What a fun way to start off a Monday... Tyler has pink eye :(

OK~ so we all know I am a FREAK when it comes to my kids! Well this has NOT gotten better over time. So, when Grandma came to live with us I had to accept the fact that my kid’s bedrooms would have to be in the basement... Not my favorite thing! When they are below you, you can't hear them as well, and it is MUCH easier for some lunatic to break in... Plus we have an outside door to the basement, (just thought we could make it a little easier for who ever wanted to break in) so in my opinion these are all very good reasons to make me CRAZY!!! What can I say... I LOVED having my kids up stairs, every time their little feet would hit the floor I could hear it, if someone tried to break in they would have to scale a wall and then the second their feet would hit the floor I would be able to hear it. Another nice thing is I would be able to hear them and meet them at the top of the stairs if they were sick, scared, cold, or just plain lonely... but now down stairs?? NADA, NOTHING, NOT A SOUND!!! So, I tried to be brave and not to let this be a big deal when the whole “the kids rooms will be in the basement" talk happened. However I am me, so it is! I haven't mentioned a word about it to the kids, they think it is SO COOL to be in the basement and I don't need them freaking out too. RIGHT?

Any how I made Trav buy and install these window and door alarms. (They screech at like 120 des) I had him put them on all the windows and door so I could sleep. You see I am a VERY light sleeper and I was getting up like 50+ times a night (no lie) to check on them because I "HEARD" a noise. I KNOW CRAZY!

Well, this morning at like 4 ish I heard this LOUD crushing, glass breaking sound. In LESS than a heart beat I was down stairs telling the kids to come and have a sleep over on my floor :) they had no idea what time it was. I was trying not to sound completely freaked out, but I still had NO idea what it was. All I knew is if it was someone breaking into my house they were NOT going to get my kids... anything else (besides Trav and Grandma) they could have. When I got back up stairs Trav was just coming in from outside... see it WAS loud because Trav can and often does sleep through anything! He couldn't see anything or one out there. We went and checked on Grandma, and of course she heard nothing, and was still sleeping like a baby (lucky her) just then we saw some flashing lights and people running across the road... Someone had rolled their car, totally crushing the entire top of the car. And that is what the noise was. I really hope they are ok, we haven't heard.

But later that morning when Trav was telling Grandma about it; Tyler started laughing hysterically she looked at me and said “I am glad you are a good mom, and you love us enough to make sure we were safe. But... YOU ARE CRAZY!!!!!" All I can say is TRUE, TRUE! This is a fault of mine I will probably never get over…. Poor Trav and the kids!

5 things that I am thankful for today:

1. My Family... I love the sound of a happy household... singing, laughing, and enjoying each other. It is the best sound ever!
2. My electric blanket... it was cold this morning!
3. Meals on wheels... crazy afternoon with people in and out so, it was nice to have something for Grandma :)
4. Friends.. had a friend bring us chili and homemade rolls for dinner. Yummy!
5. Alone time with Trav... I LOVE bedtime, it means Trav and I can FINALLY catch up with each other! It is my very most favorite time of the day!

Took the kids to Liberty to see some of their old teachers and friends(they were more excited to go back and visit, then they were to go to Disney Land)
Oh, how we miss Ms. Bonnie, and her kids, and her husband, and cooking, and......

Brayden and his BFF Colby...

Brayden was a LITTLE upset Colby had gotten so tall!

Ha ha ha

As you can tell The Little Miss LOVES these two crazy's,
and they love her!

I don't think she will EVER have better teachers (Mrs. Frampton 1st, Miss Condit 2nd) then they were! Thanks guys!

Brayden and his 5th grade teacher
Mrs. Hamilton

And last but not least... The ONE and ONLY
Mr. Bradley (3rd and 4th grade teacher)

I don't think Brayden will ever look up to, love,and respect a teacher they way he does this guy!!
I am still trying to decide if that is a good or bad thing! Now he comes home and says "well (insert any teacher's name he has had this year) is NO Mr. Bradley that's for sure" and then I get to sit and listen to hundreds of reasons why they just don't measure up.... Gee, thanks

But, really I owe a LOT to ALL of these people (and many more) for their time, patients, love, example, friendship, and respect they have given to my kids.

We truly miss you ALL!!!!

The crazy coupon lady... who me??

Since my sweet husband is the only one that gets paid for working in this family.( I say i don't work and Trav always gets upset and tells me I work HARD, I just don't get paid in $$$ for it) I try to do what I can to help make it go further. Well, last week Smiths and Days ( it is like a Payson Market) had great ads, and with a few coupons I got all of this(not pictured is one more apple juice, loaf of bread and another box of life) for $20.38! I know can you believe it? It only took me 35 mins(aprox) and saved me TONS!!! Can't wait to go this week ...they are having another great ad
I got the heads up for these great deals through savvy shopper :)

Sometimes life gets CRAZY (under statement), and this has been one of those times. At the beginning of this CRAZY year I made a goal that I would be better about taking the time to document our life. Well, as life would have it, I have had one of the craziest beginnings to a year I have EVER experienced! So, translation... I have been a slacker!!! But, I am determined to get back on track.

Taking care of a 90 + year old has proven to be MUCH harder than taking care of a new born. I am not complaining, I LOVE Grandma, but it has been a HUGE adjustment on our little family. I think I may have taken my nice little scheduled life for granted, but fear NOT we have a new not so exact schedule down. I have just given up the idea of ever going to bed before midnight, or sleeping ALL night again :) Other than that we are good to go!

I recently heard this friendly reminder..."You will have significant experiences. I hope that you will write them down and keep a record of them, that you will read them from time to time and refresh your memory of those meaningful and significant things. Some of them may be funny. Some may be significant only to you. Some of them may be sacred and quietly beautiful. Some may build one upon another until they represent a lifetime of special experience." Gordon B. Hinckley, 2006
So, I hope you will be hearing from me often (I have set a goal of 3 times a week)Who knows you might even get sick of me.
I know the kids (well mostly Tyler) love to sit at the computer and peruse the blog; they get such a kick out of going over the things we have done... I love to hear them laugh, tease and just enjoy themselves. I hope I NEVER (again) get to busy or lazy to jot down all the things (big, small, happy, sad, good and bad) that make up our life!

Wish me luck :)

Cali 2010

I tried to put these up one at a time, but it was too big of a pain! So, I decided to just do a slide show instead.

The girls did a really good job clogging; and we had so much fun in all the parks and at the beach. It was fun to have Keri with us and hang out with my family (I consider the Laforett's as part of my family)

I LOVE getting to see and hold all the new babies , and this year we have had a few! The only bummer( that is how Tyler put it) was Aunt Shel wasn’t there, but her husband and some of his family came to watch Tyler dance. We had a good time, but are glad to be home!

Thanks to everyone who came to watch Tyler dance...
I have the best family EVER!!!!