Going Private!

I noticed some weird people linking into my Cheer Girls post, so I decided to go private. I need everyone's email addresses so I can send you an invitation to view. You have to love the internet, you never know who is out there!

Cheer Nationals!!!

We are a tad bit cheer obsessed in this family, I will admit it. Yes, I was the girl who didn't make the team in High School so maybe I am living my unfulfilled dreams out in my children but in my defense, the girls LOVE it and are just as obsessed as I am! There is never a day when I have to drag them to cheer and they are usually the ones first in the car honking at me to hurry up and drive them there. They are constantly recruiting their friends and even on weekends they want to go to the gym for free tumbling even after three practices a week. What I love about it- this is one of the very few things my girls do together where they cheer each other on and they are not fighting, this by itself is totally worth it!

Now if you think cheerleading is just a lame activity and the girls who do it are not athletes, you are sorely mistaken! Here are a couple of links to prove my point.

This link shows you some of the famous people who were once cheerleaders, I think it will surprise you..

http://highschool.rivals.com/photofeature.asp?SID=1185&fid=20578

Here is an insane video on YouTube that will knock your sock off!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yX3w8MW_0Y

Lastly, here are the girls performing at their Nationals in Los Angeles, CA.

When is Global Warming gonna kick in?

I know all we hear about in the news is Global Warming, but for some reason Utah didn't get the memo because it is May 1st and it is snowing here! Monday it was 80 degrees and today we wake up to this......

I think I may just drive my car a little more and hopefully that just may shorten the winters here!

31 sounds so much older than 30!!!

How did I celebrate turning the big 3-1, you ask? I did what every woman should do when they are getting older....I had a mammogram! Yes, I got my boobs squished into pancakes, while a kind yet somewhat forward nurse technician fondled them more than my husband has in awhile. I do have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be--but for all you with a B cup or smaller- Good Luck, I am not sure if mine weren't so saggy, how they would have managed to get them in there. Maybe that's why you have to wait till your older to make sure they are starting sag!

Now you are wondering why I would subject myself to that on my birthday- well the reason is why -my mom died from breast cancer at 52, so I have to get mammograms somewhat earlier than most people. My mom also died two days before my birthday, so this time of year I absolutely am thinking about her. She knew she had a lump in her breast and because of fear or indifference she didn't have it checked until it was the size of a golf ball. I really think she could have survived it had she been treated sooner. Now that I am a little older I cannot take my health for granted anymore.

On a lighter note, the other way I celebrated was with an impromptu BBQ with some of our friends (all planned by Zak) and a cookie cake (my favorite) I have seen other people put pics of their kids growing up on their birthdays-so I thought it would be funny to show some of mine!

Where have I gone????

I am so sorry for leaving the same post for sooooo long. Do you ever get in those moods ( I call it my rebellious moods) where you are sick of everything you do on a daily basis? Cooking, cleaning, carpooling, etc.etc. I took a vacation from my life for the last few weeks, so now I am back and ready to resume my life that includes updating my blog. Actually, I have been on actual vacations (yes I know computers work everywhere) We had Cheer Nationals (pictures to follow) then a family trip to Disneyland and California. When we came back we realized we weren't quite ready to be home, so I jumped in the car by myself with all three kids and drove the 12 hours to Seattle. It was great to get back to our old hometown, where we terrorized Niki's house for a few days and snuck in some Seattle fun, including a ride on the Ducks (if you havent done this yet, it was really fun) a trip to the aquarium, and a long drive up to the Tulip Festival (pictures to follow). I am happy to be home in my own bed and ready to start cooking, cleaning, carpooling, and blogging! :(

Lessons from a Staph Infection

In an effort to have this whole ordeal over, I thought I would put down the lessons I have learned from going through this for the last five weeks.
For everyone who didnt know I have had a nasty staph infection for over a month now and it is still not completely healed. I have to say I am sick, sick, sick of the whole thing. This has been by far one of the worst things I have gone through in my life so far, but these are the lessons I have learned....
1. I will never take my body or my health for granted again. I would give anything to be able to go workout or just stand for longer than a couple of minutes without being in pain.
2. Chronic pain really sucks! For anyone who has to deal with this without any solutions other than taking pain meds, I am completely sorry for you. Being in pain changes who you are, you become very irritable from the pain and from the lack of utter control you have in your life.
3. Being able to take care of my kids and home isn't the worst thing in the world...at this point I would settle for a lifetime of house cleaning if I could do it without hurting and needing to lay down every couple of minutes.
4. It is okay to let people help....this is a big one for me. I have had so many kind people bring over dinner, call and check on me, offer advice, take over some of my church responsibilites, etc., etc.
5. Doctors don't always know everything...in fact it is pretty much a guessing game for them. The verdict is still out on this one, if this finally heals then he will be my biggest hero, if it doesn't then I will kick myself for not going somewhere else from the beginning. In the end, you are your best advocate, I have probably driven my doc crazy but I need this thing done with and quick.

My mom always taught me to look for the gifts in any trial...so I am going to list those as well.
1. I have had time to read more books in the last month then probably in the last five years, I have learned about Henry VIII and his wives, Queen Katherine, and Lincoln.
2. I have not spent any money on frivoulous items, my bank account has gained much from this experience.
3. I have gotten closer to the people in our ward.
4. I think I have caught up on my sleep for the next five years.
5. I have gotten to see how much people do care for me including my husband, who has changed bandages, applied ointment, accompanied me to the doctor when it wasn't always convenient, gone for treat and Diet Coke runs, cooked dinner, taken care of the kids, taken over carpool, picked up prescriptions, and called every doctor he knows to try to find a solution. This may be the best blessing of all.

There you have it I have learned much and been blessed much so now I can be done with this....RIGHT?

View from a 4 year old

Ethan loves to steal the camera and take pictures. I thought some of these are quite interesting, maybe there is a budding photographer in there somewhere. Anyways, here is a pictorial viewpoint from a four year old's level.

Apparently, he was outside for this one, not sure where I was.

This is Zak's bike....he was spinning the wheel and then taking the picture.

I am not sure if he arranged the crayons himself, but either way they are kind of laying at interesting angles.

"Finding Nemo" literally

We call this one "Inside of a Hamper"

Here he is taking a picture of himself in our mirrored dresser, don't mind the dirty clothes on the floor. I love how intent his face is when he is holding the camera.