Stop Whining I am Doing my Work

Paige just came up to me and pushed my belly and said "Stop whining, I am doing my work", then proceeded to play on Lee's computer and made other disconcerting noises and phrases like AHHHHH who touched this?!, This is my work!, I have to work!, and Don't touch it!

Ty asked me yesterday why our house it like Chea's. We never have any food and I never cook. That is such a lie!

I think trying to pull off two full time jobs and be a decent caregiver is making me and my children warped!

Grandma Arnett... and Brush my hair

I have very few traits like my paternal grandmother. But one of my biggest memories of her is brushing her hair. She would get her brush and ask us to comb her hair. She loved it. My own mother does not like anyone to touch her hair so I assume that my love for this form of relaxation came from Grandma Arnett.
Anyways I have taken to paying Trey to brush my hair or just "get out the tangles". Paige thinks this is something she can do also. Yesterday she brought a brush and began to groom me. Apparently she thought I needed my hair wet down to properly comb out the tangles. ( I do this to her) So she comes back from the bathroom with the brush dripping. I let her brush my hair into a wet mess as she goes back and forth from the bathroom to the couch several times. I am not sure why it did not occur to me that she can not reach the sink... Nonetheless I was enjoying getting my hair done.
I finally got up to go into the bathroom, I was very surprised to see my little Paige dipping the brush into the toilet and on her way to continue with her work on my hair.
Gross!!!

Family Vacation Yellowstone, Tetons, Martin's Cove, Rushmore

Shani at Jackson Hole Theater.

We decided to have family closeness and all travel 3200 miles in the truck. Maybe not so wise. This is Crazy Horse in SD. The native American version of Rushmore.

Me and Paige Slept in the truck while the others visited Crazy Horse.

Rushmore Pics. It is actually a very interesting site to visit. Well worth the drive.

I loved the Teton's. Many good memories from this beautiful place.

Jackson Hole Cowboy in Bronze.

Jackson Lake

Yellowstone...Hot...Cranky...Why do we have to look at this stuff...this is where I discovered that someone stole our food out of the back of the truck in Ogden. At least it wasn't like my wallet and all of the vacation spending $$ Oh wait that happened too.

Old Faithful. Well worth the crowds and traffic.

Love the Elf.

Ricks or BYU Idaho

Rexburg Temple

Murphy Reunion in Zion's

Getting Ready for Angel's Landing Hike.

Older Cousin's Table

Murphy Clan before leaving home on Saturday.

Pool Table was a Hit!

Paige was excited to see Shani after two weeks of her being gone.

Trent and Troy showing their skills at Horse shoe's

The Start of Angel's Landing when everyone was hopeful.

Tara showing off her Rock Star skills.

Trey and Maddie just saw something horrifying and did not hid their disgust and surprise.

Zion's is home to many foreigners... they have different tastes in swim wear. Trey and Maddie did not approve.

This is part of the Angel's Landing Hike. Very scary! I found out I am petrified of heights. I was still able to make it to the top nonetheless.

Down on Grandpa's Farm

This July 4th we spent time visiting Utah. We built a porch at Lee's Uncle's House in Roosevelt and visited his Grandpa's farm, and other old family homesteads. Way cool. I would have loved to loot some of those places.
We also attended the Arnett Reunion. Here are a few pics from both events.

I want that Back...

The older I get the more I realize how fast time flies. I want it to stop... I am at peace with Me getting older and fatter and crankier. However, I want my kids to park it for awhile, I want my flowers to stay in bloom, I want my house to stay clean, my dishes to stay done, laundry clean, my hair to stay colored with out dark roots, my "to do" list to stay crossed off, my Mt. Dew to stay full, and the dog poo to stay raked.

What spurred these thoughts was the Double Birthday of Paige, and Trey. When Paige asked for panties on her Birthday I was sickened. She is my last baby. I will only get to change diapers, make bottles, and rock her for a little longer then poof, that time is gone. I missed many of those years with Trey when I was working and Lee was in school. I want them back! I want my Tulips in Bloom again, I want Paige to not know how to say "Shut Up" and "Go away" (Thanks Shani) I want my old Volkswagon Bug, I want to go camping with Grampie in his red truck and my "luvvie", I want to live in trailer in Oracle and have a great garden and mostly right now I want my babies back and my Mt. Dew full.

Blogstalking

Through reading my sister in laws blog with her beautiful baby and then going to my cousin Lindsay's blog I saw that my other crafting cousin was doing a give away. I LOVE GIVE AWAYS!!! Anyways visit her site megscrafts.blogspot.com. YOu too might win a free craft especially made by Megan.

Goblins

Me and Paige walking to find the really good dirt.

Trey running from Grandma Murphy.

Lee trying out the timer on the camera. Mercy I look old!!

Ghandi?

Last year we went to Zion's National Park Spring Break. Great trip! This year we tried many new National Parks in Southern Utah. The kids were so surprised when day after day we were hiking, the Great Wash, Arches, Natural Bridges, Capital Reef, and one more somewhere close to Moab.

Goblins National Park was the funnest!!! You can actually climb and run amuk! The kids played hide and seek with Grandma and Grandpa Murphy. Me and Paige just dug in the sand.

Lee got some great pictures.

Moments that Define

March 08 I took Ty for a drive by of Mesa View Middle School. Check out the new school!!
Some kids were out running for PE so we watched them, and sized them up for awhile. It was not the Queen Creek Az crowd he was used to for sure. I could see my 13 year old's eyes well up just a bit. Maybe from fear of the unknown, PTSD from leaving a very comfortable social situation or all of the above.
Moving when you are a teenager is hard. Moving a lot growing up is harder. Nonetheless I told him he would be fine. But my heart ached just a little bit also. I was hoping we had done the right thing moving to Farmington.

After I enrolled Ty I saw on the Marquee that track had started. I told him to talk to the PE teacher and stay after school for practice. His reply..."Gay". I did not pick him up for school and he texted me several times...Come GET ME!!! I did not.

Long story short he did very well last season in 110 hurdles, 400 meters and long jump.

Fast forward to Tues. April 28, 2009.
It was one of those days where you witnessed life changing events. Ty competed in Basin Finals for the 110 hurdles, 400 meter run, and 200meters.
Watching him I wanted to vomit, cry and scream. (When I figure out how to post video you can witness the screaming.) Ty set a record in the 110 hurdles, Basin Champion in the 400 meters 55.3 and got 2nd in the 200 meters 24.05.

Like Lee told me the morning of the Track Meet this is a time and an accomplishment that he will always have..."no one can ever take this from him."

I guess we all need moments of Greatness to get us through this life. What an honor to witness that moment in someone else's life.

Puppies are Good

I am so behind in some of my paper work and invoicing!! I have been trying to be consistent at exercising but other things suffer...like my work, my lesson plans, my kids, my house, my patience etc.
I know I wouldn't have to exercise if I would just give up Mt. Dew and Reece's. But I also could not accomplish everything I need to and stave off my stress from letting the above mentioned items slack. A vicious circle I know! But back to being grateful for puppies. This morning I did not go work out with my friends. ( I exercised at home, novel idea) So I had almost 2 extra hours to catch up. However Paige had other plans for me that included, Moon Sand, Tents, Chocolate Milk, many many books, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Shampoo, Water, two changes of clothes and my best lipstick.

Finally I sent her out with the dogs. She fed them, screamed NO NO NO, carried the puppy, and basically occupied herself with them for almost a full 45 minutes. You would not believe what I accomplished in that amount of time.

Thank you, you nasty little pooping machine. (puppy not Paige)

Payback Time

So our wonderful little addition is not a good night sleeper.
Surprise, Surprise!! But I figure that I was not consulted on the decision to get the puppy and I already raised 4 newborns. I got up with them at night, fed and changed them so I will just pretend that I do not hear the yelping and crying that has continued for the last 3 nights.

Last night was especially bad and Lee was tired and lacking in nurturing skills.
He got up yelled at the dog, put it in the garage, changed the newspaper and pads, and then finally gave in and brought the dog to our bed. EWWWWWWWWWWWW. But I continued to pretend to sleep like a baby. The puppy would still not be content.
So Lee pulled out the big guns. (And I did laugh out loud just a little at this) He told the puppy he was going to "Kill it... with a Knife!" If it did not stop.

It did not stop but alas it is still alive to yelp another night.

My need to Nurture...

Aunt Candy had a beautiful post about women (her nieces) who nurture children and their fulfillment. I have four beautiful children and struggle with nurturing. So Lee brought home a gift that I could continue to practice my nurturing skills on. She was intended for Shani but I know how that goes... Mom will pick up poop, train and feed the "kids" dog.

Also a big shout out and thanks to Brother-in-law Colby who bought a little puppy for his boys while we were visiting during Spring Break. Lee of course could not control the impulse to get one also.

Lucky me this is an "inside" Dog!!!!

This is going to be so0000 fun.