two years over!

My internet is slower than molasses in winter and we HATE clearwire! I'm so excited that we're just about done with our two-year-contract. It wasn't so bad when we first got it, it was actually very fast, but for the last year it's so incredibly slow and there's NOTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE ABOUT IT! Everyone I know has had issues with their company and their customer service stinks. I'm so sorry to anyone that we have referred over to their company. All I can say is, I'm glad to be DONE! I can think of more ways to spend my $50 per month!

We're looking into some options how to get internet, so please keep checking my fabulous blog often. These days it may be harder for me to post...but keep checking! My birthday is this this week and I'm going to post about cake!

done done done

I'm so proud of myself! I am DONE with Christmas this year! Since I'm going to see Ryan's family and my family before summer's end, I am going to save on shipping!! We have Ryan's second-to-oldest brother's family and all of their presents are wrapped and ready for them to take home!

Now, for my kids and husband...that's another story. I'll start their gift-purchasing in December. Any ideas for stocking stuffers? I'm done! Hooray!

gravity? what gravity?

I love Step Up (thanks to my sisters that got me into Channing Tatum's sweet moves) and the incredibly talented dancers that twist, turn and move like there's no such thing as gravity! I had a free rental from my video store, so I ran over and snagged Step Up 2 and watched it last night.

BAD PART: Only ONE scene with Channing Tatum and he wasn't even that good! His acting HAS improved, but he was only on-screen for like 5 minutes in the very beginning. (sorry for the oxymoron, but he didn't do anything that was too impressive.) First movie is MUCH better with him in it. Still it was fun to watch.

GOOD PART: Minimal swearing, AWESOME dancing. I've never seen such contortion and fluid dancing before.


Aimee and Ash, you guys would like it; even if our boy Chan wasn't in it.

fallin' in and out of love with my

That's right. My machine and I have a love/hate relationship. But now that I have come to understand it, I have struck...

SUCCESS!! This is my first attempt at making those popular and fun little blankies. I got out my precious little Janome machine and put in a movie and by the time the movie was over, this is what I did! PLEASE don't look too closely, as I'm NOT a good seamstress by any means. I was just thrilled that I can do something! I made some ribbon longer than others, so it wouldn't be so boring and predictable.

Most of the ribbon I got at the DOLLAR STORE! (Otherwise I bought it at Walmart or JoAnns) Other taggie blankies that I've seen done have the big, thick ribbon around the edges. I went out on a limb and did it differently. I thought that different sizes and textures could help with fine motor skills. Plus, I just wanted to see if it would work. Ryanna told me tonight that her baby doll, Sally, needed one also. I'm going to make Ryanna help me do it, she loves to sew.

I'm so excited about it too, I'm giving it as a baby gift to Ryan's brother's darling wife. (Shhhhhh! Don't tell!) They're having a baby girl, and what miracle baby she is. Can't wait to meet her!

blueberries and nursery

I bought 2 pounds of delicious blueberries at WinCo the other night, or at LEAST I SUPPOSE that they were delicious! I put them away in the fridge and when I turned to walk away and finish putting the rest of the groceries away, I hear this soft plip plip plip and slowly opened the fridge door. The blueberries were ALL OVER THE PLACE! The rolled under the fridge, scattered all over the different levels of the fridge, into the lining of the door. Places that I didn't know that blueberries could get into, they did! It doesn't look like it was a mess, but it was! It look me at least 30 minutes to clean them up. Even then, whenever I open the fridge now, I still get a couple scattered on the floor! Dumb blueberries.

This picture doesn't do the mess justice!! They're EVERYWHERE!



Now onto something that is bittersweet for me...we're done with Nursery! We've been in there for a year, and it's time for someone else to have a turn. I'm going to miss it, those kids are so precious and the teachers I served with are such kindred spirits. I don't know if I'll remember how to sit still during Relief Society! I'm so grateful that I was able to serve and get to know and love those sweet little souls!

since we go nearly everyday...

A Family Pass: $123 (for the entire summer)
A Box of crackers eaten while we're there each time: $2.79
A few tylenol taken for the sun-burned skin that HAD sunblock on it: $.05
A head full of fun memories: absolutely, positively pricessless













Carter and Tanner hanging out and noticing they have the same pacifiers...totally a foundation for a good friendship!

I thought this was a funny picture, it was BUSY at the pool when this was taken! However, there isn't another soul around while Dawson was playing in this shower thing.
Carter looking worried about going into the pool as usual.

listen for the scream!

Right when the clip starts, you can hear her little scream descending all the way down the slide. She looks so little compared to the rest of the kids that go down alone. We had a cool lifeguard that could fish her out. (Thanks Josie!) Ryanna's addicted to this adrenaline rush!

The most funny part about it? She swims, but doesn't actually go anywhere!

splishy splashy scary slides

Okay, so this tube slide has pure DARKNESS for like the first 8 seconds you are going down, with water constantly in your face which kinda takes your breath away. I have gone down it several times, either by myself or with Ryanna.
Depending on which lifeguard measures her, she either is or isn't tall enough to ride down. You have to be 48 inches tall, and she's right on the border. So we figure that she needs to go down as much as she can before they tell her otherwise. She LOVES it!

Cole is such a good sport, he goes down on a double tube with her, and you can hear when it's their turn...you hear this teeny tiny delighted squeal going all the way down the slide. Other people laugh and it's just hilarious!




She goes down the body slide by herself also, but then she has a hard time getting out of the pool at the bottom, so the lifeguards and myself have to go fish her out. She tries to swim, and as her arms and feet are moving, her body is sinking! This makes her feel so grown up.

what do you do in the summertime

We read lots of good books







and make silly looks

(he had a little too much chocolate shake to drink!)


We draw with our chalks




and go on long walks. (well, I walk, they RIDE)




We eat lots of cake

And see the neighbor's dog, Jake! (he has adopted my grandparents and comes over when he's hungry)
We lay in the shade



and drink lemonade! (we're addicted to Crystal Light)




We play on the frog


and I work on my blog



We drive on our "loop"




The boys ride in the Coupe





We eat rhubarb pie




and Carter climbs high!






We did much more than this, but you'll have to wait.
I'll be sure to post more, when it's not so late.