Whaa! I have a sore throat!

sore throat or not, the base boards got painted today, and hopefully will be nailed in tomorrow!

It takes a community to teach a Pam...

I got to sleep in until 8am today! I needed it! Then after a breakfast of Cheerios, I started off the morning with giving my boys a much needed hair cut! Then, believe it or not, we were able to get the floor done
and the baseboards cut in the first room. Thanks again to Sean
for calling and asking us if he could come help finish the floor with us. -Calling us?! Now that is True service! (he says he likes doing this floor stuff, and we are glad he does!) I would also like to mention a Thank You to my neighbor down the street, Ryan Engh, who I had called before I started cutting the baseboards to get some advice,(as they have done all this fun stuff before too!) but as his wife was running errands and he had all his kids and a neighbor child at his house he tried to explain it to me over the phone! So, out I went and I just tried a few scrap boards and was able to figure it out for the most part. Well, to my surprise Ryan showed up at our house about a half hour later to show me, so while I had figured it out, I just want again to tell him thanks for his efforts as he walked down with his tribe. -true service again! I thought that was really nice of him! Also, Thanks to my father-in-law for lending me his saw and for telling me to cut the boards at a 45 degree angle (that's how I figured out how to do my test cuts!) And last, but not least, a Big Thank You to my other neighbor Roger Dean who helped show me the correct way to cut the baseboards at an angle with the power saw, to first, Measure and use a square to draw a straight line, how to use the guide to keep the line straight while cutting, and to not believe me when I said I get it, and to stay and help me cut the angles for most of the room!
Again, true service!
I would like to say, after learning, I did cut the last board for the room wall and all the closet boards as well with the correct angles! Ha!
All I have left is to caulk, and paint a few baseboards, nail them in, fill in and paint the holes- ham sandwich! (that means easy!) I got done cutting just in time to make it to our Relief Society dinner and the General Women's Conference, and it was great as usual.

In the beginning...(yesterday)

There was a girl (that would be Me!) that desperately wanted the floors done in the bedrooms of her house, but was perplexed because she didn't know how to do it! She had torn out the carpet of the first room, and scraped all the staples away, but it sat there for a few months collecting dust staring her in the face each time she walked by the door. Yes, you could say, she should just shut the door and hope that her Fairy Godmother would appear in the night and ZAP it was done when she one day decided to reopen the door-the problem- she has taken the door off to paint it! But alas, maybe it is not a Fairy Godmother that showed up last night, but instead a Wonderful Husband (Jared) who had a conversation with his friend (Sean Squire)on the way to work about it and discovered his friend (Sean) and his wife (Kim)
were very knowledgeable with past floor laying experience! The girl (yes, me) not knowing about this conversation was pleasantly surprised upon returning home from taking her kids to swim lessons to find out at 8pm she was about to be rescued from one of her many half done/stuck in the middle projects! Our rescuers appeared, and into the night, we worked
and learned as they got us started on the first two rows. But, at 9:30pm the clock struck and the saws and tapping shut down as they had to leave to put their little pumpkins to bed. The girl (again that would be me) was told to wait until another day, as this is at least a 2-3 person job, but her rebellious side came out with the morning sun and she began to try and figure it out (with a few phone calls to the Wonderful Husband (Jared) and to her friend (Kim) for moral support (-hey if she can use an electric table saw, so can I!!) and away she went with the project!
So, here is where I am at.... Ha!
to be con't.

Dad's the Prince

Anika sat looking at our wedding picture yesterday all excited, "Mom, that's you getting married! Look dad's the prince- He's going to go dance!"

Breakfast Conversation

Andrew talking to Aubrey: "The Only things I like about school is recess and lunch!"
Alex chimes in: "My favorite is Science, especially astronomy and the other stuff is good and Math, not so much spelling as it is boring!"
Oh the difference in personalities!!!

last weekend projects

A lot of things going on around here, but they are projects that can be crossed off the list! First an update on my parents, my mom pulled a muscle behind her knee cutting their ride short, so they are in Utah already!!
Sad for them, but Lucky for me, as they have given me some WONDERFUL and much Needed help! My kid's bikes have been out of commission for a few weeks, one with a flat tire, one with a broken chain, last one with a broken pedal-my dad fixed them all! YA!!! Then in conversation, I mentioned I would love to have my shed put up before winter and my dad said, "where is it?" I really didn't mean for them to put it together, and I am sure after the second day, he wished he hadn't said anything!!!! (I got the BEST deal on this @ Costco as it was the last one! :))
I am so THANKFUL for my mom and dad helping me do this. If that wasn't enough, my mom ended up being back this way the next day to help my grandma with a house problem, and she came over to help me bottle my peaches!
My kind neighbor gave me a box full off their tree. mmm, yummy, juicy, luscious fresh peaches, peach shakes, peach crisp-mmmm! (Dallin Atack's loss for leaving for a year and my gain!!!) There are more jars on the floor and a lot of bags in the freezer!
In between this, I was able to lay my sod on the side yard!
I also added a few more rock flowers in my rocks-please survive!
As I kept meaning to put sunscreen on and kept forgetting, my slight burn has turned into a nice sun tan, which hopefully won't turn into skin cancer or wrinkles! ha! And, you may think I am done, but they also helped (as Jared had to be gone to help his dad tear a roof off his aunt's house and attend a couple different meetings) me get my kids reading and homework done two nights in a row! It didn't help that Alex had more homework then normal the one night ( a ridiculously hard crossword puzzle) so as we worked on that, yet another thing my dad helped us with was putting the wheels and weights on to finish, Alex's Derby Car for Cub Scouts that had to be turned in that night!!!
You guys are AMAZING! So a BIG THANK YOU to my parents for saving the day/week! I really really appreciated your help and hope you have had a few days to rest now!
I wish I could say it was done, but Jared and I still have the hardwood floor (laminate) to put in the bedrooms....ahhhh! Well, just wish us luck!

Self Esteem From a 3 Year Old!

Today, Anika got in trouble for writing on the counter top with a black permanent marker (don't worry, I was able to scrub it off!). Upon realizing this, I scolded her and reminded her where she should "color", on the coloring book. She didn't seem to care and I therefore, not mad, but in a firm voice retold her again. This time she got the point and it brought out alligator tears! I left to go in my room and a few minutes later, she came in, tears dried up and sat on my lap with a big hug and she said, "sorry mommy". I told her, thanks for saying sorry and again let her know (not firmly this time ;))the rules and why the rules are there, so the counter top doesn't get wrecked and yucky. I told her it was okay, but not to do it again. Her response was another big hug and a big smack-a-roo on the cheek followed by, "You're the Best mom!"
Even, when they do wrong and make life a little frustrating, there are always ways they can make it up and melt your heart!

Come With Us!

You have about 17 weeks to prepare for the St. George Painter's HALF Marathon...
Again, Angela Vosti, her husband, Mark,and I are running and I think I have convinced Jared to run it too! If you are a casual runner of a 2-3 mile base you can get to where you need to be to run this! I have a schedule if you would like one. Angela and I run in the mornings and you are Welcome to join us. We are not fast....we do about 10 minute miles, so come train with us! Don't let the word marathon intimidate you!
Please come with us, it will be a lot of fun. We can get a condo or everyone can get their own hotel room....let me know and we can plan!
"Road Trip!"
Fun! Fun! Fun!

You thought a marathon was long...

This morning my parents left for Utah and instead of the drive-all-the-way-in-one-day trip, it is going to take them about 3 weeks to get there. Why so long, you ask? They are cycling down. This is the third time they have done this. Mom was hoping the North winds would help blow them South as they traveled, so enjoy those good days instead! ;)
The last time they did the trip, my sister was on her mission, so I think that is about 4 years ago?! The time before that is when my brother Michael had his sport injury and lost his finger and they didn't have their cell phone on, so we couldn't reach them to let them know what happened. They stopped at a Radio Shack to check their email and had a little panic attack when they got the last email my sister sent when she told them that his surgery went well and they were able to reattach his finger instead of gradually working up to it with the previous emails she had sent before that to let them know what had happened! That is a nice run-on sentence, I know! ha ha Boy, was that awkward having to read all that with the Radio Shack employee reading over their shoulder! ha ha It's funny now, but it was a little stressful for all of us at the time! Luckily they were able to make it home to be with Michael when they had to remove the finger again because it didn't take well. Anyway, that's a whole other story, but let's hope nothing like that happens again while they are away this time! ha ha
So, here they are getting to Calgary (for those of you who know Calgary, my parents live 20 minutes North in a little city called Airdrie) to see my sister, she lives in walking distance of the path they are riding on, so she and her little baby went to meet them and cheer them on! Coming...
saying good-bye!
After a short visit, they were off again!
My dad hauls their camping gear, a little food and other supplies on the trailer and in the saddle bags, they have their clothes.OFF THEY GO! We should see them in about 3 weeks. Here's to the North Wind!!

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle. ―Ernest Hemingway
I would like to say this quote is true for running as well!!!

Swim Lessons

We finally did our swim lessons the last 2 weeks before school.
Alex
is getting better and trying hard.
Andrew
is still a little apprehensive, but is really improving.After three days of trying Andrew finally got up the nerve (and a little bribery and nudge from the life guard behind :)!) jumped into the deep end!
Aubrey
did well for being in the same class as her brothers.
Anika .

cried the first two days, but then on the third day announced she wasn't going to cry anymore-and didn't! She had a good time and enjoyed her teacher.
It was fun for me to sit and talk to my Friend Jenn while her kids were in their swim lessons as well

Sisters

learning about static electricity. "We can stick the balloons to our ears!"

a fun visit

My kids always love when their aunts and uncles come to visit. It was fun to have (my brother) Mike and his wife, Janeal over last weekend. Too bad they couldn't stay a little longer, but we understand they have to get to their new home in Rexburg to start school.

Towels

Our Garden

in the beginning...
I don't know if I would recommend doinng this from seed, it was a lot of work! I think next year starts will be in the budget!
Now...
okay-so the carrots didn't make it and only a few beans! But....

look at the 9 foot corn stalks...and they even have ears of corn on them!

lots of cucumbers, zucchini, squash
and even a few peaches
on the tree this year!

Back to school

If you haven't already figured out my three oldest have been in school for a week now!
Everyone seems happy to be back, likes their teachers and glad to see their friends again.



Alex is in third grade.

Andrew is in first grade.
Look how much taller he is than everyone else!!

Aubrey is in kindergarten. (I can't believe it!)

Poor Anika wanted to stay so bad, but she still has another year until preschool!

"Where I sit?"