Saturday is a special day ...

it's the day we get Christmas all put away!
We moved things around in the attic - got down things to donate to the Y and put all the Christmas boxes up! And - shocker - there's so much room up there when it's organized. Now if the organization could rain from above and cause the rest of the house to have everything have a place and be in it's place ... that would be lovely!

After we descended the attic ... we rushed (with 1 grandma, 1 granny and 1 papa) to the boys games ... that were at the exact same time on either side of the curtain drawn to make the full size court into 2 kid size courts! so fun! and FUNNY!

Tonight we went with our ward to the temple and were blessed with the opportunity to do sealings. What beautiful blessings are promised to those who are sealed! And the best part ... we were among friends! (and we all went out to dinner together after! the fun part!)

Here's to good days, great friends and wonderful babysitters that make it all possible!!

after many long years ...

Andy has spent many hours ... days, nights and all-nighters even ... at the skate deck. He practically grew up there. He is quite comfortable gliding on the smooth wood floor and even now as a grown-up, he's still able to skate backward and in circles around his wabbly-legged-not-as-comfortable-with-wheels-on wife. I never knew him as a teenager but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have given him a second glance back-in-the-day ... he was truly a skater-dude. That being said, I have been watching him skate these past few times that we've been there, in awe and loving the fact that he's just that good! (and looks good doing it!) Here's the problem: the skate deck has had the same skates for rent for the past 30 some-odd years! Andy has been skating there for at least 20 years (gasp!), renting their same old speed skates, getting blisters from the not so comfortable, not so snug fitting, wonky-soled skates.

Not.any.more.

Andy is the proud owner of his very own Riedell Speed Skates!

(It's hard to believe that this is his very first pair he's ever owned!)

Happy early Birthday!!

Now who wants to go skating?

{added at 11:30pm}

He took them out for a maiden voyage tonight ...
after Monday, Thursday and Friday night skates
legs are sore and out of practice ...
I foresee more dates at the Skate Deck!!
Seriously, who wants to join us?! ANYBODY!?

there's a first time for everything ...

I was blessed with the opportunity to teach seminary this morning! Alma chapter 12 ... one of the great missionaries in the scriptures and his awesome companion, Amulek. They teach Zeezrom a thing or two and astonish the multitude ... it's a great chapter - chock-full of good stuff! We scratched the surface today ... luckily I get to go back tomorrow and finish what I started! What a great way to start the day! {except it's really early!}

I have been reading and studying Alma 12 and 13 for the last few days ... so much good stuff!! Great principles and doctrine. It reminds me that I love the scriptures and that I really do want to spend more time reading and studying them. I have been inspired today ... now if I can just keep this feeling alive, and get myself out of bed every morning ... my days will be so much happier!

i'm in it to win it!

something you maybe didn't know about me: i've never done step aerobics, taken a step class, or tried to step up on one of those steps except maybe in PE as a child. Oh, i've done aerobics, NIA, tried Zumba, done water aerobics and even took aerobics instructing class in college ... but i've never done 'step' ... until today!

am i coordinated? not so much ...
did i totally get lost in the middle? absolutely!
did i have a good workout (read: did i sweat a LOT?)? uh yeah.
will i be going back next week? you bet your gym shoes!
i asked the instructor ... "so since i didn't get it right the first time ... that means i have to come back?!" she said, "see you next week!!"


baby steps ... and one and two and one and two ...

and by the way ... it was really fun! the best part: i was front and center (the only spot left when i got there ... ) and blessed with the ability to laugh at myself!

i'm a little weepy today

Then I run across pictures like this:

What is there to be weepy about, you ask?

Just a few things ... christmas is over, my house is in a constant state of disaster, and my best friends are planning a drastic change of scenery ...

all things that make me feel like crying big crocodile tears!!

But for now ... {chuckle} I'm just gonna look at pictures like this, that I can't help but laugh at!!

what do you do when you're down by 2?

The girls decided to spend the night at grandma's house since there was no school today - thank you, Martin Luther King Jr. So, we were down by 2 ... it was just us and the boys ... i went to yoga while the 3 of them went for a drive to get some photos for dad's work, i came home and took the ornaments off the tree ... notice i didn't say took the tree down ... cuz it's still up - just naked now ... lights and star only, give me a few more days! We had lunch and went to ... {drumroll please ... }

The SKATE DECK

Ammon was getting really good after about a half hour ... i was really impressed! Maybe he'll be as good as his dad someday! Easton told me that when he gets big he'll skate like daddy - and backwards too! It was really fun!

I am a child of God ...

and He has sent me here.

has given me an earthly home

with parents, kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

to live with Him someday.

GO Blue Whales! GO Bulldogs!

See that number 1?? That's our star football ...er... basketball player! He runs, he dribbles (sort of), he blocks, he shoots ... he scores(?!) not so much - but he sure looks cute doing it ... and he only shot at the wrong basket twice! It gets so confusing you know, when all the kids are chasing you as you carry the basketball in a football hold ... stiff-arming the competition and your own team mates down the court! Parents and siblings cheering and shouting, "Run! Get the ball! Shoot it! No, the other way! Arms up! Get the ball! Run!!" No wonder he was ready for a drink and a time out 3 minutes into the first quarter!!

Funniest thing I have seen in a while - well this sports season anyway!

And this guy ... he can do it all! Run, dribble (sort of), guard, shoot, and he scores! He's the smilely-est kid on the court! He's just happy to be here and played almost the whole game! Sweaty kid! What a fun way to spend 2 hours today!

'tis the season ... still

When you get a late start to the Christmas season on account of you're helping your mom with her Christmas Decorations so that she can have a "Lighting Celebration" and as a result of too much to do and no time to do it in and due to the fact that you're a mom of 4 busy-bodies that like to touch things that are 'for display only' ... you [read: I] get to keep the tree up as long as you want ... except if it's real and is becoming a fire hazard ...

BUT you know that it's been up just a bit long when you find these:

And if you think you heard Christmas music in the background the last time you talked to me ... keep in mind I get to listen to it as long as there are decorations up at my house ... it's still Christmas here! Come on over and enjoy the season a little longer with us!

also:

We've been rodent sitting for my little sister that 'accidentally' left Rhino behind ... when she moved to Utah. My children are ECSTATIC that we have a pet!!

This is Rhino

she's a hampster ... she's fun to watch, the kids like to hold her, her ball keeps her out of trouble (she's only escaped 3 times ... ) and the best thing is ... her poops are miniature!!

goals, plans, schedules and wagon rides

I'm back on the wagon ... move over girls - Emily Shaw is back!! I know I've said that before and I have even blog-promised (which is similar to pinky promising!) ... but this time I am determined. I have set my phone to remind me to blog ... and I feel like this is the best way to keep up with our 'family history'!!


I plan to post daily and 'blog without obligation' except to myself. I feel like I am more eloquent and fun when I blog. And I really want my kids to be able to look back on this and say to themselves - our mom was one crazy girl and she loved us!

That being said:

This is the reason I blog ... to remember when I did fun things like braving the Seattle Aquarium with my 4 crazies and sack lunches. Ahh the joys of motherhood with 'membership'!