I thought 35 was the new 25!!

So, although I'm not yet "approaching" 35 (I've got well above 5 months to go...), I thought I'd post my frustrations about my age. I remember after my first baby was born, I lost those whopping 25 extra pounds in about 6 hours (give or take a few minutes.) Fast forward to child number six, 20 months old already, and I'm still struggling to lose that last 10 lbs! It used to be that if I sacrificed an only ate the HALF dozen donuts, the weight would drop off. Now I'm subsisting on water and celery and gaining weight every time I pass the candy bar aisle at the grocery store. So, thanks to my friend who posted this comic...it made my day.

Timothy

I love how this kid gets into the car. It's like a Herculean effort just to open the door. I wish they could stay this little forever.

School!

AT LAST! My kids were so anxious to start school and the day finally came! We had been ready for school to start for weeks, since most of the kids in the neighborhood started school two weeks earlier. We did make a last-minute stop off to buy shoes with Auntie Tiffany...who makes EVERY shopping trip fun!

We got some caramel apples for the teachers, woke up late (!) and sent them off!


Things are so QUIET during the day with all four of them in for a full day! I miss thier running, chasing, teasing, chaos,....um, wait. I miss THEM. Not that other stuff. ;)

Dad's in a Jam...Raspberry.

Last week I dropped in at my parents' home, and Dad was in the kitchen, proudly hovering over his latest creation: his own self-bottled freezer jam. He went to the store, bought bottles, something like 10 packages of pectin (a little much, Dad!), and went to town. In just a few hours, he had raspberry jam to last a season, and a sense of accomplishment to match. Way to go, Dad!

Birthday Celebrations

For Ashley's birthday, we took the kids up to Park City to ride the Alpine Slide. It was such fun! Ashley zips down first...

followed closely by Nattles

and Andrew....

For the first round, Matthew rode with John, but then for the second ride, he was supposed to go with me. He was so mad, and probably couldn't quite understand WHY he had to go with me, so he said he would rather just sit and cry, and MISS riding with me because he couldn't go with John...and somebody called it the terrible TWOs. I think it's the frustrating FIVEs. :) I'd rather just sit here and cry...

Mom came along to sit with me and tend Bethany while we awaited our turn down the slide. Mom's a speedster down that mountain!Riding on the lift up the mountain with TimothyThat night we opened presents...and of course I forgot my camera, but thankfully Auntie Amy had hers handy! While we wait for pictures, we'll just post the "present!" We gave Ashley a certificate for horseback riding with us up the canyons at Snowbird Ski Resort. She was in HEAVEN! It was the perfect activity in the perfect venue. We had a great time!

Riding the Snowbird tram to the lookout point. What a view! On top of the world...
Helmets on for a rocky ride down the canyon in a little 4-wheeler
We passed a tree that had been struck by lightning
Ashley on "Captain Morgan." Check out those horse's blue eyes!
John on "Malone."

Here I am on "Easy Money."
Malone had one speed....slow and steady...and WAY behind. We rode for about an hour in the BEAUTIFUL back-country of Snowbird and loved every minute. The horses were so mild, and even trotted a bit from time to time. What a fun birthday present for ALL of us! Thanks again, John, for a fun day out with our not-so-little girl.

...and before you know it...

Your baby's ELEVEN! Happy Happy Happy Birthday Ashley. Eleven reasons why I LOVE this girl:

1) She is so responsible! She has started babysitting, and after her first job, the mom called me to thank me...not only for being a great babysitter and playing with the kids, but for feeding them and CLEANING up her kitchen. Way to go Ashley!

2) Her smile. Who can't love that face of hers. She is such a sparkler and flashes those pearly whites often

3) Her sense of humor. She is always telling jokes and making us laugh. She has a very witty comment or remark often, and keeps us in stitches

4)Her amazing artistic ability. From a very young age, Ashley showed her special ability to draw and create pictures! We LOVE it when she draws. She is constantly working on her art, trying to improve her talent. One of our favorite things is when she combines her artistic talent with her witty sense of humor with her original comic strips. Here's one she drew after she learned how to play badminton up at Aspen Grove:
(the caption reads: "Tim, maybe we should stop playing since you can't leave the birdie alone.")

5) Her ability to "sense" a situation and act accordingly. I can't tell you how often I'll be feeling a little overwhelmed, and without being asked, Ashley will dive in and start doing something to help me: dishes, vacuuming, etc. What a doll.

6) Her ability to entertain other children. Ashley is the "head" of so much of the play that happens at our house. She is giving somebody a "horsie" ride on her back or building huts, or playing some sort of game, or helping someone build something. Her imagination is endless!

7) She is turning into such a lady. She is starting to mature so much and has just started to get into those little "girly" things...but not too quickly! She's the perfect balance between childhood and pre-teen. Perfect! I might add that she is also an adventurer. She will try new things without worrying. She loves green marinated olives, Brie cheese, and tried pheasant for the first time this summer. She LOVES it when I buy her those strange and unusual fruits and veggies at the grocery store (that right now I can't even name because they're so unusual!)

8) She is grateful. Whenever we do something for her, even the littlest thing, she is always gracious and thanks us...sincerely. She truly appreciates everything we do for her, from buying her new socks to making meals. She is just appreciative.

9) She is smart! She gets great grades, and although may need to work a little harder at some things, sticks to it and hangs in there until she gets it done. She takes pride in her own work and doesn't have to be pushed by us to do well. She just wants that for herself.

10) Ashley is unassuming. When we go to the store, she NEVER asks for things. If another child asks for a candy bar or something, I'll see her nudge them and quietly tell them, "Don't ask. That's not nice." I LOVE that! I guess it sort-of goes back to the "appreciative" thing. She doesn't expect anything.

11) She is mine. What a blessing in my life to have this first child, and such a gem. She is truly a rare and wonderful gift to our family. She is a leader in our home and such a great teacher to her little brothers and sisters. We couldn't feel more blessed to have her in our lives.

Love you Ashley!!!

Aspen Grove Family Camp

Every so often, we are invited to go to BYU's Alumni Aspen Grove. This time, it was for their family camp. We just LOVE this place. It it this little "resort" tucked up Provo Canyon above Sundance. During the day, the kids get to play with supervised groups of kids their own ages while the adults attend classes (or really just do whatever they want!)

They have a great cafeteria with good food, and a buffet where the kids can easily serve themselves.

There is Basketball, Badminton, volleyball, two extensive playgrounds, an old-fashioned cowboy town, tramplines, rock climbing, a ropes course, trout fishing, entertainment, every board game you can imagine, swimming, a family dance, ping pong and billiards, air hockey, arts and crafts center...the list goes on and on. You could spend all your time doing something new each day. And the best part? No television. The perfect getaway.

Eating lunchAshley with her fish (these fish are very well-fed creatures, as the pond is fed from a running stream, so the fishing is not for the weak-hearted! Most fishermen leave empty-handed, but Ashley was so lucky to catch a fish early on!)Ashley tries rappelling Natalie, Timothy, and Daddy playing CandylandBethany tries her hand at badmintonMatthew at the pool

We had such a great time. Thanks again, Aspen Grove!