Goodbye Crib

I took down the crib today. Jess doesn't stay in it anymore. She has mastered the scaling of the prison walls and knows to how to wake up her big sister in the middle of the night to get the bedroom door open. They both come into our room EVERY NIGHT. So, what's the point of leaving the crib up? There just isn't one.

Julia sleeps on the floor by my side of the bed and I end up pulling Jess into bed with us. Todd doesn't allow it too long because he can't sleep so he puts her on his side of the bed with the threat to, "Be quiet or you're going back to your crib!" In time Jess falls to sleep followed quickly by her mom and dad only to find the morning sunlight is too quickly right around the corner. 

With the crib being taken down this morning the girls were enjoying jumping on the crib mattress. Julia started jumping from the top bunk down to the ground and told me, "Mom! When you grow up to be a kid you can do this!" I can't wait to grow up to be a kid. It looks way more fun!

Make A Wish

Today I pulled a loose eye lash from Julia's eye and held it on my finger. I told her that when you get an eyelash like that you put it on your finger and make a wish and then blow it off. She made a quick wish, and blew off the eyelash. Then I asked her what she wished for. She replied, "I wished for a new mom!" WHAT? I didn't tell her that if you tell what you wish for your wish won't come true.

See Rusty. See Rusty Run.

One of Rusty's favorite spots to sit in the sunshine is on the trampoline

As much trouble as this pooch causes (biting and chewing EVERYTHING; trampoline pad, electrical cords to Seth's trailor, the kids shoes, kick ball, basketball, socks, chew toys destroyed, drip system, patio furniture, the girls new playhouse, outside chair, blankets...and so much more--but who's keeping track, right?) the kids sure love him.

I love watching him run. Todd will take him up in the hills and have him run beside the truck. He can get up to 20 mph, leaping over bushes and even kicking up sand and rocks at the truck when he runs in front of it. He is definitely in his element when he's running in the hills sniffing for anything and everything he could chase.

Hello 2013!

Grandpa Turek didn't stay here long because the kids started running and chasing. Not a safe zone.

New Year's Eve took place at the Hurricane Community Center this year. Tiff is prego so she's not feeling very good so it's nice of her to even try find us a place to party. The rec center was perfect! We usually play Bunco but didn't even roll the dice this year because the kids were so busy running, dancing and playing games. There was plenty of good food and fun for everyone. We were cleaned up and out of there by 11:30 and home before we watched the ball drop in time square at 12:00 our time. The kids love New Year Eve and even though I know Todd would rather go to bed I love that he'll stay up with us and party!

I don't have any pictures of the big boys in playing pool or ping pong but that's where they spent most of their time. Thank goodness Tayosha was there to play some fun games. They played color tag, freeze dance, missionary tag, and a new one that I don't know the name of but involved things pioneers might have to do while they were traveling across the plains...or something like that. I'll have to get the official name from Tayosha.

Happy New Year!

Porter's Before and After Christmas Pics

Porter has recently lost his two front teeth. He lost one a week before Christmas and one a week after Christmas. Amazing how those teeth make such a difference in looks and speech. 

The first tooth we popped out with some floss (a technique I learned from one of the girls while working at Johnson's one day). We made the mistake of doing it while he was in the bathtub so when it few out it landed in the water and we had to fish it out.

 The other tooth would have come out Christmas Eve but mom talked him in to waiting until after Christmas so Santa and the Tooth Fairy wouldn't collide into each other that night. Then he forgot about it until almost a week later. That one we just flipped out with our fingers while he was laying in bed. There's not much room there for a couple teeth to get in so I'm going to enjoy the space while we have it. Those 2nd grade pictures of gangly teeth are going to be awesome...just like everyone else, I guess!

2012 Retirement Post

It's time to take down the old calender and replace it with something new. I thought this year I would look through the old one and see if there was anything written that I didn't blog about (I'm sure there were A LOT of things) so here goes...

January: Jess got a new tooth on the 11th! Don't ask me which tooth or how many this now makes but I did write it on the calender. Payton had his first pack meeting with the Riverbend ward. He's loved the scouting program and became a wolf six months before he turned nine. We have to attribute that to his scout leaders, Karen Evans and Nancy Wood. We'll see if we're that disciplined in this new ward.

February: Pack Meeting was on the 16th and it was the Pine Wood Derby. I'm thinking I blogged about it already. Notice how I skipped over the 14th? Must have been because I don't remember making any Valentine Day memories.

March: Spring Break was from the 12th-16th. I'm sure we did SOMETHING but nothing is coming to mind right now. The 26th was opening ceremonies for Little League Baseball. Payton loved playing and I really enjoyed his coaches this year, the Salisbury's. The 27th Jess got another new tooth. Once again, who knows which one!

April: On the 5th was the Spring Fling. Guess who didn't go? Easter break was from the 6-9th and I do know we had fun playing with cousins that weekend and finding many filled eggs!

May: Porter went on a field trip to the Staheli Farms with his Kindergarten class on the 3rd. Payton's field trip was on the 7th and I can't recall where they went or what they did. Great mom moment, huh? Jess took her first steps on the 16th. That same day Payton had his last baseball game. I probably should have kept track of the win/loss record, but I didn't. The 22nd was Porter's last day of kindergarten and his graduation. He loved his teacher, Mrs. Key. Payton ended his last day of school on the 23rd.

June: The 9th was the Huntington/Clove Family Reunion. We celebrated my Aunt Ada's 99th birthday at the Community Center in Hatch. The 25th we had our Power and water turned on at our new house. The 26th our new appliances were delivered as well as the carpets cleaned and the locks changed at our new house. The 28th was our last night spent in Fox Cove. Moving day was the 29th--which Todd did mostly all of it while I was at work that day.

July: The 3-4th was supposed to be the Esplin Family Reunion but because of fire threats we couldn't get to the property on Cedar Mountain and it was canceled. On the 19th Payton earned his Wolf and spent his last pack meeting in the Riverbend ward. On the 29th Jess turned ONE!!

August: We celebrated 11 years together on the 10th. School started on the 15th for the boys. New school, new friends, new fun! Todd's B-day was on the 31st and was spent on the mountain for the Turek Family Reunion. He's such a good sport to spend his b-day with my family.

September: Turek Reunion continued from the 31st of August through the 3rd of September. Our Family Vacation was spent in California from the 12-16th. Porter celebrated his 7th birthday on the 17th and took donuts to school for a treat. On the 29th Payton had a scout day camp at Staheli Farms. It lasted from 8am-1pm and he loved it!

October: Ryan and Nicci Reidhead blessed their twins on the 7th and Todd blessed one of them. I'm thinking it was Conner, but can't really remember. The Harvest Hop was on the 15th and the deer hunt was from the 20-27th. Todd got a good one again this year. The primary program was on the 28th and all three kids had their parts memorized this year!

November: Girls Weekend was the 2-4th in Milford. Payton went on a field trip to watch The Sound of Music at PVHS on the 6th. Porter's class was supposed to go too but ended up getting to go to the 2450 park instead (not enough room in the auditorium). Julia's 4th b-day was on the 11th. The 23rd we had a Topham/Calico/Hiatt reunion with dinner at Julie's. Todd didn't show up until way late because he went quail hunting and forgot about the party. He got a bit of grief from everyone.

ALMOST DONE. I'm starting to wonder what prompted me to write any of this down anyway, but since I'm almost done....

December: Payton's first ball game was on the 1st. They lost. We missed our ward Christmas Party on the 6th because G-pa Roy was in the hospital and we went to visit him instead. Good thing we did because he passed away on the 9th and we had a funeral on the 14th. The next day Payton celebrated his 9th Birthday. On the 19th we went to The Beehive Home with g-ma Julie and sang some songs for the R.S. sisters there. Payton did his 3rd grade play on the 20th. He did such a good job! That brings us to Christmas break from the 24-Jan. 2nd (today).

And there you have it!!

Bowling on Christmas Break 2012

While the kids were out of school they got to sleep over at Grandma Julie's house. They were soooo excited! Porter woke up that morning and instantly got his bag packed and ready to go. He asked several times throughout the day if they could go to grandma's yet. Luckily, Grandma Julie called around 4 and said they could come over anytime.

It didn't take much persuading for them to get their stuff and get into the car to go. The next morning they got to eat rolled up pancakes and I got to sleep in--a great treat for everyone! Then we got to go bowling with Grandma, Tressa, Tav, Amie, Tara and Riley. They loved it and it's a good thing there were that many adults there to help with Jess. I didn't even bowl and felt like it was a little crazy keeping those four bowlers on the bumper lanes rotating in the right order and then trying to find them after they had wandered away waiting for their next turn.

Porter got 100 and beat all the kids! Jul's did better than I expected and might have some real potential in the future. Payton did good too and he came away from the bowling alley with a new hat some teenage kid had given to him in the bathroom. That story is a little involved, weird and frightening and a great way to help Payton see why we don't talk to strangers...especially in the bathroom when no one is around.