Idaho Girl

I have been trying to figure out what the definition of a true Idaho girl is. For one, I love the smell of burning ditches and weeds. That's probably really weird but it reminds me of when I was little and my sister and I actually cared for two baby cows (calves) called Star and Cracker. Or maybe I am true Idaho girl because Greyson and I went out in freezing weather today and worked out at the highschool track. Maybe true Idaho girls only marry farm boys from small towns. My two sisters married boys from Malad and Salmon, very small town. And I married a rough and tough farm boy from Rexburg. Josue somehow missed the boat on that one, but it's because she chose to venture to Utah for school. Although her husband did live in Idaho for a while, I guess that counts. I could be a true Idaho girl because I have 3 different kinds of potatoes in my pantry right now. If a true Idaho girl has to enjoy shooting things, fishing, camping and hiking then I am OUT!!! Idaho girls go shopping, right?

Wish I had a river I could skate away on.....

I love this time of the year! Thanksgiving, good food, Christmas music, green trees with pretty lights, snow, hanging out with my family, my kids circling every toy they want in the JC Penny catalog, Temple Square lit up like a beacon to all, decorating the tree and on and on........
It is unfortunate that I live with a scrooge who won't let me put up the tree until after Thanksgiving! And I really don't mind shoveling snow, it has a feeling of great accomplishment! Every year I gracefully have a few accidents while pushing Mesa down her ramp that is covered with ice. Maybe Santa will bring me a heated ramp and save me from a broken tailbone. I have fond memories of walking on campus at Ricks College and watching at least 10 people slip and fall each day. This is my first Idaho winter since 1999.

Happy Birthday Buddy!

A few weeks ago Aaron asked me if Greyson was turning 2 or 3 on his birthday. Honestly he was kidding but he has always felt a little older than he is. Definitely not in size but because he talks like a 5 year old sometimes, but at least he is easy to figure out when he wants something! We told him it was his birthday on Friday morning when he woke up and he said "no way, dad...no way"! He was so excited about his cupcakes, presents and just having some balloons. He actually put his Halloween costume on, pointed to the camera and asked me to take a picture of him. So ironic because we couldn't get him to smile a week ago for family pictures. Anyway, we got some cute shots of his fun day!!!!

This week.....

So my lovely week comes to an end! I am really not trying to complain I just need like an outlet or something for all the chaos and craziness that has happened in one week alone.

1. Marin has a fever for 4 days, misses school and church,

2. Greyson cuts his eye open, rips the butterfly bandage off and will now have a big scar above
his eye.

3. Mesa gets over her fever, gets a rash all over her body (dr. says it's a viral rash) and then has
another fever after missing school all week and church today.

4. Ashton is throwing up at school and I have to go pick him up. He actually wasn't whining at
all.

5. Aaron comes home from a fishing trip with some respiratory sickness and I make him wear a
mask so we all don't die from all the viruses in our house.

6. I proceed to disinfect all handles, doorknobs and whatever else the kids touch in hopes of
killing some germs.

7. Then we have a proper handwashing seminar in the bathroom including how to cough and
sneeze the right way and the wrong way. I heard a statistic that men wash their hands half
as much as women do! GROSS!!!!

Some how I think just washing your hands doesn't really keep out all the ugly germs!

piles galore

Everywhere I go in this house there are piles....

Piles of shoes
Piles of toys
Piles of clean laundry
Piles of dirty laundry
Piles of papers
Piles of blankets
Piles of clean dishes that I can't fit in the dishwasher
Piles of pillows
Piles of towels
Piles of things I have no idea where to put
Piles of bills
Piles of backpacks mixed with shoes and coats
Piles of Aaron's magazines, atlas' and hats
Piles of decorations I have no room for
Piles of books that I would like to read
Piles of just who knows what
And a pile where I, one day, will not be able to emerge from!

I am a clean person. I just can't keep up with four kids and all their piles.

Sweet 7

Happy birthday to our beautiful Marin. The day she came into our lives was the happiest day ever! We were so excited to be blessed with such a wonderful little girl. I have expected a lot of her and probably caused her to grown up a little faster than normal. Only because I always need her help and at two years old she saw her brother and sister come into the world and they needed tons of mom's attention.

Marin's loves
1. Horses
2. Friends
3. School
4. Cuddling with dad
5. Icecream
6. Swimming
7. Drawing (horses)
8. Shopping with mom
9. Playing with Ashton
10. And ice cream again

Marin- day 3

This is the sweetest little brown eyed blond I know!