Well, it's been quite the week! It was my turn to teach preschool this week, letter P. We did a lot of gluing crafts and I even made some homemade play dough that we made "pottery" out of then I baked it! They actually tuned out pretty well. :) Wednesday night was scout meetings for Heath and me. Heath was weighing the boys cars for the pinewood derby this weekend and mine was just our monthly committee meeting at 8:45 pm! But, this month I was put in charge of the meeting because our committee chair is on a month long cruise! Lucky her!! So, I ran the hour and a half long meeting with the brand new scoutmaster, 1st counselor in the bishopric and the young men's president. No! I wasnt at all intimidated :) It did end up just fine and we got the merit badge clinic (I'm also in charge of) all figured out for the end of the month. So, now my stress from the week is gone and my house is a mess and there's no food in cupboards :) thank goodness it's Friday!! And i just found out Johnny might be coming... We're going to take the kids to the pinewood derby for a little while tomorrow- I'm thinking they'll love it- we'll see!! Heath is a judge for the cars :)
Side note: Today, as I was buckling her in the car, gracie said "Mom, look at my stomach, when I sniff it gets bigger! Watch mom!" I love this age of self awareness!!

So, it's been a long time! My new years goal (one of them) is to do better at this. So, highlights from the past 6 months: Gracie started preschool! It's a co-op with 4 other women in the ward, which means I teach every 5th week. It's been really great so far and Gracie loooves it- I'm hoping it means she's going to like kindergarten, because I don't know what I'll do if she has a hard time with that! I hope this summer is really long!

Gracie loves playing in the sandbox in the backyard and going to the park. She loves going to target and walking through the toys and pushing all the buttons on the ones that do things. She can direct me how to get home or to anywhere and she knows her left and right! She is the pickiest eater ive ever seen and, if she had it her way, would only eat chocolate and pizza! She is so helpful with crew and will do anything I ask her. She is the best big sister! She wakes up and comes straight to me, gives me a big hug and says "good morning, mama!" I love having her around and am dreading sending her to kindergarten in 8 months- is homeschooling really so bad?? :) I'm really going to miss her.

Crew is now walking and talking and reaking havoc everywhere he goes! Wow, boys are really different than girls!! He sings the Elmo songs and wants to watch Elmo as soon as he wakes up in the morning.

He also sings the dora song and loves ive been working on the railroad and popcorn popping. Singing to him will calm him down anytime. He loves fruit snacks and eating cereal by himself. He learned about candy canes this christmas and now I always have them on hand. He wants to be outside all the time and loves the swings and slide at the park. He dances with me in the car and flirts with every blonde that walks by! He's usually happy and will always give me hugs and kisses (if I bribe him with candy)

Our life since july has been pretty normal:
Heath traded his beloved truck for a jeep so we can fit the whole family :)

this is what he showed me after I told him I was worried about the kids being so out in the open!

He's still working at the prison and enjoying it because of the people he works with. We've started a "dinner club" with them- we go to a new restaurant once month and eat and talk- it's really fun to get out and try new places. They're really great people!
We've been visiting Cory every month- Gracie likes going to cory's house because he has candy machines :) but she doesn't like that he always wears orange! He's doing well and we're excited for him to get out in September.
Heath and I have new church callings! Heath is a wolf leader and I am the boy scout advancement chair. Heath is doing great and the boys love him! Last night he's started building the track for the pinewood derby! I am learning a lot- that I don't know anything!! I learned a few things quick because when I got put in I had 3 weeks until the court of honor and I was in charge of all the merit badges and organizing the boards of review- like I said, I'm learning a lot!! We're both glad to have non-Sunday callings now - especially with our new 8:00 schedule!! :)

We got to go to Utah twice in December - when Jeffrey came home!!

And again for Christmas! We also got to go on the polar express for the first time!

It was a blast- the kids loved being on a train and eating huge cookies! Williams is a great little town.

We've had a wonderful 2011 and we're looking forward to an awesome 2012 filled with huge life changes that we're hoping will be wonderfully exciting!

Just wanted to add a few pictures from Halloween and other random ones...



Gracie falls asleep everywhere!  I have pictures of her on my bathroom floor, a million at the table eating, and this one at the table mid color!













Halloween 2011: Crew as Nachoooooo Libre and Gracie as a honey bee.  Love the mustache!



....and Heath lighting all the pumpkins on fire as the trick-or-treaters come to our house.




Shooting in Alpine.  Crew didn't like the ear plugs but he quickly learned he had to wear them if he didn't want to be in the car, so he got used to them.



Vacations!

So, it's summer!! Well.... not so !! here in Arizona. The kids can't play outside and I can hardly stand to go outside. But, luckily we got to go out out of the state and play with family in much cooler climates!
A couple weeks ago (june 23rd) we woke up bright and early and set off for Utah for a family reunion on my side. It was also Gracie's 4th birthday!! She didn't really get birthdays yet.. but she loooved getting presents to unwrap every few hours in the car and she knew there was a crown cake waiting for her at Grandmas! What she didn't know was that there were presents too!! Aunt Josie decorated the gazebo and Grandpa started a fire to roast marshmallows! Grandma had princess plates and cups and Susie made a huge crown cake for her! She was in heaven!!!


So, the next day we were supposed to leave for Logan for my family reunion- but that morning we got a call from my sister that she was in the hospital having her baby!! So, we got packed and ready and headed to hospital in hopes of her having the baby before we had to leave for the reunion. We went back and forth to the hospital and errands for most of the day. (my kids couldn't take too much hospital at one time) we stayed as long as we could but we just had to leave so we wouldn't miss the reunion - we knew we could come back the next day and see the baby! :) So, we left - with my dad in the very back of our car sitting on the floor with all the bags and Josie in between my kids. It was an interesting 3 hour ride to Logan. We got there in time for dessert and to see all the cousins for a few minutes. Alexis ended up delivering just as we got to Logan! So everyone just wanted to see pics of the baby!

The next day we had a wonderful time at a park in Providence, playing and eating and chatting with all the relatives. I love seeing my cousins and aunts and uncles. We have such an wonderful family! So fun! After that we headed home with Heath in the back of the car this time! We went straight to the hospital to see the baby and boy is she cute!! Again, the kids didn't last long so soon we were on our way back to my parents house to bath kids and get ready for another day of driving.

We woke up the next morning and left for Vegas! We were going for a reunion with some friends from school in Texas. They live in Canada and Chicago. It was sooo fun to see them and hang out and catch up! We swam and ate yummy food and went to see the Bellagio gardens and dancing fountains. We bowled and slept and had a blast. Gracie had so much fun with their kids! The Mclungs have a boy, Hayden that's a month younger than Gracie and a boy, Grayson that's a month older than Crew! And the Edmunds have a boy. Peyton that's right in the middle of all of them! They had sooo much fun together, Gracie was sooo sad when we had to leave. She still talks about playing with Peyton and Hayden.

We had a blast! We got home Wednesday evening and unpacked and packed to go to Alpine for the 4th of July!

Before we left on thursday we CUT CREWS HAIR! Yes- I finally gave in and felt sorry for the boy. So we tied him down and cut it all off. It took a long time for me to get used to it (and even longer for him!) But, I love it now! He looks like he's 3 years old now and he looks like a real boy!!

We left right after that and drove (again) 4 1/2 hours to the other Grandma and Grandpas house. All in all in a 10 days we drove 2200 miles. Our poor kids! Everytime we put them in the car now they get antsy! don't think we'll do that again for awhile!

We did have fun in Alpine though! Gracie and the other kids were in the parade in a little train that Grandpa Hoopes had made for them. Jason pulled it with the 4 wheeler and it was the cutest float in the 10 minute parade.

The sad part was seeing Alpine after the biggest fire in Arizona history burned the mountains all around it the town. It even burned our beloved Escadia, the mountain where Heath carved our names in a tree when we first got married, and all his siblings had theirs as well. It was a place we went to ride 4 wheelers and have picnics. It was so beautiful and it's completely gone. But, Alpine the town- is still there and we're thankful for that. We hope to have a little bit of land up there someday :)

We had a blast with our family and friends (we took our next door neighbors up there with us) we played games and ate yummy food and I even got to go on a harley ride! So fun we were sad for our long trip to end. We came home Sunday and are still trying to get back to normal.

My brother, Johnny came to visit today so we're excited for the weekend! Too bad it's too hot to go do anything!

So, yesterday was Father's Day! So, I thought I'd take a minute and write a few things about my wonderful husband and father.

My Dad, I don't even know where to start. He is the most humble, intelligent man I know. He has always worked so hard for my family. He made it possible to go on wonderful family trips and for me to go to Europe. He has tried to help with my math, and he didn't end up killing me! He is always the one to start "game night", which are some of my favorite memories and what I look forward to most now, when we get to go visit! He would help with my school projects when I was little, and mine were always the best ones! He wants all of us to do our best, and I know I try even harder everytime I think of him. I love his love for all things sports, especially baseball, he's made me a believer! He taught me how to drive a stick, for which I'm eternally grateful. I love spending time with my Dad. He's a wonderful dad and I couldn't ask for anything better! I'm so thankful I got to come to this family and have him for a Dad. I'm a lucky girl.

Now, Heath, to start I'll tell you what I got him for Father's Day: a "Captain America" t shirt, a socket wrench tool, and a transformer (yes the toy) but, that explains him perfectly. He loves to have fun! The kids favorite time of day is after dinner when he lays down on the floor in the family room and they both dog pile on him! Both my kids looove their papa! Crew screams "yay!" when he comes home and Gracie waits by the door when I tell her it's getting close.

The tool, Heath will help anyone with anything. He always has tools in the car and will pull over if he sees someone needs help. He goes to every move in our ward, he does all the yucky jobs at home that I hate (garbage, mowing, taking diapers out, changing filters and light bulbs, cleaning fans etc)

The Captain America shirt - well it should've been Superman - but he likes Captain America better :) He's the best papa and husband I (and my kids) could ever ask for and I count myself lucky everyday! I'm so thankful I found him and I get to be with him for eternity.

June 15th, 2011

Wow, this is exactly why I haven't done a blog before! I can't keep up to save my life - where does the time go??
I had really good intentions of doing a post a day and look at how far behind I am and it's my 2nd post, I'm really pathetic.
Oh well, brush it off and keep going.
As a quick catch up, this last weekend was a crazy one- Heath's family from all over came to Arizona for Cheri (Heath's sister) and her family to be sealed and for her son, Coltons, mission farewell. It was an awesome thing to be there in the temple as that family was sealed together for eternity.
Colton did a great job on his "farewell" talk- he is a wonderful speaker and I'm sure that talent will be fully utilized on his mission in Ft. Worth, Texas. He gets to speak Spanish, lucky guy! I think everyone should learn Spanish, these days. :)
It was so great to see all the family some of them came from Tennessee and some from Kansas, we don't see them much so it was a great weekend of catching up!
Gracie was is heaven with all of her cousins! I didn't hear her whine or cry once the whole weekend!! (very big for her!) I felt bad when Shannon took the twins home yesterday, Gracie looked like her best friend was moving away for ever. We'll see them soon, in Alpine, though. Madi, (Corys daughter) and Holly's kids- Lanee, Macee and Jack are staying at Cheri's for 2 weeks so we will get to see them some more!
They are actually here, at my house right now, I get to keep them for the night! The car ride home with the extra three kids made me rethink having 2 more...we'll see :)

So, as you can see-- super fun weekend!
Summer has officially hit us, in Arizona! It hit 100 degrees and it's not slowing down! :( It's been at least 105 for the past week and unfortunately we can expect those temperatures for the next 3 months....or more! My least favorite thing about Arizona. It's super hard with kids that just want to play outside all day! I need an indoor playground, so I guess that means, I need bigger house! It's hard to be here in the summer when your child is a red head, who, you can douse with sunscreen and she'll still burn, if she's outside more than an hour! Poor little girl.
We have a few trips planned in the next couple weeks- Utah for a reunion, on my side. Vegas for a reunion with some of the students from Beeville (where Heath went to hygiene school) and Alpine, for the 4th of July- if they're letting people back up there.
There is a huge fire burning right now in the white mountains, it horrible. It's become the biggest wildfire in Arizona history and, unfortunately, it's burning in my in-laws town and my husbands favorite spot in the world! It's so sad, Alpine will never be the same, as long as we're alive, anyway. So, the in-laws are living down here in their trailer, until they're allowed back up to their home. We are just hoping and praying that it will be before the 4th, cuz we're super excited to go up there!

Ok, so I feel like everyone has a blog and I'm totally out of the loop...so I thought I'd give it a try. I figure it will only be family and friends looking at it anyway, it's not like I'm trying to win a pulitzer for my writing abilities, still it's a little intimidating.


I think the reason I haven't done it yet is because my life is pretty much the same everyday. Every now and then we go to the movies or take a trip somewhere (Utah or Alpine) or maybe even go to the zoo and I feel to the average person these outings are not blog worthy. So, I'm going at this as if it's for my children. I will post the mundane things we do and the funny and not so funny things they do and hopefully, one day, they will be able to to read it and enjoy all the effort I put into this :)


So, day 1: My sister, Susie, just left yesterday from visiting us for a few days. Gracie fell apart when we got home from the airport and she realized she had missed it all by taking a nap in the car. I tried to wake her up, but she wouldn't budge. Poor little thing. Gracie is also recovering from her first black eye! She got it from hitting her face against her friend, Coopers, head. It's pretty pitiful looking.

A little about Gracie, she is almost 4 (june 23rd) she will talk your ear off from the moment she wakes up until the very moment she falls asleep. She's fun, almost always happy and very silly. She loves it when people laugh with her but not at her. She can play any game on the IPOD better than me. She loves to read and watch movies and can quote every movie we have. She love to put on lips (chapstick) and would live in a dress if I'd let her. She's a wonderful big sister and is always talking baby talk to her baby Crew. (And making sure everyone, including the store clerk at Target calls him Baby Crew) She is very kind to him and is always there to play with him or help him stop crying. The only issue we have with her is she takes his toys away. We're working on that. Gracie has the most beautiful hair! So beautiful, in fact, since she was about 1 we've never been able to get in and out of a store or building, for that matter, without someone saying something about her hair. She's a joy to me everyday and I can't wait to see her happy face every morning.

Baby Crew: He just turned 1 in February. He's the reason Heath hasn't been to class at church for the past 3 months. He started walking at about 13 months and he's been running and jumping ever since! He's a boy through and through. I wondered when I was expecting him if he would be as active outside as he was inside and he's worse! He came out running at 9 lbs 3 oz. He's my boy and he loves pushing trucks and cars around and making the sounds. He carries his animal book, that's as big as he is around everywhere he goes! The one "girly" thing he has is his very favorite toy, much to his papa's dismay, a pink purse that he puts on his shoulder and walks around with! It's the cutest thing ever and it's even cuter when his papa tries to take it away and he screams bloody murder and holds onto it with his gorilla grip! Papa has to let him have it after that. Poor baby Crew! He loves to sit on his sister everytime she lays on the ground and he hates the gate we recently put up to keep him out of the kitchen and out of the garbage! (my new favorite thing) He's happy and fun and also has beautiful hair- lucky for him he was born with it (Gracie didn't get hers til about 1) He came with a full head of hair, never lost any and it's just grown and grown since then. He's 15 months now and has 3 haircuts and is due for another. He does get called a girl every so often but.... I just can't! He's such a fun little guy and I love seeing his smiling face every morning!