Happy Easter

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter.
We have early church, so I didn't get any of the kids with their baskets, sorry! I will tell you that they woke up at 5am to see what they got, the oldest brother is to blame for this!
After church we headed to Mary and Russ' for dinner, they had some friends staying with them from Montana. We had a nice time, we filled our bellies, and watched basketball, and slept, and then came home. What more could you ask for!

Ski Bunnies

Madelynn on the Chair lift, Tyler cruzin down the hill, the trio all ready to hit the slopes!

Madelynn and Drew getting ready for another run, Tyler ended up backwards (this happened allot), and Drew posing for Mom.

We took an early start to Spring Break by going skiing on Friday. We took off about 5:30 and headed up to Arapahoe Basin. Tyler and Madelynn were so excited to ski for the first time. Tyler has been talking about it since Christmas when Rick promised him that he could go at least once this year. So we get there and put the kids in half day lessons, Madelynn did so good they sent her up to the next level right away. Tyler was doing great too, when all the other little ones wanted to go in for a cocoa break, Tyler wanted to stay and keep practicing, so he got about 30 minutes of private lessons. While the kids were getting their bearings on the ski's, Drew and Rick took me up a run. I haven't been skiing for many years, so I was a little nervous. I made it down the hill without falling and embarrassing my son ( he kept going ahead of me and then stopping to turn around and wait for me, then he would comment on how silly I looked in my excellent snow plow form). After that we had a nice lunch, and then I spent the rest of the day helping Tyler and Madelynn learn how to get on and off the chair lift on the bunny hill. We had so much fun, we will definitely make it a family tradition.

We headed back toward Denver about 4:00 and just as we were taking all the snow gear off, we saw an ambulance head up the hill toward the interstate. Sure enough, we got a little ways down the road and the flashing sign warned us about an accident, and expect LONG delays. We sat in traffic for an hour, and when we finally got going again we saw no signs of an accident. (I at least want to see some crushed glass or a bumper on the side of the road to validate us sitting still for so long). We finally got to Denver had dinner, went to our Hotel and sat in the hot tub for a while, and went to bed. Drew had a soccer game early Saturday morning at 8:00 in Denver, even though we were already in town we were a little late. I couldn't pull Rick away from the waffle maker at the Hotel! Drew had a good game, they didn't win, but they played hard.

Then we headed home!

If you LOVE the weather....

Wait 24 hours and it will change!

Yesterday was an amazing Colorado Day, birds chirping (not many, but I did hear a few), blue sky, warm 70 degree weather, I even applied sunscreen to the children.


We started off the morning with our Saturday cleaning ritual. I love how the kids got so excited about the new toilet wand disposable brush I purchased at Costco, and then I told them they had to use it, they actually fought over who got to use it first! Then Rick put together the trampoline while I read a book and soaked in as much UV rays as possible ( yes I also applied sunscreen). Then off to Andrews first soccer game, they won 2-1!


On the ride home I bribed Rick into running with me, so we donned our athletic gear, Tyler and Madelynn rode their bikes and we were off. You know what kills me, Rick has a physical job, he plays basketball once or twice a week, he doesn't eat healthy unless I'm right there cooking it for him, or telling him what to order, but yet he just jogs right along as if he has been running every day for his whole life. I thought it would be a fun thing for us to do together, but never mind, I am a poor sport and don't want to be left in the dust of his long legs bouncing down the road. I will find someone else that will stay with me and actually look winded after a couple miles!


After that I jumped on the trampoline with whoever would let me on. Rick played catch with the boys and watched Andrew ride the mini motorcycle that our neighbor has. After dinner Rick headed off to "Fight Night" with some friends, and I put the kids to bed and watched a chick flick, "the Jane Austen Book Club" (cute movie to all the chicks out there).


So that was Saturday in a nutshell. Sunday came and so did the snow and wind, we are done with Church, Grandpa is coming over for dinner so we are waiting patiently for the BBQ ribs and sweet potatoes that are cooking. I hope you all have had a fabulous weekend as well.

Yummy Veggies?

It might look like I have way too much time on my hands, but I wanted to share......

I have found a new way to get my vegetables for the day. I am not good at eating veggies, but these Green Giant frozen veggies are so quick and easy and yummy! There are different varieties, they have 5 g of protein, 5 g of fiber, and are only 90 calories, and one box is 2 servings.

Latest find from Craigslist

Just a quick hooray for another great find on Craigslist!

Everyday I've been looking for a cheap or even better, free piano or trampoline. I finally found a cheap trampoline on Monday. It was up in Denver, so luckily Rick was already going to be there for some classes on Tuesday. He went and looked at it, all it needs is a new net for the enclosure.

I am so excited, I have fond memories of having so much fun on our trampoline, putting the sprinkler under it in the summer, sleeping outside under the stars, my friends teaching me how to do a back flip! Hopefully I won't hog it all summer!

We are going to put it up this weekend, I'll post pictures then.

It Looks like Chocolate!!

Before and after pictures of my laundry room.

I have been having feelings of getting my house uncluttered, clean, repainted, scrubbed down to the deepest darkest places. You would think I was nesting before having a baby, but no, I just am sick of my house and the only way to want to stay in it is to CHANGE EVERYTHING!

My mom and dad probably remember me rearranging my bedroom at least once a month, if not more. Rick knows all too well that when I get bored with something, look out, there is going to be some major work to do. (he usually stays late at work on the days I tell him I am going to rearrange furniture)

So Tuesday morning, it was cold and snowy, Tyler didn't have school, so I could devote all day to cleaning up the laundry room and painting. Tyler was thrilled, he loves to help paint, and is pretty dang good. We even turned it into an alphabet review, he wrote his letters and then I would paint over them.

I had some chocolate brown paint left from about 3 years ago when I painted my living room, and after seeing a model home recently with chocolate brown in the mud room, I was in love! Tyler kept saying that it smelled like chocolate syrup, I on the other hand had a huge headache from the smell in that tiny space. Next I want new rugs, which I found at Lowe's, so look out spring, change is just beginning!

A Body that won't Conform

So yesterday morning at the crack of dawn I awoke! That in itself is a miracle, but the reason I woke so early is to go running, which is something I love and have gotten quite accustomed to. (just not early in the morning hours)

I really don't like waking up and going out when it seems the rest of Colorado Springs is still sleeping but me! The streets are bare, the sun is barely making its appearance in the east, and there isn't even the sounds of nature, no birds to sing hello to me(not yet anyway).

But, I do it anyway and I feel so good while running and I even go an extra 10 minutes just for good measure... and the cookies I secretly scarfed down (those blasted girl scouts are going to be the death of me)!

O.K. so I'll get to my original point. I get home before the kids are up, I shower, get lunches ready, have some oatmeal, and continue to feel great...... until about lunchtime. I don't know what happened, my stomach started hurting so bad, the rest of the day I was in such pain. This isn't the first time this has happened, in fact it happens a lot after I run, and it makes me so irate. I am doing everything right, but still I suffer.

I subscribe to a Women's Health and a Runners magazine and I have been going through all the issues that I have received, so far I can't find any great wisdom about my issue. So for now I am going to press forward and pray that things only get better, I certainly won't quit what I love just because of my dumb stomach! Sooner or later it will learn to play along with my lifestyle!

Love x 3

These three beauties are the reason I wake up in the morning! I love them so much and I love that there is this special day to show and tell them just how much! Every day they show me unconditional love and joy, they teach me how to laugh at the silliest things, they give me hugs and kisses just because! If I don't accomplish anything else in life, I know that being their mother was my greatest success!

How I Love You, Let Me Count the Ways

In the spirit of February 14th, I would feel guilty if I didn't give my eternal sweetheart a piece of my mind! (in a good way of course, hence the title)

~ You had the courage to talk to a stranger and ask for her phone number!

~ You sent roses after my soccer games and won my heart!

~ You are always my biggest fan and best friend!

~ Your never ending happiness can calm any of my worries or sadness!

~ You work so hard to take care of your family (and my shopping addiction)!

~ You love me and the kids like that was all you were meant to do in your lifetime!

~ You still warm my heart and make me feel like nothing else is important but us!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Crafty Tyler

Tyler sometimes gets a little bored on the days he doesn't have preschool. So this morning after he had watched me exercise and do the dishes and vacuum and fold laundry... I started to feel guilty that this was the norm for him on his off days. I pulled out this fun new Family magazine my mom subscribed us to and flipped through to find a project that would be fun for him. He chose these great little cell phone valentine cards to make for his class. He was insistant on cutting and glueing all by himself, I was surprised at the care he took in getting the lines straight. They turned out cute and now one set of V-day cards are finished!!!!

Happy Birthday Bett

Bett is a Border Collie that works as the goose dog for the Golf Course. She is so sweet and we love her! Rick brings her home every few days and on the weekends, but other than that she is at the course running her little legs off and chasing away the annoying geese!

Bett came into our lives a little over 3 years ago. Yesterday she turned 5 and the kids made a point to love her up and pay lots of attention to her for the big day!!

Madelynn Montana

It was daddy/daughter night on Tuesday, Rick took Madelynn to see the Hannah Montana concert in 3D! Madelynn is a huge fan and was really sad when we weren't able to get tickets for the live concert, so dad thought of the next best thing. I really wanted to go too, but I knew the bonding time would be priceless for them. They had a blast and Madelynn loved how dad boogied with her during the whole thing (oh how I wish I was a fly on the wall)!!

A Visit From the WY Evelos

Well Grandma Vony and Grandpa Lyle (Rick's dad and stepmom) just left yesterday. We had a good time catching up with them. They arrived Friday and we hung out and showed them our house, that took all of five minutes. Saturday was filled with Basketball games for Madelynn and Andrew, and then we went out to the golf course to run the dog. They had a good time watching Bett chase after the geese.

Sunday was really nice, Andrew got up to bear his testimony in Sacrament for the first time. I of course was teary the minute he walked up there, but he did a great job and I was blown away by his maturity, he is such a great example to me and his brother and sister! We had some time before the big game so we took them to our favorite sledding hill in Monument. It was nice because we were the only ones their for a most of the time and could go crazy and not worry about running someone over. When we got home, I immediately started Super Bowl food, Rick always has a menu that starts with snacks and gradually leads up to a huge meal! Don't get me wrong, I love it as much as he does, eating in between every play makes the game that much more enjoyable especially when the team you want to win blows it in the end!

By Monday we were all wore out I think. The kids went to school (Madelynn had a fever so stayed home) and the grandparents went to see their classes. We took Grandma to Current Factory store for some good deals on things she loves to do.

When they left they promised it wouldn't be 5 years before they come back again!

Pool Anyone?

This is my latest great deal found on Craigslist!
Last week I logged on and someone had just posted this pool table as FREE!
So I quickly called and told them I would be there that afternoon to pick it up.
Rick was a little leary of driving all the way to Denver when we didn't know what kind of shape it was in, but it is perfect and we have had a blast playing with it! I have this grand plan of our basement being fun central so my kids will want to hang out at our house and enjoy bringing their friends over.
So if you think you have skills, come on over!!!

Tribute to Grandma Jane

This all happened because Madelynn thought I looked like my Grandma as I was cutting the boys' hair one evening. So she decided to document it (not knowing that Grandma Jane doesn't have a computer, and therefore will not even see)!

A little background about my sweet Grandma. Mary Jane had her own beauty salon that was attached to the far end of their house. In the middle section of their home was the towns' only movie theatre (which my Grandpa ran for many years until it was no longer profitable). So imagine how fun for us when we went to visit, we saw free movies and I got to play in the salon with the dryers and the spinny chairs and the big sinks! My Grandma would often give me a perm or a haircut, I am sure glad perms were in style back then! After close to 50 years she finally retired this last year. She always said that she thought one of her two granddaughters would take over the business one day, unfortunately that would mean moving to a VERY small town where business of any kind is not flurishing these days! Maybe one day I will go to cosmotology school, but for now my boys are my loyal customers!

Stetson Power

Andrew and Madelynn are both playing Basketball this year. One loves it and the other one is tolerating it~ I'll let you guess the answer to that one!

Andrew has never played on a team before and you would never know, he is fun to watch! It took him a while to get used to using his hands instead of his feet! Drew seems to have a certain quality about him that exudes leadership. Although he is new to the sport, the other boys look to him for guidance and want to follow his lead. I am so proud of him for putting forth the right example to those around him wherever he is!

Madelynn liked the idea of playing with her friends, but doesn't love the hard ball being randomly thrown her way! I think as she has had more practice and a better understanding of the game she has enjoyed it a little more now that the season is about over. She is so funny, she told me that she is perfectly content sitting on the bench cheering her team on (I don't know if I will be able to talk her out of the whole cheerleading thing)!

Regardless of who loves sports and who doesn't, I love them both for being who they are!

Blueberry Bliss

Our local Grocery store was having

a blueberry sale this last week. So because of my recent (as of Jan. 1) diet restrictions (i.e. sugar, anything I love) I went and bought $20 worth of berries! I love them, they are so yummy to eat straight out of the package (rinsed of course) or in muffins (not really on the diet unless made with whole wheat flour and Splenda sugar) or in cereal (which I don't really eat because I can't stand milk) So anyway, you get the point! I am on a fruit kick.

Mr. Independent

This is the scene I came upon the other day!

My son is 5, yet he thinks he is the small version of his 11 year old brother. Here he is making hot chocolate, he then proceeded to pop some popcorn. I just hope that the rumors of radiation, or electro-magnetic rays or whatever due to microwaves isn't true!

Fun with HAIRSPRAY!

Madelynn getting ready for our G.N.O! Me and Madelynn posing before our date!

Kadi, me and Carrie dining with the girls (Taylor, Averi and Emma) at the Olive Garden - yum!

We all had so much fun at the musical, Madelynn loved the music and dancing! She was somewhat disappointed though when I told her that Zack Efron wasn't going to be playing Link. It is always a great time when the girls go out on the town!

To Read or not to Read

Okay, so yesterday was not my finest one of the year so far!

I let the kids have friends over to play, made homemade calzones and cookies for lunch, even blogged finally! Not sounding so bad you say, well then I looked through the stack of books on my nightstand, looking for something to fill my brain and keep me preoccupied so that I wouldn't eat all the cookies I made or just eat all day in general! I found a book my friend Kadi had lent me a while ago -Nanny Diaries- I got into it right away and found myself sitting in the same chair ALL DAY! I get into such a zone when I find a story that takes me to another place, I love it, but as soon as it is time for dinner, I am still reading! As soon as it is time for bed, I'm still reading! Rick comes in and asks if I would come down to read scriptures (his New Years Resolution, he is soo good), I say that I am reading! Midnight rolls around and I finally finish the book. I look at my surroundings and realized I missed prayer and goodnight hugs and kisses and I feel awefull!

I know that my obsessiveness sometimes is a little overbearing when it comes to some things, but I never thought that I would choose a silly book over reading scriptures and saying goodnight to my kids! Tonight will be over the top with love and affection from mom!!!