Spring'in into Spring

Phlox.

Much of my time lately has been spent outside planting. We've had such beautiful spring weather, with the exception of Saturday when it got cold and blustery for about half the day.

An aspen tree.

Some Marguerite Daisies that are still undergoing some shock from being transplanted.

A hanging pot at the front of our house. I got those Azaleas at Lowe's for $1 each! When they quit blooming in the hanging pots, I will plant them in the backyard. They are perennials.

However, most of my plants still look like the above picture, just plain dirt! Most of what I've planted has been in bulb form. I can't believe how many plants they sell in bulb form, even daylillies! Here's hoping they all come up this spring, summer and fall!


I've been trying to take advantage of the warmth and get my planting done.

Laren is working on a drip irrigation system for all of my plants, as well as an outdoor lighting system. And we're hoping to put a fountain/waterfall in a corner in our backyard if it all works out. All of this stuff takes (just like everything else) time and money.

In the meantime, Kyle started his baseball season last week and the older 3 kids finished up soccer. And Alyssa had her talent show at school.

Alyssa right before the talent show. She is lined up next to a boy in her class at school and church.

The picture came out terribly dark, but she gave a great performance playing the piano!

Tyler, me, and Alyssa getting a self portrait after the talent show. I still haven't mastered the art of self portraits!

My kids had the Spring Fling Carnival at their school on Saturday. They had a good time and were pleased with the whole cakes and pies they won at the "Cupcake Walk."

Kyle with the muffins he won in the cupcake walk.

Alyssa with the pie she won in the cupcake walk. Rilyn won a whole cake and Tyler a dozen cupcakes too.


Also, we are getting ready for Kyle's baptism later this week as well. And I've been getting all sorts of permission slips from my kids for end of the year fieldtrips! I can't believe the school year is already winding down!

And we've also been working on planning a family vacation this summer to Nauvoo. Hopefully gas prices won't get any crazier (yeah, Right!) so we don't blow the budget on gas!

Additionally, we've been getting together a lot, it seems, with friends. Over the past 2 weekends, we went out to dinner with another couple, hosted a dinner party, and had our friends the Wardell's over from Highlands Ranch.

Ben and Karla and Baby JoJo


The Wardell's are leaving for Hawaii in a month or so for a year and a half!

Our kids play great together, even though their ages don't match up exactly. Brandon, Tyler and Issac.


He is taking a temporary job transfer through work.


Alyssa and Elissa. Our second oldest daughter and their oldest daughter have the same name, including middle names (just spelled a little different). We didn't even know each other when either of these children were born!


Laren and Ben work together and we were all in the same ward when we first moved here to Denver, 6 years ago. Wow, I can't believe we've already been here 6 years.

Looking for a swimsuit

Swimsuit from Modbe.

There are SO many cute swimsuits out there this year, many of them come from companies in Utah.

Shade swimsuit

And I definitely prefer the tankini's over the bikini's, for modesty and to cover my "pooch." My pooch is something I lovingly got as a reward for having my babies (or not)! It is along the same lines of the killer stretch marks that came to me for the same reason. Some people have stretch marks, and then there are S T R E T C H marks. Mine are the latter. So yep! I NEED the tankini. I love that tankini's are more versatile in their fit for different body shapes and you can mix and match bottoms and tops.

Some Hapari Swimsuits, but they have much cuter one's on their site.

I really love the Hapari Swimsuits that Michelle brought to my attention, and I have called them to place an order 4 times already over 2 weeks time, you have to leave a message, and they NEVER return my call! I've also left a couple of emails. They are based out of American Fork, and if I can't get a hold of them soon I may just have to buy my swimsuit from somewhere else! I really love that they have "Tummy Tuk" bottoms that will help hide my pooch! I love that you can buy the tankini top in an extra long length for my stretch marks and long torso and I love their cute fabrics.

You can also see their swimwear showcased on this episode of Good Things Utah, one of my favorite web indulgences --if you've never caught the show you should check it out! (I only ever watch it online, I just click on the segments I'm interested in watching.) So Hapari, you are only as good as your customer service. Even if you do sell super cute swimwear, what good is it if you never call me back? Has anyone ever had any luck in getting one of their suits? I've heard they have had an overwhelming positive response to their swimwear.

limericki swimsuit

And once I get me a cute new swimsuit, making it look good on my not at all toned body will be another challenge in and of itself! I keep telling myself I'm going to get to toning and doing crunches, but it just never happens! Hmmm, could have something to do with the work involved and that after a brisk walk or run I consider my exercise done for the day!

Have you found a cute swimsuit for the summer, if so where?
________________________

What do ya know? Update... Hapari called me back this morning, finally! But I was on the treadmill and so now we play phone tag. In the meantime, I'm really considering the modbe swimsuit! But if I go with Hapari, I really like the Scooby Doo V-neck tankini.

Good News

Today Alyssa found out she made the cut for the school talent show! We are so excited for her! She will be playing the piano.

And on Sunday I was trying to lay down and take a nap and I was startled by some loud pounding. I sent Kayla to the door, and this is what she found:


What a great Welcome to Young Women's! She was so excited!!! I'm so happy for both Kayla and Alyssa!

I think I'm falling in love...

Yes, another Apron!

I think I'm falling in love with Aprons!



My friend Cristin just posted about this cute apron that she is going to make and some cute fabrics she found to do it in. Oh my goodness, it's irresistable!




This is where you order the pattern from, if your interested. I'm thinking this might be able to be transformed into a cute sundress too! Thanks, Cristin for sharing that!

In Common?

WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE

HAVE IN COMMON?

Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, big time movie producers.

Larry Gatlin, a country music singer.

L. Tom Perry, apostle.

These individuals come from very different walks of life, but they all share one thing in common, what is it?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Answer is:

That these guys are all my brush with fame!

When I was a teenager I babysat for Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. They were producing the Movie Always that filmed in my small Northwestern Montana town growing up. And I babysat for them, it was the day of their little boy's birthday even.


They rented a house in town, just a couple blocks from my own home. It was an old, Victorian style home. I remember the kitchen being filled with helium balloons with stars on them as part of the birthday celebration. Their little boy was only about 2 years old at the time! They paid fairly well, but not as well as I would have expected! But when your used to making $1 per hour (the going rate at the time), $3 per hour was acceptable!! :)

Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers performed at my High School when I was a Junior. It was for Nordicfest, a local celebration the town holds every year. I was a varsity cheerleader and we happened to be the act right before them. When they came on stage, after waving to the crowd, Larry Gatlin thanked us and grabbed me and while kissing me on the cheek bent me backwards over his leg as if we were dancing. He also gave me an autographed picture. All of my fellow cheerleaders were swooning for him, but he kissed me! Of course it's no big deal now, but it's a fun memory!

And I met L. Tom Perry at an area Youth Conference in Missoula, Montana. My older brother Mike had brought my brother Charles and I along with him for a photo shoot of some wildlife at a wildlife refuge nearby. And while we were there, Charles and I attended the meeting where L. Tom Perry spoke. At the end, I got to say "hi" to him and shake his hand. That was a special thing.

Post 300!

We have gotten so many great deals on Craigslist. And we've sold some on there as well and been pleased. I'm so glad that we have that free option that is so much better than the newspaper want ads! I love seeing pictures of what is advertised and knowing the location of what part of town the item is located. And did I mention FREE? That is the best part!

Yesterday we got this on Craigslist:

Nordictrack 5100R Treadmill


In exchange for this:

Our Proform 880s Elliptical

It was a straight across exchange! The elliptical had really been making my sciatica worse. And it got to the point that I was in pain 24/7 and so I had to completely quit the elliptical altogether. In the meantime, we've had a cold Spring here in Colorado and so it really put a crimp in my exercising!

I was just looking on Craigslist to find a good deal on a decent treadmill (and also get to avoid paying sales tax on the purchase). Then when I came upon the posting from the owner of the treadmill saying they wanted to just do a trade, I decided that would be great! I had wanted to get a treadmill for some time and the elliptical would just be sitting there with no one using it anyway with my sciatica and Laren's bum knee.

So we ended up with a really nice and quiet treadmill, so far. I feel kind of bad that we got the better end of the deal. One of our friend's was so great to bring his truck and help us haul the elliptical out of the basement and then transport the treadmill home and he and Laren and a neighbor helped get the beastly treadmill down to the basement. This exercise equiptment is bulky and heavy and hard to manuever! But for me, I'm much more likely to exercise if it's convenient (at home) than having to go to the gym to do it!

My friend and I plan on starting up walking again in just a few weeks, but I have seriously been going stir-crazy with not having an exercise machine that I can use. So I gave it an inaugural test "drive" this morning! I cannot believe how quickly that thing moves on level 4, it's a run for me! And it goes all the way up to 12. I loved having an incline and that it adjusted so easily up and down.

Now if I can get into the habit of using it regularly and keeping my little ones off it so they don't get hurt!

8 years ago today...

8 years ago today I had been on bedrest for over 3 weeks. I had been staving off an over anxious labor! Finally the bedrest and Tributilene quit working. I had been told by my doctor if I went into labor and they could not stop it my baby would be transferred to Phoenix Children's Hospital right after birth and I would remain at Mesa Lutheran Hospital until I was released. I couldn't stand the thought of my baby and I being separated after birth!

Kyle and his Spiderman, cupcake cake.

I was so worried not only about the separation but of my baby boy's well-being after delivery. Thankfully I had gotten a steroid shot the week before to help develop his lungs. But, the doctor wanted me to be prepared and told me that boys tend to do worse, breathing wise, when they are born early compared to girls.

Kyle as we're about to sing him Happy Birthday on Friday.

I had called Laren home from work around 6pm. He got home and we threw some last minute things together and went to the hospital, arriving around 6:50pm. I was dilated to a 5 and 60% effaced and contracting ever 2-3 minutes. I had already lost most of my mucous plug. Dr. Tutt was my doctor, but Dr. Beck was on call.

Kyle opening his gifts.

Kyle leading the pack, getting ready to hit the pinata.

He got called away from his daughter's Sweet Sixteen party to do the delivery. After checking me out and the baby-- he made the difficult decision to deliver the baby there, at Mesa Lutheran.



About an hour later our little Kyle was born weighing in at 6 lbs. 1.5 oz. and 21 inches long. He was born at 34 weeks old and was miraculously super healthy! He didn't even need any oxygen! That was a Friday night and Kyle and I both left the hospital together the following Monday morning! We stayed an extra day just as a precautionary measure due to his preterm birth.

I can't believe I hosted this party with 12 party boys and 5 of my own kids by myself! Laren had to go out of town last minute for his G'ma's funeral, so that left me to do the party solo! It was a lot of fun and a lot of work! But my Boy is well worth it!! :)

It has been a great 8 years so far! Kyle is a very intelligent and conscientious boy. He is friendly and happy! He is a good brother and obedient. We feel so blessed to have him in our family!!

Happy Birthday Kyle!

I feel so blessed to be your Mom!

She's officially 12 today!

I can't believe my oldest is officially 12 today!

Kayla at her birthday party, celebrating turning 12!

It makes me feel old. Kyle's birthday is on Monday and he will be 8. When we moved here to Colorado 6 years ago, my oldest was 6 and the oldest of 3 and I was very pregnant! Now I have 5 kids, the oldest is 12 and the youngest is 3. I don't even have a baby baby anymore!

Kayla and Me the night of her party!

Kayla had her birthday Party with her friends last Friday night. It was a lot of fun for her. Her one big birthday wish was an Ipod. She was ecstatic when she got her wish! But we did make her pay for more than half of it. She'd been working, doing extra chores for the last 3 months and she put some of her babysitting money towards it.

Kayla opening her gifts.

I still remember the day she was born so vividly! It doesn't seem possible that she is already 12!

Happy Birthday to you, Kayla!!