Sweet

Reagan and her cousin Sawyer. I love this picture!

We spent Memorial weekend in Idaho at Mike's parents. His sister Sara and her family were there also and we spent (ok, well the boys spent) the weekend building a cover for their patio. It was a lot of fun and the weather was great. They got it up with enough time to spare and took the kids fishing while the girls, well, what else, we crafted.

A sweet moment


What the boys worked on


What Cooper "worked" on


Cooper, Grandpa Buster, Grandma Pat and Reagan




If the fish aren't biting...I may as well pose


Cooper caught the only fish much to Reagan's disappointment. However, they both enjoyed eating it!

The Avid Reader

So to relate to my prior reading post, I um, was dying to finish a book the other night so I sat at the table after we were "mostly" finished eating and read. The next night, while we were eating, Reagan went and got a book (she enjoyed The Choice by Nicholas Sparks).

I grew up in the sticks. There wasn't much to do but entertain yourself. We would go to the town library every week and literally bring home a hundred books. We had maybe a few channels but we couldn't watch a lot of shows. Enter in my love for reading. I'm a book nerd. Honestly. I LOVE TO READ! Most of my family is the same way. We could have 10 in a room and everyone reading a book. I would say kindof sad huh, but it's not! I read at least a book a week. Sometimes two. I will read most anything but love mystery. This past week when Mike was gone I tried to read 3 different books but they were all freaking me out so I had to settle for Nicholas Sparks romance novel :O) I take a bath each night and will sit in there for an hour. My mom used to do the same thing. Course hers was to get away from her 10 children....mine is just a bad/good habit. Next, enter in Reagan's love for reading!! This is her favorite thing to do at nights. We read book after book after book. Sometimes ok, most times, it's exhausting and we are currently reading the SAME FOUR BOOKS over and over each night. However, she loves to read. I can't complain about that. Yes, there are sometimes when I would LOVE for her to watch an hour movie so I could get something done but on the other hand I'm glad that she's not addicted to TV (yet!). When we got married we had a TV in the bedroom and I eventually talked Mike into getting rid of it as he probably hadn't read a book since high school. We did, and he's a convert :)

I miss my computer, catching up, enjoying the sun and life in general

Cute picture of the kids (and dogs) at the door watching Grandpa Dick and Tom Cat.





So I've missed my computer. It was infected. I think it was the swine flu. Least that's what the media told me. It's been at the doctor for a few weeks now, we get it back and heck, it's still infected. Why pay money for something that didn't get fixed :) Anyway, it's back, I'm in love, and life continues. We don't do a lot of surfing the internet but for basic blogging, blog-stalking, and email checking, it was missed. The past few weeks have been very busy. Happy Belated Mother's day to all Mother's out there. We had a wonderful weekend in Idaho celebrating. The weather was gorgeous and the company even better. It's been a beautiful week here and I'm afraid we are jumping into a heated summer very soon. Mike was in CA this past week and Reagan and I were able to do some fun things on the days I was off and also at nights with the weather so nice. She has been taking dance and loves it. She likes to show everyone "how I put my legs" for dance in which she poses. Her first recital will be coming up next month. I can't even imagine the chaos, tears, fears and laughs that will be. A few weeks ago my neighbor, who works for the zoo, had a funraiser for earning money to travel to Mongolia to study cats. It was at the gymnastics training center and the kids had a blast. I sort of thought I was 15 again and I'll spare you the details!!! Needles to say I couldn't move for a few days. Enjoy the pictures.

How cute is she. My first attempt at making anything other than pillows, table runners or blankets. Reagan has named her "Gavin" (who happens to be the 'male' owner of her daycare).

Overheard

Sort of like our journal so we remember cute things she says. I've been so bad at keeping up with her journal I started when she was born so you can listen in on the conversations.

R: Mommy, DO NOT let my kite fly away!
M: Ok, I sure won't
R: If you do I be very mad!
M: Yes, I know
R: I mean it

R: Daddy, I don’t like humans. Do you?
D: Yeah, I like humans. You’re a human.
R: Yeah, sometimes….but sometimes I’m a girl.
D: Yeah..the best girl.
R: Yeah. (big cheesy smile)

Wherein I'm taking Reagan to bed. A NO-GO in our house. Always daddy. So leading up to the conversation, mommy is taking "R" and she is having a hysterical screaming fit because she doesn't want me. Put her on the bed.....and PUKE.....ALL OVER the new carpet, her freshly washed sheets and her clean bathed skin/clothes. Turned over to daddy for repair.
R: Daddy I puked on purpose
D: No, it was an accident Rea
R: No, daddy, I did, I puked on purpose

In the car, music comes on:
R: mommy, is this keith urban? (sad/weird that she knows this??)
M: yes it is sweetie. he's so yummy.
R: ew! mommy, we don't eat him. he's not yummy.

M: Rea, what are you doing?
R: I'm writing incident reports.
M: Ah, well what's if for?
R: Well Gabby hurt her toe
M: Geez, that's terrible
R: Yeah, can you sign this report hunny hunny
then she proceeds to comfort "gabby" for her injured toe and ask random kids if they got bit. Can you tell this happens numerous times at school)

In the midst of it all, I think, how blessed I am. In the midst of it all I think, how grateful I am. In the midst of it all, where there is so much uncertainty, so much sadness, fear, and anger; there is also so much joy, happiness, and so much pleasure. In the midst of it all, I am alive. I am healthy, I am cared for, fed, clothed and loved. I have an amazing life and I will be grateful each hour of each day for that.

A sure sign

That summer is here!

In a few days of fun...

HELLOOOOO SUMMER!! I'm in heaven. I'm a summer girl. I don't mind winter but I can't stand being cooped up in the house. Let me see sunshine and feel the UV rays on my face. Mike jokes that the only yard work I do is laying out. How can I lie? He's so right. However, this weekend I did weed a few areas to get them ready for planting flowers and veggies. That was hard work.

So I have started working just 3 days a week. Dare I say...I LOVE IT!!! Mike is wincing because with being off more I'm sure he thinks I must have to spend more...not always true though. I think :) I have Fris and Mons off. It makes for a very nice long weekend - each week. With the weather so absolutely gorgeous this weekend we sure made good use of the outdoors. Saturday we went to the zoo. Our neighbor is a "cat trainer" so she got us half off season tickets. I'm sure we'll be going there a lot this year and I won't bore you with pictures over and over again (well, maybe). Matt's family joined us and Heidi was watching Cooper so they came too. It was a little breezy and slightly chilly while we were there but then we went to Sugarhouse Park for a little picnic and it was beautiful. The kids loved the zoo and running wild in the lush, soft, green grass. I had some girlfriends over to scrapbook that night and that, my friends, is always laughter at it's best. Next came yard work and just plain enjoying the sunshine. Pulled out the firepit and roasted hot dogs and marshmellows. Reagan and I also went to the aquarium that is by our house....um, kind of boring for me in that it took 20 minutes to walk through but Reagan loved it and we had to kill some more time. She, however, wasn't too fond of the stingray that floated up and flapped water all over her. Pretty much ended our journey in that part of the building. While she napped I, um, well, what did I do.......then we went to the park and flew her $1 kite from Wal Mart. Best kite ever!! Flies up in a hurry and stays there. No crashing down or trying impossibly to get the thing up. Gotta love Wal Mart. Out comes the BBQ grill, flip flops, capris and sunglasses. Summer is here my friends so let's enjoy it.

Swingin'


Flyin' Mickey


She looks thrilled, right? (Aquarium)

Easter

The best thing about any holiday is begin surrounded by family. Cousins take the cake. Throw in a little Easter Egg Hunt in the freezing cold, play time, eating, and lots and lots of sugar. Makes for a fun-filled weekend.
A conversation between two cousins

Uh, is this all that's in this thing?


Fav item left by the Bunny - purple sparkles flip flops - all else forgotten

This would be a pile up

My Buddy Bart

Rea & Emmett (he on the other hand - no)

Tub fun with Ella

Savana & Malia

Reagan holding Baby Sawyer (and Kennedy wanting out)

Rea, Coop & Kennedy (almost impossible to get a good smiley photo of kids)

Although you can tell from the picture...this wasn't funny to someone...but it was certainly funny for me. Reagan is bathing and I'm down cleaning the kitchen. I hear this hysterical screaming and go running up there....and immediate bust up laughing and run get the camera. We've had this silly shape able soap thing from Bath & Body Works since Christmas and never has it worked. However, she would dig it out of the trash whenever I attempted to throw it away. Apparently, it had enough pressure built up from all the attempts at getting the yummy smelling blueberry stuff out, that on this fine night of bathing, it totally exploded. Soap was spraying in the air, all over the tub, the room, and especially Reagan. While I was laughing, she was crying. One man's pain is another man's pleasure. She doesn't think these pictures are funny. She doesn't even want to see them. Me, well I share them with all so we can laugh together.