Summer so far...

We have had a lot of fun already this year.  We have gone fishing three times, actually did some catching the first two times.  The last time, I think we were just at the wrong time of day for the fish to be active.  We gave up fishing and went for a drive on the mountain instead.  Jeff drove us up past Hacking Lake, as far as we could go without blazing a trail through the snow, and we got out and walked up farther so we could see over the edge.  Brenan thought that was pretty cool.  On our way back down the road, we stopped and let the boys, including my biggest one, throw rocks into a big pond that was going across the "road" we wanted to drive up.  Brenan said we should do that everyday, and I think Connor would agree with him.  They had fun.  I do have pictures of it, but they are on my phone and I have not sent them to the online album and then went and retrieved them yet, so they will come later.  We stopped again when we crossed Trout Creek and let them throw rocks again, because we told them they could stop at the lake, but it was really muddy and rutted out so we didn't drive over to it.  Fathers Day wasn't great (sorry honey) and he still hasn't gotten his present because it has not gotten here yet.  Then, one of Jeffs people found a buyer for the pump we took off his semi, so we needed to get it to Salt Lake so we could make a little money and get rid of the silly thing.  We drove out on Wednesday, got to eat Red Lobster which I had been craving, then went to find a hotel.  The one we wanted had a waterslide in it and I had shown Brenan pictures of it because we had planned on going a day later and I was making a reservation on line...  long story...  anyway, we got there and they were full because of all the Chevron guys there for the oil spill.  We drove on North a little ways so Jeff would not have as far to drive from the hotel to the shop to drop off the pump.  We found one that we had stayed in before and got a room.  As soon as we hit the room, everyone was stripping because we wanted to go swimming...  it was a little funny.  We went swimming and my two little daredevils had a blast jumping off the edge into the water.  Connor got tired of waiting for Brenan and pushed him in once, but that was about the biggest arguement between the two of them all night.  Connor is very independent and kept trying to push away from whomever was holding him, he has even learned to hold on to the edge of the pool and walk himself around with his hands by himself already...   The kid just has no fear!  After about an hour and a half of swimming and jumping, we went up to the room and got ready for bed.  Brenan had to lay by his dad, so I was in the other bed with Connor.  He fell asleep pretty easy.  HAHA  Then, I moved Brenan over by him so I could lay by my honey, he was alseep and on top of the covers so it wasn't exactly comfy for a little bit, but it got better.  After a night of not a lot of sleep, Jeff went and took the pump to the shop and got it out of the car.  Then he came back, we had breakfast and headed out.  We took the boys to the Hogle Zoo.  They had fun, Jeff and I were tired, thirsty, and hot...  we decided it was a little too much like exercise for us. hahaha.  We got to go on the carousel three times and the train once.  I got blisters on my toes from wearing not great shoes for walking.  It was a fun time had by all...   then we went and got lunch at Sizzler and had to wake Connor up to get him to eat... poor kid was totally tuckered out and did NOT want to be awake.  Then we headed home.  The next morning, Jeff had to head out to North Dakota again.  He left and an hour later I was at the doctors office with two sick boys.  Brenan has pneumonia (pops and bubbles in his lungs and blisters on his eardrums) Connor has infection in both ears, but his lungs were clear.  If there is one part of being a mom that I hate, it is when my kids are sick.  I HATE IT!  I know they are miserable and there isn't really anything I can do to help them and they don't understand why they don't feel well...  It is just NOT fun... for anyone.  Got them started on their medications, Brenan hates the eardrops, and Connor thinks he has to have them too, and he actually lays still and does a lot better at it than Brenan does.  They are both really good at taking medicine so at least that is not a fight.  Today, they are acting like they are starting to feel better, both still a little cranky and fussy, but I am trying to be understanding about it.....

New Year's Resolutions.... UPdate.

I have to say that I am just a little bit proud of myself...  I have never really followed through with resolutions much, mostly because I think I was too vague or unrealistic in what I set.  This year, I posted about what my resolutions were going to be, I just went back and read them and I was very pleasantly surprised.  I have succeeded in all but one of them.  And it's only April!  Wahoo!

I have been going to church in our new ward, which I love because it is a lot of young people with kids.  There are so many kids in the nursery, they have 4-5 adults in there at a time to help out and they put name tags on the kids so they can remember them all.  HAHA  I even went to a relief society dinner last night and got to know some of the other new people in the ward.  I was hesitant to go, I really am not a social butterfly in any form, but it was a lot of fun.  We have even went and talked to the bishop about going to the temple and we started paying tithing!!

I finished reading the Book of Mormon!!  I have done this before, but it was when I was either in seminary or when I was in New Jersey 17 years ago.  I plan on starting over and also adding in some Bible since our Sunday school is doing the Old Testament.   So.... wish me luck with that!

I have been doing a lot better at keeping the blog updated, either with pictures or just with stuff we have been doing.  Compared to last year, I have done great.  Now I just have to keep it up.

The hubby and I have had a date every month so far.  I would like to make this more often, just have to find a babysitter and have him in town on a regular basis and at a normal hour.

Keeping the house decluttered and more organized...  This one depends on who you talk to.  It still is not good enough for Jeff, and I doubt I ever will be.  I think I have been doing better.  There has only been twice in 4 months that I have not put the laundry away as it gets done, and that is something I hate doing.  I have been making my bed, keeping the kitchen and bathrooms wiped down, and toys put away mostly every night.  Of course, there have been lazy days (or painful days, whichever way you look at it) but on the whole, I have been doing well.

The budget... HHHMMMM...  This is still an issue, but not like it was before.  I have bought some stuff online and spent money on getting Jeff and I some church clothes and had to fix my car a couple times so we have gone off budget quite a bit, but we have not gone into debt to do it and we have paid for everything not on credit or anything like that.  Which leads to...

Putting money in savings accounts...  At the moment all three accounts have money in them.  Not as much as I would like, but at least they have some.  Really going to work on this one.

Getting healthier is one of the things that I spent money on.  I went around and around on which diet to try...  I really wanted to do the HCG one, I think it would really work for me.  Once I got the paperwork, I read that I could only have 1 TBSP of milk a DAY!!!  That totally does not work for me AT ALL!  I drink milk a lot and I love it.  I could handle the 500-900 calories a day diet, that is not a problem at all, but I have to have milk, so I know I would fail at that diet, so I didn't start it.  I decided to try Herbalife.  I have a friend that is on it and he has done awesome, so it was my second choice.  So far it has been two weeks and I have lost approximately 10 lbs (I didn't buy a scale until part way into it) and dropped a pants size.  I am pretty excited about that and I feel great.  I have been exercising more and going on walks with my boys.  I haven't had the energy to do that in a LONG time.  I don't really see a difference yet, but I know my pants fit a lot different, in a good way!

Paying off my car will take a while...  So I guess making payments on it and adding a little to the minimum each month will have to count as progress. 

So, there is the quarterly update... haha...  I really feel like I did well at making goals that I could keep up with and see progress on.  Sorry this was so long and boring, and if you made it this far, thanks for reading it.  

Capt. Unnaware....

So Connor has this thing about putting pants and underwear on his head and thinking it is funny.  He runs around being proud of his headware, laughing and showing off.  That is what he was doing until I pointed my phone at him and it clicked.  That is when I got the glare!!  I think it is mostly the waistband squishing his poor little forehead, but apparently, he didn't think it was funny that I took his picture.  I think it is quite hilarious and it has kept me laughing all day. 

Easter 2010

Last year we went to the Easter Egg hunt that they do at the Vernal ballpark.  It was AWFUL!!  I could not believe how people behave.  This thing is supposed to be for kids, but the parents were dragging the poor children, their coats flapping behind them, as they themselves were grabbing and snatching the eggs and candy even if it meant stealing it right out of the hands of someone else.  I vowed to never go back.  This year, we went to the one in Naples instead.  It was so much better!  They had so much candy strewn on the lawn and they had large areas for each age group.  They also had bigger prizes on each area as well.  People started from all four sides, instead of being all scrunched together like cattle.  Brenan was being his normal anti-social self and decided he would rather lean up against a tree by himself than join in the fun, so there are no pictures of him.  Connor caught on pretty quick after I showed him that it was not trash all over the lawn, but he did look at me funny with the first few pieces he picked up.  It was like he could not figure out why he was doing this with my encouragement, when usually he gets told to NOT pick stuff up off the ground.  Even though there were quite a few people there, and the parents were helping, most people went for the middle where the bigger stuff was and left Connor to his own devices on the edge to pick up candy at his leisure.  I picked up a handful for Brenan so he had at least a little bit and tried to get him to come back out to the egg hunt with me, but he stayed by his tree.  When all the candy was picked up, Connor was so proud of his little basket of treats!  It was so cute!  Brenan was upset because he only got a little bit compared to what Connor got, but I told him if he wanted the rewards, he had to do it himself.  He said if I took him to the other one in town, he would do it there....  Despite the experience of last year, I agreed to take him up there.  We got to the ballpark and there weren't that many people there yet.  They had a little area for 0-3, but when I parked, Brenan insisted he was staying in the car.  I took Connor over to the truck that was handing out bags of candy, got one for Brenan as well, and then went to stand by the egghunt area.  If I would have paid more attention and realized that all that was on the lawn was real eggs, I would have just left.  When it started, the lady in charge (at least she was the one with the megaphone) said that each spot had 2 plastic eggs with writing on them, and if you got one of those you got a prize.  Everyone else just left with a bunch of eggs that had been cooked and colored who knows how long before hand...  We had gotten there early and were in the front until about 10 seconds before it started, then we had about 8 people come crowd in front of us.  Guess they felt they were more special.  They said "GO" and you would have thought those eggs were made of GOLD!  It was even worse than last year.  I almost had to punch a lady in the face when she bent over and hit Connor in the face with her butt and knocked him over.  I was hanging on to his hand so he didn't actually fall all the way down, but I was FUMING!  I picked him up by both hands and RAN to the middle of the lawn where no one had made it to yet.  I put him down and showed him the eggs.  He got 3 before he was manhandled and pushed around by all the parents trying to get their kids more than anyone else had.  There were a few other parents that I heard make comments about how ridiculous it was and I have thought seriously about planning MY OWN Easter egg hunt and having RULES!!!   I know I pissed one guy off pretty good, because his kid was after the same egg as Connor, but Connor was closer, and when the other kid (who was NOT 0-3) tried to snatch it out of his hand, he saw me standing there and I said "yeah, try it"....  needless to say, Connor got that one.  The dad was not happy and was glaring and saying how "chickens**t" it was, but I was just in the mood for him to start something, I would have enjoyed beating the living daylights out of him! 

My boys

I must say, I think I have the most adorable boys EVER!  They are so funny to me.  I know a lot of parents probably think their kids are the cutest things ever, so I am keeping it in perspective, but mine are still the best!  :)

The other day, I posted this on facebook, but I am still cracking up over it so I am going to put it here too.  Brenan came walking into my bedroom with a cup of water from the bathroom.  He took a little sip of it and said "Aaaahhh, that's a good cup'a joe!".  I chuckled to myself, the kid actually does pay attention to his movies even when you don't think he is.  He then came over to me and handed me an empty cup and filled it with the puller thing for the blinds.  I took a sip and then was informed I was doing it wrong because "we have to bonk our cups together" first.  So we did that and were enjoying our 'joe' when Connor decided he didn't like being left out.  Brenan went into the other bathroom and got the cup from in there and brought it so his brother could have some too.  Connor took it, said "taintuuu" (thankyou) and proceeded to wander around the house sipping air from the cup and saying "aaaahhhh, joe" in his sweet little baby voice and words.  I was laughing all day! 

They come up with the funniest little games to play together that just make me smile.  I love hearing them play and laugh together instead of fighting and yelling all the time.  Connor is a hugger and he asks for hugs all the time.  Sometimes Brenan will give them to him and other times he will say no, which makes Connor want it all that much more.  He usually eventually gets it, whether it is given willingly or not.  Brenan will tell Connor to show his teeth and then be so excited that a new one came in, even though it really hasn't yet.  This morning, right after Connor woke up, they were both in my room.  Brenan got to laughing so hard, Connor was saying "boo!" to him, and he would say "aaahhh" and hide or run.  Connor would crack up and say it again.  It was a great way to start out the day.  Hearing their little voices entertaining each other and laughing together.  I just LOVE it!

My hair....

My hair and I have had a love/hate relationship for as long as I can remember.  I HATED it when my mom cut it short and permed it.  I just hated it.  I swore for the longest time that I would NEVER cut it short again.  In junior high and high school, that was the growing out period, and it never really looked like it was anything that anyone would brag about.  In college, it wasn't too bad.  It was long, I kept coloring it just because I wanted to, so that kept it kind of interesting.  The main problem I have always had is I am not "girly" enough to make it look right and do what it's supposed to do.  It is also very thick, somewhat coarse, and prone to split ends, so unless it is barely cut, it just sort of lays there.  A year ago this week, I decided that I was tired of it and wanted something different.  Way different.  I cut it off.  The first time she cut it, she took off about two feet, so when I say I cut it OFF, I mean it.  I have gotten a lot of compliments on it being short, a lot more than I ever did while it was long, but unless I go get it cut about every 3 weeks or so, it grows too fast and doesn't keep the shape and style it was cut into, so it just lays there... haha  I have been trying to decide if I want to keep it short and go get it cut again or if I want to grow it out.  It really is a lot easier to do while short, just blow dry it and sometimes put goop on and hairspray it.  But, there is not very much you can do with short hair.. at least not in the time I am willing and able to spend on doing my hair.  Also, there is the stigma or whatever it is, guys like long hair.  Jeff says he doesn't care, but I know he liked my long hair, and you very rarely see anyone that is a sex object type girl with short hair... its a sexy thing to have the hair blowing and flowing...  and I need all the help I can get in that area...  being sexy is not something I am known for.. haha  Not really sure what the point of this posting is, but...  there it is.

Nothing really to say...

I don't really have a lot to add to anything, I just felt like I needed to put something on here.  We are in our own place now and it is awesome!  The boys are finally  getting used to it, we put Connor in a twin size bed like Brenan's instead of the crib and he seems to like it.  He can get out and come find us when he wakes up instead of having to holler at us and then wait until we get there.  I think he basically sleep-walks into our room, it's pretty much 1am every time, and he is practically asleep as soon as I lay him back on his bed.  That is when I wake up enough to take him in there instead of just pulling him up onto our bed and snuggling him in.  He is so soft and snuggly still, I love it.  He is starting to lose his chubby legs and that makes me sad.  His fat little legs were so cute and fun to play with.  He is talking up a storm and tries new words every day.  Some of them sound really good and others he needs more practice with.  HAHA.  He tells good stories, though.  Connor is also very interested in what his brother is doing in the bathroom.  He is so funny, he will run in there after him hollering 'pee, pee, pee!"  even though he really doesn't know what that means just yet I dont think.  He does come and tell me 'poop' when he has a dirty diaper, so I guess he is catching on pretty well for only being 18 months old.  Brenan is still going to preschool and loves it.  He asks every day if he is going to school that day.  He is trying to talk himself into wanting a bike.  I think he wants one, but the one I got him for his birthday was too big and I think it scared him to be up that high and not really know what he was doing.  I found a small one at the store and he rode it all over the place even though he kept telling me I had to push him because he couldn't get it going... turns out it had a flat back tire and the training wheels were holding it up off the ground enough that it was just spinning..  no wonder he couldn't make it go!  His behavior is getting worse and I really would like to get him back into the doctor and get an actual diagosis so we can move on and figure out what will help.  I am at the end of my rope with him some days and just don't know where to go from here.  Jeff and I are doing great.  Our new car is being stupid and the engine light came on, so it is getting fixed today.  Guess I will have to consider that my birthday present...  that sucks.  haha   We bought a half a beef, and let me tell you, our freezer is stuffed!!  I don't think I could fit one more package of hamburger in it if we tried!  I have been trying to think of recipes that use hamburger that we don't normally eat so we can mix it up a little and still use what we have.  I am so happy about having a full freezer!  I love it.