Back to life

This poor neglected blog, I have missed it. I finally am done with Cub Scout day camp and I feel like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and maybe I will have a little more time to get things done around here.

As soon as day camp was over, the kids started Spring Break. We decided to hit the road. For as many years as I can remember, my sister and I have tried to get together during the break, but our spring breaks never lined up. This year was our year, we finally had time off the same week and we took advantage of it. They were already traveling for a wedding so we met up in St. George for a few days together. 

Corey is never able to get away this time of year so it was nice to have some company. We booked a hotel and packed in as much fun as we could in the few days we had. The kids swam as much as we would let them. The weather was so nice so we didn't mind hanging our around the pool.

The first day we went to check out Jumpin' Jacks. It's a kids heaven. A gigantic warehouse full of inflatable slides and my cousin owns it, so of course, we had to see it. 

Unfortunately, all I have of our time there is a blurry phone picture of my brother-in-law. I am so glad he came along on the trip, my kids loved having him there to play with and he wore them out. Emery was not happy unless he was chasing her all over the place.

Another things we did while we were there was go hiking around Pioneer Park. I can't believe in all our trips I haven't taken my kids there, but they just loved it. 

 This is another reason I was so glad to have my brother in law with us. Emery is a little daredevil and wanted to be everywhere the boys were and he was able to get her there and keep her from falling everywhere.

 (this is a little side note, but see Emery's boots, she refused to wear anything else, not even for hiking, or if she is wearing capris. She has worn them everyday since we bought them.)

  

Our only group shot the whole trip and I am not even in it. It was actually the only day I took out my big camera. But pictures or not we had a good time. We were able to visit my Grandma Pierson, see a couple of cousins, visit with my aunts and uncle, and Corey's parents even were able to stop by and visit with us.

After our time in St. George, we had to say our good byes to my sister's family, and then we headed to my parent's house to spend the rest of the break. 

Emery was our navigator for the trip there. Pajamas, sparkly black boots and all. ( I love Hailey sticking her tongue out in the background and Brendan's face is buried in his 3ds, that was pretty much the way it went the whole way)

The second we arrived, Emery jumped on a plasma car. My kids ride them constantly whenever we visit. They were the end to Emery's constant boot wearing days though. She ruins shoes on them by dragging her feet and wore holes clear through her boots. She was so sad. I am not as sad to see them go. 

My kids played with all the kids in the neighborhood, hiked in the orchard, and ran free. Everybody was dead tired at the end of each day.

 On Saturday, my dad made Carter and Brendan's day by taking them to a BYU preseason football game. Carter just can't get enough football and was on cloud nine. While they were enjoying their game, I took Kayden and the girls to catch a movie. We ended the night with a BBQ. My brother and his family were able to join us and I got to snuggle my new niece. For me that was the perfect way to end our get away.

My kids were not ready to pack up and come home. Carter is already planning on moving there for the summer. He did reluctantly come with us though and made a pretty good copilot for the ride home.

 As much fun as we had and as hard as it is to come home, I am glad to be back in my own bed. Emery was my sleeping buddy for the whole trip. Although she is pretty cute and always smells good after her bath, she is not so much fun to sleep with. Especially when she falls out of the bed at 4 in the morning.

So while going back to reality stinks, lets hope it at least comes with a better nights sleep.

Hailey's happenings

Last week was a very exciting week for Hailey. She was one of the students of the month for her class.

 At her school this is a big deal. Instead of doing assemblies for grades, the teachers select two students who have shown characteristics for a particular trait each month. Hailey was selected for self discipline. She was so excited and surprised. The school will call parents a week ahead of time and the kids don't know it's them until the time of the assembly. I kept it a secret the whole time, almost until she was called up, but she saw Emery and I in the hallway and put it together. I am so glad she was selected, she has worked so hard. And this was our first time being selected. After being at the school for a year and a half, Brendan and Hailey were starting to feel a little put out. Brendan still has his nose a little bent out of shape over the whole thing. 

Because she was one of the students of the month she also got to bring home the class's Curious George pet. She gets to take him wherever she goes and write all about his adventures.

Not sure who really loves him more though. 

His adventures have been put on hold. She came home early from school with a fever and has been on the couch for the last two days. We have been passing the same stuff around our house this season. I get one kid better and then another comes down with it a few days later. Even Corey and I caught it this year. 

She was finally starting to feel better tonight. I am so glad, I love this girl, but man, when she's sick there is a lot of drama involved. A lot of moaning, just to make sure we know she's not feeling well. And in case we didn't hear her moaning, she suddenly loses all use of her limbs and renders herself helpless. Even her water bottle on the floor becomes impossible for her to get on her own. I won't be too sad to send her back to school and hope she stays well for a good long time.

A girl and her dog

To say that Emery loves her dog would be a huge understatement. She can't live without the thing.

She has always had to have him to sleep and he was always around the house, but ever since the kids all started school, her need for the little fluffy thing went into overdrive. Now it is her constant companion. CONSTANT. I used to insist the dog stay home when we went somewhere, and then it went to leaving him in the car, but it was so upsetting to her that I just gave up. I figured if she left him behind it would be a tough lesson to learn.

We have had to face that issue once. We had been shopping and running errands one day, somehow we made it home without him. (that never happens now, she instantly notices when the dog is not around). It was already late and wasn't about to go on a hunt. After a lot of tears, from both of us, and a long night without him, I figured I would just check a couple of stores and see if we could find it. Thank goodness he was recovered. Someone had found him and he was there waiting for us at the checkout counter. I have since found a replacement on amazon just in case we get desperate. 

He has become a fixture around here. He has to be put in the washer quite often, and looks a little worse for the wear, but I can't imagine Emery without him.

Ditto to previous title/ long post

Just like the title from my previous post, life is getting away from me. I just never seem to have enough time in the day to get it all done. I have had intentions every night to sit down and blog and then I am just too tired or trying to finish up stuff that needed to be done earlier in the day.

 

I am still in the middle of planning our stake cub scout day camp and then, just for more fun, I was just put into the Young Women's presidency. I am really excited about it, it will be a lot of fun, but I am still trying to get everything together and figure out what in the world I am doing.  With Corey also in a presidency, life gets a little busy. My list of stuff to get done is somehow growing. 

My kids were out of school for two days and I figured I would surely get a blog post in then, but for the last two days, I have been sick with a sore throat, fever, chills, and all over body aches. Corey has had it too and even poor Emery was down with me yesterday.  That put everything on hold and really put a damper on the days off. We only managed to go get icees. I think we are on the mend now. Thank goodness because we had the scout blue and gold banquet and young women's new beginnings that both were tonight. We can't be kept down for long because we have too much going on to be bothered with illness. 

About a month ago, my trusty old cellphone bit the dust. I upgraded to a smartphone. I was hesitant because I really didn't want to pay for it. I really only wanted one for the camera and to get occasional directions. But I have loved it. But it's another reason I haven't blogged. I have been taking pictures on it, but hadn't figured out how to get them on the computer. Corey helped me out and here is what I pulled from it. It's a little bit of what's been going on. 

1. Cute girls 2. Emery doing her brother's chores 3. McDonald's ice cream cones, reward for good grades. 4.Emery fashion 5. More Emery fashion/ cowgirl 6. Keeping Brendan entertained for a follow up dr. visit

7. Poor dog, my only way to keep Emery in line is to take it away 8. Stealing morning kisses 9. Pilow piles

Carter has been playing Young Men's basketball. They get beat every time. Kinda sad, but they sure try 

hard.

He is exhausted at the end of a game. They don't usually have enough boys for subs so he plays most of the game and this is after his hour of swim practice.

Hailey also had a date night with Corey. They went to the school Daddy/ Daughter dance. She loved it last year and was just as excited this year. 

Now we are caught up again, I think, hopefully I can't keep up a little better. One can only hope.

Time just keeps ticking away

Another week has flown by. We did a lot, but at the same time nothing too exciting. I was able to get my scout stuff done, for now, and Emery and I even were able to spend quite a few days at home. I like it that way, but she gets bored really quick and is always begging to go somewhere. ALWAYS. Smith's and Target are her two most common requests. Or McDonalds.  She is definitely not the homebody that I am. It seems we are always running somewhere, speech, gymnastics, swimming, scouts, or where ever so I love the down time we can sneak in here and there. I managed to get a few things crossed off my to do list and even though she was protesting our time spent in, she was extra tired and fell asleep in my lap twice in the afternoons. That just never happens and I kinda just loved it 

When you are stuck on the couch with a little one asleep on your lap, you might as well enjoy it and take in a little reading time. 

I am currently reading

A mystery thriller. I can't put it down. It's our current book club choice.  Although I was right in the middle of an intense part the other night, Hailey had gotten out of bed and I didn't hear her come up next to me and she scared me to death. She sent me jumping off the couch. These kind of books do that to me, but it's been so good. 

This book came up on my recommended reading through amazon and was a sale for the month so I gave it a try. At first I wasn't sure if I would like it. The first chapter I kept wondering how the story was going to make a whole book, but then it did, and it was good. Another historical fiction about a family and their struggles to make it together.  It takes a portion of each characters story and you get to see how each story overlaps with other characters and how they come together. I loved it by the end. 

 

(This book is a movie, which I didn't know until I was reading it, and I didn't notice that I downloaded the movie poster instead of the book cover, but I am not messing with it now.) 

I feel like I learned so much from this book. A culture that I knew nothing about. It was just so interesting. I knew nothing of a Geisha except for just hearing the word. That's what I love about books, they can take you so many places and you learn so many things. It really was fascinating and eye opening.

Last months book club selection was "If I Stay".

It was a good quick read. It has a interesting perspective, it's told through the eyes of a girl in a coma.  I went right through it in a few days and then went straight into the sequel. It picks up 3 years later and is told through the boyfriend's perspective.  It was even better. They are quick reads. The only downside is some of the language and it's just not necessary. 

This was another book/ series that I had heard a lot about. It didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed it and would be perfect for tween/ teen girls too. The story of a young princess sent to another kingdom, but conspiracy takes place along the way and she is forced to start her life anew while planning to take back her former life.  I am planning on reading more books from the series and the author. 

Another book club selection was this...

The author is a friend of mine. I was planning on reading it anyway, but our mutual friend, who is in my book club, chose it for her month. She even invited Christene to our monthly meeting to talk about the book. It was so fun to see her, catch up, and chat about her book. It's a fun, clean love story. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Now what to read next? Any recommendations?