Crocodile Clouds

Mary Poppins

2010-03-15T20:59:00.000-07:00

My mom bought tickets to the Broadway show Mary Poppins for me and the boys for Christmas. We finally got to go on Sat. Feb. 27th. It was soooo good! I knew Noah would love it because he was the one who bugged and bugged me and my mom to buy tickets, but I was a little worried about Owen having the attention span to sit through it. He was a little wiggly but at the end of the show he declared " I will never forget this day my whole life!" It was such a fun and special day. Thanks Mom!

Journaling Jan. 21st

2010-01-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

Today a lot of my family is fasting and praying for Jonathan's cousin Ryan who is receiving a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed with Leukemia for a 3rd time. I can hardly get him out of my thoughts as I wish for the transplant to be successful and for him to go on living a more healthy life.

This morning Jonathan went up to snowbowl to get in one run before he went to work. He decided to go out of bounds to cut a fresh track and enjoy the fresh powder. The snow was so deep he couldn't traverse back into bounds so spent the next four hours hiking down to snowbowl road in waist deep snow. Other than not making it to work I think he kind of enjoyed himself. He said it was kind of an adventure and that he had a nice prayer for Ryan.

School has been out all week for MLK day and also from snow days. We have been able to get in an outing in each day but today have decided to just bunker down and stay home. It hasn't been too bad but I have to admit I am starting to go a little stir crazy! Tomorrow we will have to plan something to get us out. Honestly, I think the boys have an easier time being home all day than I do.

Preparing

2010-01-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

We have heavy snow in the forecast all week so I am mentally and temporaly preparing to be snowed in with my four boys home. I have to make sure I have groceries, gas in the car, movies from the library.

Things I want to do with them this week: read, practice piano, play at the gym, shovel snow, bake, make it to hockey practice, write letters to family, potty train.

I'm hoping doing all of those activities is as fun as it sounds written down. It can get a little crazy when they are all home for extended periods of time. The key is to keep them busy!

First week in a new year.

2010-01-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

I feel so good about this new year. It's not only a new year but the start of a new decade! As I reflect on this last year I realize it was a difficult one for me. Jonathan and I were uncertain for a big part of the year if we would be able to build our home; All the while living at Jonathan's parents home and welcoming a new baby into our family. It seems when things have been temporally hard for me they are also spiritually hard. I wish this wasn't the case but it is something I need to work on.
When I think back on the last tens years there are no regrets. Jonathan and I were married, have lived in Hawaii, Oregon, Arizona. We have bought and sold two homes and designed the home we plan to raise our family in. We have had four beautiful children, and have said goodbye to some dear family and friends. We have had successes and also failures and through it all have grown in wisdom and maturity.
My hopes for this year are to get my life in order again. I want to be more consistent with my prayers and scripture study. I also want to get some dates on the calender scheduled for the Temple. I want to improve my fitness level and expand my knowledge of Yoga. With me being a few months away from weaning Oliver I will be a lot more energetic and able to play with my boys more. I am looking forward to that.
As for this next decade I hope to be done with birthing children and settle into growing with them. I would like to improve on my talents and assist my family on recognizing theirs and nurturing them. Most of all I hope to be alive and healthy. Life is precious and I want to be blessed to experience all of it, the joys, pains, trials and miracles.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T20:05:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Our family is still up in Utah wrapping up our vacation at Jonathan's folks place in Eden. I love this valley. Pine view Reservoir freezes over in the winter and Jonathan and I took Noah and Owen out for a snow mobile ride today after church. Besides Jonathan flipping us over once we had a great time! It was beautiful.

This has been another wonderful Christmas with memorable visits with my mom, my sister and her family, Jonathan's parents and brother Aaron and his family, and a surprise visit from Jonathan's cousin Kelly and her family. I cherish the quality time I spend with different parts of our family and the opportunity to create good memories.

I am so grateful for this time of year, the giving and receiving spirit I feel, and also the sense of renewal I have as I approach the new year with new intentions, goals, and hopes. I love reflecting on Christs birth, his life and teachings, and also the role he plays in my life and that of my family's.

2009-11-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

It has been quite the week. Owen has been home sick with the flu. I came down with the shingles, I have piles of laundry and my dryer has just broke. I am seriously close to a break down! And let me tell you there is no sympathy coming from my husband. Let me ask you this..... Who takes care of you when your not well?
You know I feel better already by venting to my computer. I just can't wait for me and my family to be well again. I don't have the best coping skills when it comes to being sick. Honestly maybe I shouldn't be mad at my husband for being unsympathetic. I am kind of a witch when I don't feel good.

On a happier note. Halloween has come and gone and besides Owen getting sick on Halloween day we had some fun! Pumpkin carving and cookie baking were a few of our holiday activities. Here is a picture of my kids after Saturdays festivities. They were pretty worn out.

Spotted Frog, Pea Pod, Einstein, and Mr. Bones

Fall colors in Telluride

2009-10-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

Cute little Ollie.

Pretty colors. I love when the aspen leaves cover the trails.

Nice view of Telluride.

The boys always find a good rock to climb. There were a lot on this hike.

We just got back from a trip to Telluride with our good friends Tia and Tim and their kids. We stayed in a really nice hotel called Capella. It was something we never would have put out the money for but we got a family discount which made it possible. It was fun but I think next time we will have to do a couples trip. Not that I don't like traveling with my kids because I do, but some places make you want to be alone with your husband and Telluride is one of them.

Unfortunately I only took pictures the last day we were there. We stayed a little longer than our friends and went on a hike up to the waterfall and ate lunch in town.

Thanks Tia!

End of summer road trips.

2009-08-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

When the last week of our kids Summer Vacation approached we started to feel a little guilty for not taking any trips out of state, so we planned a last minute trip to Colorado. We decided to do an ambitious loop starting in Durango, going up into Ouray, then over to Telluride, and finally back home to Flagstaff. We did this all over a four day weekend. It was a little rushed but packed full of fun and adventure, and oh my gosh mountains!

This was at the bottom of Box Canyon is Ouray.

Looking up at the bridge that crosses the Canyon.

Looking down at Box Canyon from the bridge. Kinda scary.

There we are. On the bridge, with the wind blowing!

Back at our hotel in Ouray. We stayed at the Best Western. They have their own hot spring that warms the pool. It was sooooo nice!

Family Bike ride.

I love that our kids are getting old enough to do small rides. We just started doing family rides this summer.

LAKE POWELL

Next Weekend.....

So we barely got back into town when our good friends Jamie and Elisha let us know they would be at Powell the upcoming weekend. They live in Idaho so there wasn't even a question whether we were going or not. I didn't even get done packing from our Colorado trip before I had to get ready for our Powell trip. It was a bit windy but still a lot of fun.

Four out of the nine children that were there.

We woke up to ducks at our camp.

Noah doing a little cliff diving.

This was a slide our camping neighbors set up. They were great. We played on this slide for a good hour the next day.

I purposely had a mellow summer but it was fun to go out with a bang.

July Wedding, Family, Fun!

2009-08-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

July was a crazy, FUN, ParTy PacKed month. My baby sis got married to a guy we all adore and tons of family came into town to join in on the festivities. I had so much fun catching up with family we haven't seen in awhile and it was great getting to know my newly inherited family!

The waiting groom.

They did a traditional Native American hand tying ceremony.

Jonathan's sisters family and his Grandma and Uncle Ben.

Me, Amy and the kids at the Grand Canyon.

Ethan and Noah

Ember and Owen

Tanner and Sophie

Oliver's Baby Blessing

2009-07-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

Our family ready for the big day.

Oliver Van Allen,
Some of the things your Dad blessed you with.....
To be strong mentally and physically, seek truth in life, courage to stand for what is right, passion to understand the world around you and for learning, speak your mind sincerly, be a good example, humble, stay close to church, priesthood holder and enter the Temple,
be a good brother,
a good husband,
and a good father....

What a lucky boy.

Chile Cookoff

2009-07-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about my husband is his amazing cooking skills. He is always tantalizing my taste buds! His skills were put to the test at this years anual Chile Cookoff.

He was a bit dissapointed when his green chile he entered did not place, but his red chile won the peoples choice award. We had a lot of fun tasting all of the different chile and rooting Jonathan on. Big thanks to Josh who came and helped Jonathan cook and serve Chile to the crowd. He would have been lost without him.

Fossil Creek- Trip 1 & 2

2009-06-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

The crystal clear water of Fossil Creek.

Owen and Tanner warming up on the rocks.

Jonathan and Tanner soaking in the Verde Hot Springs.

Our Family has recently gone camping at Fossil Creek for the second time this year. It is an amazing Oasis that I have just discovered. It is not the place you go for total seclusion but it reminds me a lot of Havasupai falls, without the strenuous 10 mile hike and the pain of attaining a permit.

Jonathan's sister is visiting from Maui in July and we are planning on doing the three mile hike down to Fossil Springs. I have read the falls can rival the beauty of some of the Hawaii water falls but I will have to judge for myself.

Since Jonathan and I have been on a tighter budget the last year we have been doing family vacations in parts of Arizona we haven't discovered yet. It has been a lot of fun and has made me grow a stronger appreciation of the beauty and vastness of our state.

Baby Oliver has arrived!

2009-04-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

Up close - Oliver Van Allen

(Another big, healthy Allen Boy)

Dad and Noah dressing Ollie for the first time.

Noah, Owen and Tanner greeting their new brother.

I am so happy Oliver is here and healthy and that I made it through another home birth. I couldn't have been more blessed. Hard labor was only three hours and he came nine days early. Good thing because he weighed 8lbs 14 oz. He was born at 6:20 am so the boys were able to wake up to the suprise that their baby brother was born. It was special having them their to see their brother so soon after the delivery.

It has been a nice and easy week for me. I have been able to enjoy Oliver and not worry about taking care of the kids and the house with my mother-in-law staying here with us. So many other friends and family have offered support with the kids and meals. I feel blessed to be surrounded by such a supportive community.

Pregnant and Strong

2009-04-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have three more weeks of pregnancy left and I can't help feel grateful for how good it's gone. Tanner's pregnancy was tough so with this one I put nutrition and fitness on my priority list. Here are some shots of me in Bikram Yoga poses. I have been doing two classes a week throughout this pregnancy.

Boulder City

2009-02-23T08:58:00.001-08:00

Jonathan towards the end of his down hill course.

The boys had a blast hanging out at Bootleg Mountain where the race was held. They had tons of bridges and jumps and teeter totters built that made a fun playground for the boys to play on. Tanners favorite thing to do was slide down the steep washes on his bottom.

Valentines day was spent in Boulder City, NV for a down hill bike race Jonathan entered. It was fun to get away for the long weekend and the weather was gorgeous! We mostly hung out at the Mountain and watched the racers and enjoyed the weather, but we did manage to spend half a day in Vegas at the Children's Museum.

As I am approaching my last nine weeks of pregnancy it is these little changes in my schedule that keep me going. I think April 27th will approach fast with spring break coming up and Tanners birthday. I am looking forward to some of the events that are approaching but I can't wait for that baby to come!

No Dessert!

2009-02-10T07:33:00.000-08:00

No sweets, no sweets, NO SWEETS! That is my mantra lately. Last week I officially hit my twenty eighth week in my pregnancy. That is when my midwives said I could cut down on the simple carbohydrates that I eat. If I do I could possibly lower the birth weight of my baby. It may not be much weight but after having a 9 lbs. baby, I am willing to stay a little more disciplined.

I have to say I did really good with my diet in the beginning of my pregnancy. I knew I would want to be disciplined in the end so I started early so I wouldn't have to change my eating habits drastically at 28 weeks; But then the holidays hit and I couldn't resist the cookies, pies, toffee that were thrown my way. It was yummy but left me with a slight sugar addiction! I am finally starting to kick it and it does feel good. Whether you are pregnant or not your body and mind and spirit thank you when you feed yourself healthy nutritious food.

One Of The Best!

2009-01-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

This holiday season was so great! I think it was a combination of my low stress approach, and the wonderful friends and family that surrounded me. First of all, I enjoyed the break from the rigid schedule me and my kids are on. There were definitely some crazy moments with all three home, but we made the most of it and played as hard as we could. We did a lot of simple things like visiting Santa, making gingerbread houses, delivering salsa and tamales, and going to the movies. Some of our more high adventure activities included sledding, a day of snowboarding, riding quads and motorcycles in Cottonwood, and a trip to Tucson, AZ where we went to the Kartchner Caverns (very cool)!

I have to say the highlight of Christmas break was spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at my moms with close family and friends. Everyone radiated a grateful and happy spirit. It was the first time in a long time that our family just didn't feel like family, but we felt united and happy! It's how Christmas should feel. I hope there are many more blessed Christmas's to come.

Baby Updates

2008-12-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

My sister Morgan had her baby on December 2nd! She unfortunately had to have a Cesarean because he was breached. Everything went great though. He weighed 7lbs. 3ounces, and is just the cutest little thing you ever saw. C-section baby's come out looking so perfect.

I am so happy for her and Johnny. The three of them are doing a good job of bonding. Johnny has taken two weeks of work off to be with Morgan and John Elliott. He has transitioned into fatherhood with ease. It is great to see him jump right in and help with baths, diaper changing and even feedings. I am tremendously proud of both of them.

As for my baby news, we found out we were having our fourth son a few days before Thanksgiving. We were all hoping for a little girl but got over our disappointment quickly and are excited to have another healthy, beautiful boy in our family. Growing up with all girls I felt a lot of comradery and I am sure my boys will feel the same. It should be a blast for them growing up and creating crazy memories together. I'm sure they will leave behind a legacy of Allen boy stories and adventures....

Hair- Continued

2008-11-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it. I more than did it! I not only cut my hair but dyed it brown and got bangs. This hair cut is the total opposite of what I had before, which was long and blond.

I love it! It's everything that I wanted. I wanted to look more mature but still have fun, flirty hair. I knew I wanted to go short but I did not want the angled bob that is so popular right now. I found this cut that looked very euro. It looked great on the model but I was not so sure how it would look on me. Jonathan and my stylist talked me into going dark which I am so glad I did. You know you have a good cut when you forget what you looked like before you had the haircut. I think it will take everyone else a bit longer to get used to though.

Hair

2008-11-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

I'm cutting my hair. Just sick of it. I need a change. I'll post before and after pictures later.
Peace out.

Am I a Redneck?

2008-11-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm not a total Redneck, but I have discovered that Hunting is fun! Jonathan put me in this year for an elk tag and we both got drawn. I knew that I love the meat; it's lean, organic, and it feels good to know that it is local. Luckily the weekend of our hunt the weather was gorgeous, which in October you never know. The kids stayed over night at my moms so Jonathan and I had an entire night and an early morning to see if we could get anything. I have to tell you that I was a little cocky about getting something. The last few hunts that Jonathan went on turned out to be unfruitful, so I thought that I would go out and get the job done. When the time came to actually hunt, my confidence started to dwindle. The reality of actually having to shoot something and worst yet, gut an animal bigger than myself was frightening! Luckily, we never got close enough to shoot anything, but I liked the excitement of the actual hunt, the fresh air, hiking up all of the hills, and being out so early to see the sun rise.
Jonathan later was able to get an elk with a few of his buddies, so our freezer is full of elk chorizo, Italian sausage, ground elk and a variety of steaks and roasts. So far we have only tried the chorizo and it is yummy!

I'm Back

2008-10-22T12:19:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it has been three months since I have created a post. It feels good to be writing again. So much has happened in the last three months, but the one thing that has kept me away from my blog has been my pregnancy sickness. It has been physically but mostly emotionally hard for me to have to slow down. I had a great summer with the boy's, my friends and my extended family. I started to feel that I was growing and progressing as an individual. I got myself in great shape, I was taking new strides as a yoga teacher, I was on top of my matronly duties, so I had extra time to do things that I love, like reading, blogging, and extra house projects. It has been so hard to accomplish half of what I use to. I am already sick of sleeping and eating. I feel as though I have the sleeping and eating needs of a three year old. Even with all of the sacrifice of pregnancy, I am happy and excited to welcome a new child into our family. There has been no doubt in my mind that I wanted a fourth child. I do have to admit that I am hoping and praying for a girl. I feel as though it would be a miracle if I had one! I am expecting another boy and I will be more than OK if that is the fate of my family. It will be fun for my kids to grow up with all boy's. I know I had a blast being one of three girls!

There is too much for me to catch up on but I did want to post some snapshots of a few of the events that have happened in the last three months.....

Me and My Auntie Barbara and Ninah at the beginning of our race. I ended up finishing under four hours, which was my goal!

The sale of our house closed on Sept. 1st!

Morgan and Johnny at their baby shower I threw for them.

We got a membership at the new Flagstaff City Aquaplex

Enjoying the fall colors of the Aspen Tree's at Locket Meadow

2008-07-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

A lot of great things have happened in the last couple of weeks. We had two very special people in town visit with our family, Noah celebrated his sixth birthday party, and we sold our house!
As always I know my life is not going to slow down, but in fact it is going to rapidly speed up. I have a lot of packing to do and a big garage sale to organize, my Imogene race is approaching, I have to re-memorize my Bikram Yoga dialogue for the re certification coming up, and Jonathan and I are going to start trying to get pregnant with our fourth child this fall. Before I get wrapped up in all of the above future events I want to make sure I record the wonderful visit our family had with my Great Uncle John.

Uncle John

Both of my Moms parents died tragically young. Although my mom does not talk about it often I know that it has been hard on her and her siblings. My sisters and I naturally felt the pain of my moms past and we sometimes think about how much joy our Grandparents would have brought into our life, had we have known them. We have recently been blessed by the interest my Grandpa Franks brother has taken in our life. My Great Uncle John got back in contact with my mother about three years ago after the passing of my sister Katie. He has since been out to visit us twice. Both times were equally enjoyable for him and My family. The visit we just shared was amazing and I will always be grateful for the memories we created.
I volunteered to pick John up from the airport. My sister Morgan and my boys came along and we planned a day out of our trip to Phoenix. After John arrived we went out to lunch at the Macaroni Grill and immediately John and My youngest son Tanner hit it off. They started throwing a crayon back and forth at each other across the table. Normally I wouldn't allow this type of behavior at a restaurant but I just couldn't say anything after seeing the big smile on both of their faces. Well that activity came to a halt after Tanner managed to throw his crayon into the plate of dipping oil and splatter it all over Uncle Johns face and shirt. It didn't seem to bother John, only tickle him more. We finished off the day with a trip to the LDS visitor center to view the traveling photography exhibit, and then spent dinner in Cottonwood with Annie, who is a long time family friend and who knew my Grandpa Frank and also my Great Uncle John. It was a lovely day and we were all pooped by the end and had to spend the following day just relaxing and visiting.
Between My mom, myself, and my uncle David, we all planned a day with John. On me and Jonathan's day we decided to take him out to Lake Mary. I'm not sure if most people would have taken an 80+ year old man out on a boat, but we did and I know he enjoyed the adventure and the show we put on for him. He got to see Noah knee board, all three of the kids go on an inter tube ride, and me and Jonathan wake board. After we were done boating and were enjoying some watermelon under the Ramada he looked at me and said, " You know Josie, you did real good out there. I know it's genetic because your Grandpa Frank was a daredevil himself. He never had any fear and as you know he was a real good fighter pilot." I loved hearing this. I have always been drawn to high adrenaline sports, and no one else in my family ever was. After hearing this I know that my Grandpa Frank and I would have gotten along.
I could go on and on about our visit but those are the highlights that stick out in my mind. I am so grateful for my Great Uncle John and for the love and interest he has shown for my family. Even with the twelve children that he has he has managed to call us on birthdays and on other holidays. I love hearing the memories he has of my Grandpa Frank and my Grandma Mary, but they only make me wish more that I could have met them and have had a relationship with them.

Surrounded

2008-07-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

I usually love being the only girl in my all boy family, but there are times when I can completely feel surrounded. The other night I had one of those moments. It was a beautiful night. You know the kind where the air is perfectly still, but not stale, just clean and crisp. The kind that only mountains can produce. I had made the family dinner and we were all enjoying it outside on our deck. I was so comfortable and happy to be enjoying the lovely evening with the boys. Then as all peaceful moments end up with the boys, the dinner turned into a rowdy ruckus. It started with Tanner who had spilled his water onto his high chair tray and discovered that when he banged his hands down the water would splash me. This was just too funny for the boys and they all started laughing. There little brains started ticking and they couldn't be the only ones splashing. Noah started squirting water out of his mouth at Jonathan and Owen not being coordinated enough to do the squirting trick opted to dump his cup of water out across the dinner table. Jonathan decided to join in instead of calming the ruckus down. Was I the only one who wished to eat dinner in peace!
I attempted to calm the boys down by getting Tanner down from his high chair since he was the source of all of the rowdiness. It worked for a few minutes but then he decided to climb on the table and share some bites with Owen. Just as I was about to reach for him and lift him off the table he turned around and sat right down on top of Noah's plate of food. Ugghh! Forget about it! I realized my hope of finishing my dinner in peace was over.
It is kind of funny to think back on but all of the rowdiness that comes with having a household of boys continues to be a source of joy and sometimes an annoyance for me.

Events from the last couple of weeks.

A visit from Great Grandma Penny.

The boys were so excited to set up our tent in the backyard only to end up scared and returning to their beds in the house.

Noah's 1K race. He has started the kids fun run series going on this summer and finishing in the Fall.

Memories

2008-06-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

I believe every one of your senses can bring back a memory, whether it be a smell, a sight, the touch or feel of something, a taste, or a particular sound. Today my neighbor called and asked me to pick up an important piece of mail that was in her mailbox. Not bothering to put on shoes, I just hurried out the door and started walking down the sidewalk and then crossed the street. The feel of smooth and bumpy, almost uncomfortably hot asphalt was so familiar. I immediately realized that in the summer as a child I hardly ever wore shoes. I was grateful for the memory that the warm asphalt triggered in my mind. It puts a smile on my face to think about that little blond girl with unkempt hair and bare feet, who was always playing and exploring outside and around the neighborhood.

Crabby Pattie's and Pirate Ships

2008-06-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Pirate Cake!

Pirate ship/raft that Dad made.

Yummy Crabby Patties!

I'm just catching up a bit. It's been a hectic two weeks with Jonathan and I trying to get ready for our open house, but we have had some fun in between all of the last minute house projects.

Owen's Birthday was on the 10th and we celebrated it by going swimming with some friends at the Athletic Club and then having a fun family party that evening. It turned out to be a great day and Owen was so proud that he turned four.

My Husband

2008-06-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

~My Guy~

Last night I was reminded of how much I like my husband. It's easy to forget sometimes with all of our responsibilities, whether it be our kids, work, our house, or church callings. It can all get so serious sometimes. Uck! Although, I have to admit we do make a good team. Life and family is a lot of work and I would never recommend marrying someone who you have a difficult time working with.

Back to last night and what reminded me of how much I like and enjoy my husband. We were cleaning the kitchen together after the kids went to bed and we were both feeling a little playful. I'm sure my husband initiated it but we somehow began to wrestle around. I forget how strong Jonathan is but I was giving it my all to give him a good fight. It was actually pretty pathetic and he obviously thought it was hilarious to watch my flailing arms and legs trying desperately to break free of his iron grip. He started laughing so hard at me that there was snot and drool running down his face. For whatever reason I usually find it amusing when my husband makes fun of me and to see his fit of uncontrollable laughter was just to much and threw me into a fit of my own. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I was left weak with aching stomach muscles.

It was great to share that moment with Jonathan. It reminded me of how we used to feel before we had kids. One of the reasons I fell in love with Jonathan is that I felt like we could be kids around each other. He could always make me laugh.

Last night made me realize that I want to laugh more with my husband. It's easy for life's burdens to zap the humor out of you, but I am determined not to let them.

Spring Cleaning

2008-05-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

Alright, I haven't made this a tradition yet but I think I am going to have to. There is just way to much deep cleaning that gets neglected in a house with a busy Mom doing her best to raise three young, energetic boys. I know Spring is almost over but I have a list of things I WILL get done by the end of May. Here they are.....

- wash blinds.
- wash windows, inside and out.
- rotate and flip mattresses.
- clean floors under refrigerator, washer, and dryer.
- spot clean couch cushions.
- clean out closets. Get rid of unwanted toys and clothing.

OK, that sounds kind of overwhelming but I have started on a few of those projects already. I am hoping to have a productive three day weekend and round up as much help as I can.

Baby

2008-05-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

Until recently I haven't known what to think about my baby sister announcing that she is pregnant. I think it has been so hard for all of us to know how to feel because of my sisters own confusion about the matter.
The Father is her first love, but they have been off and on again for the last three years with no solid commitment between the two of them. When Morgan found out she was pregnant they both freaked, especially Johny. Morgan knew she was going to have the baby, but was seriously considering adoption. Johny kind of took off for a while and was pretty sure he wasn't willing or ready to be a father or to commit to Morgan. Johny's lack of support made Morgan lean toward adoption even more.
I have to say that I was kind of sad thinking about having a niece or nephew out there that I would never know or get to watch grow, but I also think a baby is a wonderful gift to give a couple who can't have one of their own, so I was supporting Morgan in whatever decision she made.
Johny has slowly come around and he and Morgan have decided to keep the baby. They are young and I can see the challenges ahead of them, but I wish them the best of luck. I know how hard it is at times to be a mother, father, wife or husband, but I also know the joy a family can bring. I know they won't regret their decision and I am so grateful to them for making me an Auntie.

Mt. Elden

2008-05-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

Of course sticks and rocks are a must at a pond!

Lucky for the duck Noah was trying to shoot,

he can't aim well yet. He wanted so badly to shoot

him and take him home for dinner.

A few weeks ago me and Jonathan took the boys for a hike up the Brookbank trail to the dry lake Hills. As you can see they are not dry but full of water. It was fun! I have never seen so much water up there before.

For those of you who like hiking it's a great time to hike Mt. Elden. Schultz Creek trail is also running which is such a treat for Flagstaffs normally dry terrain. It's good to be back on the trails again!

Landscape

2008-04-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

This stone path was my big contribution to the project.

Landscaping my backyard has continued to prove too big a feat for me, so I finally hired my friend Steve with Scapetown to help me out. I couldn't be happier with the results. It's just adorable, and the best thing about it is that it is all on drip. No watering! Yeah! The only sad thing is that my house is for sale, so I probably won't be able to enjoy it for long.

Happy Birthday Tanner!

2008-04-14T23:46:00.000-07:00

It's gone so fast...

He's grown so big...

And I'm so proud!

My baby's 1 year old!

Easter Fun In The Sun!

2008-03-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

My mom would always take us girls out for an awesome Easter egg hunt in the beautiful outdoors. I have a lot of good memories of Easter and it has become one of my favorite holidays. I hope to create some great memories of Easter with my own family.

This year we went to Sedona with some good friends who have three young teenage kids. Their kids helped hide over 150 Easter eggs for our kids. It was a blast! Everyone had a great time and enjoyed the beautiful warm weather. A few of us even had enough guts to jump off a rope swing and land into the freezing cold creek. Myself was not included!

Road Trip

2008-03-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Arches National Park

Never ending open land

as far as my eye can see

Draws me in, and makes me wonder

is my soul as free

To stretch as high as a mountains top

and be as bold as a canyons steep slot

To run as swiftly and constantly

as a rivers flowing stream

Or to stand as strongly and unafraid

as the lonesome tree

It makes me wonder where I would be

if my soul was as free

as the land that goes and goes

as far as the eye can see

I was inspired to write this little poem on the drive from Flagstaff to Moab, Utah. Ever since I was a little girl I have been fascinated by the amount of undeveloped land in the Southwest. I love being able to drive for miles and miles without seeing one sign of human civilization.

My family decided to come with me to Utah to support me as I ran the Moab half-marathon. The trip ended up to be fun although we wished that we had one more day to play since the marathon ended up eating up a lot of our time.

When I first signed up for the marathon I was so mad at myself for doing it. I felt like I didn't have enough time to train and I decided that I didn't really enjoy running. In the end I am so glad I did it. I have found a new appreciation for running and it has gotten me in shape for all the other activities I enjoy in the summer. Not to mention getting my body ready for swimsuit season! I can also check off another one of my New Years goals which was to finish the race in under two hours. I came in at 1hr 56 min..

The trip to Moab was the perfect way to finish off all the hard work of training. The condo and friends we stayed with were amazing, the drive was beautiful, and my little Noah learned how to swim! He is so excited! Hopefully I can post some more pictures as my friends forward them to me.

Winters End

2008-03-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

I know by this time of year most people are ready for the snow to quit falling and the sun to start shining, but this year I am sad to see Old Man Winter go. I think it's a combination of a few things. One is that I reached my goal of snowboarding six times, and the amazing powder has just left me jonesing for more. Also, because of the training I have been doing for a half-marathon my family has spent a lot of weekends in Sedona. It has been great to spend one day a week on trails without snow and parks where our kids can play. It has definitely kept the cabin fever away.

I am so grateful this winter has been good. Not only for the land which so desperately needed the moisture, but for me who couldn't be pleased more to not have been pregnant in a year where the snow has fallen generously.

Yikes! Small Boobs.

2008-02-23T20:59:00.000-08:00

This happens to me every time I quit nursing. There is just no preparing for the boob shrinkage. I wish this didn't affect me so much but it does! I go through about a month of depression which is accompanied by an obsession with getting a boob job. During this time I struggle with knowing if that would be the right decision for me. I just don't don't know if I could ever go through with surgery, or if I would want or like something foreign in my body. Most importantly I don't know how I feel about it spiritually. Maybe this is just one of my tests. Can I live and be happy with my breasts completely changing (and not for the better) and not give into vanity. But just as I think about all the reasons I could never go through with a boob job, I justify and think about all the reasons why I could. I have nursed three hungry, big boys, and although nursing has had physical advantages for the both of us I have had to sacrifice my full, supple breasts for deflated and shriveled breasts. Is wanting and getting my boobs back( well I guess they wouldn't really be my boobs) too much to ask for?
I'm not one to sit around and be depressed about something and not do anything about it, so the other day I went out and bought a couple of new push-up bras. They have truly made me feel better about my situation. As of now this is all I am ready to do about this dilemma.
At the end of the day I wouldn't have my life any other way. I love my family and I would sacrifice my body again for them. Sometimes I just wish I could have both. My family and my boobs. Huh. Story of my life........... Wanting everything.

DayQuil

2008-02-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

I will tell you what............

I have been in the dark for way too long.

I guess it started when as a thirteen year old girl I started my period. Every month, backaches, stomach cramps, PAINFUL! What a way to get thrown into womanhood. Then I had a little accident having a water fight with my little sis. I ran into an old splintery coffee table which ended in a six inch splinter (if you can call it that) slicing through my leg and puncturing my hamstring. Next we move on to the removal of my wisdom teeth, two of which were impacted. Not pretty! Oh, and last but not least there was the birth of my three beautiful boys, the latter two born at home and the biggest weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs..

Now, do you think that I took advantage of modern day medicine to relieve some of the pain. No, No, No, not me. Never did I really use any of the painkillers (well at least not the way I was supposed to, but I won't get into details about that). I don't know, maybe I have just wanted to be tough, or maybe I just didn't know how great the relief could be, but about three days ago a new light was shed. OK, here's where it starts to sound a bit like a DayQuil commercial.

I came down with the flu and it hit hard. I felt like every cell in my body was screaming and crawling. Maybe it was the fact that it was Valentines day, or that I had family in town from Hawaii, or better yet that I had three kids at home and that I couldnt just lie on the couch for three days straight. But honestly, I think it was the fact that I had a party I didn't want to miss that made me take the DayQuil. It worked like a freakin miracle! No one would have ever known that one hour earlier I had been under the covers wishing they could warm me but not touch me. It didn't stop there. That night I followed it up with NyQuil and I didn't stop taking that stuff until I felt better.

I am a changed woman. No more needless suffering for me. The next time I feel any sort of pain I am reaching for some Tylenol, Advil, or whatever else I can get my hands on.

27 and loving it!!!

2008-02-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

27 may be the year many famous rockstars have cashed out, but as for me 27 feels like the bigginning of an exciting adult life! I feel like for the first time I can truly accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I am finally gaining enough patience and focus to carry through with the goals that I set for myself. Maybe it's that recently I feel like I've become a more compitent homemaker, wife and mother. I have been raising my children for the last 5 1/2 years and I finally feel like Im not so clueless anymore, that I have a handle on things, and that all the loose ends are starting to come together.

It's nice to have homelife going well because I can venture out a little bit and work on some personal goals. Some of those goals Im starting right now. Others the timing just isn't right yet,but some day it will be.

I wonder at what other age I'll sit back and think, gosh I love being ___ ! Maybe it will be 40. I think that will be a good age. Maybe it's true what they say.... "Youth is wasted on youth." Wouldn't it be nice to have the wisdom and experience of a 60 year old but the body of a 21 year old. Maybe God knew what he was thinking when he created the resurrection...

New Year List

2008-01-21T20:47:00.000-08:00

No New Year would be complete without a list of resolutions, and I just happen to love lists. So here it is, my list of goals and resolutions.

1. Clean out closets and drawers. Get more organized.
2. Make everyday moments more educational with kids.
3. Keep up on house work. Do one load of laundry a day.
4. Read scriptures daily, ideally in the morning.
5. Learn a new wake boarding trick.
6. Go snowboarding at least six times.
7. Get pregnant with my fourth child.
8. Finish the Moab 1/2 marathon in under 2 hours.
9. Floss teeth three times a week.
10.Work on my wardrobe.
I feel good about this list and this year. I have already rearranged and organized my home office and my house has been much tidier.

Christmas Whirlwind

2008-01-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

I know Christmas is over but I am a procrastinator and I just want to write how it all went down.......
Homemade Christmas cards, that sounds fun
Oh shoot, what did I get myself into
I can't believe I am doing this!
After five times of trying to get a cute family picture
I give up, someones gotta look bad
I guess that will be me
Bird themed Christmas tree OK that's cute
Progressive dinner party planned for 40 young men and women
complete with a hayride and all
sooo stressful, but well worth it, turned out to be a success
Baklava, cream filled pizzelles, and sugar cookies
maybe a little too ambitious
It would have been nice to brush my hair and change out of my flour
covered clothes for delivery.
Still, so great to visit with some dear friends
This is all to much I cant handle it
I think I am failing
I need to stop and say a sincere prayer
of gratitude and a plea for help and comfort.
Oh that feels nice... I know I am loved
I forget,that's the spirit I am supposed to be feeling
this time of year
After all of the stress and preparation, the day is finally here
Good day, Good presents........ A motorcycle wow
Time for a vacation and a fresh new year
Note to self- Next year, start earlier!

Triumphs and Tragedies

2007-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

I just had a close friend lose a serious boyfriend. She is pretty broken up about it. Thinking about her grief brought me back to my own. I lost one of my sisters a couple of years ago and it will always be tragic to me.
I was just contemplating life and death and how they are both so surreal. It is weird how when you experience the birth of your child you feel everything so intensely. Their smell, your love, the warmth of their skin against yours, it's all so amazing; But when you lose someone you love everything becomes so numb. It's hard to feel anything except for your grief . Food doesn't even taste good anymore. You kind of just force yourself to go through the motions of life for awhile and slowly things start to normalize.
It is all so remarkable- life, death, and everything in between. I just hope that I will always be grateful to be part of the triumphs and tragedies that we experience in this life.

Blog Dedication

2007-11-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

As I was contemplating my own desire to start up a blog I had to admit that it is somewhat of a selfish endeavor, but that is exactly what I need it to be. As other dedicated mothers and wives can probably attest, most of the time it feels as if your life is not about you anymore, which actually is a blessing, but there are those times when you sit back and think; Gosh, do I know who I am anymore? Do I even spend one eighth of the time thinking about my own progression as I do about my family's?
I currently have three beautiful little boys and an amazing husband and I have come to the realization that I want more children, but that I also have individual goals and dreams and there is no reason I can't accomplish both. It will just take a little more focus and determination! Hopefully this blog will be a spot that I can document my hopes, dreams, and accomplishments, whether they be big or small. I know I will receive wonderful feedback from the people I love and who continually support and inspire me.