I've gone CRAZY

Yes, I think there is not doubt that I am crazy. I have been running and working out every day at 6 am, because it is still cool. Mike has been trying to talk me into going and working out with him in the morning and he is so much faster than I that I know I would just make him go slow so I haven't been. He finally talked me into going to SUU centrum and run stairs with him. I did it twice last week and I have gone once this week with him. I really thought I wouldn't be able to do it or I would just hate it or completely die. Well, I was surprised. It was better than I thought it would be, but definitely a major work out. I am finally to the point where my calves are not sore any more. For now it is a nice change and nice to go with Mike but it is hard.(not as hard as I expected but still hard)
I wonder if my workouts ever will pay off. It is so hard to get motivated each day and it would help if I could reap some rewards from it. Don't you think I should be able to eat anything that I want to? I should be able to have treats and not have to diet. That is at least what I think, but if I live that way I will never see any improvement so I will continue and see what happens for now.

I love my car!

As gas prices keep getting higher and higher, I feel so grateful for our two natural gas cars. We are getting more and more comments everywhere we go about them. We feel spoiled to have two cars that get gas for 63 cents a gallon. We don't even drive our Expedition any more because it is so expensive to drive compared to the little cars.
The down part about our natural gas cars is that they have small gas tanks that, when filled get us about 115 miles for each fill up. Each fill up in our Chevy Cavalier natural gas cars cost us between $3 and $4. Another negative part about these cars is the trunk size is cut down but for cars when you are not travelling they are wonderful.
If I was smart I would be putting the difference that I am saving away instead of just enjoying the savings but maybe someday I will be smart and decide to do this until then we are just enjoying our economical cars.

Water Fight!

Today we woke up and decided that we needed to wash the cars and also the porch and the garage out.
Perfect day for a water fight, Right. Yes I was feeling like being a little crazy so we all got our swimming suits on and yes that means me. We went outside and washed down the cars and the porch. The girls and I started to spray Mike with water and pretty soon he decided to go get his squirt gun and so did Todd. We were all wet pretty quick but it was fun. We finished cleaning out the garage and spraying it out along with getting everyone wet. After we finished the garage, I turned the sprinklers on in the back yard and we all ran through the sprinklers and jumped on the trampoline. It was COLD but it felt so good and we laughed and laughed.
It was so fun to be silly and enjoy getting wet like when I was a kid.
We all need to enjoy every minute of life and we all need to be a little crazy sometimes!

NO CAVITIES!!

Ok, you ask why I am so excited about going to the dentist yesterday and having no cavities. Well, to most people this is not a problem but I have been born with an awful set of teeth and it seems like I have had many dentist's that have built a wing on their new home due to my fees. I just still can't believe that I went in yesterday to the dentist with Todd and Angela and I had no cavities. If anyone hates the dentist as much as I do they will understand or if anyone knows me real well they will know why I am so happy.
Do you know what this means....I don't have to go back for fillings or crowns... Any way I just needed to share my excitement even though you all may think that it is really no big deal. IT IS!!( Oh yeah, Todd and Angela don't have any cavities also, bonus)

Happy Father's Day!

We woke up to breakfast in bed for Mike this morning for Father's day. The kids bought him an apple fritter and brang him some milk. I guess you can give requests for breakfast in bed, something to remember for Mother's day next year. We had a special dinner tonight for Father's day. We had lasagna, breadsticks, salad and then pumpkin cobbler. It was great. The kids and I gave Mike a safe for Father's day.
As I think about Father's day, I am so thankful for the father of my children. They are who they are a large part because of who he is and the great attributes he has. Thanks Mike.
I can't think about Father's Day without thinking about my Dad. I am so thankful for him. He has taught me so many great things and ways to be in my life. I remember the year that I made a special valentine for him in primary and then he came to primary and I read it to him and gave it to him. It was a valentine that told of all of the things about my dad that I love. I have always known that my dad loves me and I think that is the thing that I cherish the very most in my life is that I am important to him. He is so giving, loving, kind, honest and he truly loves everyone and doesn't judge them. My dad taught me to love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and he taught me by his example to be a true disciple of Christ.
My dad has taught me how to work and I mean really work. I lived on a farm and I worked at one time or another with almost every kind of farm animal including when he decided to raise worms. I can never repay him for the love of work that he has given me. The experiences that I had as a child will be with me forever and I am so glad for his great example. My dad is a very hard worker and always has been. As a young child, my dad would put my hair in pony tails before I went to school next to the tub because my mom was in bed and not well enough. I cherish those memories. Or the memories of riding horses with my dad, just him and I. I also love to remember the many times we went to the mountains just for a picnic and if mom wasn't feeling well Dad could always make his famous "Spoonburgers." My dad also taught me how to enjoy life and to have fun. My mom and dad sacrificed so much for us as kids and I will always be so grateful for all the hard times they have gone through.

Dad, I just want you to know that I love you and you are always in my heart. Thanks for all of your love and for you living the way you do and loving others the way that you do with your whole heart. I love you DAD!

Back to School and Summer Still Goes On!

Yes, I am back in school. It has been very hard to try to go to school every day during the Summer with my kids home all day. I have taken classes the past two summers but they have been online classes. This is really different because I have to go to class every day. On top of that it is another Math class. I don't know if I will ever be done with Math. The first week was very nice because I was in Florida vacationing but then I had to come home and catch up.
The kids have tried to keep busy with friends and other obligations but it just doesn't seem the same. I will only have a couple of days in between this class and the next session of Summer. I hope when Fall comes and I have a regular load of school work that I won't be too burned out.

The past two weeks hasn't seemed like Summer, because the weather is still a little chilly at night and during the day it is like Spring or Fall, but not anything like Summer. It has seemed real different.
We have done a few things like go to the park, go to the new Indiana Jones movie, cross country, basketball, bike rides, walks, and of course play Rock Band as a family. I guess this is what our Summer will be like rather we like it this way or not.

Happy Birthday Mike!!!

As I am thinking about Mike's birthday, I thought of this picture. It is one of my most favorite pictures of Mike. We call it the "Manly Man" picture of Mike. He is definitely enjoying the trip and especially the fish. This picture is taken on one of his, and the family's favorite trips, to Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone National Park. What a trip!

I just wanted to wish my sweetheart a happy Birthday. He is 42 years old today and over half of his life he has spent with me. WOW! I just realized that. I am really not that old. I don't think.

Most people don't have the chance to really get to know Mike, but those people that do just love him once they get a chance to sit and chat with him.

I am so thankful that he puts up with me each and every day. He is very talented, patient and loving. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART! I hope you have a great day.

Our Trip to Disney World

Here are some pictures of the condo that we stayed at while we were in Florida the week of May 22-30. It was very nice. We arrived at our hotel at about 11:30 pm on Friday night and it was pouring rain. Our condo was great. It was completely furnished so we were able to make some of our meals at the condo and then one meal a day we ate out.

Saturday 24th- Hollywood Studios

On Saturday the 23rd we went to Hollywood Studios at Disney World. We had a great time. Here is a picture of Mike and Todd and AJ. This picture looks like a real city but it isn't

Here is a picture of me and Karrilyn and Angela at Hollywood Studios.

This is a picture of the Hollywood Hotel which is one of the coolest rides at Hollywood Studios. It is like a haunted house and you are put in an elevator but you are sitting down and go up and down real fast and can see out of the hotel while you are going up and down. It is great fun but scary at first. I quite breathing the first time and of course we went many times.

This is a picture of us waiting for the Haunted Hotel ride. You can tell who is excited to go on it and who is scared..... Angela was real worried at first but then after going she was begging us to go again and again.

A cool picture I took in Florida as the sun was going down. It was beautiful.

Sunday 25th- Day with Burrs

On Sunday the 25th, we went and spent the day with some friends that have moved to Florida in the last year. We went to church with them and had lunch and then they took us and showed us around their place. They took us crocodile hunting and we actually found an alive one and one dead. We also found an armidallo, rattle snake, and cool birds.

Here is a picture of us and our friends outside of the small visitor center that they have at the cattle ranch that the church owns there in Florida. Our friends moved there because Jan was given a job on the cattle ranch. It is very interesting. We all enjoyed our tour around the ranch. We especially loved seeing the crocodile and their swimming hole. My kids would die for a swimming hole like that.

We didn't get a picture of Nancy in the picture with the whole group so I made sure I got one with just her. It was so nice to see her again even though she really didn't care for getting her picture taken.

Monday 26th - Animal Kingdom

On Monday the 26th, we went the the Animal Kingdom at Disney World. It was amazing. We saw many real animals as we went on some of the safari rides. Here is a rhinoceros that we saw real close up.

AJ, Todd and I getting ready to go to "A Bugs Life" . It was in 3D. How would it be to live a bugs life. This was a funny ride, even though the girls didn't think so.

At Animal Kingdom, one of the best rides was Mount Everest Expedition ride. It was a roller coaster that was going to Mt. Everest. We loved it. Have you ever been on a ride that stopped at the top. One of the times we went on this ride it stopped at the top and we didn't know why. We thought they were going to have to have us walk down if that was possible. Quite an experience. I don't think I would want to be stuck on Mt. Everest.

Here is a picture of all of us in front of Raffiki's tree at the Animal Kingdom.

We just had to go see Raffiki in person. Mike really wanted to shake his hand.

Tuesday 27th- Magical Kingdom

On Tuesday the 27th, we went to the Magical Kingdom at Disney World. I think it is probably my favorite because there is so much to do that I enjoy and so many rides. Of course we had to go on the ride "It's a Small World".

Here is a goofy picture of my kids waiting to get on the ride.

It is just not vacation without getting ice cream on Main Street at Disney World. A little expensive though but well worth it. Our family LOVES ice cream. There is not much that my whole entire family enjoys but I can say that ice cream is definitely a favorite of all of us.

The whole reason to go to Disney World. How could you go to Disney World and not see Mickey and Minnie Mouse. We stood in line for over an hour to see them, but I think even though the kids and Mike and I are a little older we thought it was well worth the wait.

Wednesday 29th- Epcot Center

On Wednesday the 28th, we went to the Epcot Center at Disney World. By the end of the week I think we were all getting a little tired. This is a picture of one of the rides that we went on at Epcot. It was about our future.

Thursday 29th- Orlando temple and Melbourne Beach

We really try to go to the different temples when we travel and so we called the Orlando temple and set up a time that we could all go and do baptisms. We were able to go on Thursday the 29th. It was gorgeous and so peaceful. I am surprised how much my kids enjoy this even though there are so many other things that we are doing, they really enjoy the temple trips.

(sorry if the picture isn't so great, we dropped our camera on our trip and had to buy a disposable camera on the last two days, what a bummer)

After our trip to the temple, we headed off to go to the beach. It has been a long time since the kids have been to the beach. It took some getting used to but by the time it was time to go back they all wanted to stay.

Here is a picture of Mike teaching the boys how to body surf, or trying to while the girls are watching.

Of course Mike wouldn't let us go to the beach without me getting in too and trying to body surf. I am not too good but it is a lot of fun to play in the water and try.

Friday May 30th- AJ's birthday, movie, shopping and trip home.

We woke up and checked out of our condo and then we headed over to Downtown Disney to do some last minute shopping. We also went to the movie for AJ's birthday. We went to see Prince Caspian. It was a great movie and a great theater. When we came out to head to the airport to come home, our GPS wouldn't work any more. We were a little stressed because we had no idea how to get to the airport. We finally were able to get directions from someone and we were able to make it to the airport. We made it there in time to buy some airport food for dinner. Mike and AJ had Burger King and the rest of us had hot dogs and french fries or fish and chips. It was a very long day. We finally made it back to Las Vegas where our Expedition was and then we still had to drive home to Cedar City. We made it home about 2:30 am on Saturday morning.

This trip was once in a life time trip for us and we all had such a great time. It was so nice to get away and play together. This trip was so much fun. I have such great fun kids to help make it a great time.

My kids are getting bigger and older all the time and I am glad that we were able to go and splurge a little in Florida.

Kids, thanks for making this such a great trip. You are GREAT!