BYTHEWAY.... I MET SOMEONE FAMOUS!!!

I was able to go to TIMEOUT for WOMEN this past weekend.  With a great hook-up from my friend Patricia... I was able to volunteer and work there as well!  Because of that... I got to 'chat and hang out' with.... (drum roll please...)

• JOHN BYTHEWAY
• BRAD WILCOX
• ARDETH KAPP

Our family LOVES John Bytheway.. we listen to all of his CD's!  He was great to listen to and fun to meet!!

 Bytheway... I touched his back!!!  Crazy!!  Aside from a small episode of STALKING the presenters a little.... I tried to follow them to their hotel... would have been successful too... but Patricia thought better of it!!  It was so much fun to be a groupie!! Anyway- the entire weekend was INCREDIBLE and a much needed refill in my bucket!  My favorite presenter was Kris Belcher... check out her blog at http://www.hardtimesandholyplaces.blogspot.com/  She is an absolute RIOT!! She had me laughing so hard... she has an amazing story and a remarkable ability to find humor in her very difficult challenges!!  I loved the group MERCY RIVER!  They have beautiful voices and great messages to their songs.  I also met a lady named Jill Manning who is making great strides in the fight against pornography.  She challenged all of us to take this pledge  http://deseretbook.com/familypledge - Which, will help prevent and confront the issue of pornography in its many destroying forms, and hopefully prevent it from entering our homes and lives.  We are all taking the pledge tonight for FHE!!  Anyway... what a great way to spend a weekend!! 



Dear Las Vegas Summer...

Goodbye endless days of 100 degrees....Goodbye 90 degree pool water.... Goodbye beautiful brown skin...Goodbye tons of $$'s and hours spent slapping on sunscreen.... Goodbye high A/C bills...and HELLO COOLER TEMPERATURES!! We are so glad you finally came to visit!!  We will enjoy your presence during our mild and wonderful winter!!! We won't miss the past six months of constant SWEATING... but we will miss the many fun hours spent in the pool!! See you in SIX months!!



#2's Latest Business Adventure!!!

Haven't you always wanted a DUCT TAPE WALLET??

They are...

• STYLISH
• VERSATILE
• WATERPROOF
• DURABLE
• ECONOMICAL
• NOW AVAILABLE WITH A CLEAR ID SLOT

You can get yours for the introductory LOW PRICE of $4.00!!!

Act now and you will receive a FREE coin slot in the back!!

Call 1-800-CraftyKid to get yours TODAY!!!

Shane has FOUR new FRIENDS!!

EEEWWWW!!!

He acquired these fine little additions while pushing the trash down in the garbage can....

 his pinkie collided with a #10 can-lid that was hiding under a popcorn bag!! OUCH!!! Right down to the bone!!! He is LOVING the sympathy shown to him by his family.  He appreciates your thoughts and prayers in his time of need!! 

Bubbee's First Soccer Game

He has been so excited to play soccer... after all of these years of watching his brothers and sister play!!  He was playing goalie in this picture... still has a bit to learn about that position.  He was super funny to watch.  Kids at this age are hilarious when it is their first experience!!  He ran full out- head down toward the ball- not really watching where he was going.  He would bee line it to a spot and by the time he got there - the ball had moved on!  He would also get so excited to kick the ball that when he got close to it - he would jump all around and if he did make contact, there was a great celebration!  He gets an A+ for EFFORT AND ENGERY!!  We spent the rest of our 100 degree day watching the older boys play football!!  Can you believe it is still that hot here???? It just seems wrong!!!

 Concentrating on the game.....

 All ready to play!!!

 Watching the action in the shade!!!

 Little Sister Rooting him on!!!

 Team huddle during half time!

Overall.... a GREAT FIRST GAME!!!

Another FINE camping experience!!

I had to speak in sacrament meeting this past Sunday!  Fun Stuff...I shared this story of our recent ADVENTURE!!! One more to add to the list of GREAT CAMPING EXPERIENCES!!! My talk was on Christlike Virtues!! Of which... I have very little when it comes to camping.... ENJOY!!!
Over labor day weekend, we decided to take our kids camping. We tried to get reservations a couple of weeks in advance, but missed our opportunity, everything was already reserved.  So, in our attempt to try to have a fun family weekend, we decided to camp at Mt. Charleston, where the campsites are first come, first serve.  I don’t especially enjoy packing up our small family to go on any overnight adventure.   I think I could accurately say that I HATE it!!  Camping proves to be even more despicable to me because of the endless amount of stuff and supplies that are necessary to pull it off.  On Friday, Packing Day, I think I misplaced my Christlike virtues of patience and kindess somewhere between gathering the tons and tons of supplies and loading the tons and tons of supplies, five children, and the dog into the car.  The kids and I decided to head up the mountain before Shane got home from work just to ensure that we weren’t doing all of this work for nothing and that we could secure a spot.  We found a site that would do and started unloading and setting up the tent.  We had just purchased a new tent and were excited to try it out.  However, have you ever tried to set up a tent with 5 kids, a dog  and an impatient Mother?  It isn’t an easy task.  Between the two year old running back and forth playing chase across the top of our new tent,  trying not to get caught, the siblings trying to work ‘together’- deciphering the instructions ...and me, trying to keep our squabbles quiet enough so that the neighboring campers couldn’t hear us--- It wasn’t a pretty picture!!  Needless to say, we ended up locking the screaming two year old in the car in her carseat..had a five year old in tears because he wasn’t big enough help... and overall succeeded in having a pretty miserable experience.  Shane was due to arrive shortly after us, but was delayed because at the gas station, while looking for firewood, his car was hit by a lady who backed into him.  In spite of this, he arrived happy and excited to have a fun weekend.  Moods improved and things were looking up as we ate our tin foil dinners by the fire.  A little while after it got dark, our little two year old tripped and fell and cut her chin open.  What looked to be a cut that would for sure need stitches, later turned out to be questionable enough “wait and see’.  Shortly after that  -our new neighbors arrived!!  They had brought a bunch of pallets to make a large bonfire in the fire pit, lots of alchohol and lots of friends.  They were getting to work setting up camp as we were ready to go to bed for the night.  We were all tired and had a hurt little girl that needed to go to sleep.  Then, at about 10:45, long after quiet time,  they decided to turn on some loud and explicit music to accompany their already loud and vulgar language.  We layed there for about a half hour waiting to see if they would turn it down or off, when they didn’t, Shane went over and asked them to turn it down.  They complied with the music, but continued to carry on until about 2:00 in the morning.  Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep.  IOur brand new air mattress went FLAT too!!! As our kids began to wake up with the sun at 5:00 am- I lay there thinking about all of the things I could do to our special neighbors... accidentally set off my car alarm, blast country music all over the campsite, encourage my son to shoot his BB gun... and on and on.  I refrained, but got up tired and irritated.  Now, this is the point to my whole story.... After we made a dutch oven breakfast Shane decided that he would go and share the leftovers with our friendly nieghbors!  I couldn’t believe it!!  Here I was thinking of revenge and he decided to be Christlike and share!!  Well, that turned me around very fast!  Not only had his car been the one to get hit, he had to listen to me complain all night, had to get up and ask them to turn down the music and was still happily awake at 5:00am.   I told him right then and there that he had earned a place in my talk today!! I think next time... I should stay home!!

There it is~!!  Little cutie and her big red chin!!!

What's Been Happenin!!

Summer just flew by and now its over!! We had a great summer this year! Here is #4 with his buddy playing like they are motorcycle riders!!

Here is #2 with his new obession-- his BB Gun-- Well, any gun for that matter!!

We celebrated my birthday with a YUMMY German Chocolate Cake from Senor Vons.

(aka Vons Grocery Store Bakery)

Here is a shot of our Dog Oliver trapped in the back of the car, trying to jump over the seat!! We thought it was pretty funny!! Looks kindof wicked now.. but it was funny at the time!!

Our #3 with her friends little sister!! She loves babies already!!

 

#3 on her first day of school!!! Excited as always!!

#4 on his first day of Kindergarden!! He was excited, but a little nervous!!