Bear Lake and stuff!!

When I started this blog my goal was to write twice a week and so far I haven't done so well but I will keep trying! Lets see, your wondering what has been going on in my life lately aren't you? Well, since my last blog not a lot other than going to the James/Sparks family reunion at Bear Lake, but we'll get to that in a minute.
The 13th through the 16th: Sunday, Went to church. Didn't go to mom's for dinner because she was working. Monday, Read a book, cleaned a little and thought about doing all the laundry. Tuesday, Started on the laundry, got out my suitcase, and went to DI to look for a duffel bag for Denver because he didn't want to share a suitcase with Dillon. We didn't find one... Wednesday, Denver wakes me up a little after 8am( yes, I was still sleeping for you early risers) and wants me to get up and get ready so we can go looking for a duffel bag (he really didn't want to share with Dillon). Eventually we leave the house to go to Goodwill and since its by the library we return some things first. We didn't find a duffel bag but we did get this really cool belt made of tabs off of soda pop cans. It was laced together with shoelaces. Morgan didn't like the colors so we are changing them to black ribbon. We left and went to a second Goodwill where Denver found this old Samsonite suitcase (it has a hard shell) that he really really wanted to get. I didn't buy it because I want a big duffel bag. That's what Del likes to use and his wore out so if we get a new one it would be more useful. Anyways, after much whining and pouting we leave and I'm telling Denver tough beans he is just going to have to share with Dillon when I remember that there is a Savers near by. They have a couple of small bags, some large sporting equipment bags and some hard suitcases. Of course, that's what Denver wants and none of the duffels will work but I really don't want an old crappy hard suitcase that I have to store in my garage. ARGH! He opens up both of the Samsonite suitcase and the lining is coming out so I can quickly and easily disqualify them and I am happy. Then, Dillon spots some other old crappy hard suitcase up on the shelf and gets it down. It looks ok and it's only $3.99 so after much wearing down I agree to get the suitcase and that's when the fun really began. Since Dillon found the suitcase he thinks he should be the one to get to use it and Denver thinks he should get to use it because he was the one who wanted a separate bag in the first place and that's the only reason why were there. After much fighting and me trying to placate both of them I have to make a choice. I side with Denver and then Dillon says "I don't want to go anymore. I want to stay home" so I say "fine stay home I don't care" then he says "where will I stay?". The conversation went on for a while and then he decides he will use the suitcase the next time we go somewhere. When Del came home from work we had to rehash the whole thing. Meanwhile I am washing laundry, yelling at the kids to pack, and clean up because, I don't want to leave the house a mess for Del like the last time we went on vacation without him. I HAVE TO SAY MY HUSBAND IS REALLY GREAT! Poor guy hardly ever gets to come with us but he is very supportive. Finally at about 12:30 am the laundry is all done and we are all packed up and ready to go YEAH!! Bedtime!!
We leave for Provo on Thursday the 17th. The drive went well. The kids were mostly good and Mom started the Twilight series. I don't think she thinks she was missing a whole lot even though we all kept raving about them. We stop for lunch at Wendy's and long story short Micah rubs his nipple on the big plate glass window!! (I am getting tired of explaining every little thing so Aimee I am going to be more brief) We get to Holly's, hang out, sleep, get a late start the next day but make it to Bear Lake at about 5pm. Mom is talking to Scott on the phone as we near the lake and we find out he was just two cars behind us all the way up the mountain so, we stop at the gas station and hug. It was actually really kinda nice. Scott can be loving, but most of the time he's just plain ole ornery. Scott I do love you though. We get out of the van at the resort and we get to do a lot more hugging! The weekend was great. We got to be with family, eat good food and, hang out on the beach. What could be more perfect? We made crafts, we head jousted, we sang, we told jokes, we had a pie eating contest, we burped, and we hung out together.
We left on Monday. Holly, Mom, and I went to see Mama Mia I really liked it. I laughed a lot it was silly and fun. Tuesday we drove home. Dad missed the 20 so we got to drive through Zion National Park it was gorgeous. There is this 1.1 mile long tunnel through the mountain. It has these cutouts every so often so you can see. It was totally neat. We made it home safe and sound. XXOO M

Summer Thunderstorms

Hey all, how are you? I am well! We had the missionaries over for dinner tonight which was a lot of fun. It was to hot and humid to cook so we had sub sandwiches, potato salad, fruit salad and chips for dinner and for dessert we had ice cream sandwiches. It was yummy! Last night we had a big thunderstorm/monsoon. The wind was blowing, the rain was pouring, and the thunder and lighting was ripping across the sky. Of course the boys went outside to play and get wet. I had to practically drag them inside and when I went down to my room they went outside again. It just reminded me of when I was a kid and we would all go running out to the park to get wet. Scott and Allen would pick up water logged birds who were to heavy to fly and had got blown out of the trees. All the while Mom would be yelling at us to get in the house because she was afraid we would get struck by lightning or be hit by a falling tree and be killed! Now I'm the Mom and it's my job to yell at my kids to get in the house because, I'm afraid they might get struck by lightning. Isn't it awful that we all must grow up and that we feel we have to give up some of those fun activities in the name of safety? I loved getting wet in the rain but, I don't do it any more. Sometimes I wish I could return to those carefree days. Don't you? xxoo M

A Birthday Wish

Howdy all!! Hope you are all well. Today is my birthday. I am 36!! I don't feel any different than when I was 26 but, man that number sounds old! I was just wondering if you don't get cake with candles on your birthday do you still get a birthday wish? If I have my kids bake me a cake tomorrow will my wish be valid? I don't know it's not my birthday anymore. Do you find yourself wishing for the same things over and over again? I do. I guess it's time I took a more proactive stance regarding my wishes. If I really want them to come true are there things I can do to help? Probably!! Well on to the listing of what I did today (this is for you Aimee). I slept in until 9:30 which is when Danelle called to wish me happy birthday. Thanks Danelle. I read for a little while, and then Dad called and wished me happy birthday! Boy was I surprised. I love when I get to see Dad being thoughtful and loving since he often isn't. Then I talked to Mom and she invited me to go shopping YEAH! I was going to go hop in the shower because it was already almost 11:00am but then Aimee called. While talking to Aimee on my home phone my honey Husband called my cell but I ignored it because, Aimee you are that important to me! Then he called the house phone but, I ignored that too! Aimee and I wrapped up our conversation and we hung up. Then the phone rang, it was Del, he just kept letting it ring and ring wondering why the answering machine hadn't picked up(silly man). Also because I'm that important to him! Well I finally showered and got ready to go to mom's and then Morgan had to shower so by the time we were ready to it was 12:30pm and then Del walked in the door. We did finally leave and on the way to mom's we stopped at Ulta's so Morgan could get some "free" mascara. Of course I had to spend $12.00to get it for free. We actually got about $20.00 worth of products for $10.58 so I guess we did all right. We finally made it to mom's a little after 1pm. Dad gave m a big hug and he gave me a birthday present. It's a rocket and some engines. Wow, I was shocked but, I loved it. Thanks Dad. Mom took Morgan and I to Khol's and I got a new pair of shorts, a hat, an outdoor temp gauge, a pair of sunglasses, and a hat that I'm going to wear when I'm sitting on the beach at Bear Lake. Then we went to Sam's club to get some things for our very yummy dinner. While there I saw a big jar of jalapeno stuffed olives so I made mom get that to. Then on to Fry's for the rest of the ingredients. We had lettuce wraps and crab puffs mmmm! Morgan made these s'mores cookie things for dessert which were very tasty as well. Susie, Micah, Brian and Allen all came over so we had a good time. Brian gave me a 5 watt flashlight. It is very bright and will be perfect when we go camping. Thanks B. From my family I got a cute fish charm for my bracelet and a super fun blue genuine leather purse! Mervyn's is having really good clearance right now. It's all 75% off. So my $60.00 purse was only $15.00. Anyways we hung out at mom's for a while and then my kids decided to stay the night with Grandma so Del is anxiously waiting for me to be done so I guess I'd better wrap it up. Love you all. xxxooo M

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Well here it is, my very first posting. My sister, Aimee, said I should write a blog. I told her I didn't have anything to write about. She said just write about whatever you do each day so, this blog will probably be excessively boring but, oh well she asked for it. So, Aimee this is what I did today. I got up, showered, got ready for church, yelled at the kids to get ready because I had already told them several times to start getting ready but, of course they weren't. However, we weren't late for church. We were there a few minutes early. I was expecting the chapel to be pretty empty because of the holiday but, it was pretty full. We had a lot of visitors because two babies were blessed and we had a confirmation. Denver got to hold the microphone for all three and later complained that his arm was sore from holding it. Today was fast Sunday and I wanted to bear my testimony but, I didn't get up. At camp the stake reiterated what a testimony is and it is just stating what you know and believe so here is what I know. I know that Jesus is our Savior. I know that he chose of his own free will to come to earth and take upon him our sins. I know that without Him we couldn't return to our Father in Heaven. I know that Heavenly Father preserved the Golden Plates so that they could be brought forth at a later date. I know that Joseph Smith was called to protect and translate those plates. I know that we are all divine sons and daughters of God and that we each have a purpose here on earth. If we Search, Ponder, and Pray as the primary song says I know that we can all realize that purpose. I know that Heavenly Father Loves me and you and He wants us to come home. Anyways after sacrament all of our visitors left because primary was very sparse. We had 6 kids in the whole senior primary and I think only 6 in the junior primary as well. My lesson was Alma Counsels His Son Corianton and the purpose of the lesson is to help the children understand that there are good and bad consequences depending on our choices. After church I ate my birthday candy bar I got in primary, I read in my book, ate some sunflower seeds, talked on the phone with mom, and I texted back and forth with Del as he was on his way home from backpacking with Brian and Allen. When he got home he told me all about his trip. They got rained on, leaked on and almost smashed as several trees near them fell down during the night. We ate Chili, crackers, and tortillas for dinner. I got on line and read mom's and Holly's blogs and I decided to start my own. Which has taken quite a while to get done. Aimee I hope you liked it.