*Happy 18th Bday Lacey!*

This is Tim's little sister Lacey. When he & I were dating in '98 Lace & Ash had just been the "Oscar Meyer Girls", doing commercials & gigs. They were only like 5 & 9 then. Time sure has gone fast! So Lacey turns 18, an "adult", today! We wanted to wish her a very hApPy BiRtHdAy! LaCey is an awesome piano player, great but humble singer, very smart & good with her school work. She's a good girl who knows what goals she wants to attain in this life & goes for 'em! We love seeing her cute, fun smile-mostly when we're embarassing her in some way -you know what older siblings do best! So Lace would it be a good time to tell the "in the middle" story?? Lacey is a "fashionista" & would love to be a fashion designer some day. She has hopes of going to BYU & has a nice, cute boy friend named Jordan (one of Kaylea's crushes.) *Lacey is the 6th of 7 siblings & has a numerous 18 neices & nephews with 2 more on the way; plenty of younger kids looking up to her. We Love you. Happy 18th Birthday!!

*Thanksgiving Weekend

*I know this is kinda late, but I'm just getting back into normal life after a swarm of projects this weekend! So Thanksgiving was spent this year @ my parents house. It's surprisingly only our 3rd year of having it in Gilbert with my family since Tim & I have shared
10 Thanksgivings together! It was bitter-sweet as we missed Danny, Stephanie, Marcus & Ethan, but we enjoyed time with those of us who were there. -Us, Mom & Dad, Tommy, Sara, Phylip, Brittany & her boyfriend Josh. Last year was our 1st Thanksgiving all together with my family, believe it or not in many years! We carried on the tradition of "shooting rockets & softball" @ the park after the turkey.

*Congratulations Shannon on getting your Temple endowments!
*Hope you had a great birthday Alena & Alison! Love ya!

*Happy 20th B-day "Elder Curtis"*

*This is my missionary bro Danny & I am so unbelieveably proud of him! He has always been my goofball brother with the biggest heart. Just thinking about his big grin makes my eyes tear up. *Danny is serving in South Korea & has almost reached his year mark!! He has told us of the spiritual & the fun times he has had there. Danny almost always has a smile on his face. (This meant as a kid, that he was up to something.)

*Now he's really up to something great! The people love him there so much. He said just recently that a little old lady came up and put an apple into his mouth as he was lifting weights at the gym. Glad he's having such a great time there and being watched over. We love you Danny & wouldn't want you anywhere else right now..although we'll sure be excited when you get back.

*Happy 8 1/2 years!*

*Top photo-Pregnant with Dude in Chicago (2005) *Lower photo-A goofy picture of us right after we were first married. All dirty having just had just rode quads and motorcycles through the woods. (1999)

**Not like we really celebrate our 1/2 year anniversaries, but thought this was a good excuse to talk about my hubby! Although honey if you're reading this.. this would be a good excuse to buy me flowers or chocolates ya know. Ha!

~Some reasons why I love & married Tim:

1) He makes me laugh more than anybody:>

2) He is such a great Dad-he is so good to our kids

3) He almost always does the dinner dishes (I'm the last one eating slowly at the table)

4) He takes me on vacations around the world..(except this year.. "hmpf!")

5) He knows when I'm being a silly-head & calls me on it but then lets it go (most of the time)

6) He really has a BIG heart inside his tough exterior

7) He enjoys taking me out to dinner & movie

8) He patiently tries to explain football to me -hoping I'll start liking to watch it with him (-a long shot!)

9) He takes care of paying all the bills -(working for 'em & sending 'em in)

10) He loves me for me...oh yeah & we make cute kids:)

* ...And the doctor said:

-"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!!!"

**That's what this mama said when 2 crying kids came to me, one with a black eye & one with a bump on the head. Hard to have that much sympathy for 2 monkeys breaking the rules!

-Spencer & Kaylea were in fact jumping on the bed. They both insisted they didn't know about this rule. Oh brother!*This is a picture of the black eye ONE WEEK after it happened just to give you an idea of how bad it was. (My camera battery charger was lost or the pic would've been taken sooner of course.)


*This picture was taken last night after a run in with the corner of the fireplace. Spence got tripped (when rough housing w/ cousins) & his head split open. You can see the blood on the neck of his shirt & the small gash on his head. We didn't know it was small when it happened based on the amount of blood!! Ooh scary! My brave Spence.

*Happy 11th Bday cousin Natalie*

~Sweet sweet Natalie. I remember before she was a part of our family as a little baby her mom Heidi carrying baby Natalie on her hip, with her bright brown eyes & cute black hair sticking up. Natalie's smile is contagious. She has always had such a tender heart and sensitive sweet spirit.*Happy Birthday* ~We love you Natalie:)~

*The Journaling 8's*

Tagalicious:

(Kristal made me do it:)

*8 things I'm passionate about:
8. blogging as of late:-}
7. my testimony of the Gospel
6. anything chocolate
5. antiques ( home decor, etc...)
4. my Family & geneology
3. PICTURES! , taking 'em, looking at 'em, messing with 'em, hanging 'em
2. My awesome kids.
1. My sexy husband

*8 things I want to do before I die:
8. Travel the world with hubby
7. swim again with dolphins (this time w/ tim)

6. hot air baloon ride
5. Raise happy, healthy, amazing kids
4. ...have more kids & be a Grandma

3. strengthen family relationships
2. talk with the prophet

1. write more music

*8 things I often say:
8. What the heck?
7. Freakin' A!
6. Who's your favorite Mom?
5. Oh..Spencearama!

4. Kaylea get in here right now!!!

3. Day-Day give mom a kiss.
2. Tim-Bob!
1. boom shacalaca

*8 books I've recently read:
(Uh I'm gonna cheat cuz uh... books what are those-?

maybe when kids are grown...do magazines count?)
8. Mary, Martha & Me

7. Book of Mormon
6. Letters To Emily
5. Friend magazine to my kids
4. Nick Jr. mag
3. TONS of kids books to Kay & Dude "If U give a mouse a cookie" etc.
2. People magazine -lame i know
1. Ensign magazine

*8 things I could listen to over and over:
8. primary kids singing "Scripture Power" & "I Am a Child of God"
7. Eliott Yamin 's (singing voice)

6. Brian McKnight-same..so dreamy
5. Josh Groban
4. Daylan saying: "Mommy By You", "Hold You Mommy", "Need You Mommy"

3. Kay singing: Jonas Brothers/Hannah Montana songs at the top of her lungs

2. Spence saying: "Love you Mom" before he goes to sleep
1. my mom saying: "So when do you want the kids to have Grandma Day?"

*8 things that attract me to my bestfriends:
8. HAVE to make me laugh;-}
7. Tell me I'm cute even when I'm not
6. Love my kind of music & will dance dorky to it with me
5. They know when to call or email
4. Know my code names for things, people and places
3. They trust me/I trust them
2. Understand my humor
1. Bonus: Sing duets with me:)

*8 things I've learned this past year:
8. It's good to be back home!
7. It's good to go on dates again!
6. It's awesome to have Aunt Sara babysit the kids!
5. My kids hardly get sick when we live in Gilbert.

4. Stressing gets you nowhere!!
3. The more downtime I spend with the kids, the happier we all are!
2. You don't have to fill your life to have a full life.
1. No matter what happens...we'll still be okay!!!

Alright, now I'm tagging 8 people: Steph, Danae, Brynn, Brooke, Carrie, Tiff, Tracey, Lace & whoever the heck else wants to :}

**Go at it girls...do it for your posterity!

*Day cleaning the tub

Ok I know...enough already with the nakey pictures, but Dude did the cutest thing the other night. You see he takes showers most of the time & I yelled in to him that it was almost time to get out. He swiftly hollared back...

"No Mom,

I ta-leening!!" (cleaning)

*I walked in & this is what I saw:

Him cleaning the tub with his hands. He was just sure he was doing something so important! Who can argue that?

....& how I ask you, do you resist this cheeseball smile?

*Thank You Veterans!

~To our sweet Grandpas & all others who have or are currently serving our country!

~ThAnK YoU~

*Happy Birthday Mikelle:) I LoVe YoU!*

*Spencer's Prayer

This is my sweet Spencer who fell asleep in the middle of his prayer before bed! You can see he was folding his arms & must have been too overcome with sleepiness. Awww..Innocence! He is such a good boy and I know I often expect so much out of him. Spencer is an old soul, yet so young at heart. He will make friends with anybody. Yesterday I volunteered in his school class again, and the kids just kept telling me: "Spencer is SO smart"; "Spencer's the nicest kid in the class"; "Spencer is the best reader." The big kid who I think would be the tough bully even said to me "Spence is a pretty cool kid." Spence is one of the only kids in his class & the only boy to get a GReEN STaR (for behavior & attitude) every day since school started! He's a great example to me & everyone else around him! I love my SPeNceR BoY! I feel honored to be his Mom!

*Happy 7th Birthday cousin Macey!

~Kaylea, Jett, Macey & Spence~

Back in the day....

~Spencer & Baby Macey on her actual birth day 7 years ago

*Macey Lynn is 7 going on 17. She is full of spunk and personality. She is good at whatever she tries doing. The kids have many memories with her since they've always lived so close by.

*Happy 7th Birthday Macey* We love you!

*Take time to smell the "roses!"

*When you looked at this picture what did you see FIRST?...be honest.; the flowers or the fast paced city life. I think we can all agree that we live in a busy, always moving, changing world! Sometimes I know I am so focused on what I have to or just want to do, that I forget to stop and look right in front of me at the "roses."

Things like: my kids laughing as they wrestle together, the smell of the crisp fall air, the smile from my new neighbor, the chirping birds, sweet Spencer telling the same joke for the 5th time, Daylan's attempt to go on the toilet & his scrunchie eye smile, my husband's offer to rub feet, Kaylea's 7th picture of the day she drew just for me; All the things I LOVE yet might look past! Not to mention all our daily gifts from God that we can't see because our vision is so out of focus! *I will try this next week to FOCUS on the important things that are right in front of me!

*Balls, Balls, Balls

*Here's Day & his Balls. -no pun intended.- He's been thinking it's really funny lately to take off running the second he's out of the bath or shower. He drops his towel & then he's off! He runs in circles till he falls down or does a little dance. We try not to laugh but it is stinkin' hilarious.What can you expect from a 2 year old... right? I figure at least this gives me some leverage over him during the teenage years with pictures & stories like these! (The bump on his head is from standing up on his bottom bunk & whackin his head on the top bunk.--no not from a naked dance:)

*What would we do without our Daylan?*