Dudley's Do Right

oh. my. stars!

2011-10-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

BLOOM QUILT

click here to download the “Bloom Quilt”
This pattern includes instructions and measurements. Example shown in the cover photo is made with my Soul Blossoms fabrics

i LOVE this.

2011-05-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

It was the perfect overcast day for me to practice my photography. It just happened to be A's birthday, so even better! I would actually have an up- to- date photo documenting it. I called up my sweet friend and invited her to join us out at Tule Springs park. I was SO sad once we arrived and saw all the tents and supplies still ALL over the park from a previous event they held out there. I had already envisioned all the photos I wanted to take, and ALL that junk + the take down crew were in my way! Seriously! As we ventured further into the park and around the pond, I found some new visions. I thought to myself, Eureka! lol Don't worry, that was short lived. Neither of my children were in the mood for pictures. They wanted to just "hang" with their friends. Oh well, at least I had good company to hang with too. I did get a few shots. I LOVE this one. Even though you can't see their adorable faces, I caught "their" moment. I'm pretty sure they are secretly IN LOVE.

This Guy...

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turned 4 in April!

Listening to my HEART today.

2011-03-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

I decided to catch up on my blog reading today. I'm so glad I did because I was able to read this message from Kristin Armstrong's Blog (she received this enlightenment from a yoga instructor after a 20 mile run preparing for "The Boston") -

"It's time to start listening to your heart. Most of the time we listen to our heads. That's where all the noise and chatter reside. The heart speaks in a quiet whisper, yet it says the things we most need to hear. It's time to start getting quiet, and practice listening for the still, small voice of the heart. What is your heart saying to you?"

My heart tells me I can run, its always my head that messes me up. I needed this today. Ever since the Pancreatic Cancer 5k run for my mom I have been on a running hiatus. I'm sure its where I'm at in this whole dang grieving process. It totally stinks to have to grieve when she is still here, especially when you find yourself conquering some of those levels of grief, just to realize when she is gone you will be going through them all again. Running has been the best medicine for me, hence why I need to get back at it! So here I come open roads, or treadmill! lol Turning off my head and just listening to the HEART today, along with praying that mom will be ok at chemo today. Chemo weeks are such a love/hate thing with me.

4th of JULY!

2010-08-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day.

2010-05-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

We started off with a 5k fun run/walk. Ethan came with me and did SO great. I must say, I ended up walking more than running. :( Last year at this time I was running 7 miles. I wish I had NEVER stopped. Looks like I'm back to square one. After the run the Mechams took Ethan with them to Mt. Charleston. We (Marc and I) finally decided it would be fun to join them. I'm so glad we did. I LOVE the mountains! We had a great day, EVEN though we weren't in St. George, which is our usual tradition. Thank you military people, and loved ones that have passed on. I'm SO grateful to live in this FREE country, and SO grateful for ALL that have sacrificed SO much for it and me.

i LOVE this cowboy!

2010-05-11T13:11:00.001-07:00

He works in the field (backyard) every morning. He rides his tractor (sit and ride fire truck) and plows the fields. He likes shoveling the manure (picking up dog poop) and talking a little dirty (butt, toots, and poop). He LOVES this. Too bad great-grandpa Wally isn't here to play cowboys with him. I'm sure Aidan would have thought he was stronger than superman! :) Thank you Papa Eric for the NEW hat, and keeping the cowboy spirit alive! :)

Sewing and Taco Soup warms my soul, literally.

2010-04-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Last night I hung out with some of my crafty friends, and NOW I feel SO inspired! I'm ready to start sewing and cooking again! My sweet friend Missy won 2nd prize at drawing that Quiltique was having. It was a huge basket filled with sewing supplies. Awesome. It was fun going through it with her. AND then this morning I found out I won my VERY first blog giveaway! I won the Red Blossom necklace! Missy and I are feeling pretty lucky, and we just might hit the Kentucky Derby this year! LOL Don't worry, we will sew our own outfits and hats. :)

Amy Butler...

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is basically everything I want to be. Well, at least creatively! I do not know her personally, but I would imagine she is practically perfect in every way. I need to learn how to post links in my personal posts. So, that with one click you could learn ALL there is to know about this amazing textile designer. Nevermind, I think I did it! :) lol http://amybutler.com/

The start of a great November!

2010-04-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

One day I will keep this BLOG up to date! Anyhoo, here is how WE spent my birthday and Anniversary this past November!
It started off with a little Neiman Marcus bag from my brother and SIL. Bobby Brown cosmetics! Needles to say, she is awesome! :)
Then Marc and I dropped off our dudes to the Grandparents and away we went! It was WONDERFUL! AND, now we know we can leave the dudes behind from time to time. Sidenote: we thought it was hilarious that we chose Disneyland, well, mostly I chose Dland. Marc would have rather gone to Hawaii, but I'm not bathing suit ready! lol When we checked into the Dland Hotel, and they realized it was our anniversary they felt so bad they no longer had King size beds! LOL They kept explaining to us that this is more of a "family hotel" and therefore the don't have as many. We didn't care nor ask, BUT it was hilarious how bad they felt and their explanation! LOL We have been married for 14 years!!! 2 beds is a treat! hahahaha

We were also able to take in a hockey game! That was my first NHL game! It was AWESOME! :)

Aidan went as...

2009-10-31T23:40:00.000-07:00

AIDAN! He is my favorite STINKER! He is quite true to himself. On Halloween we were able to get him to wear his skunk hat for about 15 minutes. He is quite funny to watch. He is SO little, but he struts when he walks. He means business. He went with 9 year old children trick or treating, and besides the height factor, you would have no idea he wasn't 9! :)

Cupcakes for the partay!

2009-10-31T23:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, I made these bad boys! LOL Red velvet cupcakes. I SO wanted to look for severed legs and arms to garnish them with , but alas, I remembered these were for little tater tots. Probably too gruesome. So, as you can see I went with candy corn kisses. :)

Ethan as Blue Man.

2009-10-31T23:37:00.000-07:00

He said this has been his MOST favorite costume yet! Success!

Outdoor Trunk or Treating.

2009-10-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

Pretty much speaks for itself. Fun night. Happy Halloween!

The indoor games and chili cook off...

2009-10-31T23:28:00.000-07:00

were amazing! A HUGE personal thanks to Sista Meeks. She is awesome!

There was a cupcake walk, a haunted nursery room, and another fun game room. We had about 30 different chili's to try along with some pretty tasty cornbread, Yummy. After all this, it was time to move outside and start Trunk or Treating. Fun, fun, fun!

Pre-Halloween fun with the EE playgroup.

2009-10-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

Delicious food, fun crafts, AND hanging with some of the best ladies I know! :)

Gymnastics

2009-10-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

I can NOT believe the workout I get from this class! Mommy and me is rough! LOL My poor friend Nicole is 7 months pregnant, and I'm sure her unborn child is NOT a fan of mommy and me gymnastics! His big sister has loads of energy. It is SO funny to watch myself and the other parents be completely exhausted, and sweaty after this class. :)

Life is Good.

2009-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Whenever we go see Grandma Lucy, life is good. :) This was just another spur of the moment trip (about a month ago) to check in on Grandma. She is looking good for 79! I love Aidan's stoned face in this photo! After our visit we headed over to The Pizza Factory! So yummy! This is where we took these fun photos on the "Life is Good" fire engine. :)

I went from this...

2009-10-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Awesome Assistant Bear Leader!

to THIS...

2009-10-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

in the matter of 2 weeks. A BLUR! I WAS the Assistant Bear Leader for 2 months. I LOVED that calling! Only to have it ripped away from me like an old bandaid on a hairy arm. :( My heart is screaming OUCH! I am NOW the Second Counselor in the Primary! DOUBLE OUCH! I really DO love these little ones, BUT I have INTENSE fears of public speaking and teaching. I KNOW I DO not need to be a master of that skill to have this calling, but Oh, how I wish I did. I went from 2 things on the calendar for this month to 7!! I think I have taken Ethan's leaders for granted ALL of these years. :( My month to do sharing time is fastly approaching. It needs to be on Service. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! I conduct this month. I did pretty good in Junior, but BOMBED senior! LOL I guess announcements shouldn't take 10 minutes! Yikes! LOL Good news is everyone survived, even me, and the Church is still TRUE. :)

J's Birthday at Brio...

2009-10-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

was DEElicious! This was a really fun night. I LOVE hanging out with J (my beautiful sister in-law) and our mom's. I wish we lived closer! I meant to ask the waiter to take a picture of all of us. Oh well, there will be next year. :)

Nothing beats falling asleep with a good book.

2009-10-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is how I found Aidan when I went in to wake him up from his nap. We have a small little table between the bed and his crib. I guess that is where Ethan has been laying his scriptures to rest. Aidan must have slipped his skinny little arm through the bars and picked up some light reading before he fell asleep. :) How funny and sweet. Too bad he can't read yet!

2009-10-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

2009-10-16T20:54:00.002-07:00

After this picture was taken a worker from Cafe Rio came over and kindly said we were not allowed to take pictures in the restaurant. So weird! There were others who showed up to this, but I could no longer photo document this event. :( Jason (the lawyer) said I should keep taking pictures. After all, what could they do, SUE me! LOL

2009-10-16T20:54:00.001-07:00

2009-10-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Foulgers in town + Cafe Rio = GOOD TIMES!

2009-10-16T20:53:00.001-07:00

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2009-10-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

2009-10-16T12:42:00.002-07:00

Bird. THE END.

2009-10-16T12:42:00.001-07:00

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2009-10-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

Mommy NO! :)

2009-10-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Friends. :)

2009-10-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

2009-10-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

2009-10-14T21:46:00.001-07:00

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He refuses to look at me. He is such a character! :)

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Bailey.

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Abby.

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Handsome Janson.

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Addison.

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Siblings. My FAVORITE photo.

2009-10-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

Addison.

2009-10-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

A day of fun at the Orchard with some awesome friends. The pumpkins were pretty picked over, but we still managed to have fun with taking pictures and buying fresh cider.

October Pack Mtg.

2009-10-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

Lots of awards this Pack Meeting. It was great to see SO many boys working hard!
The theme for this Pack Meeting was, "Jungle Safari." Brother Jensen became the resurrected Crocodile Hunter. He had the boys in stitches! What a fun night. :)

2009-09-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Fall,

I have been waiting patiently. I'm so glad you finally arrived. I LOVE you.

Sincerely,

Me

An Unfortunate Event.

2009-09-14T16:21:00.001-07:00

For the last 6 months I have been taking pictures of different plants blooming in my yard. A few weeks ago our hard drive crashed! :( I lost everything. Luckily, I had not deleted this one from my camera. I LOVE this one. It always makes me feel happy when I see it. MORAL of this story....BACKUP your FILES!!!!

2009-08-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Kelsey's HS Graduation!

2009-06-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

Aidan and I picked up Grandma Lucy in St. George and away we went to see my beautiful cousin Kelsey graduate from Layton High School. GO LANCERS! It was a great visit. :) I love to spend time with my Uncle Mike and his family. We took some lovely walks on the NEW path. We saw a snake one day, and a deer the next. Not to mention, the few yards that had horses. Aidan was in horse heaven.:) Uncle Mike and Aunt Nancy made us some really delicious meals and introduced us to an incredible swirl cone from Dick's! lol So good!
Kelsey had both of her Grandma's there. Grandma Shirley ( Nancy's mom) and Grandma Lucy (Mike's mom). It was pretty funny watching them scream and shout her name. They were SO proud. Kelsey is a SMARTY! She received 3 scholarships, and has decided to grace Utah State with her presence.:) lol
Jason is still getting taller and skinnier! He is self teaching himself to play the GEEtar! He is really good. He was banging out some Jason Marz while I was there. Trying to learn some LOVE songs for the ladies! lol
While we were there Mike took us to check out Antelope Island. I must say, I was totally not impressed, due to the STINK! That first stretch of road before you get to the Island has the NASTIEST smell ever!! Apparently, it is caused by Brine Shrimp. GROSS! Aidan held his little nose until the smell finally disappeared. When that finally happened I was quite taken with the Island. It is pretty cool. We saw a few Buffalo. Aidan may dispute this, he called them horses! lol All in all we had a wonderful visit. It is a LONG journey with a 2 year old and a Grandma with a bum leg, but we made it, and most importantly we have wonderful memories.:) I love my family!

A visit to Brent and Grandma Lucy

2009-05-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Brent had to have a surgery on his foot. He had this weird looking lump near his ankle. Almost like he had 2 ankles! Gross. It ended up being a cyst. Still gross! lol Unfortunately, due to this procedure he missed most of the Indoor track meets. We headed to SUU to cheer him up and make sure he was taking it easy. On the way home we stopped in to spend some time with Grandma Lucy. Marc always tries to do what he can for her around the house. This time it was the removal of a palm tree! He is so glad to do things for her. You forget how much work goes into a home, especially, when you are alone and not able to do too many things yourself. She is an AMAZING woman, and I LOVE her SO much.:)

More fun with Bill...

2009-05-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

before he headed off to school. We let him settle for a day and then requested he cook us his famous hamburgers. They are SO good. While he was busy cooking, my Dad was busy entertaining the grandkids. So far, he has only 1 granddaughter, Princess Shelby. We pretty much will do anything to entertain her.:) We are SO used to boys that it has been fun to switch gears. Needless to say, this is why Grandpa is wearing Grandma's pj's. They were pretending to be Grandma and knit. lol The other pictures are from a family dinner hosted by Bill and Liz. It was fun!

Home from Chile.

2009-05-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

What an exciting day this was! Bill left 2 years ago in January to serve his mission for the LDS church in Santiago, Chile. At the time of his departure I was 7 months pregnant and a emotional mess. :( Of course, I knew this was what he needed to do, but at the time, I was more concerned about being away from him for SO long. I know, selfish. I LOVE my brother's, what can I say.:) He is home now ladies! LOL My parents will NOT appreciate that line.! LOL He was home for barely a week and then headed off to join Brent (my other brother) at school. Thank goodness he is not too far and has been able to come home for a few visits. PS He LOVED his mission and the Chilean people will always hold a special place in his heart.:)

Christmas in May?!

2009-04-30T20:09:00.001-07:00

I've been so behind in blogging! This is officially the last of '08 events:)

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. Our tradition starts Christmas Eve when we head over to my Mom's for a nice dinner and presents for the kids. We were happy when Grandma Lucy decided she could make the trip and join us. Then on Christmas Day after we open our gifts, we head over to my Dad's for a yummy breakfast! We look forward to that breakfast ALL year long:) Why is breakfast SO good?! lol This year we headed over to Bill and Liz's ( my step Grandparents) house for Christmas dinner. We ate delicious tamales from Dona Maria's:) Needless to say, we ate very well in a 24 hour span! We had a couple of days to relax at home, and then we headed to Utah to celebrate New Years with the Dudley's:) Nearly, all of my pictures document the Utah trip! Good ol' Santa gave me a new camera (the one of my dreams) and I was too overwhelmed with trying to figure it out ( I wanted to be professional from the first shot) . So, I unfortunately missed most of Christmas. Not smart, I realize this now.

Grandpa Dudley's Funeral in England.

2009-04-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

Waiting for Marc to document this one:)

Another trip to Sandy in '08

2009-04-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

We headed to Utah to see Dan (Marc's cousin) preform in the production of Suessical the Musical for his High School! He was AMAZING! He has a GREAT bass voice:) Although, he was the reason for this journey, I failed to take any pictures of him:( How did I miss that!! Still love you Danny boy!

Katy and Justin Sealed in the St. George Temple 2008

2009-04-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

Springs Preserve

2009-03-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

Ethan had a dental appointment at the right time, so we were able to go visit the Springs Preserve and have lunch with Grandma! Once again, I would like to mention how tasty The Springs Cafe by Wolfgang Puck is:) My mom refers to it as a glorified cafeteria. You get gourmet food in a cafeteria setting. They also, have outdoor seating. Great view of the city. It was a really nice day!

Max turned 2 at the Butterfly Park:)

2009-03-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

Little, or not so little Max turned 2 and invited us to celebrate with him at the park! It was a very fun morning!

* I have had the worst time trying to download ALL these photos into one post!! Not sure what the problem is:(

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Sliding down the hill:)

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Max trying to evade me!

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Walking Reeeeeko! LOL

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woof woof!

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Just swinging.

Max!

The boys!

Lucy!

Bailey!

The legs of an ATHLETE...

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look like this!
Brent is a decathlete for SUU. Apparently, he becomes stricken on a weekly basis with injuries! I watched him Pole Vault last weekend and I must say I was a bit nervous:) His form is SO precise, as it MUST be, or he could BE paralyzed! I was unable to get a good picture of him in action, I forgot my long lense:(

Do as I'm doing, follow, follow ME:)

2009-03-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

Aidan is a COPYCAT! In most cases, I think Ethan can get annoyed by that BUT I think he may be rethinking that behavior now! lol

PS I know you are ALL jealous of my Old Navy John Deer jammie bottoms:)

Our complete Disneyland Trip start to finish!

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Make a Smilebox slideshow

Birthday party at Disneyland:)

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Birthday breakfast!

A super cute shirt and headband made by Jodie and a handbag to match by the BEST auntie ever:) haha

This sweet little girl, my niece Shelby, has her birthday party every year at Disneyland:) They are the best birthday parties! This year she turned 4 and was tall enough for Space Mtn. and Thunder Mtn. She claims to have enjoyed those rides but declined going on them again! lol The weather was good, minus the one day of rain, and the lines were fantastic! We walked onto a lot of the rides.

So many more pictures to post. I need to figure out a layout so I don't end up with 5 blog pages of our trip:) More to come;)

Red Daises make me SMILE:)

2009-01-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

These lovely daises were a very nice surprise after a rough day. It's funny how certain things or colors can make you feel. Most red things make me happy, like shoes, purses, hair-clips, and now red flowers make the top of my "RED" list. Thank you special friends for the flowers and kind thoughts:)

Baby, it's cold outside...

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kept playing in my head all day today. I love that Christmas song. Especially when Will Ferrell sings it in Elf. CLASSIC:) I'm sure I've already watched it 10 times in the last 2 months!Ethan's first midget snowman. I know what your thinking... nice view of Patches' rump! lol I would have cropped it out but then you couldn't see the snowman:)

What a fun day! Ethan did not have school today so we "literally" stayed in our jammie's and just watched and played outside.

Thanksgiving in two towns!

2008-12-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

This is the Tebbs Thanksgiving held at Grandma's house in St. George, Utah. This is Grandma Lucy and my Aunt Nancy adding the finishing touches to a most delicious meal!

Ethan and cousin Jason hamming it up! Jason grew 4 inches in the last year! At the rate he is growing he could end up being the tallest Tebbs!

This organ has survived ALL the grand and great grandchildren:) Barely! lol

Snuggle time!

Kettle corn from the Santa's workshop craft fair. Yummy!

After a bit of shopping my Mom and Grandma still had enough energy to pose for a picture:)

This is the other half of my family! This would be the Springall/Bailey Thanksgiving!

My Dad and Mom.

This is a game my Dad loves to play with the grandkids. It's call bonk-o-do! Its pretty simple, just touch heads and say bonk-o-do! They love it!

Brent and Shelby!

Dad, Colt, and Eamon.

This is my GORGEOUS sister in-law Jessie! She is Amazing! Jessie is smart, creative, a fantastic mom, a marvelous cook, a great wife, compassionate, charitable, patient, and so on! I'm SO glad she is part of our family!

Charlie was here :)

2008-12-04T11:51:00.001-08:00

This is Charlie. She is the daughter of my childhood bestest friend Teresa and Matt. Ethan and Charlie have been friends since the premortal life! hahaha I was able to look after Charlie when she was about 6 weeks old until her mommy was able to come home for good:) The bond between us all started long ago and I'm SO grateful it still continues. We LOVE you Charlie!

Ethan and Charlie at her Baptism. We were SO glad to be apart of her special day! Her family moved to Oregon about 5 years ago, so we only get to see them once or twice a year. It is amazing to me on how well the kids still get along. They always seem to pick up right where they left off. I know they will be friends forever:)

Twilight at Midnight...

2008-11-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

This is how we began the night. Diet Cokes and brownies swimming in HOT FUDGE! We were on such a sugar high:)

The line outside wrapping around Aliante Casino.

Shannon and Clare keeping it real:) We saw SO many people from church there! It was great!

We made friends in line. These cute teens made fun Twilight shirts:)

Here we are with our Amber eyes, due to the fact that we were quite full! LOL Twilight humor!
Thanks ladies for a great night!

So far this is how we've spent our time during Track break:)

2008-11-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Track break has been good. Although, every morning starts like this:
1. What are we doing today?
2. What are we doing after that?
3. (9:30am) What's for lunch?
4. Can we go to the bookstore?
5. Can we go to the park?
6. (me) ASK ME ONE MORE THING BEFORE 10AM and WE WILL DO AND EAT NOTHING! Please don't worry, I wouldn't really let him go hungry;)

*These photos are from the Springs Preserve. We got together with some friends and enjoyed a morning of playing and eating at Wolfgang Pucks Restaurant.

The train started to make train noises and needless to say, Aidan loved it!

WHO... ARE... YOU? I just typed this in the Caterpillar's voice from Alice in Wonderland! Did you get that?! lol

What a cute guy! Ethan loved that he was wearing good shoes this time so he could climb the rocks and fossil bones.

I have three more weeks to keep this big boy entertained! If anyone has any ideas that would interest an 8 year old boy, please share:)

* Things we have done with no pictures taken:

* walking

* football w/ Sister Manuele (she is pretty good)

* library

* Wii

* chores

Halloween went down like this.

2008-11-06T12:53:00.001-08:00

Ethan went as Indiana Jones! I love his eyes in this picture. Harrison Ford has nothing on this guy! ha ha Ethan was SO funny, he said that having chest hair made him feel awkward! lol Poor kid. Good thing he hasn't learned about puberty yet!

This is Cave Woman Kallie! I wish I would have taken a picture of her way fun parents! Scott was a reggae hippie (i think) and Leana was a bunny (just regular not Heffner style)!

Dr. Jones and his sidekick!

My boys! Aidan refused to wear his whole costume. He was a skunk. He caught on pretty fast to trick-or-treating! As long as he saw candy he wasn't afraid of anyone or anything! I will really have to keep my eye on this one!

Ta DA! Some kind of monster.

It is pretty scarce at the Pumpkin Patch when you go the DAY OF HALLOWEEN! It was still fun and it helped break up the day. We asked Ethan if he wanted to stay all night and wait for "The Great Pumpkin"... he said no!

One last stop...

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to the Gap with my buddy Owen. His mommy and daddy made him move to Utah recently. Shopping will be boring now! I miss you buddy:)

Christmas Goose Apron Class...

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was FUN, FUN, FUN! This was my first sewing class. It took 4 1/2 hours! My neck and shoulders are so stiff. It was well worth it. I learned a lot and Sharon, the instructor, was so nice and helpful.
BACK ;)
I was able to wear my NEW apron to clean this messy boy up! Somehow, it made this job fun today;)

Fabric...why do I love thee so?

2008-10-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

I can not explain the rush I get from going to Fabric shops! The funny thing is, I really don't even know how to make much! lol This is the center of a baby quilt. I completed it a month ago and I still have yet to decide on the border. Not to mention, if I'm finally going to machine quilt it myself or have my VERY talented friend (who happens to own a long-arm machine) do it;) If anyone has any suggestions on a border, please let me know! I have white fabric, brown fabric, and plenty more of the fabric you are currently viewing.

Is there anything Sweeter than a Tomato?

2008-09-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yes! A Grandma! Grandma Vickie and Grandpa Gordon took us out to eat at Sweet Tomatoes to celebrate Ethan's accomplishments this past school year. This was the only photo I was able to get because my batteries died. They also took Ethan to 2 bookstores and bought him 7 books, which he read in 3 days! He loves to read:)

First day of 3rd grade!

2008-08-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Ethan and two of his buddies ( Matthew & Jadon) from Second Grade. I was REALLY glad to get this picture because Ethan seemed mortified that I was going to walk him to class. He is ONLY 8! I was totally dressed cute ( I matched) and my hair and make-up were done:) LOL Oh Ethan, you make me laugh! I love you!

Before, After, and doing GREAT!

2008-08-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

We took Aidan in for his recheck on Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Although the swelling had gone down, the lump had taken on a new shape and color. As soon as Dr. Weiner saw him he said the swollen gland had abscessed:( He left the room to call the surgeon. He came back and said they are waiting for you. WHAT? ! I checked out and met Marc in the parking lot. He quickly made plans for Ethan (thank you Leanna and Scott) and we headed to Summerlin hospital to meet with Dr. Kugot. She was so kind and explained things so we could understand. She said due to the location and size he would need to be put under and it would need to happen today:( Now the time was 2:55 and we were set up for a 5:oo pm surgery! There was barely time to think. Maybe that was a good thing. Her partner Dr. Fiore ended up preforming the surgery. He is also fantastic! Aidan did great! Because he was otherwise healthy and did so well he thought we could just take him home:)

As soon as we stepped out of the Hospital doors, Aidan became very calm and kept waving, Goodbye that is! What a funny little guy!

He slept thru the night and woke up SO happy! As soon as I set him down he just ran around and danced! He already was clearly feeling SO much better. He literally has been uncomfortable/ in pain for weeks.

We went back to see Dr. Fiore this morning. They called his name and he screamed so loud! He is absolutely done with doctors! Anyhow, he removed the packing and said everything looked great.

We are grateful it was nothing more sinister and very humbled by the other children we saw at the Surgeon's office.

The last 2 1/2 weeks...

2008-08-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

have been filled with a bit of worry about our little one. He developed a lump on the side of his neck. We took him in asap to receive the diagnosis of a Upper Respiratory Infection and the lump was explained as a swollen gland. Immediate relief washed over us and we started him on the antibiotic, which would be taken for ten days. Ten days came and went and the golf ball size lump was still there and looked worse. I have to admit, this is where panic set in for me. Marc gave him a blessing and I knew I had to do my part and have faith. Dr. Weiner needed to see him back before his next exam. He confirmed it was larger and said now its time to run blood tests and ultrasound. I nearly cried. We took Aidan down stairs to Quest and Marc and 2 other technicians held Aidan still while they drew blood. Ethan, could barely stand this! He was SO upset hearing his bubba cry. Our prayer was for it to show infection and that all he would need was a new/more antibiotic. My cell phone rang Friday AM, it was the doctor calling to report that it was VERY indicative of a bacterial infection, and he needed a new kind of medicine. Cephalexin 250/5ml 4x a day. No exceptions, he said, we have to be aggressive! HALLELUJAH! He has been on his new medicine for 2 days. Swelling has gone down a bit. If all is looking good by Wednesday then he will not have to have the ultrasound:) Thank you family and friends for your prayers!
This was taken tonight at Grandpa and Grandma Springall's house. The lump has turned red and is warm to the touch. It's weird he feels feverish only on the left side.
Aidan is helping Grandpa with his Seminary lesson.
Aidan is making sure our car alarms work:) And helping Uncle Brent finish his awesome burger that his Daddy made!
This angle really shows how much the swelling went down. I tried to take a picture of his lump a week ago but he would not hold still;)

Second Grade Highlights 08-27-07 thru 08-09-08

2008-08-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

The finale! Ethan had a wonderful year. He worked really hard to maintain straight A's throughout the whole year. That was his own personal goal. He had the most amazing second grade teacher. Mr. Barney LOVES to help children learn. We were SO grateful Ethan was able to be in his class.

Ethan's first Field Trip to The Springs Preserve! These are the 3 I was in charge of. Piece of cake;)
I'm not sure what "Gang" Ethan joined. I'll have to ask him! I'm hoping it has something to do with CTR and LDS;)
Keyona and Morgan racing to Mother Earth!

Mr. Barney laying down the LAW!

Valentines Day celebration in Mr. Barney's class! One of the few times I was actually able to help out;)

First day of Second Grade!

Girl's Camp came and went...

2008-08-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

Chillin' like villians! The theme for this year was, "Abounding in Good Works, Ever Strong, Ever True." Each Ward had to choose a Superhero to emulate. We were Fantastic 4! Basically, we were Fantastic 4 everything! LOL Despite the torrential down pouring for 3 days, I had an incredible time. I'm quite fond of Camp Stimpson, I believe it is a sacred place, at least in my heart. I Love the EE YW! It still brings tears to my eyes on how beautiful these girl's are inside and out. I was completely blown away with their testimonies and how strong they are already! I knew this would be a learning experience for me, I just didn't realize how much that would in tale. I feel I am a better person or at least I will try to be because of the YW Leaders and YW I was able to associate with! I love you guys!

I love to watch the YW reading their scriptures during Grove time.

YEAH! We completed the 3rd year hike! Jessica was my buddy who graciously stopped every time I needed to catch my breath;)

Kim, Elexis, Shiloh, and Jessica striking a pose during the 3rd year hike.

This is Marc and Bishop Stolworthy helping us set up our camp at Camp Stimpson the Saturday before. Although, this is the only picture I took this day, there were others to acknowledge and thank! Sister Pace, Noorda, and Brother Black you made this day so much easier for me, THANK YOU;)

Blow Ethan, blow!

2008-08-13T22:18:00.001-07:00

This was Ethan's first Rain Gutter Regatta. He had a great time! Go team Superman!

I was ONLY on the phone for 6 MINUTES...

2008-07-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

and Aidan managed to steal and eat my M&M's!

Brent and his biggest FANS!

2008-07-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why Aidan's picture downloaded that way. Oh well! Brent is my youngest brother. He attends SUU in Cedar City and is a Decathlete for there Track Team. We miss him everyday;)

Quick trip to Grandma's 7-5-08

2008-07-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

Grandma Lucy had hip surgery back in February. She has had a rough recovery due to an after effect of the surgey. Her right foot has gone numb. It is called a dropped toe. She needs to wear a brace on her foot just to be able to walk without falling. She lives alone and goes to therapy 3 times a week. She is one of the strongest, self reliant women I know. She is finally feeling better so we headed to Utah for a hug and kiss! We love you Grandma!

Fun times with Great Grandma

2008-07-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

Ethan and GG Yellow aka Lucy and Ethan playing their hundreth game of, Go Fish!

She is the ONLY one patient enough to play SO many games with Ethan! She is the BEST!

In honor of my brother Bill currently serving his mission in Chile...

2008-07-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

On his first phone call home he told us about this MUY BUENO twist on hot dogs! Cheers hermano! I miss you like crazy!!!!

Completos

Eight hot dogs

Eight hot dog buns

2 avocados

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

2 tomatoes, chopped

mustard ketchup mayonnaise

Cook the hot dogs by your favorite method. Mash the avocados with the lemon juice and salt. Pile some of everything on a bun and enjoy!

Ethan's 8th Birthday Party 05-24-2008

2008-07-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Ethan was SO excited to have a luau pool party this year. Unfortunately, we planned the party on the ONE day its stormed in Vegas! Thank goodness kids are resilient! They had a great time blowing up and popping balloons, rolling golf balls into the holes on the putting greens, playing a few Wii games, and eating lots of food. All in all I think it was a success regardless of the weather.

Friends that attended were: Heather, Kallie, Jessi, Spencer, Luke, Jadon, Matthew. Family that attended were: Grandpa and Grandma Springall, Aunt Jessie, Shelby, Colten, Aidan, and Mom and Dad!

We love you to the moon and back ETHAN!

Baptismal Day

2008-06-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Ethan and his cousin Ethan:)

Marc's mum Marion and Uncle John, and way in the back is Morgan:) Marc's mum, step dad Morgan, and Andrew came all the way from Canada. We were So happy they were able to come.

Baby Colt! He is such a cutie:)

My Dad, Mom, Jessie, Andrew, and the kids!

Edwin, Dan, John, and Malisa

Our reunited family from England, who just recently moved to Utah! It's been great having them so close now. We are really grateful they were able to be here and share this special day with us.

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5

Where did the year from age 7 to age 8 go? We have done our best to prep Ethan for Baptism since birth. We decided when he turned 7 that we would dedicate a complete year to having lessons on baptism. Before we knew it, we had a month before the "big day" and I was concerned maybe we hadn't done enough. Then I quickly remembered that Ethan has had the most wonderful Primary Teachers and where maybe we fell short they picked up the slack! Also, Ethan is very blessed to have such good Grandparents and exteneded family to encourage him to do what is right! We are SO grateful to our family and friends for being such great examples! We love you!

Uncle Bill and Uncle Brentie,

Ethan adores you and misses you guys a TON! He has wanted to do everything you guy's do...Thank you SO much for leading good lives and staying close to Heavenly Father.