Silly friends

k guys....it wasn't MY birthday it was ALYSSA's birthday. :) I'm almost a Christmas baby, not a Halloween time baby.

Trick or Treating and a Little Halloween Humor

Our family had such a great time on Halloween! The kids had been looking forward to wearing their costumes for just about forever and were glad to finally be able to put them on. They collected way too much candy! As I was "inspecting" (otherwise called "taste testing") I came across this very creative treat:

It says: " We wish we had better candy to give out, but OBAMA took all the good stuff and gave it to your neighbor. Scary. Happy Halloween!" I didn't expect people to incorporate the election into trick or treating, but they did! On the radio I heard about one home where a woman would only give the kids candy if their parents that were with them promised to vote for Obama. I think that is taking it too far. Many parents refused and walked away. Their kids only missing out on a snack sized bag of M&M's. Stupid lady. Halloween is for kids to have fun, not for you to be a jerk! I really feel like this election has really brought a lot of ugliness out of people. But then again maybe it wasn't too far from the surface to begin with.

We also had a birthday last month! Alyssa turned the BIG 7! Yay Alyssa! She invited a few friends and we headed over to Kangaroo Zoo. They had a great time jumping, sliding and running around. She opted for donuts instead of cake. Works for me....they're cheaper and I love variety! Here's a few pictures from that fun day:

Return of the Slacker

So, I managed to be a total slacker again and it's been forever since I've had a real post. Just as I have done in the past, I am going to say that I will do better and try to update you all a little more often. Life just gets too busy and I barely remember to breathe, let alone blog. Since school started I've been running around like a crazy lady. I thought that my schedule would ease up a little bit since the kids would be gone for a large chunk of the day.....but it's not so. I am still super busy, thus I've had a hard time finding the time to blog.

What's new? Well, I'll tell you. :)

I have been called to teach in the primary of our new ward. I will be teaching the 9 year olds, which until the end of the year will include Ashlyn and Ammon. I've already threatened them that they better be really, really good. I'm glad to have a calling again and for the opportunity to challenge myself. I don't just want to be a teacher, I want to be a good teacher.

We've also made a goal to read the scriptures as a family each night that we are able and since we've started I've realized how much the kids already know. We go through pretty slowly so we can make sure to explain what's going on so they understand. It's fun to see how interested they are in the stories. We've all really enjoyed spending the time together as a family doing something that brings us closer together and will help each of our testimonies to grow. I've noticed that because we are explaining everything so thoroughly that I am getting much more into it than I have before. I think it's also affected me in a different way than ever before because as we read and study, I sit there looking at my family and thinking about how much I really want to be with them forever. I'm still overwhelmed everyday with how much my life has changed and how extremely blessed I am.

I've made a new goal for myself to try making a new recipe each week. My cooking skills seriously need some help. I was raised in a home where not much cooking went on and to this day I still don't know how we survived. Somehow we did though and now I am in some serious need of cooking experience. So far so good though, I actually tried 2 new recipes this week. Pumpin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cheesy Beefy Casserole from watching Good Things Utah. Both were soooo good.

Next on the list.....IT'S OCTOBER! I absolutely love this month. I love the cool air, pumpkins, crisp leaves and wearing jackets (cause it's about like wearing a blanket all day long......Now if I could just find a wear to wear my pillow too......Then not only would I be totally comfortable, but I could nap anwhere, anytime.....it would be perfect!)

While I was getting ready for the day on Thursday, I had all these little snips of poems going through my head. I kept making them up and eventually decided that they sounded pretty good......good enough to maybe write down. I felt like a school girl sitting here at my computer writing poems but I realized it was a lot of fun! I even suprised myself a bit. I'm not too confident about anything creative that I do, I thought I would read them to Jason and the kids to see what they thought of them. At first I didn't tell them that I wrote them so that they couldn't have a biased opinion or just tell me that they were good as to not hurt my feelings. They all thought they were great, then I told them that I wrote them. The kids thought it was cool and Jason eyes beamed when he realized I had created them. It was a sweet moment. So, now that I feel like they are worthy of sharing, here goes. Hope you like em. :)

Autumn’s Embrace

Chilled wind wisps through swirling leaves,
Lifting them round scraggly trees.
Pumpkins carved to light the night,
Candles beam through windows bright.
Smells of spices fill the air,
Stirring the senses, Fall is here.
~C. Evans


Dinner Directions for Mr. Witch

Dear,
I’m flying through the night tonight,
To give the kids an awful fright,
But here’s a recipe that’s quick and fast,
Make a bunch and it will last.
I’ll be back before you know,
But here it is before I go:

Blood of bat and eye of frog
Shell of snail, tongue of dog
Hair of cat and earthworm goo
Beak of bird and rat tail too.
Scale of snake, claw of chicken
Take it all into the kitchen.
Mix it in a boiling pot,
Stir it till it’s nice and hot.
Then pour it in a pie pan dear,
And serve it up with cold root beer.

Love,
Mrs. B. Witch
~C. Evans

Memories to Hold

Giggles coming from down the hall,
Echos through time against the walls.
Fingerprints long since cleaned,
From windows, walls and everything.
Dollies in boxes awaiting a friend,
Toy engines and trucks not played with again.

Skinned knees and tear drops,
Fairs and parades,
Reading a book or playing a game.
Snuggling together in blankets so warm,
What would they would be like when they were grown?

Kisses and hugs and giggles of joy
Each day loving my girls and my boy.
They were only little for just a short while,
When I think of those days I can’t help but smile.
Now they are grown, the time’s gone so fast,
I love them as much, but hold tight to the past.

~C. Evans

Nie Recovery

My sister told me about the couple who was injured in a plane crash a couple weeks ago. She actually ran with the wife in a relay earlier this year. I found a link to the family's blog on my sister-in-laws website and decided to check up on them to see how they are doing. It completely pulled at my heart strings. I can't imagine going through something so terrible. An entire family's life was changed in an instant. I wish the Nielson family comfort during this time and they will definitely be in our prayers.

School, Camping and Facing My Fears

I can't believe the end of the summer break is here! It seems like the kids just ended the last school year! It was fun but difficult to have them home all summer. Working at home while 4 kids are running circles around you is a little difficult so I am relieved that a new school year has begun. First off.....how the heck is Ashlyn in 4th grade already?! It seems like just yesterday that she was a little girl getting ready to start kindergarten. McKenna is starting kindergarten (officially next Tuesday). She is so excited and seems to really like her teacher. She is completely ready for the change and even though she will be gone part of the day I'm glad that I will still be able to have her to myself a little bit during the day while everyone else is still gone. There's just something about having your youngest start school that pulls at the heartstrings. I am excited for her though and look forward to watching her learn and grow. Ammon is in 3rd grade this year and has enjoyed making new friends. He's had homework every night so far this week which he hasn't been so excited about....especially because the other kids haven't had any yet. Alyssa is entering the 1st grade and has really like it so far. It's been a little bit of an adjustment being there all day but she's seemed to handle it well. Ammon and Alyssa also just started soccer, so I'm sure I'll have some pictures and posts about that coming soon!

Last weekend we went camping at Hyrum Dam Reservior with Jason's family and some friends. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a blast. The not so fun part was that we had a bug infestation. There were millions of some mosquito-like bugs everywhere. Jason came and got me out of the tent to see them flying above the campground. There were so many that they made a buzzing sound. It was DISGUSTING! The mosquitoes were also out in full force and managed to get us all. Which leads me to something else about them.....I swear that this year they have morphed into something really evil. Not only are they everywhere, but I have reacted to them differently. I've had a few that swelled up BIG TIME within just a few minutes. (like a flat disk shape about the size of a silver dollar.) Then, I've also had a few that have left bruises! What they heck?! It used to be that the worst part was just the itching and scratching until there was a scab! But bruises and massive swelling?! In talking to my sister in law and then later to my neice who is a nurse.....I guess they are starting to say that mosquitoes can now carry Lyme Disease. Scary. Needless to say, we will be taking our bug repellent with us everywhere.

Now on to this coming Sunday.........I was asked to speak in church. :( Don't they know how bad I am? jk. I really am not looking forward to talking in front of an entire chapel of people. Hopefully a lot of them will manage to be gone for the Labor Day weekend. That would be great! I think the hardest part is the topic. "How the Light of Christ has Blessed Me and My Family." Maybe for some people this would come easy.....for me.....not so much. So, if any of you have any good ideas, please, please.......let me know. Stories, experiences....anything! Many of you that know me may think that talking would come easy to me since that is about all I do. But talking in front of a group is definitely a fear of mine. What makes it even worse is that they only asked me not Jason. Last time we spoke we did it together. That was much easier. Misery loves company. Well, wish me luck!

Getting settled and making a home

Our new place feels more and more like home everyday. We have really enjoyed meeting all of the wonderful neighbors and watching the kids make new friends. It's great to have the peaceful feeling that we are in the right place and know that we can stay for a long time. It's also been nice to know that we can change whatever we want and make it "ours".

We're still unpacking, though there isn't too much left of that. We mostly just have all the odds and end boxes of things that we can't quite figure what to do with. Maybe another trip to the DI is needed. Even though we had a garage sale and took massive amounts to the DI already, it seems like we still have too much "stuff".

I found a cute couch set on ksl.com for the front room, so we were able to move our other couches downstairs. Until last night we only had one little dumpy couch downstairs for the family room. The previous owners left it for us because they had a really hard time getting it down the stairs. The husband had said that the only way it was getting out was in pieces because he didn't want to deal with the stair issue again. We found out just what he meant when we tried to move our couches down. We ended up taking our front window out, with the help of a neighbor, to get them in and to get the old couch out. It was a pain but I am soooo glad it all worked out. Now both rooms look great! Jason was also finally able to get that big flat pannel tv that he had been lusting over every time we walked in to Costco. (I swear, they put those things right in front of the door so that every man within a 100 mile radius will somehow smell or sense that they are there and come drool over them.) We've enjoyed it though and Jason's excited for all of the football parties we will be having. Bring on the buffalo wings!

Thanks again to everyone that has helped us get moved in! Friends and family are always welcome to come visit! :)

Last Saturday we attended the wedding of our niece, Mercedes. It was beautiful and very well planned out. Ashlyn was a bridesmaid while Alyssa and McKenna were flower girls. They looked so beautiful in their dresses...just like little princesses. Ammon was the ring bearer and looked very handsome in his tux. (though he was a little less than excited at first about the bright pink tie.) It was really great to see another little family starting. Congratulations Mercedes and Jake!

The Big Move

Finally, we're in our house! After many hours packing, cleaning, loading, unloading and pulling our hair out....we are in our new place! For me, moving is one of the hardest and worst things ever but this time it was a means to an end. We hope to stay here for many years to come. (I'm sure my family and friends will appreciate this since they have had to clutter their address books with a bazillion different addresses for me over the years.) We are still in the process of putting things away and it is feeling more and more like home each day. Thanks soooo much to all of you that helped us move! We appreciate it!

I took the kids to their new elementary today to get the paperwork for registering them. We walked around the school and explored a little. They are so excited for the school year to start and to begin making new friends.

We attended our new ward and met about 1/2 of the members. They were all so friendly and made us feel very much at home. It will be nice to get to know all of them more and make our place in the ward and community.

I would post some pictures of our place, but Jason has my camera at work. As soon as I get it back I will update again on what is going on at our place.

rEaLLy LuCkY dAy

Ok, so I had the coolest thing happen! The other day I was listening to the radio and they were giving away tickets for the John Mayer & Colbie Callait concert for tonight. I like Colbie Callait, so I thought I'd call in and try to win. Well, I was caller #10 and won 2 tickets. I rarely win things, so I was pretty excited about winning something. The tickets ended up only being for the lawn at the Usana Amphitheatre, so we weren't going to be too close, but maybe it would be fun. A couple of days went by and I got to thinking that I would rather have money instead of going to the concert, so I posted the tickets on ksl.com. This morning I sold them for $75. About 30 minutes after the guy bought the tickets the phone rang and it was the radio station telling me that I had won the drawing for FRONT ROW seats to the concert!!!!! 2 of them!!!!! I was completely surprised! Though it would probably be fun to watch Colbie Callait from the front row, I'm not so hot on John Mayer. His mouth freaks me out. I kind of have a phobia about it. Anyway, I decided to post these tickets online as well. Money is much better than watching someone sing for a couple of hours. I did some research and found out that front row seats sold for $350 EACH! Are they kidding? Holy crap! Who has that kind of money?! I really wanted to be able to get the tickets sold so I posted them for $250 EACH. I had a guy call about an hour after I posted them and he met me in SLC with $500!!!!!!! Seriously.....this has been the best day ever! I pretty much made $575 off of being caller #10! Wooooo Hoooooo! This couldn't have come at a better time since we are closing on our house Friday. Blessed.

All about the love of my eternity....Jason

Since this is Jason's birthday month, (he was born 7/7/77...how cool is that?) I thought I would do a little feature on him. Happy 31st birthday hottness!

Something that I learned about him right off is that he has a genuine love for others. He enjoys getting to know all about them....all the little details of their personality and what made them who they are today. Not only does he listen to them, but he commits it to memory. You'll never wonder if he's just asking you questions to keep the conversation going.....he really wants to know about you and he cares what you have to say. This is one of the qualities that makes him loved by everyone he meets.

He's the best therapist. (and free!) :) He takes the time to listen to everything from stories about a disfunctional childhood and mistakes you've made to the everyday stresses that sometimes have you at the end of your rope. He's really good at helping others look at the brighter side of things. One of his favorite things to tell me is "Fake it till you make it." Which basically means, even if you are having a bad day, week, month...whatever, you should fake that you don't feel that way....count your blessings.......try to think more positively and eventually you will make yourself that way. This also helps to not bring those around you down. I must admit that he is much better at this than I am. He has a good understanding of people and how emotions and experiences play in to who they are and why they do the things they do. I really think he was meant to be a therapist.......or at least my therapist.

He's a very hard worker. When I met him he was working 2 jobs, which totalled up to about 70+ hours per week. He had maintained this schedule for years, during which he also took care of his 2 kids. He survived on very little sleep but always had a positive attitude and always made sure to support Ammon and Alyssa in their interests. He was a soccer, baseball & ballet dad. Any project that he takes on, he does so with 100%. He doesn't cut corners and will only do quality work. He sees things through to the end. When someone would ask Jason's grandpa if something was good enough, his reply would be, "Is it perfect? Perfect is good enough." I think Jason does everything perfect. Grandpa would be proud!

He loves the gospel and has a strong testimony. He sets such a great example for me and our kids. He's always teaching them about gospel truths and helping them to be better each day.

He's extremely unselfish. He puts his family first and will do anything for someone that has a need. Because of his concern for others that I mentioned before, he truely wants to make others happy and will do what is needed to accomplish that. I think this is something that has really blessed our marriage and helped us to have the amazing relationship that we do.

I could go on and on about all of Jason's wonderful qualities....as I'm sure many of you already know. He really is the most loving, compassionate and perfect person I've ever known and I am sooooo grateful to have him as my husband and eternal companion. He helps me to be a better person everyday.

Happy Independence Day!

What a crazy hectic week we've had. Traveling to Logan for a funeral (my step gma), the 4th of July, preparing for and having a garage sale, traveling to visit with my sister and her family in Mapleton and then Jason's birthday. I feel like we've just been running from one thing to the next, but hopefully this week will be a little more relaxed. First off, we had so much fun on the 4th! We walked up to Main Street for the PaRaDe, then we enjoyed all of the fun things to do at the city park. (Ammon and Alyssa were the only ones with us. Ashlyn and McKenna were with their dad for the day.) The kids tried rOcK cLiMiNg, the fIsH pOnD, and then the bEaN bAG tOsS where they won little gOlD fIsH. Later that night we met up with Jason's family and had a cook out at his brother's home. The food was great and it was nice to meet some of Jason's family that I hadn't met before. The kids played in the little pool that his brother had set up and had so much fun splashing each other. (Well, most of them enjoyed that, McKenna didn't like that part so much, as seen in the picture at the bottom.)

Then, as is tRaDiTiOn, we all drove up to Farmington Pond to watch the fIrEwOrKs over Lagoon. It's so pretty to see the reflections in the water. The weather was perfect and it ended up being a really nice day.

Our garage sale was scheduled for Saturday morning, but Friday night as we came home from the fireworks we noticed that all of our garage sale signs had been removed from the posts. There were only 2 out of 12 remaining, so I had to wake up early Saturday morning to go to the store for more posterboard, make new ones, post them and then get everything out of boxes and ready to sell. To make matters worse, McKenna woke me up about an hour before I had planned on getting up because she had thrown up in her bed. :( Ahhhh, the life of a mother....the joy! All in all things ended up working out pretty well and it was a good thing that I was able to wake up a little earlier since some garage sale-a-holics think it's alright to show up over an hour early! We made about $400, then loaded up the rest of the stuff and took it to the DI. It was good to clear out our garage especially since we will be moving soon. I have no idea how we ended up with so much stuff!

Yesterday was Jason's 31st birthday! We went to his office for cAkE & IcE cReAm with his family, then hit McDonald's for dinner (yes....eXtRaVaGaNt, I know.) Then he and I stayed up playing Speed Scrabble. We played it for the first time at my sister's house Sunday and had so much fun that I thought he needed the game for his birthday. (Ok, so it was one of those convenient situations where I was able to get something that I wanted and call it a "birthday present for him.")

Our First Home Together

Jason and I put an offer on this home in Farmington earlier in the week and it was accepted yesterday. We are soooo excited! We're hoping to move in about a month from now. The kids are excited to have a yard to play in and because it is located in a cul-de-sac, they will be able to ride their bikes all over the place without worrying us so much.

The home has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a large family room, brand new carpet and paint, 1/2 basketball court (you'll know where to find us in the evenings), food storage area and a beautiful view of the mountains. The neighborhood seems very nice and so far we've noticed a lot of younger families like ours on the street. We both feel really good about this home and are excited to open up that next chapter in our lives. After all the moving we've done over the last few years, it will be nice to settle into our own place and stay. Jason and I were counting up all the times that I have moved in my life, and it was somewhere around 25! In my 30 years of life, that averages out to moving every 1.2 years! Eeeekkkkk! I am looking forward to staying in 1 place for a long, long time. I think it will be good for all of us, especially our kids. They've had enough changes and offering them more consistancy is important to us as parents.

We drove the kids by the elementary that they will attend and they got really excited to see a pool and waterslides. Unfortunately for them, that was just the city pool next door. :)

I know it has been a while since my last post again. I've been really busy with work and kids and Jason injured his back a couple of weeks ago while helping the neighbor lift some heavy outdoor pots that they had just purchased. He felt his back go out and barely made it back to our house. He managed to crawl up the stairs to our room where he remained until we had an ambulance come pick him up the next day because he could barely move and wasn't able to get out of the bed. He was so embarrassed to have to be taken out that way, but it was the only way that we could get him to see a doctor. They shot him up with all kinds of stuff and sent us off with a few prescriptions. Between those and chiropractor visits, he's doing much better and was able to go back to work this past week. We're so glad that he's feeling better and he's happy to be able to do things other than laying in bed watching tv.

The Big Day

A little over a year ago, Jason proposed to me on this bench at the Bountiful Temple. Life has changed so much since then!

On Saturday, June 7th, Jason and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Bountiful, Utah temple. It was a great experience and one that I am sure will be with us forever. I'm still unable to find the words to express my feelings about that day. It was something so spiritual that it's difficult to describe yet it was such a wonderful experience that I wish I could. I feel so blessed to have Jason as my eternal companion and best friend. He truly makes me want to be better everyday and be the best wife, mother, friend and sister I possibly can be.

After the sealing we held a lunch at North Canyon Park in Bountiful, which has a beautiful view of the valley and has become one of our favorite places. We were surrounded by friends and family which was a really good thing since it was fairly cold. The sun would peak out every once in a while and we would enjoy it while it lasted. Jason and I want to tell everyone that came to the sealing and/or the lunch and all of those who helped out with the lunch and pictures....THANK YOU! You really helped to make the day special and it was great to see all of you! To all who weren't able to come, you were in our thoughts. We missed you and hope to see you soon.

Our First Anniversary!

June 1, 2008 - 1 Year Anniversary

Have you ever found yourself somewhere you thought you would never be? A place that is bEyOnD anything you ever thought possible? A comfortable place where you cHeRiSh every moment and try to tAkE iN as much of it as you can? That is where I am. I am overwhelmingly grateful for the blessing that Jason is in my life and for the perfect husband and wonderful father that he is. I've told him before, that I would consider myself lucky just to know him, but not only do I get that, but I have the opportunity to be his wife and eternal companion! He makes me feel grateful, peaceful, gIddY, happy, secure, cHeRisHeD, appreciated and most importantly......LOvEd. This last year has been so much fun and we have learned so much about each other and ourselves. This has been an amazing experience that I wouldn't trade for the world. I look forward to each moment, each day and eTeRnItY together..

Catch Up

2 months!!! That's how long it's been since my last post! Life has been crazy busy and it's been so hard to find time to get on here and get everyone updated on what is going on in our lives.

We've been able to get out and do a few fun things as a family. Ammon started his baseball season and we've been cheering him on at every game. So far they are undefeated, with a 6-0 record. I have been really impressed with how well Ammon and his teammates play! Go Padres!

We also purchased a year pass to Hogle Zoo, so we took the kids there last Saturday and had a great time checking out all of the animals, though I think usually our children are much more "wild". I have only one complaint: they should hand out nose plugs for the amphibian building. Ewwww!

Mother's Day was great! Hopefully all of you mothers out there had a good one too. Jason made me breakfast in bed (french toast, scrambled eggs w/cheese and orange juice.) When the kids woke up, he talked to them about how it was my special day and how they needed to be really, really good. He got them excited about it and by the end it sounded somewhat like a pep rally from where I was in our room getting ready for church. It brought a smile to my face. Of course he threw in a few threats here and there just in case any of them decided to step out of line. Amazingly, the kids managed to make it through the entire day without having to suffer the wrath of dad. :) The next morning, Jason said, "I bet the kids will be really bad today to make up for being so good yesterday." Unfortunately, he was right and the kids then had to suffer the wrath of mom. That's how it goes though. Moms occasionally get little breaks here and there, but kids will be kids and moms will be moms.

Tomorrow is Ashlyn's 9th birthday! First of all, how the heck do I have a 9 year old?! I am so amazed by how much she has matured over the last couple years and by how quickly the time has passed. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I was holding her as a little baby, with her tiny fingers wrapped around my finger.......her soft skin.........her big beautiful brown eyes.......her itty bitty toes. She has taught me so much and has changed my life forever. Happy Birthday Ashlyn!!!!! We love you!!!!!! This picture is from a month or so ago when she preformed in Suessical the Musical at her school. She did a great job and the entire cast put on a great show. I was so proud of her for all of her hard work! She really put her heart into it! She is already talking about wanting to be in next years production.

Lastly, Jason and I are so excited that our sealing day is almost here! June 7th! It's crazy how fast our first year of marriage has passed. We have both enjoyed being together and are convinced that we are spirit twins because we are so much alike. We think the same things at the same time and have even been known to break out into the same song at the same time, out of the blue. No clues, no warnings, just coincidence.....or something more. I have never in my life had such a connection with anyone. I still don't know that I deserve such a great man, but I will be holding on to him as long as I possibly can, which will hopefully be forever. I tell him all the time that I am the one who got the good deal in marrying him. (and of course all of my family and friends could back this up), but he is still convinced that he is the one that got the better deal. Silly Jason, I don't think he realizes just how good HE is! :)

Ok, I really am going to try harder to post more often. Hopefully I haven't lost all my readers by now.

Love you all!

Crippled Mom Chasing Kids

Well, I am healing nicely from the surgery, though I did take a good tumble down 1/2 of our stairs the day after and landed right on my knee....of course. The funny part was, that I didn't even fall because of my bad leg. It was my other one that slipped! I am just clumsy by nature, so it really wasn't a surprise. I am doing much better though and so thankful to everyone that helped out during the first few days. Now it's life back to normal as far as taking care of the family and kids is concerned. I still have a while (@ 6 weeks post surgery) before I will be able to get back on the treadmill, but my physical therapy is going really well so far. The kids were really helpful during the time that I was down and Jason managed work, the kids and house, like a pro. I'm convinced that he can take on anything and succeed.

The weekend before surgery, we took the kids to the Discovery Gateway. They had tons of fun and Jason and I had a good time watching their little minds at work. It's cute to see how they get so excited about things and how they work to figure stuff out. It turned out to be a really fun day.

Jason and I are going to our first Ward Temple Night together this weekend. It's an exciting time for us and we are happy to live in a place where there are so many beautiful temples to visit. It's also the best to have a husband who enjoys doing that kind of stuff and who has such a love for the gospel. It makes life so much easier and so much more fulfilling to be able to work toward goals together. When he and I were dating, I told him that I wanted "a team mate, not a spectator" when it came to raising children, going to church and doing the things that we believe to be right. He has proved that he is just that. He is constantly helping and settting a good example for not only the kids but for myself. He sets the bar high and makes me want to be better each day.

Christine's update

The surgery is finally done and I am doing well. A little tipsy and absentminded from the medication, but heck, when am I not that way anyway. :) I'm amazed by all of the wonderful people, both family and friends that have offered to help us out. We really appreciate it! Thank you!

I'll write more when I'm a little more with it and when I feel like I'm not going to tip over and fall asleep on the keyboard.

Stinkin Church Basketball

The day is soon approaching. Next Tuesday I will have surgery to repair my knee. Stinkin church basketball. :) I tore my meniscus. For you to have a better idea of where that is, I've included a picture. It's basically the cartilage plate between the bones. My doctor said the surgery only takes about 30 - 45 minutes and I should be home a few hours after that. Unfortunately they do have to put my under to perform the surgery, which I am a little nervous about. I was hoping that they could just give me a shot in my knee and go to town on fixing things. I'm sure everything will go well though and I will be back to chasing kids around the house in no time.

Jason will also have to refrain from calling me "Gimpie".

Last week the 3rd graders put on a program about Native Americans. Jason and I were able to go watch Ashlyn perform with her class. They did such a great job. I was extremely proud of her and amazed at all the songs and actions that they all learned. She nailed her speaking part and impressed me with her dancing. It was one of those moments where I had to use all my strength to hold back tears. Yes....go ahead, make fun of me.....but I can't help it.....I love my kids and I am so proud of them!

Ammon took us to his first Blue and Gold Banquet. He has really loved being part of the Cub Scouts and it's been good for him to get out and make some more friends. He's starting to pass off things in his scouting book and I'm sure Jason will have him earning every badge and belt loop possible. He also lost a tooth last week. Unfortunately it took the Tooth Fairy 3 days to show up. I may have to call her customer service line to complain. ;)

Alyssa is starting to read and is now learning simple addition. Every day I am still amazed at how much happiness and energy can fit into such a small little person. She is such a great little helper and is always asking me if she can help me do things.

McKenna has taken some lessons from Alyssa and has started helping more. The other day she asked me if I would like a drink. I told her "Sure. Thanks." She came back a couple of minutes later and set a glass of water next to me on the desk. She then said, (in an English accent) "Here you go maddam." It was hilarious!

Jason is still my favorite thing ever! I'm sure by now everyone is just about gagging on how I can go on and on and on about him and about how mushy we are, but dang.....I just can't help it. He really is sooooo great! I've come to the conclusion that I had to go through so much crappy stuff before he came along so that I wouldn't ever take him for granted and I would always realize how wonderful he is. Well it worked. I think he is completely and totally amazing and I will love him forever and ever. He's stuck with me. :)

We will have all the kids here this weekend so we're going to try to do somthing fun together.

Ammon and Alyssa are gone most Saturday's, so it will be nice to have everyone home at the same time.

Tonight I'm learning how to make hair bows at our RS activity. I'm up for learning something new. I went and bought a whole bunch of pretty ribbon then realized that I probably wasn't saving all that much by making them myself. Oh well. It should be fun anyway.

Better bring your A-game.......

Ok, so I thought I would be really good at this whole blogging thing. I thought I could find the time I needed to do it and be able to keep all of you lovely folks up to date on what is going on in our lives. Well.......to say it plainly....."I stink at it." I have only posted 2 entries before this one and I've had this site up for a while! I am amazed by how quickly the days go by. I guess that is what happens when you're having fun.......or maybe when you're an out of your mind crazy like me and don't realize it. Either way, I need to really step it up on this whole blog thing. Here goes entry #3.

To catch you up on the kids: Ashlyn is still practicing for Suessical the Musical which she will be performing in mid-March. She is so excited to strut her stuff across the stage and show us all just how talented she really is. Her Suessical music continues to drive me out of my mind, but it's all for a good cause. :) She is hard at work studying up on chinchillas for an animal report. She saw them on tv the other day and fell in love with their cute little beady eyes and bushy tails. I agree....they are stinking cute. But as I tell the kids...."If they poop and can't do it in the toilet, I don't want them." Ammon is now old enough to join the Boy Scouts. He has enjoyed meeting new friends and doing "big kid" things. Last week we attended my first pack meeting. It was actually a lot of fun....though I have to admit.....I think I would rather pull out all my teeth using no anesthesia than be a den mother. Watch, now lighting will strike me dead for saying that.....or maybe someone will be "inspired" to call me to be in the scouts. Ammon is helping me learn more about boys every day though and maybe eventually I will understand them. :) Alyssa continues to be our "little diva". She tries out different hair styles and clothes 24/7. She dances around the house constantly and we all get tired just watching how much energy that little stinker has! She NEVER stops! Sometimes we check on the kids at night and Alyssa will be sleeping in some really strange contorted position. She is the most flexible "gumby girl" ever. Hmmmm, maybe we can sell her to the circus if she turns into a bad teenager someday. I'm sure she could do all kinds of tricks for them. McKenna still runs the house. She sings constantly and when she's not singing she's yelling. It's funny how people think she is soooo good natured because of her "little voice", but they haven't seen her hold her own against her older siblings. She really can be sweet though and tries really hard to be a good girl. Out of all of the kids, I see myself the most in her. I understand her, so she probably gets away with more than she should......Jason thinks I'm just a sucker.

Now, on to Jason and I. We are still pathetically mushy and manage to gross our kids out about every day.

Thursday after my 1st pack meeting, I played a little basketball with some of the other sisters in the ward. Now if any of you have ever seen me play anything sports-like, you will know that sometimes I get a little competitive. As we played I realized that I would probably fit in better playing with the brothers in the ward. It cracked me up to hear how many times the girls said "sorry"...."sorry"....."sorry". Believe me, there is a HUGE difference between men and womens church ball. The men don't say "sorry", they say things more like, "what the ____? You freakin _____! Quit playing like a ______!" Not to say that I was talking or even thinking things like that but I was out for the kill. I was there to play a serious game. It was a lot of fun until I came down bad on my knee and injured it. But did I quit playing? Nope. Stupid me kept going. It may have been the adrenaline...or just my natural competitive nature, but I just couldn't stop! So, with nostrils snorting steam and a will to play till the death, I continued. Then, when it was all over, I wanted to die....or at least gnaw off my own leg. It hurrrrrtttttt! I was finally able to get in to the doctor today and from what he can see at this point he thinks I have torn my meniscus. (The cartilage between the bones in the knee.) So, now I will probably be having surgery. Lucky me. :(

I managed to get up (limp up) to bear my testimony on Sunday. Whenever I tried to say anything about Jason or the kids I got really emotional and got that froggy thing in my throat that makes it so I can't talk. I sounded like a mix between a croaky frog and squeeky mouse. It was embarrasing. It was good for me though. I hadn't been up in a while and needed to do it. It had been an emotional week for me with the passing of President Hinkley. While Jason and I were watching his funeral I had a thought come to me...."Why are we so lucky? Why have we been given so much? Out of all of the billions of people who have lived, why were we born here....and now..... and into the church?" In thinking about this, I also felt that we must have all been amazing spirits before coming to earth. We were given these blessings because we promised to help others and bring them back to our Heavenly Father. We aren't supposed to just sit back and enjoy what we have been given....we are supposed to step it up and actively work to spread the gospel and bless lives. I think President Gordon B. Hinkley demonstrated this his entire life. I once heard that his wife Marjorie, said she had never seen him do anything unbecoming a prophet of God. What a compliment! Though we all make mistakes, we can always resolve to start today......to be better....work harder and to do our best.

Jason is doing great. He's still HOT as EVER and makes my heart beat double time. He's been busy with work as usual and still manages to give us his all when he's home. He keeps the kids in line and has babied me during the time that I've been limping around the house...though he usually babies me anyway. I am sooooo lucky to have such a wonderful husband! He's the love of my eternity.

The countdown is on. We should be getting sealed in just under 4 months! The clearance paperwork is still in process but it should be done by the time we have our anniversary. (June 1st) I can't think of anything better than knowing that we will have the opportunity to be together forever.

A break from the crazy life

Tonight is date night! :) Finally! The kids are all with our ex's, so Jason and I are taking a break and spending some much needed time ALONE. I can't even tell you how excited I am! Woooo Hoooooo! I love all of the kids, but it's soooo sooooo nice to have some time without them sometimes.

The kids say funny things all the time and I think to myself, "I really should write that down so we can remember it when they're bigger." Unfortunately I never do because I think that I'll never forget something THAT funny, but then......I forget. This week Ammon said something really funny that I thought I'd share. We were all headed over to Gma and Gpa Evan's place to celebrate the birthdays this month. Gma Evans asked us to dress nice so that she could get a picture of us along with her other kids. I picked out clothes for everyone and we proceeded to get ready. When it was time to get in the van, I noticed that Ammon wasn't wearing what I had picked but an old, faded grey shirt. (it completely didn't fit into my color scheme!) When I noticed that he wasn't in the right one I asked Jason to help him change into something nice. They went back into the house. Ammon then asked Jason what was wrong with his shirt. Jason said, "well, mom just wants you to wear something nice....something more fancy." Ammon looked at him and said, "Dad, we're not fancy people....we don't have a glass table." It's funny how kids see things so differently. It's really cute.

The highlight of the week for me was on Wednesday when Jason surprised me with a dozen roses and card. He does such nice things for me all of the time. I've never known a man to devote so much of his time and effort to his family and loved ones. He gives all he has and then musters up some more....and does it with a smile! How did I ever make it through a day before he came along? He's definitely my best friend and favorite thing in the whole world. I feel like the luckiest woman ever!

This was a pretty normal week so there's not too much to report. Life is good. I love my family and I feel so blessed.

Good times....good times.....

Many of you may be wondering how Jason and I are managing as the parents of 4 wonderful and crazy kids. I figure this may be a way for us to keep you all updated on our hectic, fun filled lives. The last 7+ months have been full of changes and an abundance of blessings for all of us. It's amazing how much life can change in such a short period of time! This time last year, I was living in Springville, busting butt to take care of Ashlyn and McKenna and completely fed up with the dating scene. Jason was enduring a divorce, busting his cute little butt trying to work two jobs while taking care of Alyssa and Ammon. Now, fast forward to today and we're married with 4 kids! All I can say is....WOW! It's like that insurance commercial that says, "Life comes at you fast...", SERIOUSLY, in our case......it does! Life has never been better and we are sooooo glad that we found each other.

The kids are all doing great too. They've seemed to mesh together well and have become really good friends. Yes, they fight....but not any more than birth siblings do...and even then, maybe less. So far so good.

Ashlyn has a part in her schools musical and has been practicing along with her Suessical The Musical cd. (which.....might have to conveniently find it's way to the garbage when this is all over to save me from going crazy). She's excited to strut her talent as "Baby Bird #1".

Ammon was baptised last Saturday. We are so proud of him! He tries really hard to be good, just occasionally gives in to teasing his sisters. What's a boy to do though? I mean really....1 boy with 3 sisters! It's bound to happen.

After the baptism we had a family party at Jason's parent's home. My family was all impressed with Melody's (grandma Evans) decorating. I don't think I've ever been to anyone's home that is more festive. She really makes it nice. We stayed for a few hours after the party and played Apples to Apples with the other stragglers. I think the funniest part of the night was watching Scott (grandpa Evans) laughing so hard he was crying! His face just crunches up and he looks like the cutest little thing! I wanted to pinch his cheeks he was so cute! (the ones on his face of course.) :) The other cheeks are reserved for the Nerf gun! (though I'm pretty sure it was Jason that shot him...not me! I wouldn't do something like that!) ;)

Alyssa is Star of the Week in her kindergarten class. Jason and I made a poster for her and attended her class for a while Monday morning to tell all about her. I'm pretty sure Jason is just about her favorite person, so she was just about beaming when he was telling her class all about the things she likes and stories about her life.

McKenna....well, to say it bluntly.......she runs the house. Yep, she's in charge. Whatever that 4 year old fireball wants....she gets.....or at least tries her dangdest to get. She's so much fun though and keeps us on our toes. She's attending pre-school and amazes us with the things she is learning. Jason and I enjoy watching her as she plays in her own little La-La Land. She becomes completely oblivious to anything going on around her. She could play, sing and dance her little heart out without even noticing if the house was collapsing around her. She doesn't depend on others to make her happy....she just goes to her happy place......which we've named "Kenna's World"....(like on Sesame Street when Elmo sings, "Elmo's World".) She seriously cracks me up.

It's my intent to keep this updated so everyone can see what we're up to. I hope you're all doing well!