when did this happen?

All of a sudden my kids are GROWN UP!

I finally got some good pics to document Alli riding her bike.  And really how cute is she with her florescent helmet/bike and flowing dress?

And this stud got his first REAL haircut, not just a trim off the ol mullett.  That was pretty much 2 and half years of growth for that kid.  I can't believe he looks so grown up.  (and so much like my brother Peter it scares me sometimes)  We went up to the hair shop and thank goodness Angela returned from Australia to cut hair here again.  My kids are obsessed with her for some reason.  Everybody loves Angela!

I have been the blog slacker.  I'm just not feelin it.  Maybe because boot camp is kicking my butt and i am sooo tired all the time, but i'm not stiff anymore so that is good and i do quite enjoy all the push ups...  I drove home from Calgary yesterday and had to pull over to sleep at 9:15 to sleep because I was so tired, for 25 minutes!  Now that the nice weather appears to be over I'll blog about all the fun stuff we did when it was hot, maybe.

update on my random life

I was looking through a couple pictures and I never did post about a bunch of stuff we did in August.  Oh well, here we are at the zoo.

-alli is loving ballet

-james is VERY jealous of this

-i'm back to biting my nails for the most part, dang it

-nobody is sick anymore, but my mom did get it...bad...

-we got a new thing for more closet space, phew

-i'm so stiff right now, and i'll be up early to do it again tomorrow

-blisters and toes are healing for now

-now we started this thing called parent preschool, we'll see how it goes for a while before I form an opinion

-i started piano lessons

-i'm not sick of fresh peaches yet

-derek's sis and my friend steph both had baby girls last week, the sweetest little things EVER!

-alli has been riding a 2 wheeler for like a month now.  i can't believe this is the only picture of have of it back before we moved.  i'm horrible!

-derek was happy to see some ugly pics of me last post, oops guess he still checks

-LOVING this extended summer, still cruisin town on the bike

I hardly took any pictures of our little trip to Lake Blaine with Tom and Ashley back at the beginning of August.  I hardly even pulled out the camera, and it was nice.  Sometimes you get so caught up trying to capture every moment and every memory you don't enjoy it as much.  All these pics were taken within 5 mins of eachother right before the neighbor kid dunked me.  I still can't believe he did that!

Ashley's little sis Abbey, our awesome built in babysitter!

And this was Alli on the way home.  I think she got carsick on Logan's pass and puked all over.  

Ummmm, I guess that's all for now.  

for the enjoyment of others

Just a little a me makin a fool of myself for you!

well, i skimmed over the ol half marathon in the last post like it was no big deal, but it WAS a big deal.  I'm just waiting on some pictures to post with it.  Soon.

While we wait on that, I'll share a good one.

The race was in Utah.  There were 7 of us driving down.  Someone thought it would be fun to have boys car and a girls car, so we did, and what a time we had!  We stopped in Idaho Falls for gas along the way. (met the strangest man at jack in the box there, but that's another story.)  I was showing the gals in my car how fun we are and I was tapping my leg to the beat while washing the windshield.  Like really tapping/dancing away.  You know, you do what you gotta do when you're in the middle of a 12 hour drive.  I notice another car drive up to the other pump while I'm jammming away, no big deal, we're in Idaho Falls, so already I'm cooler than everybody there and don't have to impress anyone.  I finish up the windows/dance.  I turn to receive my praise from the gals for the entertainment and see the people now filling their car, at the random gas station in Idaho Falls on a Thursday evening.

(this is my sweet basement bedroom where i now reside. just let me know if you want some paint colors)

It's one of our faithful babysitters from Cardston!  Right there holding back a huge laugh at me!  What are the odds that this 12 year old girl, who I have evidence on and am more than certain she has the hots for teacher (yes, the hot Derek teacher), is there at that moment?!!  I have no information to confirm that she was there stalking her hot teacher, but I am sure she now has lost all respect for the cool wife of the hot teacher.  (yeah, I'm the cool wife, or at least i was)  Therefore, she may or may not try to run me out of my position as the cool/hot wife so her dreams can come true.  Good thing we moved and she'll never babysit for us again.

(these happen to be the stairs leading to my sweet basement bedroom. don't think for a second i am unappreciative mom)

you're welcome for that.

and to all the random pics of good ol me, thanks for the post rhonda.

ahhhh kids

it really doesn't get any better.

I failed to mention...

-i drive a van now

-i have since had a few people ask me if we are having another child, nope.  derek's dad offered the old van, so we said ok, thanks.  

-i think the new raymond pool is great, but I'm always cold whenever i go

-i ride my bike with the kids in trailer almost everywhere we go in this town

-i put alli in ballet instead of preschool

-i have been growing out my finger nails for about 3 weeks.  i think they are record length

-i have been feeling sick for over a week and so has derek and the kids, we recently passed it to my dad, so look out mom

-i picked strawberries and raspberries and made raspberry jam today

-i ran a half marathon last saturday and i dare say it was fun

-the closet for my clothes at my mom's house isn't big enough

-i am working on dropping a few pounds these days

-i signed up for some boot camp workout thing 3 days a week at 6 am, i'm not sure how i am going to wake up for that

- i rarely get up before my kids and my kids rarely wake up before 8 in the morning

-i have several blisters on my feet these days and 2 bruised toenails.  it hurts

-i grew a garden this year and it worked and we eat it

-i don't know if i've ever posted 2 days in a row

-i'm going to bed at 10:17 on a friday night

good night

sometimes...

you just have to put up a random (kinda ugly) picture on the blog, and see if your husband ever reads it.




Well, to quote Melissa B, "I think I've caught the summer non-posting bug along with everyone else." Seriously what is with this summer and the lack of posts by the general blogland? It's been a fun summer, even if the weather has just decided to do the summer thing recently, it's been great. It's been non stop for the month of August and now I'm all, hmmm, now what?

(this is pretty much my favorite picture right now, James just climbed right up onto his great grandpa Hicken and cuddled while he read.)

I've been reading so much this summer. I've read a lot of lame-o books this summer, which really annoys me because when I start a book even if it's so so SO bad, I can't stop. If I ever do happen to quit a book, I feel all bad and I can't move on to a new one. Like I don't want to hurt the books' feelings so I just have to stop reading altogether for a while, so the book thinks I just got to busy and didn't finish. Then I get out of the habit of reading and I hate that, so that is why I HAVE to finish each and every book. And don't pretend books don't have feelings. But, there have been some good ones in between to make up for it. I'm always up for a good recommendation so give me a book or 2 in the comment section.

(grandma Hicken sharing her piano secrets, if only it were so easy for me...)

Derek's Grandpa Hicken turned 90 this month. We had a HUGE reunion party for him with tons of his kids, grandkids and greats at this big reunion house in Mountain View. I think there were over 80 people there over the 3 days. It rained pretty much the whole time and was still so fun. The Hicken's really are a great family and I'm pretty sure it has a whole lot to do with Grampa. He is such as amazing man on so many levels. One of the very best stories to sum him up was from his son Patrick who couldn't be there, but it was in this big memory book we made for him. He said, Not long ago I (Pat) was talking with my dad about some of my problems and what I was going through. And when I was done, grampa Hicken said, 'Well I don't know what to tell you, I've never really had any problems in my life.' This man, who had grown up in the depression, drove fighter planes in the war, raised 10 kids on a farm, never had any problems. Wow!

(the blanket toss: toss children up in the air and see their faces scared stiff for the enjoyment of the adults.)

(This is what you do when it rains, make a rope and skip...for hours...)

I really think we could all learn a lot from Grampa Hicken. He is one of the most genuine people you will meet, such an example of a true friend. And he is a friend to everyone. He is so unbelieveably patient and kind. I can't imagine he has ever raised his voice in his life. He really taught his kids about what is important in life. And apparently, crashing a car is not important and not worth getting upset about, neither is a brand new fridge falling out of the back of the truck. Seriously, I wish you could have heard some of these stories.

And since I've been so scholarly and reading so much this summer and having this great example of a life of 90 years and counting, I've been thinking. Reading can provoke a thought or 2 in my head, shocking I know. Then, turn on a little classical music on a Thursday night when the kids are in bed and I'm a monk. (also, in the moxie's parking lot, right Rhonda?) So, here's my thinking of lately. I know this isn't new and we all have these kinds of thoughts to keep us in check, so I'm writing them today.

(this is just the getting ready for the picture with everybody, i don't have one with everybody, it was way more than this.)

What am I doing with today? Why am I sometimes so ancey for the days to be over? It's just gonna be the same thing tomorrow. Is this just a countdown till we die? How terrible when you put it that way. I just want to be proud of what I did each day. I want to be aware of the big picture, but live in and fulfill the moment. I don't want to make stress where it isn't necessary. I want my kids to know a happy mom. I want my kids to see happy parents. I want to teach and raise my kids the right way. But sometimes I'm so busy trying to find out and worrying about what the right way is, I forget to live this life. I want to be a little more easy going and I want to have FUN! I want to be happy at the end of each day of my accomplishments. And making supper and cleaning it up IS an accomplishment! (and today I cannot say that accomplishment is mine, such is life when you live with your wonderful mother.) I am so happy and grateful for the life I have and the people that are in it, and I want to show it. It's not too hard, right?!

And now I'm spent after doing this for my first time this summer. (i can't believe i'm such a slacker and never went until now) and THAT is accomplishment. (No, not the waterskiing, getting in that dang water!)  note the glass that is the water and my reflection in it, perfection.


Then of course you end it with a few cute pictures. Cause there aren't enough pictures on here already.




Happy back to school everybody!

blogland

Do I still have any friends left in blogland?

I'll return soon.    But there are only so many days of sun and playing left that I can't waste a moment.  And then life will be back to routine and schedules (haha like we have any schedule and routine)  and when that time comes I'll blog about all the fun I've been having and am soon to have!

i guess it's time to go

I really don't feel like blogging right now.  But I just checked everyone's blog I know, and everyone they know and I'm still stressed/bummed/annoyed/BLAH!

I read people's blogs when I'm stressed etc.  I read about their fun times and think, hmmm , i wanna do that.  Or I read about what they are stressed about and then I feel better.  

But, you all failed me today, haha, jks.

Even though I ran for 10 miles today and had no music and only my thoughts, took a little time to get my eyebrows waxed, and now the blogs didn't cut it, must mean I just have to get it out.

The house is cold and echoing right now.  It's cold and echoing because the house is pretty much packed up excpet for the big stuff and the kitchen.  It's cold because it's August the high was like 12 today and has been all week.  There have been only minor breakdowns (by me of course) and no arguments in the process so far.  (My husband doesnt get stressed so he's great to have around)  I am very sad to leave this house.  It's pretty much perfect for us right now, which makes it hard to leave.  I'm more than happy to be going to Raymond, but we really liked this town (and the 3 friends we made...)  Our neighbors have been wonderful, and the ward was great (however, soemone really needs to tell Cardston that sacrament meeting last is NOT the way to go, but that's another story.)  I really was hoping for Derek to get another job here so we could stay for a few more years.  I'll miss living here.  But, we found a really nice gal to rent our house here for a year and we'll keep the renter in the basement. 

So we are moving tomorrow.  To a great place that we have been before...my parents!  It all happened so fast and the housing market in Raymond annoying.  There is nothing to rent and I don't like anything that is for sale.  So we are gonna bunk for a while.  It's totally the thing to do.  My parents are so great for even making this an option.  I think it's gonna be fun, hopefully they will too!  

We had a fun trip to Calgary last weekend to see Susie and then out to Canmore to visit my friend Erin.  It was a great weekend.  My camera cord is packed up so I didn't download any pictures yet. 

And these random pictures were from the Karren family (Derek's dad's mom side) reunion a while back.  It was pretty fun and I'll just remember the heat of that day to warm me up.  I got a water balloon to the head form Derek and could have cared less, it felt so good.  I love spending days like that outside and hanging out.  Turns out I even knew a few people there!

 

 

That is Derek's Grandma on the left with her sister.  They put on a little show for us, funny gals.


And what family reunion isn't complete without the races!  We forced Kari to do it and she pretty much kicked everyon's butt without a sweat.  Look at that form!

Ok, I'm good to go now.  Don't fail me Raymond friends, I'm comin!