Mayonnaise, Mustard, CATCH UP!

I have dieted continuously for the last two decades and lost a total of 758 pounds. By all calculations, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet" ~ Erma Bombeck

When I went to cheerleading camp in high school, there was this chant we would yell when a group was falling behind. I don't remember it all, but I do remember yelling, "Mayonnaise, mustard, Catch Up." I still say it to this day. Anyway, I am obviously trying to catch up with blogging. It had been since June since I last blogged. It would keep me up at night, but I just never found the time. Why, what has changed and what does weight loss have to do with all of this?

Well, this summer (around June), I started boot camp. It starts very early in the morning so I had to up my bed time to a more normal hour . This loss of night-time time has really messed with my ability to get things done. Hence the total lack of blogging. I apologize for doing so many posts at once. Its ridiculous...I know.

What gives this week? Why the sudden surge of blogging? Kevin went out of town so I have not hit the covers before 1 all week. Of course, I am realizing I need more sleep than I'm giving myself because I'm not as nice to my kids when I do this and I am just not as happy. Exercising definitely makes me a nicer mommy and a nicer person. Too bad it has done nothing for the weight loss. Oh well....can't have everything right?

But really, I know there is a way I can do both blogging and boot camp. I vow to try to find a time to fit it in because I so love keeping up with my family and yours through blogging. So, again, I apologize for the blasts of posts all at once. Happy reading and its good to be back!

Evelyn's first haircut

At almost 3 years old, Evelyn got her first hair cut. I didn't realize how long it really was, but we cut off a lot.

Before


After

Halloween 2011

Two princesses and a pumpkin. I love Halloween when you have a big bin of princess dresses (thank you Rheann). At about 5:15 on Halloween night, I tell the girls, ok, pick out a princess dress that you want to be. They wanted to be princesses for Halloween so our deal was they could be princesses for trick or treating if they would agree to be 3 blind mice for the Halloween party. It worked and everyone was happy. Josie picked the hello kitty princess dress (because it is not itchy) and Evelyn picked the light up princess dress because let's face it - if your skirt lights up, that is pretty cool. Isabelle wore the pumpkin costume we bought for Josie when she was the same age. And Isabelle looked cute as pumpkin pie in that outfit. She loved it too - she danced around with all that tulle on her.


The trick or treating gang. Watch out!

Three Blind Mice

Have you ever seen such a sight in your life as....

three blind mice

Josie's First Day of PreK

The first day of Pre-K. I don't believe she is old enough, but she is. She loves it! If she had her choice, she would go every day all day.


I love how excited they all get for one another.

A whole lotta Apricots

Another exciting activity on our Idaho vacation was apricot picking and canning. Jill and I have never canned anything on our own so we figured the best way to do it for the first time would be together. It was an adventure.


Look at the excitement. It is almost as if we know what we are about to do.


The first of many tools we used during the process. The Ball Canning Book.


The second of our many tools - the Internet.


Again, such excitement.


Josie (our non-napper) helped.


And the third of our many tools - a direct phone line to my mom. And yes, before it was all said and done, we called her 3 times.


Our canned apricots fresh out of the hot water bath.


A job well done!

Idaho, oh Idaho!

We took an amazing trip to Idaho Falls this August to see our dear friends, Jill, Aaron and their sweet angel Abigail. I really think I just need to make one of those photo books of the entire trip because we have so many amazing pictures from the trip. I attempted to just pick a few to highlight the trip. Anyway, we had the best time! We laughed so much and we can not wait to go back. A huge thank you to Jill and Aaron for being the most awesome tour guides and going way out of their way to make the trip the best vacation for us.

Apparently this is an Idaho Falls must - ride on the skateboard.


And a family picture with the skateboard.


The amazing hosts even arranged for a babysitter so we could all have a date night. It was so much fun taking in the Idaho night life.


We fed some fish...were they trout? Oh boo, I can't remember and nobody is here to tell me the correct answer. Anyway, the fish were just sitting there swimming against the current waiting for us to throw them bread.


We touched the really cold water that the fish were swimming in.


We climbed and climbed and climbed.


We saw some awesome waterfalls.


We got to know one another. :)


We stayed a few days in Jackson and posed in front of the horns. Oh and while we were in Jackson, we might have made the stupid parent decision of the year. We saw some folks dressed up in wild west clothes so we thought - hey, they are gonna put on a show. Lets go watch it. We sit all 4 children (ages 4 and under) on the front row of what we realize is a wild west shoot out reenactment. Little girls don't like loud noises. Before the show was over, all four girls were screaming and we were trying to get away as fast as possible. The girls prayed (and still pray to this day) to "make the shooting stop."


We took pictures in front of the Tetons.


We squeezed the Tetons (tee hee!)


We learned how to call buffalo. Jill taught us. Weren't we lucky to be with such wise tour guides?


And here the girls are teaching me to call buffalo.


Look it worked...we found one. We actually found lots.


We saw some more pretty waterfalls.


And we climbed really really high (ok actually we rode a tram) up to 10,450 ft to look around Jackson Hole.


We went hang gliding. Ok, really we didn't do this, but we watched a bunch of people take off and do it. While we were up on the mountain, Jill and I met this couple who were in their 80s. We enjoyed visiting with them and admired them for being there. So, Jill decided when we are 80, we are going to climb that mountain again. I'm already looking forward to it.


We learned about bugs. We learned lots about bugs. Thank you Aaron.


And we ate chocolate. You must always eat chocolate on your vacation.

Graduation PARTY!!!

After going to school for five years while working full time and having three kids, you deserve to celebrate all you have accomplished. It was such a perfect day and having so many of our friends and family to share it with made it that much more perfect.

Since Isabelle did not go to graduation, we took a few pictures at the party of the entire family. Poor Kevin was sweating in that gown. Oh and my nephew Tye was there too - can you find him?


Some of the boys having a good time.


We had plenty of kids at the party. I wonder what Lizzy was planning to sweep. I love this little girl.


Josie is so proud of herself to do the bars all by herself.


Justin, Allen and Danielle.


Kevin giving his speech.


So like 3 days before the party, someone said something to me about decorations. I really did not have anything in mind. I mean it was a graduation party for a man. So that evening, I got out the hot glue gun, some ribbon and a beer bottle and this is what I came up with. For all my crafty friends, I know this is nothing, but for me, this is a masterpiece. :)


Clayton is so good with his cousins.


Beth and Nikki.


A huge thank you to Royce and Jessica for hosting the party and for cooking the food and for putting up with all of us for the weekend and for going out of their way to make it a perfect celebration!


Just look at those eyes and that hair!!! Striking! And speaking of this boy - it was his mother who took all of these amazing pictures. I would not have a single picture from the party if it was not for her. So thank you Meghan - you are a true friend indeed.


Courtney and Lane.


Grammy and Grandma.


Dr. and Mrs. Harris


Kathy and Sarah


Grandma with Mary Kate and Evelyn

Dr. Wagner and Me