25 lbs. of rice . . .

Can I seriously tell you, I HATE rice!! When I make rice for dinner (which isn't too uncommon), we have wonderful brown minute rice! Awesome invention!! Read on, and you'll see why I think so . . .
When Dawna, Jami, and I were younger (help me out as to how old,guys), we were making dinner at Dawna's house (mom wouldn't let us cook, I wonder why!) Anywhoo, we were in the front room when the fire alarms started going off. When we actually made it to the kitchen, there was actual BLACK smoke bellowing from the stove! We had so burnt the rice (and the smell was horrific-I'll never get that out of my head!)
Well, last night mom and I had a brilliant idea that we would get all the food done for Carson's baptism so we had time for Thanksgiving and not more cooking. We're having hawiian haystacks, so we figured on about 50 people, TONS of rice, right? Well, we started making rice (NO, WE DON'T HAVE A RICE COOKER. WE WERE USING THE STOVE.) Ruined: 10 cups uncooked rice. Too sticky/mushy. Dumped it down the garbage disposal. Next, ruined: 5 cups uncooked rice. Not done. Decided to make less at a time thinking that was the problem. Garbage disposal. Then, dad went to Grandma's to get her rice cooker. She said she didn't know how to use it, but told us how to cook the rice (may I add, it was the same way I was doing it, but my family refuses to listen). Ruined: 10 cups uncooked rice. Too sticky/mushy AND uncooked. Down the garbage disposal. Ruined: 1 garbage disposal. Yeah, I'm kinda pissed. We wasted a 25lb. bag of rice! (and still don't have any made for the baptism!)

Chaos

I think I'm losing my mind. Okay, I'll admit, I've lost it. Is there anyone else out there who is making it through life right now, smooth sailing, and loving EVERY minute? If so, PLEASE, PLEASE save me. Help me. I used to be so organized, a clean freak, worried about how my kiddos and I look before leaving the house, etc. Now? Try and catch me on the one day I clean my house, you may think I have it all together!! (Heck, I rarely even leave the house anymore!) Now, if you ask, I seriously blame it on the fact that I'm preggers with my fourth child and tired all the time (YES, I seriously am-including migranes at lease five days out of the week), but I did it before with three kiddos, so what gives? If anyone has any advise, please offer. I'm willing to try everything!!

Can You Believe I Have an 8 Year Old?

Isn't that just crazy to think that Carson is 8?!! Yesterday was his birthday, and we had a fun day.
He actually chose to go to McDonald's to eat dinner (crazy, WEIRD kiddo, but hey, he can eat a mighty kid's meal --a double cheese burger and medium fry now!!) Then we went to the Outer Limits Fun Zone where we mini golfed 18 LONG holes! (We had our family (5), Mom, Dad, and Scott (3), and Jake and Elaine (2). It was hard to carry on a conversation much less get everyone to stick together! Brooks carried her ball in one hand and the putter in the other. When it was her turn, she would swing the putter like a baseball bat and then throw the ball. When we would all pick our balls up, she would drop hers in the hole! (So cute!!)
After that we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for cake and ice cream. Carson had a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate candy bars all over the top (his request!) I added to it by recommending rocky road ice cream!! We did the present thing and then played lego star wars on the wii for the rest of the night. (Thanks Jake and Elaine for the new wii game!)
His baptism is in a few weeks, and it's crazy to think that my kiddo is old enough and responsible enough for this huge step in his life! He's so excited to finally be a member of the church and to finally get to go to scouts!
Carson, I love you tons and want you to know how special you are!
(Side note: My camera batteries were dead, so we used Jake and Elaine's camera. Will post pics. when I get them!)

Harry

My daughter is truely a princess, so much different than my boys! In fact, she's so much more girly than I could ever even try to be! Right now in our new home, we don't have any type of television, except for movies and dvd's. So, with my little princess, you would assume that she's into princess movies or something of the sort. Well, think again. Granted, she does like to watch them, and, if asked for a second choice, will choose a princess movie right away, however, her numero uno choice is, you guessed it, Harry and the Henderson's!! I would think for a 20 month old that this movie would be somewhat scary, but she LOVES watching "Harry"!!

Happy Halloween!

Yeah, at least these pics are somewhat on time!! I present to you . . . the Hulk, Red Power Ranger, and cheerleader!

Colton's Birthday

Coltie turned 5 this year, and wanted to go to Wingers and bowling for his birthday. Crazy, kid!! Anywhoo, Grandma and Grandpa Ruth and Uncle Scottie came along, and Jake and Elaine showed up at the bowling alley! We had a fun night! Here is Carson bowling, Colton break dancing (he did it every time he threw the ball down the lane), and Brooks just getting in the way, again!! (She just wanted to be the center of attention!) The last pic. is of me, the Birthday Boy, and Grandma!

Craters of the Moon

It was a cold, blustery day, but we loaded the car and drove to Craters of the Moon for the day with the fam. We froze, drove, walked, froze, climbed, and froze! Our biggest worries were the wind and the two Japanese buses who kept following us. (when they got off, they actually ran instead of walked, pushing us off the trails!) Above, we climbed a small volcano, and climbed down into a cave (several, actually!) Oh,yea, and double click on the one of Luke, Brooks, and Carson climbing the volcano. Carson will make you laugh!! This one picture below is off the kiddos hiding in the bathrooms from the wind while waiting for me and dad to go potty!

Yellowstone family trip

We were finally able to pack up the kiddos and take them on a late September trip to Yellowstone National Park. We drove all the way to IF and got a hotel room (it was more for the swimming and hotel then to give us a head start in the morning.) Anyway, we drove through the park in one day and then came home. We really didn't see many animals. We did, however, see a grey wolf and mountain goats! (Occasional elk and buffalo, but no bears, deer, or moose :() Anywhoo, we ate more than we walked, but we did get out a lot and walk a lot more! Here is my attempt to make Brookie look like a lady bug!! Just kidding, I was trying pig tails.
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Just what were we doing this summer?

Yeah, so I finally figured out that I could put my card in my mom's camera and use her plug in thing to get pics. off, so warning, a TON of posts are ahead!
Here is my fam. doing just what we've done all summer. The are mostly taken at the end, so there isn't any pretty hay or wheat fields!