A whole LOT of fun!

We have been staying VERY busy around here! We have done quite a few fun things in the last couple of weeks, but being the lame mom that I am, didn't take one single picture.

The weekend of Aug. 28th I (Stacey) was able to go spend some time in Thatcher (where I grew up)!! I was going up for a friend's baby shower and decided to make a whole weekend of it. I stayed with my good friend Becky, it was very fun and relaxing. She ended up having a baby 3 days after I left, so I'm looking forward to doing another "only me" weekend to meet the new bundle of joy!!

While I was in Thatcher, Clayton went on a "Men and Kids only" camping trip. Four guys and all their kids went and spent the weekend up in the White Mountains, and from what I have heard and seen it looked like a lot of fun!! I love that I can trust my husband to take the kids camping without me and know that they will be fed, not so much bathed, and watched just like I would watch them. I love that man!!

This last weekend (labor day) we went up to Snowflake. We were able to have a REALLY long weekend together! We went up Thursday night, because of a funeral we were going to on Friday. We did a lot of fun activities while were up there, we went to a parade, clay pigeon shooting (so much fun!), and Uncle Eric's race. Eric happened to be racing in Show Low, so we were able to go and watch. Sad that we had to witness him wreck and not able to finish the race, but still fun. We came home on Sunday night, so that we could wake up and go mountain biking. We took our bikes up to San Tan Mountain and rode up the trails. (Great place to take kids mountain biking, the hills are perfect for every age) After biking we went to grandma's to cool off in the pool and then ended our perfect day with a little fishing at the neighborhood lake! I LOVE long weekends.

London's Run 2010

I have run in London's Run for the last 2 years. The first year I did the 2 mile, and last year I did the 10K (6.3 miles). This year I am going to ATTEMPT the 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles), I just paid the fee so there is no turning back!! I am going to kill myself trying, but I am going to try. I have a road ID tag with the quote "If you think you can, you can" written on it, and I am going to try to live up to this quote for the next 4 months. If anyone else is daring, please come join me! www.londonsrun.org

I guess I'll never understand in this life....

Why is God taking all the good ones? Just in the last two weeks two REALLY great people have been taken from this earth. The only reason I can think of is that there must be bigger and better things on the other side for them to do.

Papers galore....

Everyday I am flooded with kids school papers. I have gone back and forth with what I should do with them. Am I a bad mom if my way of filing them is the garbage? Are my kids going to be mad when they get older and they have nothing to show for their grade school years? In the past I have put them into a desk drawer and now that the desk drawer is over flowing from last year, I have nowhere else to put the cute stuff. I was thinking of getting each kid a tote for their closet and they will be in charge of taking the papers to their tote if they want to keep them. Any ideas from you mothers out there with school kids, do you keep everything they bring home? What do you do with their stuff?

I NEVER win anything, so PLEASE let me win!!

I want to win this SO bad!! Look how cute these jeans are!

http://amyfraughtonphotography.blogspot.com/2009/08/free-designer-jeans.html

IcE cReAm and a new BABY....life doesn't get any better than that!!

Who doesn't love the ice cream man? We have a pretty smart ice cream man that comes around every night after dinner time. We were loading the kids on the golf cart to go get an ice cream cone from McDonald's when we heard the loud music rounding the corner!! I said, "Let's do that instead!" Callie had a look of concern on her face and said, "Don't those people steel kids?" How sad that kids have to live in fear of the ice cream man. I quickly explained that she needs to have an adult with her when she is going up to any type of vehicle when she doesn't know the person inside. So the first time of getting an ice cream from the ice cream truck was a big hit!! They were all smiles!!

My brother Brad and his wife Elli just had their 5th baby on Monday!! Makayla and I went to see him at the hospital, and let's just say Makayla would not be fun to have around with a new baby. She thinks she is big enough to hold it without help and her soft isn't so soft. It's nice to have people in the family that are still having babies so I can get my fix without having the sleepless nights!! He is perfect in EVERY way, so sweet.

I would love to tell you his name, but four days later still no name!!

Makayla with big brother Matix, Aunt Elli and no name baby.

Taking over Elli's bed at the hospital.

Ta Ta to facebook

I did it! I deleted my facebook account. I have become quite addicted to the dice game farkle on facebook and it started interfering with my family. I went back and forth for a good week about deleting my account, I was able to find some friends from my Highland High years, stay in touch with my Thatcher peeps and not to mention the friends we made on our cruise this summer. But I decided to email them and give them my email address and my phone number and we can just stay in touch like they did in the olden days before computers. The funny thing is, after I deleted my account I picked up the Ensign and there was an article in there about addiction to online gaming, and steps you can take. I feel a huge weight has been lifted since doing this, like I don't have to sit and try to keep up with people, and now I can hopefully have more time to try to loose these stubborn 10 pounds that just won't go away!! And now my little one won't have to say my mom is on the "pooter" when someone asks her where I am.

Firsts: First day of school and first time riding a bike!

The kids are back in school!! McKenzie wasn't to sure if she wanted to cry or smile. She ended up with the best Kindergarten teacher at the school so I know she will be fine. She had been so excited for the last two weeks of summer and when the morning of finally came she was SO nervous. She wouldn't even let me take a picture of just her before we left for school.



This is her sitting at her desk and not to sure if she wanted to stay. Her teacher noticed how nervous she was so she was kind enough to move McKenzie's desk next to a girl that lives next door to us, to help her feel better. It broke my heart to see her so scared, but Clayton wouldn't let me stay long enough to make her feel better. (he said I was making it worse) My thoughts were with her all day long and I couldn't wait to pick her up and see how her day went.

Well this is her as she walked up to me after school, still not sure if she wants to smile or cry. But I did ask her if she wants to do it again tomorrow and she said YES!! So it couldn't have been that bad.

Well Cody on the other hand...didn't even want us to walk him to his playground. He said he could do it by himself, but we did it anyway. I was amazed how many kids passed by him saying, "hi Cody." No wonder he doesn't need us, he has a ton of friends. Look how handsome he is!

On to Miss Callie...she has come a LONG way since last year. She was still so nervous last year going into second grade, but this year was a lot different!! (YAY!) She just walked right up to her line with a smile on her face! Today (second day of school) I walked with her again and she even walked right up to some girls in her class and stood by them!! (That is huge, for her!!!) I hope this will be the year she will shine, when it comes to making friends and coming out of her shell. She is such a stink'n cute girl and we love her to death. I can't believe she is in the THIRD grade!! What?!?

ALL three kids got really good teachers so we are looking forward to a GREAT school year!

Little stinker Makayla was SO jealous of the big kids getting their pictures taken before school and she would not move out of the way. She was so mad when I put my camera away, she threw a fit for me to take hers. So this is Makayla in between still throwing a fit and smiling. I am looking forward to this year of it just being me and her at home. She is such a fun kid and makes me laugh all day. We are gonna have fun!

This is all the big kids before heading out for their big adventure called SCHOOL! Man we make some good looking kids! LOL!

See Makayla had to be in their pictures!

I thought I would get some good use of it just being me and Makayla at home. I went out to teach her how to ride her big girl bike. Well to my surprise, she just hopped on the dang thing and took off with no help from mom!!! What happened to my baby?

Your guess is as good as mine..

Clayton took the kids spot lighting one night at our family reunion and this is what we found in the backseat when they got back to camp.

Can you guess how many kids are in this picture?

Going strong after 33 YEARS....

We LOVE the Woodside reunions!! This year was year # 33! Out of the possible 200 people....130 people came this year, we had a really good turnout. My kids look forward to this reunion every year, why wouldn't they? It's a weekend full of cousins, all you can eat junk food, play until you can't keep your eyes open any longer, no baths, four wheeler rides, spot lighting, chance to win new toys, (raffle) and lots of good laughs. All of Clayton's sibling were able to be there this year, which is always so fun. Seems like each year someone can't make it due to having a baby, living too far, sick kids, or something.

I didn't get my camera out that often, but here are a few highlights...

Chill'n in the hammock!

Makayla and Jaylee blowing bubbles after celebrating a cousin's birthday!

Look at that dirty face...and that's not even that bad yet!

Cody patiently waiting for his name to be called in the raffle.

McKenzie taking a whack at the pinata.

Digging through the pile of saw dust to find the hidden treasures!



Aunt Tamara and Addy

The WHOLE Mowers gang!!