Island Park

This past weekend Layne, Ellie, and I went up to Island Park to stay in a cabin with the Mark Darrington Family (ALL OF THEM) and Kevin, Janet, Hailey, and Justin Mangum. And let me just tell you I am in "LOVE" with the area. It was so beautiful and peaceful, but the best part of all was that we got to play in the snow. As awful as this sounds "I have never taken Ellie sledding before." Yes that is correct, I'm an awful parent. I never really thought about it until we were invited up to the cabin and sledding with the other kids was on the agenda. So needless to just we were very excited and happy to accept our invitation. In fact it was so much fun I hope that they invite us back next year.

On the way up there it was pretty foggy so as we were driving out of the Rexburg area we couldn't really see anything around us. I had NO IDEA how much snow we were getting into until the fog started to clear around us the closer we got to Island Park. I was in shock. It seemed like we went from nothing in Declo to 4 or more ft in Island Park. Well, as we were driving through all the cabins you can only imagine what type of one we were going to stay at because they are all so different. Size/Color/Shape. Well when we pulled up to the cabin I was in heaven. It was what I could only imagine a cabin to look like. I wish I would of taken pictures of the outside and inside because it is truly a dream home of mine. I LOVED IT! I mostly loved that everything on the inside was natural knotty pine. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! (If you can't tell... I"M IN LOVE with the house and area.) Anyways when we walked in I was in shock and SOOO SUPER excited to be there. I felt like I walked straight out of the movies and into a winter wonderland. I'm sure you all think I'm over exaggerating but seriously I've never been there or in an environment like this before and to me it was Heaven! (And another big plus.. Jayci stayed with Nana. LUCKY US!) So after unpacking and getting situated the men left to go have dinner with the bio-flora group and all the woman/kids/and brogan and Layne stayed back with us to eat pizza and visit. While the kids played the woman visited and had a great time.

When the men got back the games were on. We played and played and around 10:30 they put in a movie. My husband even played card games with us and ENJOYED it. He is not a card player but we had a lot of fun. It was really relaxing for us because we weren't chasing Jayci everywhere and Ellie was pretty entertained the whole time by all the other kids.

Saturday morning we woke up at 9:00 and made breakfast for the whole crew. By the time we were done eating and cleaning up it was 10:30 and all the men along with Britini, Hailey, and Janet headed out for their long day of snowmobiling. After they left Leslie, Kelsi, Verla and I along with all the kids got ready and headed out to W. Yellowstone. Of course I've never been here either and was looking forward to it. We went and ate lunch at McDonald's (which was so expensive) then we went to the IMax theatre and watched Yellowstone. It was insane because with all the movement I got worse then motion sickness but after it was over it all went away. We walked around the gift shop then headed home. I cannot wait to go back there again in the summer time so we can drive around and look at all the animals and really take advantage of the beautiful scenery.

On our way home Brant called and said that they were back and were waiting for us to get home so they could take the kids and play out in the snow. Of course they were so excited the only one that took a nap on the way home was Bree. When we got back to the cabin Ryn and Kerri were there with all their kids and were also getting ready to head out in the snow. We had such a good time playing that we didn't want to come in. Half way through playing outside the men and few woman showed up on their snow mobiles and took the kids for rides. Not only the kids but me too. I got to ride a MONSTER machine and then rode on Janet's and felt like I was invisible. I raced that thing around for awhile and decided. Owning one wouldn't be half bad!!!

Ms. Studious

I'm a Climber!

1/23/11
Last night Jayci figured out that she can climb the chairs and get on the table. We are now experiencing her climbing everything. I find her standing on stools/ladders/chairs/tables/cloths hampers you name it she climbs it. It's a good dang thing she has a hard head because she falls and hits it often.

Caught in her bed...

Wrestling is what they do best...

(practicing with my camera, thought it captured Jayci just right giving me the "what do you want look")

Filling time with the Arts

This little girl LOVEs to draw. She is always going to the computer and stealing paper out of the printer to draw a picture. She has crayons of pencils with her most the time we go anywhere. I love going to the back seat of the van and finding crayons in the seat on the floor and in her cup container. She is always wanting to draw a picture for Braddy so we can send it to him in Argentina. She can draw some amazing things. One of my favorites is when she draws a flower/sun/rainbow/grass and a bird all in one picture, all in the right places. She has been able to write her name since she was three and a half, it may not always be legiable but you can still see it. I love that she loves to draw she reminds me of my older sister Amanda wherever we were you would eaither find her writing, coloring, or reading a book. Which reminds me of our story time at night. Ellie likes me to read her the story and then she likes to read it back to me by me whispering the words in her ear. She has gotten pretty specific on books we read because she has memorized them and can almost read them to me word for word. I hope that this is a sign that she will thrive in school situations. I already know we are going to be in trouble socially but I'm just praying she'll love school as much as she loves talking!

Miss Piggy (in more ways then one)

1/12/11
I love it when I try piggies for the first time and most the hair stays in. I know were still a ways off for all the hair fitting in but I'm pretty sure she is cute enough to pull them off.

I say she is Miss Piggy in more ways then one because she EATS EVERYTHING! Anything and everything steak, eggs, chicken, fish (exspeically crab both my girls LOVE IT), you make it the kid eats it. I wish Ellie was a little like her and had an appetite for everything but I guess we have learned that all kids are different.

A new year a new look...

Since it is the beginning of the year I guess it's time for some resolutions for myself. I have really struggled with setting goals and keeping them so if I do it hear then it will help me stay focused on what I need to accomplish. So here they go.
1. Before Brad left on his mission my goal was to read the Book of Mormon again. This time with better understanding and retaining the information. I have started this year by reading a book my Mom got back in 1987 it's called A Child's Story of the Book of Mormon. It is written for fourth graders and is fabulous. I have really enjoyed the stories and am gaining knowledge that was lost in translation from just reading the B Of M in general.
2. Get to my goal weight and maintain it. At the beginning of last year I had a goal in mind and got 10 lbs to it. I felt so good and just thought oh I'll get there. Well, I haven't gotten there and have made up my mind to do it. Exspecially since it's my 10 year reunion this summer and I seriously have only seen a FEW people that I have graduated with since I moved to Southern Idaho 10 years ago. Plus Layne promised me a cruise when I finally see that number and I'm making him stick to at least a trip of my choice which ever one fits into the budget better. And if I don't' get to my goal weight his threat is he is going to wear a banana hammock! HAHAHA So we'll prevent that as much as possible.
3. BE MORE PATIENT with my Girls.
I struggle and I struggle bad. I lose my temper so quick that sometimes it scares me. So I'm working on it. I'm glad that at the end of the day they love you know matter what.
4. Finish my semesters with 100% on my classes. I have just been doing a few every semester and am falling behind. I am looking forward to being in the classroom and teaching all of my very own students. I love being in the school and can't wait for the day. But for right now I have to focus on getting my school done so that I can begin that next adventure in my life.
5. Working on getting out of debt. WOW BIG ONE! I finally feel like we have hit rock bottom and are on the up and up. We have learned our lesson with getting things we can not afford and paying them off. Layne and I both feel like this is going to be a good year. I am looking forward to the rewards and challenges of everyday.
So for now that is it. I will check back often to keep myself in check. I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year and are truly blessed with the light of Christ in your lives.

Our New Rides

I haven't really said anything about our new cars because it was a quick and painless deal. I got a new van because we just didnt' fit in the car anymore and it was time for an upgrade. I DID NOT want a mini van. I always said I would NEVER EVER drive a mini van and here I am. I get ALOT of crap for it but it's okay. I LOVE my mini van. I don't know how we ever fit in the car before. I test drove it for three weeks before I signed the papers and agreed to it. Layne on the other hand was ready to buy it on day one but I was a little harder to convince.

One week after I bought the van, Layne motor went out in his pickup. YEAH AGAIN! For those of you who don't know it's the second time it went out and not to mention has probably been in the shop at least 30 times since we got it. Since it was paid for Layne said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and we decided to get something else. We held out for a while to see if something Layne loved came along and paitence pays off because he found exactly what he was looking for. Except the whiny baby didn't get heated seats. (Inside Joke). Anyway I really LOVE this pickup because it takes me back to the good old days when Layne and I were dating. When we were dating he was driving a pickup just like this but it was older and just an extended cab. But I'm telling you it brings all the happy memories back of the good old days. He always says the days when I wanted him the most. But he should just be happy it brings those memories back and reminds me how much I wanted him then! Anyways we are so happy and were treated so well with it, it was just too good to pass up.

Let's just say were both driving in style now and are pretty spoiled. I always tease him "were the two poorest people (not really) and were both driving really nice cars."

So happy to be home....

I love the mountains....

I always love to go to Northern Idaho during the winter so I can drive through the beautiful country and look at the snow. I am pretty lucky to have grown up in this area because of it's beautiful nature. Layne hates the snow and did admit driving through this was pretty amazing. You'll have to take the pictures for what they are cause I took them out of the car window so the quality isn't the best but you get the jist.

We were in complete awe of the snowpiles that were built in buisness parking lots so we had to take proof of how GINORMOUS they really were. My sister looks like a midget compared to that snowpile. And this was even after it had melted a little bit! CRAZY!

Cuddle Time

The day before we left Jayci had to get some cuddle time in with her Uncles. Notice the pattern of the chair. She was soo good the whole and slept better then expected.

New Years Eve

New years Eve was full of lot's of fun things. We started off the day with a little bit of TV watching, then to the grocery store to get groceries for treats, we then made the treats. After we were done with those all of girls and my step brother went to watch Tangled and then we went home watched a movie ate treats and the little girls played play dough. When they were done I put them to bed and Layne, Derek and I played a few rounds of clue. It was a fabulous night. Since it is an hour ahead there we kissed goodnight at 11 and called it a night!

I guess I forgot to mention that I watched my niece Ava while my sisters and brother in law went to a toga party which explains the togas on the bottom. They looked super cute the picture does not do them justice.