20 Energetic kiddos, Spongebob...and LOTS of FUN!

Dear Doggie,

You know , you've been a bad girl lately....

Not saying we don't love you. After the 9 or so years we've been together, we pretty much adore you.

Your Master, however is quite fed up with you.

I know you can't help yourself when there is food in the trash can and the kids always walk away with an entire plate of food just sitting there going to waste.

I know you can't help that your tummy hurts because you are old and you throw up everywhere in the house

(usually at the back door).

I know you can't help it that last week you wanted to go exploring and the police and a complete stranger had to bring you back...TWICE

Just try to be a good girl!

The sun is setting on your doggie years here. It broke my heart when you couldn't get up into bed with me last week. You bones ache. You still want to play ball all the time like before, but it's too hard for you.....

We will love you always, just get it together little missy!

Love,
Your Family

Rain, Rain,

Go Away,

Come again when it's Fall,

so we can run and jump and play and all....

I know I should be grateful for the moisture, but it is JUNE and it's been raining for weeks...and

I want to PLAY, PLAY, PLAY DARN IT!

BLISS

My best friend is in the hospital having her baby right now (her first girl I might proudly add)....
Her other children are here playing and I am pacing back and forth waiting for the BIG news.....Oh what JOY!

A new baby girl....I am a so happy and a little jealous. Brings back beautiful memories of Abby's arrival.
This photo is of a very LARGE Mindy, just two days before Abby surprised us!
Jus and I created this nursery together. It was to be a heaven in our home for the family we were making. We laid the wainscoting when I was 8 months pregnant with Isaac. In fact, we laid the wainscoting twice. First the wrong way, then we got it right. My sweetie surprised me and painted the walls one Saturday while I was at work, and then happily re-painted it again to the perfect Martha Stewart Buttercream Yellow (the first color was bumble bee yellow and far too bright for such a sunny room). What a happy color...I painted the bumble bees and then added the flowers when our little PINK arrived. I will miss this room and the BLISS that filled it forever. When we sold the house, I told the buyers I would be happy to paint over my own artwork. The lady begged me to keep it just as it was. And that is how it will forever stay in my heart and mind.

Away We Go....

I just can't wait to see this......

It's sure to be one of those movies that defines

this moment in my time!

I hope my honey will pop the popcorn and call the babysitter,

so we can...

GIGGLE, SNORT, & SOB

at this one!

And YES, I married that kind of guy...
My very own

MR. WONDERFUL

Frog Drama.....

Yes, as if a cat, dog, bunny and fish were not enough for the Hill household...

we now have added FROGS to our checklist.

Let's re-account the events that led up to the drama:

Thursday at 1347, Mrs. Hill calls Mr. Hill from Target to discuss birthday gifts for their middle child.

1400 Hours both agree on Lego set, Sponge Bob Connect Four and a Frog Habitat.

Saturday, 1330 Hill family goes to pet store to buy frogs for the birthday boy and his brother.

1406 Two fire belly tree frogs are decided upon and supplies picked out

1422 Mrs. Hill pays $11.00 for the two frogs while Mr. Hill takes children to car

1500 Habitat is prepared, frogs released and crickets fed to frogs

Sunday, 0900 hour...Isaac and Ethan Hill beg parents to hold frogs. Mr. & Mrs. Hill say yes, but

WARN BOYS TO BE GENTLE

0917 Mrs. Hill Advises children to put frogs away and proceeds to check email...

0923 Blood curdling scream is heard from upstairs and Mrs. Hill runs up to check on situation

Apparently at

0920 The Birthday boy had decided to stick his froggy in the GOO he had gotten at his birthday party

0925 Froggy pronounced DOA

0930-1100 hours Birthday boy cried his eyes out despite mother trying to make it better

1231 Mrs. Hill calls pet store and discovers they have a 14 day exchange policy on dead animals

Woo-Hoo!!!!!!

1311 Mom of the Year returns with new froggy and everyone is happy,

including our two new pets:

Dip & Dot

The boys named them by themselves....they said the frogs remind them of Mint Chip

Dippin' Dots!

How Do I Love Thee?

Let Me Count The Ways......

I love that you teach me every day who I need to become....more patient, kind and gentle....

I love that sweet shyness you have about you, and that I am the one who can make that shyness go away in an instant with my tickles and kisses!

I love that goofy toothless smile, brightens my day always .

I love that your "birth" story was one that daddy and I will NEVER forget, just as you do EVERYTHING....you did things YOUR WAY!

I love that you PLAY with your food!

I love how strong you are...your name means "Great Warrior", and you live up to that meaning. I'm glad to have you on my side.

I love that I can always depend on you to make me laugh after a hard day!


Happy 5th Birthday YOU!

1986, the year my mother had the courage to leave my father and give us a better life....

I held on to her tight today and said goodbye.
As I held her I really felt overwhelmed with the love I feel outpouring for her. I thought about the fact that the goodbyes never get easier. I thought about today that each goodbye we say is closer to the last. I think about these things a lot because of my work. I thought about how much I love her. I gave thanks in that little moment that I am opening up and learning to love who she is and throw away the other garbage. I have a secret pile of tissues laying here at my feet under my desk. I squeeze out a few tears in between people come in and out of the office. We never get too old to need to feel our mother’s warmth. I miss her. It's hard living so far away, but I know with my heart this is right where I am suppose to be. Seeing her love and joy cover the children makes my soul rejoice. I secretly hope someday I will have the honor and opportunity of caring for my aged parents. I wish I could ease my mother’s pain. I feel sad to know she is tormented so much by the past. I am grateful for the clarity that has come into my life. I am grateful to have the ability to begin to help some of those things heal for her. She makes me happy, and sad, and mixed up sort of. Understanding her can be difficult. Understanding and coming to terms with all of this helps me to be more prepared to give unconditionally of myself to all those around me.

I want her to know everything is okay.

I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE........

AFTER:

678 Temperatures Taken

1 Hospital Stay

1 Night in the ER

4 Times trying to convice the drs not to admit him AGAIN

12 pokes with unfriendly needles

1 PICC Line

2 Chest X-Rays

8 Antibiotics

10 Co-Pays

3 CT Scans

21 Mom's Famous Grape Juice/Sprite Spritzers

3 Runs to Jamba Juice

2 Gallons of Chicken Noodle Soup

Countless Prayers

And Lots of Love from mom & dad

(largely in the form of letting him sleep with us).....

Our little Isaac is doing so much better and almost back to his energetic, happy self!

Blood work all came back normal, which means...

No Apparent Immune Deficiency,

Just 3 months of unexplained sickness.

But HEY, WHATEVER we'll take it!

I went to Provo Bakery today and purchased a box of random goodness to take home tonight and share with my bounty and cuddle and CELEBRATE the night away!

Once Upon Ethan's Potty.....

His mommy and daddy were trying to teach this strapping nearly 5 year old two very important lessons about going number 2......

1. It is not necessary to be in the buff in order to go poo!

2. You ARE old enough to wipe your own bum!

The Mister and I have been on a

"Wiping Ethan's Bum Strike"

for weeks now. Doesn't seem to keep him from asking though.

Last week, we were enjoying a nice dinner with my parents on the back patio when he disappeared. He resurfaced much later in the buff.

He stood on the back porch, bent over, spread em' and asked, "if there was anymore poo in his bummy?"

I was so proud!

Last night before bed he was doing the usual, "mom...Mom...MOM...MOM"

scream and I just ignored (knew what he wanted). After it was quiet for a few minutes I went in to check out the situation. Apparently he has taken desperate wiping measures...

and has enlisted his 2 year old sister to do the job!

Only problem is, she uses only one square of tp at a time!

P.S. This is one of my favorite potty training books, maybe I need to resort back to reading this to him!

Hiking Arches National Park

Goblin Valley & Galaxy Quest

We had such a great time hiking in the valley of goblins this weekend. I added this picture of the movie Galaxy Quest because it is one that Justin worked on the movie set when we first started dating 11 years ago. There is a part of it that was filmed in the valley. It was fun to reminisce and think about him trying to describe this to me over the phone. Now I understand the giant red rocks scattered throughout out first home. The truth is, I have never seen anything like this place. The kids loved playing hide and seek and we even hiked to this really awesome cave. We went home and watched Galaxy Quest and had fun picking Justin out of the behind the scenes footage.

Here are some other films he has worked on:

Meet the Deedles

The Testaments

Host

Blues Traveler Video

Several episodes of "Touched by an Angel"

My Mother's Smile

My mother and I were shopping last night. It's probably our favorite thing to do together besides going to garage sales (which we did last Saturday) and is in itself a form of shopping. Last night, this sweet lady looked at us both and said, "You know, you both have the same smile". I immediately broke out in tears which then made my momma cry too. It was in that moment that I realized, despite some of our challenges....

All I am, is because of her!

It's now her favorite story to tell.

Smile on......

This is How We......

get a drink of water at our house.....Who needs a cup, anyway?

This works perfectly fine if you ask me.

This photograph is 100% authentic by the way. Our boys are serious about staying hydrated over the summer!

We Did It!!!

I work with the most fantastic people on earth, REALLY and TRUELY!

I am grateful.....

to work for a company whose core vales are aligned with who I am,

a company that values human relationships and the dignity of our elderly residents above all else.

I am grateful....

to be part of an organization who puts great value in my talents and takes the time to teach me and build my weaknesses into great opportunities of learning.

I am grateful....

to work for people who appreciate that I am a working mother and that the time I have with my children is precious.

I am proud....

to be an employee of Courtyard at Jamestown.

2009 Best of State Assisted Living.....

After 9 years, I am STILL IN LOVE with this place....Quite possibly the best senior living community in the world if you ask me!