Merry Christmas!

We would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas! We have been very blessed this year and hope you were as well. Happy Holidays, and best wishes in the future!

Better late than never... Right?

So I am finally getting around to posting pictures of halloween.

We decorated cookies and took them to the neighbors. Since we only had christmas cutters they got candy canes in black and orange and stars.

We even carved a pumpkin at our annual pumpkin carving party on my mom's side.

I'd have to say that our "Thomas the Train" was simply the best! (sorry uncle Rod cheaters who have proffesionals carve their pumpkins don't count!

After much deliberation we finally decided on costumes. We had a cowboy and a monkey and a banana.

How pumpkins are made.

In case you are wondering how pumpkins are made...

Ditto!

Boy if only I has a neighbor so I could say ditto!

KIm KIm Kim part 2

ok I just had to put a pic of Kim in this. It's the last poke I'll send your way (maybe) Anyhow, enjoy!!!
And Kim, I really do love you ya know! :)

KIM KIM KIM

My dear sweet friend Kim posted a "wonderful" picture of our college days on her blog. I loved the idea so much I too have chosen a few pics to place on mine.
This collection of pics is from when Kim flew up to Lewiston, Idaho to collect me from my Aunt Maggie's. We were so excited to see each other that when we got to my car at the airport we remembered that Kim's bags were still on the conveyor belt in the airport.

We left my Aunt's house in my "new" car. A 1988 Toyota. We nicknamed it "Skeeter" after a bull in a small town rodeo in the middle of nowhere we happened across on our way home. The roof of the car was bowed in from all the weight on the roof and our seats were all the way forward with stuff piled all the way to the top. But we didn't care we had a bag of licorice and our camera locked and loaded.

We kept stopping to take pictures wherever and whenever we felt like it.

In college I lived with 9 roommates. We all got along pretty well and even took a few trips.

kali, Brea, Kim, Mandy, Jen

As roommates we were always having movie parties usually to watch the same movie over and over. "10 things I hate about you" We would pull all our mattresses into the living room and sleep out under the glow of the T.V.. Sometimes for 3-4 nights. We had lots of 7 layer dip and after a six pack of Dew we would have concerts in Kim's room or even just see how many of us could fit on her twin bed.

(Jen, Mandy, Kim, Kali)

We had a few sledding parties,

(Kim, Kali, and Ainslie)

and even made it up to Stanley. Id. to visit Mandy and Jen at their summer job. We crammed 5 of us in "Skeeter" and a couple of guys that had crushes on one or 2 of us (or vice versa... Ains,) followed in their car with our stuff. We were just climbing the mountain when the gas light cam on informing us that we only had a gallon or two of fuel left. We put that baby in neutral and coasted our way down the hill to a gas station in a small town with population 10 (I'm sure it was about that) named Smiley. Smileys fuel was about 3 times the cost of fuel anywhere else but since were were out and had no idea how far it was to Stanley we purchased a whole tank. We continued on to Stanley which turned out to be about 10 minutes past Smiley. Now I know why the town was so Smiley. They take innocent college girls money.

So to sum it all up, I loved my college days with all my roommates. We made so many memories. Some good , Some bad but the best part was finding my best girl friend. I love you Kim. "Grassy, A**" for all the good times!

Halloween- In honor of Miranda

In honor of Miranda. Here is our first 2009 pumpkin painting pictures. We will probably have about 9-10 more days of this with the same pumpkins. I just scrub it all off and they start all over again.

"Summer of First's"

I PROMISED PICTURES LAST POST SO HERE THEY ARE:

WE HAD A WONDERFUL SUMMER OF "FIRSTS

LINCOLN'S 1ST TIME POURING HIS OWN BOWL OF CEREAL. AS YOU CAN SEE HE CHOSE THE SMALLEST "BOWL" HE COULD FIND, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT HE SAID!

LINCOLN WENT WITH AARON TO TOWN AND GOT HIS FIRST SLUSH PUPPY.

BATHING WAS REQUIRED

SO WE MADE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR AND HAD OUR FIRST TRIPLE BATH. WON'T THEY LOVE THIS PIC WHEN THEY GET OLDER!

AUSTIN DIDN'T LOVE IT

LINCOLN AND SARI BOTH GOT NEW COATS LIKE DADDY'S. LINCOLN WAS SO EXCITED. HE LOVES TO BE LIKE DADDY.

OUR 1ST TIME CAMPING WITH THE AARON'S FAMILY - DRIGGS 2009





UNCLE ANDY & AUSTIN












LINCOLN TRYING TO CONVINCE US HE IS OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE THE 4WHEELER ALL BY HIMSELF














AARON, LINCOLN AND KAMRY MILKING THE GOAT. (YES WE TOOK THE GOAT CAMPING. THE THINGS YOU DO FOR YOUR KIDS, (AUSTIN)













LINCOLN RUNNING AWAY FROM US AND SARI WANTING TO BE HELD. (IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NAP TIME!)













PARTY IN AUNT RICHELLS CAMPER. GLAD IT WAS HERS AND NOT MINE!












OUR FIRST SLEEP OUT ON THE TRAMPOLINE OR AS THE KIDS CALLED IT "BOUNCEALEEN"
AARON DID THE HONORS AND I GOT TO STAY INSIDE WITH AUSTIN. AT FIRST THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A GREAT IDEA. BUT I WANTED TO SLEEP OUT TOO. LINCOLN TRIED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER BY SAYING "HMMM, WELL MOM, YOU CAN'T CAUSE AWTIN IS TOO WIDDOL AND THE SKEETOS MIGHT EAT HIM. MAYBE TOMORROW WHEN HE IS BIGGER."









LINCOLN WAKING UP OUTSIDE. HE'S NOT REALLY A MORNING KIND OF KID











SARI IS!















OK FINALLY AWAKE!






SARI'S FIRST BABYSITTING JOB.
I ASKED HER TO KEEP AN EYE ON AUSTIN WHILE I WENT IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM FOR A BIT. WHEN I CAME BACK SHE HAD ARRANGED ALL HER BABIES TO WATCH A MOVIE. INCLUDING AUSTIN

LINCOLN'S FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL. HE WASN'T THRILLED AT THE IDEA. AS YOU CAN TELL.

LINCOLN FINALLY DECIDED IT WOULD BE OVER FASTER IF HE GAVE IN AND JUST "SMILED"













SARI VOLUNTEERED TO GO IF LINCOLN WOULDN'T. EVERY TIME WE GO TO PICK HIM UP SHE SAYS "MY TURN MOMMY"

WE TRIED AGAIN TO DO A PHOTO OP THE 2ND DAY. THIS PROVES HIS FIRST DAY MUST HAVE BEEN OK SINCE HE WAS EXCITED TO GO ON DAY 2! ALTHOUGH I SHOULD MENTION WHEN I PICKED HIM UP LATER THAT DAY HE HAD FALLEN OFF THE SLIDE AND BIT HIS TONGUE.

NOW HE HAS THE SAME SCAR ON HIS TONGUE AS I DO.

whoa! long time.

Wow has summer flown by. I keep thinking things like, "When summer gets here I'll be able to... and the list gets longer and longer as summer gets shorter and shorter. It has been about 2 months since I last sat down and put finger to keyboard and let you see what we have been up to.
So here goes...

We are all fine, happy, mostly healthy (except for the occasional cold or flu bug) and going crazy. The biggest news of the last 2-3 months I would have to say is that I have finally, successfully (yes I am knocking on the wooden desk as I type this) potty trained a 3 year old and a 2 year old. Wahoooooooo! I leap for joy every time I hear my little chitlins flush or holler from the bathroom that they have just did their duty. I begin to think that the twenty dollar bills I had to turn over to the cashier at "King's" in exchange for cheapo toys that were only cheap in the way they were made was probably worth it. Now I get to buy cheapo toys instead of diapers. But let me tell you I'd rather step on a toy in the middle of the night than a very used pull-up my child took off and hid so he didn't get in trouble for soiling it.

We were able to sneak in a trip to Driggs this year after all. We went up with Aaron's siblings and after fishing, 4 wheeling, and chasing kids, we came home exhausted. I did enjoy the trip but when we got home I paid for it. My lower back muscles fused for about a week. Nothing a few hundred dollars and 2-3 trips a week to the chiropractor couldn't fix. I'm good again.

I have also joined the ranks of the normal mother the past month as well. I had to let my nanny go. Not much has changed as far as the household chores. But I really miss the nanny part. I have been taking all 3 kids to work and it is tough to keep them happy and still get things done at the office. So if you know of anyone who might like a job 2-3 days a week let me know!

Lincoln has started pre-school and on Wed. he had his first day. I took him to his class and he saw toys and was fine. When I picked him up he was so excited to tell me all about his day. I loved it and the best part is that he did too. Today he had bit of a harder time. He fell off the slide and bit his tongue really hard. (Now he'll have a scar like his mama). He isn't too sure if he wants to go back. Hopefully that changes though.

I am still milking the goat for Austin. He is the fattest of my kids so far. I don't even mind having to do it since I figure I save about $225 per month by doing it. Wahoo for living on a farm.

Oh I do have a funny picture to paint for you but only if you keep in mind that I live on a farm and grew up on a farm and that I am for sure still learning at this mothering thing.
We had twin baby goats and I loved going out to milk their mama cause they would nibble on my pant legs or climb up on my back as I sat milking, and then bail off as if I was a huge mountain they had conquered. Well a stray dog that visits every summer for the past 3 years showed up right on schedule. But this year instead of the scrawny mangy mutt she usually is, she was fat and almost healthy looking. Now I know why she was so fat. That night she stole one of my baby goats. I was mad and kinda sad but we couldn't see her around so figured she had gone home. Well the next day she showed up a few miles down the road. I saw her out in the field and thought I should tell Aaron to "take care of her" but I got distracted.
When I came home 4 hours later I went to milk the goat. No more babies. I looked out to the field and saw it laying dead. Then I saw the da*n goat sprawled out next to it. I got so fired up I ran over and kicked that dog so hard Ii thought I broke my leg. I kept screaming at it as it took off. So then I called Aaron who came home and grabbed the 22. We hopped on the 4 wheeler and chased the cloud of dust being kicked up by the thief.
I was driving and Aaron was just trying to hold on for dear life. I am sure if you saw us you would have ran the other way. I'm glad no one saw me, the maniac, mad woman behind the handlebars of a 4 wheeler. My husband, clinging to a rifle with one hand and the rack of the 4 wheeler with the other as I hit 45 miles an hour on the rutted dirt road. I calmed down a bit when I noticed that we passed the irrigation ditch (about 3 miles from my house) and remembered that my kids were at home... alone... locked in the same room... together. "oh crap!" Embarrassment crept up over the anger as I called my mother-in-law to see if she would run down and sit with them as I calmed down enough to turn the 4 wheeler around. She said she would be right down. Thank goodness for wise mother-in-laws who are close by to save the day (the kids were fine by the way when she got there)
Aaron and I headed home after making sure that our animals would be safe in the future from a particular stray.
I guess the moral of this story other than to prove once again I am not a girly girl would be to show just how much my kids need a nanny at the house or at least a grandmother that is only seconds away. Thank you Susan for always being so willing to help out!

I'll post pictures of the past few months later. hopefully not too much later!

Mamma milk to formula to ....??

For some strange reason I cannot seem to keep my babies fed all on my own for more than 4-5 months. With my first baby I figured it was because I got pregnant when he was 4 months old. With my 2nd I thought it was because I had two kids 14months apart and a business to run. Well after my 3rd baby began to need more milk than I could provide I did a few assessments.

#1 Pregnancy test. Negative (whew!!)

#2 Stress test. Moderate but workable

#3 Health test. Healthy or as my Life insurance test said "Health Savvy"

#4 Reality test. I just can't produce past 4-5 months

So my next move was to buy the same formula I always have. Austin spit it all up. After 3 more brands at $22 dollars per can I decided to milk one of our weed eating goats that had just lost her baby a few days earlier.

Wah-la! No spit up. But problem not completely solved. This little goat only produces 4-5 oz each milking (about 4 milkings a day) So I still cannot feed my baby enough. My plight reached the ears of my grandparents who then offered to get a goat from my aunt in Twin.

Thank you, thank you! finally. my problem is solved. Austin is gaining weight rapidly (about 3 lbs in 3 weeks)

The only downside is that I have to milk the dang goat 2-3times a day but hey it is practically free! Just a little hay, a bag of grain, and some sore muscles in my hands. But my little guy is happy as a pig in mud, or healthy as a horse, or well you get the picture! I am a true blue country girl! And glad to be! So is my boy can't you tell from the pics?

Annual camping trip 2009

Ok so I have been so excited for our annual camping trip with my family in Driggs. We go every year and for the past few years it gets better and better. 2 years ago I had my first baby ( he was 5 1/2 months old) I went up with out Aaron and I stayed in my Grandparents camper with them. It was great.! I just hadn't told anyone I was expecting my 2nd baby yet. So the morning sickness was a bit hard to disguise. I did make it through and even enjoyed myself.

Lincoln July 2006 ( my Grandma has a pic just like this of my mom at the same age in a bowl just like this one getting a bath too)

The 2nd year I went we took up Aaron's parents Winnebago. It was so nice to have. The window air conditioner hanging out the front window and the cardboard diaper box stuffed in the side was a bit of a tell tell sign that I am truly a redneck. We had a nice air conditioned place to sleep and keep the bugs off our 1 yr old son and our 4 month old daughter.

My Grandpa, Aaron and my little boy Lincoln July 2007

Last year we took our new camper up and enjoyed the extra space and nicely air conditioned RV with an indoor toilet. The kids were thrilled to just watch movies the whole time but as we were camping we tried to keep that to a minimum.

Lincoln's first fishing lesson. We even caught a fish!

I was so excited to go this year. I had the camper all packed up and ready to go. Goat and all (yes that is another story for next post)

Well the plan was to leave Thursday afternoon. Linclon pushed back the date since he began to throw up Wednesday night. He seemed better Thursday morning so I continued to get ready to go then Sari threw up . All plans were off. After I got sick and passed out a few times I was glad I was not in Driggs camping with 2 sick kids. So even though I am really bummed about not being able to go I am glad I was sick at home, not sick and wanting to go home.

Too long

It has been a t least a month since I last updated and I have quite a few new pictures.

For mothers day I got a new grill. Since we use them so often and the last three have not lasted more than a year Aaron splurged and got me a really nice one.

For Memorial Day we had a nice little barbecue at the last minute. Funny how the last minute parties seem to turn out better than the ones you plan for a week ahead of time. It was so nice to have all our family and Friends over. We ate way too much food and chatted while the kids played with the sidewalk chalk. We were tracing the kids bodies on the driveway when Sari wanted to do mine. I asked Aaron to come and help her. After I stood up I wished I hadn't have asked him to. I would have been less shapely if Sari had done it. After a good laugh Aaron said he really was trying to give me a good shape and that he is just a poor artist. (yeah, I'd say)

The other day on a Sunday we were doing our usual thing (laying around) but the kids seems to be more restless than usual. It was raining outside so kicking them out the door wasn't an option. Aaron went and got out the little boat he purchased for our pond fishing expedition. The kids thought it was so cool to have it in my office. they played in it for hours that day and then for 3 days after before we took it for the real fishing trip.

We had a grand time taking the kids fishing. Although I don't know why I keep calling it that since I only cast about 4 times and Aaron about 3 times. We didn't even come close to even getting a bite but it was fun to take the kids out.

I woke up and was in the mood to have a clean house. So I put Austin down for a nap and sent Lincoln with Aaron. Sari and I had lots of work to get done and boy was She a good little helper!

She even seemed to like it. Funny how that fades with each year.