Dave, the new favorite uncle....

Good Times at Lake W.....

the slide that NEVER ends....

The Pratts are just fun people. and they have a F.U.N set up at L. Winnipeasake
We went up for a day when Randy and Karen were here for a few days. The rope swing, the slide (that is an intense slide and I for one cannot WAIT to try it--they were just getting it set up the day we were there), the brief tour of the lakehouses and kayaking was all just a blast!

A/C--no way....we just tough it out around these parts. I opened the cupboard took out a piece of a chocolate bar and it was partly melted. I took the lid off the butter dish on the cupboard and it was a puddle of butter instead of a stick of butter.

We have our very own built in Sauna. Its awesome!

Our cutest Hallie turned TWO and she had a fun birthday. This was her main b-day present--the Fisher Price dollhouse. They are all just loving it!

One of our last Sat projects. Building a picnic table for the kids. They LOVE it. They've eaten all meals on it except one since then. It was fun to make too. Thanks for the idea Marci!

Our zoo that we build in the sandbox--we have the gorilla in his nest in the branches, the tiger mountain, the savanna, the giraffes, the bear caves, the petting farm, etc. We had a lot of fun making it.

Our favorite Syd came to visit and hang out for a week. She brought "baby Mia" and she is the cutest little thing. See picture below (Im talking about Mia, Syd). This picture is Syd ready to do a "part" for FHE. She has quite the variety of talents our Sydney. :) Our kids are still so sad she's gone. What an aunt!

Syd and Eowyn (our fun friend here) working their magic. "I don't do miracles".

Our newest addition to the backyard that we found at the dump :) its a great mini waterslide as its right next to the hose.

Apparently I was a little tired after our dinner. :)

Father and Son campout pictures. I think Robbie has never felt so special. he loved the whole thing. He came home and talked to me more than he ever has before. He had lots of things to say about his adventures with only dad and him. It was really, really precious!

Getting ready to leave on the campout!

Aubrie had a special Mothers Day tea party at her school they i went to. I just couldn't believe how well thought out and special they made it. Aubrie was really into the singing and she led me into the room by my arm, pulled my seat out and served me the food. There were some loves notes that she'd written and flowers she'd made. what a girl!

Happy Birthday to a HAPPY girl. We always wake the person up singing happy birthday in the morning and giving them their presents--carrying on tradition of my family. The kids all sleep in the same room. Robbie woke up first and i gave him a present to carry downstairs and told him to go get Aubrie up and when he walked in I hear Hallie immediately (Im sure she saw he was carrying a present) start singing "happy birday to Howie. Happy birday to howie" and start yelling "out" to get out of her crib. She is so smart!

Hallie means so much to our family. We all love her SO much. She makes everyone happy.

She looks SO much like Ashley to me with her hair curled :)

So get ya swag on it...

To the SE....

Before I forget a few of the cute things Hallie has been saying lately (isn't it sad when they start speaking correctly...)

"Mommy, MOMMY, fick (fix) it, pease.". I just love when she says it.

"oopies" (she hears people say whoopsies I guess???) but when ever something drops or she runs into something, she says "oopies"

If she wants something or wants to do something and I say "you do?" she says "I (with a definite southern drawl) doooooooooo!" (in a really high pitched tone). I always kiss her after. Its too cute!

Mom, I LOVED the quotes you sent. i think this was my favorite:

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

*a brief sidenote before I write what I really wanted to. Robbie slept in the bathtub when we visited Amber, etc in NY till he went to sleep because the kids were all in one room and he wasn't going to sleep. and he actually liked it. It could be an additional bedroom in our house...i might ponder this further...


I have felt like my mind has been on turbo mode all week this week. I have felt a much greater understanding of what I am doing right now in life. Being a mother and a woman can sometimes be hard in the sense that it is confusing at times to know what really is the RIGHT way to do those things. There are a lot of different--all very persuasive--opinions about what mothers and women should do with their time, energy, money, ambition, etc. I feel like there is a constant need to check myself and where I am putting my plow down to move forward (if that makes any sense).

I loved this quote I read yesterday by Eliza R. Snow

“We want to be ladies in very deed, not according to the term of the word as the world judges, but fit companions of the Gods and Holy Ones. In an organized capacity we can assist each other in not only doing good but in refining ourselves, and whether few or many come forward and help to prosecute this great work, they will be those that will fill honorable positions in the Kingdom of God. . . . Women should be women and not babies that need petting and correction all the time. I know we like to be appreciated but if we do not get all the appreciation which we think is our due, what matters? We know the Lord has laid high responsibility upon us, and there is not a wish or desire that the Lord has implanted in our hearts in righteousness but will be realized, and the greatest good we can do to ourselves and each other is to refine and cultivate ourselves in everything that is good and ennobling to qualify us for those responsibilities."


And this one by Julie Beck: "A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently."

That italicized part was an answer for me to where I can sometimes feel myself straying. Entitlement--in any of its forms--is dangerous. I really think that it is one of the most difficult things of our generation. Whether we've been taught to feel that way or not. I was reading an interview with Marjorie Hinckley and listening to her practical responses to life made me think how far from that we've come. Life is about work. President Hinckley said life would often be monotonous and our children (and ourselves) will more than likely be average. Most days will be just days that are filled with normal activities, sometimes boring and usually requiring effort. (update: found the quote: "Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas, and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.") I lose sight of that almost on a daily basis. We do not need all new things, all new activities and new ways to do everything. Life is about the challenge of living a good life with practicality, focused on the right priorities and in that process being really and truly happy.

There are so many pictures I've been wanting to "immortalize" by putting them on the blog....but here are a few. We went to NY for Aubrie's spring break and stayed with Amber and Big D. They are such fun people and it was a fun break. Central Park might be my favorite place in NYC. I can't imagine how different of a city it would be without that park. We also went to the Bronx Zoo which was beautiful too!
The last picture is one of Ryan opening presents (nice socks Duv!) and his cute early morning face. Ryan is the greatest. He is now 32. HIs birthday was a fun day--German pancakes for breakfast, open presents, 5 mile run (for him), him and I went golfing--it was SO fun and such a nice day. (i like golf more and more and it could really be a problem for the family budget to have TWO golfers :)), and then Ryan's favorite dinner and pecan torte (Lori's famous) for dessert. Then we finished our sandbox outside till 10 at night. It was a great day!

and if you DO waste the apples...