Brings me joy.

These pictures mean a lot after the week we've had.

Haley has been suffering from a mysterious stomach pain since Sunday and it's been very frustrating for all of us trying to figure out what it is, and how to make it go away!

No fever, no vomiting, no diarrhea, no constipation...see what I mean?  We're kinda running out of options when we take all those things out.  She missed two days of school.  We took her to the doctor yesterday and she had Haley start taking a probiotic (expensive suckers!) and an antacid.  I was kinda skeptical...but she is feeling better...just a little every day.  All week, it was just really, really hard seeing Haley not her usual happy, active little self!  

So like a said...these pictures mean a lot!

I'm glad she's coming around...it's just not the same around here when she's not feeling well.

Hope it's behind us now.

Almost crawling.

Rory is getting very close to crawling!

She gets up on her knees all the time, but just can't seem to figure out the next step.

It won't be long now.

Jam anyone?

I have been on a jam kick for quite some time now.  Some of those jars came out pretty good, some on the other hand are more like syrup...way too runny!  But whatever.  I'll keep working on it.  So yeah, lots of jam...and cobblers!  Lots and lots of cobbler!

But pretty soon it's going to be all about applesauce and apple pies because those apples are coming in fast and furious!

Sundance Sundays

Look who's back in town!

 My little brother, Jeffy, is back for the school year.  He and Jen arrived on Friday so we all got to hang out this weekend.

They joined us at our neighborhood block party Saturday night...oh, what a riot that party was!  There was a climbing wall, bounce house, dunk tank, face painting, and a cotton candy machine for the kids and very little supervision (except for the climbing wall...that was highly supervised...I think anyway.)  So yeah, complete craziness!  And I don't think I saw one kid without a massive amount of cotton candy with them at all times...my kids included!  I don't even want to think about how much cotton candy they probably ate!  We all had a good time and ate tons of food!  Except at one point Haley got very upset that boys were rough housing in the bounce house.  She just kept yelling out, "They're hurting each other in there!!!"  We tried to explain that's just how boys play...weird as it may be.

Sunday I enjoyed my bike ride up the canyon in the morning, church and then our usual Sundance Sunday.  Jeff and Jen joined us again and treated the girls to suckers.  The weather was a bit rainy, but that didn't stop us!

The end of a love affair.

This here is one of my favorite mugs.  You can probably tell since it looks a bit banged up.  Just wanted to share that it's been about 3 1/2 weeks since that whole no coffee thing.  Sometimes when I open my pantry to get something I see my coffee maker sitting in there...looking very alone...I feel a bit sad.  This has been like a end of a relationship...a love affair.  I know, it's silly...but it's true.  You may be thinking, "Why don't you just get rid of the coffee maker?"  I say, "No way!"  First off, I spent a pretty penny for that coffee maker...it's a darn good coffee maker!!  Secondly, we have friends and family who drink it and it would be nice to be able to offer it to them when they stay here.

So anyway, after the first week of quitting was over I actually started feeling pretty good.  And now, I really don't miss the caffeine at all...but I STILL miss the ritual.

Confession: Today I opened the the bag of coffee grounds that we still have in the cupboard and inhaled...very deeply in fact.  It smelled so good.

Haley's Hair Cut

Haley has had long hair for a long long time...and she LOVED her long hair!  We all did!  However, now that she showers and washes her hair by herself (isn't that wonderful when kids can start doing that themselves) it was just too long for her to manage.  She sometimes would come out of the shower with big globs of conditioner still left in.  And combing, oh my, it was a process!  

We were talking about Locks of Love and she decided that she would cut her hair and donate it!  

She was VERY nervous when it was getting off.

 But she was all smiles after!

She loves moving her head back and forth and feeling her hair swing around.

And it's SO much easier for her to manage on her own now!

First Day of School 2012

My third and first graders.

I cannot even tell you how excited these two were for the first day of school!

They were up at 6:30 and pretty much ready to go by 7:00!  Only an hour and twenty minutes before we had to leave...sheesh!  They kept asking, "Is it time go yet?!!"

Do you think that will last?

After Haley had her hair cut, it seemed as though she grew 5 inches...she seems so much taller and older!

I absolutely love it!  And more importantly...so does she!

Morgan is so thrilled to have Haley's old teacher for first grade.

But I think she's really most excited to be able to have lunch at school this year!

Piper was feeling very left out...she had to go get a backpack too and have her picture taken as well!

 

So, it's been just me and the two little ones today.  Now, all I have to do is orchestrate nap times so that both babies are sleeping at the same time!  That would be nice!

Weekend Review

Look who started to sit up this weekend!

She can also scoot and roll everywhere!

It's a whole new world for her now, and she's loving it!

 This is a very typical expression of Rory...she's a nose wrinkler.  She gets that from my side of the family...my dad and I are classic nose wrinklers.  Although we have a lot more wrinkles when we squish our noses than Rory does.

We have been squeezing in the activities these past few days before school starts tomorrow.  The girls hit up the swim park three days in a row!  We also went out for Pizza Pie Saturday night.  Sunday we spent the evening at Sundance while the kids ran around...at one point they had nearly a dozen kids running around with them!

In other news, Haley got a haircut today!  And it was more than a trim...she went short!  If you know Haley then you will know that this is a VERY big deal!  That's my little teaser...you will have to wait for pictures!

It's time.

I'm sooooo ready for school to start again.  Call me terrible, but it's true.  There comes a time when everyone is just plain sick of being around each other constantly.  Haley and Morgan are either playing super well or they're at each other's throats...and it seems they're at each other's throats more and more.  And their latest...fighting over who gets to play with Piper.  "Piper is playing with ME!!!  NOT YOU!!"  And then the screaming begins!  It's driving me crazy!  I feel like I'm just referring all day long!

So yeah...school...it will be good for these girls...and me.  Although, I'm not ready for the homework wars again.

4 more days I'll have a first and third grader...wow.

Weekend Review

Saturday we got out to Alpine Loop to watch the Tour of Utah come through.  It's always so pretty up there and the weather is a bit cooler than in the valley.  

 Having some fun with chalk while we waited for them.

Oh, and the Rory we wrote is for Sutherland (who was in the race)...not my Rory...because that would be kind of weird to write our own names on the course.

Also over the weekend my Aunt and Uncle from Mesa came to town for Education Week at BYU.  So we were able to have dinner with them on Sunday to catch up...it's been a great long while since we've seen them last.

And when ever a get a spare hour or so I make jam...I am up to my eyeballs in plums!

It seems my kitchen is always sticky!

Oh, and you remember my project of the chalkboard wall?  Well, I'm still working on it!  I ran into a few issues...like it being to porous even after my endless amounts of spackling and sanding.  Actually the project has been finished several times just for me to do it all over again because I'm not happy with it.  So, when I AM happy with it, I'll post some pictures and share what to do and what not to do if you ever plan to do a chalkboard wall.  You can learn from my mistakes!

Last Week

Woo Wee...what a week!  We had a lot of fun outings!  

My grandparents have their big motor home parked at a really nice campground by the lake, so we wound up over there a few times to swim in the pool and do some grillin'.  

My brother, Andrew and his girlfriend, Nicole.

 Another day we hit up Sundance to let the kids run around and play in the river.

Piper introduced Rory to the joys of a lollipop.

Another day my mom, grandma, my girls and I drove up to This Is The Place in Salt Lake and explored their Pioneer Village.  The girls absolutely LOVED it there.

They made their own rag dolls, rode the train and toured the houses.

They also panned for "gold".

Don't mind me...just breastfeeding over here.

The girls also did the pony rides.

Haley had quite a feisty horse too!  Although, it didn't seem to phase her.

By the time Ryan got back from CO Friday night, I was EXHAUSTED!

Then we had more good fun over the weekend too...post on that tomorrow.

Hello, my name is Kelly...I'm LDS and addicted to coffee.

This is my coffee pot in all it's glory...isn't it beautiful?  I love coffee.  I love everything about it...coming down the stairs in the morning and smelling it brew, pouring it, holding my mug (especially on a cold morning) in both hands, sipping it slowly all morning long...I'm not a weirdo, ask any coffee drinker and they will agree with me!  Not only do coffee drinkers love the taste and caffeine fix we LOVE the ritual of our morning coffee.

Now I realize that coffee drinking and being LDS don't mix.  But I figured if Joe Shmoe from the church can drink his Diet Coke or someone else can drink their Red Bull...I can have my morning coffee!  But comparing myself to others is never a good thing.  It's not about them...this is about me!  The church disapproves any addiction...no matter what it is.  But I'm not here to do any preaching!  After some reading and soul searching I decided to kick the habit...because in all honesty (as much as I hate to say it) my body was relying on that cup of coffee to get through the day.  I know this because I nearly died on the first day without it!  Seriously...I had a splitting headache all day, and I felt as though I would collapse at any moment from the sleepies!  It was awful!

It's been over a week and I do feel better, but I miss it.  I'm in mourning for it.  I've started drinking milk, juice or even water in my beloved mug just to try to mimic that same sensation of sipping coffee.

I can't say that I'll NEVER drink it again.  I may one day enjoy a cup in a social gathering...or Christmas morning??  But, I know that I don't want to rely on coffee every single day to help me function...I want to be free of any addiction.  And I feel good about that!

So...I'll continue to sip my milk, juice or water from my mug and be sure to hold it with two hands...just like the old days.

13 Years!

Ryan is in Colorado for the week...he called me this morning with a "Happy Anniversary!".  Whoops...I admit...I forgot.  Hey, it happens!  With two birthdays super close, a baptism, him leaving yesterday, the truck battery dying on me last night...well, I've just been a bit frazzled.

But yes, today is our 13th wedding anniversary!!  We'll have to celebrate when he gets back.  Perhaps a breakfast out...I'd like that.

Happy Anniversary!  I love you!

Haley's Baptism

Haley was baptized in the same white dress that my mom made for me when I was 8.

She was beautiful!

Watching my first born get baptized made me so proud of our little family.  

And having Ryan, a worthy priesthood member, carry out these ordinances is a really neat thing...I'm so proud of him!

Haley loved her special day.

My grandmother gave the most beautiful talk, and our neighbors sang to her.
I just loved having our family and friends all around us.

It was perfect.

And then everyone came to our house to eat and celebrate!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 8th Birthday Haley!!

We love you!

8 Months

Rory is 8 months today...can you believe it?

I think this swing has seen better days.