Fashion forward Clover

Forget about snow boots, pants, coats, hats, gloves, scarfs, etc for February snow storms.

Galoshes, legwarmers, swimming suit, jacket, and goggles are the NEW thing for this harsh winter weather.

With cheeks like these who wouldn't want them seen.

Clover insisted on wearing this outfit for the errands we had to run this day and let me tell you about ALL of the looks I got....most accompanying a smirk and nod of understanding from empathetic parents who've been there done that.

She did look cute though and when she had her goggles down over her eyes every wintry cold heart she encountered melted away just like the Spring thaw.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo....Dalton LOVES it.


He participated in his second tournament since starting in August and he did really well.

He got second in forms (up from fourth in the September tourney) and FIRST in weapons...his first time competing with them.

Dalton is very powerful and sharp in his movements (like I was in my cheerleading days...he hates it when I say that..) and he has a lot of strenght...he holds the studio record for the longest plank held by anyone ever, even the black belts and the fourth degree black belt instructor Josh....8 minutes 10 seconds!

That's my boy.

Daughter #3 Birthday February 7th

Sunny is 2! How about a lady bug theme family party to celebrate one more year!


Balloons, games, presents, blah, blah, blah,...where is the cake.

YUMMY!

She love babies and shopping carts so we granted her her birthday wish.

Daughter #1 Birthday February 2nd

"The Lightening Thief" book series....my daughter LOVES it. We deided to base her party on that. Quests, Mount Olympus, togas, and LOTS of fun.


The spread. Lots of finger foods, fresh fruits and veggies, and of course the incredible birthday cake.


The "team". Lindy, Zoie, Annie, Alayna, and Abbie (came late).


Toga dancing.


Preparing for the sleep over with wii "Sing It". SO MUCH FUN!

My Birthday January 19th

Birthday cake. Pretty awesome huh.


Birthday decorations.


Birthday senior and loving husband.

2 in 2

In the past two years we have had our credit card/debt card number stolen twice and it was my husbands both times.

After the first time we were issued new cards with new numbers so this time around it is with the new number. Last time the criminal bought a membership at Christian Singles.com (oh the irony)and bought a girl some flowers and chocolates. I think they spent $60 to $100 dollars, maybe closer to $200. This time around in one day they spent over $1000.00, yep, one THOUSAND dollars! And on what you might ask...online games, downloads, movies, and computer equipment.

Last time I felt very confident and comforted with the customer service we received from our bank, but this time around not so much. The girls we have been working with just don't have the "it" factor. I hope we catch the thief this time. I just want to know who, where, and how.

Sunbeam

Jesus DOES want her for a Sunbeam and she will be a Sunbeam for Him.

Sunbeam, Nursery, and a Valiant 10 (again)

December

Just as we were leaving church, Sunny decided to head-plant it into the glass door and hit her forehead on the metal edging (yep, she was running around like a total maniac while I was putting on her sisters coat), but I'd say she still didn't deserve the wound. The slice didn't bleed immediately, but each time she would cry, and yes, she was CRYING, it would bulge and open up...enough to make me light headed and want to pass out.

We have a pediatrician in our ward and I visit teach his wife and we just quickly dropped by their house to ask him if the slice required stitches.....yep.

We went home, got Sunny some fishy crackers for a snack, and they were on their way. Thirty minutes later they were home and the job was done. We asked the nurses (whom I called before Stevey and Sunny left) if they could just glue the wound together vs get stitches and have the stitching marks left in her head....the pediatrician neighbor recommended the same thing.

Sunny was the star of the Community Care. The personnel there couldn't believe that she didn't cry and asked how old she was. They told a story of a sixteen year old who was just in having the same procedure done as Sunny, but was acting more like you would expect a two year old to act.....we are so proud.

At bedtime in the crib, Sunny decided to pick at the glue because she was distraught about having to go to bed and popped it open. We pulled out our own stash of super glue and redid the job. By morning Sunny had picked it again and had blood running down her face...nice. An hour later I just happened to run into our same neighbor pediatrician at the store and he advised me to leave it alone and once it heals to keep vitamin E on the scar tissue to help it look better. Can you imagine the mess we would have had if Sunny had stitches and started picking at them. GROSS!



All better.

More Christmas Holiday Fun

Stevey and I really wanted to do something special for our wonderful children during the Christmas holiday so we decided to make reservations up in Jackson Hole and stay in a cabin. We celebrated our 13 year anniversary and Jackson Hole is where we honeymooned all those years ago.

We beat the snow storm up there, but our cabin wasn't quite ready for us so we decided to get some lunch to eat...and yes the kids were hungry and anxious to get out of the car (hence to noise volume in the van). The restaurant we chose was closed down (who new) so we went to Wendy's (special...it was our kids first time there). We ate and then finally made it to the cabin....hurray (praise the Lord).

We walked around the grounds admiring the beauty and then discovered that the pool was heated and just calling our names. We changed and had a great time in the pool in 20 degree weather.

Dinner time.

Sibling rivalry was in full force between the two little precious ones and according to them, we couldn't get out to the restaurant soon enough. Sorry the restaurant is CLOSED. Volume increases substantially in the van. Now if you think you can just go to some other restaurant in J.H. you are mistaken. If you want to just go to some other saloon then that is another story.

We eventually found a delicious Mexican restaurant and had a nice dinner and everyone (for the most part ) was happy.

Sleeping time.....just use you imagination here.

Breakfast. WONDERFUL! DELICIOUS! BEAUTIFUL! HEALING! The Rustic Inn has the most wonderful breakfast ever and the presentation was incredible (Kemy you would have been so impressed)!

We made it out of the cabin eventually and decided to travel ten miles up to Teton Village and take in all of the beauty there. We would have if we didn't get caught in a white out snow storm on the way up and then have three of the restaurants we chose to eat at (and sold the kids on) be closed, I'm sure we would have had a lovely time. Two hours later and with the kids totally freaking out we were back in Jackson and eating at Mountain High Pizza Pie. Thank goodness we stuffed ourselves and didn't need dinner.

The next morning we had another wonderful breakfast and then started to clean up for check out. We enjoyed more of what J.H. had to offer site seeing wise and then went to McDonald's for lunch on the way home (they were open).

Conclusion. 1. At this time of our lives we just need to reduce the expectation. The little girls are horrible to travel with and push Stevey and I to the very edge of sanity with their mellow and cooperative personalities. 2. Never assume that you can pick a restaurant in this economy and assume that it will be open for business. 3. "Enjoy the journey".

P.S. How do the rest of you do it....joyfully and enjoy it?

Christmas

Lots of tears and fighting courtesy the two little girls. There is a huge sibling rivalry between the two and it brings LOTS and LOTS of peace and joy into our home. Christmas was great but we are still recovering...even Grandma Hunter whose whole life revolves around her grandchildren used the word 'crazy' to best describe our Christmas experience. At least we have 2010 to look forward too.

Big Judd's

There was an article about a hamburger restaurant that has been voted #1 in all of Idaho for the past several years called Big Juds. It is in a small little town in the middle of no where but the picture they used in the newspaper article of the "Triple SIX POUND Burger" looked too good to pass up so we made plans to do lunch there today.

Big Juds serves fresh ground beef hamburgers that they ground fresh daily and fries that are fresh Idaho gems. We aren't a big red meat eating family, but like I said the picture in the newspaper was awesome and we just had to try it.


There was one pound of burger per pattie times THREE, so three pounds of burger, seven slices of bacon, loads of real cheddar cheese, I swear a jar of pickles, tons of sliced lettuce, and gobs of thinly sliced sweet onions with a delicious white sauce. They usually add about two pounds of freshly sliced tomatoes to the thing but they were out of tomatoes today....twas OK, because only Stevey likes tomatoes on burgers.

We sliced the burger into fourths and then again into eights for the big kids and then sixteenths for the little ones.

It was pretty much one of the most delicious burgers ever and we were STUFFED. This is a must visit restaurant for anyone who comes to Idaho and visits us.

Christmas in November and a birthday

Grandpa and Grandma Conder came to visit the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate Christmas with us. Our family has made the executive decision not to travel for the Christmas season (the two little/impossible) angels/maniacs played the principle major role in the decision.

We exchanged gifts, ate yummy dinner, watched a movie while enjoying carmel popcorn, played wii, and drove around looking at Christmas lights among other things while they were here.

The following day we celebrated grandpas birthday....how old are you?

We always have a good time when they come to town and the kids never want to see them leave. Clover even asked for them to take her away with them to Utah....I wonder if she would have ever wanted to come back home.

Good times.