I've never been so scared in my LIFE!!! (but I'm a bit of a chicken)

Well 2 weeks ago the kids didn't have school on Thursday or Friday and since we had all of our YARD jobs done, Jared planned a DAY outing. Fun right?!?! He just told me to pack a picnic and we would drive up and show the kids the ICE CAVES... Sounds great, I did as I was told we loaded in the truck and off we went! We were driving up Mink Creek on the way and Jared starts to tell Hayden about how scared MOM is going to be driving up there... (WHAT I hadn't heard anything about scary roads)... and he's not even sure we can still make it up the old "German Dugway", but no worries, Grandpa Bryce used to drive up this road with his semi and Cat (now if you know Grandpa Bryce that really isn't reassuring because I've heard too may stories of the crazy places and roads he has driven on) None the less, Jared reassures Me (and now Hayden because she's getting a little nervous too) that we will just head up there and if we can't make it we will just turn around... Okay so it will be just fine...we get up to the scary road and YES I'm a LITTLE nervous (mind you this is now a 4 wheeler road that is just slightly wider than the truck with HUGE rocks that we are bouncing over). The worst part is I had to be brave and not show how freaked out I was because now Hayden was very nervous and on the verge of tears at this point telling her dad to turn around!!! Only how are you suppose to turn around when the truck barely fits going strait?? Jared said we could back down if we needed to... WHAT!!! So I had the death grip on the door handle and the "Oh my He!!" handle and a smile on my face telling Hayden it wasn't that bad while in my head I'm running through how I am going to get out of my seat belt and get my 3 kids out of their seats before the truck goes completely over the edge... AWWWWW! Jared is just laughing and telling me to enjoy the veiw and asking if I really think it will help to be holding on if something happens.. Well no, but what else can I do??? (I thought he had outgrown being this adrenaline junkie that broke his back twice, but I guess not!) Once we were off the "scary road" and safely at the top it was gorgeous and the ice cave was fun and amazing. Jared was excited to drive back down the "scary road" but Hayden and I had a vote and were strongly encouraging him that we needed to go the long way home even if it took 2 hours longer. And we did get our way simply because the truck broke and we no longer had 4 wheel drive.... another adventure in this fun filled day... Jared stopped to shift back into 2 wheel drive and the shifter simply broke off. Jared spent about 15 minutes under the truck to discover that since it had been so long since he had driven in 4 wheel drive that the "gaskets"(I think) warped and caused the metal shifter to rust and break (or something like that) anyway he's so HANDY that he crawled under the truck and manually moved the shifter into gear YEAH!!! I was glad that we didn't have to walk back the 10 miles down the mountain back to Grandma Nae's, but mind you I would have happily done that over driving back down the mountain. Looking back, maybe it wasn't as scary as I had it playing out in my mind, but it is not something I will do again in the truck... maybe on a 4 wheeler, we'll see!!! Here are some picts....
Hayden was hiding her face and "STRESSING" a little... Bryce thought it was pretty fun
The VIEW was breathtaking, I couldn't look... I just held up the camera and pointed and shot, it turned out pretty good and I can enjoy the view now!!
Driving up the German Dugway ... aka "The Scary Road"

FINALLY at the top of the WORLD... It was amazing!!! (and MAYBE worth the stress)

I was just happy to be out of the truck on FLAT ground
OH NO!!! The only time Jared was nervous. Good thing he is so "technically" skilled... I would have just started walking and it probably would have take me 2 days to get home... There was no one else up there, so we would have been totally "S O L" if he wouldn't have been able to fix it!!!
THE ICE CAVE truly was amazing. Nature is beautiful... And yes there really was snow inside even at the very end of summer!!!



Happy little family... probably one of the few "FAMILY pictures we have. I propped the camera up on some rocks and set the timer and it actually turned out pretty well!!!
What a fun day trip!!!...Thanks Jared for thinking of it!!!

and my new favorite color is... GREEN!!!

Last Tuesday we got SOD and I'm as sooooo... thankful!! There is still dirt just beyond the grass, but at least SOME of it falls off as the kids run back home. Jared has done an amazing job with the yard. (But did we really expect anything less???) It has taken me a week to post about it, because I was too SORE from laying the sod that I could barely even move my fingers (ha-ha-ha). But honestly that night and next day I could barley move I felt like I waddled when I walked my legs hurt so bad, but I guess what they say is true... the pain is worth the GAIN!!! Yes count them that is 16 Pallets (holy camoli!!!)
Our Audience and kid control (thanks Grandma Nae!!)

THE FINISHED PRODUCT (these were taken a few days later, because yes it was dark out by the time we finished...





We had the trees delivered on Saturday before the grass, and I was working but Jared took some great picts I had to post...
Dad's big helpers (Hayden was in the house, probably watching Disney channel)

We had a guest for lunch...

Isn't he so stinkin' cute... What a silly boy! He can't wait for Halloween!!! He wanted to wear this to school, but I'm a mean mom and said no... He changed as soon as he got home though!

My new SWEET tunes!

So once again I was inspired by Brandi. I was working on the computer today finding pictures for SCRAPBOOK EXPO (I know I am so excited!!!) and I needed some music. Sooo... I turned on Brandi's blog and jammed out to it while I was looking! It was great! I'm sure I will change the songs over time, I know the first one is a little mushy, but it is my FAVORITE love song of all time. Jared wouldn't even take me to the Rascal Flatts concert when they came to The Woodlands, because I was 8 1/2 months pregnant and he was sure it would put me into labor. Anyway enjoy the TUNES!!! (Sorry I always get off subject on this thing!)

Bryce's 1st day of Preschool!

So, once again I am a bit behind, who knew?!? Bryce started Preschool on September 2nd and he is LOVING it. The only thing that could possibly make it better for him would be if he could ride the bus. He even asked me about a week into school, if maybe we could just find a new house and move "just one more time" and then "he would be done". (That is what he has been saying about everything lately, "Just one more and then I'm really done.") But unfortunately, he is a walker and more and more, just a car rider, because we all know how much I like my sleep. But that is another story, back to school...
His teacher is Mrs. Judy and she is "very nice" he says, although he did tell Grandma Nae that his teacher is "not very smart", because she turned on the "Circle Time" music when she was suppose to turn on the "Clean Up" song. He also gets to go see "The Nice Guy" and work on his speech. He thinks that he just goes there to play games and tells me all about the fun things they get to do. I am so glad he is liking school. I can't believe my little guy is so BIG!!! As you'll see in the pictures... He looked pretty stylin' on the first day in his "Spider-Man light-up shoes" and his "Star Wars Lego" shirt. (Yes, I let him choose his school clothes!!!)

A New Look

I have been looking at everyone else's cute blogs and mine started looking a little "too familiar"...So I am following Brandi's lead and changing things up a bit. I guess even a blog needs a little "pampering" now and then, ha-ha-ha!!!

Hayden's back to school

I know, I know 2 posts in 1 week is a bit much for me, but... Hayden started back to school last Thursday, and she is LOVING it! YEAH!!! She looked so cute her first day and was very excited about being a WALKER! I walked her to school the whole 3 blocks (if that) the 1st 2 days and now she wants to be big and go by herself. I know I am a little crazy and a bit over protective, but I make her take the "walky-talky" with her and call me when she is about to go into the school and again when she is on her way home (Jared has already told me I'm nuts). But you can never be too safe and you just never know what kind of crazies there are out there (maybe I should stop watching CSI and Law and Order) anyway, the second day she went alone, I never got the call saying she was there. So I just figured she must have forgotten so I tried to go about my day, but around 9am (30 min after school started) I just couldn't stand it. I called the school and told the secretary that I was just a little neurotic and wanted to make sure she made it there okay, she kinda laughed and said she understood and called her class and YES Hayden was in class- wheeew! So apparently we had gotten out stations switched and she was calling, but I couldn't hear, so lesson learned... If I don't want to be the crazy mom who calls the school every day... CHECK the walky-talky BEFORE she leaves. Here are some cute photos of the 1st day...

Our New House (finally)

Well we are officially home owners (in the state of Idaho) as of August 7. (Yes, I do know that I am about 20 days behind--sorry) We closed on that day, which was a Thursday and just gradually moved in, in fact I am still unpacking boxes. We didn't sleep here until that Saturday night and it finally felt REAL--YEAH!! I love my house though and it was a bit of a relief to finally see it all done and that all the colors actually worked together. Anyone who would like a tour, we LOVE visitors!!! (I'm not lonely, can you tell?) I have included a few picts of some of the highlights of moving in!!!

There were soooo... many flies in the house when we were unpacking, Jared killed at least 40 that first day, Chris was a big help pointing out where they landed!

Hayden was MY big helper, she dried all of the dishes as I unpacked and washed them. She also completely unpacked and organized her own room. I was quite impressed!!!

I am still ALIVE!!!

So, I know I haven't posted in about 2 months, but... YES I am still alive! We are currently homeless and living with the "In-laws" and their internet is SLOW!!!!! Honestly, it takes me 30 min to check 1 e-mail. However, the only excuse I had prior to that was... moving and packing and birthdays and lagoon trips and reunions and fun fun fun. All of the things I need to blog and maybe someday I will, until then when our house is done which was suppose to be mid-July and now the end of July and by golly better not turn in to mid- August, I am just a terrible blogger. Love ya all anyway!!!!

Team Geo Tracks-- All Aboard!

May 13- I know I'm a few days behind!!
Bryce wanted a "Geo Tracks" birthday party, but I am just not a great planner at this point for some reason and I didn't plan anything. He wanted a Geo Tracks cake of Aero so I did my best and it actually turned out pretty cute!! We just had cousins over and they played and had cake and ice cream. It all went pretty well except the 3 boys (Nick 4, Bryce now 4, and Seth 3) all disappeared and were playing SOOOO nice in Bryce's room for about 30 min. It was all too good to be true however and we found his bed, dresser, and blinds all colored very nicely in pencil (luckily). It was pretty funny because it said N I C K all over, but Nick was pretty sure it was just Bryce and Seth that did it!!! Bryce was very excited he got "Grand Central Station" with Aero and Eric. Which he told us was "Just what he wanted!" I love that it is so easy to please a 4 year old! I can't believe my little boy is growing up so fast! He is so fun to have around, he says the funniest things and is always making me laugh! His latest thing is "What the heck!" followed by a little Bryce giggle. He is such a sweet boy who loves his brother but just has trouble showing it at times! I'm hoping that now that he is 4 we will be DONE with the HORRIBLE 3's!!! Yeah!!!

Super Fun "FUN RUN"

Those are some words I never thought would come out of my mouth! Yesterday was the annual Preston Hospital 5K Fun Run/"Walk" and Hayden and Jared were so excited that I kinda got roped into it too. It actually wasn't that bad, I can say that because I only WALKED it with Tara (my sister in law) and we were very proud that we were not last! Our time was 40 minutes which considering we DIDN'T run we were walking along at a pretty brisk pace. I am VERY proud of both HAYDEN and JARED however. It was Jared's first "offical" 5K and he ran it in 20 min 58 sec! WOW! I would have died!! (That is just under a 7 min/mile average.) Hayden and her cousin Connor did the 1 mile run. She is pretty fast herself (she must take after her Dad) She ran it in 8min 4 sec! I don't think I have ever run a mile that fast! She took 5 place of all the runners the sad part was that the first 3 people where all 3 girls in her age group of 7-12 and then her cousin Conner beat her by 2 seconds. She did feel a little better when I told her that she beat the 2 boys who got 2nd and 3rd and Jared also gave her his medal and that helped. Jared is going to have her out at the track before too long he thinks he has found a cheap way to pay for college (He-he-he!)

It just keeps getting better!

Okay, so I know you were all jealous when you heard about the Nascar parties, well this is even better. A bunch of kids (you know they're in their 20's--kids) moved in next door and yes... they have a band!!! Jared heard them jammin' out today and when I got home from work I even got a small sampling of their tunes!!! NICE!!! I am trying to get Jared to go ask them if they need anyone to play the COW BELL. We will let you know if there are any up coming jam sessions. Who knows maybe the neighbors will hear them and invite them over to play at one of the weekend pre-race parties! It is just the best living in IDAHO!!!

My New Do!

Here is the picture of my "New Do" as requested. Picture courtesy of Hayden Photography and she thought it looked good crooked!

A new you!

Isn't it amazing how you can kinda be in a "rut" and then you get your hair cut and wow you feel like a new person who can actually make it through the day. I know that is silly, but I just love to have my hair done by someone else! Obviously I had my hair cut today by my good friend Jen who is amazing and I feel really bad that I haven't hung out with her more since I have moved back. I called Jared on my way home and told him that I had cut it all off and he said "That's fine, as long as you didn't get a perm too." He still makes fun of me because I got a REALLY bad perm just after we were married. But my hair story isn't quite as interesting as Dawn's, I actually just got a trim and bangs which I guess was what Dawn was going for. (He-He-He) So this post is rather random, I was just excited to once again have a little time away from the crazy kids! Poor Jared, I am working the next two days so he is going to be getting a lot of Daddy time. (something that is not working in my favor of getting #4- which is still up for debate on my part too!)

What a SUPER fun weekend!!!

So I just had the best weekend! It was LOTS of fun. On Friday Darci and I went to the Scrapbook Expo. (Can you say Crazy Ladies!!!! I thought I was into scrapbooking!) It was tons of fun. Lots of fun things to buy and I even got a few pages done. Most of all it was just fun hanging out with Darci and her family (thanks for letting me tag along!)

Then Friday night, I went to Dinner with "My Chewbi's" (it's kinda a long story!) from high school. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. I went with Jen, Jed, and Katie (and her cute little Zoe). We talked for over 2 hours and like I said it was highly entertaining. It was so fun to just catch up and remember all of the CRAZY things we did in high school. It is actually very sad that it has been so long since we have hung out and seen each other like that. It is definitely something I would love to do more often. (I stole this picture from Jen's blog-thanks, cause I forgot my camera, also I love the scraping pony tail I am sporting!!)

Poor Jared it was actually his birthday this Sunday and I was the one out having all of the fun! He is so sweet, he stayed home with the "crazies" while I went out on the town. It was a much needed break and he is just too sweet that he didn't even complain!!!

I thought we were back in Texas for a minute!!!

We got some new neighbors last week and need I say more than that Jared has found someone who loves Nascar as much as him! Ha-Ha-Ha!!! If you are ever free on the weekend, they throw a pretty happenin' pre-race party!!!! I love living in Idaho!!! (Yes that is there front door!)

TEXAS (March 6-10)

We had such a blast in Texas. We went back for Isaah's baptism and just to visit! We stayed at Dawn's and stayed up too late everynight just chatting. (I miss my Texas girl friends! Jared says I am too grumpy to make new ones!!)

ISAAH'S BAPTISM






The Fairchild's what a cute family. It looks like Paige takes after Chad and likes to close her eyes!!







If only he was a little older and they could date!!!





Poor Bryce he woke up throwing up (once again). He didn't feel very good as you can tell. He had his "ffrow-up bucket" at his side, luckly we didn't have to use it. He perked up by the afternoon and was able to play.


Soooo... cute Tally (I believe) wanted to sing just like the big girls. She got up there all ready and just froze with her mouth open. Once again, so cute!!!



INCREDIBLE PIZZA




Shameran and Adam are so sweet! The kids were so excited to see there "2nd parents". We went to Incredible pizza and of course the kids loved it!!!








Christopher didn't really like the rocking race car as you can tell!



However they both loved the "choo-choo"! I think the train was the highlight of Bryce's trip. Ever since we have moved to Idaho, he is alway asking when he can go to "Chucky Cheeses" (that's what he calls Incredible Pizza) and ride the train.



BFF's
Hayden was a very busy girl. I really only saw her about half the time we were in Texas. And that was when I was driving her between friends houses. This is the only picture I took. But she got to go and see some of her friends... Ashley A. (in picture), Ashley W., Madie, Isaah, and Taylor. She got to see her church friends Brylie and Savannah at church. Poor Carson was wondering when he was going to get to play with her.


Shameran sent "snack packs" home with the kids for on the airplane. Hayden was so excited, because one of her snack bites was in the perfect shape of a heart and she was sure that Sham had made it and sent it just for her!!!