where has the time gone?

This whole month was dedicated to getting Shelby ready for her trip to Fiji.  (Wait why are we sending Shelby to Fiji and we are not going?) There is something wrong with that. We got everything done and got her to the airport in LA. We carpooled with her cousin and her family. It was quite a long evening. We left at 5pm ,but we were going to eat first. We went to one of our fav's Titos.(mexican food)

It was just as good as I remember. Its good and its cheap. And everyone scarfed it down because we were all starving. Then  back into the car and off to the airport. We arrived just alittle too  early so we sat around(stood) it was crazy in the International terminal. The group we were to meet had not arrived but some of the other girls were there,(they had to wear matching shirts) and our girls were already making fast friends. By the time we got her checked in and her luggage to the security place, we were ready to say goodbye and off they went(they didn't even look back) :(

But I knew things would go just fine. They were not leaving the airport until 11:30pm. When you fly international airlines you usually fly at night. Anyway the round trip effort took us home at 11:15 pm. we had to pick up our car and then drive home. It was a very tiring day! But I'm sure it was exciting for Shelby.

Since then things just seem to come up that need my attention. I started to clean out closets which leads me to more organizing. It makes me feel better afterwards but it takes up so much time. I have been scrappin' alot.  Trying to catch up on alot of little things that I have been putting off for far too long.

With the price of gas now, I have been spending a lot less time on the road. That's one good way to keep me home I guess. That's why  I have been getting alot done. Sometimes though when you get things done, it just leads to you finding more things that need to get done.(too tired)

Mitch has been a little depressed with the lack of work. So we went to see "The Dark Knight"

it was so goood! It definitely lived up to the hype. I liked it better than the first one. It was kind of dark(with the joker) but it was still good. We saw it twice . (bad) I don't mind seeing movies in fact I really like going to the movies. I think it is escapism for me. It transports me out of the every day,where I don't have to think about anything for a few hours. Reading does that to me too! I am back reading the Twilight Series...the new book is out Aug.2. I can't hardly wait. We saw the trailer for it in the movie theater the other night. It looks pretty good. But it won't be out until the FAll.(I will just have to wait.) Who knew??? I would like a book about vampires??

After the 4th

I am pretty tired today but I thought about the fact that I haven't exactly been the best at blogging and wanted to try and keep up. Mondays are just hard especially after the week that we just had.

I love my family and more than anything I want to always try and keep them together. I will continue to plan things for them to come to because they need to stay close. Like this last week, Jessica & Drew with their four children were here for a week. We loved every moment of the time we all had together. Scott & Ashley also joined us half way through the week for the 4th and the weekend reunion. We all enjoyed the hours of playing in the pool, at the beach, the zoo, hanging out together when we were all too tired to get up. Playing the Wii(thanks to Toby & Rae) we found out that we have a few Rock Stars in the family. Mitch still needs to find time to play though, he has always wanted to be a rock star??

We can't thank everyone enough for all the help in making this week special for all of us. I am already looking forward to next summer(we have already been looking at several things for us to do) I know it is hard on some of us, with not much money. We will try and be sensitive.

Now, thanks to Raechal we have a family picture sharing site on snapfish. I am excited to see what everyone will put up. Not that I have all the knowledge to actually upload a picture yet?

Where are all my helpers when I need them? Who said this was easy?

This next week we will be getting Shelby ready to travel to Fiji. She is going on a Humanitarian trip to build a hospital for a small village. She will be traveling with her cousin. It will be a very interesting and hard trip I think. But one that she will always remember. I am looking forward to the many memories she will make there. And I hope a few pictures, She is the worst at that.

She often takes her camera just doesn't remember to take any pictures. (she is so funny)

This week she is also at tennis camp, at the high school. I can't believe this is her senior year. The time has gone by so fast. I guess that is how it is with the last one home. I am already not looking forward to the time when she leaves home for college. (I will be excited for her, but I will be sad for me)

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far. I think the heat is finally here. I hate that our electric bill is so much, but thank goodness for air conditioning. I don't do well in the heat. And  if it isn't cool, I don't seem to get anything done. Not a good mix(especially when I have a list a mile long) Oh and the Honey do list keeps getting longer because I hardly ever see Mitch long enough when he isn't doing something else for someone else. I love him for that, but we need to get some things done.

This day will hopefully get better. I hate Mondays. (maybe that was alittle harsh) I dislike them greatly!

wednesday(hump Day)

Keeping up with this blog is bogging me down.

I don't know how you all do it. I am sure its 

because I start reading everyones' and I totally

loose track of all time. I can go several hours,

really!!! I even forget to eat a lot of the time.

Wish that could lead to weight loss?

I hope everyone is doing fine? I am suffering

with the worst sunburn I have had in years.

I am so silly. We were in the pool for several

hours and I totally lost track of time. No sun

screen for that many hours of fun equals not

too much fun after. Needless to say,after many

applications of Noxema and lotion I am finally

starting to feel better. Now its the constant

itching thing. I just wish it would peel and be

over with. Dumb, dumb dumb!

Jessica and her family will soon be here. We 

are getting so excited. She called and said that

they will be here a day earlier, which is great!!

The weather this week has been a lot more

tolerable. Not in the triple digits. Which is so

much better for my electric bill, and Mitch's

peace of mind(not having to run the air 24-7)

It really sucks not having any money!! This 

economy is killing us. I wish that right about

now I had a fairy god mother. Wouldn't that

just make your day. Any wish come true.

I went to my adult religion class this week. I

almost didn't go because of the sunburn,but

I am always glad when I go. We are learning 

the best stuff. I just wish I was better at all

the principles that Elder Scott is trying to

teach us. I read this book over and over and

still I don't always understand everything.

I guess as long as I keep trying maybe it will

sink in.

Weekends are for relaxing

This past weekend was busy as usual. The family came over on Saturday to swim and BBQ . We did have a fun time. The water  in the pool is perfect right now(or least I  think so). That's the reason we put on the solar.  love that it extends our swimming time. And I am glad that we can

all enjoy it. Although I still like going to the beach. Speaking about the beach. The 4th of July will be here before we know it. We will be taking the whole family to the beach. I know we are crazy! This year we decided because we have so many coming we will have to get there even earlier than last year, probably around 5am. That means we will have to be really organized this time. Its not that great for the little ones, but its so much fun. Although I am not the one that has to carry all the stuff that we have to take either. It is so crowded and usually so hot, but we love it! We stay all day and then for the fireworks. It never disappoints me. I am still a kid when it comes to watching fireworks. I love the colors and the sounds and most of all the anticipation. I am not always happy about the people that sit near us. They can get pretty upset by just about anything. Last year, we were fixing dessert and it was almost time for the show to begin, so this guy kept yelling at us to turn out the lights(lanterns). I really wanted to throw something at him but Mitch told me that he didn't want any trouble. He was right. I just think some people shouldn't drink and talk at the same time. Ok...Ok

I know that it was a good opportunity to be a missionary, I could have taken him some dessert I suppose.(no, we had the best dessert, and I didn't want to share).

Our extended family just grew again. Our nephew Tyler and his wife Missi just had their baby girl on saturday. We went to the hospital to see her(the whole family) on Sunday after church. She is the tiniest little thing, but she is soooooo cute. They will be home today. Its too cute watching new parents. Not sure of anything, just wanting to take good care of their newborn. They will have plenty of help. Everyone loves holding a new baby.

We are still trying to finish our landscape in the back yard. Its still not the way we want. You always have to tweek things just a bit until you get what is in your head to look like the yard. Hope that made sense? I love working out in the yard, something good always comes from it.

We had planted some strawberry plants just for the grandkids to pick. Owen had seen one that was almost ready a week ago, but I told him he couldn't pick it without grandma or Grandpa  saying so. So on sunday he saw it again and ran to tell me that it was ready. We went out back and I let him pick it. He ran inside washed it off and ate it! Then he said" grandma that strawberry was delicious." I am so glad he enjoyed it. Mitch even said we need to plant a lot more of them, he liked that the kids like to do it. We have a watering can out back too, and the kids love to help grandpa water his tomatoes, and passion fruit vine. He can hardly wait until he get fruit from them. Even though we don't have much room for a garden we are trying to plant a few things in containers this year too see how things go. So far so good!

Time OUT

       This past weekend we (mitch and I) went to Mesa Arizona for a few days. I had ordered some water barrels from my good friend (she is all about food storage) and she has been storing them in her garage for months. I love seeing her and Mitch is great friends with her husband. We met them at BYU when we up there. We have know each other 30+ years and it seems like just the other day when we met. Funny when you find a couple that you just click with, we even had our kids around the same time, and they had the same 2 boys and 3 girls that we had. Just in a slightly different order. Anyway... We had a great time. Went out on their new boat, went to dinner, and caught up on each others families. It was great R & R time.

       I would have taken pictures but a few weeks ago, somehow I or someone in my family left the car door open in my Tahoe. Bad decision...someone got into the car and ransacked the front. And I generally keep my camera in the car, just for the times when you need a camera.  Well...they took my camera. I wanted to swear but I bit my tongue. Then for the next few days all I did was berate my self over and over. I loved that little camera and it wasn't one of the cheaper ones(if you know what I mean). Then I had to tell Mitch. Not that he was going to be mad or anything, but for some reason I just didn't want to look stupid or give him a reason to tell stories about how I lost my camera. Oh well.. I finally told him. He was gentle, but he gave me a look like, are you kidding. Not the greatest of timing seeing how things at work haven't been the greatest( in that we have none) I guess I will just be borrowing Shelby's or learn to take pictures with the really good camera.(Darn)

        Things around the house have been hectic, with Shelby trying to get all her projects done at the last minute. I know that she doesn't have a lot of support from her group sometimes, which means she is always the responsible one.  I actually love that quality about her. But I know that she is overwhelmed with all the last minute details. I can't figure these teachers out. Why do they always pile on the work the last few weeks of school. Its always that way. Maybe someone should leave an idea box in their rooms, and a few hundred notes about how stressful it is at our homes for the last weeks of school.

         SUMMER IS ALMOST OFFICIALLY HERE!!!!

That means lots of catching up on all the stuff that I don't get done during the year. There is just something about having the day be longer that I like. I don't always get everything done on my list but it feels good just to see the sun shining for longer each day. Of course, we are all looking forward to Jessica and her family coming home for a week the end of the month. We have a lot of activities planned and then there is the 4th of July. WE usually go to the beach all day and stay for the fireworks(my fav) its a very long day, especially with the little ones, but it is just too much fun. Then the day after, we are having a Family Reunion with the Owens' at our house. I think we are insane(so what's new) I am looking forward to it in a weird way. I just hope I don't overdue it, the last thing I need is to hurt myself again. Hopefully everyone will be pitching in and everybody will have fun.

         Shelby will be leaving July 14th for Fiji, for a humanitarian trip with here cousin. She is getting excited, but is also anxious about it. She will be back home on the 31st. Then  we are going on a family trip Aug 6 through the 16th. She will be doing yearbook again next year, so she has a camp the week after that. And she has tennis too. My little girl is just growing up, and she is the greatest daughter I could ever have, I love her. She is always impressing me with what she does, and what she wants out of life. I love that about her, she is eager and willing to do what is necessary to get the job done. She is going to have a very busy Senior year, but I am sure it will be worth it in the end.

          Mitch and I will be staying home and trying to work on all the projects that we never seem to have time to do. I am excited!!! IS that weird that I get that excited over spending time with my husband. He is my best friend. We actually like each other. Anyway it will keep him from thinking about the fact that work is slow. Maybe????

I felt guilty just writing MIA so I decided to add alittle.

Not much has been going on. Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day with Josh & Rachel & family and Toby & Raechal & family. We all had a good time, playing bags and Wii and eating and just talking. The food was all good, Toby made us the most delicious turkey burgers(Oprah show recipe)and Josh cooked Brats with all the fixings. My only regret was that the time always goes so quickly and then its time for everyone to leave. I totally enjoyed having everyone there and just missed Jessica and her family and Scott & Ashley

Wednesday Scott and Ashley are coming home for a quick week away from NAU. Its their 1 year anniversary on June 2. That year went fast. So we will get to see them very soon. Jessica and her family are coming on June 28 and staying until July 6. We are excited for them to be here, for the 4th and a little Owens' family reunion,with extended family. It will be a fun week.

I think I am going to drive to see my friend In Arizona on the weekend of the 6th. Just a fast trip to get some water barrels she ordered for me, and to hang out too.

What's with this crazy weather? Everyday is different,  I guess that is part of what makes it fun?

Dressing is kind of hard though, summer attire or winter, who knows?

MIA