Mother's (Grandma's) Day Project

May 8, 2012

Mother's Day project for the Grandma's!

Thank you Pinterest!

Abby was behind the camera a few times. Stockton has a juice mustache. And I'm  a tired cheeser!

On a few of them I cut out pictures of Abby and Stockton and put them in their hand. Did not get a picture, but very cute!

All Set!

May 7, 2012

Abby was home from school and Stockton was happy!

They decided to have a movie party downstairs.

They asked their awesome mom for some popcorn!

I went downstairs to check on them, and they were ALL SET!

blankets....check

pillows....check

water....check

popcorn....check

remote....check

HAPPY KIDS.....CHECK!

Spring Mini Cheer & Tumble

May 2, 2012

Abby has been in mini cheer and tumble class the past 4 months. We took the Fall session off so I could take piano lessons, so Abby was very excited to get back into it! This is her 3rd season of mini cheer and tumble, and continues to enjoy it and get better! This day she had pictures, so we took a few before we went! Lucky for me I can take a zillion pictures of her before we go to the actual pictures and know that she will still be up for more...now if this was family pictures it would be a whole different story...!

And yes the bow is BIG, I guess that is the cheerleading way...... we tried many poses to make the bow not look so big.....

My favorite!

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Lets Go Cats!

We Voted

We consider ourselves a politically active family - THEREFORE-yesterday, May 15 2012, Stockton and I headed to the polls and casted our votes! 

Relay For Life

This year I am participating in Relay For Life. Most of the team is made up of some great ladies from our ward.   This will be my first time participating, and I am very excited! Cancer is such an powerful disease that affects everyone in some way. If you would like to learn more about Relay For Life visit www.relayforlife.org 

As a team we are raising money for the American Cancer Society, which is a lot of what Relay For Life is about. This Saturday we are having a yard sale fundraiser. So if you live in Pocatello stop by! We will be in the parking lot of Gary's Bernina on Yellowstone Avenue. We are also raising money as individuals. If you would like to donate let me know. Just leave me a comment! Thanks!

My Rollerblader...

This picture was taken on April 28! As of lately our life has been filled with lots of rollerblading!

I mentioned previously about my fiscal fast I went on for one week. It was a challenge/deal from Aaron and with Aaron. I really wanted to get Abby rollerblades. I like to challenge Abby with new things, especially athletically. She has so much energy and personality and if I challenge her and channel in all that spunk....she learns and grows more. Every night when I tuck Abby in bed I say to her "Dream big kid" (I also say it to Stockton now, he likes to be like Abby!) and our favorite book is Dream Big Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi. So how does rollerblades and a fiscal fast go together???? Aaron and I usually don't just go by our kids new big things for fun.....rollerblades and the gear being the big thing... we wait for a birthday or a holiday. But Abby's birthday is at the end of the summer, so what good would it be to get rollerblades then??!! So I said to Aaron if you let me get Abby rollerblades and all the gear I will go on a weekly fiscal fast. He agreed... I also threw in that I would have Abby rollerblading by the end of the week....it actually only took her a couple days to get it... AND I had a coupon and all the stuff was on sale so i was smiling (Aaron too)! 

So it was a fun week. I loved watching Abby accomplish rollerblading and not spending money for a whole week was fun! 

They are back!

April 29, 2012

They are back! 

Grandma and Grandpa Allen are back in town. 

They winter in St. George and summer in Pocatello! 

We all are excited, especially Abby and Stockton. 

They love their Grandma and Grandpa Great Allen! 

To the dentist we go!

April 18, 2012

To the dentist we went for Ms. Abigail! 6 months ago we had rough stop at the dentist....like a couple tiny cavities and a baby root canal! I mean we brush and floss! I left feeling like a horrible mom, but they took great care of her and Abby was not traumatized at all! In fact if I remember right she got a cavity filled then headed straight to preschool numb and all! So after that 6 month ago visit we went and bought an electric toothbrush and recommitted ourselves to taking care of Abby's teeth! And I'm happy to report that Abby's teeth looked perfect with no cavities! The dental assistants and dentist absolutely love Abby as their patient. She cooperates, talks their ear off, and is just lovely in that chair! 

Stockton and I hung out with Abby while she was getting her checkup and cleaning. I thought it would be good for him seems that he will have his first official dental visit next month. I just love Dr. Eron Evans (my plug) and his staff, and after Abby was done they had Stockton get in the chair and they went up and down with it, they gave him the take home sack and let him pick his toothbrush, paste, and chapstick. And then they both visited the treasure box. When I was a kid I did not like the dentist at all! I know times have changed and technology is better, but I do hope that my kids won't completely dislike the dentist! I will do my best to make that happen!

The Garden....!

Now to the GARDEN post. ( I will try to leave out language that could be offensive.... ! )

Last year we decided to get our always talked (me dreamed) about garden going, and make it a reality. In the back corner of our yard we have a perfect, little spot. First we had to get rid of the sod. So the shovel is sought and Farmer Aaron goes to make his first slice into the grass and just like that he hits a cement wall.... yep, the sod had been laid over CEMENT! So after much heartache and anger from me......this garden just got a lot more complicated with a lot more work! Second, we pressed forward with faith a little anger but more diligence, and we removed all the grass unveiling not lovely garden dirt but a nice cement pad to park the small RV we don't have! Third we drove done to Action Rental and rented us a jack hammer....yes a jack hammer for my vegetable garden. And Farmer Aaron got his first experience of running this intense piece of machinery.....that shakes profusely! Fourth, this was the longest, exhausting, most annoying part....breaking apart all the cement/rock, lifting all the cement, removing all the cement, stacking all the cement....you get the picture! Not to get a head, but all this cement produced zillions of rocks. Which is why we still have Abby out picking rocks out of the garden. Fifth, we then had to get rid of all this cement/rock. So on garbage night we would top off our garbage can. The neighbors were even nice enough to let us top off their cans! We were over our heads in rock and crap from the garden so we also filled up the back of a truck and hauled it to the dump....over 1 ton of rock etc.!!!!!  By the time all this work was accomplished Farmer Aaron and his wife had missed planting season.... no crops for a season. 

During the fall we did get this Garden ready for the next season by distributing our raked up leaves into garden, hoping to bring fertilization and nutrition to the rocky dirt!

Now we are in 2012, and our garden is on its way to being great! We have added soil, rototilled it with Farmer Aaron's shovel, and it is looking much better. Oh the difference a year makes! I lost track of all the steps it took to get us this far..... we claim our garden story would make a great talk in church....I'm sure it covers many principles..... 

Here are just a few pictures taken in May and June 2011.....doesn't quite give the whole experience justice, but does give an idea.

How the garden is looking now - June 2012

What a sigh of relief..... 

Together!

April 22, 2012

And the TOGETHER photo session!