I'm going to the SCENTSIE convention!!!

Oh, if you could see the smile on my face right now!! I'm so super excited! I'm going to the scentsie convention in July/August!! It's going to be in Boise, so I'm going to ride down with Courtney and (maybe) Toshia, Alisha, and someone else. Dawna is so awesome to let us stay at her place!! (I'm praying she will be home that weekend, so we can have a full-out party, but Trent just got engaged, and they were thinking about that weekend) Hello, can you say high school road trip again?!! I'm as excited as a five year-old on Christmas!!

I'm Still Alive!!!

Hello, my name is Jeni!! Let me first re-introduce myself! I live in a small, Idaho town, am married to a farmer, a mother of three VERY busy chickies, and FINALLY finished with being the Mountain View Elementary School PTO President! And, yes, I'm still here!!
Life has been SO crazy these last few weeks, and I have NO pictures to show for it. I'll try to catch you all up in a simple, short version (plus, my internet's down!!):
Grandma Gwen, our strong, smart, and very amazing neighbor, who we lease her field to farm each year passed away. It was hard on all three of my boys. She was just like a Grandma to them, even to Luke. Colton would always give her his pictures or whatever he made in Primary on Sundays, as well as a lot of cookies. She was always to grateful for them and really did love them. She will surely be missed by a lot of people.
School is out for the summer, and with that, means that I had a TON of PTO stuff to do. We had field day, teacher appreciation luncheon, sixth grade graduation, preschool graduation, hiring of new teachers for next year, . . . CRAZY! I'm so glad it's finally over! I will, however, be volunteering again next year, just not as much as this crazy year!
Work, work, work! I'm training a girl, and working over 50 hours a week right now, so my mom is practically raising my kids. How sad, hu? She loves it, the kids love it, but what ever happened to me trying to be a mom? I HATE it. I'm trying to spend as much of my time with them as I can, but I also have to try to keep my house clean. However, it's suffering, too!
My kids are growing, learning, and doing awesome! Carson is going to be a second grader, CRAZYNESS, hu? Colton is feeling SO much better! He's so back to himself again! Brooks is learning more and more every day! I'll try to do better at posting. I'm waiting for dad to come back from Billings, Montana. (He got called there because of all the flooding, and won't be home for a while. I need him to fix my internet, Mr. Qwest man!!!)

uPdAte . . .

Colton is doing awesome! I have had the hardest time keeping him down and quiet. After the first three hours he was home, he's been busy playing wii, digging in the sandbox, and doing everything else he's not supposed to be doing. He's also back to himself yelling and "talking loud"! He's even eating most normal, soft foods. A big thank you to all of his friends who've come to visit him and brought fun stuff!!

tHanKful ThuRsdAy

It may be obvious what my Thankful Thursday post is going to be on today, but I need to make sure that Luke knows! I am so thankful for the Priesthood and that my wonderful husband holds the Priesthood. He is such a wonderful father, setting an example for my boys and daughter by being the person he is, and holding the keys that he holds. I didn't always have the opportunity to have the Priesthood in my home growing up, and didn't realize just how much of an impact it has in my life. I'm grateful that he was able to give both Colton and I a blessing before the surgery (me, I'm fine now, I was just a little nervous!)

mOtheR's dAy

Okay, I'm looking for someone to top my present for Mother's Day. This isn't a joke, Luke is for real. First, let me emphasize this, that the present was for Mother's Day! It was also the only gift he gave me. It was a pair of underwear (sexy, way too small undies) made into a rose. Top that!!!!

nO moRe toNsilS!!!

Today was the day!! Colton got his tonsils and adenoids out today!! Dr. Donaldson said they were so bad that they fell apart in his hands. Yucky! He said Colton would be having some horrible problems if we hadn't taken them out- and we thought it was more for the sleep apnea! However, what kind of mom am I? I left the camera at home!! HELLO! He looked so cute in his gown sitting on the bed, and even after, he was lookin' good!
They said that he would be waking up, so we went back, and they brought him out to us. I could tell he was crying a little, but that didn't last long. As he was calming down, he immediately asked for some ice cream, now!! (He settled for a slushie!) However, he was wide awake the whole time!! I couldn't believe how well he was doing for just getting his tonsils out! We spent just under two hours total at the surgery center, and were on our way home. THAT'S when he threw up -all over his blanket, my purse, and Brooklynn's baby! Well, he's home, has already eaten ice cream, a Popsicle, and a pudding cup. He is also working on his Diet Mountain Dew! He said he was hungry, and so why not feed the kid. Like I would let my kid starve!!

sHouT oUt moNdaY!

Ahh, it's been a loonng weekend! Happy Mother's Day to all you moms! It's only fitting that I do this shout-out to MY special mom! Although, I'll have to admit, I'm so tired today that it may be a little short, but I'll try to do you justice!! I also want to admit something terrible . . . I don't have a single picture of my mom OR dad at my house (current, no mullet!). The only one I could find was a family picture, and mom would KILL me if I put that one in. She's not only the only one squinting, but has a funny look on her face, and her hair is flipped up, so it looks like a bird is perched on her head!!
Okay, so I'll have to admit that I'm having a hard time coming up with what exactly to say about her, so I will say this: I am the person I am today because of a lot of what my mom has taught me throughout the years. I've learned that I have to like myself first before others can like me, I've learned that I am perfectly capable to do things myself and not to have to rely on others, and I also learned that I need to make sure I take time to love my kids. I love you mom. This isn't the best shout-out, and I know tomorrow I could probably write a novel, but Brooklynn is crying (teething and possible ear-infection), so that's all I will say tonight.

FYI

I went and moved pipe by myself tonight in my super-sexy farmin' gett'up. You'd all be way proud of me!! (The Shurtliff's had a baseball game!)

fiRst gRade pUppet shOw

Today was the long-awaited first grade puppet show. It's so cute!! It's the first real story that most of the kids write (title, beginning, middle, climax, ending, etc.) and so they've been working on it all month. It was way cute! It was centered around an animal that they chose, then made out of paper plates. Carson had an elephant, and his story was way cute! They each took turns sitting in a little puppet theater and reading their story. First, they introduce themselves out of the theater, then they read their story, then they stand up and take a bow while we're all clapping for them. SO FUN!! They even had cookies and punch afterward. A ton of parents came, so this was a big deal!!
After school, I took Carson, Keagan, Bridger, and Parker out to A&W for ice cream and french fries. (Carson was mad Levi couldn't come, but I couldn't fit him in my car!) Anywhoo, we had a lot of fun talking at the table, until Carter, a girl in their class showed up with her dad. Her parent's are divorced, so you could tell he's not a big part of her life. The boys were teasing her (the way first grade boys tease first grade girls), and her dad was also teasing her that she's lucky to have four cute guys who like her. HELLO, DAD, they're in first grade!!! They may really mean what they are saying while they are teasing her. They don't quite know how to flirt that well, yet!
Pictures to come, my camera's batteries are dead! Go Jeni!!

cOltoN's uPdaTe

Today we went to the E.N.T. for Colton's follow-up exam. The doctor was way nice, and didn't even have to stick the stick down Coltie's throat to see it!! (Can you smell my sarcasm?!) His tonsils are still way too swollen, so we are on a stronger antibiotic until next Thursday . . . the day he gets his tonsils and adnoids out. Kinda happy, but feelin' crappy! I hate to see my kids sick, hurt, or anything I can't fix. However, he will finally (hopefull, cross your fingers, say lots and lots of prayers!) not be so sick all the time! Dr. Donaldson also said something quite interesting at the appt. He asked if we have checked Colton for Mono. Hu?? No. He said this could also explain his excessive swelling and not getting better. (He'll be tested for it when we go in on Fri. to do his lab work). This, however, could EASILY explain my tiredness, weakness . . . Just kidding, mom!!!

sHouT oUt moNdaY

Today's shout-out is going to our two new pipe movers for the year . . . Devin and Cameron Shurtliff!! You guys are awesome !! There is so much pipe to move this year that I don't envy you one bit. However, I know there are days when I'll have to do a little on my own, so don't complain to me!!!! I hope you are able to get to Oregon with this $, and you should also have some left over for your missions!! You're mom is so excited, I know you'll be loving us come Sunday (the ONLY day you won't have to move it!!!!) Seriously, you guys are awesome for doing this for us. Luke and I wouldn't be able to do anything else if we had to move pipe all day! Thanks a ton, you'll be needing this shout out by the end of summer, but then again, Devin, think of the muscles you'll grow for football . . .!!!!

wHat a bEautIfUl dAy!!!

I loved it!! Today was sooooo nice, I wanted it to last forever! I even got my first sunburn of the year! Instead of staying at home and cleaning/doing much needed yard work, I went with Luke to move pipe, check calves, and just plain work like a farmer! (I even came home almost as filthy as he does everyday!!)
HOWEVER, I seriously need to take my camera with me on every outing. It was the cutest sight I've seen in a while. Today we were moving pipe. All of my kids (Luke included) had on their fishing/(we call them pipe-moving hats). Even Brooks. Well, this is the first year she's come with us to move pipe, and Colton was showing her how fun it was to wait at the end of the pipe for the water to come out (and then run down to the next one to wait after we put a new pipe in the hole). She thought that was great and would squeal every time the water would rush out. Then, when Luke got to the end of the pipe (I started lagging behind!!!), she discovered that water was also coming out of the sprinkler heads! It was funny to watch her try to play in it. It was so cute, I wish I had my camera!! Needless to say, after three kids, I didn't mind her getting wet for a second, or muddy for the rest of our outing! I'm so used to it now, I just know I have some clothes to soak before the laundry tomorrow!!!
FYI: I did get the front lawn mowed (a feat in itself, for the fact that we live on over four acres and it takes about three hours to just mow the lawn with the riding lawn mower!!) I will try to weed-wak and mow around our thirty trees with the push-mower before the rain comes and before my party on Sat.!! I also got some of my flower beds weeded, thanks to the $0.05 rule (only if there is a root attached!) Hopefully they will look so nice when the tulips and daffodils finally bloom!

tHaNkfUl tHuRsdaY

I am so blessed. I am thankful for a lot of things! However, today I will share a great new product for all you moms with small children! It's Listerine Smart Wash. My kids are not the best tooth brushers the world, but they love toothpaste and other great tasting stuff. This is awesome! They brush their teeth regularly, but then they swish with this stuff. Not only does it taste good (even to Luke and I), but then, when they spit it out, it shows all of the stuff they missed. (Which I think is gross, but they are boys and think it's way cool!) It helps fight cavities, helps with bad breath, and also helps keep teeth a little cleaner. I might add in there also, that it makes (at least my kids) excited to brush! I have had to put a limit on using the rinse only twice a day, because in two weeks we've already gone through a whole bottle! This is coming from a mom -- highly recommended! I'm thankful I found it!