What I Learned On Easter........

I know I should be using Easter as a time to blog about the Resurrection and a moment of spiritual enlightenment.  I am kind of sad for myself that this post isn't going to be about that.  Later I will probably have some shame associated with the lost opportunity.

Easter morning, as the sun was rising and I was snuggled in my down comforter on my yummy bed.
 I tried to have a moment of reflection.  I was just getting started considering the massive implications of the Atonement when the kids scuttled in.  Mads and Max got on the bed and wedged between Officer Handsome and I.  Mads pulled out the old 'kitten' routine and started bunting and kissing us and saying, 'Happy Easter!' to everyone.  As she cuddled into the bend of my knees and Max patted my face, Mads (where do things like this come from AT times like these?) blurts.....'I know what Meth is!"  I have a moment where I truly consider that she has learned how to make meth.  It flashes through my brain that she heard about some meth bust on KSL, in which they invariably tell you the ingredients, and she is informing me that by taking battery acid, fertilizer, and comet she can start her own business.  "Um, what Mads?"  (Hear the worry?)  "The Devil's spit!!!"

I am flooded with relief.  When I ask her who the Devil is....considering all of the answers......she falls back on her 2008 presidential campaign propaganda and shouts, "Barack Obama is Satan!"

Sledding

Haha......still haven't figured out how to layout the pics the way I want.

We took the nuggets sledding.  Since two of the bugs have pretty short legs we opted for the hills at the park by the college instead of the golf course.



It's the Marshall Love Train!  Choo Choo......

Riles on her snowboard.  She bought this little puppy herself.  She's getting pretty good and is a lot of fun to watch.

It snowed really hard while we were there.  It was so beautiful.....I wanted to stay there all day.

Da BOYEEES

                                      My beauty Ri.......ugh she is so gorgeous!

My itty bitty Piglet.  Mmm I could squish her.

The kids also had a snowball fight. Jason tricked Ri into going under a big pine tree.  Then he knocked all of the snow on her.  She was furious.  Mads thought it was the funniest thing and kept trying to get her dad under some tree branches.  Finally she told him she saw some money under a tree and he should come and dig in the snow for it.  Then she shook out the branches on him.  She said next time she will have a better trap laid with a loop of rope that she will snag him with.

Christmas 2009

Lots of snow made a beautiful Christmas.  Jack, Ri, and Mads are sledding with their new friends/family Bobbie and Maggie.

Max, cold and disheartened.  His famous words for the year 2009 are "Gee" (yes), "Mo" (no), "Cock this." (cock this) and finally his triumphant screech of "Red dot! Red Dot!" .  Max has learned to fire a wide range of weapons, from Nerf Star Wars rifles to Nerf machine guns.  His only problem is that he can't cock them.  So he spends ALL day running after me screaming 'Cock this!'.  Even the shower does not afford me a break.  It is just very very cold when the door flies open after every shot.

Mads and Max on Christmas morning.

After 10 years of harboring thoughts of never giving in to technology......I caved.....er Santa caved.

Gotta keep that handsome cropped head nice and toasty.

Maddy wrapped gifts for me and her brothers and sister and made us cards.  All of our gifts were things she just knew we loved.....hand picked from her own valuables.  This is my gift.  It is a box STUFFED with Carebears and a blanket for them.

How can you love anything more than that? 

Mads and Santa

Mads spent the day with Superman when he helped with Spencer's Wishes.

She was able to ride in the Rhino with Santa and see the Jazz Bear.

Mads caught a blanket from the bear and was showered with Jazz confetti.

While Mads had Santa all to herself, she was able to talk his ear off.  When she was telling us about it, Ri said, "Madi can make friends anywhere."  Mads found out that there are in fact 9 reindeer because Rudolph is real.  She also wore Santa's magic glasses.........guess what she saw?  "I saw how much my dad loves me."  I asked her if I put them on what I would see.  She said, "You would see how much I love you."  What a baby doll.      Merry Christmas!

Maddy's 5th Birthday

Well, like anything else you don't want to happen.........it happened anyway.  Piglet turned 5 even when I threatened to ground her.  She wanted to have a princess tea party with a few of the neighborhood princesses. 

Mads had finger foods, cupcakes, and Sprite on her real tea set.

Su[per Max and Princess Madison pre party.

Snuggin' for pics.

The Princess and her court.......and all of her princess loot.

My personally favored gift that she received was the Hannah Montana hair glitter.  I can never thank that mother enough for the joy brought into our home with that fantastic gift.

Scah eeee!

Max quickly learned at his first trip to the store after the Halloween section was put out.......it's SCAH EEE!

Here are Superman and I right before the Harvest Ball.  The kids don't take great pictures.  They probably learned that from me. Maimy can describe that better than I can.

Our annual Halloween dinner.  Swamp slime soup with toad stools, poison apples, troll eyes, zombie fingers, bits n' pieces, and witches brew.  Superman made a dry ice b*o*m*b with the left over dry ice.  Nothing like teaching destruction at FHE.

Riley's entry for the school pumpking contest.  The coolest baseball.  It turned out so well.

Jack's ninja turtle pumpkin/watermellon.  Our pumpkins were too cold to use and every store in town had run out!  That's what you get when you procrastinate.

Helper library Halloween party.  Mads is being wrapped up like a mummy for her team.  Go Tenna and Shelby!

Ri donning her mummy garb.Jack has been rather agreeable to social events

because he finally has a great little buddy to take along.  This was the freaking longest game of musical chairs I have ever had to witness.  Thankfully Riley kicked bootay and won a ticket to the Haunted Parkway and Hayride.  We went to that last night.  It was also put on by the Helper Library as a fundraiser for more reading programs.  We had so much fun being pulled by a horse drawn wagon down Main Street and then walking the Haunted Parkway by the edge of the river.  We heard ghost stories around firepits while the river flowed in the background.  The parkway was also a spook alley.  I took the camera but was so involved that I never took a picture!

P.S.  Blogger.......whatever you did........you did something terribly wrong.  I HATE the new post layout.

Thanksgiving

The other night driving home by myself from Provo I turned off the radio (even though it was so hard to part with Dave Ramsey and his wicked hot money sense) and really pondered/prayed about what I am thankful for. I know this may come as a surprise to those of you who know me......that I am thankful for anything. I'm sure it shocks my immediate family. They think I am a thankless cantankerous old cow. Anyway, I came up with enough things to fill the hour and 10 minute drive.......except for the part that was filled up with a 911 call.......although I am thankful for 911.....so I guess I was still thankful during that part too. So just as proof that I do have a heart, here is my list.......abridged list..........be thankful you don't have to read for an hour and 10 minutes.

*Family .........great parents that still take care of me. A sweet and tireless husband that will do anything to make me happy even though he thinks he never can. Screeching, malicious, delightful loves of my life......Ri, Jack, Mads, Max. Brothers, sisters extended family and in-laws that love us like their own.
*Mulitple homes in which to shelter my sorry carcass.
*A free country. With people brave enough to defend us even when we don't appreciate it. I'm going to add police and firemen here along with the soldiers.
*God and His Son and a relgion that teaches me how to work toward being the kind of person I want to be.
*Modern convenience...........washing machines, dryers, DISH WASHERS!!!!, heat, electricity. I remember watching my grandma wash her clothes in huge wash basins, rinse them in other ones and then run them through a wringer and haul them outside in all of their sopping wet weight, to hang on the lines outside. I'm sure she was grateful for the wringer and washing indoors............but I am so glad I don't have to spend my days that way.
*Books.........what else do I have to say?
*Friends
*Epidurals....I guess this could fall under modern convenience.........or maybe medical science, either way epidurals are where it's at. Maybe I'll buy stock just to be supportive..........
*Gluten Free food, despite the wreckless and extreme pricing I am glad there are companies out there making these things. If it were up to me and my stash of xanthan gum Madison would be eating grilled chicken and broccoli for the rest of her life.
*Health, mine and my family's.
*Chinese food.......thank you Chinese Nation for making the world a happier place one buffet at a time.
*Down............geese are terrifying creatures when animated but pluck them and stuff that sweet feathery goodness into a nice tight knit cotton/poly blend and I think Heaven is at hand.
*Nap time, yes, I must adjorn for now because Max says it is time for a kiss and a cuddle and freedom from coherence. A kiss and a cuddle is what makes life worth living.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Riles is the bloody pirate, Jack is Dr. Zombie, Max is a stunt driver, Mads is Mulan, and I am Mulan's mom. My lips make me look about 84 years old, all pinched and little, but it is my poor attempt at geisha makeup.