it was all worth it

This is just a tribute to Ryan. in honor of all those late night hours at school. and boring classes having to look at espn.com all day. and those Saturday morning draft days waiting on line for like an hour so he could get the best pick. It's a little depressing that I even understand that much of his precious fantasy football/baseball. but IT ALL PAID OFF IN THE END!!! Ryan is now an official winner of the fantasy football league. and I couldn't be prouder. Not just anyone would be this dedicated to their teams!! it was so worth this official banner. Way to go Ryan!!!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME

okay, so this is what I woke up to this morning. Let me remind you that it is almost APRIL!!!!! what is this. (and it has been doing this all week.) so to rebel I am going to take 3 baths a day and fill the tub to the top and then just let it all drain out to celebrate this "wonderful moisture"
Oh and one funny thing I have to tell you that Tyson did. He and Bailee think it's so fun to go and eat the snow. so when he brought it inside, I guess he thought is was to cold so he put it in the microwave to warm it up. He was so confused when I told him that "warm snow" is just water.

Happy Easter.

So I hope you all had a good Easter. We all had a fun one. This year I realized that the kids liked finding eggs more than getting all that candy, so I put like 2 jelly beans in each egg and hid like 100 eggs. it was fun and they felt like they got so much candy but really it wasn't.

These next 3 pictures I just wanted to show you a little bit of Bailee. she is so funny. she goes into her room and comes up with a special outfit and then wants to surprise us all with what she is wearing. so she would hide herself in this blanket and then give us an unveiling of the wonder that she created.


TA DAAAAA!!!!!!!




and this last picture I was just going to show you my new haircut. I was so ready for a change and I was sick of my frizzy dry hair, so I had a girl in my ward chop it off. it's nice to have something new.

Mission Possible: Honduras

Well I guess its about time for me to post some pictures and tell a bit about my trip to Honduras. I wish Katie could write because she does a much better job that me at being witty and creative. I am pretty bland so you can just check out the pictures if you want. Anyways, This was my second time going to Honduras and it was awesome. It's great to be able to speak Spanish again and I really love Latin American people. They are always so kind and have a great spirit about them.

The project is called Mission Possible and it's basically an humanitarian service project run by students at the law school. This year we went to fix up/paint health centers in remote villages. After nearly 30 hours of travel we arrived in Lepaera, a city built on the third highest mountain in Honduras. It is the highest "city" in Honduras but there are outlying villages that are higher. Anyways, we did all the fundraising for the project and bought our plane tickets and all the supplies that we would need to complete the work.

One of the villages that we worked in is basically on top of a mountain. There is no easy way to get there and you need a sturdy 4x4 or truck. The people that lived there were very surprised when we showed up. I bet 90% of the people had never seen a "gringo"before. They have no electricity in the village, and thus no T.V's or anything like that. There is no reason for anyone to "pass through" unless they are going there for a purpose. So it was quite a shock when 13 students show up do so some work. The kids just sat around the building and stared at us all day. They didn't even want to talk, just look. Eventually a few of them warmed up to us and we had a good time chatting with them. We ended up painting about 3 health centers consisting of 7 buildings. It was a great way to spend Spring Break. Below are some pictures of my trip.

Here is the group of students that went. It was a great group and we had people from a lot of diverse backgrounds so it was cool to meet and get to know more students because at school its pretty much nose in the books and study with a group of your friends.

This picture is one of the health centers that we painted. The one on the right is done. In Hondruas the schools and heatlh centers are required to be painted blue or green. We chose the green and it looked pretty nice. It was oil based paint so when it got on your skin it would not come off unless you have some strong paint thinner. I think I will have paint thinner and paint oozing out of my hands and arms for the next few months. They actually just use gasoline as paint thinner and it worked pretty well but sure did make you light headed if you sniffed it too long.
This is one of the local boys in an outlying villages. Most kids in the villages walk around with their machetes, dog. The machete comes in pretty handy when you need to hack away some weeds or chop something down. Notice the nice sploch of green paint. I was climing a ladder and spilled it all down my shirt. You many notice that I am starting to rock a beard. It was in its infancy at this point but you should see it now. I am nearly a bone fide grizzly adams. Katie actually likes it, but I'm sure she'll grow tired of the manliness soon. I'll post a picture when it gets real nice. Well these pictures don't actually do my driving skills justice. I was one of the cheafuers of the trip because I was the only one that knew how to drive a stick. If you've ever driven in Mexico or a latin american country you are in for a treat. There is no speed limit and people make their own lanes whenever and wherever they want. Passing at all times , on turns, hills, and when traffic is coming head on at you is a must. Rocks, cows, horses in the road. always. There we a few close calls but it was all part of the adventure. Anyway, this bridge we crossed is called "La Hamaca" or The Hammock. It is on the way back from the village without electricity. I need to get a side picture so you really get the effect but its basically a wood bridge held up by cables suspended 80 or so feet above the river. I think I had about 2-3 inches of clearance on each side. It was definitely a tight squeeze and then when you get on it , it starts to sway and bounce just like a hammock. It was pretty awesome and yes I do have mad driving skills. Don't let Katie tell you any different. Most people in our group didn't even dare to ride in the car across it. It was pretty cool. Speaking of Hammocks check out the next picture. This was a trucker that was stopped at the border and he decided to take a little rest. I thought it looked like a lot of fun.
This was pretty much how we traveled around between the city and the villages. The little "busito" or mini van type car that I drove was not fit for any off road driving , so we would borrow a truck from a local and load everybody in it. This is actually the preferred mode of transportation of everyone. Everyone has a truck and they drive like this on the freeway, up hills, everywhere. Trucks like this are taxis also, but if you are in a nice one they give you a hand rail on the side to hold on to. Otherwise its grab on to anything that is stable.
Well here is me going into Guatemala. On our last day we went to the Mayan Ruins of Copan. I went last year to see the ruins so I thought I would get my passport stamped in Guatemala since its only about 6 miles from the border. A buddy of mine and I drove over to the border and when we got there there was a big gate across the road and a bunch of cones were blocking our path so we just pulled over to the side and walked in. We were walking for a bit and found immigration. We went up to the guy and handed him our passports and he said: Where are you going? I was like nowhere. What do you mean nowhere? We just came to get out passports stamped. Well what city are you going to? We not going to any city. Well what are you going to do? We just came from Honduras and just want to get out passport stamp. You're not going to walk around? Well I guess we could but we just want a stamp. All you want is a stamp? Yeah....well O.K. and he stamped our passports. It was pretty cool. So we obliged him and walked around for a bit and changed some money in to Guatemalan money and we were off. I need to go back soon so I can knock of Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama.

Anyway, it was an awesome trip and I'm really glad Katie let me go. I know it was tough handling the kids all by herself for like 10 days. Especially when Ty and Davis got sick. She is awesome and I could NEVER do what she does. I really appreciate her. This was all possible because of her. Give her a hug next time you see her. She would like it. I am going to give her one right now.

Time Out For Women

Okay so I went to the time out for women on Saturday. it was soooooo nice to get a break. and it was so refreshing. I loved all of the speakers and they all had something good to say that I took home with me. My favorite talk was from a lady named Merrilee Boyack she wrote "the parenting Breakthrough" and "strangling your husband is not an option" (I've never read those but I hear they are both awesome and I plan to" anyways her talk was on doing service as a family.
I always want to do service with my kids but I guess it's just hard to know where to start and it seems so overwhelming. I always remember when I was in Middle school and Betsy and I were bored and didn't know what to do, so Betsy's mom took us to the rest home to paint their nails and just visit with them. I think we did that a couple of times. but that always stands out to me and it's such a good memory. It's amazing how service can help you feel so happy, and realize what truly is important. I just want my kids to feel that. I think they can be so spoiled in our generation.

I'll just tell you one story she told.
she said that there was a man that was walking out of the ocean with a little girl thrown over his shoulder and she had drowned in the ocean. all these people were standing around and were so sad. and finally one person ran and said let me get the life guard. the life guard came and gave her C.P.R. and the little girl was saved. (she then said) all those people probably cared for the little girl. but only one responded. she then told us to think of CPR as Caring Plus Response.
then she gave some good ideas to do for service. like go out at night and plant flowers as a family in an elderly persons yard. or just secretly deliver a plate of cookies to someone.
she said it's important to make any project you do with them hands on. and another important aspect is to come home and talk about what you just did and how it made someone feel better. I guess she also has a book with ideas to do for service with your family.
I really liked what she had to say. if any of you have any good ideas of service to do with your little kids let me know.
one other good thought I liked, was from Hillary weeks. she was saying how just a little of cinnamon can change a whole cookie recipe and just make them better, then she compared that to reading our scriptures every day. just a little bit can change the outcome of our day.
anyways the whole thing was really good, and I'm really glad I went.
I'll leave you with one last quote that I liked (I don't know who it's from )
"Bad things still happen to righteous people, even when they are doing the right thing. The gospel is not insurance against pain, it's a resource to deal with pain." I don't think I got that word for word, but you get the point.
well I hope I made some sort of sense in trying to recap the great talks.

I lost my first tooth!!!!

so Bailee lost her first tooth last night. It's been wiggly for a couple of weeks now and she's been waiting for Ryan to get home so he could pull it out. It was a little traumatic but not too bad. She is going to the dentist tomorrow for a check up and she wanted to have them just pull it out then, but we told her the tooth fairy would leave her more money if her daddy pulled it out. it only took a couple of tries and then he used the tweezers and finally got it. The tooth fairy left her 5 whole dollars!!! we told her you get the most money for your first tooth!!!! she was pretty excited and she's just like her mommy, that money is burning a hole in her pocket, she can't wait to go and spend it.



And for those of you wondering Ryan had an awesome trip. I am waiting for him to post about it and put some of the pictures up so he can write all about it. We are So glad to have him home now. we sure missed him.

Exhausted

Well I wish I had some new pictures to add. Ryan is in Honduras for the next week and he has the camera. He is doing a humanitarian project with some of the other law students. I can't believe how hard it is here with out him. seriously single moms deserve a huge salute. (Trista I think you are absolutely amazing!!!!) I don't know if I could keep this up for much longer.
Davis and Tyson were both coughing all Saturday night so on Sunday I took them into the doctor and they both have some yucky lung junk. At first they told me Davis had pneumonia which got me all stressed out. But when I took him into the doctors the next day they told me it ended up being Bronchiolitis (poor guy) . so anyways I've tried to keep them in the house all week. we are all going so stir crazy!!!! luckily Bailee has school to keep her occupied for some part of the day.
on a fun note my mom and sisters came out last Thursday and left on Monday, so we got to play with cousins for some of the time. we all had such a good time and it was so crazy. My kids love their cousins so much and they all (for the most part) play so well together.
I have to mention what a DRAMA QUEEN Bailee is. so my family left on Monday morning. and she honestly did not stop crying how she misses her grandma Sally for 2 WHOLE DAYS!!!(TRULY NONSTOP) at first I felt sorry for her, but by day 2 I had had it with the crying/drama. I finally told her if she kept acting like this then I wouldn't let them come out any more because of how she acted when they left. so she's been pretty good today. oh yesterday she did mention that she was so sad about grandma leaving that she couldn't even think about food or holding Davis (two things that she loves so much, so you know it was serious.) at one point she told me that she wasn't sure why she was crying but she just wanted to cry. she gets her self all worked up about things and makes them 10 times worse. she fell asleep crying last night and then woke up at 6:00 am this morning and honestly started crying the second she woke up. DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA
anyways, sorry for my downer of a post, I am truly just so exhausted, and I can't wait for Ryan to get home. I guess him being away really helps me to appreciate him more and what he does for us.
I am excited for this weekend though, I got tickets to this "time out for women" my sister-in-law describes it like EFY for moms. so it will be good and hopefully help me be a better more patient mom. and it will be soooooo nice to get away for a while.

a little break and funny stories

O.K so I don't know when the last time this has happened (or if it has at all)but the kids are actually all taking naps. sooo nice. I don't really know what to do with my self. So of course I'm blogging. I just wanted to write down some cute things the kids have been saying before I forget.
On Sunday when we were watching America's Funniest Home Video's Bailee asked " mom is America's Funniest Home Video's on Sundays because Heavenly Father likes it too?
and one more cute little thing from Tyson. I feel so bad for the little guy. he wants so badly to play with Davis and he just wants to wrestle with him. I feel like he's always getting in trouble for jumping on him and just being too rough. So yesterday he came and sat on my lap and just started to cry and said "mom I just don't know how to be soft with Davis, and I want to play with him. it was just really sweet. another cute thing, someone from the ward was over dropping something off at the house and Tyson runs up to them and says "I'm still learning how to be soft with my brother" I think he's so sweet and he wants to be soft he just doesn't really know how to yet. One day they will be able to wrestle, and before then hopefully Davis will survive.
One last funny Bailee story. So I hope this will make sense. first the background. somedays If we don't have anywhere to go then I don't seem to ever get Bailee's hair done. so I will tell her lets go do your hair you are starting to look like an orphan. so today we were watching Meet the Robinsons and we were at the part where the mom drops off the baby at the orphanage. So of course Bailee has a million questions. and then says
"mom you would never drop us off at an orphanage would you?"
me: no never
Bailee: well just if we don't let you do our hair.
me: what do you mean?
Bailee: you know because then we look like orphans.
it was cute. sometimes it kills me how they remember things and make connections. so I had to reassure her that even if I don't do their hair they can still stay with us.

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

o.k. so I know I'm a bit of a hypochondriac (at least when it comes to my kids) , but I'm getting a little worried that Bailee has an O.C.D. issue. she has become so obsessed with cleaning lately. Every morning when she gets up she cleans her room, and then the second Tyson gets out of bed she makes his bed folds all of his blankest and cleans his room also. She does the same with Ryan's and my bed and Davis's crib as well. she has been so excited for my mom and sisters to get here and she wants the house to stay clean. All day long she straightens up after everyone, and follows behind us cleaning as she goes. Maybe this behavior is just weird to me because it is so against my nature. Cleaning definitely doesn't come natural to me. not that I think I'm dirty, but the house does definitely gets cluttery throughout the day. at the end I will straighten it up. I think she must take after Ryan's mom and my mom, this cleaning gene must have just skipped a generation. She keeps saying "mom do you PROMISE that you'll help me get the house really clean before Grandma Sally comes." it's just so funny. she's always liked to clean but this past 2 weeks it has become a little obsessive. I guess if it's not broke, don't fix it. this top picture she decided that she now needed to dust the house and in the one below she wanted to clean off the fridge and rest of the kitchen. it's so cute and sweet and HELPFUL, but I just get a little nervous at how obsessed she is. what do you think??


now speaking of hypochondriac. I have to tell you a funny story about that. Ryan and I were in an argument. (Jen it was the exact argument that I read about in your blog, for those of you that didn't read her blog I will tell you.)
o.k. so I can clean up all of Ryan's scattered shoes, put his dishes into the dishwasher, hang his clothes on hangers, and hang his towel up with out saying a word. But the second I leave the kitchen counter unwiped he has to make a seen about wiping it up for me. so anyways I was trying to tell him to stop being such a hypocrite. But instead I yell "would you please not be such a Hypochondriac!!!! (leave it to me to throw any valid point out the window by using the wrong terminology!!! Story of my life) anyways he just give me the most confused face and was like "what in the heck are you even talking about. and then we both just started laughing. I just thought it was funny how I had to ruin my great point with the wrong word.
I know that's kind-of a random story but now anytime I say the word hypochondriac or hypocrite I think of this and I have to laugh.