I have every month but November done. I can't wait to see what the final outcome will be!

Alex never reads the blog until it's already published in the family book so I'm going to share a secret with you. She's getting her own sewing machine for Christmas!! Now we can have paper piecing parties while we watch project runway! My mom scored big on black Friday, she was able to get everything we needed including Alex's Project Runway edition sewing machine! I'm so excited. I can't wait for Christmas to come so Alex and I can sew and sew and sew!!

Sydney turns 11!

2011-11-21T16:15:00.000-08:00

Sydney celebrated her 11Th birthday today. Her big day started off with presents in bed!

She was sooo thrilled with her new birthday outfit, she just had to wear it to school!

After school it was time for more presents!

Along with countless other gifts, one of her favorites was her new basketball!

Sydney is only 11. That little tid bit of information must have slipped my mind when I was ordering the cake. I'm a dork, Happy 11Th Sydney!

Sydney in her new birthday jammies. Nice warm fleece jammies for the cold winter nights that are headed our way.

Sydney's birthday fell on a Monday this year. We celebrated the weekend before. Sydney chose Sonic as the place she wanted to go for her birthday dinner. We love Sonic and their Tots!

Then she chose to visit Nana and Papa over all the other choices we gave her. We headed to Benson and spent the day with Nana and Papa and of course, Uncle Will! Papa got a new Harley so we all got to go for a ride.

After a busy weekend and a fun filled day at school, Sydney decided that this was the best birthday ever! Happy Birthday Sydney, we love you!!

Veterans day

2011-11-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

This year, we got Thursday an Friday off of school for Veterans Day. We celebrated the holiday on Wednesday at school. Every student in school made a hand print to make our banner. The high school band came and played....
The Cub Scouts presented the flag....

They did a great job. They were seasoned pros at raising the flag.

The breeze kicked up just as the flag got to the top of the pole. It was a neat sight. It was calm and quiet, then the flag unfurled and the national anthem was sung. All the adults were wiping their teary eyes afterwards.

Sydney was one of four students picked to read the names of Veterans who could not attend our ceremony. Lots of the names were of Hispanic origin but she did an amazing job pronouncing the names correctly. It was a Veterans Day to remember that's for sure!

The whole school was in attendance. The ceremony lasted a little over an hour. The breeze was cold, the seats were small, but still the kids were reverent and listened, even the kindergartners. Our school did an amazing job, I think the Veterans were really impressed.

Thank you Veterans!

Taste of Home cooking school

2011-11-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine invited me to go with her to the annual Taste of Home Cooking School. Tickets were $10 and we got tons of freebies. We saw lots of ladies (and one man) we knew. There were booths set up, free food from My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, and gift bags for everyone in attendance. Plus they gave away tons of door prizes. Our seats were way in the back. They had big screens set up so we felt like we were right up front. We didn't win any prizes but we left with lots of goodies, recipes, and cooking ideas! I can't wait till next year. This is our new annual ladies night out!

It's that time of year

2011-11-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

The first window scraping of the season! Early mornings just got a whole lot more fun. Thanks to Grandpa Dozier, Alex stayed nice and warm and toasty on a cold night! She loves her Snoopy long johns!
Bring on the winter!

Cochise College Basketball Buddies!

2011-11-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today Sydney went to Cochise College to shoot some hoops with the basketball team. Alex and I tagged along. I didn't think there were going to be many people there since only 6 kids from the Boys and Girls club went. When we showed up there were already 90 kids there! It was amazing. We knew lots of kids from school, all different ages. Sydney was very nervous in the beginning. She hurt her pinkie finger earlier in the week and it was bothering her a little in the beginning. By the time her butterflies flew away, her finger had been taped and she was making baskets!
They worked on everything from passing, defense stances, offense strategies, and conditioning. I think it really helped the kids with the basics. It was amazing to see these tall six foot something guys working with kids as young as kindergartners. It was entertaining to say the least!

At the end of the session all the kids sat on the sidelines and watched the team do some exercises as a team. When the team was running passes the kids started cheering and stomping and slapping the floor every time they made a basket. The big boys were so impressed with their basketball spirit.

Then it was time for some fun, as a team. They showed off some moves and the kids went wild. On the way out of the gym the College Team lined up and high fived each and every kid on their way out. Each kid also got a shirt. The Boys and Girls club provided Gatorade for the kids. Sydney had a great time. I let her ride to and from the College with all her friends in the van provided by the Boys and Girls club. She said the music was awesome (party rock anthem, and grenade were some she mentioned), and all the kids were talking like crazy. Glad I took my own car!

Sydney also received a free pass to a college game and a coupon for free soda and popcorn at the snack bar. Guess we'll be going to a college basketball game soon!

Sydney starts basketball!

2011-11-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

Sydney started basketball today. The Boys and Girls club is offering it. She has practise 2 days a week and games on Thursdays. I'm glad she's willing to try all the sports offered to see if she likes them or not. She loved doing Tennis and so far has enjoyed Basketball. Most of the kids go to our school, and some are even in her class. I'm glad she has lots of friends to shoot hoops with. This Saturday Sydney gets to go to Cochise College and get one on one help from the college basketball players. Alex and I are going along to watch and support her. I hope she sticks with it, she's so tall. She would be an excellent dunker! Next year she'll have the opportunity to play at school.
GO SYDNEY!

This is Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

In fourth and fifth grade the students have to participate in Historical Halloween. Last year Sydney did a report on and dressed up as Cleopatra. This year she chose Mary Ludwig Hayes McCauly, otherwise known as Molly Pitcher! She had to go on stage and present her information and dress in a costume as her historical figure. She did an excellent job!

Alex wanted to be a singer. I made her a rock star version of Taylor Swift!

She loved her PINK hair and her microphone!

My Chicken costume was a big hit at school. All the kids loved it!

After school we had some friends come over for a BBQ and to go trick or treating. There weren't the HUGE crowds like there usually is in our neighborhood, I'm sure it's because Halloween fell on a school night this year. We trick or treated for an hour or so after we ate. Then we spent the rest of the night visiting and passing out candy.

Alex and I made Graveyard Mash (a.k.a DIRT). We had dessert after trick or treating. It was a really fun Halloween.

Pumpkin carving

2011-10-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

We decided since tomorrow is Halloween, we had better get our pumpkins carved. After church today (we also went to Benson ward, so once we got home....) we got out all the supplies and carved our pumpkins.

Cassius loves when were all outside. He kept us all company. He's such an awesome dog!

Clay, the master picture taker, took some family pictures. In order from left to right are mine, Clay's, Alex's, and Sydney's carved pumpkins. I think we all did an excellent job. The chickens loved eating all the pumpkin seeds and innards. They were so happy it was Pumpkin time!

We don't get many pictures of Sydney smiling in the sun. This picture is definitely blog worthy!

Happy Halloween!!

Alex turns 9 years old!

2011-10-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Today after church we celebrated (again!) Alex's Birthday (on her actual birthday this time)! She's 9 today. Uncle Will, Nana, and Papa all came to help her celebrate. I didn't get one picture of Uncle Will this year but Alex will tell you how she knows he was there. She was so excited to get squinkies from him!

Alex has been wanting this Wii game for sometime now. We kept saying later, later. Well NANA made later today and bought the game just dance for her. We played after everyone left. It's super fun. Clay beat us all. Go figure!!

Alex loves this game!!

Then we had cake, brownies, and ice cream. I didn't get a picture of her giant cupcake birthday cake or her blowing out the candles, but I did get video!

I wonder how many times we're going to celebrate Sydney's birthday next month. She's already got big plans!

Do Squirrels charge?

2011-10-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

While we were at the cave for Alex's birthday, we met a friendly little squirrel. He was plenty fat and not at all shy around humans. He had the perfect spot to scavenge for food. It was right by the entrance of the cave. Everyone stops to snack after the hike up or after exploring the cave. We had no snacks with us but that didn't stop him from asking for some.

Then out of nowhere Alex asks"Do squirrels charge"?? (as she's saying this she's moving further and further behind me). We just laughed. No not unless they're foaming at the mouth Alex. The squirrel kept us entertained for close to twenty minutes. He was still there when we left, still begging for food!

Now every time I see a squirrel I'm going to ask myself, Do squirrels charge?

I hope not!!

Coronado Cave to Celebrate!

2011-10-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Alex turns nine tomorrow. Since it falls on a Sunday, we went out and celebrated today. We asked her what she wanted to do. We threw out a few suggestions, she ended up picking hiking to the Coronado Cave and a picnic.

A guy was out for a nice leisurely bike ride on a Saturday morning and asked if we would like him to take our picture. He may have just needed a rest but it was nice of him. Thanks to him we got a family picture!

Mom didn't have a breakdown this time but I was slow. The girls got plenty of rest waiting for me. Clay stayed behind with me, I think he was afraid I might have a heart attack and fall over the edge!

Dad set the timer on the camera and we got some pretty good pictures of the family at the entrance of the cave.

Once inside we HAD to pose for pictures on the couch. Alex demanded it!

The girls climbed way up high to be next to the rocks that look like a dragon. In the past we've gone in the rainy season so all the rocks are slippery and wet. This time the girls were able to crawl around and explore without slipping too much.

The formations in the Cave are really neat. Some have been destroyed by people who are disrespectful, there was also a lot more graffiti then we've ever seen. It was still a lot of fun!

In the rainy season everything inside looks so different. Sydney was covered in dust and dirt instead of mud and water. The formations look completely different when their dry and dusty.

Alex had a fun time. Both girls got dirty but they loved every minute of it!

Mom is all smiles now, we get to head downhill!

Pit stop and the scenic view, definitely a Kodak moment.

Next stop, the picnic grounds for a family lunch. We had sandwiches and chips as requested by Alex.

We even fed the blue jays some chips. They were happy birds. After lunch we let the girls go explore for a while, then headed home to watch movies! What a fun day, good pick for an outing Alex. We love you and hope you had a happy birthday!!

I have never had so much fun!!

2011-10-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Our little Punkin Alex turns nine this Sunday. What's the best way to start celebrating early? A monster truck rally, of course!! Dad hurried home from work, we sped through dinner, and we were off. Luckily it was only in Douglas so we only had to travel about a half hour. We got there an hour early and we had a tough time finding a seat. It was packed!

We all had our favorites. I liked the red truck named Half Pint. Alex liked the blue truck, it's name was nasty boy. Clay and Sydney like the black and green one the best, it was named unnamed and untamed.

My camera stinks. Half the pictures we got were of all the dust in the air. I handed it over to Clay and then the good pictures started coming. Sydney takes great pictures! We had so much fun. My throat was so raw and sore the next morning from all the dust and cheering and screaming. I don't think Clay has seen that side of me in a long time. I think I had way more fun than the birthday girl. Clay was probably secretly asking himself who the heck is this woman and where is my wife!

We also got some of the COOLEST video of Raging Inferno (I'll post that later)! It was a big red fire engine with a JET ENGINE in it! The fire engine didn't look like much. It blew our socks off! The heat was intense, the loud booms shook our chests, and it was AMAZING!! I want to go again..... and soon. I have never had so much fun!! Next time we're taking earplugs and lots of friends!

Friends till the end!

2011-10-15T14:31:00.001-07:00

The best thing about having an appointment in Mesa.....having lunch with my friends! After a long day of driving and not getting any answers from the infertility doctor, it was nice to sit and visit with a couple of my very best friends. These girls are amazing. We met at a chick-fil-a and ate and visited while the kids played in the play area. It was amazing. I can't even remember the last time I saw the girls, I think it may have been our class reunion. The kids weren't with me then. It was like yesterday we had gotten together. We caught up with each other and our families. I owe a lot to these girls, they honestly kept me going in high school. I wish we could have visited longer. I was late because of the doctor, Linda had to run and pick up her son, Amie lives on the complete opposite side of town and had to make dinner for another family in her ward. I loved every minute of our visit. We had plans to get together again while I was in town but the plans didn't work out. I will definitely be calling them again soon. Thanks girls, I had a blast!!

P.S. I am soooo behind in my blogging, it happens every year around this time. I'm setting a goal of catching up before Halloween (or it may never get done). We'll see how this works out!!

Dad's comic books!

2011-10-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

My Dad gave Sydney some comic books (or funny books as my Dad calls them) a few years ago. She's so careful and nice with them. They still look like he just gave them to her yesterday. She was asking me the other night if I could get them out for her. I told her not right then, but maybe later. Enter Dad to save the day.Clay went to the back storage room, dug through a couple boxes, and found his own comic books. They were all wrapped in plastic protectors and some were even unopened. He said they could open them and read them as long as they were careful.

The girls were busy for hours reading Clay's comic books. What a nice Dad to share. Reminds me of when I use to read my Dad's comic books.

Now whenever the girls get bored, we drag out some more comic books. That keeps them entertained for hours!

Surprise!

2011-10-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Clay woke up yesterday and told me to get packed for Phoenix. We were going to go to his Mom's and surprise her for her birthday. I know, this coming from my husband! I had to pick myself up off the floor, after I got over my shock, I jumped in the shower, got packed, and we were off. When we reached Tucson we thought we better call her and make sure she was going to be home before we went any further. She was so excited!It's conference weekend so we got to watch a few sessions with Mama before we had to leave. The girls found the fan so entertaining, we just had to take a picture.

All you could hear was the fan blowing and the girls giggling. Is there any better noise than happy kids? I think not!

Then we took pictures with the birthday girl before we left. Last night, (on her actual birthday) we took Mama out for dinner at Carrabas and to the movie Real Steel. Both were excellent!

I'm so glad Clay decided to surprise his mom or she may have been all alone on her Birthday. That would have been sad!

After a couple family pictures it was time to head home. Only after we ate a yummy Sunday feast of course. It was a quick trip but it was so much fun. Happy Birthday Mama!

Girls, get your crowns!

2011-09-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

Today we spent the day at my Dad's visiting with Grandpa. Uncle Scott was there too. We had a good time talking with Grandpa, walking through Will's new house, and just spending time as a family. Grandpa seemed calmer and more relaxed today. I think the more people around him there is, the better he feels. He didn't seem so lost and scared today. The girls found some crayons (or as their Dad calls them crowns) and decided to color on the floor. Clay decided to join in on the fun. It was fun to see them quietly spending time with their Dad. He had their full attention as he added some color of his own to their picture. They can never say their Dad never did anything with them, I have proof.
A Sunday full of family and great memories being made is a good Sunday indeed!

Fireworks!

2011-09-03T22:31:00.000-07:00

This 4th of July there were no fireworks. Many cities around the state of Arizona decided to postpone their fireworks displays until after our severe fire danger was over. Tonight was Bisbee's night for a make-up fireworks display. We ate a quick dinner and headed out with snacks to meet our friends. We met some friends from our ward and had snacks. The kids had a fun time exploring all the bushes around the car. Most of the kids had already had their showers/baths to prepare for Sunday. Rolling an old black dirty tire didn't go over well with the Mom's. Then the sun set and the show began...

Some of my favorite shots of the night. I heard Sierra Vista has opted not to redo their fireworks and save them for next year. I'm so glad Bisbee decided to do their fireworks display. What a great way to spend the labor day weekend. Friends and family, what more could you ask for.

Sydney enjoyed sitting with her friend Madison, watching the fireworks. Alex sat by me. There was a really annoying cricket, (the one thing I'm terrified of and it had to camp out by my chair and chirp!), by me so I was glad Alex was there to protect me.

We had a very busy day. I'm glad everything worked out where we were able to spend time together and watch the fireworks. Clay had to work so it was nice to have other families to hang out with!

Grandpa Stanley

2011-09-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

When I left my Dad's today, I left feeling sad. Grandpa is so confused. His Alzheimer's/Dementia is getting pretty bad. The girls were real nice. They answered the same questions over and over again without complaint. I wish there was more I could do for him. I also feel bad for my Dad. He's taking on the responsibility of taking care of Grandpa. It can't be easy to see your parent in that kind of state. Grandpa quit smoking years ago since it was affecting my Grandma's health but since Grandma passed away he's taken it up again. I asked him today how he was feeling and he told me he wasn't doing well. I asked him why not and he said he didn't know. He asked me numerous times what I've been up to, where my husband was working, if he drove his car down(he didn't, my Dad brought him down), and if he turned his air conditioning down. He kept saying he better head home. We explained over and over that Dad had brought him down and his car was at home. He wandered around aimlessly going outside to the porch to smoke or up to his room. He must have changed his seat while watching t.v. 10 or more times. You could just see the confusion and sadness on his face. It was truly heartbreaking. I hope we are strong enough as a family to circle around Grandpa and help him the best we can. I want him to know that he is loved, he may not know it but he'll never be alone. We'll always be there for him. The girls were very confused at first but now that they know that it is a disease and can't be cured with a magic pill they're more accepting and patient. I can only pray for patience and guidance for me and my family. I will always have fond memories of my Grandpa. He was always the strong silent type with a big heart. He was always willing to help my family when we needed it, now it's our turn.

We love you Grandpa.

Snakes Alive!

2011-09-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

This morning we got a call from our next door neighbor saying there was a snake skin out by their car. They wanted us to let the girls know to be careful and watch out for snakes when they're outside playing. After the rattlesnake we had out back a few weeks ago, we've been very watchful when we're in the backyard. Now the neighbors find a skin right by our front yard. We'll be on the look out.
Snakes Alive!

Radio Flyer Fun

2011-09-01T21:47:00.000-07:00

Last time we were at my Dad's house I noticed his wagon. Once it was a source of fun and joy for my kids when we would go to visit. Now it was dusty and dirty and full of junk out in the garage. Tires were flat, the bottom was rusty and it was very sad looking. The kids asked if we could take it home so they could play with it. I told them they had to ask Papa. He said it was theirs, they could do what they wanted with it. In the truck it goes. We put air in the tires, a towel over the rust and they were off. I showed the girls some pictures of me and my brothers playing in a wagon when we were little. I showed them how one could push and one could steer.

They were the hit of the neighborhood. All the kids spent all day playing with the wagon. I finally called them in at dark. Who knew an old wagon could bring such happiness and fun!

Free is good

2011-08-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to the farmer's market. There was a booth that was giving away hummingbird feeders with food to go in them. The man at the booth told us that this particular company had donated thousands of feeders and food to help birds that had been displaced by our recent fires. We had been looking for a feeder a few days prior so we were super excited to get one, and free for no less! The weekends always speed by so we didn't get the feeder up right away.
Alex was reminding me that we needed to put it up and Clay jumped up and said he would help her right then. Last night we finally got it filled with food and put up. This morning the porch was alive with thirsty little hummingbirds. I had always seen them from behind a closed window. These little guys were so close and humming away. I thought our cooler was squeaking or something but the noise was the hummingbirds outside.

This is one of the best free things we've ever gotten. Now, not only do I get to watch my swallows and listen to my wind chimes, I also get to relax and watch hummingbirds from the comfort of my own front room!

Spoiled...spoiled....spoiled!

2011-08-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

Cassius has the girls wrapped around his little paw, me included. He used to be content laying on the kitchen floor on his blanket. He was so happy to be inside. He was out of the weather, away from the flies and birds that bother him. He was inside with his family. Well, he doesn't like the kitchen anymore. He wants to be with us. He can't just look at us from across the room, he has to be right by our side. Me being the push over I am, I always give into his whining and his sad little puppy dog eyes. He always stays on his blanket and he's very obedient so I guess I don't really mind if he is inside. The family seems much happier when everyone is present and accounted for.
In case you forgot.... We LOVE our dog!
P.S Happy Birthday Uncle Will!

If you give a girl sunflower seeds...

2011-08-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

..... she'll use them to spell her name out on the kitchen table. Then she'll call you from your housework to take a picture. If you take a picture of a sunflower seed name, chances are you'll go back to your housework shaking your head and muttering, silly girl. After returning to housework and being inattentive to your children, chances are good that you'll be called away again before the day is done.
Just so happens, while Mom is busy kids do play. I find them hours later, still at the table, snacking on sunflower seeds and playing Clue with Littlest Pet Shop animals. Housework is finished now it's time to go enjoy my silly girls!!

New Friends.

2011-08-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

We have some new neighbors. The boys in the picture moved two doors down from us. We know them from school. They are the nicest boys ever! I'm so glad the girls have new friends to play with. The boys are so polite and nice. I'm one of those Mom's whose kids will never come play at your house but kids are always welcome at our house. I want our house to be the hang out house as my kids get older. I love hearing the girls giggling and having a good time. You would think, after a long day working at the school I'd be tired of kids when I got home. Not so! That's my calling in life I guess, always be a kid with my kids!The boys have pets. They like to bring them over to visit while they play. They like our grass. They even go for rides in the wagon and jump on the trampoline with the kids!
When the boys first started coming over, they were terrified of our dog and chickens. They're getting used to them the more they come over. We still chain Cassius up or bring him inside when they come over or else he would hog the trampoline. We also lock up the chickens. The boys are worried their pets might get eaten.

We love new friends. Since the girls don't have a brother to stand up for them and protect them, I'm glad we have lots of boys for friends that can do the job if needed. Thanks boys!

Termites and best friends.

2011-08-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

We spent the day looking at Uncle Will's house. Aunt Bev came down to get decorating ideas to help him out. I'm a bad blogger, no pictures of Aunt Bev or Will's new house. I did however get pictures of Termite columns in Will's front yard. I thought they were sticks standing in the dirt that rain had uncovered. I was wrong. Nana and the girls had fun stomping the columns down.
After a long, hard day or termite stomping Sydney and her best friend hung out. Not only was it storming out and Cassius was whining to come in but I had a little girl whining for her best friend to be let in. What a spoiled dog!

Little Bunny Foo Foo......

2011-08-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Gets nabbed by Mr. Hawk. I was outside this morning playing with Cassius when I hear a hawk screech. I look up and it's just landed on the telephone wires right outside of our back fence. I ran inside, got the girls and my camera, and snapped a very blurry photo. Just then some swallows started attacking the hawk, he must've been too close to their nest. Then Cassius starts bouncing around wanting to play and he scares off the hawk before I can snap a better picture. Alex thought it was super cool! It was a huge hawk. Poor little bunny foo foo. Can you see the bunny hanging there?

Work buddies are the best!

2011-08-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

Once again Clay's work buddy, Matt, has given the girls some of the best gifts ever. They were so excited to come home from school and find new books! Matt made a long day of school work, a good day! To show Matt how thankful we are for the books, we decided to paint him pictures. Sydney went with the ever popular Red Eyed Tree Frog. I think she did an excellent job!
Alex.....oh my! Yes, my darling little girl decided to paint a picture of a fly and some poo. If that doesn't just scream Thank you, I don't know what will! Hopefully Matt likes it.

I, not having an artistic bone in my body, stuck with the basics, headless ladybug, caterpillar, and butterfly. Yeah, my kids are waaay better artists than me.

Thank you Matt! Our nature, bug, animal, outdoors loving girls loved the books (and the insect books, and the goats, and...... countless other gifts)!

I love surprises!

2011-08-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

We took our time getting home today from school. No hurry to get dinner done and sit and visit about our day. I knew Clay went in at noon today, that means he wasn't awake when we left this morning and he won't get off till we're already in bed. A day without seeing Dad is a sad day indeed! We walk in the front door and what do we see? (No, not popcorn popping).... Awww, melt our heart! The house didn't even stink because of the tuna lovin guy. Made me just about cry. I love being left little notes. The girls liked it too.
They did exactly what Dad asked them too. They did their homework, played with the dog, and even cleaned up after themselves. It's amazing what a sweet little note can do to three girls!

The Toe!

2011-08-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows just how strong I am! I'm on numerous speed dials for my muscles. When people are moving and need help with heavy lifting, I'm the first person they think of. I'm so strong that I can break bones!! Just so happens I broke Clay's toe yesterday. I'm so buff I didn't even know it. He must be so proud of me as his wife, being so strong and all. I broke it early in the morning yesterday. He went off to work, hiked up mountains, stayed all day, and showed his buddies what his amazing wife did to him. I come home from school and he shows me his purple, swollen toe. What the heck happened?, I say. YOU broke my toe says he, none to happy. WHAT?? Yeah, remember when you put that chair by the desk last night? Well this morning, at 4:15, in the dark, trying to find the light switch, I kicked it and stubbed my toe!! YOU broke my toe! Well don't I feel buff now. I feel bad, but dang, I AM STRONG! I asked if I needed to move the chair. Clay said no, he won't be forgetting any time soon that it's there. Reminds me of the story In a dark dark wood....... Whooooooo's got my toooooooe, but in the case it should be wifey broooooke my toooooe!

First day of school!

2011-08-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

School started today. The girls were very excited to get back to school and see all their friends. Daddy had to work so he missed out on waking them up and all the picture taking. My camera stinks so the pictures are a little fuzzy. It was definitely a Kodak moment! Alex is in 3rd grade this year, and Sydney is in 5Th grade.
Alex has Mrs. Delgado. The same teacher Sydney had when she was in 3rd grade. She's an excellent teacher. Alex has a great group of kids in her class this year. I'm sure it will be a fun year of learning.

Sydney has Mrs. Torres again. She taught 4Th grade last year and moved up to 5Th grade this year. I'm so glad! She's a great teacher. Sydney was so excited to have her again! Sydney also has some really good kids in her class. I'm so glad the girls will be well taken care of.

When the girls came to the library after school they were excited but tired. Sydney already had homework! She did all her homework while she waited for me to get off of work. She also shelved books, what a great helper!

Alex, who is always hungry, didn't have homework but did enjoy an after school snack.

The first day of school went great. I would rather be at the beach....but if the girls have to go to school then I guess I will too. The beach wouldn't be much fun all by myself anyways!

Oh, and.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Haircuts and Cousins!

2011-08-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

School starts in 6 days. I figured it was time to get the girls their back to school haircuts. It turned out their cousins from Las Vegas, Victoria and J.J., were visiting their Grandma this week in St. David. I called and asked if they could come get haircuts with us. We met at the salon in Benson. I planned on taking before and after pictures but for some reason my cameras batteries had been removed! After haircuts we went to the park to play for an hour or so. On the way there we stopped by a gas station and picked up some drinks, snacks, and of course batteries!!
After the park we went and hung out at my Dad's for awhile. The kids played outside in the sand. They made a cool sandcastle city but I didn't get a picture of it. They pet the horse, ran around with the dogs, chased the chickens, gathered eggs, and played with the cats. J.J. got a big kick out of Bonzo. He laid on the floor by her and every time he touched her tail she would twitch it away. He'd laugh, he has the cutest little laugh. The picture looks like he's sleeping by the cat but he's just pretending.

While they were outside building sandcastles they dug up a baby frog. It was so cute and tiny. We went down to look at Will's new house and when we came back the frog was out of the jar jumping all over the house. J.J. finally trapped it under the jar. We let the feisty little guy go outside after that!

Then I took my Dad and the kids out to eat. We went to Denny's. We all ordered breakfast. We must have all been really hungry because when we left there wasn't anything left on the plates except for a few grapes. It was so much fun to see J.J. and Victoria. Since they live in Las Vegas we don't get to see them that much. It made the last week of summer vacation extra special!

Summer Tennis

2011-07-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

Alex and the girls in her Tennis group. Sydney and Alex really enjoyed the Tennis program this summer. It kept them busy and entertained that's for sureSydney has gotten really good. I think they've decided to carry the program over to the school year. All summer they got to use their rackets, balls, hats, and bags for free. They said we could keep the equipment for $10.00. I thought that was a great price. The girls are now proud owners of their very own tennis equipment!
The HAMMER in action! The tennis coaches said Sydney should probably play softball instead of tennis. She has a mean swing meant for a different kind of ball. Go Sydney!!

Alex is getting better and better. She has a lot of fun with the girls in her group. I never have to struggle to get them up and ready on tennis days.

I'm glad the girls had a fun summer activity they could do together. I look forward to more sports as they grow up!

Old friend, new quilt

2011-07-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'm not real big on the whole Facebook thing. I have a Facebook, I use it occasionally. I do however like the fact that I can reconnect with people I knew once upon a time. Just so happens I reconnected with a friend from school whom I haven't seen in at least 14 years. She was a good friend and I have lots of fond memories of spending time with her. I had made a quilt and posted pictures of it on my Facebook. She commented on it. We got to talking and I offered to make her little boy a quilt. I mentioned I was no a pro at quilting and that I did it mainly for fun. She was so excited I was going to make one for her!

I got all the material, got the circles cut out, everything put together, and it was in the mail before the week was up. I also made a pillowcase to match.

It was by far one of my most favorite quilts. She was so excited to get it and she says her little boy loves it. I'm so glad. I have a hard time letting go of the quilts I make, it makes it easier when I know they're going to be loved.

I'm in the process of updating our blog with our many summer adventures. I have to get this done before school or it'll never happen. I hope to have all the updates done by next week. Keep your fingers crossed I accomplish my goal so you'll have something to read. I know you're all dying to find out what we've been up to :)

Summer reading program

2011-07-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

Once again, this summer we participated in the summer reading program offered by our local library. Today was the last day of the program. We've had some very exciting and very informative Wednesday's at the library. We heard stories from different cultures. We learned about the Chinese calendar, letter boxing, and Japanese Origami. We learned about houses in foreign places, Arizona minerals and birds. An excellent artist came a taught us about animals from around the world...... We also learned about Geography and food from around the world. Today's topic was music from all over the world.....
We learned about different instruments from around the world. We had a little mini workshop, we all made beautiful music together. The drums got a little loud but it was fun. Since it was the last day of the program, following the end of our music workshop we had a pizza party. The library provided drinks, pizzas, and desserts for everyone. We look forward to next year's reading program, and we can't wait to see what we will learn about next.

As we were leaving we saw a display of books that looked familiar. Alex wrote the book Oh Sally! and had it published. She was so happy to see it being displayed in the public library!

Boxes of beds....oh my!

2011-07-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

We finally decided that the girls needed new beds. They had loft beds. These beds were awesome. There was a desk and bookshelf that their twin bed sat on. Our house is old so we don't have vaulted ceilings or anything. When they were on top of the bed they were practically kissing the ceiling. Plus we had two of these beds in one room. You walked in and all you saw were beds! It was very squished. That lasted about 6 months then Mom got claustrophobic and made a few changes. I moved the desk and bookshelf units into storage and set the bed units on the floor. Much better, the girls at least had breathing room now. Even though the beds were complete with nice comfy mattresses, I still felt bad for the girls having to sleep on the floor every time I walked by their room. I put their loft beds on craigslist and within three days they were sold! Now what? The girls slept on an air bed while we shopped for beds. They still wanted to share a room so we decided on bunk beds. We found an awesome full on full wooden bunk bed online at simplybunkbeds.com. They offered free shipping and free mattresses. Perfect for what we were looking for.

We decided to buy the bunk beds after shopping around a bit more. The boxes the girls are playing in in the above picture, yeah those are the boxes that showed up with mattresses in them! (You can't tell in the picture but Sydney is wearing a headlight and Alex has a flashlight and their making these boxes into clubhouses. Yeah my kids have NO toys to play with! Good thing there were no boys around, all over both boxes it was written that boys were not allowed.) Totally cheap mattresses but free. They're like a couch bed mattress but thinner!! They're like a piece of foam covered in material. Not what I wanted but for now the girls say they don't mind.

Next came the beds in a delivery truck. I got really excited when I saw this truck pull up. I was dumb! How dare I think they may have been put together for me and then shipped! DUH!!

Three heavy boxes arrived (we were supposed to get 4 boxes but the under bed storage drawers are on back order) and we got to work. The girls were so sad they couldn't play in these ones.

A couple hours later, the girls had new beds. They also got new bedding, I didn't have anything for a full size bed. What is the first thing they do in their new bed that is up off the floor? Grab a book and read! The under bed storage drawers should ship in August sometime. I like that the beds can come apart and become two separate full beds for when the girl decide to have their own rooms. I'm so thankful that they are the best of friends and enjoy each other so much. I'm not a bad mom anymore!! My kids have beds that are off the floor, yay!!

The Protector

2011-07-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

Cassius is the best dog ever!! He's great at letting us know if there's something outside. He takes his job seriously. He's always patrolling his yard, on the look out for anything that might hurt his girls or chickens. From javelina to snakes, birds to scorpions... he's got our backs!

Monsoon Rainbow

2011-07-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

The rainbow tonight was so beautiful. The girls love rainbows. We hurried them outside so we could take some pictures. They had just gotten out of the shower and threw on whatever they could. We didn't even let them brush their hair.

This was a double rainbow. It was so pretty. Clay took the pictures then had some fun messing with the colors of the photos. I love the monsoons!

Aunt Debbie's Party!!

2011-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Once again we were invited to attend the annual shindig at Aunt Debbie's house to help her celebrate her birthday. The date and time worked out perfect for us. We got home on Thursday from California, we spent Friday with Grandma Wing, and Saturday on our way home we swung by Casa Grande and partied with Aunt Debbie. If you recall last years party that I blogged about, we played minute to win it. This year the party game was Telestrations. Aunt Debbie heard about it on a blog, couldn't find it in stores so she had to buy it online. OH MY FUN! I've never seen or heard adult ladies laugh so hard! It is one fun game. It's like playing telephone and pictionary at the same time! If you want to be the hit of your next party, get this game. Aunt Debbie said we could have the game to take home since she wouldn't be playing it anytime soon. We decided to play it as a family for family home evening. The kids can do pretty well. It's a fun concept that could be tailored to fit any occasion. Kids birthday party, showers, BBQ's, church get together, whatever. Just make up your own clue words and go for it!
After dinner we broke out the watermelon and fresh pineapple and sat down to show Dad how to play our new favorite game. It's so much fun! I'd give you an example of the fun but it's not the same, you have to play it to get it. OK, well here is the example on the box. How did doggie bag become man purse? Not funny, but if you saw the drawings and the guesses you'd have milk coming out your nose right now!!

We had a blast playing this game as a family. Clay even laughed pretty good. It's kind of hard to play with kids since they don't know what every word is. It's for ages 12 and up. Alex got the word bed pan. She had no idea what that was so she drew a bed and a pan. I have no clue what it ended up as, but like the game of telephone the answer is hardly ever right. When it did turn out right it seemed a little boring. I highly recommend this game if you and your friends need a good laugh.

GET THE GAME!

Beach fun....day 3!

2011-07-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Oceanside :( We had to check out of our hotel by 10:00 in the morning. We didn't want to waste any of our beach time. We all got up early and headed to the beach at 7:00 for a couple hours of fun before we had to leave for good. It was pretty chilly that early in the morning but we made the most of it! The kids looked for seashells and played in the water. We watched a bird eat a fish. We saw some real drift wood and walked the beach and played for a couple of hours.
Sydney loved the water and the waves. If she could have stayed out there the rest of the day I'm sure she would have!

Harry was a happy camper this morning. He was having so much fun digging in the sand and playing in the waves.

Have to have a toes in the sand picture! We didn't get pedicures before we left, we ran out of time. The beach sand was so soft and felt so nice on our feet.

After we checked out of the hotel we walked up the road to a pizza place and grabbed some lunch before we headed back to Arizona. It didn't open until 11:00 so we had an hour or so to kill. We hung out and took pictures to pass the time.

I'm so glad we worked so hard saving our money so we could go to the beach. We had a great time. I was so very sad to leave. I can't wait to come back next year! We've already started saving!

After pizza we went to a frozen yogurt place. It was so yummy. As we were leaving the yogurt place we noticed how sunny and warm it was. Compared to yesterday it was beautiful. Wanting to make the most of our trip we went back to the van, changed in to our swimsuits and went back to the beach for more play time! We had so much fun. It was a spare of the moment decision but it turned out to be the best call of the vacation. The sun, the beach, the breeze. Amazing! A perfect ending t an awesome summer vacation. Then it was back into the car for the long ride home.

We miss California already :(

The beach....day 2!

2011-07-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Day 2 at the beach! It was overcast all day but still fun. The girls had fun playing in the sand with Harry and all the toys we packed. Sydney's favorite toy was this little floating pirate guy. She'd throw him as far out in the ocean as she could and then wait for him to wash back in to shore. Harry loved emptying the toy basket and then he'd turn right around and fill it back up again. It kept him busy for quite awhile.
Sand and Harry were best friends! Can you tell?

Sand, sun, and fun......What more could we ask for?

Uncle Colin built an awesome sand volcano complete with lava. It was fun to watch him have fun in the sand. It's nice to know I'm not the only adult that is a kid at heart! We had a long busy day at the beach, a yummy dinner mad by Amy back in our room, and then we finished off the day in the pool (which was heated slightly) and the hot tub! What a great day! I can't get enough of the beach, good thing we have one more day!!

California Dreamin!!

2011-07-19T23:07:00.001-07:00

The girls were so excited about their new sunglasses that they had to wear them the entire way to Mesa. We stayed the night at Colin and Amy's house last night and headed for California this morning! On the way to Mesa we ran into tons of rain and a huge dust storm. It was very scary but we made it in one piece! Alex said it was ok if I cried because I think she could tell I was a little scared. I told her I couldn't cry or I wouldn't be able to see and we would wreck. So we cranked up the music and took it slow and steady.
The view from our hotel room is amazing. Amy did an awesome job making the reservations! This place has it all. More pictures will be coming soon.

The girls are having a blast looking for sea shells, jumping waves as they come rolling in, chasing the sea gulls, and building sand castles. Tomorrow we'll been spending the entire day at the beach (with sunscreen and snacks).

For dinner we ate at the restaurant Ruby's which is at the very end of the pier. This was the perfect ending to an awesome beach filled day!

VACATION ROCKS!

Oceanside California!!

2011-07-19T20:48:00.000-07:00

This year we actually made it to California. Last year we had to cancel our annual Dozier vacation. Not this year, we saved all year so we could make it back to the beach. We went with Uncle Colin, Aunt Amy, and Harrison! We had so much fun. Here are a few pictures from our first day in Oceanside California. We got in at 3:00 in the afternoon, checked in to our room, changed into our swimsuits, and headed to the beach! The girls were so excited. The 6 hour car ride was worth it!

They had a great time looking for shells. The water was cool, the sun was shining, and the company was great. We stayed out on the beach until sundown.

The girls had a blast burying Uncle Colin. Colin has to be buried at the beach, it's tradition. This year even Harry got in on the action.

Harrison was so much fun to watch. A face, body, diaper, eyes, hair.... full of sand didn't stop him from having fun. He didn't seem to mind. I think he had a great time. What a fun little boy to hang out with!

The girls (and me too), liked watching the surfers. Maybe one of these years we'll try it.

As the sun was going down and the temperature was getting cooler, we walked down the pier so we could eat at the restaurant Ruby's. It's at the very end of the pier. Alex was so cold when she got out of the water she put her sun dress on backwards. The sunset was amazing!

The restaurant was packed and we were on a waiting list 45 mins long. It was worth the wait. The food was great! We would have been nice and warm inside but the big table they sat us at was by the back door. We were pretty chilly until our yummy warm food came. We looked like a bunch of beach bums compared to some people at the restaurant but we didn't care. We're on vacation!!

After nice, long, warm showers the girls were exhausted. They hit the bed and were out. They had a comfy couch bed (for a couch bed this one really was comfy), I had my own room with a queen bed, and Colin and Amy had their own room with a king bed. The hotel was awesome! Good job Amy on making amazing reservations!! I can't wait to get to the beach in the morning!!

Summer Tennis

2011-07-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

I've blogged a little about Tennis in the past but I think we're due for some more pictures of the girls. Alex's instructor is a volunteer from the high school tennis team. She's great with the girls in their group. Alex enjoys going to tennis and learning new things 3 days a week.
Sydney's instructors are all older males from the community who play in a tennis league here in town. They're a great bunch of guys. Serious when they're instructing at the same time they're making it fun for the kids.

Tennis starts at 8:30. We're up and ready by 7:45 and at the courts by 8:00, that's how much my kids enjoy going to tennis. They also ask to stay late every single day. The coaches must be doing something right. More and more kids have been coming earlier and staying later. They're going to continue the classes through the school year. The kids are so excited!

I have love watching the girls play tennis. They've learned alot. It's been a fun summer activity to keep us from getting bored. I'm also glad it's spmething they can both do together.

Monsoons are here!!

2011-07-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

We got our first good storm of the season today! The chickens were loving it. I can't wait for our grass to come up. I love this time of the year because of the rain. I also hate this time of year because the swamp cooler doesn't work to well. We're looking forward to more storms, more rain, and a lot more grass!!
Bring on the monsoons!

Adam, Kelly, and Shelby!

2011-07-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

We had nothing else to do over the 4Th of July weekend since all the fireworks were cancelled due to fire danger, so when our good friends called and asked if they could come visit, we said sure! Even if we did have plans, we would have canceled them. Whenever Adam comes down we put him to work. First order of business, replacing the roof on the porch. It was blown half off in the crazy March winds we had. We needed a roof before the monsoons came. Enter Adam to save the day! Along for the visit came Adam's wife Kelly and their little girl Shelby. While the boys worked, the girls played. The girls enjoyed playing with Shelby. Shelby didn't like Clay at all so it was a good thing he had a long honey do list to keep him busy. While Adam was here we got the electrical in the bathroom and through out the house rewired and they got the bathroom sheet rocked. Moving right along on the bathroom!
Shelby was a mommas girl but she warmed up to the girls nicely and I think they all had a lot of fun.

Shelby was a hoot. She's so cute and some of the faces she makes just crack you up. I had a good time visiting with Kelly. I'm glad they came or I would have been working all weekend!

Shelby......Shelby.....Shelby!

We had a great time hanging out with our friends. I can't wait to see them again. We didn't get any Mexican train played but we still had a fun time. Thanks for coming to visit Chandler family!!

Super Fun Time!

2011-06-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

We had a blast with Tammy and the kids! We were so sad to see them go. We look forward to seeing them again soon! Araya loves horses. It was so hot outside, we didn't spend as much time outside with Papa's horse as Araya would have liked. I'm sure she loved every minute outside!
Aunt Tammy bought some play-dough. That is one thing I have never been fond of my kids playing with. I just worry about it getting in the carpet. Good thing we were at Nana's and the Grand kids can do what they want!

Mason was such a hoot! I'd take a picture of us, then show him the picture. He wanted more and more! I have over 10 pictures of me and Mason just messing around.

Nana and Araya got some snuggle time! My mom got Araya that blanket when she was first born or really little. She loves her blanket, and her Nana!

We took walks down to Uncle Will's house! It's really coming along and starting to look like a house. He showed us the cabinets, tile, carpet, and granite he picked out. While we were down the doors and windows were installed. I'm so jealous, my little brother has a better house than me!! He has excellent taste too. He walked us through and gave us the tour. Who ever marries him is going to be so spoiled in this house! The master bedroom has his/her closets! I want that. There are some really super cool features like a two shower head shower, no cabinets on the bottom in the kitchen only pull out drawers in different sizes, just to name a few. Awesome!!

Uncle Will rocks! I was holding Mason and he wanted his Uncle Will. I got the shaft and Will got snuggles from Mason. When ever Will left Araya would get a sad face and say her Will went home. So cute!

It was hot. That calls for more pool time! The kids had a blast, my camera got wet but it's fine, and Papa's garage got flooded. The kids slept great every night because they played hard all day every day!

Mason warmed up to me pretty quick. I was so happy holding and playing with that little guy! I had so much fun. I cannot wait to see him again. I think by the end of the week he was pretty sick of me scooping him up and covering him with kisses and carrying him around. I got my baby fix!

Nana loved, loved, loved seeing the grand kids!

Papa was in heaven. We all missed the Montana Stanley's, I'm so happy they came for a visit!

The girls had such a good time! They keep asking when were going to see their cousins again. We'll get to see Uncle James in July. I'm keeping my eye on plane ticket prices, we need to go visit. Soon!!

The Montana Stanley's have arrived!!

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Tammy and the kids came to visit! First they went over to El Paso for a week to visit with James, then they headed to Benson to visit with the rest of us! We're so excited they're here. We left for Benson on Wednesday to go and see them. Alex was up at 5 AM because she was so excited to go and play with Araya . Mason is so cute. He's warming up to me, I love holding him. Tammy always sends him my way. I'm glad she knows how to share what matters most. I love all the snuggle time I get with these kiddos! Papa is in heaven having all his grand kids under one roof with him. Last night Papa was even on the floor on his hands and knees playing with them.

In Montana it's cold and rainy right now and 60 degrees. Here, it's been the hottest week of the year so far. They picked a great time to visit. We've had fun, we just stay inside where it's cool and visit. Then when the sun sets we play outside in the pool in papas garage or we go for walks!

The girls are having a blast with their cousins. I'm having fun visiting with Tammy. She's a great cook and Mom. We came home today to get our laundry done and do some things around the house (yes, blogging is a must). We're headed back to Papas this afternoon to visit until Sunday. We've had so much fun so far. It's going to be hard to say goodbye. I guess that means we'll just have to hop on a plane to Montana and go visit!

Fun in the Summer!

2011-06-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

The girls decided that today would be a great day to finger paint. Thanks to Aunt Judy (Aunt Debbie's sister) they have a huge bag of craft things to keep them busy. They were busy for hours! While they painted I worked on the front yard, our storage room, and changed the living room furniture around! It's amazing what I can accomplish when they're busy. Thanks Aunt Judy!
My newest addiction (pillowcases) can also make super cute skirts! Here are a few that I whipped out. The girls wore these to church on Father's Day.

Next to make using this same method.....curtains! Stay tuned for more fun in the summer projects!

Father's Day!

2011-06-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

We went to visit with my Dad after sacrament on Sunday. We barbecued some chicken and corn on the cob and had a salad to go with it. Mom made a cake and an apple pie. It was a pretty mellow party for a Stanley shin dig but we had a great time visiting. Like the pin my Dad is wearing? Yeah that came from his favorite daughter! We missed James and Tammy and the kids but I love getting together with my family! Uncle Will wasn't feeling to well so we kept the noise level to a dull roar this go around.
The best part of being at Dad's is of course seeing my baby. Bonzo cat! We've had this cat since 1993 if you can believe that! I wonder who made that super cute kitty blanket she's comfy cozy on?.....Oh yeah, it was me!

We headed home about 5:00 PM and this is what the highway between Tombstone and Bisbee looked like. It was smoke from the Monument Fire. Sunday we had 60 MPH wind gusts and this monster of a fire blew up.

The smoke was unbelievable! I think there were 14 homes lost that day and 3 restaurants that I know of. This has been one heck of a fire fight for the fire fighters.

This is what the fire looked like that night! Out of control and huge! We're prepared to evacuate just in case, hopefully it won't come to that.

I can't wait for the monsoons to start. It may be humid and sticky and hot and miserable, but anything is better than this!

Happy Father's Day to all our Dads. We love you guys and hope you had a terrific day!

Father of the year award winner!

2011-06-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

This year, for once, I let the girls pick their own gifts for their Dad. I gave no opinions or input, the only thing I did was take them shopping and pay. So what exactly did Dad get this year? Well, Alex gave him a camo Snuggie (just want he wanted believe me), and Sydney got him a pillow pet, the red ladybug he's laying on. He was very excited when he opened his gifts. The girls really thought he would like these. When we were at Grandma's last time Clay borrowed Sydney's pillow pet two nights in a row for a pillow. Of course he needs his very own! Alex caught her Dad using her snuggie one morning, so once again he should have his own right? He was a real sport when it came to the gratitude department. He gave them both great big hugs and kisses and used his gifts right away. I got him a Go Pro HD video camera but I think he liked the girls gifts more. I hope all Dad's have a great Father's Day, ecspecially ours! We love you Daddy/Husband!!I bet you can't wait to see what the Grandpa's get tomorrow, huh??

My newest addiction...

2011-06-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. I get highly addicted to certain things very fast. Just yesterday a friend showed me how to sew these amazingly easy pillowcases. This pillowcase is going to match the quilt I'm making for Clay (maybe I'll get it done by Christmas). This pillowcase has a french seam (finished inside seams). I'm also going to make curtains using this pillowcase method. The achievement day girls are coming to my house next week to make skirts using the pillowcase method. I'm hooked. We'll all be sleeping on new pillow cases tonight!

Pray

2011-06-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

WE WILL BE
PRAYING

FOR

RAIN.....

like always.

Tennis begins!

2011-06-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things of summer.....GRILLING! We have quickly become hooked on grilling. On this particular day we had grilled chicken, Angus hot dogs, and corn on the cob. We also had a yummy salad to go with it. The kids are hooked as well, they often ask if we can have salad for dinner and they LOVE when Dad cooks on the grill. They always offer to entertain him while he is outside. They do tricks on the trampoline and ride their bikes and catch and hold chickens. I love Clay's shirt, this is his cookout shirt. To me his shirt says Relax and go to the beach. A perfect summer shirt! Today was the first day of Tennis lessons for the girls. They were so excited they couldn't go to sleep. Sydney came in my room last night at close to midnight and said she was having a hard time sleeping. She was a little tired and grouchy this morning but had a great time at tennis.
We got up early, put our hats on, put on our sunscreens and we were out the door. The lessons are free. Everyone that comes gets a racket and a ball to take home for the summer to practise with at home. At the end of the session they have to turn them back in. They also get a canvas bag and a hat to keep.

There was a great turn out today. The lessons are for kids 10 and under. I knew lots of the kids from school. The girls both have lots of friends their age from school on their team. They were split into teams by age.

There was lots of exercising, running, hitting balls, chasing balls, drinking water, bathroom breaks, and sweating. The girls wanted to stay afterwards and practice some more. It was really hot out and I was ready to go home but we stayed!

One of our good friends, Madison, was there along with two of her brothers. Sydney got to be partners with Madison and had a really good time. What a great summer activity for the kids, and it's all free!!

Too Close to home!

2011-06-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the Monument Fire burning South of Sierra Vista. It's way to close to home. It's very close to the cave that we love to hike to. We were out back tonight watching in the dark and silence as the smoke rose and fire burned. It was very sad.

Relaxation

2011-06-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm following my doctors orders. I'm supposed to get plenty of rest, take a vacation from house work and RELAX. So I was on the couch relaxing with my eyes closed when the thought occurred to me, I should make me a new quilt to get cozy with. That way if any visitors come they won't notice my bloody eye or my looks since I can't wear makeup yet, they'll just notice my super cute quilt.
Mission accomplished! I finished it just in time for my afternoon nap!

I'm off to close my eyes for awhile a follow my doctors orders! I can't remember if I mentioned this little fact or not..... but,

I LOVE SUMMER!

The tale of the NOT so crooked eye!

2011-06-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Just a warning, a lot of these pictures are gross (in the ugly sense). I was terrified while at the surgery center. We arrived early because you know me, worry worry worry. I got all checked in and paid for everything. The lady at the front desk sent me back to my seat with a copy of the anesthesia policy to look over. I would sign the real copy going in. Yeah, it was scary. It talked about tubes going down my throat, heart failure, and countless other worries. I wanted to run out the door screaming but Clay was with me so I swallowed my fear and in I went. I cried, I was so scared. Clay hates it when I cry but this time I couldn't help it. They asked a million questions. When was your last period......UM maybe 3 or 4 years ago. WHY? they ask. Good question. I see you're diabetic right because you're taking Metformin........UM no it's for infertility. WHY? Good question. After all the questions I got undressed and hooked up to the I.V. This lady was the best I.V. person ever. I didn't feel a thing. About twenty minutes later they gave me a shot of Valium to relax me and off I went to the O.R. They asked me something but I can't remember what it was, then I was out. As I was waking up I noticed my bed sheets were a wreck, needing to worry about something I asked why. Shannon (the terrific nurse) said I woke up like a boxer and four people had to hold me down. News to me. My throat was sore so I guess I had a tube rammed down it. I was thirsty. There was a really annoying alarm that kept going off and every time it did someone would rush over and tell me to breathe. I wasn't very happy about that. Clay said I kept saying I wasn't a wuss and I wasn't going to cry or I would cry blood. I didn't cry. I did however talk a lot about our chickens and how worried I was that they might be hot according to Clay. Again, news to me!
I slept the majority of the way home. When I got home and took off my sunglasses I was a hot bloody mess. My mom helped me clean up, eat a cracker or two, take some Tylenol with Codeine and helped get into bed. The next day I was hurting. I have no idea what happened when I was under but I couldn't move, breathe, laugh, or cry! I hurt everywhere. My head, my neck, my throat, my chest, my stomach, my ribs. Funny, my eye hasn't really hurt at all. I was in pain but the girls were taken care of, Clay was fed, and my house was clean, and my laundry was done (Thank you Mom) so it wasn't really that bad.

The girls were happy and full. Nana made them awesome breakfasts, took them to the mall, to the bookstore, to the play place, for walks. They were so happy. Since she has been gone they've had no fun a all! One of my good friends from our ward came and got the girls yesterday to play, they were so excited and so ready to get out of the house. I slept the whole time they were gone. Then this amazing lady (Camilee Nelson)brings them home with two nights worth of dinners for the family. Yeah, now I cried. No blood. Then today she picks them up for the summer reading program at the library, brings them home to change their shoes, and as of right now they are still playing at her house. I hate asking for help but this is just what I needed. I'm sick of sitting at home as well, glad the girls are having fun!

I had a follow up appointment in Tucson on Monday morning. Everything looks great he said. I'm grounded to my house if it's windy and I can't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for three weeks. Vacuuming and raking are out of the question. I do nothing but sleep. I'm over it, I want to go out and play!

I check every day in the mirror to make sure my eye is still straight. A little bloody but so much better than it was. Compared to how I looked after surgery in fifth grade, this is as bloody as it gets. I'm so thankful for my wonderful doctor, my awesome family, and all the love and support that has been shown to me. The kids at school better watch out. Not only do I know their names but now I can look them straight in the eyes and demand an answer!!

I love my new straight eyeballs!

The girls love their piano!

2011-06-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

I've been recovering from my eye surgery so the girls have had little to do that excites them. They have been excellent nurses for me, they've been very quiet when I'm napping, and I haven't heard an argument for days! They spend their lazy summer days taking care of me and plinking around on their new toy. They are following along with a book that was given to us with the piano. I still need to look at the book when I play this song. Alex is a show off and can do it without looking at the book. She even does it with her eyes closed sometimes! Here is their first concert.

The tale of the crooked eye!

2011-06-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, many of you know I have had a lazy eye since I was born. Growing up I had 3, 4, maybe even 5 surgeries. They cut the muscles in my eye and try to pull it in so it is straight. My Grandma Holyoak told stories of watching me after surgery and my eye squirting blood. The last surgery I remember was in fifth grade. I made the mistake of looking at my eye in the bathroom mirror. It was a gruesome bloody sight I'll never forget. Alex had surgery to straighten her eye when she was four. That day on the way home she had her eyes open, never complained of it hurting, and no gushing blood at all. This is what I am hoping for tomorrow. If she can do it, I can do it. We're even using the same doctor. Here are some pre operation pictures. My wonderful husband and kids say they don't notice my eye much. Most of my close friends say they don't either. Innocent little kids in library are a different story. They couldn't lie! I'll call on them, they look behind them. I say no, you. Who?....Me?.....Oh, thought you were talking to someone else. It has forced me to get to know every single child's name in our school. Pre-k through 5th, you can bet I know their name. I get an answer I want to a question with out the embarrassing look behind.
I am terrified to see what tomorrow brings. I'm afraid I'll be in pain. I take great pride in not being a wuss, girly girl kind of wife and mom. I can do anything, I'm super Mom. Good thing Clay is taking me to the surgery center, I'll have to put on a brave face and be strong. He did not marry a baby! I've had nightmares the last couple of weeks of not waking up from anesthesia, Clay worries about me going blind and him having to braid the girls hair. I am TERRIFIED, hopefully it will all be worth it. I've been praying for days to be watched over and protected and to make this surgery a success. I'm getting a blessing to put my mind at ease. I feel strongly that this is the right thing for me to do right now in my life, but man is it scary! I'll post some post operation pictures as soon as I can. I'll be out of the blog world for a little while but, I'll be back!