All of My Love, All of My Kissin'

Sooo excited to address the pretty princess valentines for her preschool class. Good thing the only thing she had to write was "Fynnley" over and over and over...

And my two sons can thank their lucky stars they have an artistically creative big sis who can bail them out when they have to create original valentine's boxes to hold all the love notes they are sure to receive. I was blown away by my darling girl's creations. Aren't those two of the coolest, customized Valentine boxes ever made??

Behind the Clouds, the Sun is Shi-hi-i-nin'...

I'm keeping track on a calendar now. It's that bad. Since the on-set of fall, we have been sick. I don't mean just a cough here, a barf there...I mean SICK! Weeks and weeks of endless viruses, bacteria, drippy noses, goopy eyes, heaving tummies, spotty skin and pain-wracked chests...sheesh! It's been a doozie of a winter at the Kecko Compound. And with every new fever and ache, I tell myself, 'Oh, we can't possibly be getting something else!'; oh, but we can! And we do! And we are...
At this point, Connor has Fifths Disease, Fynn has RSV (with two bouts of pneumonia under her belt), Dane is hacking up a lung, I'm congested and the other two are valiantly trying to dodge the bullet for this week's circus. I'm starting to wonder if it isn't time to move to Arizona, or Vegas, or, heck, even St. George! A little vitamin D--that's all I ask for!

Girls Gettin' Down On The Farm

January offered two memorable things for me: a LOT of sickness (but I'll save that for another post) and hanging out with my besties for a girls' weekend!
It's always fun to pack up the pjs, leave the kids in Daddy's care and run out the door to an event that is sure to be full of giggles, sarcasm, chat-chat-chat and, yes, maybe even a tear or two. The Sassy Seven (yep, we coined a group label) gathered together for dinner at Noodles & Co. (which I was loving since I simply CRAVE the Pesto Cavatappi!! Yum-o!), headed over to the make-up counter at Nordies (where most of the ladies had a new face applied), then up the canyon to stay overnight at Jessica's parents' new, swanky barn in Heber. And when I say 'barn', I really mean: lap-o-luxury! Her parents have constructed a beautiful getaway that is perfect for accommodating a crowd. I loved every minute of being together with the ladies, oohing over Jessica's gift boxes full of sweet treats, snarfing down cupcakes and cookies galore, staying up chatting about REALLY important things until 3:30 a.m. (despite what Jessica says about my discussion of Farrah's beauty) and capping it off with a delicious crepe and cinnamon roll breakfast (thank you, Mary and Jess) and a trip to the Park City outlet stores. I love these ladies--they are brave, bold, steadfast, loving, hilarious and I am grateful to be one of them...

(L to R): Emily H., Emily W., Kristi, Me, Mary, Jessica (not pictured-Marisa, who was basking in the Florida sun...I tried not to hate her...;))

Getting all beautified at Nordie's makeup counter

She Said It...

Keckleyisms Update:
To my 7-year-old: "Think you'll ever fall in love someday?" With big eyes, he replies: "What if I already did??"
My 4-year-old: "Are you tired of cleaning the shower?" [Why yes...I am,] "Then you need the new Kaboom! It cleans the sink, the tub and the shower!"
Fynn: "Mom, can we buy a little horsey?" [No, not today.] "But  what if there's a sale on them today? Then can we??" [Ah, I've trained her well...]
Meltdown of my 7th-grader yesterday when her PowerPoint wouldn't copy to her flash drive at the school computer lab...wow...my biggest educational crisis at that age was the rubber cement drying up!
My son said he's wearing a "vintage shirt" with pictures of cassette tapes all over it...what does that make me??
Fynn: "Mommy, all I want for Christmas is Shamu in his tank!" (Hmm...wonder what her dad will say about that!)
Son just walked in from school declaring: "I'm going to my room!" [Why?] "I left my homework at school again today!" [Self-disciplining children...I like it!]
Dane to Natasha: "Tash, teenagers are beautiful, too! Just look at Mom!" [Awww...I knew I loved that kid for a reason!]
Fynn: "Does Grandma Geri love vanilla, too?" [Um, she's dead, honey.] "STILL??"...[I'm sure Grandma's up there chuckling a little...]
Fynn: "I swear, I had better find that doll..." [lol, more and more a mini-me with each passing day...]
Connor: "Hey, Mom, when I burp with my mouth closed, it's like a bomb going off inside except you can't really hear it!" [Ah...such elevated dinner convo at our house...]
Kids keep searching through my hair to find the "eyes" in the back of my head'! [Ha!]
Hubs quote: "Son, we know you're going to grow up to be a good missionary and a good man...but we need you to start obeying 'cause it's gonna be really hard to go on a mission with my foot stuck up your behind..!"
My son's poem gift to me [on Mother's Day] with accompanying "MOM" card decorated to look like the devil..., no, seriously...: "Mother, you are awesome. You sometimes make me tasty cookies. You never think I'm a rookie. Glad you're not a possum." [Now, THAT is a gift to touch a mommy's heart!]
Fynn: "Mommy, will you buy me some pink scriptures?"
Dane: "Mom, why don't you roll your window down?" [I don't want to mess up my hair.] "Why? It already looks crazy to me!"
Dane [while staring at his dinner]" Is this burned caramel popcorn??" [Uh, no...that'd be General Tsao's chicken!]