Ugg boot giveaway!!!

Ok everyone I'm back and I plan to blog away about my summer, but first I wanted to let you know about a giveaway. This is perfect timing as we head into the cold winters of Utah. If you click on this link at Whooga Ugg Boots it will direct you to a site where you can enter the giveaway. I don't know much about this giveaway other than what you see in the website so do your own research! But, it looks super cool and totally worth trying. I'm trying to win me a pair as well so make sure to enter through the link on my blog so it counts for me! Thank you to all my friends in the blogosphere!

Happy Birthday Derrek!!!

Happy Birthday Derrek!

Derrek found this ad on KSL that he thought was pretty funny. He and Summer were joking about it on facebook. Melissa, one of Derrek's friends, hired the ninja to entertain us for Derrek's birthday. Such an awesome idea! The ninja came and started to show us some of his mad skillz. Mikaela caught it on video. Check it out! You can also check out more pics on Hell is cold.

We had a super fun party/BBQ at Derrek's house. The whole ninja experience made it hilarious. After he fell, Derrek offered him a burger. He got it all ready and then realized he couldn't eat the burger without taking off his mask. So, he just made a plate and kept collecting food. He took a bunch of pictures with people. He was actually really weird. At one point, he asked who would like to kiss a ninja and Summer said she would. The rest of the night, he tried everything to get her to kiss him again and again and even said she could take off his mask. Derrek finally told him it was a good effort and sorta hinted that he could leave. As soon as I get the pictures, I will post some for you. It was one of the funnest parties I have been to in a long time. After he fell, we all laughed so hard. Dad was laughing hysterically. He even said it was the funniest thing he had seen in 67 freakin' years! Good times! Happy Birthday D-rock! Love ya.

Click here for last year's post.

See...it's already getting better...

For a looksie at what I did last Saturday go here. My kids were on vacation and I had 3 days alone. I wanted to take a little trip somewhere to get away but one friend got really sick and the other two had to work and...well...I have no other friends. I had a sleep over with Paige and Suzanne on Thursday to Friday and then Suzanne and I went with Nick, Macey, Laney, Rex, Mabel and baby Bella to Cheesecake Factory to say good bye to Laney who is moving to Vegas. After that, Suzanne and Nick had planned to go to Jackson for a river rafting trip. Nick wanted me to go and I was super tempted, but just felt like it wasn't the vacay I really wanted. I really wanted to lounge by a pool and read and just relax and try not to think too much. I didn't feel like camping and sleeping in a tent. I'm usually a good camper just not that day. So, I passed on the invite. They took off and ran to Walmart where they encountered the Swat standoff that took place in the apartments right behind Walmart. The one where an older man was shooting and so they shot him. Maybe that shoulda been their first clue. Then, they ended up having a crazy trip on the river Saturday. More on that later. Saturday during the day I spent a few hours with 11 little kiddos swimming at the pool to celebrate Loren's birthday. Cham needed some extra lifeguards and also a photographer. Later that night, I ended up going with Derrek, Spew and Laura to Taylorsville Dayzz to hear pseudo Neil Diamond and watch some spectacular fireworks! It wasn't the weekend I had hoped for, but it worked just as well.

I'm up and at it...I think!

Warning:

I'm gonna be a downer for a minute...

I've been MIA for a little bit. Not sure why. I think it's a combination of things. A little Influenza A or maybe piggy flu with the boys. (A fourth grader at the school came down with Swine flu). Or maybe busy with the end of school stuff. I don't know.

I've been sad too.

Life is overwhelming at times. Everything seems to happen at once. I keep hearing of people I know getting sick and having real troubles. It makes me sad. It seems like it's been a very long time since something wonderful has happened. I wonder when that will happen again? I wonder if it will ever happen again?

Today, for the first time, EVER...I believe...I actually admitted out loud that being a single mom is hard! I have always handled it and felt like it was really the least of my problems. I didn't feel like a good mom most of the time, but I felt like I did the single mom thing as well as I could. But...not today. The 11 year old car broke down AGAIN (with something that I had already paid to have fixed) so I ran it to the shop and after repairs and some money I drove off only to discover that my blinkers don't work at all! I now have a wiring problem in my steering column. I know it's not a big deal, but it's hard. You can really only do the hand signals for so long. KnowwhatImean?

So, ya...I cried.

It's hard to find a job in this economy. It's hard to find the right job that isn't going to totally take away from my kids. It's hard to balance everything. It's hard when money isn't there. It's hard to hear harsh words thrown at you constantly. It's hard to buy a house on your own. It's hard to stay strong. It's hard to have faith. It's hard to be positive. Oh...and it's hard to live in a hot house. (You know I couldn't go a summer without complaining about this one!)

No one understands how hard it is to be a single mom till they actually do it. It basically sucks.

Now, granted I'm not sick or dying. I haven't suffered anything hugely traumatic. I have a bright future ahead of me. Sometimes I forget that or sometimes I choose not to look at it that way. That's why I like to read Nie Nie. It brings me back to where I need to be.

So...for now I hope I'm done being a downer.

I'm ready to play this 4th of July weekend!!!

Rock on!!!

Mikaela's birthday photos

Here are the photos from Mikaela's birthday celebration at Leatherby's and her family party at home and at James' pool.

Yummy Nothing Bundt Cake!

Happy Birthday Mikaela!!!

Mikaela had her 13th birthday today!

She is officially a teenager!

This oughta be good!

She is a great kid. She is so smart, intuitive and sensitive. She can see things from so many different perspectives. She has to endure a lot of things and she is growing into a very strong person. She's basically gonna kick butt when she gets older!

The boys are still in school so Mikaela, Grandma, Mckell, Diane and myself went to see "Confessions of a Shopaholic" at the dollar theater. Then, Mikaela went with Mckell to her dance class because it was "bring a friend" day. After that we all (Hudson, Dalton, Mikaela, me, Grandma, Summer, Nick and Suzanne) went to Leatherby's for dinner and ice cream. We had a nice time even though Summer thought Leatherby's was a little ghetto. Mikaela chose it because they have awesome chicken fingers and their carmel is delish! Plus, it's her birthday! Summer took a few pictures so when she sends them to me, I will post them.

I hope you had an awesome day Mikaela. I love you tons and tons!

You are the best daughter anyone could ask for!!!

Click here for last year's post.

Priceless

New pair of church pants = $14.00
Gum in new pair of church pants while wearing for the first time = Grrrr!
Ice cube and knife trick = Frustrating
Slightly hot vinegar, soak for 10 minutes & scrub with a toothbrush = Excellent
House smelling like Easter eggs on a hot summer day in June = Stinky...

But...oh so worth it!

Try it next time.

Super cool idea.

Thank you internet!

Win a session with Blue Lily...

Click here to enter a giveaway. Blue Lily will be in Utah twice this summer and is giving away a "free supercool session." They will be in other states too. Check out the post and see if they will be in your neck of the woods.

Hug me a Goblin...or kiss me an Indian!

Summer, Paige, Ben, Marcus and I went to Escalante last Friday to hike some 10 mile hike on Saturday and come home the same day! We stayed in a KOA cabin in Panguitch. It actually wasn't too bad. We ate breakfast in Panguitch where Ben, Paige and I shopped at a thrift store. Paige found some sister wife dresses for us and we took our picture with an Indian guy sitting outside of the store. Don't get excited...he wasn't real and when we took the picture, Paige was kissing the Indian and I wasn't. So the rest of the trip, my goal was to find another Indian and kiss him. (I have lofty goals) It didn't happen! It rained on Saturday so many of the hikes were washed out. We decided to bag the hike and just drove and drove and drove. We finally decided to head to Goblin valley and check it out since only one of us had ever been there. It was raining and seriously muddy, but oh so fun. The girls all had flip flops on and the guys had their hiking shoes. It didn't matter though...everyone slipped and everyone got muddy. We started down and Marcus offered me a piggy back all the way to where it was flat and a tiny bit safer. So nice...but quite possibly a bit more risky then doing it each on our own. We fell once, but we caught ourselves and only dirtied our feet and hands. Phew! Summer thought we were going to fall so she was just waiting to snap a picture. We ALL managed to make it out of there without falling too badly or getting very muddy. And I have to say, it was pretty awesome! Our goal was to hug a Goblin while there and we all pretty much got that chance. Summer was all over her Goblin! She can be so flirty with dirt! I don't have a picture of Paige and her Goblin but once I get her pictures I'll post 'em. I know there are a lot of pictures, but I like pictures and it's my blog. So, there ya go.

A small part of me wishes that there was a way we could have washed ourselves off so we could have had ourselves a killer mud fight. I knew we couldn't get all messy because Ben would never let us back in his truck. But, I have NEVER had a mud fight before and it would have been so fun. I don't think I even did that as a kid! I'm so boring. But not to worry, next time...I'm planning for a full on mud fight! I'm buying a camping shower.

Ben kept telling us that this was the best trip EVER! We just won't mention the semi-yucky breakfast at the dirty diner that lacked hot water, the uncomfortable and noisy beds at the KOA, someone that snored, or the fact that we were in the car more than we were out of the car. We'll just remember how funny everyone is and that there was tons of junk food, laughter and potty stops along the way! Hey...not bad for a last minute road trip?

These two shots were taken from inside the car through the window.
Not too shabby.

You can see the mud in this picture. It was so dirty.

Muddy feet

Yay! We're finally out of the car!

Wow! Something must be funny

Make it sit so I can get down...

Ben's goblin has curves in all the right places!

Goodbye...I'll miss you sweet goblin

Should we get these two a room?!?

This was all they had to clean our feet and hands

Sisters

Me likey the twix

Three little piggies
(and yes, we threw the yogurt raisins out the window afterwards)

Feeling the love...ahhh

Happy Birthday Dani!

I'm posting this really late for Dani's birthday because I'm lazy like that. So, I hope she had a great day. I know that she and Marc celebrated both their birthdays with a big party and all their friends. She said that was a lot of fun. Here's to another year and I hope that many fun and exciting things are in store for you. Click here for last year's post.

Flashback Friday

This Flashback is about my first REAL crush. I did have a boyfriend in Kindergarten, but all we did was stand on opposite sides of the fence at recess and take turns spanking each others' butts! Ya...I was slutty at age five.

I was about 10 years old and my crush was an older guy. The ripe old age of twelve...and...he passed the sacrament! So, I concocted a plan to make him notice me. I had to be assertive as I didn't have much to offer physically. After all, I was super skinny, (I would love this problem now...) wore wonder woman glasses and braces. Oh, and sometimes I wore my headgear!

I.was.HOT!

So, my plan was to go to church as usual, but be the first one in my family in the chapel. I would then rush to the front row...yep...FRONT ROW! (I wouldn't say I was good at being subtle.) I knew that he always passed the sacrament to the front row and I had been watching from afar and devised this plan weeks in advance. It was totally premeditated.

That oughta get his attention...and not at all obvious!

Sunday comes and we head to church. I rush in and plant us on the front row. I'm sure my mom wanted to kick my butt for doing this, but I don't remember her getting mad. I'm the oldest of six kids and the youngest was baby D-rock who was around a year old. I was holding him and bouncing him on my knee like a good big sister when it came time for the sacrament. This is it! I thought to myself. I was so excited. He was going to see me and then I would be in his mind all day!

It was the perfect plan to get my man.

Because we were on the front row, he walked along and passed it to all of us. (As opposed to us passing it down the row to the other end.) It was time for the water. I was on the end, so that meant I was the last one to get it on my row. He holds the tray in front of me so that I can partake, when all of a sudden...BAM!!! Baby D-rock's hands grab at the tray and the little cups of water spill all down both D-rock and myself.

I was so embarrassed! I thought I would die. It was awful!

I guess I didn't impress that guy because he never reciprocated any love or attention. That's ok, he was actually kinda weird. I have no idea what I really saw in him anyway. And that's how the rest of my attempts at attention from men continued throughout my life. They would pretty much always blow up in my face...

or...spill down my dress! :)

Psst...

Hey, I added a few more songs to my playlist.

I'm spending a lot of time alone again lately. So, I'm back to listening to music and dancing away all my troubles.

I went to the Lenka concert and since then, I've been listening to her all the time. She wrote Don't Let Me Fall when she broke up with her boyfriend and she wrote Dangerous and Sweet when she and her best friend had a fight. The other two are just two of my favorites right now. If you haven't ever heard of her, she sings The Show. You've probably heard that song...it's always on the radio.

I don't have a boyfriend to break up with me, but I do have a friend that hates my guts...

Whatever...

So...give it a little listen

It's over there...on the right sidebar

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