100 percent plus a little more

Some days are harder than others. Today was one of those days. It had its glorious moments like when Isaac won a new electric guitar from the drawing at the Orthodontists office or when I had lunch with my tween aged boy at one of my favorite places to eat (Pastry Pub) or when Isaac saw his uncle driving down the road and held up his newly acquired guitar to show his guitar loving uncle as we drove past. Then there was the moment at the end of a long exhausting day when Mom is plum tuckered out and Isaac starts throwing up non stop. Awesome.

There was the moment when Rebecca just played some good soccer that was great to watch and then there was the moment later when her sister fell backward in her chair after I had told her to stop jumping up and down on it. The great part was how I just let her sit there for a moment and someone else got up to help her up. I was so frustrated that she had fallen exactly as I said she would that I had an "I don't feel sorry for you moment."

There was the great moment with the bazillion eight year old achievement day girls and the exhausting glad it is over moment as I took half the brood home.

There was the brilliance of an aha moment in Alive! Utah marketing planning with my Dad and then the realization of the work that would incur.

There was dinner and breakfast and soccer and gas stations and 5 trips to the school today. I am pooped and I am praying no one is throwing up in the morning.

Cookbook giveaway on my food blog

I am cross promoting myself. I have this cool cookbook to giveaway. I recieved one from the company to review and one to giveaway. It is awesome for all those food storage buffs. It is a make your own mix cookbook and has everything from biscuit mix to onion soup mix. Then it gives you tons of recipes to use with each mix. I am so excited to use mine. Go enter the giveaway at http://pantryeats.blogspot.com/. I will ship it to the winner.

And while you are at it go visit Alive! Utah. Our September issue is up and it is amazing if I do say so myself. If you are not a facebook fan or a registered member I hope you sign up too.

We are also having an amazing, and I mean amazing giveaway, for the working gal or guy in Cedar City on our Deal Diva column.

Back to School

They are back in school and my days are both quiter and more crazy. The crazy starts at about 3 p.m and finishes itself out around 7 p.m. Everyday. Basically, I tell everyone don't ask me to do anything in these hours -- because I am booked solid. But the kids are are all happy to be back at school and heaven help me I am happy to have them back in school too.

Becca starts 4th grade.

Isaac starts 7th grade

Lia starts Kindergarten.

See all those collared shirts - that is the dress code at the kids' school and I hate it but I think we managed to find outfits that don't look like ugly uniforms.

Get my Alive! magazine button

Finally, finally! I have a button for Alive! Utah.Thank you Karynn, owner of bloomshot photography. Karynn is an old friend and one talented chica. She takes great photos and is running a giveaway and some great deals at her photo site. You really should check her out.

Here is where the begging ensues. I am trying to get the word out about Alive! and I need help. If you are an Alive! reader and a blogger will you put my button on your site. I will send all kinds of good thoughts your way.

Here is the code: the first half is the button and link. The second half is a code box, in case you want to encourage others to grab my button.









<center><a href="http://aliveutah.com/"><img border="0" src=" http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww227/karynn77/WEBAlivebutton5.jpg"/></a></center>

Family pics

It has been six years since I have had professional family pics done. Three years since I had family pics done and 2 since I bought school pics. It is time for some family pics. Abbey Kyhl of AK Studio and Design took these. I am not loving the family pics as much as the individual photos. What was I thinking wearing that shirt? And Tom has some serious glasses glare, but overall I love them.

What great kids!

Is he handsome or what? Of course this is pre glasses and pre braces. But I still think he is pretty cute.

I do love that smile.

This photo reminds me of a photo of my mother with her young girls. Life comes full circle.

My favorite photo

My favorite photo

Or is it this one?

There are more way more. But enough is enough.

Summer Summer Summer

So, I have never taken two whole months off from this blog before. But summer has been insane here. Really really insane. Finally I am on vacation in California, staring at the beach from the hotel window. Awesome. I have a moment to breathe, So I am going to try and give you an update. I have been buried in kids, house and trying to make my online magazine work. I finally decided not to publish an August issue because frankly I was two minutes from a nervous breakdown. Next month I will have an awesome issue but for the next few weeks I wanted to spend some time with my family.

Isaac --
Isaac declared that he didn't want to do soccer, football or any team sports this year. He needed a break. He is not ultra competitive and so I think he just wanted to have some free play time. He did do golf and he has to work at his Dad's office once a week. However he did decide to do the Utah Shakespearean Festival's playmakers program. He loved it. And I mean loved it. Isaac got to do a scene from Macbeth and he was actually surprisingly good. If you are my facebook fan you can check out the video here. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1420417867&v=box_3&ref=mf#!/profile.php?id=1420417867&v=app_2392950137
Isaac also went on his first week long scout camp. I have never prayed so much in my life. All day long I prayed for that boy's safety. And I don't care what Tom says he must have been worried too because there was not a single family prayer that he didn't pray for Isaac's safety.  I was so happy to have him home safe and sound. He had a great time with no serious problems. The worst thing that happened was that someone stole his pocketknife and fly fishing flies.


Rebecca on pre-swim team

Rebecca has tried not to be bored. She is easily bored. She actually enjoys the stimulation school gives her. She would literally watch TV all day if I let her. However, she started pre swim team this summer and while the first day seriously kicked her butt and saw her in tears, she has learned to love it and is hoping she will get to be on the Jr. Swim team in September. She has really improved and can beat her brother in a freestyle race -- barely but he is 3 1/2 years older than her.

Lia has tried to keep busy. She took swim lessons too and she is busy getting ready to do her first year of soccer. After watching years of her siblings' soccer games she is so excited to get the chance to finally play herself. I am actually glad Isaac is not doing soccer this year. It is never fun to do three games a day. She will also start Kindergarten in a few weeks. She is excited to be at school.

We have had a busy summer full of fireworks on July 4th a rocking party for Tom's 40th where his band, some good cousin time and a few good days at Cedar City's reservoir where the kids literally swam and splashed for 3 hours. We are now having an awesome vacation in Southern California.

I got a new laptop (because my hubby loves me) and I am still trying to figure some stuff out. When I have gotten my laptop groove down I will add some more photos.

Milestones

The past 8 days have been a week of milestones. We now have a five year old and a 12 year old in our home. You know what that means. Our life just got expensive. Lia is no longer free at all kinds of attractions and Isaac is no longer a kid. He costs the adult price at the movies. But it also means some other amazing things. Isaac got the priesthood today. And I have to say that I am so happy to have my son given the responsibility and trust that comes with office of Deacon. I love and honor the priesthood. And I especially love and honor how it shapes young boys, young men and even grown men into the potential God has in store for them.

Lia is 5 and this week she had to have her Kindergarten shots. That means she is going to Kindergarten this fall, another milestone. My kids are getting older and some days I love it and other days I want to freeze them where they are.

It has been a long and active week. Last Saturday we headed to St. George as a family to celebrate Lia's b-day. My kids only get friend birthdays every other year and on their year off they choose a family activity. Lia chose to go swimming at the Washington rec center pool. Tom came along and the kids discovered how much fun their Dad is in the swimming pool. I don't really enjoy hanging out for hours in the water. I really don't. I would rather soak up the rays. So Tom spent almost the entire 3 hours in the pool with the kids. Unfortunately, he came home itchy and rashy and his feet were all torn up from the bottom of the pool but the kids were glad to get some play time with their Dad.

Sunday we celebrated Lia's actual b-day with the family in Cedar. Lia chose shrimp for her b-day dinner (She is her Daddy's girl). She was enraptured with all her presents. The girl is easy to please.

Monday we celebrated Isaac's b-day. He had a friend b-day this year and they went to see a movie and came home to sit around the fire pit and eat pizza, roast marshmallows and play football. The wind was a little blustery that day and the house and everyone in it smelled like campfire for several days.

Tuesday we headed to the park to celebrate my niece Kate's b-day. It was a partying kind of a week. By Wednesday three of us had migraines and sick stomachs. I am not sure if it was from all the junk food but I do have a sneaky suspicion that might be the case.

The rest of the week I stressed myself out over my website. It is deadline week. Saturday we went and listened to Rebecca and Isaac's piano recital. As soon as I get the video upload to work I will download the recital pieces.
Sunday Isaac was sustained and ordained to the priesthood. It was a sweet ending to a hectic week.