HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREG!!

I know, I know...his birthday was last Sunday, but I didn't want to leave him out of the spotlight (even if he did leave me for five days to go to texas and wasn't even home on his birthday).

Anyway, a couple of things about Greg...when he was little he was very mischevious. He popped his brother's water bed, just to see what would happen. He shot arrows into the camper of his dad's truck. He pointed BB guns and police men when they were just feet away from him. He pushed on the gas of his g-ma's car when he thought she should be driving faster. Do you wonder why the twins are always into trouble...they come by it innocently.

But we have been together since we were 14 and he was slowly growing out of being mischievious, I thought, until when we were dating and we got into a fight in front of my house, in his truck. He told me to get out and then spinned his wheels so lot's of mud flew up all over me! Nice! But I still stuck around because I was head over heels inlove with this guy (ask my sister's about all the crazy stuff I saved from him) and I'm so glad I did. He is the sweetest man I've met. We have our moments, like yesturday when we got into a small fight (I will blame it on PMS) and so I thought I'd better apologize. So I did by text and I didn't hear from him all day. I thougt he was still mad. When he did finally call he didn't say a thing just started playing Elvis Presley's song "Don't be Cruel". I did have to laugh!! He's a great dad and the boys want to be just like him and I hope they do!! Happy birthday Greg!!

October's Events

I had a bunch of pictures uploaded and my lil stinker snuck under the computer while I was typing under the pictures and turned the computer off! I was livid because it takes so darn long to download anything on my computer. But two days later I've calmed down enough to try and upload some pictures again.

Greg and I went to Hawaii over confrence weekend. Our last night we went to one of the resorts and had a crab bake. It consists of tons and tons of seafood, which did not sit right in my tummy...but the company and our table being right on the beach made up for all of that!

We did a lot of exploring that had us using our 4-wheel drive, but took us to some pretty remote places that were beautiful!

This view is breathtaking! It is at the top of a road that goes down into a valley where people live. You have to either have 4-wheel drive or you have to walk the couple of miles down. Lot's of people backpack down in and stay a few days. That would be fun!

So this happens ALOT with the twins! They are constantly into something, my makeup mostly. They have been potty trained for a few weeks, which puts them in the bathroom constantly and they do naughty things in there like flood toilets or pee all over, but at least they are potty trained!!

Greg took the boys to UT to hunt and Austy got a bumble bee stuck in his ear. So Greg did what any father would do...he got pliers and got it out! Poor Aust!

Carving pumpkins

Myself, Cathie, Robyn and Anne ran the Zombie 1/2 marathon. I was so worried that it was going to snow, but we couldn't have asked for a more perfect fall day! I was border line pnemonia, but I have a goal of running one 1/2 marathon a year and I hadn't done it this year. So I finished 7 minutes slower than I would've liked, but I mostly contribute that to the hill that was ALMOST the whole last mile. Next year the course goes the opposite direction so for sure I'm doing it :)

The kids at joy school had a little party. They practiced a few songs and performed for the mom's. It turned out so cute...which is a miracle because these kids cannot sit still to learn anything!

Chablis and Merm had a fun "witches night out". We ate yummy food and mostly laughed. Thanks for hosting, Chablis!!

Hunter's 11!!

It doesn't surprise me that he just turned 11...it mostly surprises me because he acts so much older than 11. I have to remind myself he really is still a kid. We got both Hunt & Aust bikes this summer for their birthdays. Austy decided that he wanted Hunter to have something to open for his birthday. So I took him to the store and he chose out a lego set for $35...using his own money. I tried to tell him that Hunter probably didn't need something so expensive, but he wanted to get it for him. He couldn't wait for Hunter to open it. I thought that was really sweet.

Austin's Baptism

Austy turned eight in July, but because of schedule's he was finally baptized the first Saturday in October, by his father. Way to choose the right, Aust!!

All six of us

Austin and Carter (they have a love/hate relationship, but are best of friends)

All the men in my life!

Austy and his dad

school pictures

HUNTER

Hunter is usually my peacekeeper...although keep in mind he is a boy and he is just turning 11, so he's also the instigator. He's usually the one that is trying to do what's right in our family. On a busy night (most nights are) the kids were all going to bed at different times and when I went in to kiss the boys good night, Hunter invited myself and dad to his and Austy's goodnight prayers. I'm glad that he has such a special spirit...someone's got to have it in this household! Greg can't stand to watch him play sports because he's like me, we both try hard, but it's not a passion for us. He loves everybody, and is a pretty-well rounded kid. He loves to hunt with his dad and has a mature personality, it sometimes gets on my nerves, but I love the kid!

AUSTIN

Austin just started taking piano lessons a few weeks ago and LOVES it. You never know with him what he's going to love and just kind of like. He's got a very sweet heart for little kids and animals. I love this picture of him because it is his personality completely. He doesn't let people persuade him into anything, he does whatever he wants to do. He's not a pleaser but he still wants to do what's right. It's fun to go one-on-one with him and see him dancing in the car when he thinks your not looking...love him!

RYDER

He's my sneeky child. He's earned the title "check his pockets" whenever we are leaving somewhere. He has a talent of stuffing his pockets to the max. Things that I never think will fit into his pockets end up in his pocket. He's always got a sway of his head, like a he's got some sort of song in his head at all times. He's usually the instigator of all sorts of mischief...mostly sneaking into my make-up and snacks. His picture is also perfect for him. He did not want to smile for the camera, so this half smile will do. He's always got on some superhero costume. Love the kid!

PEYTON

Peyton is our jokester! He's always making us laugh. If I try to kiss him he acts like he's going to kiss me back, but he licks me instead. We are potty training both boys and he makes jokes out of everything...needless to say it's a challenge to take him serious. He is my only child that constantly tells me he loves me. He has so much energy and seems to bounce off the walls. When it was time for pictures he walked right up to the chair sat down and started smiling, even before the camera lady was ready. Super cute kid...and of course I love him!!

What were we thinking?

You know that country song "What were we thinking?" Well that's what I think of when I think of our experience at the fair this year. Myself and Robyn wanted to take her kids and the twins to the fair this passed monday. Strike #1...Memorial Day & last day of the fair. Greg is in UT with Hunter and Austin and Kent wants to go 4-wheeling with our neighbor, who's wife is also out of town. Strike #2...no spouses, and three extra kids. So between Robyn and myself we had 8 kids under the age of 6!!! Strike #3...two stroller+a million people+fair=disaster!!

When we left our homes it was cloudy, even raining. By the time we made it through the fair traffic it was beautiful and actually hot out. But we dressed for it to be cold, so we were dying and trying to find shade every second. We saw all the animals and then we bribed the kids into buying a toy instead of riding rides because it was too crazy. After one child's major break down we knew it was time to go. Then we left. But not without first trying the most yummiest cream puffs ever...and they were huge! Fun times.

Melinda with almost all the kids we brought...missing baby Paxson
Robyn with almost all the kids, again...missing baby Paxson
Ryder, Peyton and Mason helping Robyn box up her house. They've sold their house, moved in with us until their new house is finished. It's been lot's of fun!
Kaiden, Mason, Abbi, Ryder, Peyton all watching something interesting. You can see that Ryder wants to smile for the picture, but doesn't want to stop watching the show.

Also, if anybody knows any secrets of keeping soap scum off of your glass shower door...please clue me in! I hate having glass doors on my shower!!! Is there any special miracle cleaning agent that gets the crap off, besides lime-a-way?

Summer Updates

In July we got to spend a few weeks in UT, which was really nice because it rained here all summer! Infact it's still raining. This summer has been the coldest on record for AK since the 1950's. It rained 33 straight days and then we had some nice weather for a day or two. Maybe this means winter won't be so long?

Splash pad in Highland, UT. It was fun to be able to spend some time in the sun.

We spent a lot of time in the water since it was so hot.

I got to meet up with some awesome girls while in Utah. Holly Sanders, Me, Deb Cannon & Stacey Mitchell. We all shared a short period of our lives together in Philly.

No wonder I never see the boys at the ranch (fish lake)...they have so many boy cousins to play with!

Austy and Lucky. Austy was never without this dog!

Hunter, Austy & G-pa on G-pa Harr's horse

Ryder & Peyton trying to decide if they like bareback or not.

I thought this was so cute!

At the beginning of August six of us went on a girls trip to Denali. It was a lot of fun! We had fun just being girls...not mom's for a few nights. We went river-running, pictures are somewhere. We hiked, ate, talked all night, slept-in, and ate more!
We all got the same sweathshirts...except Heather's, but it's mostly the same, just ran out of that color. Bobbi, Robyn, Heather, Cathie & Me. Marsha didn't want to get a sweatshirt cuz she said she had too many. I think she got a scarf instead. I really think she just didn't want to match, j/k!

The hot tub over looked the river that we ran. I think that it was past time for the hot tub to be open, but we had just had icecream and so we wanted to warm up a bit. Cathie, me, Robyn

All of us at hot tub.

Eating icecream, and doing as much shopping as you can in Denali at their one row of shops.

On a small hike. Cathie, Marsha, Bobbi, Robyn, me, and Heather. (By the way, Heather had just broken her tow, but she was such a trooper and still kept up with us.)

Now summer is over. The boys have been in school for two weeks. We started JoySchool yesturday with a total of eight kids, flagfootball has taken up a few of our nights. Basketball season soon to start...it's never going to end with four boys! Busy, busy, busy!

13 years!

13 years has come and gone so fast! I couldn't of asked for a better companion, plus he is a very sexy man! I feel like lately I have more love for this man that I married. I've worked hard at not taking him for granted, especially since I realize how short life can be and we don't know how long we have with those we love. Last week we had four airmen crash a c-17 while they were practicing for the airshow last weekend. Come to find out one of them lives in my neighborhood. I passed him often out washing his 4-wheelers and camper trailor. He had a wife and two young boys. My heart goes out to his family and I can't imagine the hardships she's going through right now and in the near future. I just want to hold on dearly to those I love so I know they are safe and sound, but that is not reality. You just have to live each day loving those around you!!

Happy Birthday to our big Austy!

Austin is now 8! Eight things about Aust:

1-He's definetly his own person...he's not persuaded by many people.
2-He loves lego's more than anything.
3-He is so sweet with animals and babies.
4-He is a great helper.
5-He loves soccor.
6-He always says thank you for everything. No matter what I feed him, he's thankful, or if he gets to do something fun...he let's you know he's thankful.
7-He loves to sing, loudly and crazy, if I can catch him!
8-He has the sweetest big brown eyes that melt you.

Happy Birthday to our big Aust!

Random writing...for journaling purposes

This summer I'm noticing that girls are "noticing" Hunter. A few in the neighborhood, a few at the pool, and at the parade today. The cute girl at the parade was handing out candy and she gave some to Austin, who of course had a grocery bag and was stealing it from the three years olds. Hunter wasn't and never really has been interested in a lot of sweets (who's child is he???), but this cute girl gave some to Austin and then seeked hunter out and gave him just one piece. I thought maybe she went to his school. So I asked, but no, he didn't know her. Great! I feel the mamma claws coming out with some of these girls and I'm sure that I'm not going to do well when he starts dating. Girls these days are a lot more aggressive than I remember being when I was younger.

Greg and a few of his partners are starting up a pedo clinic which opens in a few weeks. They have had the boys go over and help clean up and tape for painting. One of the times I was told that Austin flat out said no he didn't want to help when asked, which does surprise me a little, he's usually a pretty good helper. So I told him how hard he worked depended on his pay. So they went again yesturday and I told Aust that he should try to work his hardest and he said "That's exactly what I was thinking!" Wow! Good timing right? And when I picked him up he said he worked so hard. Cute kid!

The twins have a thing going where if one is crying and you tell him to calm down the other will say "I not cryin mama!" They do this for everything! When the older boys aren't home I have to lock their room or the twins will play with lego's for hours, destroying all the creative stuff the boys have made. They want to ride their bigwheels all day! Our house is in a culdesac which goes onto a dead end street. In each direction is a gradual hill. They will ride their big wheels up and down it all day if I let them. Peyton loves to go fast and his face is so funny when he goes fast.

We went on a big bike ride over the 4th with some friends. We all have bikes and the twins just get pulled in the Chariot. We went about 24 miles round trip. The whole way Austin is saying are we turning around yet, are we turning around yet, etc...When we finally decided to turn around Greg labeled him a "horse". If you've ever gone horse back riding you know that the horse has a sense when you are heading back and they go faster. They are more determined. That was Austin. He just took off when we said we were going back and we didn't catch him for a good 5-6 miles.

Hat's off to Robyn! Myself, Robyn and Bobbi went on a bike ride this morning. We parked and then rode next to the freeway from the Eagle River exit south to the Hiland exit, which if you are familiar with that area you know it crosses the river and goes up, up, up! Then we went around the loop, past walmart, past skyline drive and to the North ER exit and back to the middle ER exit. It has some pretty consistent hills. Robyn has a pretty cool road bike that makes me have to pedal twice as hard to normally keep up with her. But she was falling behind. At the top of one of the hills she stopped and said something must be wrong with her bike. We were checking it out and sure enough...the gears on the left side of her bike were on the hardest, but she couldn't remember which one was easy or hard. She never got off and walked she just kept pushing through. That's what I love about Robyn...she never gives up!!

I've been really bad about taking pictures so that's why it's all just writing!