While Mom is Away, the Boys Will PLAY!!!

These pictures don't even BEGIN to cover the fun and craziness that happened while it was just Dad and the boys.

I know for a fact that there were nights that they stayed up until 4 am playing video games, and went for days only eating sugary foods and garbage.

Here are a few pictures of the party time:

Crazy Donut Eyes

Who is that guy??

I'm sure they were dressed up like this 80% of the time.

Yes, that is lipstick around Kelly's eyes.

There were a few moments to kick back and read a good book.

One of the most important and exciting things that happened is that the boys beds were converted into the bunkbeds they were meant to be.

**No Broken Bones as of YET!

They ate out several times, but Dad did break it up with a little cooking.

THE FAVORITE.....Shrimp Pasta

**Someone asked me how Kelly did while I was away. The truth is that they have a GREAT time. The boys didn't even want me to come home, they were sad that Dad had to go back to work. No doubt, Kelly would love to be a stay at home dad. Unfortunately, it would cut our income down to 1/4th of what it currently is. Besides that, kids definitely need their momma's around during the formative years. (Atleast that's how I feel.) I'm glad my husband affords me the opportunity to do that.

So, until next year....they're stuck with ME :) (and that's not so bad!)

Girls Week 2010

Finally I am posting pictures of my "Girls Weekend" with my Aunts in Reno (Verdi), Nevada!

ON my first night there, we went and did a sealing session at the Reno temple. It was a nice temple and really looks quite similar to the Anchorage temple on the inside. The sealer was funny, yet spiritual and it was really a great experience.

Becky and Tammy

Valerie and Tammy

Sisters, Becky and Valerie

The next morning we went to The Spa Toscana.

LOVE!!!
This place was awesome and I felt so pampered and relaxed. It was so great, I will definitely go back.

The spa had the most beautiful painting throughout.
We however, wore no make-up so we aren't so beautiful!!

I called this the fountain of youth. It was gorgeous and warm. We didn't get in it, but did dip our toes and thought we should do some funny pictures beside it.
We all have swimsuits on underneath these plush robes, so we aren't really as naughty as we look :)

Becky was most definitely comfortable keeping herself covered.

This is the secret garden where you can sit and listen to the music, the water, and just rest.

I wanted to go to sleep! Off to the side of the secret garden there were tables overlooking the courtyard. That is where we ordered room service and had a very tasty lunch.

Another beautiful painting

After having 90 minute massages, and pedicures to die for (I fell asleep in my chair), we went in the steam room and the sauna. Then we got in the hot tub, but to cool ourselves down we put ice water wash cloths on our heads. WE looked silly, but felt great!

The gals who worked at the spa told us that we needed to get into the cold bath at the end of our experience to "seal" in all of the moisturizers. So, in we went one at at time.

BRRRRR!!!!

"Oh my goodness!"

"Eeeek!"

After all 7 hours of being at the spa, it was time to shower, and primp and we each had our own little station to get ourselves ready.

The next morning we sat in the hot tub and relaxed some more.

REALLY?!? Like we weren't relaxed enough??

After a nice slow morning, we did some shopping. I found a nice bedding set for my bedroom.

So, after calling Kelly I mad the purchase.

Sunday we went to church, except Becky who was sick, and then came home and sat around. Then we had a "Favorite Things Party". We each had questionairres asking some of our favorite things and then we had to guess who was whose.

We also exchanged a few of our favorite things with eachother. So, we each got to open two gifts of the other two people's favorite things. Here Valerie is modeling some fuzzy socks.

Becky went above and beyond and bought each of us a pair of gold hoop earrings. These are special to each of us, because this is the style that my mom wore most frequently. In fact these earrrings are identical to the ones she wore, so that was a fun treat.

We each took turns cooking and sharing some of our favorite recipes with eachother. It was fun to cook together and learn new things. Valerie is always so creative with her "tablescapes" and always goes the extra mile to make things special.

Pictured below is a simple, yet yummy salad. It is spinach leaves, fresh berries and pineapple, spritzed with a balsamic vinegarette.

One night we stayed up till 3:30 or 4 making aprons. I went to bed before my two crazy aunts because I was worried I was going to say things I shouldn't :)

(It is not life threatening as to where a pocket goes, or what color of rick rack is on the top!)

Valerie surprised us all with matching jammies, so here we are modeling them.

I love these girls, they have always meant so much to me and I have so many memories with them. I am blessed to have them as my Aunts for so many reasons.

See you next year!!!

**The funniest thing we did was go bra shopping!!! All I can say is that I won the prize for wearing the correct size bra to begin with. :)

Top O' the Mornin' to Ya!

The Leprechauns came to visit us in the night! We made a magic treasure box and left it out on the couch hoping they would come. Sure enough, they did!

They left a magical trail of shamrock greens to lead us to where they hid our treasures.

We followed the trail.....

We found our box in the bathtub full of treasure!

Each of the boys got a green shirt, a green apple, green Wrigley's spearmint gum, and some sour cream and onion chips.

On the kitchen table they left us some Lucky Charms, which we NEVER get to eat.

(although Hunter said he had them once at a hotel)

Later on in the day we played "Color the Shamrock"

You had to roll the dice to see which number you could color in next. It was pretty fun.

Chance really like to roll the dice and make it roll onto the floor. It made a pretty fun sound.

We will do a little more celebrating tonight. We are going to have spaghetti with green beans and a green salad, and green mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert, and we are going to eat this green dinner on a green tablecloth, and green plates.

I am flying out of town for a week, so I will post the end of our St. Patrick's Day pictures when I get back.

This, That, and The Other

I just had to share a few funny things that go on in our lives.

These kids make me laugh!

Hunter has become a bit of an entreprenuer. He has this lovely collection of rocks that he has collected over the last year or so. Recently he has come up with the idea of selling them to become rich enough to buy his own toys. Originally he thought he could sell them for $90 each, but we talked him into just selling them for a quarter. However, when he went sell a rock to the neighbor, he bumped the price up to $6. She was able to negotiate him back down to $1. So here he is with his first dollar he's made from selling his goods. Watch out because he might try to sell to you next.

Laundry Day

Sometimes I do laundry all in one day. Sometimes it is once a week, and sometimes it is everyother week. This picture happens to be taken on an "every other week". I don't know how you do it at your house, but at ours we collect all the socks from each batch of clothes in a basket. After all the loads of laundry are done and put away, we have a sock matching party! Fun huh?!?

I just can never believe how many socks there are!

Hunter made a mountain in the basket of socks. He was working hard so they wouldn't fall over.

There is our lovely "sock mountain". Believe it or not, we very rarely have strays when we do our socks this way.


Funny Guy!
So, I got lunch on the table one afternoon and Hunter put the silverware on for me. I left the room to go help Chance and when I came back, Hunter was holding his fork and spoon like this and said, "Look Mom, it's a SPORK"
:)

This poor guy, just can't seem to stop getting hurt. This newest ouch is from a fall down stairs in a home that is currently being built. We can't be sure exactly how it happened, but Hunter said Chance fell down 10 stairs. We are probably lucky he didn't poke his eye, or break a bone. We think he might have a little scar though.

Pretty impressive

"Mom, don't wash me! I am a bad guy...grrrrrr!

While I was sewing, someone was disguising himself as a bad guy.

This is what he came up with. Of course, I washed it off, but washable markers don't really wash all the way off the first time. (I've learned it takes 3 times usually!)

Watch out! This guy will give you a run for your money if you mess with him.

Arctic Man and the trapline..........

My boys and our "Trapline"!

I had a ton of fun running a trapline of sorts out in Bethel. Unfortunately, we had to sell our snowmachine when we moved to Fairbanks. We plan on getting another in a year or two after we get into a new home here. In the meantime, we decided it was time to get a trapline going around our home. What is it that we trap you ask?????? PESKY VOLES!!!! We set up about 10 traps and after they had robbed our bait....them voles is smart! We altered our tactics and Dad pulled some tricks out of his sleeve and Voila.......SUCCESS.

Chancey and the 3 Voles getting some personal time..................

Hunter and the 3 voles..........note what Hunter calls the "DADDY VOLE" in his left hand.
Nice work Huntoo!

ME and my BOYS!!!

This is what it is all about.

Hunter and I had been planning a night out in the cabin during the winter. We waited until we got a stretch of good weather......a balmy 2 degrees above zero. Shorts and sandal weather I have always said.

Arctic Man....you got nothin on me and Huntoo!

Chance was gonna sleep out with us, but when he saw how cold it was outside he decided he would "stay inside and protect Momma". Way to take one for the team Chance. I got Hunter situated in his -20 bag with some toe warmers and some blankets. Other than an icy face and frost all over the inside of the cabin we slept snug as a bug.

Some Things Never Change

I can hardly be upset about something like this.....

or this.
When I did something like this......

(Gina, Rosy, and Me, circa 1984 in our downstairs unfinished basement Denver, CO)

and this

(Ben and Me probably '84 also)

Some Things Never Change!