11:30!

11:30 is what time Ethan woke up Friday morning! That boy needs a good 12 hours of sleep, sometimes more. With our crazy summer nights schedule, of watching movies, swimming, etc., he sleeps in like a teenager! Friday we spent most of the day swimming and hanging around the house. I also got rearranged some things around the house. I was getting a little sick of my decorations, so I mixed them up a bit! It's amazing how changing a few things around can make a difference! Ben went golfing in the afternoon, which put him home close to 7:00, so our date night started late. Our date night consisted of Panda Express, a trip to the mall, and The H0me Depot! I wanted to paint our mudroom before we put cabinets in, and I wanted a "fun" color. I let Ben pick. You'll never believe the color he picked out! We got home around 9:30 and we put the boys to bed, and Aubrie and I fell asleep on my bed while Ben finished Twilight. I love that he is reading those books, and that he likes them. Now we have another thing in common!

Saturday, Boston had an early birthday party. The kids brought their bikes and went on a bike ride, had races, and "cleaned" their bikes. In Arizona you have to start something like that pretty early, in the summer anyway! While he was at the party, I got some shopping done and Ben started painting the Mudroom and sealing the tile! When Boston got home, my Mom was about to leave with Aubrie and Ethan for their Saturday "outing"! My Mom was glad that Boston made it back in time to go, but Aubrie wasn't! She started complaining and my Mom told her if she was going to complain she couldn't go. She cried and threw a fit, and said she didn't want to go because it wasn't fair that Boston got to do two things. We told her that now she got to do zero things and she was only punishing herself. When she realized that, she ran out the door trying to catch my Mom before she left. A few minutes later, Aubrie walks through the door huffing and puffing and crying, saying she couldn't' catch my Mom. I tried hard not to laugh! I could just picture her running down the street yelling, "Stop! Stop!" Aubrie then called her and I could overhear her talking to my Mom pleading her to come back. She convinced my Mom to come back for her and before she left she wanted me to hug her. I asked her what she learned from this and she said, "not to think of myself". Hope she remembers! They had a good time, going to the dollar store and having a nice lunch at Sonic, dessert and all!

While they were out, we took Sophia and ran some errands that included a car wash (which Sophia LOVED to watch), Sams (It was a great sample's day. We didn't have to get lunch afterwards!), and a stop at Walmart. We came home and Ben finished painting the room. Here's what it looks like! Again, he picked the color! I actually like it, and so does he. Cabinets will cover most of these walls, (floor to ceiling) so only a few spots will show! It's fun to have a small space no one really sees and you can have fun with it!

Last minute, we decided to have the Headrick's over for a BBQ and swimming. Kari made a yummy fruit salad and dessert, and we cooked up steaks and hamburgers! I was a little worried that swimming would be out, because a storm started to roll in right before they got here. Luckily the clouds passed quickly, and we had great swimming weather! It was a fun night for all of us!

Today was a perfect Sunday!! We only had to take Sophia out of Sacrament once, when she got her head stuck between the pew and the wall, trying to squeeze through to the next row! She started one of those "silent" screams, that comes out extra loud a few seconds after the fact. Ben got her in the halls before the scream actually came out! Besides that, she did pretty good. I look forward, however, when I don't have to constantly entertain her for an hour and 10 minutes! Ugh! My Mom stayed home today, so Ben came and put her down for a nap, while we finished the last two hours of Church.Ethan had the scripture today and was so shy and quiet, that no one could hear anything that came out of his mouth. It was still cute! Aubrie had the talk. She was very nervous about doing it. There is a boy in our ward that she has a HUGE crush on, and she didn't wan't to get up in front of him. I thought she would be alright, but as soon as she got up there, she froze and then melted behind the podium and started to cry! Ben gave her talk, while I took her out in the hall to calm her down. I hope she gets over this crush soon! It's making her CRAZY in church!

When we got home, Sophia was still napping and my Mom had cleaned up! AHH! One less thing I had to do! We had some lunch and watched The Best Two Years. Sophia woke up 1/2 way through, and she just hung out in the family room for the rest of it. After the movie, we enjoyed a nice family swim. Ethan is getting more brave, and started doing back dives off the diving board. The older two couldn't' let their younger brother show them up, so they started doing them, too! Today we put Sophia down the slide, and Ben jumped off the waterfall with her in his arms! She didn't seem to love it, but she didn't cry either! After about an hour, a storm rolled in and we finally went in when things were getting blown around. By then, Sophia was ready for another nap, and while she napped we all read. My Mom read a book to the kids and Ethan fell asleep. Guess 8:30 church is too early for him! LOL I got a few chapters of my Work and Glory book in. I am rereading the fourth book, because I don't' remember the details, and then I'm going to finish the series. Of course, I'm taking a break when Breaking Dawn comes out! Dinner was left overs, nice and easy! What a nice laid back Sunday!

LIving up to my Expectations?

When Aubrie was a baby, I told Ben she would start walking at 9 months, and she did. I said the boys would walk at 11 months and they did. When Sophia was 8 month old I predicted that she would walk at 15 months. Well, she turns 15 months in 3 days and here she is! I'm beginning to wonder if they were only living up to my expectations! LOL Sophia started walking "short stints" over the past two weeks, but today she started getting up from the ground every time she fell! Now she doesn't want to be held! Ugh!

4th of July pics!

Ben promised me he would blog our 4th of July weekend. I kept giving him a hard time that if he didn't do it quick, he would forget things. I guess his last entry was an attempt to prove me wrong (i.e. length and detail). Of course, by the time he was done writing his novel, he was too tired to post the pictures. So here they are.

One of the kids in the parade was making balloon animals. The boys hounded him to make these! I guess they felt like they needed better costumes for the parade! The March! The Prize! The Cousins!

The Inflatables! A few of them were turned into "water" rides.

The Rock Wall!

Not sure the name of this?!

Basket Swings?!

Bumper Boats!

Sophia mesmerized by fireworks!

The staging area for fireworks!

Want one?

The 2 Hour Parade!

Sophia trying to entertain herself during a 2 hour parade! Ugh!

One of the girls favorite pastimes, besides hanging out in a secret fort in the woods! The kids also enjoyed playing, Apples to Apples, Operation, and Trouble.

The result of one of the 3 rainstorms of the trip!

Some like it HOT HOT HOT!!!

Thursday was another scorcher in Phoenix. Only 115 degrees! I had had it with the extreme temperatures and was ready for a break. Luckily a few weeks earlier my aunt Nancy invited us to join their family in Prescott for the 4th of July weekend. I was excited to see Nancy and her family and especially to get out of the heat! I got up early on Thursday morning and got a lot of work done. I was able to get home sooner than expected and help get the car loaded up and ready for the trip. Rachel had already done the majority of the work which was nice. It seems that she usually gets the majority of the work load when we go on vacations. I am lucky to have her. We got everything ready to go and then had to wait around while Sophia finished her nap. Once she woke up we got all the kids into the car and then headed north. We headed up Lake Pleasant Parkway and got to sit in a long line of traffic. Finally a police officer raced ahead of us on the shoulder and started to direct traffic. We would have been there for another 15 mintues if he had not gone ahead of us. The trip up to Prescott went well and we hit a little bit of traffic on our way up. The kids didn't really have any idea of where we were going on what we had planned. They were excited to see Quinten and Margaret and get some good quality playing time in. We got to Nancy's and unloaded. We piled into the house and got everything situated. Nancy started cranking out tacos and we had a great dinner. It was really nice to see the kids play together and get some great time with Nancy and Dan and catch up. I was nervous when I picked up the tv remote and realized that they did not have ESPN! I almost walked out the door and headed back to Phoenix. They did have a computer with internet access so I made due with checking on the scores intermitently.
That night the kids had a great time playing with their cousins. Nancy and Dan have a nice play house off of the main house and the kids spent a lot of their time playing video games in the play house. The kids finally headed off to sleep and we stayed up catching up with Nancy and Dan and talking about the good times. We wrapped it up around midnight and headed off to bed. We had Sophia with us in our room so we had to sneak into the room and then drift off to sleep. I actually slept well and woke up to Sophia squaking. She thought it was funny to see us sleeping and apparently wasn't too comfortable with our peaceful slumber and decided to wake us up. Nancy was busy making eggs and bacon. I felt like we had stumbled into a bed and breakfast. Nancy and Dan did a lot to make us feel at home and spoiled us with lots of attention. It was great! We got everyone ready to go for the parade that morning. On the morning of the 4th they do a parade for the kids. The kids can dress up in whatever they want or not at all. We did not really bring any costumes with us so we put ribbons in hair and tied balloons to things. The kids thought it would be fun to march in the parade. Unfortunately, we had to wait in the middle of the street for nearly 45 minutes before the parade started. Sophia thought that was fun for about 10 of those 45 mintues and began to make us pay for entering her into the parade without her consent. My parents also decided to come up to Prescott for the weekend and were able to come and see us before the parade started. The kids were happy to see them and pictures were taken and hugs exchanged before the parade started. The parade was finally under way and we walked a couple of blocks and then into the main town square. At the end of the parade every child was given a ribbon and everyone was given an ice cream sandwhich. Nothing gets the day started like an ice cream sandwhich at 10:00 in the morning. The kids gobbled them up and then waited to see if there were any left overs. We found a nice place on the grass and hung out for a little while. There were little shops set up all over the town square and we walked around and looked at all the crafts and toys. Dan's dad took the kids on a walk and they found a little shop where the kids put different colored sand into a glass figurine. The kids each got one and added their own sand creation. The kids loved it. I was not very happy about the glass and knew that they would probably not survive the weekend.
We stayed in the town square for another hour and then decided to head over to the fair. The kids were very excited to learn about the fair. They think the only fair that they get to be a part of is in October in Phoenix. The town of Prescott puts on a fair every 4th and it is a pretty big deal. There are inflatible rides for the kids along with bungee rides and climbing walls. We got to the fair at 10:45 a.m. Unfortunately, the fair did not officially open until 12:00 p.m. That included the food as well. We were all pretty hungry and hot. The sun was beating down on us and there was no where to hide. Luckily some other people had come early and set up small tents to hold their spot for the fireworks show later that night. We borrowed a couple of tents for an hour until everything opened up. I was worried that the owners of the tent would come back and kick us out. Nancy and Rachel took off to the grocery store to get food for us and were gone nearly 45 minutes. Dan and I did the best that we could to keep control of the kids. Dan ended up wrestling the kids the whole time while I watched the babies. Nancy and Rachel showed up with chicked and grapes and strawberries. We all chowed down and then headed over to play on the rides. We were there for an hour when Rachel and Nancy decided to take the babies home for a nap. The babies were blitzed and needed some rest. Dan and I stayed and tried our best to watch after the kids. Aubrie and Margaret took off to do the big kids rides. I shadowed Boston and Ethan and made sure that Cletus and Jethro didn't take off with my kids.
The fair was quite the experience. I have never seen more bad tatoos, more flabby butts and more grandma cleavage in all my life. I was in HEAVEN! I spent most of the day walking around throwing up in my mouth! I love to people watch and I had a great time. I took some pictures of some of the more interesting people that I encounted and I am sure that they will make this blog. The names will be changed to protect the innocent :) Around 3:00 p.m. Dan and I rounded up the kids and headed back to their house. I was glad to get home. The kids rambled off to play with each other and have fun. I went into the house and collapsed on the couch. I should have tried to sleep but stayed on the couch and faded in and out. We decided to eat dinner at the house and I ordered Papa John's Pizza. The pizza got there and we all ate it up as quickly as we could shovel it in. We spent the rest of the evening talking and hanging out. Around 8:30 p.m. we headed over to Dan's shop to watch the fireworks. His shop is located above Pioneer Park where we attended the fair. We pulled chairs out of Dan's office and got the fire pit going so that the kids could make smores. My parents got there around 8:45 p.m. and we had a great time visiting. The fireworks finally got under way and they were great! I was really surprised at the quality of fireworks. They went on for quite sometime and the kids were transfixed on all the different colors and shapes. They each made sure that the other knew which explosion was their favorite and why. Sophia really liked them and squealed her pleasure at each new firework display. At the end of the show we packed up and headed back home. When we got home we were all pretty tired and headed off to bed. Aubrie was sleeping in the front room with Margaret on the couch. I was about to fall asleep when I heard her whimpering. I went in and saw that she was not sleeping well. I grabbed her off the couch and put her in bed with Rachel. I hit the floor next to the pack and play and started to drift off to sleep. I was almost asleep when I felt something moving in my armpit. I jumped up and reached into my shirt and felt a crunch. I was done sleeping on the floor and headed off to the front room to sleep. I spent the rest of the night trying to sleep on the love seat. I didn't work out too well and I felt like crap in the morning. We got up and got ready for another day. Nancy was up and handing out monster muffins. The boys were very excited and plowed into the muffins! I got a call from my Dad telling us that we needed to get down the town square quickly because he was holding spots for us and there were people that were giving him a hard time for holding the spots. We got all the kids into the car and headed down. We got there and I dropped off Rachel and the kids. I went to park as close as I could, but could only find a spot 3 blocks away. I grabbed Sophia and put her in her stoller and headed off to meet up with the rest of the family. When we got there I could tell my dad was relieved. I hate having to save seats. You always get the couple of jerks who feel they should be able to sit where they want and not have to come down early and save a spot like everyone else. Once we got settled in I headed off for some Indian Fry Bread and Gatorade to help keep the kids in check. Nancy had created little bags for each of the kids. They had candy and treats and those little snap poppers that you throw at the ground. The little snappers were a great idea except that the kids decided to do what I would do and that it throw them at people and animals of the parade. I thought it was hilarious but several people around me began to complain. One guy in front of me started to make a big fuss and I told him to shut his mouth. It was fun to scuffle with the locals. I later apologized for snapping at him and all was well. The kids really liked the parade and especially liked the various groups in charge of cleaning up the horse poop. There was a Mario Brothers group in charge of poop and Ratapooie. It was fun to watch them interact with the kids. After a couple of hours we were done with the parade but the parade was not done with us. We left early and headed back to Nancy's house. The kids again disappeared into the playhouse and we were left to help Nancy get ready for the BBQ. The BBQ was great and we had hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings. My parents came to the BBQ and we had a great time stuffing our faces and visiting. We had another thunderstorm come through and drizzle on us for an hour. We had 3 thunderstorms while we were visiting. It was great! I remember as a kid that I did not care too much for the rain. Of course I did not live in Phoenix as a kid. The kids really liked the rain and almost did not know what to do. It really cooled everything off and made things much better. Around 3:30 p.m. we decided to head home. We had previously packed the vehicle and were ready to go as soon as Sophia had woken up. We thanked Nancy and Dan and headed out. The drive home went relatively fast and we did not hit too much traffic. It was nice to get back home, but I was not happy with the temperature. It was HOT again and we piled out of the car and headed straight for the pool. The kids spent the rest of the day swimming and enjoying the pool. The had not been able to swim for a couple of days and they missed it. Rachel's mom ran to El Pollo Loco to grab dinner for us. That was nice of her since we were kind of wiped out and did not feel like making anything.
That night we got the kids to bed early since we had early morning church. I headed over to Jarman's for my monthly ritual of bloodlust! That's right baby! FIGHT NIGHT! I really enjoy getting together with my friends once a month to hang out and watch some good fights. It is really fun and not as bad as people think. The fights and sanctioned and gloves are worn. Ultimate fighting is growing very quickly and has already passed boxing. It turned out that it was only Bret and I this night. We usually have 4 or 5 guys. It was good to catch up and watch some good fights. I got home around 11:30 p.m. and got ready for bed. I finished working on my lesson and then headed off to bed.
Sundays are a little tough since we have church so early. I don't mind it and like having church early. The kids aren't so fond of it and don't like being woken up (especially ETHAN)! Church went well and the kids did great. I rememeber how much I did not enjoy Sacrament Meeting as a kid. It was hard to sit still for over an hour. I was able to bare my testimony and share my feelings about our country and, of course, my beautiful wife! The lesson went well and I had more people in my class then I had ever had. I got Sophia for the last hour and she was done. She does not like to sleep in public for some reason and I spent the last hour making laps around the church. We headed home from church and I made sandwhiches for everyone. Rachel had to head back over to church for something with the young women for the Pleasant Valley ward. While she was gone we hung out and tried to rest. When she returned we headed out to the pool. It is so nice to have a pool. It is almost a necesity here in Arizona. Later that afternoon we headed over to the Spooners. I had promised Tony a projector. While we were at church one of the missionaries came up to me and said that they had someone steal a projector out of their car. I had four at home from my days at IBM. I gave them my projector to keep and they were very appreciative. Later I was talking to Tony and told him about the missionaries. He said that he really needed a projector also. I told him that I had an extra and he told me that he would buy it from me. I told him not a chance and told him that I would stop by later that day to give him one. He was blown away. I love being able to help others and give things. It really makes you feel good. We stopped in to visit and ended up staying for over and hour. I brought Tony some of my world famous caramel corn and he and his family ate it up quickly. The kids went and played Wii with Tony's daughter and Rachel and I got to visit with Tony and Wendy. I really like Tony a lot. He is such a great guy. He is like the big brother I never had. Sophia started to melt down so we headed home. It was also getting late and we needed to start the movie of the night. Tonight was to be Star Wars I. I always forget the name of the first movies. I know the ones that I grew up with. Last week we had watched all of the originals and the kids wanted to see the new trilogy. We started with I on Sunday and are currently watching Star Wars II as I type this entry. Wednesday night we will finish the trilogy. I am glad that my kids like star wars and other things that I like. I am sure they like it because I like it and expose them to it. Either way I am glad.
Tonight we had family home evening and the message was on repentance. Rachel did a great job with the lesson. She always does a great job with the kids and in getting a lesson ready. I have always said that if it wasn't for Rachel the Lord would have done away with me a long time ago. She is wonderful and a great mother. The kids love the lessons and love to help in any way that they can. Sophia actually made it through this time and had a fun time keeping us entertained. After family home evening we had an ice cream treat and then got the movie going. The kids are laying all over the family room watching the movie. This is the best! I sure love my family and am grateful for all that they do for me and for the joy they bring to my life.

shopping and WALL-E

This past week we spent our time either getting ready for our trip or just vegging by the pool! Monday I took the kids to a cool little surf clothing shop, not far from here. The boys were so funny about it! When we first got there, Aubrie and I went straight to the swimsuits. After a few minutes, I realized the boys weren't around. I found them in the dressing room trying on clothes they had picked out for themselves. Ethan, especially, kept going back and forth trying things on, not even looking at the sizes. At one point he came out wearing a 2 T shirt wondering why he was wearing a half top. Then he came out wearing pants that wouldn't stay on him. They kept pulling things off the racks saying they wanted this or that. I thought I had a few more girls on my hand! Things were a little pricey in there, so I bought Boston this one shirt he really wanted (knowing Ethan will easily fit in it next summer:), and decided I would take them to Old Navy instead. Aubrie really wanted this bathing suit, and I definitely wasn't going to buy it for her because it was 50 bucks! She kept saying how much she wanted it and I kept telling her how she didn't need it! She is quite persistent (future lawyer) and honestly it was pretty cute, so I told her she would have to help pay for it. She happily obliged, and was in shock when I asked her for her half when we got to the car. She was all, "but Mom, that's all my money". I told her we could take it back, but she was not wanting to do that. I think it was a good leaning experience for her about the value of money. Definitely worth my 25 dollars! Ha! She now wears that bathing suit every day! Our trip to Old Navy was a success. I got the style of shorts (for the boys) I was wanting to get at the surf shop, but for a quarter of the price. Aubrie and Boston walked out with two new soccer balls that they paid for themselves (well, Aubrie had to get a loan from Boston). She was sure to ask Dad for her allowance that night. FHE was on the go! I wasn't feeling good , so we headed to Streets for dinner. In the car, we had our lesson on Independence Day, and how this is the promised land, etc. The kids swam and watched Star Wars when they got home.
Tuesday Ben went to Tuscon, and after a fun day of swimming with the kids, I thought it would be great to continue the good time we were having. I called y Mom and asked her if she could watch Sophia while I took the kids out, and of course she said yes. I was going to take them out for dinner, shopping, and a movie (Wall-E). As I was pulling out to leave, Ben comes screaming down our street. I had just got off the phone with him, telling him my plans, and he was on his way home ( he decided not to stay the night in Tuscon) to surprise us. So he came along. Ethan, Aubrie and I ate at Paradise Bakery (their request) and Boston and Ben at Chipotle. We then did some shopping at Marshalls. We scored big time on school clothes for the boys, and Aubrie found herself a new backpack, "that she has been wanting", supposedly, for a great deal. I figured I wouldn't make her start 3rd grade with a Princess backpack! (How embarrassing! LOL) Boston found himself a Star Wars book he has been carrying around since, and EThan walked out of there with a CARS lunch box. They thought the night was over after that, as they should have!:) But we stopped by the Walters and visited them for a half an hour before we surprised them with the movie. I was kind of sceptical about the movie because, "how good could a movie be, about a robot that doesn't talk?" It actually turned out to be a GREAT movie with some good messages. Here are the reviews! Definitely will be a part of our collection. Who am I kidding, with Ben's DVD purchasing "problem" (does anyone know of a DVD anonymous association? Ha) of course we will! We should start renting them all out! Pribyl Video! Only 3 dollar rental fee..NO LATE FEE's! Ha!
Wednesday and Thursday we hung out and prepped for our Prescott trip. More details to come!:)

Fun Day at Water World!

Starting off with the baby stuff!Already loving it!

Friday Ben watched Sophia so I could take the older kids to Water World. Erin's Dad had some extra tickets, so we got to go again this year. Thanks Erin! Last year Ethan couldn't go because he had stitches (Boston was close, just got his out Tuesday:) and he was so excited to go! Ethan couldn't get enough of the place!

Look, no hands!

Rash Guard required!:) He was a little apprehensive of the bigger slides at first, especially as we were getting to the top. He kept asking me if we could go get lunch because he was hungry (a believable diversion for him). We finally got to the top and he didn't show any fear as we started to push off. When we got to the bottom, he said, "That was awesome! Let's go again". I had to pull him away from there to go get lunch. They all had a great time. Boston spent most of his time with Karolyn's son. They were following each other everywhere after lunch. Aubrie hung out with McKenzie(Moore) &Eliza. I was Ethan's buddy!

Around 2:00 we left, thinking Ben might need me to relieve him from watching Sophia. When we got to the car, and I called him, he said she slept till 1:15 (went down at 10:00) and to go back to the park and enjoy ourselves. I was about to turn around when Aubrie realized she didn't have her wristband. We were all little bummed, but we made the best of things. We went home and swam some more, and invited Eliza and Libby to swim. They had a great time!For date night we looked at cars, grabbed dinner at Red Robin, and saw "Get Smart". It had some funny parts, but I would suggest renting it!Today was a LAZY day! I haven't left the house all day. Ben took Aubrie to her Dance tryouts while I watched the kids, and Ben took the kids out shopping while I took an afternoon nap. I'm a little stir crazy now. I wish the malls were open till 10:00!;)

The Life of a Cat!

The life of a cat! That's how I felt this week! They start off lazy as can be and then sprint around like crazy until they end up passing out from exhaustion! The cycle then continues!

Monday was perhaps one of the laziest days of all. I was LOVING it, which isn't easy for me! I'm not a crazed fill every minute with some insane task type of girl. However, I do get antsy just sitting around, so this was a GREAT break through for me! After Ethan's 9:00 swim lesson, we came home, swam some more and than sat around for about 3 hours watching Little House on the Prairie episodes. Finally, the kids got to their chores and I started to pick up a little before Ben got home (I should have left it all so he could see what I normally do in a day! LOL) After dinner (Hawaiian Haystacks) I helped the kids print jokes for their puppet show. We finally got around to FHE around 8:00, which was on music and dancing. Then we watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. I tried to read some more of The Holy Secret, but could only get in a chapter. It a good book, just a lot to take in!

Tuesday we made up for things. By noon I had reorganized my pantry, and rearranged the boys bedroom. They were excited for the change, and I was just happy that I didn't break their computer, or their desk that is already falling apart! Aubrie was happy to help, too! She was a good helper the whole day. She made lunch for herself and the boys and she also made dinner-mini meatloaves a salad, peaches (from a can;), jello and bread- for her Faith in God award. After dinner, I took Boston's stitches out! That was fun! I also started the color system, again, for the kids. It sees to be working good. Their punishment for yellow is that I won't sing them the goodnight song or scratch their back at bedtime, and red get's them in bed early. They quickly did their chores without complaints!

Wednesday was busy! First I'm wondering if anyone else's kids sleep in when you have to get up early, and then wake up early every other day? Because that's how my morning started. I needed to be at Paradise Bakery, at 7:30, for a surprise birthday breakfast for Debbie. Of course, I don't set an alarm because I already have one, called Sophia. So I go to bed knowing she is going to wake me up in plenty of time for me to get ready before I go. The next thing I know, Ben is waking me up from my slumber saying, "Rach, it's 7:15!" So much for my alarm clock. Did she sleep in the next day? No! Anyway, I basically throw my clothes on from the day before, mouth washed, wiped the black smears from under my eyes (I never take my make up off before bed), and ran to get there on time. After breakfast, which was way fun, I run home to pull the kids out of bed (the life!) so we can make it to a 9:00 swim lesson. After the swim lesson, I finally squeeze in my shower, after I made sugar cookie dough for YW! I get ready just in time to pick up the sitter so I could join Erin, Leslie and Terri for a much needed, girls only, lunch! Lunch was fun and a much needed break. Thank heavens for good friends! I then rushed home to bake the cookies...which were driving me CRAZY! Sugar cookie STARS aren't the easiest! The little points on those suckers kept breaking off! At one point I was about to dump them in the trash! Then I had to take a break, so I could run the kids to piano and I got an hour of Walmart shopping in during. I was literally running through the store, because the Deli took F-O-R-E-V-E-R, again, so I wouldn't be late getting the kids. I then rushed home to finish the cookies and then it was off to YW! YW was fun, but it was so different. The new girls seem really cool, but it's weird having different leadership. The new leadership is great, but I'm not good with change! After YW, we had a meeting, and then I came home and watched 2 episodes of Raymond and called it a night!
Today
-swim lessons ( sorry no pictures! I was too busy talking to the Mom's! Honestly, even if I wasn't, Ethan swimming is like Ethan breathing, so I didn't even think about it!)
-finished cooking all the cookie batter (went much smoother this morning; I'll ice another day!)
-Kayleen cut Aubrie's hair (3 inches)
-Sophia walked across the family room (yeah I know she is 14 months)
-swimming with the kids and playing the "make me laugh" game (They laugh at my song; they get dunked. Today I sung Slippery Fish really silly!)
-dinner at Streets (the usual; pene Alfredo for the kids and I and the Philly for Ben)
-Walmart stop (lot's of "this and that" that added up quick; look forward to trying the green apple syrup for our snow cone machine. Our favorite summer treat! Thanks Nicole!)
-end of story! (time to pass out from exhaustion!)
Oh ya, today was great! Sophia took a 3 hour morning nap and a 2 hour afternoon. So much better than the 1 hours naps she has been pulling the past week! Ugh! God knew I needed the break from yesterday's craziness!
PS Hope you had a great recital Shea! WE love you!

It's Hot!

First of all, you now you are true Phoenician when you comment that it's feeling a "little" hot, and then you look at your car thermostat and realize its 116! There is something seriously wrong with that!! I don't remember it being this hot in June. I guess that's payback for a great May!
Tuesday I had to toughen up and run my errands, that would soon be backing up, if I didn't suck it up and walk around on my ankle. I finally made it to the book store to return The Holy Secret, for a new one. The first one I bought had several blank pages half way through the book, and I have been dying to finish it. The first half was better! OK...I still have the last quarter to go. Our next stop was Chick-filet. The kids all had a great time, including Sophia. Our next stop was Target for a quick return and some more pillows for the fire pit bench, and the final stop was Micheal's. I finally bought baskets to hold all of Aubrie's toys that were creeping out from under her bed. It looks much better now! Tuesday night Ben's sisters came over for some cards (they flew in Monday afternoon) and visiting. They left early, around 10:00. My ankle was hurting me pretty bad by the end of the day, and I was happy to get in bed and let it rest.

Spaghetti night!! Aubrie got the Special Plate to celebrate her recital (a few day's late).
HMMM!!!

Wednesday I didn't have mutual, which was a little weird. What to do with the free time? Hmmmm......I much needed some alone time and a pedicure, so Ben came home a little early, and I headed off to the nail salon. Aubrie begged to go, but Ben insisted I go alone! When I walked in, there was Ben's sisters and his Mom. What were the chances? So much for my alone time..LOL! It was fun visiting with the girls a bit, even though I didn't get to enjoy the massage (my favorite part), but since I didn't end up paying I can't complain. After telling the lady about the 4th of July theme I wanted on my toes, most of us ended up walking out of there with patriotic toes. I then rushed off to Sams for a few essentials, and then I swung by the house to take Boston to get a birthday present for his friend. It took Boston 30 LONG minutes in the Walmart toy aisle to figure out what to get Brigham. After he made his crucial decision (LOL) we swung by the game area of Walmart and I made a date out of it! LOL

Thursday Boston had fun at his friend's Pump it Up party, and we were excited about our new neighbors who were moving in across the street. Nothing like moving in 115 degree weather! They have a 5 year old and 7 year old, and are very friendly !! In the evening, we headed over to Ben's parent's for dinner and swimming. On the way the kids were complaining that their new pool was boring, and I couldn't help but laugh. They sure got spoiled with their old place. I knew they would end up having fun, and they did. Even Boston made lemons into lemonade, since he couldn't swim. He came out and just threw around squishy balls and played some basketball. After swimming and gifts, he danced for everyone. He was cracking them up with his moves! He has the greatest rhythm for a 6 year old boy! Sophia did very well, and went down at their house for a few hours, and then transferred wonderfully. Thanks, Sophia!!!:)

Friday we had the Frandsen kids over, minus Analiese (sure I just slaughtered the spelling). The kids have a great time playing with them. They are like family. Usually Ethan and Andrew play, and Boston fits right in with the girls. They spent an hour playing Wii and the rest of the time swimming. Poor Boston had to sit out, and I think he finally hit his breaking point. It was the first I heard him complain about not swimming. Friday night we had our first Ward Social. It was a mixer, and provided opportunities to meet a lot of new people. After the party, Ben and I got ice cream with a newer couple in the ward and hung out at their house for a bit.

Saturday stayed busy. It started with me rounding up all the kids for the Primary Pool Party. They had it at Sunrise Mountain pool. The kids love that place because of the big slide. Sophia was a big fan, so Ben came by and took her home early. The kids had a great time, especially Boston, since he could finally swim. The party was combined with Pleasant Valley, so I got to catch up with people from the old ward. I'll take any chance I can get.

Goodbye Chlorine! Splishin' & a Splashin' Waterlogged?Hard Run down the slide?

The party was over around Noon, and then I ran to Walmart to get a few things for dinner and my lesson. Aubrie and Boston came, and brought their wallets ready to buy something. After spending way too much time in the clothing department, Aubrie finally decided to save her money. The evening included; making dinner for a friend who just had her baby, getting to hold that baby:), preparing my lesson, more swimming, and another visit from Ben's sisters.

7:00 came early this morning! We rushed around to get ready for church and made it there in plenty of time for a soft seat! The kids headed my "warnings" I gave at FHE about their behavior during Sacrament meeting. They were sure to behave themselves, so they wouldn't have to sit on the couch, for an hour, at home!;) My lesson went well! The Mia Maids didn't have a lesson prepared, so they combined both of the classes. I was actually fine with it, because a lesson is a lesson. I didn't have enough of the cute little candles for everyone though..bummer! On my way out to the car, one of the teachers in Junior Primary got me aside and told me Boston was cracking them up today. He said that that the kids were all acting up during sharing time and Boston said really LOUD, "Hey, everyone stop talking and be reverent so we can get this over with!" Ha!! That boy is always cracking people up.

The box always ends up being the winner!

Ask and You Shall Recieve!

So this week I am believer! Ok...I guess I have always been a believer. But when you pray for something and you see those prayers answered, almost immediately, it's a nice feeling to know that you have a loving Heavenly Father watching out for you and wanting to help you with even your smallest desires.
As I have already posted, our great ward was split a few weeks ago, and we became a part of the newly formed West Wing Ward! So my calling in YW was no longer, and I was waiting in the trenches for my new calling. I must admit that I prayed several time that I could get the same calling (is that wrong?), and to be honest, nothing else really seemed right when I thought about it. Of course, that could do something with the fact that I LOVE Young Women's, but really it felt a little more than that. So on Tuesday, when one of the Bishopric came over to my house to extend me a calling, other than Young Women's, I was a little shocked and disappointed. The other calling worked with the Youth, but it wasn't in the same program. I accepted it, thinking that Heavenly Father wanted me to stretch my wings in other areas, and even started preparing a little. Really, it was a calling that I thought I would really enjoy. However, all night long ( I was very tired the next day) I just tossed and turned over the call. Just a quick side note. I have had other callings I wasn't necessarily thrilled about, buy I always felt calm and ready to serve in it. So anyway, the next morning I called that same counselor and after explaining some of my trepidations, he told me that the Bishopric prayed about it some more and they thought I should be a Laurel Advisor, the same calling I had before! One answered prayer!
As I was preparing my lesson for Young Women's, they didn't waste anytime, I wanted to find some great information to better help the girls understand a specific topic. I said a little prayer and within minutes I stumbled on a P-E-R-F-E-C-T Ensign article. Then I really wanted to find the perfect handouts (I'm a sucker for handouts) and I stumbled on the best deal of the century on little candles (see Matthew 5 for further understanding) and was so elated! Then the night before my lesson I said one last prayer that I would be able to impart anything he would want me to say, and instantly I thought of something I NEVER thought of before relating to the topic! More prayers answered.
Also, last night, I prayed that Sophia (and the other kids) would be good in Sacrament and the rest of church so we could listen to the speakers. I don't' know why I hadn't thought of that before. Of course, I've often found myself saying a silent prayer in the middle of the meeting that my kids would behave before I wrang their little necks (I really do LoVe them!;) but that never seemed to work. Anyway, wouldn't you know, the kids were ANGELS, Sophia made it all the way through Sacrament meeting (not completely quite, but just being able to keep her in there was HUGE progress) and to top things off, she fell asleep on Ben during Elders Quorum. If you know anything about Sophia, you would know that is a miracle within itself. That child will not fall asleep on you to save her life, and I think the last time that happened was when she was 7 months old! More Answers!!!
Ok...So these aren't the only prayers I have had answered in my life. He has answered so many countless prayers. I'm sure just as many in a week if not more than this one. But the difference is that this week I instantly took notice, and gave thanks! That's what's really important. When we, as parents, give our children things they ask for (or don't ask for), don't we want them to "take notice" and give us thanks! May we all take time to recognize his tender mercies. I know that I am committed to making a bigger effort!

Happy Fathers Day!

Yesterday I tried to do my best at making Father's day special. Unfortunately, I pulled a tendon in my foot, at Havasupai, so I couldn't stand on it very long:( It actually started hurting after church, so I'm sure my church heels just agitated it further). It was hard to get up and going for church. Even waking up at 6:45, things were rushed and left undone. Sophia had a hard time in sacrament, hitting her head on the pew 3 times. The third time I was literally laughing, because I couldn't believe it. I was beginning to think her head and the pew were magnetic!

Second hour I had Sophia duty, since Ben is the new Gospel Essentials teacher. I tried sitting in the class with Sophia, but she had no intentions on sitting in one place for long. So I ended up following her around the halls all of second hour. Ben took over during RS, and I ran into the chapel to grab my scriptures and talked to friends from Pleasant Valley ward. They were asking if I put my house up for sale yet, etc.... They weren't making it any easier for me! LOL

After church, the kids prepared something special for Ben . They put a crown on his head (a princess crown:), and had him drink from Aubrie's tea set, while they were saying, "Hail Dad"! They then had him open gifts and cards. He got Fierce cologne from me, a beach towel from the kids and a shirt from my MOM. After lunch, I started Ben's favorite dinner (Italian chicken), and made his favorite cake (lemon with orange frosting), while he took the kids over to his parents to drop off his Dad's father's day gift!

When he got home we laid down for a bit, while he rubbed out my sore ankle till I fell asleep. I know it should have gone the other way, being it was his day and all, but I must admit it made my day! While we were upstairs relaxing, the kids were coloring downstairs making more "cards' for Ben. Before dinner, Ben swam with the kids a bit! He said he had a great Father's Day! I sure hope so. He deserved one!

Today I tried to nurse my foot, but didn't do a very good job! I pulled all of the cat stuff out of Aubrie's room, now that the kittens are old enough to use the main litter box! It was a relief to have her room back to normal. No more worrying whether her bedroom door is open and Sophia is getting in all that stuff! Since I had the vacuum out for her room, I figured I would vacuum the rest of the house. Probably not the best thing for my foot! The kids were good to get all their responsibilities done by noon. Boston was on a roll today, reading the three books I required of him before he could read Harry Potter. The kids are in this race to be the first to read Harry Potter so they can get these dumb Harry Potter cards that came with the movie. I honestly can't believe that is a motivator. What are they going to do with the cards anyway? Oh well, whatever works! Boston is anxious to be the first!

After lunch, we all went swimming (minus Boston, poor kid). It was a scorcher, and the water felt great! Sophia actually hung out in her covered floatie for an hour without complaining once. Aubrie and Ethan had fun getting pennies off the bottom of the pool. (Why didn't I think of that game earlier?). Tonight we had our FHE lesson on knowing good media from the bad, and having the courage to walk away from the bad. After FHE, we swam some more. Now that temperatures have bumped up into the teens that will be a frequent activity here!

Havasupai--a little Heaven on Earth!

Aubrie got a hold of the camera! What a cute face she captured! LOL It's now our screen saver!

She finally let me do pigtails! Isn't it adorable?! Too bad they didn't stay in all day!

This week was full and eventful!

Sunday was a little different, being in the new ward and all! I'm going to miss the old one! I'm tempted to buy some land over there, just so we can be "annexed" in! I haven't received a call in the new ward, yet, but if it's not in YW I don't want one! Ha! The YW in my old ward told me to come visit on Mutual nights. I told them I would probably get pulled aside by the Stake leaders and be told to make some friends my own age. Ha! I'm just anxiously waiting my new call. I actually thought I would be OK if they put me in Nursery, again....if they don't want me in YW! What am I saying? I might as well be in there anyway, since Sophia is like a T-Rex by the second hour of church!

Monday, Ben took my car in for the millionth time! I have a love/hate relationship for that thing! I LOVE the way the Navigator looks and drives and all the "luxury" items, but it's an American car (something I swore I would never buy and for a good reason). I can't get away from the constant break downs! Ok, I have been spoiled, owning only Honda's until this point (which are the best made cars EVER), and I am now seriously considering going back to the Honda Pilot (now that it finally has entered the 21st century and has added third row temperature control and a few other perks!). Alright, I have gotten way off track. So the whole point of the story is that when he took it in, the loaner they gave us, though fun, sporty and way fun to drive, only sat 5! So that meant I was stuck home (since none of my kids can sit in the front seat), Ugh! I had a lot to do with our trip to Havasupai coming up, and I couldn't get any of it done. Ben came home early so I could take Aubrie to dance, and make my Walmart run! I had so much to get done, I barely made it back to the studio in time to see her practice her Jazz song one last time and get one of the last T-shirts left for Matt on "So You Think You Can Dance". He taught at Aubries dance studio and we are all "promoting" him through T-shirts, banners etc! Family Home Evening was on Modesty. The kids looked through Magazines and cut out pictures and glued them on poster boards that were labeled, "Modest & Immodest". They were baffled at how hard it was to find modest clothing. Here are the posters hanging on our "FHE wall". I always have the kids take turns reading paragraphs from the particular section of the Strength of Youth pamphlet (the focus of our lessons) and Boston was reading much better than Aubrie. She was getting a little upset and I was trying to convince her she was doing a great job. It's hard when kids have different strengths like that, and they take it personally. I have a feeling it's only going to get harder!

Tuesday, Lorraine took the boys to Kung Fu Panda, and then took them back to her house to swim and to paint t-shirts. They were gone from 10:00 to 4:00. It was weird having the gone. Aubrie and I went out together and hit Justice (she made it out of there with two shirts) and then she begged me to go to PetsMart. There was the CUTEST kitten in the window and I was soooooo tempted to buy it (despite the fact we already have 3 cats). Luckily I practiced self control and walked out of there, with Aubrie begging and "bargaining":) Tuesday night Ben took Aubrie on a date. They grabbed dinner and saw Kung Fu Panda. I spent the evening swimming with the boys and Sophia, and then my Mom joined us when she got home from work. It was such a nice evening, and after I put Sophia down, my Mom and I laid out on the lounge chairs (on my new comfy cushions) and enjoyed the nice evening. I could have fallen asleep out there, (if only the nights could be like that all summer!) but I had to drag myself inside to get my packing done!

Wednesday couldn't be more busy. I spent the morning finishing up laundry and last minute packing. The kids had piano, we had to pick up our car, and then we had dinner at Chili's. After Chili's Aubrie convinced Ben to stop at Petsmart to look at the kitty. It was gone! I told you it was adorable; the cutest I've ever seen! When we got home, and while I was finishing up some last minute things, Boston let out a huge cry from the family room. I heard Aubrie saying that he was hurt, and I didn't think it was anything big. Aubrie started screaming that he was bleeding and when I looked over I saw blood dripping down his leg. I ran over and immediately knew it wasn't good. Ben said it was fine and we could superglue it (his cure all for every cut the kids get) and I told him that I was taking him to Urgent Care with out without him. I wasn't about to leave him with my Mom for 3 days without him being checked out. Ben came along, and we walked out of Urgent Care 3 stitches and 45 minutes later! (Luckily there wasn't a single soul their!) Boston was panicked the whole time, fearing the shots he would need in order to get the stitches. We had to hold him down while they gave him the shots, and he screamed in my ear the whole time! Ouch! One of the stitches were in a place where he had no anesthesia. He did fantastic and was so tough, making me believe he basically just psyche's himself out! After we left Urgent Care, we took him to Walmart to buy him a "condolence" gift. He picked out out Indian Jones action figures. While we were in line he started looking at the magazines and pointed out all the immodest clothing! LOL

All the last minute drama left me running 2 hours behind. (I'm just glad it happened on our watch). I ended up arriving at Erin's house at 9:30 for the "sleep over" and Ben didn't end up getting any rest before we headed out for our Midnight drive to Havasupai. The drive was long and I wasn't able to get much sleep. When we got to the top of the canyon it was FREEZING! Last time we went it wasn't the least bit cold, so most of us came without sweatshirts, not wanting to pack or carry anything that wasn't necessary! I was so cold, I decided to run down the switchbacks to get my blood pumping. I also ran other parts of the hike. If anyone knows me, they would know that I HATE to run! But, for some reason the early morning air (we started our hike at 5:00) and certain songs on my shuffle, put me in the mood to run! I didn't stop to think that, 1. I don't ever run and 2. I didn't stretch before I started the hike! By the end of the day, and even now, my thighs feel like Jello! I wasn't the least bit sore last time I went, so I'm convinced it was the running!

Ben and I arrived at the Indian Village at 7:30, along with a few others. So that was 9 miles in 2 1/2 hours! I should have walked the whole thing in 3 and saved me from the soreness!! Our packs were all flown into the village, and we had to wait around until 11:00 for our packs. There isn't much to do around the village, except sit there and wait. The 3 1/2 hours actually went faster than I thought it would. Maybe it was because I wasn't looking forward to strapping on my huge pack and walking for 2 more miles.

Just waiting!

The last leg down was much easier than last time. My pack made all the difference! I'm not saying I was running down the hill, but I didn't need to stop and rest. Erin and I made several stops last time, but this time we did much better! When we got down to the campgrounds I was a little worried. It was so crowded and we couldn't find a campsite. It really seemed hopeless. I then decided to stop and say a prayer that we could find a fantastic spot, so we could have a great memorable time! Within minutes someone came down the path saying Brian and Erin found a spot. It was close to the bathrooms and the water station, but there wasn't a table. Within the hour we had a couple of tables, Yeah! After everyone got situated and rested a little, we all headed down to Havasu falls! Here is a picture! Isn't it beautiful. That's why this is one of my top picks of the most beautiful places I have ever been! It's like a little Heaven on Earth! It's actually one of the most photographed waterfalls in the world! Anyway, we spent about an hour and 1/2 swimming in the freezing water. I think my body went numb in self defense. We then went back to camp and had dinner and played some games. By 7:00 I was ready for bed. It had been 36 hours since I had any rest worth mentioning, and I had no energy to do much of anything. We were lucky to round up the girls by 9:30 and go to bed. It was going against my very nature to choose rest over a night of fun, but my body was winning the battle!

Kayleen was my personal hair stylist. Here is Erin and I with "Kayleen" hairdo's!

Friday I woke up around 7:00. I actually slept much better than I thought I would, considering I was sleeping on a small pool floatie. It was a little chilly that night; my biggest complaint. Luckily, I packed an extra blanket from the car, when I saw how cold it was at the top of the canyon! After breakfast, and moving our camp around (the group right by us left early that morning so we took their spot that was set further back from the trail) and hanging out for a bit, we headed out to Mooney Falls around 10:00. Mooney Falls

The hike down there involves climbing through caves and climbing on and down the side of a rocky canyon that has chains and ladders to assist you from not falling to your death! Sounds fun, huh? It actually is! To me anyway. The hike is worth it because this is what you see down there! We had fun doing a rope swing, and following the river down to another little waterfall. We headed back to camp, and I hung back taking some more pictures. I finished the hike back to camp on my own, loving the alone time enjoying nature and taking pictures at my leisure! I LOVE taking landscape pics!! Second best thing next to taking pictures of my kids!

Me on the rope swing!

After lunch and relaxing, we headed to Navajo falls! The hike was back up towards the village, so it required us going up a steep sandy hill. My sore legs and that hike did not get along! When we got to the falls, I spent most of my time sitting around and watching the girls swim. Last time I jumped off this huge rock! With how sore my legs were, I wasn't sure I could do it. I was a little sad, because it was such a rush last time! After I called Ben a chicken and he saw about 6 Young Women jump off of it, he finally did it! The little dot is him! We then did a little exploring around the falls, not quite as much as last time, due to my soreness, and then headed back to camp. Evening at the camp included a great mini "fireside" where we all related one of our experiences at Havasuapi to something Gospel related. It was great to see the YW come up with the analogies and see their testimonies in action! After that, we had a GREAT time talking, goofing around, and playing games. Hanging around at camp!

We ended up going to bed around 12:00, soon after someone from another camp came and complained that we were keeping them up. Hee! Hee! After we all went to bed, Kayleen and Alex played a prank on one of the priesthood leaders, putting cheese wiz all over his face. He retaliated in the meanest way, pouring water in their tent and then collapsing it. They had nothing to sleep in and spent the night laying on a tarp and shivering under towels. When their Mom got up and relinquished her sleeping bag, they finally fell asleep. They were then tortured with crackers and kool aide dumped in their hair, and luckily the Bishop didn't relinquish his syrup, that Brother Nelson wanted to pour on them. Glad I wasn't a part of any of that! I really felt sorry for them. There is nothing worse then being tired and FREEZING!! We all packed up and headed out about 8:30. The Helicopter was there around 9:30 to get us. They flew us and our packs right out of the Indian Village to the top of the canyon. Ben got to ride in the front! I did that last time. It's an amazing ride! It's I feel so lucky to have been able to be part of such an amazing trip. The sites are amazing and the company is so much fun! I love the people in our Ward. The whole time it just felt like we were one big family; all working towards the same goal, and just loving one another, enjoying each others company and having a great time! That is the image I see when I think of Spirit Paradise! I'm so loved my "miniature" paradise I got this weekend! I'm really going to miss it:(

We left the Canyon around 9:45 and stopped for lunch at this cool burger joint off route 66! It's an official route 66 site. They did all these kooky things like give you a piece of straw when you asked for a straw for your drink, and their surrounding looked like this. They had these cars in their lot, and they claim they had these cars before the movie "CARS" came out. They said that is where they got the idea for the movie. We took these pictures and told Ethan we saw Mader and Doc (from the Movie). He thought that was sooooo cool, and asked us to take him there. He said, "Mom, did they talk?"! LOL He then asked why I didn't get a picture of Sally and Lightening McQueen! (That was Disney Pixar's addition I guess).

We made good time and got home around 3:00! The kids were happy to see us, and we were exhausted. We ordered pizza for dinner, and we swam a little and now Ben watched the movie "Jumper" with the kids, while I worked on this! LOL When the movie was over, Boston said, "I wish I were like the Jumper, so I could could "jump" right to my bed, and not have to walk there"! Guess he was tired!

While we were gone the kids got to play at the Frandsens, and they some of the time at their community pool. Boston had to sit out, since he couldn't swim with his stitches. Poor kid! Trina said he was a good sport about it! They didn't leave the Frandsens until 8:00pm, so they had a great time! They also spent a day with the Walters (minus Aubrie), and Sophia stayed with my Mom the whole time, of course. Friday night was Aubrie's dance recital, which apparently went well. Lorraine gave her a rose, which Aubrie was thrilled about! She told my Mom that she hoped someone would buy her a rose. My Mom told her she thought she would probably get one, I'm sure assuming Lorraine would buy the ones they sell at the recital. It now sits in a small vase on our kitchen counter. My Mom had a great time alone with Sophia, for those two days the kids were at friends. She said she was a sweetheart. She also said that their were only two incidences where the kids had huge problems. One being Ethan and Boston fighting at bedtime, and the other being Aubrie throwing one of her "I'm being so wronged" tantrums, that she got over in about 10 minutes or so. I'm so glad all went well, even though my Mom would probably not tell me any different! LOL

Oh, this past week I have decided, since it was summer, I should spend some time experimenting with Aubrie's hair. Here are some of her hair-do's for the week! She loved feeling girly, and I was surprised she cooperated. She usually isn't into getting all "done up". I think her little crush might be changing all that! LOL