Holy December Batman!!!

Can you believe it is December already? Wow...like where did the year go already! I am guilty of serious blog neglect. I think it is a federal crime I know!!! But...hey I am here now so, upward and onward!!!!

November in review....

Twilight. LOVED it. Went in with fair to partly cloudy expectations and came out pretty surprised! I thought it followed the book pretty well, maybe a little choppy but all in all I liked at alot! I took my darling sweet daughter Sydney who is 13 and has read Twilight more times than she has read the Book of Mormon (sad but true what can I say). We bought tickets to go at midnight and once again I expected it to be a mad house and it was not too bad. We had a lot of fun and DEF some Mother/Daughter bonding time. She LOVED the movie more than air I think...she loves Edward and Emmett and Jasper, ok...she loved them all. It was fun to watch her and all the others like her (13-16 year old girls) getting all giddy and squealing when Edward came on screen for the first time! Made me giggle and reminded me of my youth and my deep unchanging and devout love for Donny Osmond! Yes...I had a poster of him and Marie on my wall and Marie had holes all over her face from where I threw darts at her! Ok...maybe I needed some counseling but at least I am being honest now right? All in all...it was a fun night and a fun movie!!!

Also in November. Mitch turned 16. Ok...how in the H. E. double hockeysticks did I become old enough to have a 16 year old??? I don't get it...last I remember I was like 20. Seriously!!! Argh. Oh well...he is a great kid and we had planned on having a ginormous party with everyone and their dog...doing all kinds of crazy things for the big 16 year old celebration party. About 2 weeks before his bday he asked if he could invite just a few 5-6 friends over to our place and play video games....ahhh, hello??? YES!!! Way easier and cheaper!!! Thought that was all a go...until. About 1 week before his bday, he comes into my bedroom pretty late at night and proposes a new plan? Yikes a 16 year old with a plan...I was sure involved a new car and the answer would be NO!!!! For sure! Anyway...he gets all serious and says..."Mom....I have been thinking. What if instead of a bday party, I ask a girl on a date and you and dad take my date and I on a date...to you know...show me the ropes on how a date should go?" I was like....uh.....YES!!! What a FAB idea. Sometimes that kid really does have a brain!!! So...that is what we did and it was really fun! Took his sweet date (Jacqueline Bauer) and him to PF Changs (super yummy) for dinner and then came back here and watched Kung Fu Panda with all the family. What a super fun first date idea! We had a blast, the rest of the family had a blast...and I hope he and Jacqueline did too! How grown up is that! I think it will become a tradition with the other kids too now! Very fun idea!!!!

Also in November...football ended YAHOO!!! And basketball began...sniff sniff...back to running again. Mitch made the Sophomore team. We were kinda hoping for JV...but all his buds made the SO team too and their coach is a super rock star. So...it should be a great year! Yahoo!!! First game is tomorrow so we'll see how that goes! Wish them luck!!!

Also...in November. My folks stopped on their way home from the Senior Pro Rodeo finals in Winnemuca to spend a weekend with us. I never get them for longer than 36 hours...so we just enjoy the time whilst they are here! :) He had an early Christmas with them which was alot of fun...who doesn't like early presents!!! And...I got to put my trees up! Yahoo!!!! I could leave them up all year round for reals! LOVE THEM!!! Soo...here were are on Dec 1 and my trees have been up for one whole month! Hehehehe. Love it!!!

November was a great month, and now that I see how fun it was I feel bad for not blogging more about it! Oh well...I will try and do better!

Also...I found this super cute lil antique rocking chair on Craigslist and got it for...are you ready??? $35 bucks! What a steal. I LOVE IT!!! And it loves me!!!

Merry December to all!!! Hope your Christmas plans are all ready and you are ready for a fun relaxing holiday season! I know I am!!!

Twilight Trailer

Tagged by everyone it seems!!!

8 Favorite TV shows

1. CNN...I am a bit of a news junkie (I know...NERD ALERT)
2. Amazing Race
3. ANTM
4. Heroes
5. Prison Break
6. Mystery Diagnosis (I missed my calling in life I think..they medical shows fascinate me!)
7. Inside Brookhaven (the weight loss hospital)...(I know...it creeps everyone else in my family out)
8. Funniest Home Videos (Can't EVER go wrong with funny animals and multiple crotch shots!!!)

8 Favorite Songs

***Wow*** I can only choose 8???

1. Lady Antebellum "Looking for a Good Time"
2. Due West "Sweet Gravity"
3. Mr. Mister "Kyria"...have to be OLD to know that one!
4. Yaz...."Only You"
5. Dixie Chicks "Landslide"
6. Almost anything by Erasure or any other sweet 80's band....
7. Sydney Parker and Becca Nelson "Somewhere There's a Mountain" Nashville Trib Band
8. Jacqueline Bauer "Firm in the Faith"


8 Favorite Restaurants

1. PF Changs
2. Outback Steakhouse
3. Costa Vida
4. Taco Del Mar
5. Red Robin (yummiest fries ever!!!)
6. Coldstone (does that count as a restaurant?)
7. El Te Nampa
8. Truthfully....anything I DON'T cook!!! :)

8 Favorite Movies

1. Better Off Dead
2. Forever Strong
3. Kung Fu Panda
4. Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)
5. The Princess Bride (Inconceivable!!!)
6. The Sound of Music
7. Hairspray
8. Twilight...when it comes out! I am sure I am going to LOVE it!!!!

8 Things that happened yesterday

1. I slept in!!! Yahoo for no school
2. Took my sweet kidlets to lunch at...Taco Del Mar
3. Took Mitch to an ortho apt!
4. worked on Moon Hee's rag quilt (yahoo almost done)
5. thought alot....
6. went grocery shopping....yahoo....food in the house is a good thing!
7. Took Mitch to FB practice and went back and got him
8. Went to be early....didn't even watch the news! Wowzers!

8 Things I am looking forward too

1. Living in a new house on our property! Hopefully soon!!!
2. My Mom and Dad coming this weekend for a few days! yahoo....early Christmas!!!
3. Putting up my Christmas tree's early....for #2. :) Any excuse will do!!!
4. Mitch's LAST JV football game on Thursday!!! Yahoo....ready for a break from JV football!
5. being creative again
6. deciding what to do with all my free time! Maybe start doing weddings again??? Take photography class with Shandy and/or Kristy???
7. snow!!! I know...you all hate me...but I LOVE the snow!!! Canuck at heart I tell ya!
8. a NEW YEAR!!! Hopefully with more happy times and success' than this year!!!

8 Things on my wish list
1. 50 mm 1 1:8 lens for my Canon 30D
2. Snappy flash for my canon 30D
3. A new house...nestled cozily on a picturesque acre lot overlooking the mountains
4. An acre lot...in a developed sub that we can finally build on!!! Come on...please hurry!!!
5. a NEW to me Suburban. I am not greedy...anything from '04 on!!!
6. a new TV! Ours is on its VERY last leg!!! And I mean that!!!
7. Money to buy a new TV!!! :)
8. for my family to be happy and healthy...and get along with each other!!! PLEASE!!!!

8 people I tag....

1. Shandy
2. Laurie
3. Greta
4. Deanna
5. JeNeale
6. MeKayla
7. Rita
8. Melissa

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Eh!!! For all you Americans who thought you had the edge on the "Columbus Day" holiday...Guess what!!! You don't! It is actually Canadian Thanksgiving today! Pretty sweet!!! And since we have an Elder...Elder Gwilliam serving here who is from Alberta in real life, we decided to go all out today! We had a full blown thanksgiving dinner! And it was FAB!!! Turkey, stuffing, mashed taters, sweet pa-taters, salad, fresh baked rolls, gravy...and pumpkin dessert! We all got VERY full and it was heavenly! Then we went outside and hit golf balls into the mint field with the baseball bat! Tres magnific!!! It was very fun! Sent Elder Gwilliam and Elder Shuler home with a ginormous serving of leftovers for later!

Also....today is Randy's FAVORITE holiday of the year. I know, many of you have other fav's....like Christmas (my personal FAV), Halloween, maybe even Easter! But no...my sweety LOVES Columbus Day. Why you ask???? Well, let me tell you. He LOVES this day because as a State of Idaho employee he get today off! It is October's holiday! Wahoo!!! And to cap it off, the kidlets have to go to school, as it is NOT a school holiday! So...he gets a nice quiet peaceful day at home. He spent the day working on his boat seats! They are turning out pretty good. I will post a pic when they are all done. Trust me...if you haven't seen his boat...don't get your hopes up! It is a real winner winner chicken dinner! But he loves it. So, I guess that is all that matters!

Ahhhh, thank goodness for great days like today!

Hope all my fellow Canucks...or Canuck wanna-be's had a GREAT day too!!!

XOXOXOXO

I give up...

I had been trying to post David Archuleta's new video...CRUSH...for I guess this country girl is more computer illiterate than I originally thought! ARGH! I get it posted and then it says the vid is temporarily unavailable? WHA??? Oh well....I give up! So....I guess you are on your own. Try this link. It is such a great song!!! And hello....he is such a cutie!!! If I wasn't almost 40 and married....I would be all over that cute boy! Ok...I just scared myself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yff9nCctMkg

Go and enjoy some David! Decided it was time for something more light hearted than the usual as of late! Hope you like! GREAT SONG!!!

Peace out!!!

Been awhile....

I know it has been a very long time since I blogged. Bad blogger!!!! I guess I have been stalling. Bad excuse I know! I have been needing to write about being released from my calling (which I LOVED!!!). I guess I have been waiting to write until I could do it without crying, and I have about decided that might be awhile! So....write away!

So, that is my latest news. I was released from serving as the Nampa North Stake Young Women's President. sniff sniff. I guess I kinda had an inkling it was coming, I have been there for almost 5 years...I was called in the middle of November but not sustained till January...so you can do the math. It is not a calling I felt particularly prepared for or qualified for that is for sure! And DEF not something I would have even envisioned myself doing!!! And NOT something I would have even aspired to doing, if that makes sense! Having never served in the Young Women's organization it came as a bit of a shock to be extended the chance to serve in that capacity! And although that made it hard....it also helped in a way. I went into it having to stick to the basics!!! Pray and follow the promptings of the Spirit to know what to do! I feel so very blessed for the chance I have had to learn as much as I did! I really had to learn to trust in the Spirit and to DO the things I was prompted...when I was prompted to do them! I had the opportunity to work with MANY wonderful people in our Stake, both in my presidencies and with the Stake Presidency and High Council! I have learned a new appreciation for the way the Priesthood serves...especially Bishops! There are so many in our Stake that truly understand the meaning of Service! I appreciate so much the opportunity I had to rub shoulders with the WONDERFUL Young Women of our Stake! What an incredible group of bright shining stars! I am excited to watch as they all continue to grow and progress in the gospel.....I will miss so much the chance to learn from them like I have! They have such incredible testimonies and some have had such a hard road to get to where they are! I know for sure that our Father in Heaven is very mindful of them and all they have done and will do! Wow...I just love them all so much! I will miss very much the ladies I got to work with. Especially this last group....we were only able to serve together for 1 year....but it was an incredible year! Never have I had the chance to work with such neat strong ladies! It was so great to be "all on the same page" and be like-minded in duty and spirit. Made the job so easy and fun....wow....don't think I have ever laughed so hard in all my life! Especially at our girls camp this year! Wowzers! Broken kneecaps and all!!! Thanks so much Laurie Nelson, Tara Pugmire, Desiree Lewis, and Jennifer Tolman!!! Love you ladies.....and I know I always will! Thanks so much for supporting and sustaining me! And helping me to be the very best I can be! I LOVE you all!!!!

I know that it is going to take awhile to get over being released! It is not that I am power hungry or anything like that....I am going to miss serving for so many different reasons! It just was such a wonderful experience that has forever changed the type of person I am! I am sooooo thankful for being able to do it!

I am also very excited for the new group of ladies called to replace us! Sister Greta Summers was called as President...and wow...if I could have hand-picked my replacement...she would have been the one! I just LOVE her dearly!!! And she will be FAB!!! Seriously!!! She called a neat group of ladies to work with her too. 1st Coun Natalie Bauers, 2nd Coun Tara Pugmire (she kept her from my Presidency) and as Sec Nichole Aldous and as her Lite Leader Liz Fulmer as well she kept Jenn Tolman as her Stake Camp Director...big job and she does such a great job! They are all great woman who I admire and they have so much to offer! I am glad they get the opportunity to learn and grow just like I did!

I guess...I am moving onto a new chapter in my life! And it might sound crazy...but I think I will mourn this change for awhile! I really wish everyone could have the same opportunity to serve in the Stake. It really is such an eye-opener!!! And a GREAT opportunity!!!

mmmmm, hello and where have you been all my life?

Since I know you all have been working on your "Boogie Bodies", please make yourself a treat!!! Love ya!!!

Perfectly Peanutty! stole from the "Bakerella blog" I like to visit!

Pretty, peanut butter cookies with just five ingredients:1 cup peanut butter1/2 cup sugar1 egg4 oz. Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted1/2 cup finely chopped peanutsThat's my kind of recipe!
Preheat oven to 325. Mix peanut butter, sugar and egg until well blended.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove and roll mixture into 18 balls.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Flatten each ball by using a fork to make a criss-cross pattern.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet and then cool completely on a wire rack.
Melt chocolate.
Dip one end of cookie into melted chocolate and then dip into chopped peanuts. Repeat with other side.
Place on wax paper covered cookie sheet and refrigerate until chocolate hardens.And enjoy!

Jazzercise - Move your Boogie Body 1982

Be sure to pause the music on the bottom!!!

Saw this on Kris Briggs blog...and had to totally steal it. It made me laugh out loud!!!

If you want a boogie body....get your best jazzercise suit on...and get ready...

TO BOOGIE!!!!


Shake it sugar...do it to it!!!

Breaking Dawn....

Did you get it? Sydney and I both got our copy at midnight at Walmart. And it only cost us 13.68 each! Swweeeeeet!!! We got there at 11:10 pm and and were 10 and 11 in line. Another Sweeeeet! They only had 50 books and there were alot of women there. It was pretty fun. Saw lots of people I knew and we had a good time. By 12:05...they were ALL GONE! Crazy!!!

Lets hear your story...how did you get Breaking Dawn!!!

Grateful...

I seem to be overwhelmed with feelings of "Grateful-ness" lately. I am not sure why...not sure if it is a trickle down effect of Girls Camp...being so grateful it went so well and had such a great spirit about it. Not sure if it is because we just celebrated Canada Day and 4th of July...I feel so very grateful to live in such a wonderful place where I am free to live as I choose and practice my religion as I choose...and dress how I choose!!! I also feel so grateful for having the childhood I did. It was soo wonderful to grow up in the middle of nowhere with miles to roam and run free and be naughty...and learn all kinds of things.

I have a friend who is trying SOOOO hard to adopt a baby girl right now...she was placed in their home and the birth mom wanted her back...and it has been a long process and they are getting her back hopefully in a day or two....but watching her and her sweet husband has made me more grateful for a birth mom who was willing to give me up and allow me the privilege of being raised by a Mom and a Dad who loved me and wanted me!!! (it was my Dad's bday yesterday so...probably where that one is coming from)

Also...grateful for being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints! I feel sooo blessed...and have such a rich heritage of forefathers who sacrificed so much for me...as a modern day pioneer! I am soo grateful to be able to enjoy the blessings of the Temple...both as an adopted child, and as a wife and mother! I am grateful for the peace and love I feel in the Temple as I learn and understand the purpose of coming to earth! I am grateful for covenants!!! And for how freeing they are!!!

I am also so very grateful for my lil family. I am soooo blessed to have such a wonderful hubby who supports me in all the crazy things I do...both church callings and otherwise! There have been times where I know he doesn't want to...but he helps me anyway. I am grateful for my 3 wonderful kids too. They are such great kids with such funny personalities...they are truly fun to be around (most of the time). They are so patient with me and forgiving as I learn how to be a mom. It is an ever evolving job and I am sure I will never get it right! Good thing they love me!!!

I guess I am grateful for just about everything right now....I think I will even be grateful for my bed...where I am ready to collapse in just a few minutes!!!

And I am grateful for YOU too, my like 3 blog readers who are loving and supportive friends!!! I tend to have tunnel vision alot of the time...and DEF could learn how to be a better friend. Love you all!!!!

Happy Canada Day.....eh!!!!

To Canucks everywhere...Happy Canada Day!!! Hope your Canadian Bacon is hot and your Ketchup chips are spicy!!!

Eh!!!

I am going to go and sit on my chesterfield in my laneway. They when I am done I am going to help my Mum clean the kitchen by running stuff down the garberator!!! So there.....

So in true Bob and Doug Mackenzie style....Take off eh!!!!

Phew....June is about over.

Wow...I can't believe that June is over in like one hour! This happens every year...well at least for the last 4 anyway. Girls camp is in June and seems like time just flies in the month of June.

Our Stake girls camp this year was June 17-20. Us Stake leaders went up on the 16th to get everything set up and ready for the girls to arrive on Tuesday morning. Our theme this year was "Trek"...and we asked all the girls in our Stake to come to camp with a pioneer skirt/dress and bonnet...and to have researched a pioneer family name. We had such a great response before camp that we knew that great things were in store! Our girls and leaders came very well prepared and brought such a great spirit with them...in spite of lots of trials along the way. We had one ward whose trailer jumped the hitch on the way up...and by some miracle...they were all okay. In reality...they probably should have rolled their vehicle...but only damaged the trailer and arrived at camp late and frazzled but all OK...it truly was a tender mercy from our Father in Heaven!!!

We had such a GREAT time this year...every year has been wonderful...but this year was by far our best! Partly due to my having such a wonderful, willing and supportive presidency! They truly have become my best friends!!! My first counselor Laurie besides being a huge part of the presidency was also our camp nurse and that is no small feat let me tell you! She handled her double duty so FAB!!! Especially with the broken kneecaps and all. One patient, Cynthia, was pale beyond help and we all were worried about her outcome but Laur saved her too! Wow...she did a great job! My second counselor Tara, my camp counselor was sooo awesome to do anything we asked...and I think we gave her alot of the hard stuff!!! But hey...she is young and very game...so that is what you get!!! Hehehe! Also...she is sooo tender-hearted and really a kindred spirit with me I think we were separated at birth except that I am like 6 years older than her. Oh well! She is a french braiding specialist and probably braided about 150 heads of hair during the week. She had girls waiting in LONG LINES to have their hair done...and she turned NO ONE away. I think many of those girls had never had their hair done like that ever! It was soo neat to see the girls stand up after she finished and have her tell them how beautiful they looked and see that many of them who previously might not have believed it...truly see that they ARE beautiful!!! It really was such a neat thing to watch! She was soo sweet to do it! My secretary Des was just called about 3 weeks before camp and wowzers did she step up to the plate!!! She jumped right in with both feet and really got us organized and kept us on track!!! She is such a great example to me of dedication....she felt an bladder infection coming on early in the week and knew she was in trouble...but what a trooper...she went against all our begging her to leave...and stuck out the entire week in spite of the major league nasty physical symptoms she had...she stayed! And she really taught me what it means to be dedicated!!! My Stake camp director Jenn was the hugest Rock Star ever! I don't even know how she does all that she does!!! She has a very young family and literally ran circles around us all....broken kneecaps and all!!! Hehehehe! She is a planner to the end and her persistence kept us all going! She has a great sense of humour and really helped us get through the tense times. She thought of things I would NEVER have come up with...and was a great liaison between us as the Stake Leaders and our Ward Leaders! Wow...I can't imagine doing this job without her!!! My lite leader (over the youth leaders) Greta was a SUPERSTAR!!! She is a very tender-hearted person too and handled those 16 and 17 year old gals so perfectly! She truly taught them how to be leaders and how to lead with Christ-like love! Our Lite's were the best prepared we have ever had and they LOVED Greta! She is a great example to those girls and to me! Love her!!!

Besides all my peeps...our cooks were awesome and I think had a great time too!!! That is a huge job and they rocked the house!!! At one point during the night...we heard chants coming from the Kitchen and after paying closer attention...we heard...."CHUG, CHUG, CHUG" coming from behind closed doors. So...we went to inspect and they were shooting whipped cream into each other' mouths. And it was at the persistent hand of our Shirley Taylor...the oldest one at camp. She is a firecracker that one!!! It was pretty funny...especially since earlier in the day all our cooks had been playing round table ping pong. Fun to see them having fun and being spiritually feed too! They did a great job!!!

It was also my Sydney's first year at camp. So after 4 LONG years of being my personal assistant she was finally able to come along to camp with me! She had a great time and it was fun to see all the things that we planned really have an impact on her life too! Wow...what a blessing to be a Mom and a Leader at the same time! Loved it...and LOVE her!!!

We had the best spirit there all week...and maybe soon I will have to write some of my favorite memories from this year! We had 5 girls that are not members of our church up there with us, and I can honestly say...I KNOW they all felt the spirit and left with many questions and answers about the gospel! What a great thing to have happen!

I feel sooo blessed to have been a part of the Nampa North Stake girls camp "TREK" 2008! I am a better person for rubbing shoulders will all my fellow leaders and the GREAT Young Women of our Stake!

Love you all!!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Tag....and I was running trust me...

Cuz Angie tagged me and I tried to outrun her...but she caught me....so her goes!

6 UNSPECTACULAR QUIRKS ABOUT ME

1. I am a perfectionist. And it is a curse!!! Makes me crazy!!! I am gettin worse as I get older too, I am trying not to be...but not doing very well! I will keep trying!

2. I LOVE to make baby quilts. Or any quilts to tell the truth!!! They are so fun to figure out...and then when you start seeing them put together...what fun!!! LOVE IT!!!

3. I REALLY worry about what people think about me. I know I shouldn't...and again...I try not to...but I can't help it.

4. I LOVE people. There is NOTHING more fascinating than just watching people. I am soo bad...I have to sit in the front of church or I don't listen. I just love watching peoples expressions, and trying to figure out what they are thinking and feeling!

5. I HATE HATE HATE when people around me are sad...especially...friends and family!!!! It makes me so sad too!!! Especially when it is something so unimportant that makes them sad! sniff sniff!!! I am sad just thinking about it!

6. I actually LOVE doing laundry. It is just so great to start something and SEE that you are getting it done! It is delightful to have it all done and folded...sitting in the closet waiting to be worn! Ahhhh.......and along with that love...my friend (Melissa) introduced me to the yummiest smelling laundry soap and dryer sheets....makes my stuff smell so yummy. Of course...I only use for my stuff like sheets and towels. Smells sooo heavenly. Gain Joyful expressions...Apple Mango Tango....if you haven't tried it...you must!!! Then let me know what you think!

7. One more...I love being silly!!! And here is proof. This is Friday night after Tyler's baptism...being silly with my Mom! She likes to be silly too!!!

I tag Sydney, Becca, Laurie, and Melissa!!!

Holy Moly!!!

My baby is 8!!! Where has the time gone! I cannot believe it. He had his baptism interview with Bishop Thurgood today after church. He passed...so I guess we will baptize him this weekend. My folks are coming down for this very special day, and we are excited to have them. Randy's folks are serving a mission in Houston Texas so we will have to send them lots of pictures! Hopefully the family that is in town will be able to make it too!

Tyler is pretty excited about getting baptized!!! Finally something to make him feel like he is catching up to the older kids!!! He is getting soo big...almost as tall as Sydney.

He had a good Birthday on June 5th. We will be celebrating his birthday with some friends in the next day or so! Jang Hee (our Korean student living with us) had oral surgery on Friday and is taking a little longer to recover than he thought he would. So...thank goodness Tyler is very patient and understanding...we will have his party as soon as we can! He is taking some friends to go and see Kung-Fu Panda...then back here to play games and have cake and ice cream! Should be fun!!!

We sure love having Tyler in our family. He has such a GREAT sense of humour and I seriously don't know how he comes up with MOST of the stuff he says! He is sooo patient and loves attending Mitch and Sydney's sporting events and is excited that he is finally getting big enough to do some of his own. He will play football again this fall, and probably basketball again in the spring! He loves going to church and being around his family! We are sooo blessed to have such a wonderfully humoured and super spiritual kids around to keep us company!!!

WE LOVE TYLER!!!

Good Kids

Ok...so we have been blessed to have a good week in the Parker household this week. I am not trying to jinx us by any means....hopefully it will keep up!!!














Last night Mitch had his track awards banquet. He got an award for breaking the Freshman record at Vallivue High School. The old record was 9'6" and he jumped 11'6". So...he was pleased with that. He also earned his varsity letter for track. Pretty good for a freshman!!! We are super proud of him. He was disappointed he did not qualify for the State meet...but WE are very proud of how he did this year!!!
















Sydney has been working all week on a project for Social Studies. Her topic was China. They were given the opportunity to do a 3-D type project as "extra credit" and she jumped at the chance...here is what she made! They turned out pretty dang cute if I do say so myself. I know Sushi is probably more Japanese...but we did find some Chinese Sushi so it is not too far of a stretch! She was tickled pink!!!

ok....and it is not real sushi. They are made from rice krisie treats and gummy worms, Swedish fish and yogo rollers! I seriously doubt I could get her to even come within 50 feet of REAL sushi!!!

Almost Summer....

Wowzers...I cannot believe that my kids only have 8 days of school left. Where did the school year go? Not that I am too sad though, I am ready to sleep in a bit and let things settle down. Not that summer is totally slow, Mitch has football, basketball, and track camps...oh and he has to get JOB. He has a debt to his Grandpa Reeder (from totalling the 4-wheeler), and needs to start saving for a mission. So....he will be busy. Yahoo! Sydney has girls camp, her first year and she is super duper excited! And probably LOTS of babysitting. She really wants a new IPOD, so she is hoping to wrangle lots of jobs to earn the money! So she will be busy too....Yahoo!!! That leaves Tyler, the caboose! I need to find a couple of camps for him to do...maybe swimming lessons! And probably lots of Wii playing for him. So..hopefully he will be busy too! Yahoo!!! As for me...after Girls Camp...my life should settle down a bit. I will be very much looking forward to June 20th. Hopefully all will go well. We have been planning like crazy, hopefully all the hours will pay off.

Our Camp theme for the year is "TREK". We are focusing in on the Pioneers and Joseph Smith and early church history. With an emphasis on the reason the saints did what they did...which was the Temple. Trying to teach the YW of our Stake that their goals now should be no different. They can and should have the same focus...even though the trials may be different. We are really excited, have handcarts rounded up and everything. The first day as part of our opening ceremonies, I am going to have the girls brand. It will just be a chunk of wood...but it will be our camp logo and something they can take home. I am going to talk about "branding" the gospel onto our hearts! We have soo much great stuff planned....I am getting excited. So far...we have about 100 girls and close to 50 leaders! Phew!!!

A week or so ago we drove up to Camp Glenwood..just to check it out and see if the snow was gone (it was mostly), but along the way we followed the river. It was soo pretty we had to stop and snap a couple pics. This is right by the "Staircase" rapid on the Southfork of the Payette River and it was cruising pretty good! Lots of water moving very fast! Had to include a couple pics of my cute family!!!

Here are my handsome men. Mitch is almost as tall as his dad. Only an inch or so to go. Randy is not digging it!!! Hehehe. Makes me laugh!

the OFFICIAL Twilight movie trailer! WOW

Holy Wow!!! Be sure to mute the music on the bottm before you start this!

And...be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think!!!

WOW!!!!

Mitch Pole Vaulting

Vogt Babies

These are the cutest babies EVER!!! They are so big and healthy. They were born today April 29. Aubri was born at 12:20pm and weighed 8lbs 2oz and was 20.5 inches long! Lexi was born at 12:24pm and weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 21.5 inches long! Mom and babies are doing GREAT!!! They all look sooo good! It was soo fun to get to see them and snuggle on them a bit!!! So glad they are here safe and sound!!!

December is TOOOO far away!!!!

If you are a Twilight lover, like I am.....then you will LOVE this lil clip! Let me know what you think!!!!

ARGH....Don't know if I can wait that long. August is far enough away for the next book. But to have to wait till December is just pure torture!!! Must come up with something to occupy my mind. Okay...maybe read the books AGAIN!!! Sorry Laur...you might never get them back!

I am Mulan! What disney princess are you???

You Are Mulan!

Strong and spirited. You're no one's girly girl; actually you are very determined person with a strong sense of self. Never let go of that! The only thing that equals your sense of self is your family, but the traditions of society can always be bent to protect something or someone you love.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

"Loomy" week

Ok...so I got hooked literally at our Laurel Campout. We made these darling little tiny hats for preemies that a gal in our Stake is donating to a local hospital...and they are so DERN cute and easy fast to make, that I cannot stop making them. So far I have done 20 and Sydney has done 2. I decided it is fun to make them while I sit and watch tv...or while I sit and wait for the kids at track or piano....good time killer...and they are so cute...like I said!!!! I have made more since I took this pic...but you get the idea!!!!

Other than that...we have had a good spring break week. The kids are enjoyed sleeping in and so have I. Yahoo....feels good! But it will feel good to get back into the routine again too. We did to go the YMCA the other night...had fun rock climbing and swimming. Jang Hee even rock climbed for the first time. Think he had fun...but his arms were sore the next day!!! We took Ben and Becca Nelson with us too. Becca even climbed! I was pretty proud of her. I didn't get a pic cuz I was belaying her....couldn't get to my camera!!!!

My New Dream Mansion

We all gotta dream right??? Here are our plans for our property!!! What do you think????





Ok...so not really, but it made me laugh!!!

Laurel Campout.....Phew!

Patterns Laurel Campout 2008


Doctrine and Covenants Sec 52:14

"And again I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land and he goeth forth deceiving the nations."



















Phew...we had our Laurel Campout for the Nampa North Stake this last weekend....March 14-15 and I think I am almost to the point that I can call it a success! Ahhhh, I will try and keep this post mostly positive. I think I can do it!!! To start off, we had planned on going to Donelly to stay and Danny and Greta Summers cabin up there...but the weather took a bad turn and we all decided that it was a risk not worth taking...to drive that far with the winter weather that was at hand. So, we decided to just stay in the valley at Danny and Greta's actual house. The girls were pretty sad at first...but they recovered quickly. Greta did a GREAT job cheering them up!!! She is a good egg!!!


We had tons of stuff planned and pretty much kept to our schedule, except we added a few things as we gained a couple of hours due to not travelling. Our first activity was to do a "heart attack" on the Stake Presidency and Brother Fellows (the HC over us)...we had the girls cut a TON of hearts out and tapped some candy bars to them...and wrote all kinds of notes on them. Then we dressed up as ninjas (not in the original plan but it kinda took on a life of it's own) and set out to do the deed. Our first stop was Pres Jensen's house....all was going well, until Pres Jensen and his family pulled up in the driveway and totally busted us! Pretty funny. Our next stop was Pres Garner's house...and it was dark so no worries there. Our third stop was Pres Buchanan, the Stake President. I told the girls they must be sooo quiet cuz we didn't want to get caught....well they were doing such a great job and being soo quiet that it wasn't any fun...so Sister Summers sneaked up and rang the door bell. Pres Buchanan came and whipped open the door...all the girls screamed and we all took off running. It was pretty funny!!! Our last stop was Brother Fellows and his house was pretty dark as well. The girls had fun....and it was a good time filler!!!

Our next activity was a service project. Sister Summers talked about Bonnie Norske and her sweet lil baby girl. The girls were very touched by her story and very motivated to work on the little loom hats we wanted them to work on. We made the tiny tiny preemie ones...and I think we got close to 35 done. It was something they worked on for most of the weekend!!!

After that...we got ready for bed....but there was NOT much sleeping!!! I will plead the fifth on this part of the night. I want to stay positive remember???

In the morning we ate breakfast and went over to the church to watch the Stake Presidency and High Council play the Young Men of our Stake in a BB game. It was pretty funny....long story short...there was some "rigging" with the scoreboard and the YM ended up winning. Too bad for the old guys!

After returning back to Summers house...we had some guest speakers. Paul and Dessiree Lewis came and spoke to us...and boy did they do a GREAT job! They brought such a strong spirit with them and the girls really loved them....it was good. They talked about Patterns...which was our theme for our Campout!


Then we ate lunch and had our last guest speaker. Lisa Peterson from the 36th ward spoke to us and she did a very fine job also! She had some great experiences and stories to share!!! The girls were getting pretty tired by this point....refer back to the sleeping part and the details that you are missing out on.....heheheehehe.


Our last project was making recipe boxes. We had all the girls bring some of their FAV recipes to share and we had them decorate the lil tin Provocraft boxes with ribbon and vinyl lettering cut in the word recipe.....(thanks Laur and your FAB lil cricket). They turned out super cute...and I know the girls LOVED them!!!


We wrapped up and sent everyone home...and boy were we bushed as a Stake Young Women's Presidency! Phew....overall I think the weekend was a HUGE success. Alot of work....but the feeling and spirit was had there was almost immeasurable! I feel so blessed to have such a FAB group of ladies working along side of me!!! So.....Laurie, Tara, Jenn, and Greta!!!! I LOVE you guys!!! Thanks for being you!!!!

Good Air Jordan commercial!!!

features Boise State of course!!! and it is Mitch's FAV!!!

I've been Tagged....

10 years ago: We were living in Maple Valley Washington, Randy was working for King County...I had two kids...Mitch was 6 and Sydney was 3. I had my own business doing the flowers for weddings, which I did from home. Had my own floral cooler and everything. Probably did 4-8 a month. Crazy!!! Sydney was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease....and so was I not long after her. So..we began doing everything "gluten free" Mitch was in Kindergarten. Yikes... I feel soo old all of a sudden!!!

Things on my to-do list today:

1. Go to "Purse" onal enrichment. Mother and Daughter enrichment. Should be interesting!
2. Figure out what Laurie and I are going to do for supper at our Laurel camp out this weekend on Friday night. Fun fun! Any easy ideas???
3. Read another chapter of The BFG to Tyler....stand for the big friendly giant...very cute book
4. Finish reading about Edward....book three...I am dying to know what is going to happen!!!
5. Get some packages ready to mail...one to my Mom and one to my Bro in Korea. ARGH!


What would I do if I were suddenly made a billionaire: Pay off all my debt...and build a sweet house on our property!!! Pay off my parents bills and get them set up to retire. Pay off my inlaws Parma Company loan so they could retire!! Go and travel. Especially to Korea to visit my Brother and his family! Buy a NEW suburban...mine sucks!!! I am ready for a new one!


3 of my bad habits:

1. I love reading on the internet....blogs, newspapers and obituaries! Takes up alot of time!!! But it is fun!!!
2. I love chocolate and Diet Coke (caff free of course) for breakfast. It is such a bad habit!
3. I am very hard on myself. I cut other people lots of slack...but not myself!!!

3 places I have lived:

1. Cardston Alberta Canada
2. Rexburg, Idaho
3. Maple Valley Washington

5 jobs I have had:

1. Stall cleaner at a place called "Universal Semen Services" I will let you do the math!
2. Tour Guide at a place that housed restored carriages....horse drawn vehicles! Very cool!
3. worked for the Dean of Student Special Services at BSU...and my boss called me Damcanuk. He thought it was funny. So...that is where my email addy came from.
4. Worked in a ladies basement...kinda like a sweat shop...assembling floral arrangements that she sold as hers in a store in the Boise Town Square. When she could not pay me...I demanded she give me her scroll saw...which she did...and I quit!!!
5. Professional Decorator for a company in Utah...decorated Christmas Tree's professionally and for a lot of very prominent people in the church! Cool job! I also made A LOT of things that were used when Salt Lake city was making their bid for the Olympics...they liked my "rustic" style...and I spent a ton of time doing that. So...I like to give myself credit for Salt Lake City earning the Olympic Games!!!


5 things people don't know about me:

1. I only see out of one of my eyes!!!
2. I am adopted and found my birth mom in 1995.
3. I hardly smell anything cuz I broke my nose playing softball when I was 15
4. I still hold the record at my elementary school for the fastest rope climb
5. I know how to barrel race, team rope and break away rope!!!

I tag.....Laurie, JeNeale, and Kristy Grabo!!! So there!!!

Wow...I have some catching up to so!

I won't try and do it all in one post!


















First of all, our Nashville Concert was the bomb!!! Those guys really know how to put on a show! The music was AWESOME and the spirit was overflowing. We had about 650-700 there, I wish more would have come but I can't force people there I guess! Sigh..... It was so much fun being around those guys, they bring such a neat spirit with them and they LOVE what they do! Kinda fun to rub shoulders with people like that once in a while! It was a lot of work but well worth it!!! I know the people that attended LOVED it! And or lil singers rocked!!! Sydney and Becca sang a song in the concert called "Somewhere There's a Mountain" and they did soooo good! They had been prepared for about a month and their hard work paid off! They were well prepared and sounded so good! It was very fun to see them prepare for something big like this...and have it
turn out so wonderful! They LOVED it too!

Seems like we have so much going on lately, it will be good for things to slow down a bit! Mitch finished BB by losing their first game at the district tourney. They played really well but couldn't pull it off and were out! It was ok in the long run. Tyler just had his last BB game today so that frees up Tuesday and Thursday nights and Saturday mornings! Our YW Volleyball season if over too...the tourney was last Saturday! Ended a five week season....so that frees up more Saturday morning time! So....phew...all of a sudden it feels like I can breath again! But not for long I guess...track season just started on Friday and we are hot and heavy into the planning of Girls Camp!

Phew!!!

Wears me out even typing it!

Well, I am tired and ready for bed...so more catching up tomorrow!!!

Night all!

I'm soo excited...and I just can't hide it!!!

We are only 2 days away from our "Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers"....and I just can't wait. I have had this in the works since July of last year. The group is on their way to Ontario Oregan right now. Just heard from Tony and they are in Mountain Home. So....yahoo, they are close! They have a show in Ontario tonight then a Young Single Adult one at our Stake Center tomorrow and our Stake show on Friday. Things are working out pretty good. I just hope we fill the house. With our Snow Sunday...I was worried that we didn't advertise enough....we'll see. Should be fun either way!

Sydney and Becca are singing a song in the show on Friday, so that might be part of the reason I am so excited. They sound pretty good....and I know they will do an excellant job!

After the show on Friday, we are having a Priest/Laurel meet and greet with the group and that should be fun too. Hopefully they come out and support it like I think they
Better go and finish cleaning my house. ARGH! I hate cleaning!!!

Edited to add....just got home from setting up!!! We got 1000 chairs to fit in the Stake Center gym!!! Wahoo...now I just hope we fill them!!!

Glenn Beck on the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley

What an emotional Sunday....

Wow...what a day. We have had a roller coaster of a day....Randy got a new calling in the church today....he is the Stake Membership Clerk. He is pretty excited as he gets to work with the Stake Presidency as a member of their Presidency. I have been serving in the Stake as Young Women's President for a little over 4 years now and I LOVE how much I have learned and how much I have grown...and I am excited that he will now have the chance for that same growth!





Then tonight...we received the sad news that our beloved Prophet President Gordan B. Hinckley has passed away. He was 97 years old. He has lead the church in so many wonderful ways, it will be hard to imagine him not being there anymore. I was pretty saddened as were my kids. We all loved and looked up to him! I was about the same age that Mitch is now when President Spencer W. Kimball passed away and I still remember the details of his passing...and how it impacted me as a youth. I have encouraged my kids to write in their journals their feelings and testimonies about President Hinckley....hopefully it will be something they will always treasure! (Thanks again Laur for the call...I was so glad to hear from someone I know and love, and not from the news at 10. )





He was a GREAT man...and the world will miss him. As will I!!!

Gordon B. Hinckley 1910-2008

As I listened to these words from his last conference talk to the whole church this week, I felt his blessing and thought that if that was the last time he spoke, I would always feel that blessing! "I leave with you my testimony of the truth of these things, and I invoke the blessings of heaven upon you. May the windows of heaven be opened and blessings showered upon you as the Lord has promised. Never forget that this was His promise and that He has the power and the capacity to see that it is fulfilled. I so pray as I leave my blessing and love with you in the sacred name of our Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen."

Holy Moly

First off...it has been forever since I blogged! Sheesh, the holidays. They came and went so fast I can't believe it!



Second...can't believe it is 2008. I am still writing 2007 on my checks....hopefully soon I will catch on! Yikes!



We had a FAB Christmas and a very fun New Years! We went to Canada for Christmas and had way to much fun....ate way to much good food, and played way to much. It was hard to come home! We went up in the hills and got a real Christmas tree....was pretty fun...very cold so we were not that picky. Ended up being a really pretty tree!!! We took Randy's brother Jeff with us to Canada for Christmas. He just moved back to the big island from Hawaii and has been taking care of the folks place whilst they are on their mission. It was fun to have him along...I think he is sick of us for awhile! Poor guy!!!





We had a fun New Years party. I am still the Stake Young Women's President so my New Years was spent at the church preparing for and carrying out a two Stake Youth party, for kids age 12-18. It was a lot of work to get it ready. We did all kinds of fun stuff...had these huge inflatable toys, Sumo wrestling suits, lots of video games, had a DJ and karaoke, played Fear Factor....and had a TON of raffle stuff that we gave away all night long! The night was topped of by a balloon drop (that took about 5 hours to prepare....phew) and just after midnight we drew for the Ipod Nano. We had about 300 kids there and they had a blast!!!! It was very successful and my own kids had a very fun time!!!



Since then...just been busy with Mitch and basketball, Sydney and piano/voice lessons and Tyler and basketball. Phew. Being a Mom is a busy job!!! I have also been subbing at a couple different elementary schools to bring in some extra $$$. Fun fun!



Here's to a happy and healthy 2008 to all my blogging friends!!!!



Cheers!!!!