Ok, so now we're chronicling the last five months. Here are the kids at the Easter Egg hunt. Yay! Landin, Aubrey, Mickenna, Kourtlan, Kallum, Blake, and Carter. Blake looks so short and I tried to get everybody looking at me, but you know, It's a miracle in itself that they all stood together for a specific amount of time.

Yay soccer! This is from last spring but the fall season has started up so we're into it again. Aubrey scored a couple goals last season. But this year the 4th and 5th graders play together and she complains about the monstrous 5th graders that push her around.

Last spring Carter was in the li'l cubs league and it was hilarious. this year they know what they're doing a little better. I highly recommend going to the games in the fall, it's much warmer.

Sometimes I wonder about my boys. They love to brush Aubrey's hair. Oh well, it's funny isn't it?

Aubrey walking off her mile run at the school last May. She's got her dad's complexion.

Carter and Blake were admiring Aubrey's hair bows at her last birthday party. I told you, sometimes I wonder.

Aubrey's lovely birthday cakes. Jenny's so good to make the kids the cake they want for their birthday.
Aubrey with the mini color guard in the parade in Bear River City. Good times.

We went camping with Doug and my mom, Amber, Jeremy, Austin, Jared and Sarah. It was a lot of fun. I had to get a picture of the Camp Cooker Man.

Yep. I forgot to take my camera when we went bowling. Oh well, it was a good time! Last week we celebrated Blake's birthday. He's my baby and he's three now. It makes me sad! Where has the time gone?


I know this picture is blurry but what a spoiled kid. I feel like Jason and I almost don't have to get him anything because he gets so much stuff from everyone else. He had to put those pajamas on the moment he got them.

And of course Blake had to have a Buzz Lightyear cake...he's still talking about it.


And now the most terrifying moment of my whole week--I didn't have to work on Tuesday and Jason was home too, well we don't get too many days when we are together the whole day so I talked him into painting our bedroom. There are other places that needed it worse but he was taking the bed apart to fix it anyway. So I said, "why not paint in here while we're at it?" So we went to the hardware store and got the paint and all the necessary tools. We got home, started taping everything, then Blake comes in and says "I spilled the water". So Jason went to go see what he was talking about. The whole gallon of paint had been knocked over on our living room carpet. Apparently the lid wasn't on tight and I'm pretty sure it was an accident. When I saw that puddle of paint, my heart sank. It took the shopvac, the carpet cleaner, a lot of water, and a lot of time but we managed to save the carpet. It was a miracle!

So, on Tuesdays I clean for this lady in Hyde Park but she's in Hawaii for 2 weeks, so I'm feeling like I have loads of time all of a sudden. It's amazing and weird. So here's our life lately: We have a brand new niece and she is darling. Her name is Brooklyn Ruth Hunsaker and she is a doll. I'm stupid and only know how to work with pictures from my camera. I don't have any pictures of Brooklyn on my camera. So there you go, chalk it up to laziness. But that's exciting!

This weekend Jason is going with the scouts to the Klondike Derby. Camping out in February? Not my cup of tea, thank you. Also this weekend is bowling with my family. We'll see if I can beat my sisters to posting some hilarious pics of my brother-in-law hurling the bowling ball down the lane in a haphazardly fashion. (sorry, Jeremy) But it's not likely.

Also exciting is that I am posting some pictures of my kids (who else?) Something I have been meaning to do for a long time.

Aaww! Cute right? Well, I think so. We had some obstacles to overcome. i.e. Blake had his Batman mask and Carter had his "sword". Aubrey was good. (she better be, she's 8) But Amy did a great job with what she had to work with. It was fun.

Well hi everyone! Today has been one of those amazing days where I'm almost caught up on everything. I don't know how it has happened but here I am. I've decided to post again. I can't believe how quickly time has passed, here we are half-way through November and I'm still stuck in August I think.

Here are some pictures from Aubrey's baptism. Doesn't it look so warm outside?



Here are the kids riding the ponies at Thanksgiving Point. They loved it there. I think this was in August. We'll just go month by month.






September was the Mendelkow family reunion...not exactly the highlight of my month but I think it's the only time I took any pictures.

Aubrey on the giant slide...she must have gone down a hundred times.

October is corn maze and trick or treating time... I'm really starting to hate those corn mazes.







This month Amy Jeppsen took the kids' pictures. They are adorable! She did such a good job and she was amazingly patient with my kids. Anywho, Blake broke our disc drive, so I'm gonna have to use someone's computer before I can post them. Well, there you have it. Our life in a nutshell. Have a good one everybody!

ferclemped

So do you guys remember that old SNL sketch that Mike Myers always did about that coffee talk lady? She had big dark glasses and an accent (from Brooklyn or New Jersey or someplace) She was always getting choked up or ferclemped, as she put it. That's me lately. I'm always getting ferclemped. My baby is getting baptized tomorrow and I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the last eight years or ten years for that matter. From the minute she was born I was amazed at the love I already felt for her. It was a such a strong feeling from the moment I saw her and I know Jason felt the same way. She is such a good girl and is always helping with her brothers. we are so proud of her.

We love our boys so much. We waited so long for Carter and we are so glad we have him. Carter has a...well, a unique personality. One minute he is sweet as can be and the next minute he's Spiderman off to fight the bad guys. I'm always anxious to hear what he will say next.

Blake. We may have had to wait for Carter, but we weren't so sure we would get to keep Blake. I know I passed corny a long time ago, but when you see that boy smile you can't keep from smiling too. His resilience amazes me. If you're not crying by now there is something wrong with you. I can't even see the keys anymore.

And last but not least-the griling guru. Well, we've already mentioned how emotional I can be. And along with all these emotions comes a temper. But Jason puts up with me. I'm usually mad because he's not spending enough time with me. But even when I'm mad I feel guilty, because he is so good to me. I'm a pretty lucky gal.

I know this post has been a bit gushy. But I had to get it out and I had to let these four people know how much they mean to me. I Love you guys.

Whoa. I haven't posted since February? How did this happen? I can't believe it. Oh well. Sooo.... well, school is out. I guess that's alright. I can send Aubrey chasing after the boys every time they take off. So that's a positive. Ask me again in a month.

But hey! Here are some Easter pics! Yea! procrastination! Carter found the golden egg (five bucks!) Doesn't he look thrilled? Aaww. Jason (my 4th child, got to get a picture of each of the kids on Easter)

Aubrey at Grandma and Grandpa's after the Easter egg hunt.


This wasn't on Easter but I thought it was cute. Hugging his little teddy bear.

Blake's last cardiology check-up was in May. We had to high tail it to Salt Lake at 7:00 in the morning for his echocardiogram which he had to be sedated for. That means no food or water for several hours--JOY! We get there and I mention he has a little cough--well that means no sedation and no echo. Just an EKG and a check-up from the cardiologist. oh and a holter monitor he has to wear for 24 hours, let me tell you how much 2-year-olds love those! But the dr. called us a few weeks ago and said every thing looks good which is amazing. Let me give you a little background, in case you don't know what a holter monitor is. It's like an EKG with all the leads on your chest only it records everything your heart does for 24 hours. It's amazing that everything looks good because I had to re-stick those little leads a few times. I thought for sure we were going to get a phone call about some crazy rhythms or something. So we're done at the hospital, and we decide to go on over to IKEA. Half of our time spent there was us just trying to leave but we kept stopping to look at stuff. The kids were driving us crazy and I kept thinking we should take them to the child care area. But then we would say "no, we're leaving. Let's just go" The place is diabolical , I tell you. I think we've all been there. So we finally make it out of the labyrinth that is IKEA. and head for home. Then there was the wedding reception in Weston. Pheww! I'm tired just thinking about it. Anyways, that was a few weeks ago. Kinda glad that day is over.

Blake always has to have a truck with him on his high chair tray.

Let's see,there was Blakey's birthday and Aubrey's soccer and Carter's surliness. Jason has got himself a new hobby (when he gets the time). he built a bbq smoker with a guy he works with and we have been having some sort of smoked meat at least twice a week. At least! Ribs, chicken, pulled pork. He's been going crazy. Anywho, he is competing this Saturday at Cabela's so we'll see how it goes. He enjoys it so I guess that's all that matters.

Oh hey, we got a dog. She's a Jack Russell Terrier. Her owner died so we took her in. She's really well behaved and well trained. Only problem is she is 10 years old and wasn't around kids much before. Between my own kids and my nieces and nephews there are a lot of kids around here. She gives Blake the most grief and I think that is because he's small and she thinks he's competition. I'll take a picture of her when my memory card is in my camera and I don't have to go upstairs. The short of it is...I'm just too lazy right now.

Okay, so I will be the first to admit that I don't always handle the stress of being a parent as well as I should. But there are oh so many times when I think "these kids are the BEST! why am I always freaking out?"

Blake as Batman. Aren't his little bottom teeth the cutest? There is also legend of a Batman-Dog but he is very elusive and it's difficult to get his picture. I will keep trying though. Superheroes are big at our house.

Carter is always cracking us up. Last night I made pizza for dinner. When I got yeast out of the fridge for the dough, I knocked a can of biscuits on the floor and they popped open. So I thought to myself "the kids can make little pizzas out of these and they'll love putting on their own toppings". Well, long story short, Carter ate like three of them and Blake didn't eat any of his. But I left them on the table because I knew he would want them later. So Carter comes up to me with Blake's plate and says, "Mom, I'm going to eat these little fellas." How funny is that? About an hour later Carter also used one of Jason's favorite nicknames for his boys on his father. I can't say what it was on the internet where anyone can read but let me assure you, it was hilarious.

Blake has been a lot of fun too. He likes to stand by the wall and say 1-2-3 GO!!! and he runs the length of the living room. It also works for jumping off the couch. The energy that child has! Our family members get a kick out of watching him Flintstone it on his little Clifford bike and then power slide around the corner. That boy is going to be trouble in 10 or 12 years.

Aubrey is doing well. 2nd grade is always so dramatic but there are only a few more months. Hopefully we will survive. I am always amazed at how smart she is, I think she surprises herself sometimes. Oh, and I signed her up for soccer again. But I didn't tell her, because I don't know how she will react. Sometimes she wants to play and sometimes she doesn't. I don't know what kind of mood she is going to be in, so I have kept my mouth shut. anywho, that's about it for now. I don't really have any new pictures other than Batman because I need to buy new rechargeable batteries. Our old ones have taken a crap. ttfn.