So happy not to be living there anymore!

While living in Des Moines was an experience I will never forget and I met many awesome lifetime friends and even had my second child there, I am so happy not to be dealing with flooding and tornados and the freakin' humid hotness. Not that I'm not miserably hot here, cuz I am, but at least I have my family and friends close to make up for it. The recent flooding has me thinking of my days there. It was 9 years ago this month that we moved from Des Moines to Utah. Here are some pictures of Des Moines from the news. Eastern Iowa is much worse but we didn't live there.

We used to boat at this lake.

I don't think there is much boating going on right now.

Happy 12th Birthday Mikaela!!!!

I can not believe it. My first born is 12!!! The time has flown by so fast it just amazes me. She has really grown up a lot and I watch her constantly changing. I keep waiting for the physical growth spurt here to hit any minute. You should see how small she is compared to so many other 6th graders. I know it is on it's way soon! Anyway, here are some pictures of my baby

Mikaela's blessing 1996

Mikaela at the beach in 1997

1998

Mikaela and mommy in 2001

Mikaela camping in 2002

Wakeboarding in Yuba

Surfing in Imperial Beach

Elyssa, Mikaela, and McKell

Mikaela's BFFs!!!

Mikaela singing for Jonas Bro's tickets

Mikaela and Grandma

Just Mikaela

Today...

I put $99.00 worth of gas in my car. I was not able to fill the tank, my credit card just cut me off at $99.00. I guess I had my limit in gasoline. I think I need a different car!!!

This is funny!!!

I just thought this was so funny.  Don't cha just love English kiddies accents.  Too cute!  

Happy Birthday Dani!!!

Happy Birthday to my sister Danielle. We really miss her since she is the only sibling living outside of Utah but, we will take whatever visits we can get. Fortunately she is a flight attendant and can visit us fairly easily. I sure hope you have an awesome birthday Dani.

Some things I love about my Dani:

She is a work horse.

She is always cleaning and doing our laundry when she visits. We can't stop her!

She is super helpful.

She and I were close in age so we were in high school together, we were college roommates and worked together too. Those were great times! Remember the tarantula and how you let me crawl in your twin bed with you?

She will always babysit your kids when she visits and let you go out.

She's always giving up her hotel room to others.

She calls just to talk to the kids. I think that's cool.

She is hilarious.

She is very tolerant.

She is generous and thoughtful.

We always shared a bedroom growing up. Remember how we cleaned our room? I know, I know, it was my idea!

Dani pokey rissi eye!

But, most of all, I just enjoyed having you so close in age so I only had to endure things for a year before you joined me! You know how I hate to be alone. Love you Dani.

Sistas

Dani and Hudsy bear

Dalty bug and Dani

Dani, Alicia, Tonya, Summer

Dani and Justin

Summer and Dani

Dani and Justin

Dani, Julz, Summer

My deal-ios!

Today I got this for $1.99...

and this for free!!!

I love a good deal. And, I'm not weird!!!

Okay, I am so weird!!!

Minimum wage aka chump change!!!

Derrek and I were going through old stuff and found a bunch of old report cards for me and my siblings from middle and high school. That was funny. Then, Derrek found an old pay stub from when he had a paper route. We realized that I was making the same amount as he was making and I was a 19 year old college student in retail. He was a 10 year old boy with a paper route and his stub showed $4.69 an hour which was above minimum wage! So, actually, he was making more than me. I only made 4.25!!!

I remember when I started college in the Fall of 89, my friend Kari and I got jobs making those tiny little key chain license plates with names and sayings on them. We lived in Happy Valley and made minimum wage which was $3.35 an hour! My rent was $150.00 a month and college tuition and books on top of that. I guess that explains why I didn't go to school my third quarter. I am no mathematician (you know, cuz I'm a college drop out!) but, I don't think those numbers compute!

So, this made me think about minimum wage. Here's the low down on the ridiculousness of it all. The first minimum wage was in 1938 at 25 cents and they could raise it in 7 years to 40 cents an hour. I don't know if they did. Then it raised to $2.30 an hour in 1978. It was 3.35 from 81-89. Raised to 3.80 in 1990 and then 4.25 in 1991. It was raised to 5.15 in 1997. And of course it just raised last July to 5.85 and will raise this July to 6.55 and next July to 7.25. Whew! Can you believe how slow they are to raise it and they totally do not keep up with inflation. Ridiculous!

There it is, everything you needed to know about minimum wage. I personally think it's crap. Has anyone had to try and live on minimum wage? It's impossible. I understand both points of view on this because I have tried to live on minimum wage as well as been a business owner.  Thankfully, very few people even offer minimum wage anymore. Even fast food pays more than that. Anyhoo, this is a sore spot for me. But, for now, I am done.

Judy Attitud-y

On Saturday, I was running errands with Alicia and we drove around this gas pump and this old lady with a package of candy and a large soda was coming towards us rushing to her car. The space in between was so tight that we had to kind of stop a little for her to get by. Alicia said out her window, "sorry" and then Judy Attitud-y said "yeah, I bet you are!" Can you believe that? Her life must be pretty awful to come back with that kind of response. Most people would just drive by her without saying anything, but Alicia was sincerely sorry. Geez lady, get your sugar and caffeine fix quickly! What a witch! (Yes, I wanted to use a "b" but, I shall refrain.)

Lorna Call Alder turns 102 this month!

This woman is the sister to Don's grandfather Ara O. Call. Ever since she turned 100, my kids have been fascinated with her. They went to her 100th birthday party and they see her at functions and can't believe they know someone that is over 100. They love to tell all their friends. Well, later this month, she will turn 102. She really is an amazing woman and has accomplished amazing things during her lifetime. I just happened to catch her on the news today and here is the link if anyone is interested.

http://www.abc4.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=82080@video.ktvx.com&navCatld=142

You will need to click on the link and then it should load. A commercial will run first and then the story. If it doesn't work, just click on the story in the left column under local news.

Two rough boys...

every pair of jeans (except one) is ripped in the left knee...
35 days till school gets out!
Seriously?

For all the moms!!!

I am sure many of you have seen this before, however, this is to all the moms who have said at least one of these phrases...Happy Mother's Day and here's to a job that really never does end and is soooooo intensely difficult!!! As well as the best job in the world!!!

Cinco de Mayo or at our house...Hudson's Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to Hudson!!!

Nine years ago today I was racing down the freeway to my doctor in Des Moines to see if I was truly in labor. (The nurse didn't think I was and I had to beg her to let me come in to get checked.) After checking me, they decided that I was having the baby right then. I was told to run to the hospital across the street. I was still hoping I would have time to have an epidural, but they all KNEW I wasn't going to have one and no one dared tell me! They just kept leading me along until the doctor finally said no. I had two elevator mishaps (of course!) and when I finally ran (yes, ran in labor, I rock!) to the labor and delivery floor, I yelled "I'm having a baby!" They said to go into that room and pointed to the door. I ran in and ripped off my clothes. (Yes, ripped off ALL my clothes.) I wanted an epidural and I was just trying to speed things along. So, there I stood buck naked in the room with the door opened. The nurse just looked at me and said "didn't I give you a gown?" About 35 minutes after arriving at the hospital, Hudson was born. The funny thing is that we told the nurses and docs that it was cinco de mayo and they all just looked at us weirdly and said "huh?" Can you believe they didn't know what that was? Crazy midwesterners! Oh, and I should tell you that because it was while Don was in med school and this was a teaching hospital, there were two docs (one of which was in our ward), two students, and two nurses in my room. ALL watching the birth and then they needed to watch the stitches. Gotta love teaching hospitals. Anyway, he was three weeks early and came super fast. His labor was soooooo different than Mikaela's labor. (Which explains my stupidity in not going to the hospital in the first place.) But, I was so happy to have him come when he did. The timing actually worked out perfectly for us. And I would go through it all over again to have Hudson in my life. He was so tiny and cute and red. Now, he is super tall and a great kid. He is so sympathetic and sensitive. He is a wonderful student and he always gets his homework done without being asked. He knows what he wants and goes for it. He loves soccer, reading, and playing with friends. I am so proud of him and everything he does. Here are a few pictures of that cute little guy.

I don't have a scanner so these are the only newborn shots I have of him!
He's about 2 months above and 3 months below.

Mikaela and Hudson
I guess he doesn't love squishy hugs!

Hudson '03

Hudson '03

Hudson '03

Hudson and Dalton in bionicle land '08

Ice skating '06

Josh and Hudson and Dalton
St. George, 2007

Hudson

Hudson '06

Cougars against the Utes '05

Hudson's Inca project '08

Hudson - St. George, Oct.'07