Maya's New Coloring Blog!!!

I am very excited to announce that Maya now has her very own blog! She has always been fascinated with art, especially coloring and painting. She will literally spend hours coloring picture after picture using exquisite detail. She creates so many pieces that we never have enough room to display them, so often times they get filed away in her art folder without having the opportunity to be enjoyed. Recently she decided, all on her own, that she wanted to have a blog where she could display her art for everyone to see! She was so cute! She named and designed her blog all on her own! I'm really quite proud of her, everything on her blog is exactly what and how she wanted it. Be sure to check it out!
www.coloringpopsout.blogspot.com

A Day At the Beach

We recently discovered the beach at the lake in Day Break. It's so much fun! The kids and I went for an afternoon and it almost felt like we were at the ocean in California, we just needed the huge waves!

Playing in the water!

Buried alive and Sand Castles!


Soaking up the sun!
Water fight!
(The small splashes of water between Macie and Maya is Matt trying to escape the inevitable attack!)

Camp "In"

The other night the girls wanted to have a compout in Matt's 2-man tent, however, they did not want to sleep "outside". Matt and Jackson, being the awesome brothers they are, resolved their dilema by setting up the tent in our upstairs hallway. The girls loved it! At first I didn't think they would go to sleep because they were so excited, but after they read their stories they each snuggled into their blankies and fell right to sleep. So cute!!!

OCD Heaven!

I know this is silly, but my new food storage shelves give me such a "high" every time I look at them! I recently joined my friend's food storage program and have been very happy with the fruits of my bargain shopping labors! I just love getting a good deal! (Another one of those weird things that I literally get a "high" out of! When Mark was in law school we were extremely poor and I did anything and everything I could to save money...some of the things I did were quite funny and ingenious...my Dad still makes fun of me for being so "cheap"!)

Anyway, it wasn't long before my great bargains started giving me quite the dilemma. After only a few weeks of starting this new program my pantry was absolutely full. We have a cold storage area in the basement, but it only had one small shelf and it, too, began to overflow with food, so much so that I just started piling grocery bags of food all over the basement floor! It started making me so anxious that I wouldn't even go downstairs to get the food I needed for recipes! Ridiculous, I know! So I finally broke down and bought some shelves from Costco that I totally love! Mark and Matt put them up for me and then we all stayed up until wee hours of the night organizing our food storage. I love it so much! Seriously, I love to just go look at how organized it all is, it makes me so happy... one of the highlights of having an OCD personality!


These pictures were actually taken a few months ago. Our food storage has grown significantly since then. I love being able to grocery shop right from my own basement! I would put an updated picture, but unfortunately I spilled water all over the camera while in Arizona this weekend so we no longer have a working camera:( I think I'll have to get a new one, which I'm HAPPY about...Mark, not so much! The old camera took the worst pictures! If anyone knows of a GREAT camera, let me know!

If anyone is interested in the food storage program you can check it out @ dealstomeals.com

It's That Time Again!

Yep, as much as I wanted to pretend that summer is not coming to an end, I had to face the reality that once again my children are back in school! I contemplated running off with them to some beach house and never coming back, but after seeing how happy Jackson, Maya and Matt are with their new classes and teachers I have to admit, staying home was the right decision!

I know, I know...what a little stud muffin! Watch out girls..or rather watch out Mark and myself...I think we might have a little bit of trouble on our hands!
The first thing Jackson said as he ran through the door after his first day of school was, "I have the BEST fourth grade teacher in the whole school!" Such a relief! This year Jackson got the only male teacher in the entire school and the word was that people either hate him or love him...on the first day he told the class that he doesn't assign homework...hence the BEST teacher in whole school. I think that constitutes best teacher in my book, too!

Such a beautiful princess! The sun was shining right in her eyes and it was making her cry so we didn't get very many pics...we wouldn't want puffy eyes on the first day of school!

Maya is in first grade now and goes to school all day! It's been quite an adjustment for both of us, but she has a really sweet teacher and that has helped a lot. She has a ton of friends in her class this year, which is nice especially after having only one other girl in her class last year! The only negative aspect of first grade is the dreaded "school lunch"! I honestly don't think it's that bad, but her extreme pickyness combined with her brother's constant reminders of how "nasty" the school food is the poor girl is starving! She wants me to send a lunch from home, but she doesn't understand I can't send top ramen!

Talk about handsome! Take note of the shirt...I was actually able to convince Matt to get something other than t-shirts this year and I have to say he looks great!
I can't believe that Matt is in middle school all ready! He seriously is growing up way too fast! He is enjoying the freedoms and different environment that middle school provides. He especially loves lunch. He said it's like fast food and there's at least six or more choices, I'm glad he has something to look forward to everyday! He is definitely taking his classes very serious. My Dad wanted to take him dove hunting for a day and I told Matt it was his choice if he wanted to miss school. He actually asked my Dad if they could go on a Saturday or after school, I'm just wondering where my Matt went to because normally he would jump at any chance to miss school!

All in all it's started out as a great school year and I'm sure with the right attitudes we can keep it that way!!!

Fresh Veggies!

I just love all of the fresh vegetables that are available this time of year! It's so fun to make new recipes with vegetables from the garden, they're just so yummy and healthy! Thanks to my parents and a new fresh produce farm down the street from our house we will be cooking up and bottling lots of yummy favorites in the next few weeks! Salsa, spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes, soups ~ I can't wait!!!

*FYI: The fresh produce farm near our house has TONS of yummy, just-picked veggies at great prices! Check them out! Petersen's Family Farm 11800 S. 4000 W. (No, it's not my family...my family is spelled Peterson!) :)

Today the kids and I went to The Gardens at Thanksgiving Point with my sisters, thier kids, and my parents. Today was $2 Tuesday so we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take all of the kids without spending a fortune ~ WRONG!!! It seems the whole world had the same idea! My parents were the first ones to get there and stood in the entrance line for almost a half hour! Crazy, the things grandparents will do! Despite feeling like we were in an overcrowded zoo, I think all in all everyone had a pretty good time! Of course all the kids had to soak themselves in the water at the ark, except for Matt and Jackson, they are simply too cool for such childish games!!!

Macie and Maya climbing on the ark
Macie dancing in the water
Macie, Maya and Emma

Unfortunately, I ran out of room on my memory card so I didn't get very many pictures! I wish I could have gotten pictures of the big waterfall and the kids rolling down the huge grassy hills with Aunt Katie, it looked kind of fun, I might have to try it next time!

I did get one picture of all of the kids together, definitely not the best picture, but hey it has everyone in it!

Katelyn, Emma, Cole, Macie, Maya, Matt and Jackson

Definitely a fun day, but next time I think I'll fork out the money for regular price admission and enjoy without the crowds!!!