First day of Preschool (sob!)

Today was Marlee's first day of Preschool. I can't believe my little baby girl is going to preschool! She seems to grow an inch a day! She's smart and she was sooooo excited to start!

Excited, that is, until it was time for mom to leave. Then she wanted to hang on for dear life! The best part is....the Preschool has a camera that parents can connect to on the internet, so by the time I got to work I could see she was sitting with the group having a good time! Thank heavens for video cameras, otherwise I'd worry the whole time she's gone!

First Day of School

Monday was the first day of school for the "big" girls. They've been so excited to head back to school.

Kaycee at her desk - she got one of the new classrooms that was added over the summer. She's excited that it has a projector and microphone that she got to talk in on the first day!

Bradee at her desk. She has a Male teacher this year who has TONS in common with Bradee. He loves science and has sea monkeys in the classroom. Bradee also gets to start using a Planner this year to keep track of homework, etc. I can't believe how big she's getting!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Well, since I'm getting older, excitement for my birthday consists of eating out and buying shoes. Can't hardly contain the excitement can we?!?!? Here's Marlee and Me being silly at IHOP for breakfast

Dave being silly too!

After breakfast, Dave let me take a nap (see I AM old!) and then we went to buy some new running shoes - yay! After that, we grabbed some divine Mint Brownie cookies and then went to dinner at the Greenery - oh yum!

And since it's a tradition.......Linny made sure to decorate my office Hannah Montana style! She rocks! Thanks Lindsay!

I've been tagged (lucky me, eh?)

I've Been Tagged By Miss Lindsay! The Rules:-Link the Person who Tagged you-Mention rules on your blog-Tell about 6 quirks of yours-Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same-Leave a comment to let them know.

I TAG Rachel, Kristen, Jenny, Kristel, Becca and Camille! And if I've already tagged you before, I apologize. But get over it and blog already!

So, here's the 6 quirky things about me that took ALL night to come up with!

No 1. - Many people think I have 3 sisters, but you'd be wrong! I actually have 5 :) That's because I have a "not-twin" and a pretend adopted sister. Let me explain.....Jenny and I should have been born at the same time as twins because we are almost exactly the same. We even have twin divets in our heads! Poured from the same mold I tell ya!

And my pretend adopted sister - that'd be Becky! She only has one sibling, who unfortunately passed away 7 years ago after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Well, since I love Becky like a sister, I "pretend" adopted her and consider her my sister - my kids even call her "Aunt Becky".

No. 2 - I am a HUGE SuCkEr for infomercials! I pretty much have every exercise tape that's been advertised via infomercial. I also have a nice set of knives that I didn't need and a microfiber mop and I'm super tempted to get a Shamwow! And that's just the start of the list - Wow, I could go on for days!

No. 3 - I have "quirky" eating habits. First off, I'm ADDICTED to salt. Everyone I eat with knows I might as well have a salt shaker permenantly attached to my hand.

Second, I will only eat one thing at a time. For example, I go to Maddox and get a turkey steak dinner...Well, I eat a roll, then the veggies, then the turkey steak, then the potato - can't mix or trade off - that's just weird! Lastly, I hate when my food touches, that's gross!

No. 4 - I have very specific requests for my funeral - yes, I've thought about it a lot! If I die before i turn 50, I have requested my obituary include a picture of me sticking my tounge out (cuz i don't think they'll put one in of me flipping the bird!). I also want a black casket with silver handles and would like to be taken to the cemetery in a black Ford truck instead of a hearse. I also want the song "When I get where I'm going" sung at my funeral and I want gerber daisies on my casket. Oh, speaking of death, I believe it should be mandatory to list the cause of death in an obituary!


No. 5 - I am deathly afraid of dogs! Yes, I own one Princess Lilly Fufu (chocolate lab) and I try on occasion to pet her and be outside when she's out, but my heart still races uncontrollably! I am even scared of little dogs. Becky has a min-pin named bud that I swear is going to jump up and severe my carotid artery and then I'll die! It's true, I'm that scared ok!

No. 6 - I know it's uber lame, but really, I'm not quirky, so last one is --- my driving! Everyone says I drive way too fast. I'll admit, I'm a chronic speeder, but I feel I'm careful when I drive. I've never been in an accident, so I think I'm a good driver! One thing I do while I'm driving is sing at the top of my lungs (not well I might add)! Right now I have the Sugarland CD in and I'm pretty sure people at stoplights think I have lost my mind!


Well, there ya go - bet you wish you didn't waste your time! hee hee! j/k!

Happy Belated B-day J-Rod!

Well, I wanted to tell Jared Happy Birthday in person, but apparently he's either missing in action or avoiding the "derogatory & unapproachable" girls here in the office! Anyway, hope you had a NeAt-O Birthday and didn't run into any gay people named Paul! :)

P.S. Your dog is as cute as a button!

Run & Walk & Splash-a-thon for Joanna

Saturday was one of the most touching and special "church" activities I can recall. I pulled my butt out of bed at 5:30 a.m. to go put out directional signs for a fundraising 5k for Joanna Jackson who is in my ward and currently battling breast cancer(Joanna's Journey blog). I didn't get any pics of the race since Dave and I both ran, but here's the route markers I made....For sharing time one week I had all the kids write encouraging messages on footprints

I am so thrilled with my family and friends support.....and we did pretty well with our times too! Dave ran a swift 27:49, I ran an average 30:19 and placed 3rd in my age group, Jen ran a stellar 25:50 and placed 1st, I don't remember Becca's time, but she placed 1st in her age group, Jenny ran an amazing 32:30 (post-surgery mind you!) and her son Kayden ran an awesome 31:14 taking 1st in his age group! Thank you friends and family for supporting me and Joanna!

After the 5k there was a breakfast and bake sale and then the Primary had a walk & splash-a-thon for the kids. We had them raise as much money as they could and then gave out prizes for the person who raised the most and also for the person who walked the most laps.

We had different obstacles and games along the way - here's Bradee doing the army style ring run.

Here's the kids tossing wet sponges into buckets for points - the person with the most points also won a prize (there's Joanna on the left side in the pink shirt with the pink scarf - amazing woman with an amazing attitude - I have thoroughly enjoyed serving in the Primary Presidency with her! Oh, and there's our fearless leader Pres. Steph - picking up sponges!).

Here's me, fairly obscured, marking wristbands for each lap the kids walked

Afterwards, all the kids got popsicles and waterguns for participating

Each runner and primary kid got a certificate of appreciation signed by Joanna (thanks Susan!) and the top 3 finishers in each age group on the 5k got ribbons

It was a wonderful morning and best of all we raised a lot of money to help with Joanna's treatment. We are all praying that she continues to do well! Thanks again to everyone who participated!

Fancy Fingernails

Kaycee REALLY wanted these fake fingernails (Hannah Montana of course) for her birthday. So Bradee and I went on a "secret mission" and bought them so she and Marlee could give them to Kaycee. Kaycee, of course, was thrilled and wanted them on as soon as possible! Here's her fancy fingernails...

I'm pretty sure they'll only last about a day, but it was fun while it lasted!

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu

Last night we went down to "swimming pool grandma's" house for a combined birthday party for Amy and Grandma as well as a going away party for the Pinnau family. Here is Amy and Grandma's cake

Blowing out the candles

Of course, the girls had fun swimming

Happy Birthday Amy & Grandma!

and we'll miss you Pinnau's - can't wait to come visit!

Family Party

Kaycee's family party was Sunday night, so we went to the park for cake and ice cream. Here's Kaycee with her Hannah Montana cake

Kaycee with her Webkinz and the cousins and sisters looking on

Great Grandma Z. and Grandpa Dale

Kaycee got tons of Hannah Montana stuff (suprise!) - she loved it ALL!

Dave and Will

After the family left, we hung out in the park for a bit. Bradee on the tire swing

Kaycee

Marlee on the swings with the best pusher in the world....her dad

Mom and Bradee swinging

Helicopters

Saturday afternoon, we went down to High Desert Helicopters at the Ogden Airport for their expo. Here's Dave and the girls by one of the air-cam helicopters

Here's the AirMed Helicopter (I think this is what Dave secretly dreams of doing when he grows up!)

And here's the kind of helicopter Dave was supposed to ride in as his birthday present from me.....it's a long story and it didn't end up happening, but we'll get it set-up for another time!

Fun in the Sun

Saturday was Kaycee's "friend" party. She took her sisters and one friend, Iva, to North Shore for some waterpark fun. Here's Iva and Kaycee "chillaxing"

All the girls

Kaycee loved standing under the buckets and getting drenched

Bradee preferred the BIG slide

And Marlee like the little froggy slide

Then we all hung out in the lazy river

and here's Dave and Marlee relaxing on the splash pad.....this one keeps turning sideways everytime I upload it - sorry!

All in all, we had a really fun time!

Happy Birthday Kaycee!