Welcome back Brother and Sister Lee!

I really can not believe that Bob and Mona are already back from their mission in Hawaii!! It just flew by and it must have really flown by for them. It would be SO HARD to leave that beautiful island. We all went to the airport to pick them up and all of the kids greeted them wearing grass skirts and each put a flower lay around their necks. It really is so good to see them and it might actually be weird having them around again, not in a bad way of course but a nice adjustment. Afterwards we went and hung out at a frozen yogurt joint until the kids were beyond tired (which I'm pretty sure happened before we even got there). 

It was a fun LATE night.

The BEST husband and PURPLE HAIR

Lately, like everyday lately, I am reminded of just how lucky I am to have married the man I did.

Tj is my best friend and I am so lucky that we had the time to be friends and get to know each other before all of the romance started. So glad that we had that "base" to start with. 

It has made being married extremely easy and I am realizing more and more each day how rare that is. So many people meet and fall in love right off the bat and get married so quickly and end up down the road not really knowing who it is that they married. And they realize they are married, often times with kids, and don't even know each other. 

I'm grateful for TJ and I's background and for Heavenly Father's part in that.

He knew I needed a friend before a husband.

I'm grateful for the man TJ is and for his kindness, selflessness, patience, good heart, compassionate, sympathetic, easy going, down to earth, funny, brains, good looks, common sense, spirituality, and about a million other things. 

I just don't know how I lucked out on finding such a guy who actually wanted me just as much.

Ps. I did purple hair this morning. I am not proud of it, more like embarrassed and I am so done with this client of more than 4 years and even more done with her hair...I have tried to cut her off and have taken away all of the perks she originally started coming to me for...how do I nicely say our relationship is over because I can't handle the stress, I'm not happy, my kids are not happy and I don't need to do hair. I don't need her money and doing her hair is not worth my time or any amount of money she could pay me. Every aspect of doing her hair are all of the reasons that make me want to give up doing hair all together.

And my kids don't deserve the mom I am during or after I have done her hair.

I'm in a pickle.

Long story short, about what color she wanted and what my first instinct was and professional opinion was and blah blah blah at least the big mess I made of her hair, I fixed and the end result was her loving it.

Thank goodness, I can now stop sweating.

Best part= her tagging me on Facebook with pictures of her new do for all the world to see.

I guess I got what I wanted, less clients.

She scared my clients away and any any potential ones.
I wish I knew how to put these pics in the right order.
BLONDE-NASTY PURPLE-BROWN WITH PURPLE

I love Tessa

I think I may take advantage of the fact that my very best sister lives right down the street from me. I ask myself why it is we don't hang out more often?? Today we met up at 7 peaks and some nice lady gave us a double tube she no longer wanted. Tessa was awesome to take her kids plus Tallie on all of the slides that I am never able to take Tallie on (I'm either always pregnant or holding too many babies). And even when it was time for me to go and give Kasen a nap at home , Tessa kept Tallie so she could ride more slides. Tallie came home so happy. And then tonight Tessa came over and watched my kids so that I could go running since I have not been able to all week since Tj is gone. I had such a good run and am so thankful for her service to me.

Milk Glasses

I feel like summer is flying right on by not waiting for me to jump in. I'm in the middle of summer, doing all of the summer things yet at the same time I feel like I am just waiting for summer to begin...make any sense?

Chloe picked these sweet milk glasses from the prize box tonight, she has been dying for a pair of these. It was hillarious to watch her face light up once the milk got a flowin...she was laughing so hard she was spitting strawberry milk all over the place. She is so quirky it hurts.

Tj left this morning for scout camp, his first time since being THE scout master. It's a tough calling, a lot of work, organization and patience with immature boys.

He is perfect for the job. I am sure he will be relieved once camp is over and the stress is gone.

I miss him.

 It will be one long week here at home. I'm trying hard not be monster mom.

I just feel like there is never enough time. Not enough time between naps to do errands and have fun. I'm finding it hard to just find some good ol fashioned down time, just to relax these summer days.

And people calling me to make hair appointments is making me in a bad mood.

I know it's what I do but I hate scheduling around it.

I guess hair will be a constant battle with me.

I just want to spend time with my own family, my own kids and not worrying about hair and whether or not Kasen will be napping or if the kitchen sink is clean with no dishes. Feeling quilty I'm not playing with the kids,cleaning up the mess. It gets exhausting.

FHE on Temples

Tonight we talked about temples and eternal families and we constructed our own temples out of suger cubes. It was actually pretty cool. I just hope that at the end of the week the temples are still standing and not half eaten.

On Saturday I got out of my shell and out of my comfort zone and met up with the running group to do a long run with them. I know they are a lot faster than me currently and have been doing long runs for a while and as for me, not so much. I was nervous to "try" and run at their speed and not feel like a crutch that made them slow down. Well I am happy to report that I ran my first 10 miles since having Kasen and I did it all hovering right around 9 min miles. There were times that I straight up wanted to throw up but I kept going and pushed myself. I feel like I have a bit more confidence in myself and that maybe I don't give myself enough credit. I actually want to keep running with them so I can get faster. I went out solo this morning and ran 5 and I kept most of it right around 8:30 min miles! I'm so happy that I got my fire back for running and happy that I am excited about ST GEORGE. Every Saturday from here on out is double digits and I'm ready for it. I'd love to beat my last marathons time of 4:38 and come in this time at like 4:15. And I'm already thinking about the Halloween Half and wanting to beat my fastest half's time of 1:49 and I'd like to come in at 1:45 or less. Guess we will see! Wish me luck!

Best Friends

Sometimes I feel like friends get in the way of my kids being friends (if that makes sense).

It's important that they each have their own friends and to branch out but there is something so special between sisters and I love when they get in their moments where they are each others best friends. Where they play and make believe with each other. I love watching them laugh and enjoy the bond that is between them. 

I hope they stay close always.

 Here is one of Tallie's best friends, Maili Wilkins

Here is Lexi's best bud these days, Callie Wakefield. It is so funny to watch and listen to them play together. They can play literally ALL day, from the moment the sun comes up until the sun goes down. And sometimes I just want to shut my blinds so Callie won't knock for the 100th time to play. I'm so glad we have a neighborhood where there are so many kids for my kids to be friends with.

Father's Day

Right here is the WORLD'S BEST DAD.

He is the foundation, the solid rock of our little family.

He is what all dad's should be and we are all so very very lucky to call him ours.

I hope he know just HOW MUCH we love him and need him and always want him around.

I love this man so very very much.

Happy Father's Day TJ

Sweet Lexi

This morning Lexi tells me she had a dream about a dragon...

She said the dragon was all of the colors of the rainbow and it was sooo beautiful that it made her cry.

(TJ had heard her cry in the night and went in to check on her, apparently it was tears of joy?)

She makes me laugh

I'm so DUMB!

Sometimes I get the itch to switch things up, to redecorate. And it usually happens when I am bored and alone while TJ is away on some Scout campout or business trip. Well I just did the DUMBEST thing ever! I have repainted my room twice and gotten new bedding both times and have never liked my room. I really thought that I didn't like my bed and that that was the big problem and that if I got a new one then I would be happy. So just like that I listed my bed on KSL and sold it the next morning. I just sold the expensive bed my parents bought TJ and I when we got married. TJ and I then had a date to Ikea where we thought we would come home with a new bed. And we did. However I could not bring myself to take it out of the box and set it up. I wasn't in love with it and I had just downgraded from a nice sturdy classic bed to a crappy cheap Ikea one. And here is the kicker, I sold the bed first because I thought it would be easier to repaint my room with no bed in the way. Which it was. I then sent my sister Tandy my bedding and  I am left with blue walls (like my basement) a white down comforter and no bed. I now realize it was not the bed I hated but the wall color and bedding. I love my new room and My bed would look so good in it! I WANT MY BED BACK!

I took back the Ikea bed and I am now checking KSL religiously for a new bed that I will fall in love with that hopefully cost me $200 bucks or less...I'm a GREAT deal finder. Sometimes you just have to be patient. The question is, how long can TJ stand sleeping on just mattresses?? 

I really am kicking myself for this one.

7 Peaks

Our first time to 7 peaks this year! I was proud of myself for going with 4 kids for the first time to such a crowed chaotic place. But to my surprise, it was not so bad, the kids were all happy and we all had fun and we have even gone back a couple times since. I hope my kids know how much work it is on my part (and stressful) it is to take them to the water park so they can have fun summers. I do it because I love to see them happy and because for me going to the pool as a kid was so much fun and such good memories.  We went to the new Provo Rec Center the other day to check that out and I REALLY wish that Springville wasn't so lame and would just get one ALREADY!

Days of Summer...

Swimming lessons are over and now I have 3 fish instead of 3 kids. It was fun because Tessa and her kids were in the same classes so instead of me sitting solo I got to chat with her everyday. 

 Kasen is getting so big! I have had to put away some of his "baby" things that he no need for anymore. It makes me kinda sad. No more swing, no more bumbo chair, no more nursing pillow to help him sit. He sits and actually EATS in his highchair, he sits unassisted, he rolls from one side of the room to the other, he got his first tooth today and he is finally sleeping so much better at night! 

It was fun to pick carrots tonight for dinner..never done that before. I even tried one (thinking it might taste better that I had grown it) but nope, they are still super GROSS.

Art City Days

This year the girls chose to only ride one ride at the carnival if they could get their faces painted. And I'm glad they did because it was so cute and lasts much longer than a 30 sec carnival ride. TJ even went all out and tried a deep fried Twinkie. 

Nothing like a good, hot parade.

Memorial Day

On Memorial Day this year we asked the kids if they wanted to go to 7 Peaks or if they wanted to spend the day at home in the blow up pool and they all opted to stay home. Tj was pretty happy about that (he hates the crowds on holidays). So we filled up the pool, which we had to keep blowing up about every half hour due to all of the holes. We BBQed for dinner and then we went up the canyon for a smore roast. A bunch of girls in my ward had all planned a big shopping day at the new Traverse Outlets in Draper because all of the husbands would be home to stay with the kids. As nice as that would be to go shop withouts kids, I thought it would be sad to leave my family on a holiday to hang out with my girlfriends. I'm pretty sure I love spending time with my family and my husband.

 Elena had asked her dad if they could put in a pool on the lot next door that they had just bought. He told them if they could dig it they could have it. I have never seen such hard work and determination go into something before! These sweet kids got out all the shovels and clippers and wheelbarrels and went to town pulling weeds to clear a space for their pool. They worked for hours in the heat. Their plan was to learn to mow lawns to save up money to buy cement and have it poured so they could have their pool. Every morning they have gotten up and gone over to the lot to work. It has been so cute to watch them. And at the end of the day there really wasn't much progress but yet they continue. I guess we will see what happens.