St. George Girl Getaway

Sorry for the butt load of pictures! But there's not one thing about this weekend that I want to forget! My good friend, Lori, has a family condo down in St. George & we've been talking about doing a girl's weekend for ages! I'm so glad she finally put it together! I must admit, I kinda had a crummy attitude about it at first mainly because I'm a mom & I get the "guilt" factor going on & because it seems like it's such a pain in the butt to actually get ready to go! But- we drove down Thurs night & the fun BEGAN!! We slept in, hot tubbed, soaked up some nice St. George sun, ate a ton, went to In & Out Burger & Texas Roadhouse (yum!!), saw a couple movies, played around the world ping pong where I attempted to practice the ancient art of pinging the pong & ended up with a couple welts on my tush cause I lost!!, played games which was full of total nonsense, some purring, & lots and lots of great belchin'! let's not forget Rock Band! There was some spooning, some secrets shared, & most of all- so much laughing that my cheekbones & abs were aching!! I love these women! They are a total blast to hang with! Low key- kick back- nonjudgemental- and hilarious! Wow- I soooo needed a weekend like that! We were goofy as all get out & it made me come back home feeling rested, relaxed, and ready to be a better mom & wife! Girl's weekends or even girl's nights ROCK!!!

Drew's 1st High School Dance

Drew got asked by this cute girl, Kenzie Isbell, to Davis High's Christmas Dance. She left a cute, big gift box on the front step that had a witty poem asking him to the dance. He then unwrapped the box, only to find another, smaller box that was also wrapped. And so went the steps repeatedly until he got to a very small box that was just covered in duct tape and virtually impossible to cut into. Once he did, he found a note that said to go check out in his mailbox. He found there some candy with an envelope with her name on it. It was almost as exciting for Cam & I as it was for Drew to go through the process of answering her back. Cam & I both thought of a way- we bought over 200 different Christmas cards. Drew wrote on many of them, things like "almost there", "not the right card", "tired yet?", "e=mc2", and silly stuff like that! Then we stuffed and sealed all the cards, put them perfectly fit into a gift box, wrapped it all up, and then but a giant bow on it with a witty little poem telling her to get searching for the right card where she'd find her answer. Little did she know, it wasn't in there! After dropping the box off onto her doorstep, ringing the doorbell, and running, we returned about 30 min later with a box of chocolates with a single card that said on the outside "sorry- we forgot this one" with the answer of "yes" written inside of it! (She reported a few paper-cuts!)It was so fun to do that with him! Just as fun as it was to help him shop for his 1st suit, a shirt to match her dress, order his corsage, and review all the dating etiquette that we expected from him! He was extremely excited! The big group he went with went to breakfast that morning, then ice skating, then all stopped here for hot chocolate. Then after the dance, they all came here to watch a movie. Drew loved his 1st dance, said it was totally "sick"- don't worry, that means "awesome, great, terrific, wonderful". (teenage lingo, geez!) I'm so glad he had such a great experience! It's things like that that make high school such a fun phase in our lives!! I hope he has many fun dances to come in his future! I love that kid! And he makes a handsome date, if I do say so myself!

Ain't no mountain high enough... to keep me from you!

So- yes, I'm still WAY behind on the blogging- but hey, I'm at least back & trying, right?? These are pics we took of Cam & I w/Jeff & Tami at a Jazz game we took them to as they were getting ready to move, a "spa" night I tried to do for the girls the weekend before they left, & of course, one of the many, many pics I have of CJ on my phone & camera that my children take when I'm not looking! I swear, just by pics alone, people would probably think he's our 6th child! Anyways- I just wanted to throw myself a pity party & say how sad I am that Jeff & Tami are not right next door anymore ;0( So sad for me! It's hard, because, after being friends for over a decade, we finally got to be neighbors! It was awesome to have that closeness- to have the convenience of being only a couple hundred yards away from one another! To borrow a cup of this, or a teaspoon of that, or A GALLON OF MILK!! haha! It's been fun to have our kids grow so close (Jody is still in mourning for Ashley), to have them walk in our house & us into theirs, to feel like we could share a baby! Poor CJ probably got kissed more than he'd ever like to! Tami would tolerate my children going over to her house to STEAL her child- & was good to trust him in our care (which can be scary in the chaos of our life). I'm not gonna lie- I think that we'll always be close friends, but I must admit- that being close physically helps a friendship. There is so much to be said for "convenience" in this day & age. Our lives are sooo incredibly busy, so it helps to have someone be right there, doing the same things in the same ward and neighborhood. It just creates those opportunities to see each other. So Tami- you might be further away & you might be in a different zip code- but I still love ya like a sister & pledge to be better about getting out to see ya! To those friends that I have that live in my back yard, across the street, or in the same neighborhood, I am SO grateful for that & I'm sorry if I don't tell you that enough! And to those of you in a different state (my sweet Chelon!), or in my old neighborhoods, wards, or places I've never lived (my soul sister Rach!), I love you every day in spite of the distance or miles- I'm still close to you in my heart! I love my friends & I truly don't know what I'd do without you! During this work nightmare I've been pre-occupied with & with my dad's heart attack & surgery this last week, you friends are who I've relied on- to know that you're there means the world to me!! I love you all so very much- please know that always!!!

Thanksgiving 08 in sunny San Diego

I know- that's a whole lotta pictures to have to scroll through- but I wasn't feeling up to doing the slide show today folks, so bear with me ;0) And yes, I am fully aware that it is now January & I'm barely getting around to posting about Thanksgiving. Again, bear with me! A laptop with a virus & crazy holidays made blogging fall WAY down on the priority list!! There was no midnight blogging for me! Anyways- Thanksgiving was.... let's just say it was different. It reminded me that no matter where I am, as long as I've got my husband & kids- that's all that matters! Yes, we were fortunate enough to be blessed with great weather & be in a beautiful place- but I couldn't help it- I missed the extended family chaos, the traditional turkey dinner, and all that comes with your standard Thanksgiving dinner. There's a pic of us with all the team at "Nick's at the Pier" eating a steak dinner on Thanksgiving. Somehow- just not the same! The tournament games were held at an Olympic Training Facility that had some spectacular fields, although one was a mud pit. Luckily, we only had to play once on that! It was a really good learning experience for Colby. Translation: the team didn't fare so well. Don't get me wrong- they played well considering & they came close to some wins that should've been theirs. However- it was good to humble them a little bit. These out-of-state teams that train year round have quite an advantage & they play some outstanding soccer! Colby's team may be the very best in the state of Utah- but that don't mean jack when you're playing the best of the other teams! It was an eye-opener for them to see what kind of competition they'll face come June when they have regionals down in Cali again! They better be bringing their A game! Colby & Drew are both in speed training to work on speed, strength, and agility in a program up at a Weber State University that will go for 12 sessions, twice a week for 6 weeks up until Colby's next tournament in Feb. in Phoenix. Anyways- back to San Diego. The kids loved Sea World- that includes me- I LOVE the place! Sadie was the very, very cutest about Shamu. She kept asking if she could get Shamu for Christmas- and was so very sad & disappointed because she couldn't understand why in the world she couldn't ride on Shamu's back like the trainers!! Maybe one day Sadie!! We even got to stop at Buffalo Bill's outside Vegas on the way home for a night so the kids (& dads) could ride the roller coaster. Yes- that is me on the extremely frightening Frog Hopper! Don't ask. Please, just don't. The trip overall was a great time (minus the very long drive! ugh!) but one that we'll definitely remember! Great job on playing hard Colby!

Family pics 08

Just wanted to tell Ashley how great I think she did with our family's photo shoot!! She was not only fun & PATIENT, but I think she did a fantastic job with the photos!! I love them! Thanks again Ashley- you're a talented lady!! You're the best!

Happy Birthday Colby & Sadie!!

Yes- this is a little late! But things have been a little chaotic attempting to recover from Hawaii & I'm just beginning to catch up on life!
Colby Cameron entered our lives 14 yrs ago. After being in labor for over 26 hrs (he was posterior, wouldn't drop completely into the birth canal so he went into fetal distress) the Dr. did a c-section & out came this 8 lb 3 oz boy with a full head of hair & dimples to die for! Cam & I were ecstatic & Drew (who was only 15 mths at the time) couldn't get enough of his baby brother! Colby was born w/a Ventricular Septal Defect in his heart (a hole between the ventricles). We spent many sleepless nights that 1st week of his life, which was full of visits to Primary Children's Hospital. I remember thinking to myself how precious this little boy was- but what a trooper! The hole healed after 2 yrs. on it's own & he's been going strong ever since! He was the type of baby who smiled with his entire face! I loved it! In fact, he's still got that same smile w/that same infectious laugh that holds the slightest hint of mischieveness! He's a jokester & a natural athlete, just like his daddy! He is incredibly kind & thoughtful. He is tender-hearted & always willing to share or sacrifice for another. (I included a pic of Colby w/Cam's younger bro, Ryan, who passed away 2 1/2 yrs ago, because we always thought there was such a resemblance! They have some of the same mannerisms, same laugh that always means trouble ;0), and they both have a fetish for shoes & accessories like necklaces & hats.) I think the boy is as adorable today as he was when he came into this world! Wow- 14!!
Sadie Meakalia was born 4 yrs ago. Her middle name means "the long-awaited one". It felt like an eternity for her to get here safely. I was only 16 weeks along when my placenta ruptured while I was up at work at Davis Hospital. I had just felt her move for one of the first times a few days prior. I thought I was having a miscarriage, but the Dr. in the ER informed me that it was my placenta rupturing & that it was on the way to completely tearing away from the uterine wall. She said if it did, she would spontaneously abort. The Dr. told Cam & I that there was only a 50% chance of her surviving as well as many health concerns in regards to me. I'll spare you all the even longer version of this story by summarizing that it was an extremely long road after being put on complete bed rest from that point on, with it being full of blessings from my husband & other faithful Priesthood leaders & my other 4 kids having to all pull together with other friends & family to take care of me & make sure she arrived into this world! Which, obviously, she did! And for a reason too. I know with all my heart that Sadie came into our lives, even though Cam & I both believed we were done having kids after Jess, for the specific reason of helping me through the hardest time of my life, losing my grandma. And Sadie continues to be there for me to this day! I love that she's never spent a night in her own bed (Cam- not so happy about it ;0), but I love that cuddle time with her! I absolutely love to smooch her incredibly luscious lips! I loved what a chubby baby she was, with cheeks so big they seemed to rest on her chest~& rolls for me to squeeze all over her cute body! I love that my Sadie is still lovey-dovey! I can't believe that my baby is 4!!
Both of these 2 kids are precious to Cam & I in their own unique way & I love all the many things that make them each who they are. I think back to the moments when I thought that we could lose them & I hope to never, ever take them for granted! Lately I've been a little "clingy" to the family, for many reasons. But one of the biggest reasons is this: time is FLYING by. These precious years with my children are slipping through my fingers & I don't want to miss a thing! I look back & get upset at myself for letting unimportant things distract me from my family- but can only vow to do better now & in the future. Before you know it, Colby will be out on a mission or at college, Sadie will be at school all day, and the other kids will be well on their way to making their own lives for themselves. But meanwhile, while I'm fortunate enough to be able to share their lives with them, I'm gonna take each & every minute with them for what it's worth- which is irreplacable!! Love you Sadie & Colby- hope your birthdays were fun!!

Jody & Mom's date to "Mom & Miss"

Jody & I had a blast at our date- which was her "Mom & Miss Halloween Party" for her Achievement Days. Her leaders did a great job on the whole night- yummy food, tons of dessert, a scary, haunted house/halls/rooms put on by the infamous spook-alley master, Ray Maple, and lots of fun games! I'll have to try to post the pic they took of us there if I get it soon- but for now- here are the pics Cam took before we left! Like I said in the previous post- I HATE the whole costume finding thing! So- yea, we took advantage of things we had on hand & I let Jody decide where to go with it all! She thought it was fun- so did I! Although, I must admit, putting the walking boot back on for the sake of the costume, brought back some bad memories of having to wear it for week after week this past Feb when it was broke! UGH! It was so nice to be able to peel it off at the end of the night & know that I could run on it just fine now! Jody had fun being crazy that night! That's definitely one of the most endearing things to me about Jody (although some might find it odd)- I adore the fact that my Jody is so comfortable in her own skin! It is my goal to raise children that know who they are & what they stand for. I want to instill self-confidence in them all & I'm not quite sure how to do that! But somehow- it just comes natural to my cute Jody! Call her confident, call her a tom-boy, or just call her gross if that's how you feel- but I LOVE it! I love when she lets a big one rip (which would make most girls blush & never claim the fart)- but my Jody just grins & says "my bad"! Don't get me wrong- she knows when to make sure she minds her manners- but she also loves, loves, loves to act as goofy as possible! She hams it up for sure! Jody couldn't care less what people think of her or what she does or what she wears or says (for the most part, she does still have feelings though!) & I hope she never wavers! I pray she always stays true to herself & lives her life to the fullest in the fun, care-free way she does now! I love you Jody- thanks for the fun night!!!