10 Years . . .

This last week was both Luke's birthday and our 10 year anniversary! I would love to post pictures, but we didn't take any!! I can honestly say that all of our wedding pictures are in storage, too, so I don't even have that to share. (If, however, anyone out there has some, please send to me!)
It's so crazy to try to think of all Luke and I have gone through in the past 10 years. Some good, some not so good, but I love him more and more. It has only made us closer! We watched UP tonight, and it's safe to say that Luke and I are in the middle of our own adventures! I am so grateful for those adventures that we've already gone through and what we've learned and taken from each of them. (However, if you were to ask me at the time, I wasn't very grateful for a lot of them!) I looked around the room and saw all four of our amazing kiddos laying there with us. They are healthy and have taught us so much. We still have so much to learn from them. Wow, what a HUGE responsibility!
Just wanted to say that I love you with all my heart, Luke. I'm so grateful for all that you do, the person that you are, and for putting up with me now for over 10 years! You're AMAZING!!

Happenings this week:

This last week has been a busy one for our family, most of it boring stuff! I had Relief Society Weekday Meeting, Luke had a couple of job interviews, Carson had scouts, Brooklynn had dance, and on and on. Sorry, but if I'm going to post anything, I may warn you, this week has been boring!
One fun thing we try to do as a family every year is go to the Eastern Idaho Ag Expo. Yea, fun! Not for me, but the kids. I didn't take my camera, because Colton had the honors. Actually, he took the old video camera and videoed the entire time! I was a little embarrassed, but he had fun. We even had a guy use his camera on us and interview us. Kinda crazy. Then I thought I had lucked out and gotten a few good pictures (from the guy who takes pictures for the Journal), but of course the pics of the kids didn't make the paper or even Ag Weekly!

The story of the Cinderella Cake

While walking through Walmart one day (it's a daily ritual), we came across a beautiful princess tower loaded down with each disney princess, plastered in pink and every soon-to-be three year-old's dream of a cake. "I want that one" my daughter proceeded to plead with every step we took. I decided to take a closer look. "Fourty dollars, and you pay when you order" the cake lady told us from behind the counter (probably knowing it would never happen.) I decided that I would make Brooklynn a barbie cake like I made Tyli (my niece).

Side note: Tyli's cake wasn't horrid. The barbie was way cute, but the colors of frosting we picked out were pink, purple, and teal blue. She looked like she was wearing a 1990's mexican dancing dress! However, I'm so greatful for my niece, she said she looked "beautiful"!

MELTDOWN. Who in their right mind would tell a soon-to-be three year-old no? Crazy mom, I guess. I tried to ease the situation by looking at the cakes you could order. Heck, I would be willing to dish out a few dollars to save time and tears! "No, no, no, no" my daughter proceeded to say no to each turn of the page. Tinkerbell, "No". Little Mermaid, "no". Barbie, "no". I could tell I wasn't going to win this one. I had the best idea ever. I was going to use Brooklynn's Cinderella and make a Cinderella cake like Tyli's barbie cake. Just as I said that, the ever-so-nice cake lady said they did that as well. Brooklynn wasn't about to let me ruin her cake like I had Tyli's, so she insisted we get one from the baker. To help comfort me, the cake lady told me that they were only $5.00. SOLD. I 1, didn't have to make the cake, and 2, could buy it for about as much as the cake mix and frosting!

Saturday was a crazy day. Mom and I were busy all morning, so when it came time to go get the cake, I sent my dad and Brooklynn to get her! My dad came downstairs where my mom and I were hanging stuff and told me he was glad I paid for it, cuz it was horrid. I went to check out the damage. Damage it was. I so seriously could have done better. The blues on Cinderella and the frosting didn't even match (at all-they clashed!), It was a lot smaller than I ever expected, and the whole side was smashed! At least my 3 yr-old liked her cake. Next year I'm saving up for the tower!

Happy Birthday, Princess!

Saturday was Brooklynn's 3rd Birthday. I can't believe how fast she is growing up! As you can see from the picture of her, I wish some days were faster than others. She is more moody than a 13 year old! She didn't want us to sing to her or take her picture, so that's just what I did!

We asked her what she wanted for her Birthday dinner and her reply was "gumballs". Instead Grandpa Ruth made BBQ hamburgers! (With cheese for the now 3 year old!) Then we packed up and went to Downata Hot Springs to swim. I love swimming in warm water on a cold night! We actually had a lot of fun, we just didn't get home until 10:45 p.m. (which is another reason princess Roo Roo is throwing a fit!) She was so tired that all she wanted was cake. She actually wanted to wait until morning to open presents!

This Little Mermaid Tricycle is one of the gifts she got. She, however, didn't want to model it for the camera, so little brother jumped in! He looks half confused, half sick! (He does

have an ear infection and HORRIBLE cold, so he's also really drugged up!) Anywhoo, this bike is sooo cute. I wish I could justify mom buying it for her- since sh

e's my only girl. I love it anyway! Jami's baby may have to inherit this treasure! It has turn signals, plays different mermaid music, makes starting and screeching sounds, has three different horn sounds, AND blows bubbles! Crazy cute, kinda ridiculous!

Right now, Brooklynn's favorite things to do are: dance class, play princesses (she has three different sets and plays with them all day long, eat ice cream, swim, and shop! She has two best friends: Tyli and Chloe. Her favorite color is pink and light blue (she's looking at her new bike while she says that!) She has two favorite people: Grandma Ruth and mommy! When she grows up she wants to marry Carson! (Awww! Almost as cute as Carson wanting to marry me when he grew up!)

P.S. That's all she talks about right now is getting married and having babies. Isn't she a bit too young?

Congrats, Kiddo!

This one is really worth a post! My kids have been going to Chubbuck Elementary for 2- count them, two whole weeks, now! It's okay, not as good of a school as Mountain View in McCammon, but I really don't have any major complaints or worries. Anywhoo, imagine my surprise when Colton came home from Kindergarten with this new award! If only they knew how many days my kids missed for stupid things in McCammon! We went to Utah, Shoshone, Yellowstone, etc. on school days. Plus, my kids were also sick a few days. We were actually pushing the limit on missed days, or so I thought! Yes, a FREE hamburger for dinner!!

Happy New Year-again!!

Happy New Year!! We celebrated at 10:00 p.m. (we actually watched the New York ball drop, something my parents would pull on us when we were younger!) Weston and Brooklynn were so ready for bed that we couldn't wait! Before 10, we watched G-Force. Then, just before 10 I got the kids all wound up. I told them we really needed to help Grandma and Grandpa learn how to have fun at parties! The kids banged on pots and pans which made both of the youngest cry, we drank sparkling cider in my 2/$1 PLASTIC goblets, and toasted in the New Year. Fun times, my friends! Mom and dad are duds for messes, so we had to forego the balloons on the ceiling and silly string, but my kids have since recovered and the boys were happy they got to stay up longer to watch Transformers!

Here's Carson, Colton, Grandpa, and Luke toasting each other for the New Year. Can I just say that I actually HATE sparkling cider? I found a blueberry one I like, but the flavor of the other is n-a-s-t-y!!
On a different note: Notice Carson's long-john muscle shirt. He wears it every day to show off how buff he is! PLEASE. He is actually showing more ribs than muscles at age nine, but he doesn't care. I'm curious to see what he wears at age 16!