So I think its sad that some people can be so judgmental and unkind. 

My sister Jodi is amazing. She was once overweight and large and unhappy. She has since changed her life. She lost 75 lbs. And she didn't just loose 75 lbs and then maintain that, she full on went out and turned her body into 100% muscle! She worked hard and studied a lot learned everything there is to know about the body and how it works and became a personal trainer where she helps and motivates others to loose weight and start living. She has completely transformed her body and now has competed in multiple figure competitions. I have gone to her for help and advice when I have wanted to get in better shape and loose baby weight. And I love her because she listens to me and never talks down to me because she knows so much. She is funny and nice and makes me want to work harder and push myself. She is a great motivator and tells me I can call her anytime. 

I understand that some do not agree with what she does professionally and that they think she should not post pictures of her competitions and that she is too obsessed with her body. Not everyone can do what she does. It takes an incredible amount of self discipline, motivation, desire, self mastery and commitment. And I think that anything someone does that takes hard work and that much discipline should be applauded and acknowledged as they have accomplished a goal they have sought after. I wish that people would stop judging and put away whatever problems or whatever aside and just ACKNOWLEDGE and say "GOOD JOB!", especially when it comes to family. They should be the first. We all do things differently and are inspired and into different things and different things drive us and no we won't all agree with what everyone else is doing. But don't put yourself on a pedestal and look down on others for how they run their lives. 

It's not yours.

Time with Lexi Lou Who

I think it's funny how every kids first instinct when they see a water shoot is to go and sit on it.

Since the kids have started school I have been kind of errand crazy. Its just nice to be able to run around again and I am wearing myself out. Plus I'm sure Lexi is just having a blast running around town in the car all day with mom. So instead of going to all of my places I need to get to we went to the splash pad. Tessa and Brightyn last minute came too. It was nice to be in the sun again soaking up summer before it goes away. It was nice to catch up with my sister and watch Lexi have fun. We also started up again on her "homework" as she calls it. Its good one on one time and I love to see her little wheels turning in her head.

Quiet mornings

Yesterday 18 miles was on the agenda. I had planned to run with some girls in the ward and try out a new trail in Orem to Alpine. They wanted to leave at 5:15 am. And I just knew that with getting Kasen fed and ready to get out the door and getting more than 4 hours of sleep was not really going to happen. So I let Kasen be the judge and he didn't wake up till 5:30. So my plan B was to run up Hobble Creek 9 miles and back down. Some people think I am nuts running solo especially such long miles but honestly I kinda love it. I love to get out in the early morning before the chaos of life has started where it is quiet and go somewhere beautiful. I find that when I run with a bunch of girls I don't feel the same. Girls have a hard time getting together and not gossiping and I really hate starting out my day like that. There is just something serene about being alone up the beautiful canyon. Since I had my phone with me I just had to stop and take a picture of what I get to see on my runs and document that I actually run.

First day of school

I love these little girlies and cant believe how fast they are growing up. I guess I am getting old now that I have a 2nd grader! Tallie was all smiles as she woke up and got ready for her first day. She is eager to learn and try new things. She impresses me with her independence and it really amazes me sometimes because I was SO not independent when I was young. I was so shy and nervous for everything and starting a new school year always terrified me. I guess that is where Chloe gets her anxiety from. Me. She woke up in tears and was hiding, terrified of going to school. At times she could barely breath she was so upset and hysterical. She eventually calmed down enough to get ready and take a picture. Tallie was great to reassure her her first day would be great and she told her she would meet her for recess and come see her at her lunch table. Tallie is so sweet like that. However Chloe was a faucet and could only manage to keep her tears under control for a few minutes at a time.

Once we got to school Tallie was fine and kissed me goodbye and ran off to her class. I popped my head in later to say hello and she had already fled out the door to play on the playground before the bell rang. 

It was hard to leave Chloe. So sad and red faced. I just want to hug her and hold her forever and tell her its going to be ok. It helped that her friend was also crying because I told Chloe she needed to help Haeli feel happy and not sad at school. Now that she had a job to do and someone to watch over she settled down. They are both still in the Dual Immersion Spanish Program which makes me nervous for all of the homework they will bring home. Guess TJ will have to be on homework duty. 

Once the girls got home from school Chloe was all smiles and wanted to go back the next the day. And come the next morning she was the first one awake getting ready and bouncing off the walls ready to go back to school. Once we got to school however her tears returned and she had a hard time going into class. I don't know what tomorrow will bring since we had the weekend...

A little love at Costco

Last few days before school starts

I have such mixed emotions about school starting. I have a hard time knowing that my children will be under the care and influence of someone else for the majority of their days. I actually really do miss them while they are gone for so long. I feel bad for the kids left at home who wait all day for their friends to return so they can have someone to play with. However I do get excited to get into a routine again and to be able to run errands again and be on my own schedule again. But I do know that after a month or two I will want the routines to end and to have my kids back to take them places and do things on my own clock and not after school hours. I will miss date nights during the week when the babysitters can come over whenever. I'll have to start waking up earlier to get my runs in so I can be back to help gets kids out the door for school.  It will be nice to have the kids in bed earlier so that TJ and I can get our nights back. Since the kids have been staying up late I usually go to bed soon after so there hasn't been any us time. I already hate the sun going down so early and the mornings so dark when I run. I worry how Chloe will do going all day. And I will miss our laid back mornings which will now turn into a chaotic rush. But like it or not school is coming and I can't do anything about it but enjoy our last days of "freedom".

Ice blocking

I can't believe we had not taken the kids ice blocking before! I knew they would be hesitant and a little scared so instead of going to Rock Canyon Park with the big hills we went to a small park with small hills. I think they were a little too small. It was kinda hard to get going but the girls got the hang of it and there was no fear involved so next time we will take them to where it's really fun and now they actually want to. It was pretty funny watching them heave up their heavy blocks of ice and then try and not fall off as they rode them down the hill. And of course TJ makes it look like he was going down with incredible speed!

Last pool day

I find it CRAZY that I have to like beg my kids and drag them to the pool sometimes.

Maybe I'm the crazy one who wants to soak up all the sun before the pools close for the year and we settle in for 6 months of snow. Today we went to the Scera pool and it was great for me to just sit in one spot and keep an eye on all 5 of my children (yes I brought my fifth child Callie Wakefield with us today). Tallie is pretty much over this "boring" pool and says she has outgrown it. Thats a sad day for me because the other kids still love it.

Tallie Funny:

Chloe asked Tallie the other day if she wanted some Cotton Candy :

Tallie's reply: "Eew, I'm not gonna eat THAT! It's like eating hairy armpits!"

Kind of the same texture.

Kasen news:

Kasen sure won't take a binki from me but he sure kept following little Stella around so he could suck on hers.

Everywhere she went, there he was...attached.

He has been so fun lately. He is so much more vocal now and "talks" to the girls when they talk to him. He is EVERYWHERE as well.

He also won't put a Cheerio in his mouth but he manages to find all of the tiniest stickers and crap on the floor and out all of those in his mouth. It's funny to watch him get around. He has started to use his helmet to his advantage. 

He puts his head down, arms at his side and uses his feet to slide his body all around the house.

He can get his helmet to slide pretty fast on the carpet.

What a smarty pants.

And he still does not sleep through the night.

Chloe turns 6!!!!

No one looks at Chloe and thinks she could possible be 6. She is just so tiny and petite and ridiculously adorable! I wish I could just stop the clock and let her be this age forever. She really is a ray of sunshine and brightens the room when she enters. She is so full of personality and spunk and she has me laughing at all of her quirky little doings and sayings. She is so fun and has this smile that always gets me. I love her so much and I love how much she loves me too and how she is always showing me. And the best part is she still fits on my lap for me to rock. It's just been in the last few weeks that I have noticed a "growing up" in her. Maybe its her longer hair or the things she can do now but she just seems so much older these days which is really cool to watch her change. I love my little Chlo-Bug!

6 year old birthday questions:

Favorite movie: Saige, Soul Surfer

Favorite Song: Roll my windows down 

Singer: Taylor Swift

Friend: Haeli Wilkins

Activity: coloring, playing with characters

What makes her laugh: Tickles

What makes her sad: Not playing with her

On her birthday she woke up to cinnamon rolls (which were flat because I started way too late the night before), her surprise gift from TJ and I was Saige, The American Girl Doll of 2013.

I blame this all on Tjs mom, the whole love of these dolls. She buys each grandchild one and when Chloe was about 2 she was given a Bitty Baby (which is smaller and doesn't really have hair you can play with) and for the past couple years she has been asking Santa for a "real" girl. She really cried over this all the time and even said she would donate her bitty baby to Lexi. We caved. And when TJ was in California for work he stopped by The American Girl Doll store and bought her Saige. And whats cool about this doll is that she is from New Mexico and her best friend growing up was named Tessa. Weird or what? We knew this was the doll for Chloe. She is in love with her and was soooo happy to unwrap her! The look on her face was priceless. We surprised her also on her friend party night by renting the movie Saige. We went to Lowe's Extreme Air Sports with Tessa and her kids and then once Tj got home we had pizza with Bob and Mona and then left Kasen with a sitter and went to go ice skating only it was hockey night and so we went bowling instead and Chloe was being so silly that night just cracking us up being crazy. 

 Megan Clayton, Maya Anderson, Chloe Lee, Tayah Smith, Lexi Lee, Brightyn Langholf, Jade Langholf, Callie Wakefield, Haeli Wilkins, Tallie Lee