I was featured on Tip Junkie

Hey check out Tip Junkie it is one of my favorite websites. My tip for another use for medicine cups is posted on the blog. I find some really creative ideas on there.

Camping with a lot of pix

We went camping for the last time this year. It started out not so swell. First off I didn't really want to go and I complained about going the whole day long. Then Jason couldn't get off of work as soon as we had hoped for and ended up being stuck in traffic which made it so that we didn't even leave Mountain Home until after 6:00. We went to a new spot this time and it seemed like it took forever for us to get there (which it didn't really it just seemed like it). When we got there Nate went to put up the tent and we were missing the poles to it.So the boys jimmied a rope around a tree and pulled up the center part of the tent and called it good. But luckily for me Jason volunteered to sleep in that tent with Nate and all the kids except Madison and Nicole, Madison and I slept in the little tent. I put the air mattress into the tent and started to blow it up for like 5 minutes before I realized that I forgot to shut the air valve. The kids were starving and it was like 9:00 before we got camp set up and dinner ready to eat. We played cards for a little while and all shuffled into bed after 11:00. But Nicole and I stayed up for another hour and a half just giggling to each other until she rolled over onto her good ear and couldn't hear me talk to her any more. I didn't sleep the best that night but then again I rarely do when I go camping. I fell off the air mattress during the night until around 4 in the morning when Madison let out a blood curdling screech and I thought for a second that i was going to have to defend us with the gun until we realized that she was still sleeping. At that point we heard the boys get up to pee followed by some moose's mating (boy those boys could snore) we are positive that that was the reason that no animals bothered us that night. Moose can get really loud you know. Nicole and I got up to pee. Which is easier said then done. While I was still laying on the air mattress Nicole popped her little rear end right out of the tent. As soon as her butt left the bed I sank then I had the difficult task of maneuvering myself out of the tent door. I was stuck so I layed on my stomach and kinda pushed/ kicked myself right out of the tent. lets just say it was a process. Nicole said it looked like the tent was giving birth to me. We laughed so hard we almost peed our pants. On the way back from the bathroom (you know squatting behind a tree) I thought that I saw a skunk and my heart went up into my throat until I realized that it was just Nicole's dog. We ended up all wound up and laughed ourselves to sleep about an hour later. Nate complained about us being to loud as soon as he got up. I still have know idea how he heard us will all of those moose calls coming from his tent. Ella posing for her picture that Nichole was taking of her.
Nichole's turn
Madison and Nicole being Mr. potato head ( That is what maddi thought they looked like)
Ella and I being Mr. Potato head
The dirtiest boys in the world.
Nate, Nichole, Nattie, Jason and Madison by our campfire
Nicole being really tired

peace out yo
The 2 little ones
The 2 big ones
The 2 biggest ones
All of us minus Jason. He found this rock and we had to take our pictures on it.

Cub Scouts

Now that Tyler is 8 he gets to start cub scouts. Last night was his first cub scout meeting and it was a pack meeting. Tyler worked really hard and memorized a whole bunch of cub scout stuff and was able to earn his Bobcat badge. I didn't know that they were going to give it to him so I didn't bring my camera with me. We had a good time at pack meeting. They fed us dinner and the kids got to do a relay race.
Good job Tyler I am so proud of you for working so hard.

Ella's first day of preschool

Ella had her first day of preschool on Tuesday. She really loved it and she really loved her teacher (me, I have taught preschool to all of my kids). We just did a review so that I knew what I needed to touch on. With any luck she will be ready for kindergarten. I really love doing preschool with my kids. But that is about as close to home schooling as I will ever get. Ella drawing her family at the bottom of her family tree

Haley's getting married

Not only is my little brother getting married in the month of September, Nate's little sister is also getting married that month. One week after Rock is as a matter of fact. I got to meet Tiago this last time that Nate and I were in Utah and he is such a nice guy. I am glad that Haley is so happy. Congrats you two.

First Day of School

The kids started school today. It is always a sad day for me when they start. We got up at 6:40 in the morning to get ready. We had to drop the girls off by 7:53 a.m. Nate actually got to go with me to drop the girls off. It was the first time that he has ever been able to go to the first day of school. We just dropped them off and left because middle schoolers don't need their parents there to take them to class. You read that right my big girls are in middle school. But 5th grade here is middle school. Natalie all dressed and ready to go. Natalie likes math as usual. She also works in the Lunch room. She had a very hard time learning how to open her locker. She also has a boy teacher for the first time.
Nichole liked walking around trying to find her classroom she got lost and couldn't find where her classroom is from the bathroom. She also works in the Lunch room.
Tyler is very excited. But the girls were sick of me taking pictures
In the car on the way to school
Good bye girls and good luck

Tyler got a little nervous about starting school.
Outside his classroom. His teacher is Mrs. Harris
At his desk
And this is what I did during the school day. I went to Lunch with my friends Nicole and Johanna. We had so much fun just goofing off.
They didn't tell me that I was supposed to be pulling funny faces.

Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Garden Party Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!
check out this blog it is amazing!!! I hope that one day I actually win from this blog.

Twilight movie release

Good news for all of us the Twilight Movie release day has been bumped up to November 21. That is 3 weeks earlier then it was supposed to. Can I say someone must love me to release this movie even earlier then they planned. Oh and thank you Harry Potter for moving your release date Back to the summer so that I can watch Twilight earlier.

Yummy Ice cream

For dessert after family home evening this week we went to McDonald's to get the kids some ice cream cones. I am very happy that we had kids eat it outside. Ella's hands were freezing cold by the time she was done eating it. I don't think that Ella actually listen to any of our lesson this week because it was on keeping our bodies (and our houses) clean. Hmmmm I think that she didn't quite catch on to it.This is very very clean compared to what she looked like at the end but she wouldn't let me take any more pictures of her.

yep it is dripping right off her elbow
She loved her food so much she didn't even notice that there was paper wrapped around her cone. When I told her that she still put the rest of her cone into her mouth and ate it. MMM paper my favorite

Me and Nicki D at the movies -- Seriously who let us out of the house

I actually got a night off without the kids the other night. My friend Nicki and I went to see The Mummy (which was not very good in my personal opinion). I had such a great time before the movie. I was quite impressed with my pictures that were taken in the very dark theatre. I didn't think that they would actually work. Good pose
We were both crazy hungry you can tell by my cray eyes
mmmmmmm popcorn

she is such a dork sometimes

My second favorite use for those cups you get with your kids medicine

So there I was in the middle of making syrup for my pumpkin pancakes and I realized that I needed to add 2 ingredients that each equaled 1 teaspoon at the same time in my recipe. I ran to my silverware drawer to pull out 2 teaspoons and what do you know I only have 1 tsp. in there. Not knowing what to do I pulled out my kids (clean) medicine cups and read on it that it went up to 3 tsp. and thought this is great now I can measure these out at the beginning of the recipe and leave them waiting on the counter until I was ready to use them and not have to worry about them spilling. Now I can't stop. I use these little cups all of the time. The adult cups even measure Tablespoons. (P.S. they are also great to put your syrup in for kids to dip their french toast sticks)

Tyler's Baptism (now I think I am caught up)

The 2nd of August was a very special day for Tyler. It was the day that he became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was a great day for the whole family. He had an awesome turn out. My parent's, Joy, Rock, Nate's Parent's, Haley, and Tiago all came from Utah to support Tyler. He also had a ton of people from our ward show up. I was so grateful for all of the people who took time out of their busy life's to support Tyler. After the baptism we had a BBQ at our house. And stupidly I forgot to take any picture's while people were here. I am not very fond of taking pictures at family parties because I just feel so awkward doing it. (I know I do that for living but to actually take pictures at my own things I have a hard time doing). Tyler has so much fun. Thank you everyone who could make it you made it extra special for Ty. On Sunday the bishop called Tyler up in front of the congregation to welcome him to the ward. It was so cute because he was so shy about going up there. While he was standing by the bishop I noticed that he just kept getting shorter and shorter. Yep he was trying to hide himself behind the floral arrangement. Poor guy sometimes I feel so bad for him.

He only looks like he is about to cry because he hates getting his picture taken that much!!!

Hmmmmm What to wear what to wear....

When I got up this morning I couldn't decide what to put on. After much debate I decided that this one looks the best on me. What do you think? Don't I look hot?

Breaking Dawn

I ordered my copy of Breaking Dawn from Amazon and I still haven't received it yet!!! But I found it at Walmart so I bought it there and started to read it after Tyler got baptized on Saturday. I read almost all day Sunday and for about a hour on Monday before I finally finished the book. I am not going to say anything about the book that will spoil it for anyone. I am going to say that I LOVED it. I was happy with the way that it turned out. I have to go back and read it again but slower this time.

Good Bye Angela

Man the worst part about being in the military is saying goodbye to your friends. My friend Angela moved clear across the country from me. It was a sad day for me. Before she moved we met for lunch and the pasta place here in town and we were able to hang out for a while. Good bye Angela Hopefully I will see you soon.

Happy Birthday SIS!!!!!

My Family came up to Idaho this weekend to celebrate Tyler's baptism with us. They traveled for 5 hours on joys birthday and didn't get in until 11:30 that night so she didn't get to have any birthday cake. But my dad and the kids made her a cake the next day and it was so yummy. It also looked just like her. Happy Birthday Sis. I am blessed to be related to you. You are truly a fabulous friend and the best sister that anyone could ever ask for. I love you.

my parents 35th Wedding anniversary Party

My parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with a big ol' party this year. All of their kids were able to make it to the party. We had a great time there. And some really yummy food. What an example to me they are. 35 years that is a long time. I am so glad that we were able to go. My mom and Dad. So not the best picture but Tyler wanted to be the one that took the pictures so that is just what I got.
The table decorations. It was a Cowboy themed party
Rocko digging in. Hello don't we all like pictures of us eating?
Ella was next with the eating. Those ribs were delicious.
Choley didn't mind being a cowgirl.

My brother Pete came from Colorado to celebrate. It was fun I haven't seen him for a while
Nattie says that she wasn't a cowgirl she was a pirate? Cowboys and Pirates anyone?
Nattie only thinks that she is a rock star
Joy pulling her rock in roll face
We were all exhausted at the end of the day. Especially Meagan!!