Beauty School Drop-out.

I've heard of kids cutting their own hair before. In fact I've had a little of that happen around here. And we  had that one experience when both kids got a haircut PLUS the giant sized stuffed Unicorn, PLUS all of the barbies, PLUS a little patch of the carpet. But I kind of thought we were past that stage. I mean, my baby just turned 7 a few months ago, and in most cases she is mature beyond her years. But evidently NOT mature enough to be past the hair cutting stage...

That's right, it's her eyebrow. No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I do call her baldy, and yes she still cries about it. :)

Evidently during the art time she started wondering what would happen if she cut her eyebrow... not sure why that would even cross her mind, but anyway... so she picked up some scissors, grabbed a chunk right in the middle, and snipped. But then as she saw the reaction on the faces of her classmates she decided that it hadn't been everything she dreamed of. When I picked her up after school she had her hand over her eye, but when I asked her about it she said she didn't want to talk about it. She's not the kind of girl who says that and really means for you to fawn over her until she tells you, she really doesn't want to talk about it! So we didn't. As soon as we got out of the school she pulled her hood on and cinched it down tight so that you couldn't really see her face. When we got home she said she was tired and went straight to bed and pulled the covers over her hoodie covered head. This is a girl who does EVERYTHING in her power to prolong bed time until the last possible second, so I knew something was the matter. I went in and talked to her and tickled her and basically drove her nuts until finally she uncovered her face. I couldn't help it, I was so shocked I let out a gasp. That was all it took for her to burst into tears. Luckily I recovered quickly and was able to calm her down. Then we got out the eyebrow pencil and fixed it up. It worked so well you couldn't even tell if you didn't know it was there. Mary Kay saves the day once again!
A few days later one of our friends saw her and asked about her about her eyebrow. She answered "It's okay now, my mom used a magic pencil on it, and you can hardly even see it now." So hurray for the magic pencil, but when we got home she gave me the berries for telling anyone about it. I told her I posted about it on Facebook and she collapsed on the floor and moaned "MO-OM that's so EMBARRASSING! I think I might DIE!"
Well baby, get used to a good long life of nearly being embarrassed to death, because not only am I on Facebook, but I'm a blogger too! :) HA HA!

The best disaster we ever had

Warning: this is a super long post, and there aren't even any pictures, consider yourself warned.

So a few months ago (I know, I haven't blogged for ages, don't judge I've only blogged 7 times this whole year, there is going to be some catch up- get used to it:) My friend Jenny had a great idea. Our friend Kim was on bed rest because of a pregnancy, and Jenny thought that we should get together and make a bunch of freezer meals and take to her so that her wonderful husband wouldn't have to stress over what to make for dinner every night. What a good friend Jenny is to think of that, right? But there was one little issue - not a problem exactly, just a hurdle to get over - and that is location. I live in Monticello, Jenny lives in Nephi (about 5 hours away) and Kim lives in Lehi (about an hour from Jenny's house). No big deal, right? We made plans for Stacy (my partner in crime) and I to go to Jenny's for the weekend- with our collective 4 children, and our freezer meals and make a little vacation out of it. When we got to Jenny's the plan was to pack up and go to Kim's for a little girls night IN and leave all the kids (collectively 6 counting Jenny's) with Jenny's SAINT of a husband (notice I chose saint, not crazy man to describe him, he didn't have a clue what he was getting into by volunteering, so this was before they drove him crazy, and he was just a nice guy at that point.) We pretty much had things planned out the week before. My explorer, had been in the shop getting a new axel which should have been taken care of a couple of years ago when Gary Thornbaum ruined my joy, but wasn't. But it ended up getting done a few days before we left, so everything was fine. I picked Stacy and her kids up early on Saturday morning, Stacy reminded us to have a prayer, and we were on our way. The kids were getting along, the weather was perfect, Stacy had an arsenal of food stashed in her purse- life was great... until I thought the car was steering a little funny. I started worrying that maybe the tire hadn't been put on tightly enough or something, so I pulled over to take a look. Why do I do that? Of course I didn't see anything, not that I would have even known what I was seeing if something had been wrong. Anything short of the tire sitting at an obvious angle would totally have escaped me, but it made me feel better anyway, so I got back in the car and kept driving. We were right in the middle of Salina Canyon which is a series of twists and turns, and gets ZERO cell service when a strange grinding noise started up. Once again I pulled over, and this time both Stacy and I got out to "check things out". Of course we didn't see anything, so Stacy Laid down on the ground (remember, we are on the freeway here) and I pulled forward slightly while she looked under the car for anything out of the ordinary. Her poor kids thought I was leaving her behind, and  even though I assured them I wasn't, they never did feel really at ease with me for the rest of the trip. Of course she didn't see anything wrong, and of course we didn't get any cell service, so the only thing we could think of to do was to nurse it along until we could get some help. This was a little nerve-wracking as the turns in the road made it impossible for the other cars to see us until they rounded the corner and there we were creeping along at a snails pace on the side of the road- but we all said another prayer, and kept on going. Finally, a highway patrolman came up behind us and called a tow truck for us, and then waited with us for about an hour while we waited for the tow truck to get there. Stacy's poor kids were a wreck by then, thinking we were going to die with each semi that passed us. They were good kids though, and handled it pretty well all things considered - Stacy's endless supply of treats helped too - she was like Mary Poppins with that thing, it was amazing. Finally the tow truck got us loaded, it was a super cool truck with a back seat for the kids- who were thinking the whole situation was pretty much the best thing that had ever happened at that point, and Stacy and I got to cuddle up front with the driver. It was good times:) During our 7 mile trip in the tow truck (that's right, we were only 7 MILES from Salina - had we known that we may have tried to nurse the car the rest of the way instead of waiting for a truck.) the driver told us what good luck we were having - not kidding. First, it was nearly a miracle that there was a highway patrolman out  on that stretch of the freeway on a Saturday morning, and secondly, there is hardly ever a mechanic on duty on a Saturday, but they just happened to have a guy in the shop working on a special order who said he would look at the car for us. So really, we were having some good luck! :) They hoisted the car up and I stuck around to see what they had to say about it while Stacy took the kids next door to Subway for some lunch. (there were some old guys playing cards around a table in the mechanics shop and they had some pretty colorful language, so she took the risk of handling all 4 kids on her own rather than running the risk that any of that might be repeated by the little guys at a later date. And can I just say right now, I really would not have made it through this weekend without Stacy's help. I was SO LUCKY to have her on this disaster with me.:) I waited a few minutes before the mechanic called me over to look at what the trouble was. The car was on a lift, and the guy walked over to the tire and with one hand wiggled the tire several inches. (it's not supposed to do that) It turns out that earlier in the week the guys who had "fixed" my car had not tightened a bolt which after driving it for a while had caused a baring to go out. If we had driven any farther on it there could have been some serious damage, maybe even lost the wheel as we drove 80MPH down the freeway - not pretty! AND to add to our list of miracles, instead of having to order the part in, like they normally would have had to, which would have at least taken us until Monday, they happened to have a part in a town about 20 minutes away! So after about three more hours of the kids being SO good, and Stacy and I exercising our good mom skills letting them pick junk up around a nearby truck stop, climbing up on top of a giant Indian statue, and bribing them with ice cream, we were on our way once again! Oh, wait, did I forget to mention the FOOD in the BACK OF THE CAR? That's right, folks, in order to make the most of our time with the girls Stacy and I had both made several freezer meals at home and packed them along with us. Luckily they survived the towing, the fixing, and the drive, and arrived still frozen and no worse for wear. I'd say the fact that we didn't end up with sweet and sour chicken all over the car and our luggage is, in fact, ANOTHER MIRACLE:)
So we finally got to Jenny's house, visited, cooked, took care of some things, left poor Cade with all 6 kids, and headed out to Kim's house. It was pretty late by the time we got there, but we picked up some salads, appetizers, and EVERY kind of wings they sell at Applebees, and crashed Kim's little family for some girl time. It was SO much fun catching up and laughing and eating and laughing, and more laughing. Finally, not too long after midnight, we left Kim who promised to keep her little guy in there for a few more weeks, and headed back to Jenny's. We got there safe and sound, and went to bed. The next morning we woke up to... SNOW!!! Not Southern Utah- Desert snow, but Thick, heavy, wet snow, and LOTS of it. (The stinkin' weather man had PROMISED it wouldn't snow until Monday - that guy should be fired!) But we trudged through it and made it to church. The ward was pretty nice and things went pretty well until Relief Society when some crazy lady who had been using drugs (not at church... I don't think, but maybe before) fell asleep and wouldn't wake up and almost dropped her tiny little baby on his head and gave Stacy an aneurysm. I'm not kidding, it's true. I mean, the drug mom, not the aneurysm is true. But the RS presidency seemed to be taking care of it after the meeting so we gathered everyone up and headed back to Jenny's house. THEN my mom called and told us that Kim had her baby! WHAT! That wasn't the plan! And he was WAY tiny- 2lbs, 13 oz- and Kim was not doing very well. And we were hoping it wasn't the wings or the laughing or t he dancing on the tables that did it. (Kim I told you not to drop it like it's hot!:) And then Stacy had a stroke.
... BUT we pulled it back together and said some more prayers and headed on our way. We were worried about the weather, but the roads were actually pretty good most of the way. The trip was LONG, and by the end everyone was TOTALLY ready to get home. (and I may or may not have pulled the car over and yelled that anyone who couldn't quit fighting had to get out and walk home... in the snow... in the dark) But we made it, and we were safe, and no one had to walk.
But, the silver lining that took this from a really bad trip to a pretty cool experience happened the next night at Family Home Evening. It was Adia's turn to give the lesson, and when she said it was about prayer I wasn't surprised at all - she always gives the lesson about prayer or temples. But when she started giving the lesson she talked about our trip, and all of the prayers we said, and what we had prayed for and how all of those prayers had been answered in one way or another. I knew that my kids had a testimony of prayer before this, but to hear Adia's lesson I realized that she not only had the faith to expect miracles, but the understanding of how they come. She gets it! And this experience had made an impact on her. She had really given thought to the things that had happened, and I think (and hope) it will have a profound impact on the rest of her life.
And while I don't know what happened to the drug mom from church, I am happy to say that both Kim and tiny baby Grant were eventually able to go home to their sweet family.

*and tune in later this week for the rest of the story about what happened with my car...

Your Racist Friend...

When your read this title were you totally singing this song in your head?

No? Well maybe you didn't have the minor jr. high obsession with They Might Be Giants that I did...

No matter, this song actually has nothing to do with the post, it was just a random little journey down memory lane, and if nothing else, I know that Emily and Nicole are laughing.

So anyway...

At Easter time the kids had ANOTHER vacation from school (I swear, do these kids ever go to school at all?) So in order to protect their safety and my sanity, my friend Stacy and I took her kids and mine to Bluff Fort and for a hike up San Juan Hill. It was fun and informative, and we had a good time, with only one minor explosion at the very end when we were about 3 minutes from home, so all in all we will count it as a win. Of course I forgot my camera because that's what I do when something really fun is about to happen, you know. But if you want to see some photos from our last visit to the fort go HERE.

This area is very near the Navajo reservation, so the majority of the people we met were Navajo. Given the area we come from and the history of the families, I have some pretty racist family members and friends (hence the post title) They aren't wear white sheets and get violent kind of racists, more like racial slurs and stereotypical comment kind of racists, but racist none the less. I on the other hand am fairly culturally competent. That's not to say I'm perfect, and I certainly have some prejudices of my own, but I actually enjoy other races and love to learn about other cultures and heritage. I try to teach my kids to be the same way, and all of my racist friends and family members make jokes about me. It isn't an area of contention, but it isn't a secret that we have different ideas either, and we tease each other back and forth about it all the time.

So after the hike we went to a little cafe for lunch. It is a great place with wonderful food and great service. We were sitting by a window near the back, and outside there was a sign that said "do not drive or park beyond this point" Suddenly a delivery truck started backing up past the sign. He was just making a delivery, I'm sure, but the kids (two of which are on the autism spectrum and therefore NEED to follow rules) were wondering what was going on with this driver. Suddenly Adia pipes up, and in a voice loud enough for the entire town to hear said "I bet he's Navajo so he can't read it." Now, I know that she meant that it wasn't written in Navajo, so if he couldn't read English he might not understand it, but in a restaurant full of Navajo people, it sounded an awful lot like she was saying that Navajo people are illiterate. I was totally embarrassed, but Stacy thought it was hilarious. She had a great time pointing out that even thought I am always giving her a bad time about her racial comments, it was MY daughter who had just offended  the entire restaurant. Geez, I can't take that girl anywhere! I guess maybe me and my racist friend Adia should stay home!

FREEDOM!!!

After what was seriously the HARDEST semester of my life, I am finally finished with classes. Yay! I was literally so busy I almost stopped existing. But I am now ready to move on to my last year of school. Beginning in the fall I will start my Practicum at a local agency, and I could not be more excited! I think it will be a great fit for me, and I know I am going to have a ton of really great opportunities. It was not an easy placement to get, but after some really stellar recommendations from my teachers and advisors they accepted me and seem to be almost as excited as I am. But the really great news is... since I am finished with classes I don't have anything else to do until fall!!! This is the first real break I have had for the last two years, and I have to tell you, I am pretty excited. So here's where you come in, I need some advice...

1. Are there any movies from the last two years that I HAVE to see?

2. Are there any books from the last two years that I HAVE to read?

3. Are there any great places that are close and cheap that my kids would love to visit? (Yes, I already have the last part of August on the list to visit the Brigham City temple - can't wait!)

I want to catch up on the last few years when I was too busy to do anything fun, so let me in on all of your secrets. Leave your comments below, or email me with suggestions eberling2@msn.com

The lady who yells at us on Sundays...

Every Sunday night we have a ritual. We usually have a big, sit at the table, lunch right after church, so we usually do snacks for dinner that we eat on the couch as we watch some TV. We like reality TV the best. We like to make fun of people and we feed off each other. We are pretty stinkin' hilarious if I do say so myself. I usually end up in tears, and while I've never wet my pants from laughing so hard, I have had a few close calls. I love that about my kids, they are quick and witty and hilarious. (I'm pretty sure they get that from me. HEE HEE:) But that's off subject, let me reign it back in here...
We don't usually put much effort into the snacks, but we like to bake cookies or brownies or cheese sticks or something warm. I don't know what it is, but even if it's brownies, eating something warm makes it a meal instead of junk and that takes away the mom guilt. Don't ask questions, just go with it. Regardless of what you may have heard, I'm not a terrible cook. I'm not going to star in a cooking show any time soon, but I'm not bad. EXCEPT on Sundays. I don't know if I'm too laid back and just not on top of things on Sunday's (the day of rest) or if I shouldn't be cooking so much so I'm getting zapped, or what it is, but without fail I start a fire in the kitchen EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY. I'm not kidding. We have had the dish towel left on the burner fire, the something spilled over in the oven fire, the funnel cake oil fire, the smoked (literally) veggie fire, and last night the adding the soda and vanilla to the caramel sauce at the same time causing a reaction and huge flammable overflow fire, to name a few. The problem is not the fire, I am great under pressure, and I have taken fire safety training when I was trying to adopt the kids, so I know how to keep it under control. The real problem is the lady that lives in the smoke alarm. She totally bugs. She starts out calm and slow, saying "Danger, Fire, Danger, Fire" over and over, but as she goes along she gets faster and more intense and while that might SEEM helpful, it totally isn't. And she's LOUD. Like, Eardrum piercing loud. And she isn't easy to get to shut up either.
 The first time it happened the kids didn't know what was going on and they ran outside and across the street to our designated "safe meeting place" yelling  "Fire! Fire!"(I'm sure the neighbors love us.) But since then we have come up with a system. The fire starts and I get busy shutting that sucker down while Adia grabs the step stool and Ethan grabs the Children's Dictionary of Spanish Words book (It's large, but light weight and gets good air flow without tiring out your arms too quickly - it's a science.) We all meet up under the fire alarm, where Adia has the stool perfectly positioned and Ethan hands over the book. I climb on the stool and go to fanning while the kids open all the windows in the house and turn on all the fans. With any luck the heater kicks on then and helps blow all the smoke out rather quickly. Sometime, when we bring our A game, we can air it out before the lady ever starts yelling at us. Other times we aren't so lucky, but we have improved a lot since we first moved in. I know some of you would  suggest I stop cooking on Sundays, claiming that I am putting my children in danger or being a bad example. But I prefer to think of it as a good thing. It builds unity, helps us learn to work together efficiently, and provides memories that will last a lifetime. AND it reminds us to change the fire alarm batteries regularly and review our fire safety plan while we're at it. Plus, you didn't taste the peaches and cream stuffed french toast smothered in that caramel sauce we made. That makes it all worth it in the end... Yum!

So Long, Old Friend.

Remember the time when the mouse flew out of the car in front of us and splattered on our windshield?

Remember all of the camping trips you took us on?

Remember all of the adventures we went on where we would just pick a spot on the map and go there?

Remember when I was doing photography full time and you hauled my props anywhere I wanted to go without complaining and drove us to all kinds of crazy out of the way locations just to get the perfect shot?

Remember the time when we went to Mexico with our friends and got stopped by that Federale who took our driver's licenses and made us drive out into that abandoned neighborhood where he planned to rob, rape and murder us, and we narrowly escaped with our lives?

Remember that same trip where Ethan got that bag full of "goodies" from the sea and hid them under the driver's seat and we didn't know what the fish smell was for a couple of weeks?

Remember the time when we were driving to Monticello and we hit that dove and it got caught in the grill and we unknowingly drove all the way there with a dead bird flapping on the front?

Remember that time when I was lost in Provo on my way to a Mary Kay appointment and we stopped and asked that guy on a bike for directions. Then after telling us the totally wrong way to go he hopped back on his bike and rode it right into the side of us and left that little dent in the driver's side rear panel?

Remember how I used to swerve off the road just a little to hit prairie dogs, and that one time a cop saw me and pulled us over because he thought I was drinking, but when I tried to explain what I was really doing he threatened to ticket me and take me to jail for killing an endangered species?

Remember the time Ethan somehow opened his door while we were driving down the freeway and I had to use my go-go-gadget arm to hold him from falling out as I manuvered across 4 lanes of rush hour traffic to pull over and lock him back in?

Remember when my whole world fell apart and I cried the entire time as you carried me all the way home where it was safe?

Remember when we first moved to the city and I would get so stressed when we would drive during rush hour that I would get really dizzy and have major headaches, and it took me a good couple of months to realize it was because I was holding my breath?

Remember all of the Girl's Night Adventures you took me on?

Remember the time the cop pulled us over and after seeing the Mary Kay sticker on the back he told Troy his makeup looked "FABULOUS!" (That's super funnier now:)

Remember the time we tired to give food to that homeless man and he threw a loaf of bread at you?

Remember the time Gary Thornbaum  ran into us with his truck and then drove away without giving us any insurance info?

Remember the time we broke down in Salina Canyon with no cell service and four wild kids in the back?

Remember the time Ethan got flip-flops and tripped on them, ran into you, and put that little dent in your  side?

Remember the time we were driving in the snow and hit that patch of ice and spun out of control into that oncoming Semi-truck, who couldn't stop because of the ice himself, and just at the moment I thought we were goners you got traction and got us out of the way?

Remember the time Ethan heard the "I'm to sexy" song on the radio and would NOT stop singing it and almost caused me to intentionally run off the road?

Remember the 160 THOUSAND miles we traveled together?

So long old friend. We have been through a lot together. You have been loyal and trustworthy, and I hate to see you go...

No this isn't my EXACT car, I'm not one of those creepy people who takes pictures of their car, so this is the best I could do. Source

...but you are getting old and you cost too much for gas, so I had to trade you in for someone younger and more fuel efficient. We both knew it was time to let go, but always know you will be remembered fondly. :)

Basketball Star

Ethan decided to play "Jr. Jazz Basketball" this year instead of wrestling. (It almost made my dad cry, but wrestling is not the best sport for an autistic kid who doesn't like to be touched.) I didn't know what would happen. He likes to shoot baskets in the back yard, but other than some less than aggressive games on family night he hasn't really played. He didn't know the rules about traveling, and he didn't know that you could steal the ball or block the other team from shooting ("that is not nice manners Mom") but as he went to practices he got it figured out pretty well. And, it turns out he's a pretty good player. No, he wasn't the best on his team, but he did improve a lot during the season. He had a super good coach, and the other kids on his team were great sports. I wish I could show you some good shots of all throughout the season, but it turns out I'm one of "those" moms and I focus more on cheering than picture taking. I wouldn't say I'm competitive, just passionate:) Anyway, all of the pictures I took turned out really blurry because I was too excited to steady my camera. But the last game I did a little better job, so here are all the pictures I have: 

 I know this looks like Ethan pushed that kid out of the way, but really, he fell over all on his own, no one was even standing by him when it happened... loose shoelaces...

Number 10 on the black team was a super good player. Seriously the best in the league - by far. He was so fast, and he handled the ball really well. So he's in all of the pictures, not because he was assigned to Ethan, but because that little guy was EVERYWHERE! No matter who had the ball that kid was right in their face. It was really fun to watch him, but as a mom from the other team, he wasn't my favorite.:)

 I got too excited, so you can't really see this picture, but he totally made it!

 The coach was so good with the boys. He was patient and encouraging, and he cheered just as hard for the other team as he did for our team. He taught them good sportsmanship as well as how to play the game. Our friend Lance coached another team, and at first I was sad we didn't get him as a coach, but in the end I think we ended up with a perfect coach for Ethan. (although super good #10 was on Lance's team, so it would have been nice to be on that team too:)

In the end they got creamed this game - seriously, like 24 to 10, but after it was over the coach sat the kids down and told them how proud of them he was and pointed out the strengths of each player. I'm really lucky that Ethan has such positive male influences in his life. That's a huge blessing right now. It was a great season, and Ethan is already excited to play again next year.

Something that made me smile today.

I know, I've been a total slacker when it comes to blogging this year, but school has been kicking my butt this semester. My classes are super intense, and on a slow week I am putting 500 miles a week on my car just driving to and from school, and running basic errands. It is nuts, and I have no time at all. I have a lot of posts in the works, but for now I'm just checking in and sharing a couple of pictures I took while driving through Dove Creek, CO. I hope it makes your day. 

(Please note, this is NOT the town I live in. At all! It's  about a half hour away, across the state line. Please don't judge me.:)

ATM, Pinto Beans, and Gas, what more do you need?  I think this might be a good example of cause and effect: Beans = 24 hour gas...

Then, moving just a little farther down the street, I came upon this little gem:

Yes, this is a bar with a drive up window! Nothing like promoting drinking and driving! In case you didn't get your fill while you were inside the bar, you can drive through for another on the way out of the parking lot.

Anyway, these made me giggle, so I thought I would share. I'm sure it makes you want to jump in your car and come for a visit. Hope to see you soon! :)

The Birthday!

Ethan and Adia both have their birthday on the same day. This is great because I get it over with in one big swoop and don't have to worry about it for the rest of the year. When they were younger we would just have one big party with mostly family so it was super easy. For the past few years however, they are old enough that they need to be having a friend party, but because one is super girly and the other is not, and they have a three year age difference it isn't easy to have the parties together. That means a TON of work getting two separate parties with invitations and cake and goodie bags and activities and decorations... it's tough. But this year we took the easy route. Well, I guess I should say I did. For one, I enlisted the help of others this time where usually I do it all myself. And we also decided that there was a way we could swing one party that everyone could enjoy. First of all my mom made the treats for the parties at school. That took a load off all by itself. That meant 60 treats that I didn't have to make, plus the kids insisted on having doughnuts instead of something easy like cupcakes or fruit snacks. And they couldn't have easy, from the local bakery type doughnuts. They needed Grandma's Famous Homemade ones. So she and Kalista whipped those puppies out for me and even delivered them to our house the night before I needed them. It was such a lifesaver.

The next way I lucked out was a change in schedule. The kids were supposed to stay with their dad on Friday through Sunday, so the friend party was going to be postponed. But, at the last minute he changed weekends and that with our busy February schedule meant we either had to do it that weekend or hold off until March, which didn't sit well with the kids. So we decided to throw caution (and planning, organization and class) to the wind and plan an impromptu party. I sent out a super tacky facebook invite to all the moms of the La Sal kids (sometimes I love social media) inviting them to a sledding party on Saturday afternoon. Lucky for us we finally got a few inches of snow during the week, and also lucky for us, our grandpa has a backhoe. He scooped all the snow in the whole yard and made a big hill at the edge of the back yard. It was situated on the top of a hill that already exists and leads into the back pasture. We just opened the gate and there was a steep hill with a long run, perfect for record setting! We built a bonfire in case anyone got cold, served up hot cocoa, build-your-own smores, and doughnut holes (supposed to look like "snowballs" get it? Thanks again to Grandma and Kalista) 

My dad stood on top of the mound and shoved kids off the hill in either direction. (the side leading into the pasture was a little more advanced, and the other side was for younger kids or scared-y cats, or the ones who wanted to end up at the fire for a snack.

And the sledding began...

  (notice the faces:)

Looks fun, right! 

Good thing there are no bugs out this time of year!

Hee Hee. When my dad saw these pictures he was very pleased with himself for building the perfect "thrill hill" 

Then of course I got antsy and couldn't be left out of all the fun, so I grabbed a sled and a kid (so I didn't look like too much of a party crasher) and we hit the slopes. 

Then someone tattled on me and some of the other brave moms had to try it out too.

 And it was FUN!

And no one got injured (too much)

And I had to include this one because I think he's a cutie!

My kids made a haul in the present department. One thing about La Sal not having a store is most kids give money for presents. They did get a few toys and games but they also walked away with $35 a piece - not to shabby! Unfortunately I couldn't get everyone to stop sledding long enough to do the traditional opening of gifts, so most of the kids had gone home before we did that part.:(

Then the next day we had a family dinner with my parents, grandparents, Uncle, Aunt and Cousins. I love how lucky my kids are to have this opportunity to live near family who is so good to them. What a gift to be able to develop a relationship with your family like that. I was lucky to have that opportunity growing up and I'm glad my kids do too, for however short a time it may be. My grandma even found a card that said "to our great-grandson" How many of us get that opportunity? It was great. And now it's over, and that's even more great. 

Happy Birthday to my 10 and 7 year olds. (I know I say this every year, but I am SO not old enough to have a 10 year old!:)

A day trip.

A few weeks ago the kids had a day off of school, so we went to find an adventure. We stopped by and picked up my sister and niece along the way, grabbed some lunch at McDonald's and headed to the river. A few years ago they redid the bridge where the road crosses the river, and also made a really beautiful walking bridge there as well. Kalista likes to take pockets full of rocks up there and plop them into the river, so that was our first stop. 

This is the bridge that the highway crosses on.

I love how pretty and green the water was that day. The river is always changing, and I love that.

Kalista smiling as she gets another hand full of rocks to plop. See, she really does love it. 

I love this picture, she and my mom are best friends, and they are always together.

More plopping

My kids attempting to be cute, but really they were freezing so I never could get a good shot of them. The wind was really picking up and a storm looked like it was moving in, so we got in the car and went for a drive as we ate lunch. 

More examples of my drive by tourism. This is taken out of the car window as we drove up the river road. (I wasn't driving this time though:)

We ended up going to Fisher Tower. We got out and I thought we would hike around a little, but instead the kids got out, Kalista plopped a few more rocks into the stream that was running nearby, and they all piled back in the car to head home. Sometimes the kids just aren't as into the adventure as the moms are. But that's alright, it was a fun drive anyway, and a fun day spent with some of my very favorite people.