Oops, did I skip a day already?

That little part of my brain that must document all the cute/funny moments won't let me be free to blog away in peace. I found this picture in the archives and realized it killed more than two birds with one stone:This documents Jenna in her make-up journey, shows Kesley's cute toothless grin and how she has made a lot of make-up applying progress since last year (although she did go a little heavier on the blush than usual), and how much free time Brent has now that he lives 2 seconds from work!

Kesley has had several big milestones in the last 2 months. She lost her other top tooth shortly after we moved in and just in time for her 6th birthday! She lost another bottom tooth a couple days later. The tooth fairy let her keep her top tooth (which got lost 2 seconds later) and then got stuck in a snow storm 2 nights in a row trying to retrieve the bottom tooth. The tooth fairy has NEVER done that before and it was VERY shocking when it happened TWO nights in a row! Luckily, Kesley is so easy going. I love her. Here she is on her birthday with a cute, new dress from Tiffy, a doll that Amber gave Brent to give to her that was her great grandma Kit's, an art set from Bonnie, a new sleeping bag (so she wouldn't be humiliated at her birthday sleepover with all her cousins when she had to sleep in a Thomas the Train bag--it happened at the last big sleepover and her aunt caught her trying to hide it before anyone else saw it!), and a new bike!! Love this lady.
And finally, something a little more recent. For you Mary. These are the shelves in my living room. I have lots of books and TONS of souvenirs I can't seem to let go of. It started out innocent enough, but now this shelf always seems to scream a line from the Little Mermaid song she sings in the Tavern--you know the one--"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't ya think my collections complete?yada yada yada...HOW MANY TREASURES CAN ONE TAVERN HOLD???" That's the line goes through my head. But, it did get a lot of things out of boxes...

Something old--Something new

testing...testing...is this thing on?

Ok, so with a small guilt trip from Liz I will make good on my blog updates. I really want to catch up on a few things but, as to not bore anyone of the 9 of you who read this to death, I will move on and try to incorporate a few old things in with the new.

Old thing #1 MY PARENTS GOT THEIR MISSION CALL TO.....EVERETT WASHINGTON!!
I have very mixed feelings about this. While I am ECSTATIC for them, I am dreading having them gone for 2 years. Who will I call to ask how to boil an egg or...do anything house-wifey? I tried hard to talk them into filling their trunk with Book of Mormons and just taking a long road trips every two months while they pass them out--doesn't that sound like a good compromise? My dad said they are "On a religious kick" so I guess I'll let them enjoy their moment and stop trying to talk them out of it. Love you Dad and Mom!


New thing #1 We had a great April Fools Day! I thought I was pretty funny this year. I put food coloring in the bottom of the kids cereal bowls in the morning and let them pour their own milk--it went over pretty good. For dinner we had some friends over--shout out to Holly B!--and I made meatball cupcakes with pink mashed potato frosting. The kids were so excited when I said we were going to have dessert first. Jenna was the only one who couldn't see any humor in the joke and burst into tears when she snuck a finger full of frosting before the prayer and didn't like how it tasted...don't mess with Jenna when it comes to anything food! She managed a laugh at the orange punch that was actually jello--I guess Mary Poppins was right about that whole 'spoon full of sugar' thing...
Here's all the kids, sans crying Jenna, and Holly at the table--this is for you Mary Morton!
For dessert we had HUGE ice-cream cones. The kids made it up to the table in record time for their X-tra large scoops! This is Holly's Audrey with hers.
Here is an embarrassed Kesley getting hers...Wow, one update under my belt. Feels good. My camera is on the fritz, but I am going attempt an update a day for a while and see how things go. I'll try to make them interesting and keep them short and sweet...can you handle it?

Houston...this is Apollo...Do you copy???

Why is this feeling so foreign? I took a little blogging sabbatical, but with the parents leaving on a 2 YEAR MISSION I am forcing myself to begin anew so they can keep up with us... This is my first attempt...can I actually do this?

January blues

Anyone else feeling the January blues? This is my favorite Far Side cartoon. I found it in some boxes I was unpacking and had a good laugh. If anyone can't read it it says,

"The Bluebird of Happiness long absent from his life, Ned is visited by the Chicken of Depression."

New house

We are in! It's been a blissful week of unpacking. There is a space for every thing and a thing for every space. This house was meant to be ours. Although I haven't taken any pictures, I will. Expect a full update this week--complete with pictures.

My Top Ten for the week:

1. I am sitting in the office, door closed, and my kids are...somewhere else, happily playing together.
2. I have multiple doors...that lock!
3. If my kids are in the bathroom, I have 2 other bathrooms to choose from! HEAVEN!
4. I have put things out onto shelves that have been boxed up since I got married.
5. I could not keep up with the tempo of the first song at church today!!! No more HALF tempo singing!! Drove me crazy.
6. Haven't heard a loud muffler drive by once--and probably NEVER WILL!
7. I can't sleep during the night because I am TOO HOT! There is a vent in every room!!
8. I do not have to turn any lights on during the day because of all the natural light! Remember how DARK my old house was?
9. I can lay down in any room and not touch all 4 walls.
10. Did I mention I can go into a room and CLOSE A DOOR and not have 3 kids banging on it within 2 seconds!!!

WE LOVE IT HERE! We finally have a little room to move!! This last week this old video clip has been stuck in my head. It's a claymations cartoon where they are interviewing zoo animals. I relate to the lion who needs "SPACE!" or "E-SPACE" as he puts it with his Brazilian accent. "We need e-space to feel like we are a part of the world!" Check it out here:

www.atom.com/funny_videos/creature_comforts/

I wish I new how to add it as a link, but I am computer challenged. It's worth checking out!

5 THINGS I DID TODAY...

1. Sold a house

2. Bought a house

3. Got a short haircut

4. Sold a car

5. Sucked it up and had my wedding ring sized 1 size LARGER

Gavin's BIG debut

Gavin loves art. As I have said before, I have always kinda nudged him that way, but he genuinely LOVES art. What he wasn't lovin was the karate class we had him in, so this fall I took him out of it and enrolled him in an after school art class and he has been in heaven. Last night he debuted his collection to rave reviews from his entire family and Grandpa Smith.