Cute Pillows...

Alisha made these cute pillows in school. The one on the bottom is an A. 

I just took the picture sideways.

Sunday fun...

 Danny and I took the kids to Cherry Hill Elementary to play baseball, tennis and have lunch. Russell showed up later to slack line.

Later...

We decided to go up Provo Canyon and BBQ and again slack line.

Taisha.

Alisha.

 

 Yum..hamburgers and steak!

 As we were sitting by there, Brandon Gunnell,(our old employee) came walking by with his son Devin. We invited them to eat with us and I played with cute Devin. It was a pleasant surprise!

 Pull harder!!!

 We can do it!!!

 The girls and I walked over to the little theater and did interviews with the girls playing a part and each one could only say one word and the other had to say the next word and make a story.

We laughed so much. It was fun!

 Russell and Danny

Our lives right now...

Danny is working hard for Tiek Built Homes. He is a supervisor and does a wonderful job. I am loving the style of home that they specialize in. It reminds me of a East Coast cottage look. My room will look like that when I become rich and am able to create the room of my dreams. ;)  He is also running around in his free time helping neighbors, friends and family. He sure is a good and unselfish man with a heart of gold. He is indoor rock climbing for fun, but the weather is getting good so he can get out and enjoy the rocks under the warm sun.

Desirae is working, dreaming and worrying. I have been eating better and exercising. I did palates with the family and it helped me release the stress that I carry. I am trying to conquer the mess of the house(with flood fix up) and me. Wish me luck.

Skyler is done with Cheerleading and is still playing the viola. His art is really cool and Taisha wants him to make her a picture for her room. He has many talents! He is still working with his Dad to fix up his truck and I think he enjoys it. His cousins are still keeping him in the Pokemon world, but I like it. I am glad they all get to bond. He dates cute sweet girls and is just plain adorable to the girls. You can also find him riding his longboard around the neighborhood and tormenting his sisters and mom...If it were not for those cute dimples and smile, I might box his ears.(My grandma L used to say that to us. LOL)





  

McKenna is getting ready to get her drivers license and dreaming of owning a Mazda 3 hatchback. She is also into creating fun hair styles for her sisters and has a blog about it...She doesn't keep it updated, but is quite creative. She is getting super good at rock climbing and we are finding that her longer legs and arms makes her a little faster. She also is way into music and friends. Her twin (boy)friends from kindergarten, and Ashley (Ashers bashers) are going to Malawi's shopsatriverwoods. The twin's father co owns the one in Provo along with La Jolla Groves shopsatriverwoods.comla-jolla-groves. Good food! McKenna is a nurturing but to herself girl. She reminds me of me when I was her age. Shhh...don't tell her. She may freak out hearing that and I don't need another hole in the door.  LOL







Taisha is still a rock climber, and outdoor activist. She also loves babysitting, helping the handicapped at school. She still plays the viola and enjoys hanging with friends. She is excelling at art also. She has finally gave in and has a facebook. Wow! She sure is a sweet spirit.

Alisha us still witty and full of energy. Wow she is like the energizer bunny,  LOL. Wish I could bottle up some of that for me :) She is at a cross roads of becoming a young woman and being the little girl we all know so well. Everyone at church loves her and she is a fun spirit. She likes rock climbing too, but now quite like her sister. She is still an organizer and loves to walk around singing. She is in the choir at school and seems to be pretty content with life.










The kids are getting A's like always and on the honor and high honor rolls at school. I am very proud of my family and know how lucky I am to have such neat unique people in my life.

I love you all so much!

It's Friday!!!

 I am so lucky today is warm and I get to sit outside and read...and watch the birds.

 Oh and Bree was spying through the fence at the neighbor dog.

 Danny helped Skyler put new trex and wheels on his longboard.

 I made a fire and sat and read.ff

Just what I needed...a peaceful friday.

Alisha's Choir Concert...

Grandma Sommers and Grandma Hendrickson came to watch. 

It was a great concert with beautiful music.

Scars...

For my dearest husband!

I am so jealous of how much fun you are and that you dare to take risks!

No matter what anyone says (Your fam),you are a real hero to me. I think a person who truly lives, is one who tries new things and pushes limits. Sadly, I am not this person 100% yet.

The amazing friendships we have found with people who are dare devils is priceless. I have never had true friends who truly have your back at all times and in all things as we do now. We may have had to take the husbands to the hospital together, but it was also made a good and funny experience. Real TREASURES.

I have learned that no matter who you are or what you are doing, when it is your time to go, it is your time. So LIVE life. I don't want to regret wasted time.

My favorite story is of our trip to Wyoming with the L's. I remember you doing work for trade and the crazy trip we had trying to arrive at their cabin. That true story, which is a lot like the movie "Without a Paddle" was made into a very interesting memory. It could have turned out a horror story, but it ended up being a funny story. (well, at least for us, The L's don't know how to look at this as an adventure.) Tra finds this story super funny and sent it to some screenwriters.

We may not be rich, but with our life experiences, we are the richest of all. 

You have the scars to prove it!

Thank you...

Isn't it interesting how messages are delivered. I feel bad about myself and within minutes, I get this email from a truly amazing young man who radiates goodness like an angel would. I have always thought of him as an human angel. He is always smiling and his eyes are so kind. He is a good example to me so this, coming from him, was a gift.

Mel and Desirae,

I just wanted to thank you both for your wonderful comments earlier today. They meant the world to me and I feel that my step has that much more bounce in it.

It takes special people to see the good in others. It takes an even more special person to take the time to point out those things so that others may see them also. I feel like I should buy the two of you hard hats, because you are master builders....of people.

Thank you again for being so kind.

Baring the naked truth...

I am a person who bares all...good, bad and just plain crazy.

I hate all things about me.

 I hate my ugly teeth.

I hate my fatness.

I hate that I give in to the anxiety that keeps me from enjoying and doing things with the people I love.

I hate that I have the anxiety disorders. It makes me damaged and crazy in peoples eyes, especially mine.

I hate that I loose my temper.

I hate that people are afraid of me.

I hate that people feel they need to walk on egg shells around me.

I hate that I have no confidence.

I hate that I am not the wife and mother my family needs.

I hate that I whine and complain.

I hate that I am a pessimist.

I hate that I am poor white trash.

I hate that people can't count on me.

I hate that I can't be myself.

I hate that I can't be happy.

I hate that I struggle believing in the church.

I hate that I don't always follow through with things.

I hate that I can't stop these feelings and make a change permanent.

I hate feeling so alone.

The truth is, there is the real person inside of me who no one knows, well some people know.

I have walls.

It took some good friends and my grandma, whom I looked up to...

to make me realize some things.

and oh and how it hurt to hear...

and accept.

I am sorry to all for my craziness. 

I am the type of person who keeps taking it for awhile and then blows...and then immediately feels super regret and guilt...this lasts forever. I then feel like everyone would be better off without me.

I am working really hard to get rid of the anxiety so I no longer have a "disorder". I just want to be like everyone else and feel that I am worth the love of my friends and family, but mostly my Heavenly Father. I feel like such a failure in his eyes.

I don't want people to have negative views of me, but that protective shell is all I put out there for people to see.

Please know that I am sorry, and my intentions are good. But sometimes I don't make my intentions clear enough for others to understand, and I am so often wrong. 

But my intentions are good.

Fat Cat or Luna...

We had a backyard friend for a few years. 

I used to see this cat sitting on the summer shack and scream. She was so quiet and scary and still that I would not notice her until she moved a little.Then, we finally befriended her. 

We called her "Fat Cat" for awhile because we didn't know the sex or name of the cat. We also had no idea who's cat this was. As you can see from the pictures, this fat, super furry cat became comfortable with us and showed up whenever we went in the backyard, especially when we BBQd. We saw how she was on the heavy side so we NEVER shared food with her. She was on a special diet according to my neighbor(her owner). 

Last night I arrived home minutes after she had been hit by a car. The neighbors were out so I went to see her. She was still alive, but super broken...

They said they were going to take her to be put to sleep.

I cried and so did McKenna. 

I truly loved Luna. She ALWAYS made me happy. She also had an awesome name.

I don't understand how someone can run over an animal and just leave it. 

We had two dogs hit by a car with our little daughers witnessing it, and the people never stopped. To most people, they are JUST animals, but to the people that own them, they are family. They are God's creatures. 

Luckily our neighbor's employee saw it happen or she could have been ran over by us again.

I feel silly crying over a cat that wasn't even mine, but I feel she was like an angel. Watching over me and coming when I needed her.

Bye Luna...I will miss you.

Light Sabers...And the ultimate winner is...

Brandon and Skyler...and a very warm Christmas Eve.

My boy has been a joy in my life. I LOVED the Star Wars, Batman, Toy Story, and Pokemon phases he went through, or should I say is still going through.

I am not an ordinary mom. I am a yeller, crazy weirdo, and sometimes a kid.

It is not a secret...

I have had nerf gun wars with the kids, scare contests, water fights, pie fights-Skyler didn't think this was funny, and light saber wars. Dancing and singing around the house or while doing chores is a common occurrence for us.

Normally, I lose except for the scare tactics, but I am proud to say that last week, I won the light saber war!!!! Yes, Skyler gave up and was scared of my awesome light saber abilities. He was my toughest opponent, and I usually fought two girls at a time and still won.

I have not laughed so hard in a long time. I love my kids and doing crazy stuff with them.

Hot pots or bust...

 

Friday night at 9pm, Danny & I, Dennis & Marnae, and Russ got our snowshoes and headed to Diamond Fork to go to the hot pots. 

Well...it was a bust.

We got up there and the road was closed, so we got out and decided to do extra hiking and walk there. So after walking forever, with our new headlamps (that we didn't even need due to the moon being bright), and carrying our snowshoes(we didn't need), we realized it would take MUCH longer to get there than we thought.

So Dennis, Marnae and I made snow angels, mine looked funny because of the backpack I had on, and then on the way back, Dennis layed in the road and told us to look at the stars and moon. The quick moving clouds made it look as though the moon and stars were actually moving. We layed there in 17 degree weather and talked and laughed. The picture looked exactly like the sky, even the ring, but with clouds every now and then.

It ended up being an amazing night due to the amazing friends we have!

Cheers for now until our next adventure!