Monday, February 25, 2013

Marlee becomes an adult


My baby turned 18.
 
Crazy!!!
 
 

 
I made her a Reese's candybar cake & got her the first four seasons of Fringe, our latest obsession.
 
But what she wanted most for her birthday, was to go skydiving.
And somehow I ended up getting talked into doing it too!
 
 
It was insane! And we both want to do it again!
 
 
But on her actual birthday, she did this....
 
....on our way to Disneyland,
 
 
and had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory when we got there.
 
 
I try not to focus on the fact that she will be gone in a few short months. That the days of having all of my kids at home is coming to a close. Gone forever. Chapter closed. It's freaking me out!!!
 
Happy Birthday Mars!!
 
I'm SO proud of you & your many talents & accomplishments. You've set the bar high for your sibs & I'm glad. You are beautiful inside and out, and I'm going to miss you like crazy when you leave our nest. I love you!  Love, Mom

Saturday, February 16, 2013

2012 Highlights and Lowlights


Let's start with the  Highlights:
 
 
Max gets contacts
 

Caroline finally grows enough hair for ponytails
 

We finally remodel the half-bath
 
Brian runs his first Ragnar & actually enjoyed himself
 
Brian loses 30 pounds
 
I realize my dream of seeing Monument Valley
 



Skiing in Telluride on St. Patrick's Day and making some new friends



Hiking in Zions

Going to see Brian Regan in St. George, and then running into him afterwards at Appleby's
 
Every day is a highlight with this girl
 

The Earth, Wind and Fire concert


Brian & I eat our way through Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee


I attend the JinkyArt workshop
 
 
Jake goes to his first EFY in Provo
 
 
The 4th of July at Coronado, of course

Marlee returns home to us parasite-free after spending 3 weeks doing humanitarian work in the Amazon jungles of Ecuador.


Sunday nights when The Walking Dead was on

When Jake was riding the bus home when Toro Camp was over

Haboobs


Brian becomes one of only three Board Certified Orthodontists in Mesa
 
Max moves on to Junior High

Max gets a cell phone

Jake moves on to High School

Jake plays in his first High School football game

I go on a girls beach trip with my mom & sisters
 
Marlee does a fabulous job in the Distinguished Young Women program/competition


Marlee is chosen as a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist

We extend our attic storage space (life-changing)

Brian runs the St. George Marathon & manages to finish even though he pulls his hamstring at Mile 3

Our October Break Seattle trip with the older kids


Coming home to find that the babysitter had broken Caroline's binky habit

Finding some new additions to our Halloween collection



Thanksgiving with our Mason peeps


Brian's concert tour of a lifetime
 
Max's last day of A-hour



Watching Jake's face as he realizes his last Christmas gift is a trip to Japan with his Dad

Lighting up the neighborhood on New Years Eve
 





And now for.....



Biggest Disappointments of 2012:

Obama's win
 
My eyesight - I finally broke down & got a pair of cute reading glasses
 
My body in general
 
April Fools joke failure
 
Teenager chore participation
 
Pinewood Derby
 
shattered dreams
 


Marlee's Varsity volleyball coach
 
Lack of hot chicks at EFY
 
My garden
 
Our tooth fairy
 
I'm still in Scouts
 
Gus still can't get his urine stream IN the toilet
 
 
 
Most Annoying Pets of 2012:
 
 
Kitty - for reasons too many to mention
 
Turbo


His poops are huge & he does this...
 
to my garden
 
 
Cutest Things Caroline Does:
 
Rubs her silky blankie edges


Her careful coloring
 

 
Her drama queen faces
 
 
 
Kid with the most cavities in 2012:
 
Gus  -  9 cavities
 
 
 
Brian's 2012 Concert List:
 
Muse
 
Young The Giant (2)
 
The Cult
 
Death Cab For Cutie
 
Earth, Wind & Fire
 
OMD
 
Echo and The Bunnymen
 
China Crisis
 
The Cure
 
Roddy Frame (Aztec Camera)
 
Donny & Marie Osmond Christmas Show
 
 
 
Favorite TV Shows of 2012:
 
 
The Walking Dead
 
Downton Abbey
 
 
 
Favorite 2-year-old of 2012:
 
 



 Caroline!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!

 
 
Why is it that Valentine's Day these days seems to be more about elementary school class Valentines & parties than anything else?
I'm too busy putting the kids' Valentine crap together to bother with Brian! My poor, poor neglected sweetheart!!!  :)
 
 
So here's what we came up with this year....
 
 





We decided not to do this one. A little too disturbing. He looks like a cerebral palsy victim.




And then there's these guys....

 
Jake & his favorite Freshman girl, Yaz.
 
 
They're just adorable, right?
 
 
 
But here's what's really adorable.....
 
 
Melts my heart. :)


Thursday, February 7, 2013

pink-eyed peanut



 
We've got pink-eye.
 
And I don't hate it.
 
It's a sure ticket home, without the misery or vomiting. I mean, who's going to send a kid like this to Nursery on Sunday? And guess who gets to stay home with her? See what I mean? I'm always up for a little break in the routine & a good excuse to not have to attend something I don't want to. You can't argue with it. It works for me.  I don't even mind when the other kids get it & have to stay home from school. It's fun.
And sometimes it's just fun to wake up with your eye glued shut every once in awhile.

I think I need a vacation.
 
 

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