The Wonderful, the Wild, & sometimes even the Wacky times with the Winquists

St. George Girl Getaway

2009-02-05T08:06:00.001-08:00

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

2009-01-20T20:36:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-19T18:59:00.000-08:00

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!!

2008-11-17T13:43:00.000-08:00

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"

2008-11-10T22:48:00.001-08:00

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!!!

Happy Halloween '08

2008-11-10T22:36:00.000-08:00

This year the girls all took the task of "costume finding" upon themselves! Which I was more than happy to let them do! It's no secret- Halloween has never been among my top holiday choices! I wouldn't necessarily say I "hate" it- but it comes pretty close to that extreme! Mostly because of the pressure to come up with a costume that is the cutest, or the scariest, or the most creative! UGH! Well- proud to say that this is what the girls chose- and I let them handle almost every single detail! Thanks to Amy M & Rach for the loan on the costumes- you're lifesavers!! The girls had a blast tho- they enjoyed the warm weather for trick-or-treating (as did I!) & practically ran from door to door the entire time! I'd put in pics of Drew & Colby- but both were off with friends at parties. Hard for Mom to handle, I must admit, that Drew got picked up in front of me by a car full of cute girl friends of his to go to a party & Colby was with his "girlfriend" as well watching scary movies with the rest of their friends! AHHH- growing up WAY too fast!! But I'm thankful for the wonderful weather we were blessed with that night & I'm thankful for the fact it's all over with- until next year! ;0}

Colby's Team Takes 1st in State Cup!!!

2008-11-10T22:20:00.001-08:00

These posts are long overdue (getting ready to go on vacation & actually leaving for a week is pretty time-consuming!) but I thought- better late than never!! Just wanted to tell Colby how proud I am of him! His LaRoca team took 1st in State Cup! It was a hard road- but they dominated the other teams for the most part! Some games were closer than others- but they always came out victorious! I'm proud of Colby's hard work & determination to help his team be the very best team in the whole state of Utah- which we can now say they are!!! They've got the medal to prove it! Now we go to Regionals- which aren't until next June! But still- it'll be such a great experience for him to play against players who are among the very best in the country! His hard work & sacrifices have paid off & I couldn't be prouder of him! He does have the Nomads Tournament this Thanksgiving in San Diego & the President's Cup in Phoenix in Feb to look forward to as well! Good luck Colby- congrats again on taking State Cup- we couldn't be more proud! We love ya bud!! You're such a stud!

Davis Darts Dominate Syracuse Football

2008-10-23T22:58:00.001-07:00

Wow- I know- LOTS of pictures! Sorry- you'll have to forgive me- didn't wanna take the time to do a slide show instead! Just wanted to show some pics of Drew's football game today against Syracuse. They won 28-14. It was a great game! Cam couldn't come because he had to go to Colby's State Cup semi-final game in Orem (divide & conquer days) & Asi had to work- but both were rooting him on in spirit!! He did awesome in the game- had an exceptionally great tackle in the 4th quarter that just hurt to watch! It was his last game of the season! He enjoyed it & the coaches & the team! But it was a great way to end the season! Jody kept playing around with the camera too- she just might make a terrific photographer one of these days! The girls are good sports to always come to all the games & support their big brothers! They got to play with the cute little puppy pictured that belonged to a friend whose big bro plays on the team too. The picture of the cute little girl with Sadie is her little friend whose name is also Sadie- she is the head coach's little girl! They have had fun playing together at all the games this season! Anyways- great job on a great season Drew! I'm proud of your hard work, your perserverance, and your positive attitude! I look forward to watching you play again next season! Love you bud!!

ReAl -vs- FC Dallas

2008-10-22T19:35:00.001-07:00

So- even though we typically date our kids one-on-one, we decided to make an exception this past Saturday for Colby. Reason being- the date was a little more spendy than usual- so we made it a "double parent date" & all 3 of us went! It was so great! It was Real's last regular season game & was played in their new stadium- which is AWESOME by the way!! (Yes- that IS a picture of me holding a huge thing of icecream. What about it?!?) They had a few fireworks they set off during the singing of the national anthem which were cool. The fact that Real won the game 3 to 1 made the night even sweeter! By the way- the pizza we had there was sooo good!! It was a really fun date & I hope Colby knows how much we love him! He's a stud! Always helpful, loving, giving & thoughtful, & still kisses his momma, even in public! What more could you ask for in a son??

Scary Hill '08

2008-10-16T23:13:00.000-07:00

Cam & I love the dates we have with our kids! We try to do them often (sometimes schedules get in the way)! However- there is really nothing like that one-on-one time you get to spend with your kids individually! We like to rotate between the kids and between Cam & I so we all get to know each other better! There's the little rules/guidelines involved with the dates: no radio in the car, no phone calls that aren't emergencies, and no negative topics. Just good 'ol fashioned fun together where we enjoy each other's company! Tonight was Jessie & I's date. They all get to choose their date destination. It was a hard choice between Olive Garden & minitature golfing for Jessie. Golfing won since she'd never been before! We chose Cherry Hill- now known as "Scary Hill" right now with their whole Halloween theme- which I personally think is very cute! Jessie thought so as well! Castles all draped in cobwebs, jack-o-lanterns & skeletons & vampires, etc! Very cute! Or shall I say "spooky"? Anyways- it was awesome to be with Jess! It was absolutely heart-warming to spend time laughing with her, smalk talking a little (nothing wrong with a little competiveness ;0), and encouragement!! We cheered each other on & gave each other big high 5's when we did well- which I must admit- we did!!! Granted- I've only been miniature golfing a few times in my life & this was Jess's 1st time- but we ROCKED! It was fun & of course, the night involved Frosty's from Wendy's! I may not be humble when it comes to gloating about how well we did- but I sure am humble when I think for 2 seconds how lucky I am to be blessed with Jessie as a daughter- as well as my other 4 kids! Wow- I love them!!! (Please forgive the not-so-great pics- they're from my Blackberry seeing as how the camera took 1 pic before running out of batteries!! - But at least I did a new post!! Took me long enough, huh?!?!)

Seasons

2008-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Can't remember exactly which day it was- but I know it was in this past week- but I recall the weatherwoman remarking about it being the first day of fall. YEA! I love fall! Love the color of the fall leaves on the mountain, love the little bit of "crispness" in the air, and love the fact I can start to wear jeans & hoodies again! Now as much as I love the change of seasons, I've gotten to thinking a little bit deeper about "seasons". (Forgive me- been a little more "reflective" as of late) I have sat & thought endlessly about the seasons of my life. When I look back on my 32 years of life, I think of all the different seasons I've been through. Some have seemed more enjoyable, some more exciting, some definitely harder w/more struggles, and some much, much more relaxing! Some of the seasons I've been through when I was a young teenager where I was more concerned about having a "good time" than anything else or when I was a young mom of only 2 boys & I was busy figuring out where I wanted my life to go- seem sooo long ago. Like a different lifetime. I feel like I'm now in the season of raising my children. Doing my very best to make sure they are well-fed, clothed, happy, healthy, smart, well-mannered, kind, & prepared for what life may have in store for them. But what's hard for me is this: I feel like I also have other seasons that also overlap this one. I am also in a season of trying to establish a new business while managing another, of being a huge support business-wise for my husband, trying to be there in many capacities for my extended family, trying to fulfill my callings to the best of my ability, trying to be the best kind of friend I know how to be and of being constantly busy! I never feel like I get to just sit still. I find that life has thrown things my way that I've overcome & they seemed so big- yet looking back now- I see they were so small. Many of my seasons have overlapped & continue to do so. I remember reading a devotional message on the topic of seasons & there was a phrase of being "seasoned to perfection". I just have one sincere hope & desire in relation to that: I hope that I can continue faithfully & diligently through this season of my life & all the seasons to come- until one day I am "seasoned to perfection". I hope I can gain understanding, empathy, compassion, faith, perspective, patience, insight, & many, many happy memories from all of them! I want to get all that I can out of each of my seasons- which means I might need to slow down enough to enjoy each of them for what they offer, instead of wishing the next one to come along sooner! So- here's to sitting back & enjoying my season!!!

Work, work, and more work!

2008-09-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

The last couple months have been full of me trying to catch up on the mountains of paperwork that I had previously been avoiding! I set a goal to get caught up on all the Autoboss paperwork, Btfl condos paperwork, & get the pawn shop on an accounting system- all by the time we go to Hawaii at the beginning of November. I'm happy to say that I've done 2 of the 3. The pawnshop paperwork & accounting is a BEAST! It's new & confusing & I'm struggling to figure out the best way to track everything. I'm offering up some sure signs to support my conclusion that I'm working way too much lately!-
First: Cam's office chair has a permanent imprint of my buttocks! No joke!
Second: I've found that the paperwork follows me into my dreams! Seriously, who dreams about paperwork???
Third: Have you seen the state of chaos that my house is in at the moment? For those of you that have witnessed the aftermath of the Winquist children cyclone- I apologize!
Lastly: I'm soo unable to focus & do well at anything else! Can't get up in the morning for workouts (sorry again for sleeping in today Tami), can't be a good friend to all of you & do all the "neighborly" things I'd like to do, & can't perform well in the mothering department (yep, sent Sadie all dressed in orange w/her orange show-n-tell on RED day! oops- orange is next week!)And the worst part of it is this- I'm blogging about it due to the sad truth that I'm too exhausted to walk the 3 feet it would require to get the camera so I'd be able to blog about something somewhat interesting to all of you! Instead- you get this! By the way- it's 1:36 AM & I'm so exhausted, I can't sleep! Too much on my mind & can't shut it down. I think this will go down in history as one of the most pointless blog posts ever! Sorry- I love you all & thank you for your patience as I attempt to slay the paperwork dragon so I can come out & play again soon!

Welcome Home Asi!!

2008-09-10T23:40:00.000-07:00

When people found out that Drew's biological dad, Asi, was coming back into our lives after being gone for 15 yrs (not by his choice- he would've given anything to have been here)- I got a lot of questions like "Is that going to be weird?" & "How do you feel about that?" It got me thinking about family. I'd like to share some of my own thoughts mixed in with some wise words from Pres. Hinckley's daughter, Virginia Hinckley Pearce.
The little nuclear family that is created by a man & a woman & their children is so uniquely different. They blend their personalities, temperaments, talents, & quirky ways into an identity that is uniquely theirs- their own family culture. This family then extends into grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers, etc. Each family develops their own culture. Cam & I definitely have. The things we do, the things we don't do. The things that I worry about, the things that I ignore or overlook. The routine of my household. The mood rhythms. The way we handle money & the way we choose to spend our time. The way we interact with each other & with our children & our friends, neighbors, etc. I respect that we may be more or less playful/serious/focused/goal-oriented/casual/spontaneous/calm/wild- (you get my point) than other's families. The whole point of all of it is this: I believe there are many, many different ways to be a good, happy family. I worry that we sometimes look at others & narrow our ideas of what that may be. Some of us seem to think that all righteous families must follow the same family routine, they must all interact in the same ways, & follow the same behavioral prescriptions. C.S. Lewis said "Sameness is to be found most among the most "natural" men, not among those who surrender to Christ. How monotonously alike all the great tyrants & conquerors have been; how gloriously different are the Saints"! If this is true for individuals, I believe it is also true of families! When parents strive to keep their covenants, enabling the Spirit to work in their lives, every family will be wonderfully different. And we could be comparing less & celebrating more!!
I know that Asi being a big part of our life may seem "weird" to others- but it couldn't feel more natural to me. He IS my family. I love him, as does Cameron, Drew, & all my other kids. He loves us all & shows us constantly. I couldn't be happier to have him be in our lives. And although that may not seem so "normal" to some- I'll just say this: I've NEVER claimed to be normal nor strived to be! My family is unique (sometimes dysfunctional- although I prefer the term "flavorful" ;0)
I love my wonderful husband, Cam, & my sweet kids with all my heart! I"m proud to have them as my family! And that family includes Asi! Welcome home Asi! We love you!

"M" is for Mt. Timpanogos

2008-09-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

"Crazy" is the word of the week! What was I thinking?! I really wanted to take the kids hiking up to the Timpanogos Caves- so when we knew we'd have the Harris kids at that time- I thought "the more, the merrier". Well, I grossly underestimated the amount of work it would take to get all 9 kids up the mountain!! Luckily, Drew & Colby are both big enough to help out rather than be a nuisance! The older girls, Jody & Ashley, both did well on the way up, but their shoes were really hurting their feet on the way down. The younger kiddos, of course, complained about how steep it was & hot & how tired they were! It was so busy that day that we had to wait for 3 hrs after buying the tickets for the next available cave tour! So, the majority of the kids & I headed down earlier, got the tickets, & then played around up at Mountain Dell while we waited for our time slot. Then Cam & Jody & Ashley drove down separately, arriving just in time to go on the hike! Let me just say- it was well worth the hike! It was so cool to be in there & hear all about the history & see all the cool features of the caves. Not sure I retained most of it (stalagmites, stalagtites, cave columns,??? it's all the same to me ;0) But it was really neat & the kids loved it! Parker got scared when they turned off all the lights to demonstrate how dark it'd be without any lights! Sadie tried to hike off & on, but spent most of the time in her daddy's arms! CJ got the best deal in the group by riding up in his pack on my stomach for a majority of the time, but Drew & Colby took their turns- happily!! It was cute- he was all smiles! Of course he was, his leg muscles weren't screaming for mercy like the rest of ours! I love the pictures I got of Drew looking down at CJ- the love & adoration are so evident! I would definitely recommend taking the cave tour to anyone who hasn't before! The hike is a bit scary & steep in a few spots- so be sure to keep a close eye on your little ones- but overall- it's such a cool experience!! (My calves & shins don't share that opinion ;0)

Saved by the Bell!

2008-09-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Just when I was sure I'd lose my mind because of all my children's constant bickering & fighting- school starts!! That's how it is every year at the end of summer! They have reached the point where we've spent SO much time together that everything everyone does gets on everyone's nerves- especially mine!! Please don't get me wrong- I absolutely love & adore my children! But a few hours of my own to work uninterrupted is purely priceless! Hooray for school- heaven bless the teachers who will spend their time giving my children an education! It means I can get work done and not feel guilty about neglecting my kids! I know where they are, what they are doing & more importantly- they're loving it too!!! I'm so excited at this point that I won't even belly ache about homework- YET! (That comes later on in the year when I begin to forget how glad I was school started & then we begin to look forward to summer! It's a vicious circle of emotions!) Anyways- excited for all the kids. As you can see- there are no pics of Drew or Colby. They were way too cool for that this year! Drew is now a sophmore at Davis High & loving it! So weird for me cause I swear it feels like yesterday that I myself was in high school! Colby is loving 8th grade! Jody is excited about 5th grade & of course Jessie is thrilled to be in 2nd grade! The weirdest change for me is Sadie baby starting preschool! She's going to Tiffiny's Flowerbox Preschool & yesterday was her 1st day! She loved it! She did so well when we dropped her off- no tears (okay- maybe a few from me!). Hopefully, this excitement & the novelty of being back in school lasts for a long time!!! (fyi Tami took the pics of my girls & emailed me them- I can't figure out how to make them bigger. But I will get it fixed later- until then, bear with me!!)

Belated "Atta Boy Colby"

2008-09-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

This summer was full of soccer tournaments for Colby! He was excited to change teams & went from Rush Premier to LaRoca Premier. His coach, Pancho Ovalle, is great to work with & Colby is loving his new teammates!! His team competed in the Pioneer Cup/LaRoca Cup & took 1st place! The next week was the Park City Extreme Cup, which they again took 1st place in! The following week was the Sparta Cup. They walked away with 2nd place medals after coming up short in an intense game against Boise National. All in all- they performed wonderfully & I couldn't be prouder of Colby! They played their 1st regular season game this past Wed. against USA where they emerged victorious! Keep up the great work Colby- we love you!!

"R" is for Reservoir- Strawberry Reservoir Camping

2008-08-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

We took the kids on one last getaway before school started up to Soldier Creek Campground at Strawberry Reservoir. Now let me just say this- Cam is NOT a big fan of camping. That's actually an understatement! He pretty much hates everything about it! Hates the prep work that goes into getting ready to go. Hates the actual camping. Hates the clean-up. Which is hard for me cause I LOVE it! Always have. Love to get away from the everyday bs & be up in the middle of nowhere. I love the "primitive" camping- the freeze yer butt off during the night, get woke up by the sun blazing through the tent, soak all your clothes with the smell of campfire kind of camping!! But we've got a nice, warm convenient trailer that has a toilet, shower, fridge, microwave, stereo w/surround sound, tv & dvd/vcr! You'd think that would make even Cam like it- but still no! But- since he's such a trooper- he humors me & takes me camping every now & then! (This is our 1st time this year-also our last)The campground we went to wasn't the greatest. Not too many trees, which I prefer. This had more sagebrush. The shores of the lake didn't have any sandy areas for the kids to play on while the adults fished so that kinda sucked too. But they really didn't seem to mind. The kids entertained themselves with trying to catch crawdads (sp?), which they caught many! Nasty little things! They loved it though! Especially loved tormenting the girls with them by secretly putting them on their shoulders when they weren't looking. You gotta love camping fashion- the mismatched, dirty clothes you can't believe you still own, the fuzzy socks with your flip-flops, the hats to hide your hideous hairdo's! I love love love tin foil dinners & dutch oven cooking. We had them both nights! Any guesses on how many pounds of potatoes, carrots, onions, & chicken I chopped up this weekend?? Lots! Luckily, Sonia chopped all the chicken up for me! It was yum!! Everyone loved the dutch oven Apple Crisp! It was stinking cold at night! (Good excuse to cuddle ;0) My favorite part of the whole trip was what is my favorite part of camping= sitting around the campfire & shooting the bull!! I love to put all the kids to bed & have the adults sit & laugh our butts off, tell our deep secrets, reminisce about old times, & share some seriously spooky stories! I loved it & was glad we got away for the weekend! I hope my kids take after me in their love for camping- not Cam!

"V" is for Volleyball

2008-08-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

So- since there have been a few "alphabet days" that have been more geared towards the younger kids (not that the boys didn't just LOVE the Kangaroo Zoo & Dinosaur Park ;0)- we decided to do one specifically for the older boys. The Saunders family were kind enough to host a group of us (our family, the Harris's, my sister, Taresa & her husband, Bryce, & the Blackham's) in their yard to play a good ol game of volleyball! It was really fun to play with my boys & see how far they've come over the past year! Who knew they could play so well?? It was awesome to do something that I love so much with my boys! Of course, while we played volleyball, the younger kids entertained themselves on the Saunder's monstrosity of a playground & then we were all rewarded afterwards with smores over the firepit & swimming in the pool! Fun night- thanks for hosting us Sara & Weston!

"F" is for Frontrunner & "G" is for Gateway

2008-08-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that the summer is quickly coming to an end! To ensure that we can get as many "alphabet days" in as possible before school starts- I kinda consolidated! 2 Letters-1 outing= smart mom!! I've really been looking forward to riding the Frontrunner while watching the progression of it being built. My kids loved it! Rach, Amber, Sara S., & my sister Heidi joined us with all of their kids as we took it from Layton to Salt Lake City & then rode the Trax up to the Gateway to do a little shopping at Build a Bear & let the kids run through the water. It was a very hot day- but was very fun! The kids were so excited as they looked out the window- the ride was surprisingly smooth & quick! If I had to commute to a job in Salt Lake on a regular basis- I'd for sure be taking Frontrunner! (Tip to other parents with young kids: don't ride home in rush hour with all the commuters! I swear there were a few that about fainted when they saw the large group of kids getting on! It gets way packed!) I'm glad we took the time to experience this! Thanks for sharing the pics Amber!!

"H" is for Hiking

2008-08-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

One of the whole points of our family's "alphabet days", is to find various activities that we can do as a family that are different, fun, & exciting! Part of the fun is to have the kids take part in thinking of unique things to do & helping plan them out! Last week for FHE- we talked about the many blessings our Heavenly Father has given us that are all around us that we may see every single day, yet not really recognize as a blessing! Personally, having lived all over the world, I know that one thing I always missed when not living in Utah- is our beautiful mountains! I LOVE camping, love hiking, just love looking out my windows & seeing the gorgeous view of our mountains! So- we went hiking up along the Bonneville Shoreline with the kids. Fairly easy hike for the little ones- good one for a 1st hike back for me since my ankle & surgery! It was SO stinking cute to see Sadie try to be such a big girl & hike on her own! It was also cool to see Drew offer Jess & Jody piggy-back rides when they got tired! The weather was nice & cool up there & there were no distractions like phones to take away from our family-time! We saw a bunny which reminded me of how different my boys & girls are from each other (the girls said "aww-how cute" while my boys said "oh- I wish we had a shotgun") It was fun to chat with my kids! We even got the bonus of watching a gorgeous sunset! I loved it! It reminded me of how much I truly love to hike & how much I need to get back to doing it more often!

"K" is for Kangaroo Zoo

2008-08-06T20:56:00.001-07:00

Alright- so- I'm very behind on our summer alphabet days!! Unlike last year, I've decided skipping around is okay. Jenny was sweet enough to invite us to go to Kangaroo Zoo yesterday. Now- even tho this is embarrasing-I'll still share: when she said Kangaroo Zoo, I for some reason thought- an actual zoo! I know- I'm a goober! I thought, "wow, maybe it's some sort of petting zoo for like Australian animals or something"! Ya- it was definitely not one of my more intelligent moments, I admit!! But, the kids were still happy to spend time playing on all of the fun inflatable toys they had there. I took Tami's 3 kids while her & Megan were home with the stomach bug. They all played for a couple hours & enjoyed themselves being wild as they wanted! (PS- I was making a big effort to be a "good, fun, interactive mom" & play with the kids on all the slides, etc. However, I think it's pretty overrated- due to the multiple raspberries I received on my elbows & ankle from the toys! Maybe I'm better off just watching from the sidelines!)

Boating at Pineview

2008-07-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Our good friends, Ryan & Amber Gorham, were sweet enough to invite us to go boating with them this last week up to Pineview. It was tons of fun & the kids loved it! Our other good friends, Jeff & Tami Harris, brought their boat as well & we kinda intermixed the kids. I, of course, grabbed CJ to snuggle while my girls went with them to do some tubing & attempts at waterskiing. (Jody actually got up!!) It was great to get out on the boat & have some time together with our family away from work!! Drew was in St George with some friends & Colby couldn't come because of his soccer tournament (which we had to leave early for)- but maybe next time! Thanks for the fun times Gorham's & Harris's!!

Colby's new toy!

2008-07-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Colby helped earn a new toy this past week! He had originally bought a mini-chopper from our friends, Ryan & Amber (by working off the hours mowing lawns, doing clean up at their spec house, babysitting, etc.). He loved that chopper but really wanted to get a dirt bike more! So, he kept saving money from other babysitting jobs & mowing jobs until he had almost enough money (we kicked in a little) & then also sold the chopper to buy his new bike! Cam surprised him by going & buying the bike from some kid & brought it home in our friend's truck. I had asked Colby to come out front with me to help Cam unload some stuff from the car when he got home. He assumed I was talking about the usual "stuff", like groceries. You should've seen his face when he saw the bike! His exact words were "You gotta be kidding me! Are you serious??" He was thrilled! Our friend, Jeff, & his son, Parker (Colby's favorite side-kick) were almost as excited as Colby was!! It was so funny for me to see one male neighbor after another come over to check out the new toy in the driveway. Colby was happy to show it off! I'm grateful for the fact that Colby has seen what hard work can earn! There were plenty of times he complained about having to mow a lawn or babysit when his other friends were playing. But look at his reward! I know he thinks it's worth it! Now let's hope I can keep him from trying to be on it 24 hrs a day!!!

The Men in my Life!

2008-07-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take a minute to recognize the men in my life! 1st-Cam- He & I just celebrated our 14th anniversary on July 9th! He still continues to prove his love to me every day! He continues to be my best friend, the one person I know who loves me unconditionally, accepts me for who I am (in spite of all my shortcomings!) and who I know without a doubt I can always depend on being there for me no matter what! Our anniversary was not all that we had hoped it would be. The day included the unexpected death of my uncle Jack (my mom's bro) & I kind of had to take a minute out to help her out with that. Cam worked a lot that day but we did manage to escape for a nice dinner out at Tepanyaki (which I love!!). I guess all that matters is that we love each other & I'm grateful I've got him in my life & appreciate all he does for our family! 2nd-Drew- He just turned 15 on July 22nd! Big guy! Not only is he now taller, stronger, and faster than me- he seems to think he knows more! I'll continue to remind him that he's got a lot further to go before that's the case! One more year before he's driving on the road (scary thought for us all!)! I love him & am proud to be his mom! The pic is of us taking him out to dinner at Outback for his birthday dinner.(please try not to think we're all too cheesy for having to squint into the sun in the picture!) 3rd-Colby- Wanted to congratulate Colby on his 1st place win at the Pioneer Cup/La Roca Cup. His new La Roca team did fantastic & dominated the competition! Way to work hard Colby- keep it up & good luck at this weekend's Park City Tournament!!
I'm really proud to have all 3 of these men in my life & I love them to death!!!

More Wedding Pics

2008-07-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

Just had to share these terrific pics that my friend, Kelli Willard, did of my brother's wedding! I know she was nervous about this being her first wedding, but she did a fantastic job & I can't tell her how much my brother & sister-in-law appreciate all she did!! Nick & Sonia are already such a great-looking couple (and I'm not partial at all! ;0)- but I think she truly captured the moment beautifully!!

Memories

2008-07-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Thanks for the idea, Amber! Fun idea- It'll definitely be interesting!

"S" is for Scrapbooking

2008-07-17T09:45:00.001-07:00

For a Family Home Evening- we had a short lesson on the importance of family history & then talked about how scrapbooking can be a form of family history & journaling. We then let the kids all scrapbook some of their own pages. It was a fun night! Trying to get Sadie involved proved a little tricky! She was content to just flip through everyone's albums & watch what everyone else was doing! It was a sad reminder to me about how extremely far behind I am in my scrapbooking!!

"P" is for Park City

2008-07-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Cam & I took the kids spent a couple days with his parents & sister & her fam up at Park City. We got to spend time swimming, shopping, going out to eat, & playing games. It was a fun time & great to get away & spend time with family! (My credit card saw much action at the outlets!!)

Fourth of July Celebration

2008-07-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

We got to spend a fun 4th of July with lots of friends & family this year! One parade + 4 bbqs + swimming + fireworks= tired kids!! We went to the Kaysville parade where my kids got candy galore & soaked in the water fight! We loved Kaysville's fireworks set to music! I truly love this holiday & am SO appreciative of the men & women who died & fought to give me the freedoms that me & my family enjoy today! I try to instill patriotism within my children & am grateful for a father & brother & brother-in-law who all served our country bravely & faithfully!!

Cam meets Audrina Patridge!

2008-07-08T09:12:00.000-07:00

Cam & I went down to Vegas for an auto auction a few weeks ago. Weston & Sara S. drove down to play with us for a couple of days. We were able to go to a show, eat lots of food, stay up late, sleep in, & lay out by the pool! While we were at Caesar's Palace eating at the Cheesecake Factory- Cam spotted Audrina Patridge (from 'The Hills')!! She was really sweet when we asked to take a picture with her! Her mom offered to take it & Cam was seriously on cloud 9!!! She is a babe though so I can't blame him! Good thing I know he loves me!!

"E" is for Ebleskiver

2008-07-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

My mom came to my house to help me & my cousins, Rach & Patty, learn how to make Danish Ebleskivers like my Oma used to make us! It was a riot! We "mis-measured" the flour, the sugar (5 tsps- not 5 cups!), & spilled the egg whites! After starting over, we began the process of cooking them at the stove! Yes- me wearing the goggles was a joke! :0) I really respect how my grandma used to spend hours at the stove making these for family parties cause all of our backs were aching at the end of the day! We ate them as fast as they were made & got the stamp of approval from the taste-testers aka- the kids! Only Sadie said she didn't care for them (picky picky)! It was fun to get together & learn a tradition that I hope to pass down to my children! I only wish my Oma were here to teach us herself! Thanks Mom for standing in! & thanks to Rach & Patty for the laughs! I wasn't quite sure if the tummy ache I had afterwards was from laughing or from eating so many of them dipped in powdered sugar! Probably both!!

"W" is for Wall-E

2008-07-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

My kids (okay-and me too!) wanted to go see the new movie- Wall-E! So- they grabbed their friends, Cooper Hiatt, Miranda Mumford, & Abby Howe & we met Amber & Will Gorham there for some fun movie time! I totally recommend this movie to everyone! It was so stinking cute! Of course- my kids got distracted by popcorn, pop, & candy- but loved the movie! All of them give it "two big thumbs up"!! It has a cute plot, endearing characters, & a touching love story! I love to hold hands with Cam & to see robots want that too was too cute!

"D" is for Dinosaur Park, Donuts, & Dads

2008-07-02T22:47:00.001-07:00

For "D" Day- Cam & I took the kids up to Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park! Then we went & took them to Krispy Kreme for donuts (no-not fat free-but incredibly delicious)!! Quick night of fun for the family! & the D in Dad is for the best dad in the whole world! Cam is seriously the most wonderful dad I know & is incredibly good to our children! He lives for them! The pic of him & the kids was taken out front of our house after church on Father's Day!! We love you Cam!! Thanks for being so good to us!!

The newest member of the Lavulo family!

2008-06-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Getting my house ready for my future sister-in-law's wedding shower, going dancing at a club for her bachelorette party til 4 in the morning (free Sprite for the designated driver!), and planning a groom's dinner for almost 100 people in my back yard definitely took it's toll on me! But watching my only brother's smiling face as his cute bride walked down the aisle towards him made it all worth it!! They make such an adorable couple & it makes me happy to see how much they love each other! It's so fun to see them together & how sweetly they treat one another! Made me also realize something else- I'm extremely grateful for how sweet my husband still treats me after almost 14 years! Anyways- the wedding was awesome! (VERY glad it's all over though!) I'm excited to have a new sister-in-law who loves my brother! Welcome to the family-crazy as we may be!

"T" is for Treehouse Museum!!

2008-06-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

Rach & I took our kids to the Children's Treehouse Museum in Ogden for a couple hours. Colby & Trenten decided it was okay to actually play there since they had each other to be "cool" with. However, Drew is a true teenager & much too cool for the museum now! Every now & then, he'll go to a few "kid places" with me- but high school football practice & hanging with his buddies is a lot more appealing to him these days! It was hilarious how Jody & Kaytlin kept modeling outfit after outfit for Rach & I. They kept telling us to take their pictures- to the point where we'd pretend to take it & say "oh ya- that one looks great!"! They finally caught on & figured out we were pretending! We were busted but had the good excuse that the batteries on the camera were running low! Rach & I attempted to take a pic of ourselves, without much success! (See the photo of a really close up shot of only half of my face!) We gave in & had Colby take one for us! It was fun to go with them & it made me realize I really don't get to spend as much time with Rach as I'd like to! We'll have to fix that this summer!!

Island Park Cabin May 31st

2008-06-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

We went up to Island Park the weekend after school got out (May 31st) with our friends, the Harris's & the Gorham's. It was great weather & the kids had an absolute blast! We ate WAY too much junk food (I swear I gained a few lbs those few days)! Sara taught us a new game using the Scrabble letters- & I must admit, that even though it didn't sound too fun at first, we all found ourselves addicted to playing it! The kids loved the paddle boat & Drew, Colby, & Parker even tried to tow home an abandoned dock (It's amazing what kids will do to entertain themselves)! The little kids went on a walk with us & we saw a giant bunny rabbit & some cute chipmunks! It really was a fun getaway for our kids & a great way for us parents to run away from our chores, jobs, etc! Thanks again for the invite!!

"C" is for Cakes!!

2008-06-14T09:27:00.001-07:00

For "C" day- we got together with some friends for a little cake extravaganza! Tami showed me, Sara Saunders, & Sara Gorham how to make her spaghetti sauce & french bread (which then fed all of our families) & then we presented the cakes we had all decorated for dessert! It was really fun to see what everyone had come up with! My girls & Meg made a bathtub with rubber duckies in it while my boys & Parker made a race track! (yes- the Harris children deserted their mother to come on over to our family!!) The girls got the award for "Cleanest cake" & the boys got it for "Raciest Cake"! The Saunders family did a cute beehive with cookies w/bees on it, the Gorhams did an adorable crocodile, & the Harris fam (what was left of them) made an awesome snorkeler! It was a fun night & the kids loved being creative with their dessert!

"B" is for Bowling!!!

2008-06-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

For 'B' day- we went bowling up at Fat Cat's in Ogden! Sara Saunders took Cody & Haley & Cody's friend, Steven Bass. Colby brought his friend, Brayden, & Jessie brought her friend, Olivia. We also brought the 2 Harris girls, Ashley & Meg. They all had a blast! I had to laugh when, halfway through the game, Colby finally gave in to my suggestion of having the bumpers put up when he bowled also. He thought it was too "little kid"ish in the beginning- but after a few gutter balls- he rethought the whole thing!! We definitely had fun & I loved how excited Sadie would get even when her ball only knocked down a couple pins!! She'd still cheer & give high-fives! Why can't all my other kids be such good sports?

"A" is for Aerospace Museum!!

2008-06-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

It's that time again!(Should we see if we can actually make it through the whole alphabet this summer?!) We started out our ABC's of summer this year with a trip to the Aerospace Museum in Roy on Memorial Day. It was really cool to go on that day because we had the opportunity to have a couple different veterans show us some cool things & talk to us about their personal experiences. I whole-heartedly believe in learning about history. I'm glad my kids learn about it in school & from books- but there is something special & memorable about learning about those things from the mouths of those who were there! It was really cool to check out all the different jets, planes, etc. My Oma always wanted to be an fighter pilot! The kids got to see cool pics of the Ogden Depot where she used to work. We took lots of fun pictures of the day, however, one of the kids erased them all off of my camera!!(along with pics of the Btfl High Boys Soccer Team winning state for the 2nd year in a row & pics of Jessie's 1st grade program! As you can guess, I'm quite distraught over that!!) So- we stopped & took a quick pic out front for the scrapbook- even though Drew & Cam weren't with us at the time! Bummer!! Still- hopefully the kids walked about away with some "mental pictures" that won't be erased by time! PS- Extra points go to Cam for being a good dad & going with us on this alphabet day- even though it's "not quite his thing"! Thanks for being a trooper, babe!

Seriously? Snow White?

2008-05-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

You Are Snow White!

Pure and trusting. You are a gentle soul who can get along with just about anyone. Everyone you meet instantly falls in love with you. How can they resist? You have a pure, lovable nature that's irresistable. Just don't trust everyone who comes across your path.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Wow- I would've thought I would be a Mulan or someone like that! Oh well! I'm sure these surveys never get it wrong!?!

Disneyland May 3- 6, 2008

2008-05-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun surprising the kids with a quick getaway to Disneyland! Cam & I woke them up very, very early that Saturday morning & told them to hurry & pack a bag or we'd miss our flight to Disneyland. You know how Cam loves to tease & fib so it's no wonder that our kids didn't believe him at first! Then when they realized that he was telling the truth, their excitement grew!! I can honestly say that although it was only 3 days, we really made the most of it! Up early & down late! We were exhausted at the end of each day & it wasn't that rare that Sadie would even fall asleep while we were still there! Cam, Drew, & Colby ran away for a few hours to Knotts Berry Farm to ride the "big boy rides" that rip yer lips off yer face! The girls & I used that time to visit the princess rides & all those other rides that the boys fancied themselves way too cool for!! It really was such a fun trip! Not only were we in a really cool place (The kid in me truly loves Disneyland!), but it was so awesome to leave all the work, school, & other distractions behind for a minute so we could just focus on being together! I think we sometimes overlook each other in our mad dashes in our lives! I don't ever wanna take my family for granted & I love that my children still want to spend together as a family! Let's hope they always do!! Can't think of a better way to spend my 32nd birthday!!

Thanks!!!

2008-05-13T22:41:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to say "thanks" to all the wonderful friends that helped to make my 32nd birthday so special!! I was really touched by everyone's efforts! The phone calls, cards, gifts, and birthday outings were soooo appreciated! I hope you all know how much I love you!! My family and friends mean the world to me! Don't know what I'd do without your love & friendships! Thanks again!!! You're all the best a girl could ask for!!!

'My Memories' Tag!!

2008-05-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

Okay Julie- It takes me forever to do "tags", but I eventually get around to them! This one required not only a little deep thinking but some serious recollection, which is sometimes hard for me ;) But I'll give it a try!

20 yrs. ago: I was 12 yrs. old & my family had just moved back from Wildflecken, Germany. It was actually just my mother & us kids for the 1st year. It was so sad to leave there (such a beautiful country) & to leave my dad (my parents got separated for a while)! Hard to come to Utah & be the new kid (AGAIN!) Started at South Davis Jr High & ended up loving it. Made new friends & parents eventually reconciled. Life was smooth going again.

10 yrs. ago: Cam & I lived in our 1st little house that we had built in West Layton. We had just had Jody & were excited about having another female in the home! Cam had started his own business (Autoboss) & was enthusiastic about that new venture! We loved that neighborhood & the friends we made in the Greenbriar Ward! These are probably the days I miss the most. Times of cheap dates like game nights, movie rentals, and bbq's with friends. We sure played a lot of board & card games! Things seemed so simple back then when we were just happy to be together. We were in a home, had started a family, & it seemed like we had our whole lives in front of us with endless possibilities!

5 yrs. ago: Our family had just built a home in the Waldron Farms Subdivision & we were loving living there!! We now had our 2 boys & 2 girls with the addition of Jessie. I finally took up exercising & had ran my 1st marathon with my girlfriends, Tara, Paula, & Adrienne. (It all started because Cam laughed at me when I told him I was thinking of trying to do it! Teach him to doubt me!) We were happy to finally be able to rent a car without being charged an extra fee for being too young!

3 yrs. ago: This was such a roller coaster year for me! I had just lost my dear Grandma to pancreatic cancer & had given birth to my final baby, Sadie. I wholeheartedly believe I was blessed with my beautiful baby girl to help me through that tough time. We had sold our home, moved into a 3 bedroom condo (yes, all 7 of us!) & were building the home we are currently in. Cam had gotten his real estate license & was enjoying that new venture! I was beginning training to run my 3rd marathon on my 30th birthday! It was definitely a busy time!

1 yr. ago: About this time last year, Cam helped coach the Btfl High boys soccer team to a state championship! We were winding the school year down, with the realization that I'd soon have 2 kids in junior high!! We were looking forward to a fun summer with our kiddies. We were also counting our blessings: the real estate market was going great for Cam (hard to remember those days, isn't it!?), our family was doing great, & we were truly enjoying the friendships we had established in our new neighborhood!!

So far this year: We've had our share of medical mishaps & yucky stuff so far. Drew broke his hand snowboarding, Colby had a scope that helped lead to his diagnosis of abdominal migraines (after a year of MRI's, CAT Scans, xrays, & endless blood tests), Cam was recovering from his 2nd ACL surgery, & I broke my ankle the day before Valentine's. I know of one more biggie to come (I'll share that in a sec). But, we're still all generally healthy & we've got each other! All the kids are enjoying soccer, track, gymnastics, dance, young mens, scouts, and achievement days. Cam's working hard towards helping the high school team have another successful year & I'm just trying to do my best to keep up with all of them!

Yesterday: I spent the day at the orthodontist's office, my gynecologist's office, getting my hair done, & running the kids to all of their many events. Enjoyed a volleyball game with some girlfriends. Got some bad news from the doc (he gave me no choice- gonna take the right ovary- it's covered in cysts & endometriosis. surgery date undetermined yet. he wants it soon because of the pain & severity. i gotta wait til after playoffs & my bro's wedding). Also spent some time doing deep thinking about life, friends, and family. Made some big decisions in relation to those & feel good about the direction I'm going. (ooh- sounds serious!)

Today: Took Colby to the doctor, did some paperwork, & went to lunch with Lori, Rach, Tara, Adrienne, & Karin for my birthday. (Thanks again ladies! Love your guts!) So exciting!

Tomorrow: Hopefully my mom will watch my kiddies so I can go to the Btfl High game. They play the team they won in the State Finals last year, our buddies, Bonneville High. Really don't care for that team! Hope we can take it! Gotta get ready for the following morning- we leave to California. We're surprising the kids Sat. morn by waking them up super early, telling them to grab a few outfits, & taking them to Disneyland!! We're gonna spend 3 days just enjoying each other's company. No housework! No school! No sports! Just pure, clean fun chasing Disney princesses & characters, avoiding roller coasters (okay- maybe that'll be just me), and remembering why we love each other so much!

This year: Looking forward to seeing my little brother get married in June & continuing on his road towards growing up & maturing :). Gonna throw his fiancee a bridal shower & host their rehearsal dinner here at my house. Happy to have my dad & the fam move back here in June from Oahu. REALLY looking forward to Drew's biological dad being closer coming in September. That'll be awesome for Drew & it'll be just in time for his 1st year of high school football. Totally excited for a getaway in November to Kauai with some friends! I'm also excited for summer to spend time camping, swimming, & playing with the kids!! Dreading turning 32 next week but happy to reach the 14 yrs. together mark with my cute hubby!!

Times have been hard, times have been good, and times have been exceptionally great!! Thanks to all of you who have been a part of them!! I treasure the memories and am excited for the opportunity to create more!!

My Babe's Birthday!!

2008-04-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Cam turned 32 on the 29th! It was fun to celebrate with friends!! He got great gifts, some extremely risque (that's you Blair! :0) ) He loved it! The kids gave him some new board shorts to have for the summer & Hawaii in Nov. I gave him a getaway night in Fresno for he & I to go see Rascal Flatts & Taylor Swift. It'll be a fun minute alone- just the 2 of us! I hope he knows what a stud I think he is! Not only do I think he's a total babe, I think he's the most caring, loyal, generous, empathetic, loving husband in the world! To top it all off- you couldn't find a better dad! I love his playfulness, his optimism, & his love for life! Most of all- I love the way he loves me!! How, oh how, does that man put up with me???

Strike! Birthday Bowling!!

2008-03-16T14:11:00.001-07:00

We took Jody & a group of her friends to Davis Lanes Bowling Alley to go bowling for her 10th birthday! They all seemed to have fun! Even Sadie & Jessie loved it! Of course- we put the bumpers up for them! Jody is getting to be such a beautiful, young lady! I'm enjoying watching her discover who she is & I'm so glad I'm lucky enough to be her mom! It's funny to watch her with friends- they're all trying to figure out how to act around each other & other people! What is even funnier-I see such similiarities between their little group & how myself & my peers behave sometimes. It seems all the same desires to be liked & accepted & all the same little insecurities we had as children still exist! We're just bigger now!! I hope Jody had a great birthday cause she's such a great girl! I also hope she knows how much we all love her & how special she is to our family!!

Jody turns 10!!

2008-03-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Jody & my nephew, Alex's, birthdays at the same time. Alex was the big 16!! He was showing off his newly acquired driver's license!

Clockwise: Alex, Colby, my other nephew-Nicky, my bro-in-law, Bryce, Cam & Drew.
I guess I shouldn't complain that Drew is as tall as I am now! Could be worse! Alex passed my sister, Taresa, awhile ago!
My mom-in-law Jerrie, my sister-Heidi, & her 2 girls- Maya & baby Grace
Don't let Jessie & Sadie's innocent smiles fool you!! They're trouble! :0)
Alex & Jody blowing out the candles! Jody went for cookies & cream cake while Alex went with good, old fashioned carrot cake w/cream cheese frosting! Yummy!

Promise Yourself

2008-03-05T19:18:00.000-08:00

I used to keep this near & read it often. Found it in my desk drawer the other day & realized I may have forgotten certain parts of it. I better start remembering :0)!!

Promise Yourself

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

6 Things That Make Me ME

2008-03-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

I guess since I'm probably the only 1 who hasn't played "tag" like a nice girl- I'd better do it!! I'm sure you've all been dying with suspense waiting for my "6"! he he! (insert sarcasm!) I'll try to keep it as innocent as I can so you'll all still want to talk to me after (cause we all know I've got some serious skeletons in the closet)! Here goes:

The rules are, each player must post 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

#1- "OCD" I'm betting most of you are nodding your head in agreement right now! I don't know what it is about me that makes me like that. I don't really like to say that I'm a "perfectionist" because I'm not. Some things can be messy & I really couldn't care less. But then there are those things that I'm absolutely nuts about having a certain way! I've got to have folded towels, clothes, blankets, etc. all folded a certain way & stacked PERFECTLY. I gotta have things lined up certain ways & be in certain orders. (sofa pillows zipper down!!) It'll drive me nuts until it's fixed! Trust me- this doesn't mean that my house is always clean & perfect- it's far from that!

#2- "Spell Check" Maybe this ties in a little with the OCD thing- but misspelled words or bad grammar drives me nuts. I KNOW that I make my own spelling mistakes- but it's other's that I notice. If somebody is writing on a blackboard & they misspell a word- I can't focus on another word they say because I'm so fixated on how it really should be spelled. Call me a hypocritical proofreader but it does happen to be another one of my little quirks! PS- People who use really "big" words to make themselves sound smarter make me giggle!

#3- "Playing it Safe" So many of you are adventurous & daring! "Not I", said Natalie! You won't catch this girl bungee jumping, skydiving, scuba diving or anything like that anytime soon!! I'm afraid of water, fire, the fury of mother nature, animals, flying, heights of most any kind, and speed! (Long list, I know!) The really weird thing to me is this: those things scare me because I'm so afraid of dying. However- other things that should scare me don't. Getting in trouble with the law, pushing limits, & people are just something that don't scare me. I'm a risk taker for sure- just not with my life or safety!

#4- "Military Men & Cowboys" Growing up an army brat meant I spent a large amount of time around men in uniform. So yes- I confess- I'm attracted to military men. Something about camouflage just does it for me! Not quite sure where the attraction to cowboys came from. Trust me- it's not the tight Levis, cowboy boots, or even the hat! I like them without that. I like the hardworking, tough but loving, down-to-earth, humility aspects of them. Always thought that I'd marry either a cowboy or an army dude. Oh well- I figure I can just get Cam some costumes & pretend!!

#5- "Young & Old" This is also not anything new that you didn't all know about me. I love babies & old people!! They are my favorite people by far!! I'm extremely happy that every single one of my kids have inherited that trait! My favorite pasttime is cuddling with my babies- kissing them to death! It's a wonder I got anything done the first year of all their lives! Old people are so endearing to me! I was closer to my grandma than anyone besides Cam. My kids & I miss her terribly & find ourselves wanting to kidnap cute little grandmas & grandpas everywhere we go!

#6- "The Invisible Woman" I had to dig deep for this one! This is an odd fantasy I've indulged in since childhood! I've always wanted to be invisible. People think it's odd seeing how there are plenty of other really cool supernatural abilities I could wish for. But if you know me & you know how I probably "over-analyze" then you can understand why I'd want that! I figure- why assume or guess when you could just sneak in & hear the naked truth? Not to mention all the other cool advantages you'd have if you were invisible. Don't worry- I know it's not possible- but a girl can dream, can't she?!

Well- now that I've shared at least a few of my quirks, paranoias, pet peeves, loves & fantasies- I'll let y'all go!! Most of the "blogging" friends that I've got have already participated- except for Rach & Chelon, so I'll tag them!!

Island Park, ID Weekend Getaway

2008-02-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

This past weekend our family went to Jeff & Tami Harris's cabin with their family & with Blair & Jenny Howe & kids. It was a great time! We all rented snowmobiles & boy, were they worth it!! The kids thought they were the greatest inventions ever! Drew, Colby, & Jody all got to drive them by themselves. Even Sadie thought they were so much fun. She was quite the adrenaline junkie- screaming for her daddy to "go faster, go faster"! The kids all enjoyed sledding & playing in the tons & tons of snow that was up there. The men all took a couple hours to themselves & went on a "big boy" ride. Cam hadn't snowmobiled for such a long time. He used to go all the time & loves to do so. You could tell he's really missed it! Needless to say, with my broken leg I was pretty limited in what I could do. Basically, my weekend was spent watching the kids play out the window- wishing I could join in the fun! However, I really enjoyed snuggling with Tami's cute new baby boy, Cole. He's the cutest little guy & I loved kissing on him!! It was great to chat with our friends & spend time just hanging out. OH- I can't forget to mention how much fun my whole family had playing with their WII. They played baseball, boxing, pool, tennis, golf, & whatever else there was available! They couldn't get enough of it! It was cute to watch! The boys (men & young ones!) were the worst. Smack-talking competitors are what they are!! All in all- it was a fun weekend & we really enjoyed the family time shared with our friends!

One Lucky "Unlucky" Girl!

2008-02-17T18:49:00.000-08:00

Sorry if the title is a bit confusing! Let me attempt to explain. This past Wed., I was playing indoor soccer with the ladies. I went for a 50/50 ball at the same time as another girl. We kicked the ball (hard!) at the same time. I'm not sure exactly what happened- but just knew that it was an explosion of pain. Wow it hurt! So, after some tears and a few choice words (Potty Mouth I am), the goal keeper literally scooped me up & effortlessly carried me off the field. I felt bad that I didn't even know her name! Sweet Amber helped me home, where my ankle continued to swell & throb with pain. She took me up to the doctor & patiently waited with me & both of our restless toddlers. Bad news- it was broken! Options of surgery for a quicker recovery & sure stability or 8-10 weeks with a cast didn't sound too appealing! Meanwhile- my sweet husband was in Sacramento for an auction. He caught an earlier flight home to take care of my sorry butt. Many of you know that the Winquist family is somewhat notorious for breaks & bruises. Cam just his 2nd ACL surgery in Nov. (right leg this time!) & Drew broke his scapula (wrist) while snowboarding the day after Christmas. The previous year included Cam breaking his ankle (also playing indoor soccer) & Drew breaking his collarbone. (We really should check into a "repeat customer discount" at the hospital!) Thankfully, I've got some of the best friends in the world!! They brought me flowers, helped me get my meds, made my family dinner, & ran my kids around to their many activities!! They just jumped in & helped without any hesitation!! What would I do without them? That's where the "UNLUCKY" part comes in!! My poor husband didn't quite get the romantic Valentine's night he & I were both hoping for! He did a scavenger hunt with his buddies while I & their wives waited at Corbin's Grille. That night was quite unlucky also! A minor "mix-up" with the clues & gifts was nothing compared to the EXTREMELY long wait at dinner. (3 hrs. is just ridiculous when you have reservations!) It's a good thing Cam & I have true love to carry us through those little unexpected bumps! I'm truly LUCKY to have the terrific husband that I do! He's been so great this weekend. My dad's mother passed away & it was her funeral on Sat. Cam was so patient & helpful during the whole thing. It was great to see all my dad's family & to have my kids witness all the traditions of a Tongan funeral & burial! Cam really earned some serious points today! I was really sore from being up for sooo long yesterday & moving all over the place. So he babied me today! He's been there at my side getting me stuff before I could even ask for it! He made the best pot roast w/potatoes & carrots & yummy rolls. Dinner in bed from the gorgeous man who then cleans it all up just reminds me of how much I am still in love with him! After all these years, he still makes my toes tingle & brings a smile to my face!! HOW LUCKY CAN I GET?? Oh yeah- I almost forgot- he got me tickets to the Rascal Flatts concert for Valentine's! We're going with Jeff & Tami Harris. I'm so excited to go!! Anyways- sorry, this post has gone on forever!! Can you all tell I'm incredibly bored sitting in this bed?! Elevation + ice + rest= Boredom! This "unlucky" girl thanks all of you great friends & family for making me one of the "luckiest" girls I know!!

Pretty sad...

2008-02-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

I think it probably speaks volumes that my 9 yr. old has her own blog & yet I've managed thus far to avoid creating one of my own! It's due to the fact that the whole concept of the blogging world intimidates me! I really do enjoy reading all my friend's blogs so I thought that I'd quit avoiding this "scary" task! (Jody is currently supervising my progress!) Where do people even start when beginning one of these?? Maybe I'll give you a quick summary of the past year or so & then I'll attempt to update as we go!! Cam has put his ADD to good use the past few years by deciding to try a little of this & a little of that! He does cars still & has really done well in the real estate world in the recent past! He loves coaching the boys soccer team at Bountiful High. They're incredibly entertaining to spend time with! I would love to say I'm a "stay-at-home" mom but I just don't know if that description quite fits! I haven't "stayed" in one place for too long ever since giving birth to my 1st child! It's more like constant, frantic movement!! Running children to & from football, soccer, basketball, scouts, YM, dance, gymnastics, achievement days, play dates, and anywhere else their little hearts desire monopolizes my time! I do enjoy it though! I find that I feel OLDER now that I'm in my 30's! I spent the day of my 30th birthday running my 3rd marathon. (Somehow I must've thought that running 26.2 miles would take me further away from old age!) I try to tell myself that the best is yet to come & I believe it is! I miss my kids being babies & snuggling with me all day- but the relationships I have with my teenagers are surprisingly terrific!! To have mature conversations & see how they are maturing & discovering themselves is so great! To be honest though- I'm not so fond of them being as tall as I am! We've spent the past year going camping to Bear Lake, Downata & Lava Hot Springs, going to soccer tournaments in Vegas & Denver, visiting my dad in Hawaii (my kids loved the ocean & beg to move there!), & spending time with family & friends in Deer Valley, Park City, St. George, Lake Powell, & cruising the Caribbean! Any given day in the summer you could find our family at Cherry Hills soaking up the sun. (Do you notice the reoccuring "sun", "beach", & "warm weather" theme? Makes you wonder why we choose to live in Utah, doesn't it?!) Our lives have been non-stop & show no signs of slowing down anytime soon! I'll leave you all with that for now (although I probably lost you many, many sentences ago!)