I'm baaaaack

So almost shut this baby down.

Then we had Gillys first merit badge.

Also Emily named a raw chicken Roger and thinks it is her pet.

Blogable funny stuff.

Unfortuneately I am on my way out to get a pedicure with the girl who saved me during high school.

We went to the Bay Friday AND Saturday night instead of going to parties to drink.

So much more later.

Now my blog is like a soap opera because you will check back to see what happens next with Roger.

The Chicken.

Who is dead.

And in the crock pot.

Well hello

I am a piece of crap blogger. I have totally neglected this blog and I don't even have a good reason. I have crap loads of pictures and events to post. Thing is, my dear husband got me an IPad and there are so many apps and wonderful places to explore. I always figured nobody reads this anymore so why post? So I promise that I will update in the next few days with all that's happening. Until then.....I need to get back to trying to find my funny.

Olivia

Did you notice that I took the floating baby down?

Why? you ask....

Olivia Elise Phelps was born this morning at 8:0something

6.5lbs 20 inches

and completely beautiful just like her parents

I am in love

I can't wait to spoil her...wait, she already is so thats out...

I can't wait till she throws a tantrum in Target and I get to film it on my phone and post it on YouTube.

A miracle baby for sure.

Hike

Since spring Jeff has been talking to the kids about going on a fabulous hike. It starts at the top of Bountiful peak and goes all the way down the mountain to Parish Lane in Centerville. I always listened half-heartedly because I don't love to hike. Well, summer passes and we enter fall. The leaves are turning and the topic of conversation turns to "the hike" again. Only this time I'm listening a little more because I don't want to be the party pooper mom. UEA comes and its decided that Jeff will take a day off work.

I think...somebody needs to stay home with Abby (who shares my love of hiking) only Abby has arranged to spend the day with her cousin.

Here we are starting out:

Jeff and Gil throwing rocks

Proof that I did the entire thing...all 6 miles, 3.5 hours

At one point in the hike Garrett and I were behind Jeff and Emily. Jeff (being Jeff) decided to hide in some scrub oak and scare us...before I tell you what happened, keep in mind that Garrett is deathly terrified of Big Foot. We would walk through some Junipers and Jeff would say, "Do you smell that? It smells like Big Foot.." Mean. Well, after Jeff and Em jumped out at us Garrett started shaking so bad his poor little legs couldn't take it and we had to sit down for about 15 minutes before he calmed down enough to stand. I am writing about this so Jeff will remember why he has to be in therapy 10 years from now.  

Even though the next day Em, Gil, and I had sore legs (Jeff was fine) it was worth it. 

Lotoja 2011

Biking season has almost come to an end. Well, not really but this is the last big bike race Jeff will do this year.  The day started out with this text: 2011 LOTOJA classic update #3310 J. Jones has crossed the Montpelier at 10:12AM with a time of 10:12:20.241 in 1st place.  

What a great text!

This is at the first pit stop where we rushed to fill water bottles, get snack bags out, and admire the legs.

Every time I saw this board I asked Elise, "now, what # are they?" I'm glad he wasn't 3317.

Now, I'm being a little mean here...I whipped out the camera while Jeff is putting DZ Nuts on his...well, his boys. Can you imagine sitting on one of those little bike seats for 12 hours? Oy Vey.

This is right after he crossed the finish line. They were able to shave 2 hours off their last years time.

And here we are with our dearest friends Darin and Elise Jensen. Jeff and Darin have been besties since they were 8. Instead of turning around and driving back home on Sunday after the race we decided to stay an extra day (couldn't have done this without my wonderful in-laws and mom). The boys wanted to eat and eat...they burned lots of calories. Elise and I wanted to eat and eat too. Driving that route didn't shave any calories for us but we solved every problem in the world and I think that deserves a little indulgence.

Zions+Camping=Oh my gosh I actually liked it.

I live in a great neighborhood. Its the kind of place where you don't get judged if you don't drive the right car or like to throw outrageous parties that last until 8:30 (bedtime). I love my neighbors so much that we decided to go camping with them. Some people reading this will think that the last statement is a no biggie but I don't usually camp and I most definitely DON'T hike. In fact the last hike I went on was in 1995 when Jeff took me on a stage 4 hike where I almost killed my brother (on accident) and Jeff (on purpose)...

That's me hiking in the bottom left corner

 These kids were awesome. I like the smiles they showed us after getting to the Emerald pools in 100 degree weather.

As a lad Jeff would spend entire vacations at his family cabin making small streams and rivers...Guess what Gilly started doing right away? 

One of my favorite pictures. I can see his dad in his face and actions so much. I hope that he turns out just like him (in other words I hope I haven't ruined him a little).

Here we all are after a great hike.....

And here we are at the Weeping Wall (which is different from the Wailing Wall. I wondered why I didn't see any Jews which was the only reason I walked up that hill. I love Jews). 

What you people are missing here is the picture of me hiking the narrows. If you don't know what the narrows are you either just came out of a coma that started in the late 1980's or your just not hiker savvy like myself. It is a semi-narrow canyon/river that you walk up. In the map guide it is marked "strenuous". That didn't scare me off suckas! I did it! I hiked in ice cold water that went up to my boobie line! I was feeling like an extreme sportsman and was fantasizing about my next adventure of skydiving or paragliding. Then I looked over at my hiking buddy who was by my side the entire time. He is 3.

Davis County Horse Show

Saturday Em had her first horse show. We spent the day Friday looking for cute Western wear which is maybe an oxymoron....cute western wear.

We actually found this and i have to admit, she looks pretty cute!

The first round she took 2nd place. Which is pretty great because her lessons aren't centered around competition, this was a spur of the moment offer to have her compete and we took it.

 In the second competition she took 4th and was so proud of her ribbons....

We are so proud of you Em!

She kind of has the itch to compete so I'm sure this is just the beginning....

Happenings......

We've had a busy few weeks. Abby got her hair cut...we are preparing for THE BIG DAY. The big day is when she goes to Jr. High and rides the bus. We are both struggling. 

Em is now riding Doc.

 She gets to wear spurs and will be in a horse show August 13th competing in the walk trot.



Gil has a new best friend.

 Her name is Kella.

 Every day they have been working on throwing a party.

They decorate and plan allllllll day.

When they got everything just right they went around and invited everyone they knew.

 

I pulled up Grooveshark and the dancing began.

It was wild.

A daytime partay that ended in less than an hour.

 Perfect.

First lost tooth

This kid is almost 8. Also, this kid has not lost a tooth yet. In fact, he has his adult teeth growing in behind his baby teeth. So I scheduled a dental pulling. I actually talked him into thinking having them pulled is way better because the tooth fairy gives you more.

 Here he is showing his "shark" tooth.

The day after this picture (above) his tooth fell out!

Which is a little sad because now he's going to be one of those kids with big teeth and it also means my baby is growing up.

He was so excited! He wanted me to text everyone to let them know. That night he almost caught the tooth fairy. Good thing she has quick wit and is really fast.

Now, lets work on his matching.

20 years of colonoscopies

August 4th. That is the date that I can't get out of my mind. I'm having my 40th colonoscopy. Normally I would celebrate that I've had this disease for 20 years and I'm coping. But August 4th is looming in my mind. I'm scared to death because I have to have anesthesia and we all know what happened last time I had anesthesia.

I have picked up the phone numerous times to cancel but a few years ago they found displasia or abnormal cells in my colon and I know I need to make sure they are not back.

If I wake up with another tube down my throat I'm asking you, one of my two readers, to please just pull the plug. I can't deal with that again. And whoever physically pulls the plug I gift you my beloved Kindle. That is the only thing of monetary value that I own. Well, there is my road bike but if your my friend you'll know that Jeff will need this for parts.

So raise your glass of Miralax, be thankful for your healthy colons.

Huh?

Today Gill came up to me and asked me if he could have some grilled chips.

I kept saying, "huh?"

"Grilled chips, like we bought at the store mom"

"huh?"

So he ran into ask the girls a question. All I heard is the word BBQ from the girls.

"mom, could I have some of those BBQ potato chips?"

Sometimes you need to take things down to their simplest forms to understand.

cousins

We have visitors from Massachusetts.



I'm going to keep this one, I always fall the hardest for the 2 year olds....

And I'm not the only one. He asks constantly if he can go up to grandma's to play with her.

Abby and Allison are two peas in a pod, sharing more in common than I ever realized.

On the 4th we set off some daytime fireworks. Davie loves yellow. 

The best part was when Jill came up with an idea for the kids to get more parade candy (we thought Kaysville parade banned throwing candy, however we were wrong). We recreated a homemade parade. This is where Grandpa and Grandma and Jeff  loaded their cars up and drove up and down the streets chucking candy out of the windows. They only occasionally hit a kid hard enough to cause injury.

But personally we think that Grandma had the funnest time because she finally got to drive her antique caddy in a parade.

We then headed inside to practice yoga and talk about Jen.

Jen, we need you here.

We love you Deskins family!

Where to begin?

 I probably could make at least 17 posts out of these pictures. Instead of one very large post I need to periodically make smaller ones but I am limited on time and, due to my wonderful immune system, energy.

Today we decided to go strawberry picking. Out of boredom my kids use their imaginations and have played with the strawberries non-stop. We made strawberry people...the first guy is an old man with a cane....

These are just guys. One of them a scary one with one eye. 

 They bobbed for strawberries......

 All while I relaxed and read my book.

Another post I could have had is one titled "Girls Day Camp"

Abby and Jeff headed up to girls camp last week. They had a grand time. Jeff was only going to be up for two days, leaving on the second night. Abby stuck to his leg like a sticker burr and begged me to let her come home. She wanted to sleep in her own bed. Who can blame her, right? Jeff being the good dad that he is drove her back up in the morning.

Post #3 could be titled "Soccer Camp with the Brits"

Gil had a week of soccer camp hosted by players from the UK. He loved every second of it and came home saying words like rubbish and water closet. Our coach sounded just like Airy Potta. It was interesting to hear how they thought he played Football. In spite of being the smallest player there he got the Player of the Day award and learned some nifty footwork.

The day Abby left for camp I took the kids to get fingerprinted. Their background search came back with a few felonies. 

We rescued some more birds (surprise!)

And the greatest part of the last week was JEFF TURNED 40!

He prefers Birthday pie instead of cake.
(your welcome Tuda)

I contacted some of his friends from childhood and had them all come over for a surprise.

 Jeff's sisters made this fabulous book for him spanning from childhood to now. What a treasure that was! The look on his face (above picture) is from opening it up and seeing all the great memories of his life. You know how when your 90 and in the rest home and you sit and look at things from your life? This book will be handy at that time because I can show him who I am and remind him that he really does have three kids.

from left to right: Jamison, Jeff, Clay, Darin, Rick

This is the first time everyone had been together for a few decades.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and helped celebrate!