It all started with a surprise . . .

My Mom and Dad and my brother Sean were able to come to our house to celebrate the birthdays, but it was a secret. We told the girls we were going to "China" to eat (because it is the restaurant they request by name) and low and behold Grammy and Pop were there too. It was a great surprise.

I'll spare you all the details of our party with 20 plus kids and just let you look at the pictures . . . ( 90% of the pictures feature kids with dirty faces) It was a great weekend and a great party. We are so grateful to the Reber family for providing the animal entertainment for us.

Okay, just a few details . . .
These were a few of the things that occurred:
1.) Miniature pony ride - poor thing was exhausted!
2.) Goat petting zoo
3.) goat ropin' on a metal pretend goat
4.) Cup cake decorating
5.) Present opening
6.) Lots of fun - big wide open yet fenced in park so we didn't have to worry about losing any kids- human or animal (one goat did get out of it's cage and the kids chased it like their lives depended on it!

Happy Birthday Cambria, Kiera and Savannah!

Gi-gi, Grammy and Papa bought the Cambria a new scooter, Kiera a new bike and Bubba a new bubble making lawn mower.

Oh, yeah. Malachi learned how to take off his shorts. He is very proud of himself. He thinks it is funny to walk with them around his knees.

Happy Birthday Girls!!!

Busy, busy, busy!

So, I know that we are all super busy people with a million and one things going on in our lives, but that is the reason I have not been blogging. I have been super busy and I can get so much more done if I just don't turn my computer on!:)

In an attempt to save some cash, Kai is thinking about canceling our subscription to the Internet so I figure I better do as much as I can before this unfortunate event occurs.
The thought of life without the Internet is a little disheartening which is funny because I went without it until college. But now I live in a small town and I do a lot of Internet shopping. The Internet makes me feel connected to the world. What will I do when I can't read about my family and friends lives?????

This weekend we are having a mini rodeo to celebrate our girls' birthdays. I wish we could have invited everyone. Here is just a little hint of the birthday events: goat ropin' and mini horse riding . . . my girls should have been born into a ranchers family . . . I hope we still have our Internet after the party so I can post pictures.:)

Besides the following pictures these are the things that have been taking up my time:
in no particular order:
1.) Yard work - gotta do it before it's too hot!
2.) Throwing surprise b-day party for a good friend
3.) Making a really cute book for my cousin, Candi, from Heritage Makers!
4) Taking pictures of a really cute newborn and spending HOURS editing!
5.)Arguing with the Jehovah's Witnesses and then searching the bible for hours to make sure I was right . . . I was.
6.)Meeting our old friends, Dan and Angela Delong, who were here visiting from Texas - so good to see them. They both look great and there kids are so cute. Also visiting with our good fiends the Dyer's who also look great and have cute kids:)
7.) Lots of exercise . . . I am proud to say I have lost weight:)
8.) Reworking some plot lines in my book . . . it's a lot of work!

These are a few other things going on . . .

Bubba pushing his buddy Abigail . . . he only ran her into the wall a few times:(
Abigail giving Bubba a turn . . . he was heavy!

A few pictures from a fun photo shoot I did . . .

more at prettyasapicturebyamy.blogspot.com

Cambria going on her first field trip to a farm . . .

In an assembly on school spirit/crazy hair day ( I should have unleashed the fro, but last time I did that she cut it because it was in her eyes while she was coloring) . . . an author cam to their school and gave them autographed books.

I'll try to post a little more often until we lose the net:(

Eighteen Months

I'm a big kid now! I can do the slide!!

So very proud of himself!! He can't help but clap and shout, "YAY!"

(Cambria's hair was purple for crazy hair day- at least the tops of her buns were)

Bubba doesn't love to be in his high chair anymore- he wants to be where the action is!

I wish you could see his little body in motion- it is so cute to see him jump!

Below- He always has to be where Kiera is!

Yet another milestone has been reached in our home. I just really don't know where the time goes and why it didn't pass this quickly when I was in my boring high school math classes.

My little boy is 18 months old. He loves to jump on the tramp, climb the ladder to the slide, copy whatever Kiera is doing and he loves to play in the car and desperately loves to do things, anything outside! He doesn't say much yet, which is weird since my girls were so talkative by this age, but it does make him seem like more of a baby and I do like that. I don't want him to grow up. Can't we just hold our babies a little bit longer???

He has two favorite signs, the one for "more" and the one for "all-done". He also just recently learned to summon me with a small hand motion. He is a doll and I love him dearly. Oh, I also forgot to add that he fits right into our family- he loves to swim and has already started to try to go underwater and swim by himself.

18 months old also means nursery. His first experience was good until he tried to climb up the slide instead of the ladder and fell flat on his back. I had meant to warn them about my little rascal. So, instead of spending my last day in primary (because I was released after 4 years of teaching the same class) I spent it in nursery trying to convince him that all is well.

We'll try again next Sunday.:)

No training wheels!!!

Now we ride our bikes to school everyday!

February's Say What?

I am changing my "Seen and Heard" Title to "Say What?"

Here it goes:

Mom: Kiera, you need to eat carrots because they are good for your eyes.
Kiera: Mom, don't we have eye drops?

Kiera: Mom, could you please go outside?
Mom: Why?
Kiera: Can you just go?
Mom: Why so you can eat another cookie with out me seeing you do it?
Kiera: yes

Kai: (trying out the new hula hoop) Watch this! I'm the new hula hoop champion!
Cambria: (whispering to her friend) He's not, he can't really do it.

Kiera: When I grow up to be a teenager I want to live at Maama's (Kai's mom) house because she has a chocolate fountain.

Cambria: Mom, today we learned about the little tiny devil with wings who shoots people with his arrows to make them fall in love.
Mom: Little devil? Do you mean cupid the little angel?
Cambria: Oh right, I thought he was a little devil because he shoot people with arrows.

Kiera: My brain wasn't working. It told me to say poop, but I really meant potty.

Kiera: (recently pricked by a cactus- a few days later she notice cactus in a garden on our walk to school) Why did Heavenly Father make cactus? (Scorned)

Kiera: Cassidy, do you know that more than one cactus is called cacti?

Mom: Cambria, what do you want for dinner?
Cambria: Vegukeeny
Mom: . . .uhhh . . . oh, chicken broccoli fettuccine!

Background: At my aunt and uncle's church to see my cousin Matthew be ordained an elder. There was a girl with a seeing eye dog in the foyer.)
Cambria: Mom, can we go pet the dog?
Mom: no I don't think so, I think t is a working dog and I think we aren't supposed to pet them.
Cambria: what does it do for work?
Mom: It is a seeing eye dog. It leads people around who cant' see.
(5-10 minutes later)
Kiera: Mom, Uncle Sean was talking to that girl that has the dog who helps people who are invisible.

Kiera: (watching our ward v-day sock hop while eating cake) Ah, look at them dancing, they are so beautiful it makes me want to cry . . .

Mom: we have to slow down when we go over speed bumps so Bubba doesn't get bumped around (in the stroller)
Kiera: Whoa, that's deep, huh, mom.

Cassidy: (our little neighbor friend) I can't go to the rec center with you because my mom says we got no money.
Cambria: That's okay Cassidy, we can pay for you. We've got lots of money.

Kiera: (pouting) Everyone in this family has chocolate hair but me!

Cambria: Mom! Your getting skinny here . . . and (moving her hand around my body looking for a skinny part) . . . here. Maybe you need to jump rope more.


Happy Sunday!

Love is still in the air

This picture was on the back of one of Cambria's school work pages. I asked her about it and this was her response:
"It's me and Jase. Do you see all those dots on my dress? Those are sparkles, like we are going to a ball or a date!"
I remember my first Kindergarten crush. His name was Luke.
Kai was late coming home one night. He was in Vegas taking a writer's workshop. Instead of putting the girls to bed like I should, we did mani's and pedi's. I love having little girls! (Bubba was asleep)

I've been put under strict instruction not to display any pictures that Candi and Jonathan have chosen to put on their announcement. :) I am happy to comply:)

I just want to tell you a little about my cousin Candi. She was born with cerebral palsy and has been confined to a wheel chair her whole life. She has endured many challenges in life. Some because of her disability and some that were not. She has her ups and downs like all of us, but mostly she is able to maintain a happy, pleasant attitude. She loves God and she does her best to live a good life.

I didn't retouch this picture yet, but I thought it was funny because seconds before Jon was kissing her hand, he was biting it.

Let me tell you why I like Jonathan. They have been dating for a little over a year (I think). I have mingled with him at multiple family parities and while I don't know him super good, I know him well enough to say that he is a truly decent and kind fellow. He has given Candi the legs that she never had. He has opened doors in her life that perhaps she was afraid might forever stay closed. He takes her swimming and he doesn't push her chair when they walk, they hold hands.

Candi was very nervous to take these engagement pictures because her body gets stiff and tense. She knew she needed to be captured naturally and that forced smile would simply not do.I did my best to make the couple laugh, but really they were just smoochy and cuddly together and didn't need much prompting or posing.

I don't know if I mentioned before what a work out Jonathan got. I had him putting Candi up in trees (to which she was very excited about -"I was up in a tree!") I had Jonathan and Candi Lay on their bellies in the grass, I had him climb up a small waterfall with Candi in his arms, we posed Candi sitting on rocks and Standing (with her chair right behind her to catch her is she fell) behind Jonathan while he laid down on a wall. It was wonderful because Candi was not confined to her chair. We played as we posed and we had a great time.

This was a very special opportunity for me. It was very special for me to see Candi begin the life that she deserves. I think Jonathan is very special and that he will continue to open new doors in Candi's life simply by loving her. I know she loves him.

I just can't think of a clever title

This is totally out of order, but I decided this one picture wouldn't spoil anything!

Last weekend (Valentine's weekend- or should I say president's day weekend) we embarked upon a whirl wind trip to California. We loaded our family van with luggage and children and set off driving south towards sunny (or rainy at the time) California.

Kiera gets car sick now, so she delighted us with vomit at the Jack in the Box drive through. Seeing pictures of Jack really confuses the girls'. Is he a human or not?

We arrived Saturday afternoon and were happy to get out of the car.
The kids played with their grandparents to their hearts delight and Kai drove me to Heritage park so that I could take engagement pictures of my cousin Candi and her Fiance Jonathan.
Kai stayed in the car after a quick survey of the awesome park and read Breaking Dawn.
I must recommend this park to everyone. It is a recreation of Boston and Jamestown circa 1776 - Paul Revere. There are slides and cannons and nets and stairs and ropes concealed all in these 1776 style buildings that are perfect for exploring- oh yeah it's an island too. You cross a bridge to get to it. It is in Cerritos right across the street from the high school. It is amazing!

I hesitate to put the wonderful engagement pictures that I took because I don't want to do it before Candi does, but they turned out great. They were the perfect lovey dovey couple. I didn't have to pose them once. They were all kissy and cuties and oozing love from every pore. It really made my job quite easy. We had Candi laying on her belly and sitting up in trees, and standing next to walls- Jonathan was a great sport to throw her around the way he did. He worked up a good sweat. They really are so great together!

Lastly we had a celebratory dinner for Cambria as per her request. She is a really good girl and always keeps her school clip on green. SO she asked when we were going to celebrate her goodness. I suggested we should do it at Grammy and Papa's house. She thought it was great. We even toasted her- it doesn't take much to make her feel appreciated and I appreciate her being such a good kid.

Cambria became the hula hoop champion and proves she could hula for minutes on end. Only Uncle Ryan could compete with her. We now affectionately refer to Cambria as "Hula."

Kiera isn't smiling, but she was very proud of this candy necklace that she made and she wanted me to take a picture.

Bubby wasn't sure about this Dino encounter.

I almost forgot. We also spent a lovely afternoon at the Migdat's house. Matthew was ordained a priest and we celebrated his birthday and Ryan's birthday. It was fun. We miss hangin' with family.

Faces only a mother could love

Kiera cuddling with the "torturer"

Bubby and Uncle Sean

Too sick

I finally got the sickness that the rest of my family had and I don't really feel like posting.
I am sorry to abandon the small group of people who actually enjoy my blog. I promise to be back soon.

Sunday will be the day I update my blog

For anyone who wonders about my criminal activity from a previous post . . . this is the statue in question.:)

Cambria gave her second primary talk today. This is how it went. Theme: I came to earth as part of a family.

This single piece of spaghetti is easy to break.

A large handful of spaghetti is much harder to break.

This is just like us. Heavenly Father sent us to earth to live with a family because he knew that our family would make us stronger.

I came to earth as part of family. Heavenly father knows I need a family to help me learn and grow. President Hinkley said that we can make our family strong.

Adam and Eve were the very first family on earth. Heavenly Father wanted them to have a strong family. He asked Adam and Eve to teach their children about the gospel. They their children taught their children.

We learn important things from our families. We learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus. We learn to choose the right. We learn how to treat others. When we grow up we will teach our children

We are part of a family. These things can make our family strong.
Read scriptures together
Say prayers together
Have family home evening
Do fun activities together

Even though I am just a little child I can make my family strong. I can be kind to my brother and sister. I can obey my parents. I can be quick to say I am sorry and I can be quick to forgive.

Heavenly Father blesses us when we do what is right.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

These are just other random pictures that I love.

Kiera drew a picture of me and Kai on our wedding day. They turned out just as goo as the real pictures did.

One of Bubba's favorite passtimes:

"Unlocking" doors

Cambria and Kiera practicing for mini drill.

I spoke too soon

Last week I said to my mother-in-law, "This winter has been so great for us. Now that the girls have heir tonsils out, we have hardly been sick at all."

My consequence for this comment:
One husband with Strep throat.
One daughter with a double ear infection.
One son with cellulitous (sp?) in his eye and a weird rash on his arm!
What does this mean? Very little sleep, lots of money on doctor visits and prescriptions and unhappy kids (and husband).

We had to play hide and seek this week for one of Cambria's homework assignments. The girls found some good hiding spots and Kai had a hard time finding them. Cambria's best spot was in one of the kitchen cupboards and Kiera's was in the laundry room.

Malachi has found a new place to keep his pacifiers safe.

This is what Malachi does to our door every time Kai leaves for work. Poor guy. He's surrounded by women. (thanks for the shirt Toshia!)