What a great weekend!!

What a great weekend!  After an emotional breakdown on Friday (more on that later) it was a great time.  On Friday night I met Jana, Caitlyn, and a friend Ashley for happy hour at Applebees.  From 9pm til close you can get half price drinks and half price appetizers.  It is a great deal.  Caitlyn's bill total was $5.50 I think.  It was a great time gossiping and talking. 

Saturday morning I had to drag my butt out of bed at 615 so I could get ready for Race for the Cure.  It is always a great time.  Our captiain doesn't know how to plan so we never really do anything as a group besides the pictures.  Next year I am going to host my own team and do it so much better.  It was also pretty cool because last year I got pink ribbon necklaces and bracelts for a $1 each!!  I got enought for the family.  Plus Mom and I did iron on transers so now our shirts have the team name (Treasure Chests) on the right arm.  I thought it was a clever idea.

After the Race we head to the super junk store.  I get a garbage can, bowls, travel toys for the kids and some old canning jars.  One is so old that the top is actually glass. Mom says that is really rare so what a find (pictures to be posted soon).  We head to this Chinese place for lunch because their lunch special is only $3.99.  Mine was really yummy.  It was a breaded chicken breast with sweet and sour souce and fried rcie.  It was kinda like sweet/sour chicken but the breading was different.  It was the best.

After lunch we fly home because TJ has a groomers appointment at 2.  We were a little late but that is ok.  He has lost 2/3s of his body because it was all hair!!  He looks so small and dainty now!  I prefer his hair shaggy though.

After groomers it was dinner and hanging out at Lexy's house.  I had to finish watching Drop Dead Diva..a new favorite show of mine. 

Sunday was an experience.  I knw I needed to get gas but kinda put it off because I was always in a rush.  So I run to the grocery store to get stuff for our family fondue party and was headed to the gas station.  About 1 mile away, I run out of gas.  UGH!!  Thankfully Jana just lives aboug 1 mile away so I get TJ and we walk to her house.  I thought she was going to be gone but thankfully she was there and save me another mile hike back. 

After the resuce, I was finally able to make it to parents house.  I thought I was going to make bread before the fondue buttime just wouldn't permit it.  Bummer.  Next Saturday after the parade, I will be making bread.  I have put it off for two weeks and it needs to get done.
Fondue was a hit.  We had the cheddard cheese and then a cheesy pizza fondue.  Cheesye pizza is just mozzi cheese and a spaghetti sacue.  Dip with pepporoni and it is really good.  Chocolate was the best part..epsically when you dip a banana in it.  After fondue we just played outside.

Then the Amazing Race finale came on.  I was rooting for the Cowboys - Cord and Chet.  They played with integrity and honesty and plain old hard work.  They came in second only becase the brothers from RI cheated and got tickets first and are cheaters.  The Cobwoys didn't win a million dollars but the won a million fans and helped reshape the image of cowboys...no longer just rednecks.

Marlee letting Gpa help her down the steps.

Gpa and Marlee playing on the fence.

Gpa playing with TJ

Wyatt getting tossed around by Jana and Emma on the trampoline.

Emma, Jana, and Wyatt playing on the trampoline.

Marlee, Emma, and Wyatt playing in the rock walkway.

Wyatt and Emma playing in the rock walkway.

Emma playing with TJ

TJ with his new do.

Now his head is way to big for his body!

TJ always sits so funny!

Marlee saying no more pictures!

Marlee trying to escape the camera.

Marlee loves the trampoline.

Kinda nervous..

I am kinda nervous for Saturday.  TJ is schedule for the groomers.  It has been...5 months since TJ has gotten a haircut.  Last time was in November...maybe December.  I have grown accustomed to his long hair.  I think I prefer it kinda shaggy.

But it will be for the best TJ the is hair EVERYWHERE and requires alot of vaccumming.  (Thankfully I don't have a dog like Boomer.  With his shedding you have to vaccum 2x a day becasue he leaves clumps of hair.  I think on Monday, I will go brush him out again as party of bro in law's continued birthday present).

I really like the groomer and I know he will look adorable but I keep thinking about to the first time he got his haircut.  He was a completely different dog!!  Keeping our fingers crossed!

hated holiday...

Let the pity party begin..

I HATE MOTHERS DAY!!

at least right now...

I LOVE MOTHERS DAY!!
I get to celebrate my wonderful mom!

I hate the love/hate relationship I have with this holiday.  Normally it isn't a problem.  I understand that I have plent of time and it will happen if it is God's Plan but right now EVERYONE is preggers.  Either preggers or recently had a baby.  I was at Wally World the other day and coudln't stop myself looking throught the cards they had on dispaly.  Some were funny.  Others were sweet.  Some were just stupid. 

I stood there reading a card and I had a horrible heart ache.  I wanted to receive a card on Sunday.  I wished I had someone who was trying to select the perfect card to give to me. I wish I had a piece of construction paper with some Crayola squiggles on it as a signiture from my baby. 
Oh how I long for those things!!  

I know all the platitudes.  It will happen when you least expect it.  Just stay positive.  The grass is greener.  It will happen when it will happen.  On a better day I would understand it...thought I would disagree with it all. I just feel like I am running out of time.  I was babysitting the other day and I had to run into the store.  I was carrying Marlee and buckling her in and couldn't help but think "This is where I should be.  This is what I need to be doing." I am a firm believer that women are created with divine ability and responsiblity of being a mother, home maker, nurture, etc. I have a feeling of inadequacy because I am feel I haven't been blessed to be a mother because Heavenly Father sees some sort of deficiency in me (and yes I know that isn't true but hard to ignore the Devil sometimes).  I know I need to pray about this more but everytime I start I just can't continue because I think if I voice my question, I won't like the answer so I would rather not hear it!!
Isn't denial a pretty thing?  I know where I need to start but I am too afraid too.

But on a better note....

this is my mom...

I don't mean she is as big as an elephant...

Like an elephant, she is as strong, noble, conservative (helps that she is a Republican too), protective, smart, intelligent, loving, nuturing, supportive, natural leader, follower, domineering (yes that is a good quality), self reliant, tough, gentle, enduring, teachable, teacher, nuturing, and every other good/great quality in the world. 

I have the best mother.  Hands down.  No competition.  Gold, silver and bronze go to her.

For as much trouble as me and my family gives her, she still keeps her sanity and is the heart to our family. 
I have never doubted her love for me.  I know she WILL ALWAYS love me.
She is the bestes ever and has helped me be a better person than I ever hoped to be.
I love her more than I can expres.

Heres to my mom:

The political activist

the friend


the grandma


the support system


and the greatest mom in the world!!

I love you!

Sunset..

Same prcess with the rainbows.  And yes I am tooting my own horn.

Rainbow

So I was at my parents house last night.  All day it was overcast and in the afternoon there were crazy thunderstorms.  My dad saw this awesome rainbow after the storms and I tried to get into 1 shot but it just wasn't working.  So I took mulitple shots and will add them together to make one.  Below is my progress.  This is just using MS Paint.  nothing else.  It is a alot of copy/paste but I think it doesn't look half bad. I am just so proud of what I have done!!

Below are the three individual pictures I use.

Below is the placement of the three pictures.

Starting filling in the white spaces

and this is the finished project so far. 

I cant wait to actually use an editing program to hopefully even out the colors and remove the lines. 

Birthday highlights..

So I stole so many peoples idea by using the collage idea!!  It is a brilliant idea.  This was Dad's birthday party (which was on Sunday) in a nutshell.  My favorite pic is Dad with the three youngest on his lap.  Plus Marlee and Emma wearing the same outfit was too cute!

Dad

Dad and I at the BSU football game in fall 2009.

I just wanted everyone to know that today is my dad's birthday. 

And I just want everyone to know he is the greatest Dad!

He is so wonderful because:

he is a big softie

when he means busines..he means BUSINESS

he didn't yell at me when I came home and told him I tipped the new 4wheeler

HILARIOUS!

HANDSOM

smart

generous 

sweet

gentle

a great teacher

(taught me how  to change oil/wiper blades and teaching me on how to drive a trailer)

patient

great cook (on certain things)

great at ordering out

I am so lucky to have such a great father (and family).  I emailed him this morning at work to wish him a happy birthday and told him he was such a great dad.  His response:

"thank you! I could not be the dad I am if I did not have Wonderful girls around me who appreciate me!"

How sweet is that!!  I love him so much. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!