Oliver Turns SIX!!

Talk about excited. This kid had a countdown going since mid January. When you only get a friend birthday party every two years, IT is a big deal.

Oliver wanted to be part of the ENTIRE planning process. About three weeks before the big day, he wanted to make his invitations. They were so cute, he drew pictures of R2-D2 and different clone troopers and then colored them. I wish I had taken a picture. Everyday after that, he said, "mom, let's talk about my birthday," or "let's plan my party." It was so much fun!

We played star wars bingo,

jedi light saber training, pin the arm on R2D2, and ate a clone trooper helmet cake!

The weekend before, we went skiing and snowboarding at Schweitzer Mountain in Sandpointe, Idaho and did a little family birthday on the slopes. Our neighbors (they are awesome) invited us to their cabin and offered to watch Dillon for the day why we took the boys skiing. Dennis and Dillon hung out in the lodge and did some sledding while Gwen met up with us for some afternoon skiing. The conditions were pretty extreme, but the temperature wasn't too bad. It was a little scary when we got off the lift at the top and couldn't see each other as we went down. The wind was so strong, we weren't able to get enough speed to descend the mountain quickly enough. After we FINALLY made it back to the bottom, we found a great high speed quad that only took us about 2/3rds the way to the top and fed into about five intermediate runs and the terrain park. We had a blast the rest of the day hitting the jumps and bumps. I am so proud of Ethan and Oliver and the tough skin they showed that day amid the conditions. We literally skied our legs off. I have never, and I mean NEVER, been so sore after a day on the slopes.

On our way up to the cabin, we pulled over to check out this herd of about 40 elk. Sweet.

Eight is Great!

Look how handsome Ethan is in his new suit! Isn't he cute? Ethan has had this thing with suits since he was five when my Aunt Sheryl bought one at the DI (Deseret Industries thrift store). She sent up this little grey suit, straight from the eighties with pleats, shoulder pads, you know, the works. I have to admit, I didn't really want him to wear it, but Del thought the suit was awesome and Ethan wanted to wear it, so I relented. He did look pretty cute for a kid stuck in the eighties. However, he wore that thing faithfully every Sunday for like a year regardless of what other clothes I would beg him to wear that day. As the suit slowly became tighter (he had to suck in to button) and the cuffs became shorter, he still wouldn't wear anything else. Finally, one day in church, he really went to town with the markers, a green one to be exact, and marked his suit up and down. I DID try to get the markers out. I washed the suit a few times and then reluctantly took it to Goodwill. Alright fine, I didn't OxiClean it and I was a little excited for him to at last wear something else to church. But boy was I in trouble when Ethan found out that the suit was gone, GONE.

Ethan turned eight on February 1. And, guess what he wanted for his birthday? A new suit (surprise, surprise)! I found this new suit at Macy's during their winter clearance and paid $100 less than the original price. I was so excited, and then I realized I had to buy new shoes, a belt, and a shirt to go with his new suit. An expensive birthday to say the least.

I can't believe how fast time flies. I am not sure if I am ready to have an eight year old. So many things change as your children get older. I hope Del and I are doing our part to teach him the IMPORTANT things in life, the things that really matter. One day he is a little boy and the next he is accountable for his actions. I am not sure if I was ready for him to be baptized. I didn't feel like I taught him everything he needed to know to be baptized and confirmed a member of our church. Sure, we read about baptism, had FHE's (family home evenings) about it, talked about it and tried our best to make sure he was ready, but was he READY? Bishop Lind thought he was (we have an awesome bishop).

We decided to have Ethan baptized on his birthday so he would always remember he was baptized that day. It wasn't until I was at the gym two weeks before on the elliptical when I realized February 1st at 6:30 p.m. was right smack in the middle of the super bowl. I fretted until the day came. Would anyone come? Would the bishop come? Not that getting baptized isn't more important than a football game, but I really felt like I had jeopardized his baptism because I scheduled it during a HUGE sporting event. I was sooo wrong. The turn out was amazing.

We were so lucky to have my parents come up and attend his baptism. However, we wished Del's parents could have been there to be a part of it as well. We missed them. A lot of family friends attended as well as the missionaries, Ethan's primary teacher, two members of the primary presidency, and the Bishop. We are so blessed with amazing friends in our ward and community. Sean Cather (a family friend) and Grandpa Nichols gave talks and spoke directly to Ethan. His daddy performed the baptism and confirmation and then the bishop spoke to Ethan. Words cannot express what an amazing experience it was. I wish I could write exactly what the bishop said, but I can't (when he was talking, I sat there wishing I was writing it all down). He said something like this, "do you know what is happening right now? what millions of people are watching on TV tonight?" Ethan, of course, says, "no." (remember, Del is a team roper) And then he said, "They are watching the Super Bowl, the biggest football game of the year, maybe the biggest sporting event of the year. And do you know what God is watching right now? He is watching you. This is what matters." I just love that guy.

Look how handsome they are! It was cute, someone reminded them to take their socks off before going into the font. Dillon was quite the handful during the baptism because in two year old language, "I be baptized with Ethan."


Grandpa Nichols gave the talk on receiving the Holy Ghost and presented Ethan with a head lamp to symbolize the light and guidance the Holy Ghost can give you. Grandma Sue lead the music as she turned down Ethan when he said he wanted her to sing the musical number. If you know my family, you know we can't sing and if you know Del's family, you know they can. So my mom was not about to get up there and sing in front of Del.


The next week Ethan came home from school all worked up over something. He couldn't put his finger on it, but said he might have done something wrong and 'what if he doesn't know when he does something wrong.' A few days later, the same thing. He was really distraught this time almost to tears. When I finally got something out of him, he said, "I think I lost the Holy Ghost." I tried not to laugh....not a laughing moment for an eight year old. How sweet is that? I asked him what he did that made him think he lost the Holy Ghost. He was just so worried he would lose it. I promise, we didn't lay it on too thick. He is a very intelligent little boy and really thinks things through. Then he wanted to know how do you know if you have the Holy Ghost? I am very proud of him and HIS choice to be baptized. EIGHT really is GREAT!!

My Friend Monique

I am a nerd. Yes, the type that gets excited over weird, random things like saving a lot of money at the grocery store. My friend, Monique, is amazing when it comes to good deals and getting food for almost free. I don't cut coupons very often, but if you know when certain stores have certain sales, there is almost always a coupon (a really good one) floating around out there to combine with these great deals. So today I went to Albertson's to hit their Quaker sale, which they have twice a year (I think), and had my coupons from a previous ad from another store ready and get this, this is amazing, I bought $50.48 of Quaker products (10 boxes granola bars, 2-48 oz. containers of oats, 2 boxes of instant oatmeal packets, and four boxes of Life Cereal) for $8. Like I said, I am not very good at doing this, but this is one sale, I have been taught how to hit.

I briefly met Monique in Tucson, Az at a mutual friend's wedding shower some seven or eight years ago. We moved to Missoula a few years after that shower and within a month or so, Monique moved into town with her awesome family! SMALL WORLD. Anyway, Monique has taught me everything I know about getting great deals and buying food for 'almost free.' She also taught me how to make awesome tamales and has inspired me with her amazing zeal for life. Monique had two babies (close in age ~some 13-18 months apart) to raise while her husband served in Iraq and then several years later added twin daughters to the bunch. Despite having her hands full, she always has a smile on her face and time to spread word of good deals. I don't know about you, but right now, every penny counts and the less I spend on groceries for my three boys, the more I can save or spend on our barnhouse. Monique just moved to D.C. for six to nine months while her husband does some officer schooling for the Marines. I am going to miss her and her great money-saving advice! Monique you are awesome!

Monsters

I think we can thank Del for this: (although I am not sure why??? Del?)

The other day, Tuesday to be exact, Dillon and I went to the grocery store and were checking out. This older lady came up behind us and was kind of talking to Dillon. He was not very receptive and kept saying, "mommy, go monster away," and would like throw his arm in her direction. When I realized what he was saying, I tried to make small talk with her so she wouldn't feel too bad, but he wouldn't stop saying it. She wasn't bad looking, not too monstorish anyhow. So then, on Wednesday we went to the Post Office (which Dillon was calling office post...kind of like Dillon Post). I had this burly box I was trying to tape up while he was standing in between my legs, hugging them and circling them like he was trying to hide. As I was waiting in line, he kept saying things like, "there's another one, monster," and "go home monster." And he was so serious. Then this motorcycle dude came in and was in line behind us and Dillon said, "no monster" really loud and the man said "Hi, I'm Kevin." It was pretty funny because Dillon kept calling him a monster and then wanted to 'hold you mommy.'

Where do kids get the darndest things that they say from? I am pretty sure that I haven't ever said half of those things and neither has Del. From the mouth of a two year-old at church during sacrament meeting just loud enough for the people behind us to hear: "don't touch me" aimed at me and, "mommy be quiet" and "don't like him, Colton" aimed at the teenage boy behind us. He is definitely our fireball.

But how can you not love a face like that?

OHMMMMM.......

Nothing beats yoga on a not-too-early Saturday morning. Okay, seriously I LOVE love yoga, but chanting....ummmm even though I have done it lots before, it is still a little on the weird side for me. Luckily, this wasn't the chanting type of class. I escaped about 8:30 to attend a free ashtanga class for 'First Friday' (even though it was Sat.) in Stevensville. I had been wanting to check out this studio for a while, and well for FREE how could I not go? It was great, nothing new, but I really enjoy yoga, especially when I am not the instructor. Del and the boys went to pick up his tractor and then they met me back at home around noon. We gave up our Griz tickets to go Christmas tree hunting and well, it couldn't have been a more perfect day (okay, yea it could have if their was snow on the ground). Here are some pictures:

Oliver was pretty funny, he couldn't wait to go, but within a half an hour he says, "can't we just cut one down already?"

Dillon loves to get in the backpack and hike. He kept saying, "big hike," and "there's a trail."

Ethan is getting older every minute and can't decide if he is still a kid or more responsible than both Del and I. He was worried we'd get in trouble for cutting down the wrong tree.

So we found the perfect tree (according to Del). I think it is a little bare, but it is a really nice tree. We cut the bottom four feet off and the top one and a half and that left us with about a 12 footer.

Earlier this week, our stockings came in the mail. It was so funny! I had laid them out across the floor to check them out and left them there to get Dillon out of bed. The boys were so excited they gave Dillon his and said, "this is yours, Dillon." Dillon kept calling it 'my boot' and tried to put it on lots of times. He finally succeeded and wasn't happy with me when I told him it wasn't a boot. It was darn cute. One of the funny things he keeps saying lately is, "I'm Big Dillon." He has a pretty deep voice for a two year old, so it just sounds funny.

And in everything give thanks. D&C 98:1

Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, and rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. D&C 98:1

Ethan made this thankful list in primary at church. I thought it was great! Here it is:

I am thankful for Jesus because he died for us.

I am thankful for Oliver because he likes me to read to him.

I am thankful for Ethan because I am funny.

I am thankful for Mom because she makes dinner for us.

I am thankful for Dad because he loves me.


I asked Oliver what he was thankful for yesterday. Here is what he said:

I am thankful for mommy because she is nice and she makes cookies with me.

I am thankful for my brothers because they are fun to wrestle with.

I am thankful for Star Wars because it is so cool.

I am thankful for dad because he rides horses with me.

So, I asked Del what he was thankful for. Here is his list:

A free country
My family
A pair of blue jeans that fit just right
A good job
Team roping

If Dillon could understand the concept of being thankful, here is what he would say:

I am thankful for trains, mommy's truck, bananas, the kids coming off the bus (his brothers), and horse rides with daddy.

Here is my thankful list:

I am thankful for the beautiful scenery outside my house because it reminds me of God's love and just makes me happy.

I am thankful for my three boys who are so sweet to their mommy and love me regardless.

I am thankful for snow, without it their would me no snowboarding, sledding, adventurous driving, snow angels, snow forts, snow balls, snow days (remember those in Pinetop?) and no winter FUN!

I am thankful for my hubby, Del who is the most compassionate, romantic, thoughtful, sweet, and handsome person I know. And he looks really good in a pair of wranglers and a cowboy hat. And Del if you read this, I am really thankful for you, for all your hard work, for loving me despite all my flaws and for being the best daddy in the world.

She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy.....

I met Del (my hubby of 9 1/2 yrs.) when I was 18 years old, just short of one month after moving out of my parent's house. I moved down to Tucson from my beloved hometown of Pinetop to attend the University of Arizona. I was never, and I mean NEVER going to be that girl who got married right out of high school. I was going somewhere and was going to be somebody. That didn't last long and six months after dating, we were engaged. That's not to say it was an easy decision and one I didn't wrestle with from the day we just knew. I was too young to get married and yet not ready to lose him to an unknown future. It is amazing how when you find the one you love, your future just molds around to include him and sacrifices anything and everything.

Del and I spent a good part of our courtship on a tractor and yes, I did think his tractor was sexy! Lucky him! It even happened to be the year Kenny Chesney's song came out...how ironic. I would ride on the buddy seat of the tractor on Saturday's and Sunday's after church. He would drive doing whatever it was that needed doing and I hung out. I do have to thank Del for the great grades I got in Spanish thanks to his tutoring on those rides. Between dates in the tractor and dates that he fell asleep in my dorm while I did homework, we fell head over heels in love. It wasn't until after we were married that I realized the amount of sleep this guy really needs and that his sleeping all the time wasn't so much fun....it kind of became lonely. I slowly learned what being a farmer's wife was going to be like. Ups and downs, early to rise, early to bed...not by choice, just by being human. I remember this one time he came home, dropped his dirty clothes by the door, got a popsicle to eat, sat down to eat it, finished it and fell asleep before dinner and didn't wake up. He eventually made his way to the bed and I admit, I was pretty irritated.

Thank goodness for the darn sexy tractors he had to drive day in and day out...it kept the irritation at bay! I have lots of great pictures of these days, but they are on film and I don't have a scanner.