BOO!!

Did we scare you? I scare myself! My tummy is real, Ry's is fake! We dressed for a little halloween party on Friday night and Ryan really got into his character. He would lift his shirt and scratch his belly, toss his "mane" over his shoulder--he played the part quite well, minus the expletives.


The kids got these glasses at our ward halloween party and it was their FAVORITE prize! They all became "Dr. Whoever comes out of my mouth first" for the evening.


Indi and Walker at our ward party. Indi was Snow White (against her will--she would have rather been just about anything other than a princess, crazy how little opinions change over just a few short weeks.) and Walker was a pirate. My mom made his and Rem's costume. Hallelujah--thank you mom! Saved some time and money for me!

Remington did his own beard and mustachio on halloween night. As you can tell, he did a great job with the PERMANENT MARKER!!!! Yeah, a PERMANENT marker. It did mostly come off after about 20 minutes of scrubbing. His face still looked a little dirty on Sunday, but I was afraid to scrub his skin anymore, didn't want the skin to scrub off.

I SHOULD have taken a picture of the MOTHER LOAD our kids came home with! They returned with overflowing goodness--every mother's nightmare. Ryan was determined to stick with tradition and "buy" the kid's candy from them. Pretty much, he pays them pennies for the small bars and candies, and more for the bigger stuff. Our kids love it cuz they get rich. They can choose what to sell and what to keep--and we end up with lots of candy that we should give away, but don't, because we would rather eat it ourselves! Next year, I vow to just let the kids eat their own candy--they can afford the calories, I can't.

Kauai--that's right baby--you read it right!

3 months ago we had no big plans for a get-away. We definitely wanted to do something, but we were thinking mainland and a little more economy style, but then, the call came. Normally I am great at saying no to the get-away packages offered by companies selling condos. One or two nights in Sedona or Scottsdale is NOT worth a ninety minute high-pressure sales pitch to buy a condo! First the salesman mentions Kauai, then he throws in 5 NIGHTS, then he mentions the retail value (which we double checked and he was right on!), and I started thinking that maybe a 90 minute schpill might be worth it. After discussing it with Ryan and doing some investigating of our own, we decided that it was an AMAZING deal--one we couldn't pass up! AND, to Marriott's credit, the 90 minute schpill was not painful even a little. Our salesman was very cordial and very aware of the fact that we were only milking the system--he did his little ditty and then we were off on some more adventures! That is the most money I have EVER personally made in 90 minutes!

IF you are not big world travelers, and IF you are not fluent in other languages and slightly nervous to try traversing countries without being able to communicate, and IF you like beautiful, exotic landscape without ANY large or dangerous animals or reptiles, then Kauai is the place for you! (Note: if you like lots of commercial stuff and a nightlife--Kauai is NOT the place for you! and that's another reason I like it so much!)

I tried to keep the pics to a minimum--BUT I COULDN'T! EVERYTHING WAS SO WONDERFUL, and, of course, we didn't take nearly enough pictures!






Our first adventure was kayaking up Wailua River and then hiking into Secret (but not really SO secret) Falls. It was gorgeous! We then kayaked further up the river to a rope swing and had some fun--but I won't torture you with the pics.



Snorkeling was fun--but not amazing. Don't go to kauai if you want spectacular snorkeling cuz it is just not there; though, i have heard that it is a lot better off the Napali Coast. You have to take a boat there or hike in or kayak over. But with me being prego and ryan being extremely sea sick combined with really rough seas, we thought it might be more misery than fun.



Ryan took a flight in a what-cha-ma-call-it! He got to see the Napali Coast and he even got to drive--ryan loved it. I was happy to see him safely land. Even though my sickies have mostly subside, my stomach has been so tipsy turvy with this pregnancy that just the mere thought of being in a small airplaney thingey made me want to lose my breakfast.















We did two nice dinners. The first was a luau--which I don't recommend. The food was horrid (but, then again, I am probably the most particular eater when it comes to dining. I like fine dining and healthy...the combination of both is preferable, but if I have to choose I at least want something that is healthy and won't make me feel sick for the next 6 hours.) The Luau would be perfect for a carnivorous husband, I am fortunate and Ryan prefers to have something edible served with his meat. This picture is from our second dining experience at the Beach House. The setting was spectacular--watching the sunset over the ocean. The food left something to be desired (once again, take it for what it's worth.) My watermelon salad was awesome--the rest of the meal wasn't nearly as good as The Cheesecake Factory (fine dining at its finest! Next time you are there, I recommend the mahi mediterranean style--SO GOOD! and Ryan and I share--it is PLENTY big enough!)



Everytime Ryan and I go on vacation we tell ourselves that THIS time we are gonna splurge and get a massage. This time i was determined to actually do it (gosh darn it! I am pregnant and I deserve a stinkin' massage!) Plus, we had a hotel credit with our package--so that made it feel cheaper! We did our massage on the beach and it was the MOST AMAZING and RELAXING massage ever! We both fell asleep towards the end. We have no idea how long we slept--it was awesome. Truly awesome.




One of my favorite activites was surfing. We had a two hour lesson (I need a 2 year lesson--but it was still fun!) Ryan did really good, but unfortunately, our teacher didn't get a great shot of him up on his board. The picture of me is about as good as I got. I made it in on maybe three waves, but I was unsteady and flailing my arms the entire way in. Can I blame this on pregnancy? If you ever go to HI, you have GOT to surf! Warning: wear the long board shorts and a long-sleeved rash guard. Our arms were raw and rashed all around the elbow area, and my legs looked even worse!




The north shore is spectacular! We wish we had more time to spend up there! We did a short hike into Secret Beach (which has forgotten that it's a secret--highly populated with my least favorite ladies--the skinny naked ones. I wish I would've "accidently" thrown some mud or maybe a crab onto their naked bosoms, exposed female lower regions, or bum cracks--maybe then I would'n't feel such animosity for the free show.) WE then hiked all over the lava pools which are sooooooo
beautiful!






Our last days hike was the most adventurous. We did a jungle hike that wound us up a river stream. Half the hike was in the slippery rocks of the river (which was really difficult and dangerous to the toes), and the other half was through mud and vines and over and under logs. It was the best scenery combined with lots of adventure (perfect for Ryan.) And, just in case you are still reading and paying attention to my VERY LONG travel log, you may have noticed a silly purple glove on my hand. That morning I went for a longer than normal run, got lost, tripped and fell, and then walked the last 3/4 of a mile back to the resort with my hand above my head because of excessive bleeding. When I walked up to the main entrance, the valet people freaked out and made me sit on some sofas while they grabbed medical personal. I was dirty, my hand was badly torn up, and my pride heavily wounded. Thankfully, my stomach got a few scratches on it, but I wasn't at all uncomfortable in that region, so hopefully everything was and is fine! We had to protect my hand from the fresh water because they have some sort of bacteria that infects over a hundred people a year--and they get it from open wounds being exposed to the fresh water! My hand made the hike more difficult, but it was still awesome. We will definitely do that hike on our return trip...someday.

Please note the moisture on our skin. That is not rain. That is not water from the river. That is sweat! We were really working hard! Good thing I went for a run that morning!





























And, last but not least, everybody swears by Hawaiian shaved ice, so we had to try some! it was good--but once again, the picky eater in me comes out. I would rather have the macadamia nut icecream that is hidden in the middle all by itself! All that syrupy junk on the ice did me in! TOO MUCH!

Kid Pics

Our fabulous babysitter, the beautiful Miss Kylee, has taken some AWESOME pictures of the kids! Our bunch seems to be "difficult" when it comes to cooperating for pictures (some of you have experience in this particular area...you know what I am talking about.) And, the child that you think SHOULD be the easiest, is actually the HARDEST and most UNCOOPERATIVE, which is frustrating, to say the least. Well, today was magical. The hardest, turned into the easiest, the typical easiest was actually the hardest, but manageable, and the third was, well...your typical 3 year old!
Here's some of the best!






















Yes, we are at a junkyard of sorts (I don't think the owners would call it a junkyard, but it had a lot of junk!) And, yes, Indi is wearing a stained t-shirt that I got at Walmart last summer for $3...but I had a dickens of a time finding bright colors for the kids to wear--I really had no other options! And, yes, the boys ties are absolutely amazing...I made them yesterday. Pretty simple, highly imperfect, and no, I won't be making any extras for you to purchase. Please understand, sewing is not really on my radar right now. Maybe when I retire from cooking and cleaning and having babies and life in general, then MAYBE I will venture into the sewing for income world.

And you may ask...

Where have you been? Well, let me explain.
So, now you know. I got the kids off to school, we had a little bit of fun, and then I got hit with the "8 week flu". But, to spare you from my chronic whining, I will, instead, count my many blessings.
* The kids have been SO excited! Walker told EVERYBODY he met that he is gonna be a big bwodda and daddy and a mommy. He got a lot of confused looks.
*I have two angel helpers. One is Indi--she has taken care of Walker and gotten herself ready for school on way too many mornings. I could never have imagined that a 5 year old could be so helpful. The second is our babysitter--she is not only WONDERFUL with the kids (not too mention she has a schedule that allows her to sit during the day while I am at the doctor for HOURS), but, she has also folded my laundry (and it was a LOT of laundry!), put away my groceries (while I was throwing up and trying to get out the door for yet another appointment), and cleaned my house. I really could not have survived without her! Let me repeat, I COULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED WITHOUT HER!!!

And don't get any ideas about setting her up with some great guy--she is already taken! I have decided that she WILL marry my brother! Can't wait to have her as a sister-in-law!


*The baby seems to be growing great! I always get so nervous--there are so many things that can go wrong and I am high risk on so many levels...every ultrasound I breathe a little easier.
* I really LOVE the Dr.'s office that is handling this pregnancy! So far, I have really loved everybody I've worked with...I even love the diabetes educator who is working with me on my sugars. Now, you can't fully appreciate this last one unless you have personally worked with a "food natzi" who makes eating a nightmare. This lady is very educated and up-to-date on all the latest, she is also a diabetic herself--and, therefore, can offer real world advice, plus, she is super fun and sweet to talk to. I love her! I might be switching over to her care permanently after the baby is born! (We'll see though, she is quite a drive!)
*Ryan continues to stick it out and remain married to me in spite of all my cranky attitude. He really does get the brunt of all my tiredness and moodiness. I can keep a smile on my face for only so long, and then I am just too tired and sick for any sort of fun or good humoredness. The world gets the happy me, and Ryan gets the crying, grumpy me--it really isn't fair, and I need to change...maybe in the second trimester. If I could only learn to be nice when I am pregnant...

The Big Getaway

This summer has been the best! Here are some of the highlights!

1)Our fun started before we even left! Aunt Haley (Ryan's sister) flew down to help me drive up to UT with the kids. We had so much fun renting paddle boats on Tempe Lake. Haley, thanks for all the fun and for your help during the drive!
2) Once in Idaho, the kids had SO much fun playing with their cousins! Indi has requested that we have a baby just like baby Paige. Tall order. We will see what we can do.
3)Watching the kids play in the fort and ditch with Uncle Kent and with cousins (cousin Ryan in the pictures).
4)Uncle Kent is awesome (and handsome)
5)Watching the kids get dirty.... constantly
6)Watching Walker play chubby bunny with Grandpa
7)Being with Uncle Seth before he left for his mission. (Hearing him speak in church before he left was definitely a highlight! He will be such an amazing missionary!)
8)Spending the day with my cousin Diane and her kids at Roaring Springs. We had SO MUCH FUN thanks to them! Her older boy was so sweet to Remington. Eric stayed with Remington the WHOLE day and took him on ride after ride after ride. Rem was in HEAVEN, and I just wanted to give Eric the biggest hug for being so good to Rem. He made Rem so happy! The younger kids all had fun with the younger cousins their age, and Indi loved the attention from Diane's two oldest girls, Jessica and Nicole. AND, I had the greatest time with Diane. I never get to spend enough time with her, so having the whole day with her was a dream come true for me! She is one of my idols.
9)Picking raspberries in Grandma's garden. Indi spent HOURS out there picking and eating the berries. Even Walker helped.
10)Ryan and I having a little get away--what a treat! Thanks Mom!
11)Spending the 4th with more family! Uncle Don and Aunt Renae (who I LOVE SO MUCH!) and cousins Katie and Lexi!)
12)Watching Rem put his rt hand on heart and doing some sort of salute with his left hand during the star spangled banner! Love that kid!
13)More cousins (they were all so good and sweet to my kids! My kids were in heaven the whole trip because of the love of family!)
14)Making bread with Grammy
15)Fishing with Grandpa and Uncle Kent, and then grandpa and uncle Kent cleaning the fish!
16)Shooting a gun with Grandpa (yes, Remington was in heaven!)
17)Going to the cabin. My Grandparents built this when my mom was a young girl. Now it belongs to my uncle. I hadn't been up there for atleast 12 years, so it was so fun to revisit a place with so many wonderful memories! It was far more beautiful than I remembered, and just as fun! We fished and swam and canoed and played with cousins. Uncle Don and Aunt Renae came up too, which meant so much to me! And, they were so good and loving to my children...I was in heaven because my kids were in heaven.
18)S'mores. Yum!
19)Being with Family!
20)Uncle Don took Ry and I and uncle Kent up to the top of West Mountain on four wheelers. From here, we could see the area where I grew up, plus you could see Cascade Lake. It was one of the most picturesque scenes I have ever seen. It was breathtaking. Just being up there and seeing the beauty made me want to never leave! It was a testament to the reality of a God who loves us and who is in control. Thanks Uncle Don!
21)Next we headed to the Stum Reunion. The cabin was AMAZING! Moose Mountain as it is called was the perfect setting for lots of fun! The cousins had such a great time sleeping in "Buffalo Bunks", and we even saw a moose while we were there (it was named MOOSE MOUNTAIN for a reason!) I love the cliff jumping pictures--the first is Ryan's dad, he is a stud, even in his old age (just kidding dad!) Ryan's bro, Nate, is the crazy one doing the superman! I wish I had more pictures from this reunion, but our camera battery decided to go bonkers on us and not work...awesome. If we had the pictures, they would be of fun ping-pong games, amazing family devotionals, delicious meals, fun runs (the fun is debatable--the altitude combined with the steep terrain about killed me) in the crisp morning air, dance parties, and lots and lots of goodness and love. I am very blessed to be part of the Stum family and the Walker family--two very choice groups of people!

I can't imagine a more fun, or a more fulfilling vacation! We were able to spend time with the people we love and our kids LOVED being with grandparents, and uncles and aunts, and cousins! In my dreams we will someday live closer, but for now, we will be satisfied with the little time we were able to spend together! Thank you for loving me and my family!

Past Due for the biggest Muncheroo!

Seven years ago this amazing little man entered my world and relieved my body of the pain caused by his dwelling inside me. (I know, child birth is not typically remembered as "relieving of pain", but when this big 10 pounder exited my body and entered the world I felt a huge relief!) He is the reason why I swore that big babies were golden babies (this theory was shattered by Walker...) Remington was the best, most amiably, and easy going baby to walk (or just lay there) the earth. He was a dream baby. And I was in heaven. I was so excited to be his mother! I refused to put him in the nursery because I wanted to be the one to take care of him constantly!


Two years later I was keeping him from crushing his new little sister during his very excited first hug!

Thankfully, Indi grew stronger and Remington grew gentler, but the excitement still continues! Remington loves to teach Indi his newest trick, help her learn many useless (and some useful) facts, read to her from his favorite books. He knows who his biggest cheerleader is and he loves having her near!

By the time Walker came to our home, Remington was a seasoned veteran at being a big brother and a big helper. He is the first to make sure the little kids stay out of the street, stay close at the store, don't fall off the monkey bars, or make it to the edge of the pool while swimming. He is also the first to soften and forgive his younger siblings and to beg that we parents forgive and "give them another chance". Many a time, he is the reason I have not carried through with my threats to the younger children. He hates to see them sad.

Remington is a man's man. He loves to fish, shoot guns, wrestle and play rough, and pretty much anything his dad loves to do. The biggest treat for Rem is to spend time with his dad; the next best thing, either of his grandpa's!


Remington is HANDSOME! This kid got the genes when it comes to good looks! He got my brother's dark skin, and his dad's super blue eyes--not to mention, a really beautiful smile. If only I could convince him to wear something other than the freebie t-shirts from my races and sweat shorts! He definitely has opinions about what he wants to wear and how he wants his hair styled (preference being "no style.") I'll take his happy-go-lucky attitude that seems to work his way into his happy-go-lucky-never-need-to-wash-my-clothes-or-body style. Maybe it makes me feel needed. What would I do with my day if I wasn't running around reminding him to put on clean clothes, wash his hands, shut the door, put the toilet seat down?

Remington is fun to be with. If you want an enjoyable afternoon, spend some time with Remington. He gives the best hugs, tells the best stories, gives the best sincere compliments, and he always holds my hand (parental privilege. Side note: his hand is almost as big as mine--frightening!) He will make you laugh (that's guaranteed!) and you will discover that he is an expert on just about everything!

Sometimes all the annoying 7-year-old boy tendencies distract me and I get caught up in trying to break him of his crude noises, less than ideal words, inappropriate attention getters, etc. Thankfully, I have received many heavenly messages reminding me of how special Remington is. I have never heard a young child pray so fervently with so much faith that his Heavenly Father will both hear and answer his prayer as Remington, and his prayers have always been answered, in sometimes very miraculous ways. I have often joked that if I really need a prayer to be answered, all I have to do is put Remington on it! I have never seen a child be so touched and concerned about another human being's suffering. He hurts when he sees another person suffer either emotionally or physically, and he is also easily hurt. He is so very sensitive to the world around him.

Remington, I love you. I love you more and the most, not impossible, because I am the mom, and Heavenly Father gave mom's the most love.

Normally, I'm a Not

Normally, I'm not the type to invite 14 crazy (as in FUN crazy) boys over on the same day, at the same time. Only a crazy woman would do something like that! But when it's all in the name of PARTY, then why not?

Normally, I'm not the type who allows these crazy (again, FUN crazy) boys to shoot water bombs at each other with giant sling shots! But when it's all in the name of PARTY, and Ryan's in charge, then party on dudes!

Normally, I'm not so hot on the idea of these same fun-crazy boys ALL getting in the pool at the same time. But, when Ryan's the one throwing them in, and everyone is having a blast, then enjoy the water party!

Normally, I won't allow food in the pool; having food in the pool is asking for a huge watery mess! But, when it's water football, and the watermelon is the ball, a person's gotta sit back and enjoy the football party!

Normally, I'm not too keen on skulls and swords and guns and bombs. But, when it's a crazy Pirate's Birthday, you gotta have all the pirate goods!

Normally, I wouldn't have a soul over after getting diagnosed with strep throat earlier that day! (I hadn't been feeling so hot for a couple of days, and Ryan finally forced me to go see a doctor...and I am so glad he did!) But, since I have an amazing seven year old who cleaned most of the house and helped me get everything ready, and I have an amazing husband who ran the whole event while I stood back and kept my germs to myself, the party went on!

It really was such a fun party! We swam and had balloon fights and water bomb wars! Ryan made the boys "walk the plank", and he led them in watermelon football. Pizza and watermelon for dinner (FYI: four pizzas is NOT enough food for 17 kids!) Thank you kids for helping me out so much today and for letting me get a nap in. Thank you Ryan for doing 98% of the work once you got home!

Party on!