The Mecham Family

What was lost...now is found...

2012-01-24T14:08:00.002-07:00

I take my wedding ring off a lot when I'm cooking, because I'm constantly having to wash my hands. Last night was no different- wedding ring off, placed in pocket- continue on with dinner...

Fast forward to after dinner while lounging on the couch with the family. I noticed my bare hand, and thought, "Oh- I need to put my ring back on"... I was surprised to find my pocket empty! Hmm... I went to the kitchen to see if I had placed it on the counter or table... nope... inspected all the couch cushions... nope... Panic begins... Cole began helping me lift up the couch and check under and all the nooks and crannies... nope.. no ring... I double checked the kitchen... still no ring. I opened the cupboard under the sink and began sifting through wet garbage and slimy food scraps..."sick" I think and "this is silly, it's not in here". I stop looking in the garbage, but then think " I better just check again on the other side of the bag"... pushing all the gunk aside- I see a sparkle..."No!" I say in disbelief (in my head of course)...but yes...there was my wedding ring, amid all the stinky, wet, discarded mess just waiting to be thrown out...

I only cried a little...ok, I didn't really cry, but I was close.

Making the cut

2012-01-18T11:23:00.001-07:00

So... I realized that I was following WAY too many blogs, and really with Pinterest, i have no need to follow all the cooking and crafting blogs i was anymore... SO... I cleaned house and dropped almost half the blogs I was following, so i can now have a much more tidy "dashboard" to see all the blog updates from blogs I actually care to read...

Yay!

UVU Wolverines!

2012-01-05T15:16:00.002-07:00

Tuesday night Shyler told me she had received two tickets to the UVU men's basketball game and wanted to go. Tip off was at 7:05 and it was 6:45...I really wanted to say no, and continue my laziness on the couch...but I thought to myself, "would a good mother sit on her butt and say no to taking her children to a game?" My answer to myself...no...so I jumped up, instructed the kids to hurry and grab their jackets and away we went. Since I am currently a student, I was able to buy a ticket for just $2. We were a few minutes late, but still enjoyed it. And we left a few minutes before it ended too, in order to avoid the crowds. The kids had a good time, and I enjoyed being there with them and being a good mom...it doesn't happen often enough. ;)

(**disclaimer** I am NOT calling you a bad mom, if your child also had tickets and you didn't take them. But since I'm a working mom, I figured I need to take advantage of things more and spend more time doing things that they ask to do)

Please don't follow my example

2012-01-05T14:32:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I was driving with the kids and at a light, I turned left, not yielding to a pedestrian (he was barely off the sidewalk and we had two lanes between us, so there was no danger of hitting him). I said, "Oh, oops, sorry guy, didn't see you"

Shyler looks over and me and says, "He's probably calling you an idiot. Like you call other people."

HAHAHA I guess I need to control my "road rage".

Name a star?

2011-12-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

The radio this morning was advertising a company that for $54 you can name a star...I've heard of it before- but this morning it just seemed so silly... Seriously? You are paying someone to name a star? They don't own them! Am I the only one that thinks that is just so dumb?

Dear Santa

2011-12-21T12:45:00.003-07:00

The kids had letters for Santa that I told them I would bring with me to work and make sure I got them to Santa. Here is Easton's... I love that he didn't even ask for anything, he just wrote him a note. :)

Shyler on the other hand knew EXACTLY what she wanted!

We saw Santa on Monday at the Mall, and Shyler asked for a Guitar and Easton a Nintendo DS w/ Mario... We'll see if in fact Santa can make it happen ;)wink

Found treasure

2011-12-20T07:53:00.003-07:00

Found this in my laptop bag- I believe it was written at the beginning of school...Oh Shyler...

Brag time

2011-12-16T10:27:00.003-07:00

So my sister in law is living her dream! She began writing books a few years ago and self published them. My favorite one, EDEN, has made something very exciting happen for her! See HERE!

Gifts for Everyone...kinda

2011-12-16T09:30:00.004-07:00

These are my office gifts this year (above) at least for the ladies...I found the idea on Pinterest. If you haven't started Pinterest, you should :) The only change I would make next time is using Olive Oil instead of the Coconut Oil, because as soon as it cools, coconut oil takes a solid form, and so I had little bit of coconut oil that will need to be vigorously shaken. :( You can find the basic recipe HERE.

And these are giant Symphony Bars that I like to get for all the workers at our daycare each year. I made a label to wrap around each one. Simple & Yummy :)

Christmas is coming!!!!!!

2011-12-16T08:29:00.002-07:00

Christmas is so very close! I think I am done shopping...but I love shopping, so I'm sure I'll grab some last minute items.

This year we decided to spend Christmas in Colorado at Cole's Grandparent's home in Mosca. Mosca is out in the middle of nowhere- the closest stores are 1/2 hour drive to Alamosa. I'm so excited to have a Christmas away from all the hustle and bustle that always happens at home. His parents are going too, so I'm looking forward to lots of late night card games, movies, cooking and eating, and just relaxing for days!

Day 3 Hair

2011-12-14T07:50:00.002-07:00

We all know that it is not good to wash your hair every day. Whenever I straighten my hair (naturally i have dry frizzy/curly hair) I make sure I can wear it for about 3 days...but sometimes on Day 3, it's starting to look a bit greasy... So i FINALLY went and bought some Dry Shampoo. I bought this Beyond the Zone Rock On Dry Shampoo for about $8 at Sally's... I am LOVING it!!! For a tutorial on how to use dry shampoo, watch this!

Heaven looks like this

2011-12-07T09:55:00.001-07:00

I found it while checking out at Walmart this morning....Could life GET any better?

My name is Kendra, and I have a problem...

2011-11-17T09:14:00.003-07:00

I LOVE my Netflix.. It's really a bad thing, because I can't get enough! First it was Drop Dead Diva, then it was Vampire Diaries, now it's Grey's Anatomy. I can't stop. It's very unhealthy.

Do you have Netflix, and have you completely ruined your life watching all the time like me?? lol.

Love

2011-11-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

We should give love freely and abundantly.. just sayin'.

I Changed my Mind...

2011-11-10T10:40:00.002-07:00

So sue me... ;-P I decided not to go private....I don't have many followers...which is fine...but I know it's a hassle to remember to make that extra click to see a private blog sometimes, since it doesn't give updates on the NewsFeed... soo..... I'll just stay public...

So... on to a question of the day. (I think this'll be my new thing- for now...)

Is it appropriate to call someone at 10:30pm? Answer that, and then this: What about a business call coming in at 10:30?

Private

2011-11-04T15:21:00.001-06:00

Well, I'm going to do it... going private... comment w/ your email if you want to continue reading... :)

Poof and then it's gone

2011-11-02T09:29:00.003-06:00

This morning while on the treadmill I had an epiphany. It was a really profound thought. I planned to blog about it. Then once I got to work... Poof... it was gone... I've been racking my brain trying to think what it was. But like most great and grand ideas, if you don't take action quickly- away they go.

Crazy hair day

2011-10-13T09:40:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was Crazy Hair Day at School. Shyler didn't want her hair up in a million crazy ponytails or sticking up at all...so instead we wave-ironed the right side, sprayed the left side pink, and a pink streak in her bangs...

Once there was a snowman

2011-10-10T15:02:00.001-06:00

Came across this video from about 3 years ago....

Lake Powell

2011-10-03T15:45:00.005-06:00

The kids and I went to Lake Powell this last weekend with some friends of mine (Cole was supposed to be hunting with his dad, but ended up working all weekend)....anyways... it was our first time and it was SOOOO much fun!

The kids were SOO good and loved the water. The second morning we were there, the first thing Shyler said to me when she woke up, "Mom, can I go play in the sand?"...and out she went in her life jacket to play in the sand and swim...at 7:00 in the morning!

Easton was hilarious and I have to capture some of the things he said before I forget:

We were swimming out in the middle of the lake and he says to me, "Did someone fart?" I replied, "Why do you think someone farted?" "Because I farted!" he said, followed by a giggle.

He got bounced off the tube and as soon as we got the boat stopped, we yelled for Shyler and Chris (the other little boy with us) to jump off the tube and go get him so he wasn't scared. When we pulled the boat around, we all said, "See, you didn't sink!" and he replied, "Yea, but I did do a backflip!"

The last day before we headed home, they took one more swim...we had already drained the sewage on the houseboat, so when he said he had to pee, we said, well swim over there and pee... so we all watched his face as he pulled his "pee face" and then let out a little sigh... we all laughed and I said, "Did you pee?" and he yelled, "Not anymore, I'm already done!" haha

And my favorite... I came out of the water after wakeboarding (or my best attempt at it) and Easton looks at me and says, "Mom, you look really cute"... melt my heart...

Mini panic attack

2011-09-28T08:45:00.002-06:00

Ok...so I was just reading the blog Pioneer Woman (if you aren't reading it, you should...she's really cute and cooks cool food). Anyway she had a post about her sister and suddenly I felt terrible that Shyler doesn't have a sister! I love my sisters, I have 3! Shyler has ZERO... Am I a terrible person to not try and give her a sister!? And while we are on the subject, Easton has no brothers! I have 3 of those too...

Cole and I are happy with the two beautiful children we have, with no plans to add to the family. But there are moments like today where I feel guilty over not giving them a chance to have a sister or brother...Will I always have these moments of failure and guilt? Eek!

Playing Catch-up...Prepare for Photo Over-load!

2011-09-21T10:41:00.014-06:00

We have been busy this summer!! I'm not even going to attempt putting these pictures in any certain order... But I will try to at least give captions :) Last weekend we took the kids up to Sundance and rode the ski lift. It was a really fun to do with the kids, they thought it was almost as good as a Disneyland ride...Even if mom was freaking out about them falling every time they moved...

A few weeks ago we hiked to Timpanogos Cave. It's a mile and a half up and pretty steep. The kids did AWESOME!
Below: This is the "heart" and there is a whole story/legend behind it... pretty fun to listen to the tour guides tell the history of the mountain and cave.

On the way up... Shyler needed several breaks and encouragement

We also went camping with Cole's family to celebrate his Grandma and Grandpa's birthdays...

The cousins having a snack

Fishing at Payson lake

I think Cole must have spotted a girl in a bikini floating on the lake...

Grandma Miriam really wanted some stumps to take home and put on her porch, so Cole and Jeff helped her out.

Grandpa Orson waiting to start a card game

Shantel, Natasha and Orson

The kids were having a "meeting"

Shyler and two neighbor friends put on a "circus" one summer day...Zoey was their lion, and she even jumped through a hoop!

We took a trip to the Grand Canyon & Bryce Canyon, which I already shared pics from..but these ones were on Cole's camera.

Below: The day we came home was May 21, 2011, the day that Harold Camping and his followers had said Jesus Christ would return to the earth... When we were driving home, I caught this and joked to Cole that it was the cult being "lifted up"...writing it now, it probably isn't that funny to poke fun at someone's beliefs, but at the time, the coincidence was too much to not take a pic.

Below: Bryce Canyon

The North Rim of The Grand Canyon

Our stake puts on a "triathalon" each summer and here is our ward group that participated this year

Just done with the walk portion, about to take off on the bikes

The final stretch... Jill, myself and Andrea

And there you have it...

Words of Wisdom...

2011-09-07T16:26:00.003-06:00

I finally got around to sharing this with all of you.

For Mother's Day, Shyler's class did books....they were given the beginning of the sentence and told to finish it, and draw a picture to go along with it...

And that my friends is Words of Wisdom, by Shyler

Blog Giveaways are fun :)

2011-09-07T14:40:00.000-06:00

Check out my friend's blog here... she's doing a fun giveaway!

Mad Men

2011-08-31T08:13:00.005-06:00

Netflix has me HOOKED on Mad Men... If you haven't seen the show, it's set in the early 1960's in the Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in Manhatten. The men are despicable, yet you can't help but be intrigued by them. The women are still stuck in that era of being "less" than the men, yet they are strong and are slowly gaining the strength to stand up for themselves.

The clothing on the show, especially some of the women, has me swooning!! One of the main female characters, Joan, always looks amazing! See for yourself!

While trying to find images, I found this paper doll of Joan...too funny...

If you haven't seen Mad Men yet...you should...but prepare to be hooked!

The Day Has Come...

2011-08-29T10:23:00.004-06:00

My baby... he's officially in Kindergarten. I just can't believe it...

First Day of School

2011-08-22T14:24:00.002-06:00

Shyler's First Day of 2nd Grade...

She was so excited, she's got a great teacher this year and some friends in her class already. :)

Easton got to wear new school clothes too, even though today was just Kindergarten orientation.

Yesterday I decided...

2011-08-16T13:10:00.005-06:00

...to chop off my hair. If you know me, you know that I like to change my hair. A lot. Color, cut, curly, straight, you name it..
Back in 2009, I had this cut and color:

I actually LOVED it...

Recently, I've been trying to grow my hair out so that it will look better when i want to wear it curly (natural). But with all the coloring and styling damage, I was afraid it was not looking it's best and i was getting SICK of it! So as usually is the case, I made a rash decision to chop it again to the above cut.

I decided I for sure needed to color my hair. A month or two back, I went brown from being blonde...but over the weeks, it's faded A LOT. So I hit up the local Sally's Beauty Supply and bought some temporary color. A warm brown. I also picked up a new blow dryer- this time I splurged on a ceramic ion one that the sales lady said should be much better than my cheap-o walmart one...

I applied the color last night, deep conditioned while I slept...and this morning I used my new blow-dryer and a round brush...

WOW! The color really gave some life back to my hair and the dryer truly was AMAZING! I was able to round brush my hair straight, and virtually frizz-free!!! That NEVER happens! Typically I am blow-drying and using a flat iron!

I'm so happy...I think I'll keep my long locks a bit longer. :)

The End

This morning's conversation with my 7 year old

2011-08-15T10:54:00.003-06:00

Rrrinng rrringg...
Me: hello?
Daughter: mom, where's the straightener?
Me: I brought it with me
Daughter: *irritated groan* but you have two!
Me: I know, I brought them both
Daughter: *even more irritated groan* why!?
Me: because I needed both
Daughter: *beyond irritated, bordering on end-of-the-world groan* Now I'm going to have a bad hair day!!!
Me: *laughing, full out guffaw, that my 7 year old just said that*
Daughter: *Click*
She hung up on me! Hahaha

I hate you food!

2011-08-15T09:18:00.003-06:00

I wanted French Toast.... I ended up with this...

I hate you food, calories, huge butt...

Orcas Island

2011-07-27T14:03:00.009-06:00

I took the kids to Orcas Island this past weekend to visit my old stomping ground. We had an incredible time seeing a lot of friends and having a lot of fun. I'll post a few of my favorite pictures...

blogging

2011-07-19T14:41:00.003-06:00

I have been in a major blogging rut... I just don't feel like updating it... Anyone else get this way alot?

the changing world...

2011-07-06T10:33:00.002-06:00

I just got a phone call from my sister Kim who babysits my kids for me... She said she got in her car with the kids and Shyler had a very confuse look on her face and said, pointing at the cassette player, "What's that?". Kim replied, "A tape player" and Shyler said, "What's a tape?" hahaha

Kim explained some and Shyler says, "How does it fit?"... I cannot believe we have entered the generations that don't even know what a tape is... how weird...

USS Olympics Mini Triathalon 2011

2011-06-21T08:41:00.003-06:00

Our work puts on "Olympic" events each summer... football, softball, volleyball, Wii bowling, arm wrestling, archery, skeet shooting, a mini triathalon and lots more. This year I competed again in the mini-triathalon along with a few co-workers and their family. We do it at Utah Lake (I know, nasty.. haha). I arrived at 7:30am... and my stomach was in knots. The race would begin with a 200 yard swim. I am NOT a strong swimmer...I avoid it...and last year the lake was so low, we actually had to just run through the water, as it barely came to our knees at the deepest parts. This year was a whole different story, we would be required to swim the entire thing (although we would be able to touch at any point, but it would be to our necks, so walking/running wasn't an option).

As we made our way out into the chilly water, the reality hit me- I'm about to try and swim this long distance (ok, maybe for a race, it's actually a pretty short distance, but remember me mentioning that I DON'T swim!?). Go!!!!!! Everyone dove into the water, me in the middle of the pack, hitting people's legs as I tried my very best to swim and look like I knew what I was doing. I probably made it about 15-20 yards and my lungs were on fire!! I had no shame, and flipped onto my back and kicked as hard as my legs could go. I did have to pause every few seconds and look back to make sure I was headed in the right direction. (floating bottles marked a large triangle for the swimming course). I was in dead last, but keeping up fairly well to the person in front of me. I finally made it to shallow water and tried to catch my breath (impossible) as I ran to my bike, speed dried my feet and threw on my shoes. (this year I bought some bungee laces for my shoes and opted to go sockless- GREAT move! I was the quickest transition by far) My speed in transition helped me jump ahead to 3rd as I started the bike. 3 miles out and 3 miles back. I sped as fast as my burning lungs allowed along the road, swallowing several bugs along the way... Oh, did I fail to mention that the bugs at the lake were SOOO thick!? There were massive clouds of them! So disgusting!

I maintained 3rd place as I came back to the starting point for the 1 mile run. And again, because I had nothing to do, but remove my helmet (the guy in 2nd had to switch shoes), he and I began the run head to head. Which actually was very nice! We ran along side each other, and really motivating each other to continue pushing. At 1/2 mile we flipped around and about 1/8 mile from the finish, he began to pull ahead. I encouraged him, and told him I'd see him at the end... I maintained a small distance between us and then the competitive side of me emerged and I thought, "why am I letting him beat me? I still have some push!".. I quickly sped my pace, the gap between us dissapearing and about 30 yards from the finish I began to sprint as fast as I could. Unfortunately he heard my huge feet beating down on him and began sprinting himself! I finished 2 seconds behind him. Dang!

My final time was 34:52. I had the goal to beat my time last year which was 32:24, but sadly, that didn't happen. It was all in the swim though, so I'm ok with that. I did my best :)

Happy Birthday to my baby boy!

2011-05-24T10:02:00.003-06:00

EASTON

My baby boy turns 5 today! How is that possible?

2 Canyons, 1 Great Weekend

2011-05-24T09:29:00.004-06:00

Our little family had an amazing trip to The Grand Canyon, Jacob Lake and Bryce Canyon this past weekend! Here are some memories captured (in no particular order)...

Hiking the Navajo Loop in Bryce Canyon

Easton and Cole looking out over Bryce Canyon

On the Navajo Loop at Bryce Canyon

A wildlife museum that we happened upon right before Bryce Canyon. I love random finds like this!! The place was pretty amazing.

Shyler running down the trail from Jacob Lake after Cole just hid behind a tree and scared the crap out of her.

Easton trying to catch up to Dad on the hike to Jacob Lake

Sign says it all...

Shyler and Easton at Bryce Canyon

Cole and I held this kiss for like a whole minute because Shyler wouldn't tell us when she had taken the picture...I guess we enjoyed it a little too ;)

Bright Angel Point- North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Hiking out to Bright Angel Point

Taken just below the North Rim Lodge of the Grand Canyon

This mini-vacation was seriously one of the best ones we've had!

Goody Goody Green

2011-05-20T08:21:00.005-06:00

Folks, I drank my green smoothie so fast this morning that all I have left to show you is the empty mason jar, and the bits of green stuck to the sides....It was DELICIOUS!

Now if you are dying to try your own green smoothie- here are some of my FAVE recipes I've done:

Todays- Pineapple/Mango

1/2 small pineapple cut into chunk

1 mango

1 banana

2 C. baby spinach

Blend to perfection. Add water as needed to get it all to blend (I added maybe 1/2 c.)

Watermelon Berry Goodness (like my name? ha)

2-4 Cups watermelon chunks (seedless)

5-6 large strawberries cut up and frozen

small bunch of parsley (stems and leaves)

big handful of spinach (about 2 cups)

(No water is needed as the watermelon has so much juice)

Blend together and enjoy!

This is like my all-time favorite that i've ever made!!

Thoughts on Raw dieting...

2011-05-19T14:27:00.005-06:00

My little sister has been living a raw lifestyle for a while now (with a few hiccups)...She LOVES it. I must say, I've read a lot about the philosophy behind eating "raw" and I've followed people's blogs who are on that journey (here)... I just don't know if my will power is strong enough to resist all the foods I've grown up with...

One thing I have been doing is incorporating Green Smoothies into my diet, and I love them! So 10 points for me, for trying to make some good changes... but I definitely need more.

I'm curious to hear if you have ever tried to do a raw "diet" and your goods/bads of it all....

One of the things that holds me back on full-force mode is that I have 2 children and a husband to feed as well. I have incorporated a lot of stuff and they've been pretty good...but if it gets too "weird" they all crinkle their noses at me. The kids drink the Green Smoothies with me (another 10 points), Cole would rather DIE. haha.

Happy Girl

2011-05-18T07:37:00.002-06:00

Shyler has begged for almost 2 years to learn to play the guitar. We told her she had to take piano first. So for over a year and a half I fought with her to practice her piano each week... it was a nightmare most of the time. Finally I decided to let her give guitar a shot, since she still hadn't let up on the desire to learn that. So yesterday was her first lesson (she's taking from my uncle's mother in law). She LOVED it!! And she practiced ALL night! I had to make her put the guitar away for bed. It was pretty cute!

Really?

2011-05-13T15:41:00.003-06:00

I don't get it? Sexy? No...

I love the book character, but I am not a fan of Robert Pattinson...

Mothers Day Weekend

2011-05-13T13:17:00.005-06:00

Saturday before Mothers Day, Shyler and I went to the Carl Bloch exhibit at BYU Museum of Art. The kids and I had gone earlier in the week, but this time Shyler and I had the iPad tours and Easton wasn't whining that he was hungry and trying to drag me out of there... The second time through was just amazing as the first. The talent that this man was given is so incredible. Every single picture (even the non-religious) stirred something inside me.

After the museum we headed to Olive Garden and had a nice lunch together; chatting and eating great food. Shyler was the only "kid" with us and I think she really had a good time being with the women, and feeling a bit grown up.

We quickly finished our lunch and headed to the Hale Center Theater to see Seussical the Musical with my friend and neighbor Andrea and her daughter Zoie. I've never been to Hale Center Theater before, it's a tiny little theater with a center stage. We bought some snacks, took our seats, and soon after- the magic began. The show was SO good. I loved every minute of it, and so did Shyler. In fact, I still keep catching myself singing the songs! I used to be involved in plays all through elementary school through high school (I was even James in James and the Giant Peach...maybe someday i'll post a clip), and watching this production really made me crave the theater again. How fun would it be for Shyler and I to be in something together!? Going to rehearsals together, practicing lines/songs.... But then I'm pulled back a little to reality and I think- when am I going to have time for that!? One more thing that sucks about being a working mom...

On to better thoughts... Sunday morning I was awoken to Shyler whispering in my ear. She had made me breakfast in bed all by herself; scrambled eggs and two pieces of jellied toast. It was SO cute. And even though there was an egg shell in the eggs and I had to scrape some of the jelly off, I thought it was the cutest thing.

Shyler also made me a book at school of sayings like "Don't count your chickens..." But all the sayings were just the beginnings of the sayings and she had to put in the rest... So her's were "Don't count your chickens, because they stink" accompanied by an illustration. They were so funny! I'll take pictures tonight and do a post with them.

I'm grateful to be a mother to 2 beautiful children who I love more than anything in this world.

I'd like to bear my testimony

2011-05-03T10:20:00.002-06:00

Easton bore his testimony for the first time in church on Sunday. There he stood with his new suit, looking like the perfect little future missionary. :) We were so proud of him.
Cole and I were nervous that once i got him up to the pulpit, that he would be too scared. We had to wait our turn, and Easton kept saying things like, "Why is he taking so long?" and "Is it my turn yet?". When it was our turn, Easton turns to me with a smile and said, "My turn!" and walked right up to the microphone. What a cutie.

Funniest thing...

2011-04-29T14:55:00.003-06:00

So I just got a phone call.....
-Hello, Ms. Taylor?
-Yes (for some reason although I've been a Mecham for almost 10 yrs, I didn't notice she called me Ms. Taylor)
-This is Rachelle from the Hotel Spa. I noticed this morning that I didn't get your premier voucher. So if you could stop by with it later...
-I'm sorry- who are you looking for?
-Sandra Taylor.
-Oh, I'm sorry, this is her daughter, I didn't notice you had called me Taylor. She must have given you my number by accident. What was it you needed and I can get her the message.
-After her massage this morning I didn't get her premier voucher, but I can just look it up and apply it to her room.
-I'm sorry, room? She's checked in? What hotel is this again?
-Hotel Park City.
-Um... and she's checked in?
-Yes
-That is really strange because last i talked to her, she was in bed with a migraine... (By this point, I am thinking my mother is one of those people who lives multiple lives)
-Oh I'm so sorry. Sometimes this happens we must have booked the guest under the wrong "Sandra Taylor". I really apologize.
-That's ok.
-I'm so sorry, have a nice day.
-Ok, bye....

What a strange call....freaked me out. haha

Easter Fun

2011-04-28T08:48:00.005-06:00

Shyler came home a few weeks ago asking if we could do a craft.

-Sure, I said, let me think of something.

-Nope, she said, I already have something I want to do...here is what we need....

And the finished product is below :)

Aren't those adorable! I thought they were...

Here are the kids in their Easter Sunday outfits. initially I wasn't very happy with the dress Shyler had picked out, there were a lot of really cute ones at JCPenney, but this really was more "her" and it looked beautiful on her. Easton got his very first suit and looked so handsome! (ignore the fact that he had to pee, and I insisted on a photo first.. haha)

We had a great Easter with family and I will post those pictures later.

Valley of the Goblins

2011-04-20T15:57:00.008-06:00

Last week was Spring Break, so I took some time off of work and went with my two brothers, sister in law, sister in law once removed (that's what I've decided she is... she is my sister in law's sister), and my neices and nephew to Goblin Valley for some camping and hiking. We had a really good time. I could have handled it being a little warmer, and not so windy, but we still had a great time!

Swimsuit season is SO close!

2011-04-05T22:12:00.002-06:00

Alright people. I'm curious to know all the different ways you have tried to lose weight, what worked, what you hated... You get the picture.

crazy things I do with friends...

2011-04-01T11:46:00.002-06:00

So a few weeks back I had a Girls Night in Park City with some of my girlfriends... we had a BLAST! As you can see in the pictures... I am the weird one.. hahaha

above: my friend Amanda on the left, her face is hilarious!

above: As you can see...Amanda is weird like me too. hahaha

below: ya... I have no words...

above: Cambridge wasn't embarrassed to be seen with me in my awesome shades!

Oh Shyler...

2011-03-28T08:58:00.002-06:00

It's Sunday morning... Shyler and I are arguing (as usual) about how I'm not making breakfast before church, we are just having cereal. She simply will not let it go, and I won't give in and make breakfast because now I'm being stubborn (plus I was trying to get my singing time activity finished)... So finally I told her, "Shyler, go to your room until you can talk to me nicely!" She gives me her best scowl and begins stomping her feet as she storms out of the kitchen and down the stairs, yelling, "Well, I don't know when that will be!" And then she slams her door. She came up not even 5 minutes later, got herself a bowl of cereal and she and I never said a word more about it... This morning Cole was driving the kids to school and Easton said, "When I grow up, I want to be a cop." To this, Shyler says, "So you wanna arrest people and eat doughnuts!?"

What are the chances!?

2011-03-25T07:27:00.003-06:00

So I'm going through my "dashboard" and see two totally different blog posts this morning on Butterfly cakes... major coincidence or butterfly cakes are the next big thing...I'm calling it- butterfly cakes are all the rage, you just wait and see...

Look here and here

Bump, Set, SPIKE!

2011-03-25T07:18:00.002-06:00

Can I just tell you how much I LOVE volleyball!!?? I seriously love it SO much! It's just so much fun to play. I'm playing in a league this year and our team freakin' rocks! 3 women are from my ward/stake and then the other 2 are my cousins in law. Playing with my cousins is AWESOME! Not only are they really good, but we have so much fun laughing and goofing off!! Sad thing- they are both leaving/moving in May and so it'll be a while before I get to play with them again :(

But for now, we'll continue to rip it up, like we've been doing! Undefeated- OH YEA!!

Giving Back and Easton's new "magic teeth"

2011-03-23T14:41:00.004-06:00

My work has a Humanitarian competition going on where we are placed in competing teams and each team is trying to beat the others by raising the most money or logging the most service hours.

This last Saturday, the kids and I took a walk and picked up a bunch of litter on the sides of the street. I was surprised how much we picked up in less than 1/2 mile!

It's no secret my son has inherited my terrible teeth... :( In the end of 2010 he had some molars extracted and yesterday he had to have metal spacers put in to keep all the teeth from shifting into the wrong spaces. We've switched to a new dentist, Dr. Chamberlain and we love him! They did a great job with Easton yesterday. (Even if I was suffering an anxiety attack and had to leave the room while they worked on him....thank goodness for Cole being an incredible dad and hubby, and he stayed with Easton through the whole thing. Thanks babe!!)

It took a couple hours for the medicine to wear off (he took an oral medicine that made him really loopy and out of it during the procedure). I gave him ibuprofen just once yesterday and now he's doing great. No pain, no problems. :)

Out with the old, in with the new.

2011-03-15T08:42:00.002-06:00

This, my friends, is my husband's new girlfriend. I just can't compare...

She's shinier than me, younger than me, purrs like a kitten... And oh yea, her headlights are much nicer than mine.

I guess I don't know funny

2011-03-12T18:17:00.001-07:00

It started raining...hard.
I said, "let's go run in the rain naked!"
Shyler looks at me and asks, "why naked!?"
I reply, "because it's funny"...duh
She informs me, "it would be funny in your underwear and no pants."
Okay then...

Update

2011-03-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Went to the endondontist today and he said the hard spot on my jaw is normal swelling and all should be well.... phew... still annoying though...

My face is a gumball machine...

2011-03-08T16:05:00.003-07:00

It's Day#6 since my bone graft and although the swelling has decreased some...I still have this hard "ball" on my jaw and it's stiff/sore and I do not remember this with my last bone graft. I'm kinda freaked out. It's big... like 25 cent bouncy ball size... Tomorrow is my follow up appointment... I plan to get some answers...

It's getting bigger and bigger

2011-03-07T11:18:00.002-07:00

Last Thursday I had an apicoectomy and bone graft at Dr. Pulispher's office... Above is my face on Friday... nice, eh? It pretty much stayed that way until this morning... it's a little better, but there is still swelling... oy... I just hope it goes down before Friday, I'm headed to Park City with some girlfriends! woohoo!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2011-03-01T21:26:00.008-07:00

I made Shyler a special lunch today (and some prep last night) in celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday today.

The idea was not my own, I stole it here. Such a cute idea, I had to do it! I had goldfish (One Fish, Two Fish...), green hard boiled eggs and sliced ham (Green Eggs and Ham), blue jello (blue goo), pink drink (pink ink).

And the dissapointment begins....

2011-02-23T19:44:00.002-07:00

Shyler has been taking a community class of Ballet. Today we were running late and I still hadn't made dinner, so I dropped her off, watched her run in to class and then I raced home to make dinner and then the plan was to pick up up. Let me note that either Cole or I have been at every class and sat for the hour and watched, never leaving her, but I thought this time I'd hurry home, make dinner and then come back before class was over and watch the end. Also then Shyler wouldn't have to wait for me... Well I got back to the class 45 minutes later and parked. As I stepped out of the car (it's dark by now), Shyler comes running up crying. I was confused, because 1- I told her to stay in the building and wait for me after class, and 2- class should not have been through... Then i panicked and thought, "oh my gosh, she had class tonight, didn't she!?" Well yes, she had class, but apparently they got out early...and Shyler conveniently forgot my direction to stay in the building, and had been waiting outside. I don't know how long, but it was long enough to panic her. I hugged her and got her in the car and she proceeded to cry and tell me how Cole and I missed her "graduation". Today was the last day of the class! OMG! I felt horrible!!!! She told me that she had gone back inside and told the teacher I wasn't there, and the teacher reassured her that she wouldn't leave before I came...but then Shyler went back outside!
Shyler is still visibly upset that we didn't make it to her "graduation". And I couldn't help but tear up when we first got home and I explained to Cole what happened. We feel terrible. :(

10 "interesting" facts...

2011-02-23T13:25:00.003-07:00

So i follow this great blog Busy Bee Lauren and she shared 10 interesting facts, and asked her followers to do the same in the comments section. I thought I'd go ahead and post mine in my own blog... I know, ya'll are sick of hearing these "interesting" facts about me... so if you are, then just don't read this... simple

1.I hate using chalk because the sound and feel of the board and the chalk gives me goosebumps. 2. I have 2 beautiful children!
3. I am LDS. Go Mormons! ;)
4. I want to visit Arizona, it's warm there.
5. I grew up on a little island in washington state, but now live in Utah because of family and it's beautiful...
6. When growing up on that island (Orcas Island) I could see Canada, but I have in fact never set foot on Canadian soil.
7. I have an old english bulldog named Zoey.
8. I have a neighbor whose daughter is named Zoie (they moved in after I already had the dog, but there have been some awkward moments in the backyard yelling at my dog, and then seeing my neighbor in their yard, probably wondering why i'm yelling at their kid..lol)
9. I am the Primary Chorister and LOVE it!
10. I can spell really good, but in the school spelling bee, I was out in the first round cause I forgot the "L" in Balcony. duh...

DAY THIRTY!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-23T13:00:00.006-07:00

Ok, Day 30- A picture of you today and 20 goals you want to accomplish...

Goals:

1. Stay looking young forever (anyone know where i can find the fountain of youth?)

2. Raise my children to be respectful, loving and faithful.

3. Maintain a wonderful marriage.

4. Lose 15 pounds

5. Get Cole a truck this year

6. Pay off debt

7. Be prepared for emergencies (food storage, clothing, money, etc)

8. Be happy with my life

9. Do well in my career

10. Love my friends and family the way they deserve

11. Get to know my Savior better

12. Plan and have amazing family vacations to create the memories that last a lifetime.

13. Try to offend people less

14. Go to Alaska and Australia with Cole

15. Fix up our house

16. Try out for American Idol (ok, I'll just sing in the shower and car...)

17. Read more books

18. Teach my kids to be healthy

19. Be supportive of my husband always

20. Live a fullfilling and meaningful life.

The End.

Thank you for going on this journey with me. Please exit to your right and take all personal belongings with you...

Days 25-29

2011-02-22T12:06:00.004-07:00

Day #25- What would I find in your bag?
Chapstick, Lipgloss, Wallet, bobby pins

Day #26- Places you want to visit before you die?
New York, Europe, Australia

Day #27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?
Because I'm a terrible blogger and need ideas

Day #28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed?

Last year on Shyler's field trip (above)This week at Disneyland (below)

I guess my hair is obviously a different color...which is typical, I change it alot. And I probably weigh a few pounds more... And hopefully I'm smarter from all that life throws in front of a person in a year's time...

Day #29- In the past month, what have you learned?

I've been reading the book, "5 Love Languages", which is great by the way, I highly recommend it... I think I've learned some things about relationships, now if only I could put them to use... ;)

Day #24- Share a story about your past that you are ashamed of

2011-02-15T11:31:00.003-07:00

Hmmm...
pass... lol

Day #23- What is Something you Crave?

2011-02-15T11:30:00.005-07:00

Disneyland!
Sorry ya'll...we were in California at Disneyland... and now... I'm craving going back!

Day #22-What Makes You Different from Everyone Else?

2011-02-15T11:30:00.004-07:00

What makes me different from everyone else? Well no one else has my face, my husband Cole or my kids Shyler and Easton. So that makes me unique :-)

Day #21-Share a picture from your day

2011-02-14T12:05:00.004-07:00

Here is where my gaze will be all day as I dream of tomorrow when I fly to California with my family. Disneyland- here we come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day #20

2011-02-14T12:02:00.002-07:00

20- 3 wishes, if you had them, what would they be?
Wish #1- My husband had a job that he loved, not hated.
Wish #2- There were more hours in a day
Wish #3- I wish I could surprise my husband with a new truck!

Day #19- Nicknames

2011-02-14T12:01:00.001-07:00

Kenny- my mom and several others call me this.
Obvious reasons...

Day #17

2011-02-13T15:03:00.002-07:00

17-Plans/Dreams/Goals you have

Umm.. I guess I have a dream to someday serve a mission with my husband for the church.

Celebrity Sighting

2011-02-11T09:14:00.006-07:00

Last night at dinner, the hostess said,
"You look like someone famous..."

me: "Beverly Mitchell, from 7th Heaven?"

her: "Yea"

me: "That's because I'm her"

She looked at me shocked and just stared, not knowing what to say.. haha.

me: "I'm just kidding"
her: "Oh my gosh I was like... You do look a lot like her".
Too funny...

Someone you would like to switch lives with for one day and why

2011-02-11T09:08:00.001-07:00

A pioneer woman.

Maybe that's way random. I actually first thought I'd like to switch with a movie star, but then i realized that I would learn basically nothing if I did that. However, a pioneer woman went through a lot of crazy stuff and hardship and I think it would be interesting to live in that time and do all the things they did while moving west, establishing their homes, etc...

Day #16

2011-02-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

16- Something you could live without

About 6 inches around my hips!

Day #15

2011-02-09T08:35:00.002-07:00

15- Put your ipod on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that play
I'm going to put iTunes on shuffle since I don't sync my entire library to my iphone..

1. 13th Article of Faith (Primary Childrens Songbook)
2. Animal City- (Shakira)
3. Not that kind of girl- (Jojo)
4. Stand for the right (Primary Childrens Songbook)
5. Fuel my fire- (The Prodigy)
6. Rise Above This- (Seether)
7. Time is the healer- (Riva)
8. Ding Dong, Merrily on High- (Chanticleer)
9. Everything I Said- (The Cranberries)
10. Sleep Little Jesus (Primary Childrens Songbook)

Can you tell I'm the Primary Chorister? haha.

Day #14

2011-02-07T12:37:00.003-07:00

14- A picture of something you ate & 10 confessions

I can't put a picture of something I ate, because since I ate it, it's in my tummy...

10 confessions:

1. I'm trying to eat better and I totally binged on candy in my meeting today

2. I'm selfish

3. I'm conceited

4. I don't always wear my seatbelt

5. I only wash my hair every 2-3 days

6. I have a dirty sense of humor

7. Sometimes I leave dishes in the sink unwashed for days

8. Sometimes I have to drag myself to church on Sundays

9. I speed on the freeway and use my cell phone

10. I posted this at work

Day #13- The Letter

2011-02-07T12:28:00.002-07:00

13-Write a letter telling someone something you could never tell them.

Umm.. ok... if I didn't want to tell them, then why would I tell the world now via internet where it's all public!? Ok... let's see...

Dear ____,

I totally did steal your boyfriend in highschool. I'm sorry.

-Kendra

LOL... highschool drama...LOL

Day #12

2011-02-06T08:17:00.003-07:00

A picture of your room & tell a secret

I think this room is my secret... I'm a slob. lol

Day #11

2011-02-06T08:14:00.002-07:00

A picture of something you dislike

I have never liked the movie Pinnochio.

Day #10

2011-02-03T09:12:00.001-07:00

10- A Story about a past relationship

My first boyfriend was in the 2nd grade. Jacob Linnes. I don't even know how it happened, I'm pretty sure his friend Kawika (who later became my boyfriend- but that was highschool...) called me and asked me if I would go out with Jacob. Of course I said yes, because he was so cute of course. So here I was with my boyfriend Jacob, and my very best friend Alissa was going out with Kawika. We were the only couples in the 2nd grade at the time I believe. We hardly spoke to each other in school, and I honestly don't know if we even talked on the phone until like 3rd or 4th grade... We may have written notes to each other though.

Remembering it all is so funny...especially when I see 2nd graders! Shyler will be in 2nd grade next year and I cannot imagine her having a "boyfriend"... lol.

Day 9-

2011-02-02T09:02:00.007-07:00

9- Something or Someone you are proud ofMeet my sister, Kimberly. Kimberly has 4 kids; a 6 yr old girl, a 4 yr old girl and twin 2 yr old boys. Her life is chaos...Well a year ago, Kim decided to go back to school to major in elementary ed. She pulled STRAIGHT A's last semester! I am so proud of her! She's amazing.

Ocho Dia

2011-02-01T08:14:00.003-07:00

Short term goals for this month and why

Goal 1: Read my scriptures more. I've been horrible at doing this for years...I've started reading with the kids so they can fulfill the challenge they were given in Primary, so I need to do better myself.

Goal 2: Cut back on my sugar intake. It's so out of control, it's not even funny!

Goal 3: Exercise 5 times a week. I've been slacking and only getting about 3-4 times a week, and I need to pick it up a bit.

Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has made the biggest impact on you

2011-01-31T16:50:00.006-07:00

This man changed my life.

Never before had I dated someone who treated me like Cole. I knew that I meant everything to him and he would do anything for me.

He promised forever to me.

He gave me two beautiful children.

He challenges me and helps me grow.

He has stuck with me for 10 years and shared trials and joys with me.

I love this man.

He has been the biggest impact on my life.

Day #6

2011-01-30T21:13:00.003-07:00

A Hobby you have

-noun, plural- bies. 1. an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation

I suppose my hobby is exercise. I love to try new forms of exercise and I love the rush of endorphins when you are pushing your body hard. I also love/hate to feel sore muscles - then you know you have worked!

Day #5- A picture of somewhere you've been...

2011-01-30T20:59:00.002-07:00

Nauvoo, Illinois

El Dia Numero Cuatro

2011-01-28T07:35:00.003-07:00

4- List 15 Songs that represent your life's soundtrack

You've got to be kidding... I never remember the names of songs... thank goodness for google...

1. Another One Bites the Dust- Queen (this was a hit about a month after I was born, it was a premonition to my upcoming teen years.. haha)

2. Open Arms- Journey (I remember singing this song at the top of my lungs as a kid. i was a sucker for a good love ballad)

3. Broken Wings- Bulletboys ( I told ya I love my love ballads! I LOVED this song! Still do!)

4. Small Town- John Mellencamp (When i was 8, we moved to a tiny island in Puget Sound)

5. Don't Worry Be Happy- Bobby McFarrin (One of my fondest memories is singing in the car with my family- and this was our FAVORITE! Oooo Ooo Ooo Oooooo uh ooo uh ooo uh ooo uh ooo)

6. Baby, I Love Your Way- Peter Frampton

7. Pump Up the Jam- Technotronic (My friend Rae had the album and we would play it again and again! This is probably around when I started loving dance music)

8. Hero- Mariah Carey (In 7th grade, this was my boyfriend and I's song... I even sang it Karaoke at a party... hahahahahaha)

9. First of Da Month- Bone Thugs and Harmony (I LOVED me some Bone Thugs! Still to this day, on the first of the month I always have the urge to call my dear friend Casey from highschool and sing her this song at the top of my lungs.. I must admit, I have succumbed to the temptation several times.. haha)

10. All Cried Out- Collage & Denine (I threw this one for all the drama and heartbreaks that I thought were life-altering.. ha)

11. Poison- Alice Cooper (Cole introduced this song to me a while after we met. I would listen to it all the time when we were apart while i went to school at BYUH)

12. Look at You Girl- Chris LeDoux (This was kinda mine and Cole's song while we dated, and we danced to it at our wedding reception)

13. All About Your Heart- Mindy Gledhill (I love this song, if you haven't heard of Mindy yet...buy her cd, you'll LOVE it! This song is so great!)

14. This Man- Jeremy Camp

15. I Will Rise- Chris Tomlin (The last two songs are Christian songs. I love to listen to both when I'm feeling lost)

And that my friends is the personal life iPod of Kendra.

Day #3

2011-01-28T07:32:00.002-07:00

A Habit You Wish You Didn't Have

Hmm... I honestly have to think hard about my habits... I don't bite my nails, smoke, religiously pop my knuckles, or the typical habits that come to mind...

Oh I've got it!!! I SNACK! I have a habit of constantly eating! Eating at my desk, eating in front of the tv... (yes that's a habit!) I've tried to break my snacking habit... but I fail miserably again and again. I love food :)

Day #2

2011-01-27T08:44:00.006-07:00

#2- A picture of something you cannot live without...

Cliche or not, I CANNOT live without my family. No matter how selfish I am, what really matters are those that I love with my whole being. They are what center me, and what keep me going. I love you Cole, Shyler and Easton.

Day- Numero Uno

2011-01-26T12:46:00.002-07:00

Day 1- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts...(this will be tough, i'm not very interesting...)

(Taken today)

1- I can do weird things with my eyes; like wiggle them fast, keep one looking straight while the other moves around, turn my eyelids inside out...

2- I grew up on a little island in Washington state.

3- I love the smell of fresh rain on the asphalt

I told you this would be hard... ugh... what else...

4- I talk ALOT! I'm not kidding, it's hard to shut me up

5- I love playing sports and I REALLY REALLY miss playing.

6- I'm very competitive and I hate losing. This goes for whether I'm playing a sport myself, playing a board game, or even watching football on tv and my team is losing. I HATE it!

7- I love to sing.

8- I have two beautiful children who never fail to make me smile.

9- My husband is a hot & sexy man who I cannot imagine being without.

10- I've worked at the same company for 10 years!!!!!! WOW! Crazy.

11- I tried to make a big deal out of turning 30, but in reality, it wasn't that big of a deal.

12- I held a baby alligator once at an alligator farm in Colorado- it rocked :) I think reptiles are cool

13- I went to 4 different colleges before completing my Associates degree...lol (if you're curious; Orange County Community College, Bellevue Community College, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, UVSC (now UVU))

14- I've never been hospitalized except when i had my kids

15- I'm a paranoid schizophrenic

Ok, I threw that last one in there just for fun. I thought I was too boring. ;)

30 Day Challenge...get ready for a posting frenzy!

2011-01-26T12:45:00.001-07:00

Here's the challenge....And I'm attempting it :)
Day 01- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself.
Day 02- A picture of something you cannot live without.
Day 03- A habit that you wish you didn’t have.
Day 04- List 15 songs that represent your life’s soundtrack.
Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 06- A hobby you have.
Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you.
Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why.
Day 09- Something/someone you’re proud of.
Day 10- A story about a past relationship.
Day 11- A picture of something you dislike.
Day 12- A picture of your room & don’t cheat by cleaning it. Share a secret.
Day 13- Write a letter telling someone something you could never tell them.
Day 14- A picture of something you ate and 10 confessions.
Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle & share the first 10 songs that play.
Day 16- Something you could live without.
Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why.
Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have.
Day 19- Nicknames you have & how or why you have them.
Day 20- If you had 3 wishes, what would they be.
Day 21- Share a picture from your day.
Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else.
Day 23- What is something you crave.
Day 24- Share a story about your past that you are ashamed of.
Day 25- What I would find in your bag.
Day 26- Places you want to visit before you die.
Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?
Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned.
Day 30- A picture of you today & 20 goals you want to accomplish.

Namaste

2011-01-12T11:14:00.002-07:00

I signed up for a yoga class Tuesday/Thursday mornings at our Community Center (all you locals who read this- you NEED to sign up!). It's at 6:00am which is perfect for me and I really loved the teacher! I'm very excited to have committed myself to a class. I've dabbled in yoga practice over the years, but mainly just dvd's at home or a class here or there. I've now committed to a steady schedule and I'm very excited!

Hunting?

2011-01-04T09:28:00.003-07:00

I don't think I ever posted pictures of this year's deer hunt... So I shall now :)

Here is Cole with his Uncle Lance, checking out a nearby hill...I believe this is when we spotted a cow elk and watched her for a little while.

Myself and Cole's cousin, Adam. Adam was Cole's "official" videographer/photographer for the hunts this year. :) They got some amazing video on Cole's Elk hunt.
Cole and Adam- Cousins up to no good, I'm sure.

Myself and Cole, posing...oy

I had a shot this year, but missed. That's ok, I don't really like deer meat anyway.. hahaha

More pictures from our Hawaii trip...

2010-12-27T10:23:00.006-07:00

I finally got the pictures from Cole's camera...

These "pine" trees were so neat!

Sitting on the beach watching surfers on the North Shore... I'm not pissed off, just look like it. Ha
My hot hubby

Cole took a pic of this dude wearing a raincoat, while out paddle surfing...

The sunset from Cole's Aunt and Uncle's deck

This is me surfing for the first time. ;)

(If you really believed this was me- I love you.. haha)

I love this picture- my hair was CRAZY in the wind... Really though- the humidity was hell for my hair- which is why it looks awful in ALL of our pics :)

Cole and I on the Army Base standing where they filmed a few scenes in "Pearl Harbor"

This is a park we went to see some HUGE monkey-pod trees.

This is the "Hibatchi Tree" (monkey-pod). Named by the owner of Hibachi- and their company's logo. Cole's uncle told us that tours bring buses of Japanese tourists to see this tree, they all want to see the Hibatchi tree. These things are MASSIVE! I wish one of us would have stood underneath to show the scale! A beach we passed driving up to the North Shore

Cole and I after snorkeling in Hanauma Bay. See what I mean about my hair! Ha!

I'm not sure where we took this...maybe Waikiki?

Me on the Battleship Missouri

Cole and I on the USS Arizona memorial

This is the Battleship Missouri, picture taken while we were on the boat tour of Pearl Harbor.

Crazy Snow storm

2010-12-22T13:04:00.002-07:00

We got so much snow yesterday, that school was cancelled! I decided not to go to work, since reports were that the roads were nasty. We hung out at home, baked, watched movies, played in the snow... We even lost power during the night from the storm, but it was back on so I could bake during the day. :)

Cute story: When I told Shyler school was cancelled, she put her head down, walked down to her bedroom and said she was going to watch tv. I heard her sniffling so I went downstairs to investigate. I found her standing by her tv crying! Broke my heart. I said, "Honey, it's ok, they'll do the Polar Express when you get back to school". She sobbed, "that's not why i'm crying...I just really want to go to school!"...

Snow Bear

2010-12-22T13:02:00.001-07:00

A day or two after our Hawaiian vacation, Cole went out with the kids to make a snow-bear. :)

Tan in the Winter

2010-12-22T12:34:00.007-07:00

Cole and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in Hawaii (our anniversary isn't actually until June, but we needed to use the tickets.) Plus his Uncle Ron and Aunt Vickie live on Oahu and are only there for a few more weeks, so we jumped at the chance while we could, to stay with them. They were awesome and helpful and we had an incredible time!

Cole's uncle Ron picked us up from the airport with Lei's- It was perfect :)

Swimming with sharks on the North Shore

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

Battleship Missouri

USS Arizona Memorial

Because Cole's uncle is in the military, he was able to get us a special tour of Pearl Harbor- here we are on the boat before heading out around Ford Island.

The day I got back to work, I had a fortune cookie after lunch, and it told me this...

I still haven't gotten all the pictures off Cole's camera- there will be more posts.... ;)

Being Grateful

2010-12-07T14:57:00.002-07:00

Last night Shyler told Easton, "You should be grateful for who God made you"

How often do we forget that? If only we could continually show our gratitude for all God has given us and for ourselves. Be grateful and be proud of all your little quirks and for being YOU!

naked.

2010-12-01T19:38:00.002-07:00

I was gonna find an awesome picture to put with this post, maybe someone hiding behind a newspaper to cover their nakedness or something...but yea, I didn't think googling "naked" would come up with the best stuff for a family friendly blog... HAHA...Now on to my story...

Had an Awesome dream last night... Cole and I were in Hawaii (Did I mention yet that Cole and I are headed to Hawaii in 6 days! yep, be jealous) Ok so, we are in Hawaii and what else are we doing but swimming...first weird thing though, we were in a pool, not the ocean, Anyways.. So we are swimming and I realize (2nd weird thing) I'm totally naked. We are NOT alone in the pool, but I totally don't freak, I'm like, "Whatev" and slowly get out of the pool to go inside to get a swimsuit on...

When I woke up this morning and was remembering my dream, I realized that this is totally not the first time I've been naked in public in my dreams. The thing that is weird is that I don't remember it ever bothering me! Ha!

Does this mean I'm a Nudist at heart?

Halloween Pics... FINALLY

2010-11-18T11:34:00.003-07:00

Myself (Jersey Shore) and Nena (Awesome Witch)

Myself, Easton the Bat, Shyler the Witch, and Cole- His Awesome Self

My little artist...

2010-11-15T10:07:00.003-07:00

Shyler decided to draw a boy pilgrim and a boy indian for a school assignment...

Please see below...

Christmas Shopping Online

2010-11-08T13:10:00.002-07:00

I am repenting...I have not blogged for a long time... We had a great Halloween that I hope to post pictures of very soon! But for now...let's skip through Thanksgiving, as it seems every retailer has already done...and talk about Christmas...

This morning I bought Easton and Shyler's "big" presents. You know, the gifts that cost more and then you just buy a bunch of little stuff to fill under the tree after that...

I think they will be VERY excited...

Christmas is so fun when you have kids!

What in the world?

2010-10-25T12:08:00.006-06:00

So i was perusing through an online retailer looking for good deals on shoes...and what do I find, but Tube Flops! What the ...? And my surprise on increased as I read the description:
Has anyone actually ever seen anyone wearing these?!! who thinks these things up!?

Honestly...I kinda want some now... haha

Things to remember...

2010-10-20T09:43:00.004-06:00

I hope Lindsey doesn't mind, but I'm totally copying her and posting some things about our family that I want to remember in the future (and if you know me, you know I have a TERRIBLE memory, so writing it down is crucial).. so feel free to skip reading this post if you desire...

Shyler-
Shyler is a mini-me. When we ask her to help wake her brother up in the mornings, you can always hear her in his room using the same words I would us and speaking in the same voice- it's especially funny when he's giving her a hard time, and you hear her scolding him and counting, "1...2...you're going to get a spanking..."

Shyler loves to sing. I can always hear her singing in her room, whether it's songs from the radio or ones she's made up. She also knows how to use my iphone voice recorder, and quite frequently I find recordings of her singing her little heart out.

Easton-
Easton is a happy boy. I love to wake him up in the mornings- before opening his eyes, he always gives me a big smile. And he is always ready to give me a morning hug and kiss.

He arranges his shoes meticulously in his closet. They are always lined up neatly in pairs and once when I was putting them away, he stopped me, "Mom! That's not where they go!" and moved them slightly over to the "correct" spot.