Holidays

It's the most wonderful time of the year...ding...dong...ding...dong...ok, so that's me singing in blog format...hahaha
I LOVE the holidays between the yumma treats and shopping for myloved ones, and wrapping presents....WAIT!!! Dunno if I like wrapping...ok, I enjoy all of it but the back problems it causes from sitting there wrapping endlessly for hours. I like the way they look when they are all wrapped and under the tree tho...hahaha And I love the excitement in the kids' eyes when they are thinking about what they want and Santa and all that fun stuff.
Leesie is asking a lot of questions this year...I think this will be her last year with Santa. She's about that age when you "find out" the truth.

Maybe I'm the meanest mom in the whole world, but this year I decided instead of the kids making ginormous lists for Santa this year and becoming demanding and expecting too much, I had them make lists of what they want to GIVE to other people for Christmas. I think that will be more effective in their holiday spirit than the usual me me me attitude. Perhaps I'm stealing a little of their childhood Christmas fun, but I just want them to be more thankful for what others do for them and I guess the way to do that is to have them give to others.

We are making almost everything homemade this year. We have gone shopping a few times, but most of our gifts this year are straight from the heart...that's my favorite kind anyway. I love to get homemade stuff because I know how much time and effort goes into those things.
So we had some girlz pictures done a few weeks ago. Maddie would not hold still for the pictures...she kept running off and doing crazy wild things...she is a HANDFULL!!! But she is also so much fun!

I hope the holidays are bringing you all much fun and joy and happiness. I hope you will all have a chance to spend time with those you love thru the holidays!

The Big "D" Word

Life has its seasons and change seems to be the only consistant thing in this world. I always hate to see a season end, but sometimes you can't help but to do what you know is right, no matter how difficult it is.

Robert and I were together for 11 years and married for 10. We had a lot of fun together and got along great usually. We were separated for almost 2 years so after a lot of thinking and evaluating I decided it was just time to let go. The past two years have been a roller coaster for us. We had a brand new baby when all hell broke loose at home and tho it has been difficult to adjust to being a single parent, I do my best to help the girls have a lot of fun, and try not to let life get us down when the rocks hit us in the face and knock us over. Robert has been really good to continue helping us out financially and he has consisantly visited the kids as well.

The divorce wasn't anything nasty or horrible...bittersweet as we discussed all of the details of the divorce and reminisced about the good times. But it is for the best that we ended things and hopefully we will both be able to move on and be happy in our separate lives.

It's really tough to let go of someone you have invested your entire life into and were once so madly in love with, especially after a whole decade and a year of engagement before that. We still get along great, just couldn't be together anymore. I still care about him and hope the best for him. I still love his family dearly and hope to be able to maintain friendships with all of them forever.

So it's officially final now and I just thought I would post a little message to tribute the past decade of our lives together. We have had many good times together, and brought two adorable, precious little girls into this world together. So much for happily ever after, but we will get through it no doubt! We gave it our best shot! There are way too many pictures to post, but here are a few family pictures over the years.

Trick or Treat!

We carved our pumpkins on Halloween day as a home schooling project. Leesie did hers without any help at all. I must say she did a fantastical job!! I had a little help carving mine, by Maddie. She is a really big helper! hahaha I spent the entire time very nervous that she would cut herself, but she did fine.
Then we got into our costumes...Leesie wanted to be "The Bride of Death" and we had a lot of fun coming up with her outfit. It was all stuff we already had, so yay, we didn't have to go spend $40 on a costume. hahaha She really got into characater too. I think I am going to have to get her into acting classes...she is so animated she could be her own cartoon. LOL
Maddie had several costume changes before we settled on this one. She has a really cute ladybug costume that would have looked so cute, but when I put it on her, she freaked out and wanted it off. So we tried "Little Miss America" in a beautiful dress, and she didn't want that either, so we ended up as a little cowgirl. She seemed to be ok with this one...hahaha She liked all the shiny pretty stuff on it. hahaha
Jessie (my lil sis) wanted to be a vampire. That was easy enough. She really played up the scary face thing. I tried to talk her out of those gloves to go with my costume, but she was being stingy. LOL hahaha She's growing up way too fast!
My mom and I joined Jason and Josh in the band that night and got a little crazy! hahaha (Got? Um....we are always a little crazy, especially on stage.) We had a lot of fun and rocked the house until the cows came home...acutally until the lights turned off and they kicked us out. LOL hahaha

Love one an "udder". Chelle made this costume for Jason to wear in the band several years ago, and since he went as a cowboy (which is not dressing up for him) this year, she decided to wear his cow costume and use the udder sack as a bag to hand candy out of to the kids. She even passed out milky ways....LOL hahaha So clever!!

Trunk or treating at the church in Roberts. Then we slipped over to relatives' homes and went trick or treating. We still have left over candy and it's over a week later...I know...I am horrible at keeping up with this blog. Sue me. I'm busy. LOL hahaha

And I went as a flapper girl from the roaring 20's. I even did the charleston on the dance floor when I didn't think anyone was watching. LOL Oooooooohhhhh!!!! Scary!!!

Spookfest Carnival

Halloween carnivals are always great fun. They always put on great ones in Rexburg that are full of fun and games for all. Even Maddie was big enough to play games with the big kids this year. She was especially funny trying to play halloween twister...hahaha!!! By the end of the night mommy was going "batty" from all the fun...hehehe

Leesie Turns 8!

It's hard to grasp how fast our little ones grow up before our eyes. It's like the song...turn around and they are walking, turn around and they are going out the door for their first day of school, turn around and they are dating, turn around and they are getting married and having babies of their own. I can barely stand the thought of my firstborn already being 8! I remember the day she was born........well, I was a little drugged up that day but I remember being in a lot of pain that day....LOL Now here she is 8 already! Wow!!! She is such a ham and so much fun!

She is such a sweet little girl! I am so proud of all of her accomplishments! She is so smart and funny and beautiful....she brings so much sunshine into our home. Happy Birthday Leesie!!!

(Every one of these cupcakes were gone in less than two hours of her blowing out her candles. I spent all morning making them from scratch.)

We had a "Fairy Fun" Birthday Party. Leesie has always wished she was a fairy, and since she could talk she has expressed a strong desire to have wings and fly like a fairy...she wanted a fairy birthday party and so once again on her birthday, mommy delivered. hahaha!

These are some of the party favors we had...I made the wands and fairy dust pouches. They turned out so cute! There were also wishing stones (flower shaped rocks) and fairy lip gloss rings. We sprinkled fairy dust on each guest while they made a wish, upon arrival at the enchanted fairy garden...

We played lots of fairy fun games...Pin the wings on the fairy...

Fairy Wing walk...they had to earn their fairy wings by walking through the enchanted fairy garden (the boys got glow in the dark swords, they were glad to not have to wear fairy wings). LOL And fairy freeze dance...um, we call it "freeze fart" instead of freeze dance now because when I stopped the music one time, it was dead silent and one of the girls farted really loud. hahaha We are so mature and ladylike at our house! LOL!!!We built fairy houses with all kinds of natural stuff...it was raining outside, so we had to do it indoors (a little messy, but it's nothing more than our every day messes with Hurricane Maddie...LOL). Just had to add this one of Maddie in here because she looked so cute in her fairy wings and dress!!

Leesie got some really fun birthday gifts. She got a really cool Disney collector carousel, also one of her favorite things, and lots of art supplies, some games, a webkins cow...from the look on her face here, I think she was pleased with her party and gifts. Yay!!! That makes it all worth it!

Stevens Kids' Annual Birthday Bash 2008

Every year the Stevens put on a big birthday bash for all the grandkids at once. It's a great time for everyone...They go all out and make it a super fun celebration every year. I say the party is for the kids...is it really??? I think we adults have just as much fun as they do every year!

The kids are growing up way too fast!!! I can't believe how much they change every year!!!

This year Kristi and Phil were our hosts. They recently bought a huge mansion...hahaha (I am so jealous). It is the perfect place for having parties! Thanks, T for having us all over!

Kristi and I (the coolest moms ever...hehehe) kicked the kids off their scooters and dumped the kids in the recycle garbage bins...hehehe (um not really we found them in there)

and then took their scooters for a roll around the street. We had way too much fun...(might I add that my legs were so sore for days afterwards...I guess I need to exercise more). We are like silly kids together. A few years ago, we had more fun on the blow up waterslide than the kids did....we were like pushing the kids out of the way and sliding down...hahaha We were also sore after that as I recall. My back hurt for weeks after that...haha teach us I guess...LOL

Angela had lots of fun with the fart goo. You push it in its container and it makes a farting noise. Like I said...we adults have just as much fun as the kids do!! haha

It was so nice to see Grandma Elda and Grandpa Bob. We don't get to see them near often enough. Maddie entertained them a little while we were there. She is a little ham!

This year we did an awards ceremony for each kid for their accomplishments over the past year and how much they are loved. That was such a wonderful idea. What a good idea, thanks Tracey for sharing your awesome idea for awarding the kids. That is so good for them!

Kristi and Karl had a blast playing "Rock Band" on the Xbox. That was great fun to watch. I discovered very quickly that I do a lot better in a REAL band than I do on the Xbox rock band game. hahaha I tried to play along on the real piano while they read notes on the tv screen...hahaha I do much better by ear than trying to follow notes...hahaha.

They ordered the kids an awesome cake with specially made sections geared for each kid and what they like. It's perfect. We love all of our fun with family always!!!

Thanks Stevens for all the fun! The kids loved it! (and grown ups too!!)

Budding Little Artists

Leesie would rather draw, paint, and express her imagination through any art form than anything else in life. She is so artistic in every way. This week she drew "Ariel" with sidewalk chalk...AMAZING little artist. The words with it (in case you can't read them) say "This is drawn by Leesie" in first grader fashion....too cute.
She also gets very creative with play dough!!! My play dough creations consisted of round balls and snakes.....LOL so she didn't get this kind of creativity from me!!! hahaha

This one is an apple tree with a ladder going up it, a basket full of apples, and a fence with play dough.
And then we have the butterfly....and the airplane.


This was er gingerbread cookie from Christmas....she did it all by herself!!!

And Maddie is taking an interest in art too, after her big sister!!

Independence Day Celebrations

We had such a great 4th of July weekend. It was full of fun and activities for everyone. I know I usually post funny stuff....but Freedom is one thing that can't really be joked about. I love the ideas our forefathers laid out for us to protect our individual rights, and I think it is very important that we defend our freedoms every chance we get. I don't agree that war is the way to do that, but I am very grateful for all of the men and women who have sacrificed everything in order to defend freedom.

So Grandma Peggy bought the girls matching outfits and I saved them for the 4th because they looked all blue and white....just had to add some red in the hair bows....hahaha Michelle made their hair bows by the way, aren't they so cute!!!!

We spent July 3rd at Rigby Lake and watched the fireworks there. Traffic was hairy, but we still had a great time. The kids loved swimming in the lake and the adults enjoyed just being there with them. Robert rode his motorcycle up from Salt Lake to hang out with "the girls" and we spent the weekend playing.

Leesie and her "nature" earrings....from a nearby tree....hahahaha
I am always the one behind the camera, but I really am there at everything we do. So here is proof!!


Then on July 4th we ventured to Idaho Falls for the fireworks....and you have to save a spot early, because these fireworks are notorious for being "the best in the west" so we always camp out half the day there. We did a BBQ and played games...sat around and talked, Josh and Jason jammed on the guitar and sang....it was a fun time. The whole family was there....however, I didn't manage to get pictures of everyone....so these will have to do.





Three Little Princesses....Chrissy, Rebecca and Mikeila

Here are some of the family just hanging out.

Nick is always so dang cute! He was tickling Grandma.



Darla and Josh both showing their cute dimples!!!


Bege, he won't ever let me get a real picture, always pulling a face....and Paul as he was passing in play.

What a fun weekend! It was great to have everyone together!!!