Whirlwind

Hmmm.....looks like I never got around to finish my "grateful for's"
This poor blog, it's been horribly neglected. I'd like to say I promise to do better, but I don't know if I can make good on that promise. I'll try though.
In my defense, it hasn't been out of sheer laziness that our little blogs gone down the toilet, just partly. We've been pretty busy and having lots of fun.

Here's a bit of what we've been up to while not blogging:

Taking pretty cute pictures like the one seen above. I know, cute right?

Thanksgivings- 2 of them. Actual Thanksgiving was the smallest Thanksgiving my family has ever had. It ended up being just our family, but we were still pushing 40 people, so even then it's not "small" but compared to the 100 we're used to, it was.
Both Thanksgivings were at our house, both filled with amazing, delicious calorie laden food and good memories. The weather could not have been more perfect for actual Thanksgiving and we got to spend the entire day outside.

Cruising: Benton and I left the kids in Grandma's care and jetted off with the Hatch's for a week long vacation cruising the Caribbean. It was Ah-Mazing! Absolute Paradise and a much, much needed break. So nice to spend time with "just us". I could say we missed our kids, but we were having too much fun not parenting. We were however very excited to see them when we got back. They didn't share the same enthusiasm, pretty sure they were punishing me for abandoning them. Really, Crew would have nothing to do with me at first. Nothing. But, I eventually won him over. I'd do that vacation all over again, just not in the middle of December. I think we were crazy to do that. **Pictures of Cruise to follow- I hope**

Christmas prep- yeah....this time of year is insane. I should be cleaning like a mad woman right this moment, but I'm putting it off for a few minutes to make my blog feel a little better about itself.

A few random highlights:
Macey thinks and refers to me as "Tangled"- may have something to do with my hair

Crew and Macey wear the same shoe size now. And could pretty much be sharing clothes.

Crew thinks every body part is located at his belly button. He is also saying a couple words now: Nana banana) dada, momma, more, night-night
Crew also, finally, enjoys reading books now.

Macey went to a wedding reception and would not leave the "princess's" side. Pretty it was the most magical time of her life thus far. Princess Elyse was so sweet and held Macey while still in line and danced with her all night. ADORABLE.

I'm "this" close to registering for the London's Run 1/2 marathon. It's in a month. I've hardly run in the last few months and it's so flipping cold I don't want to run outside. We'll see what happens.

Well, Merry Christmas Eve Eve to all!!

Thankful Day-3

Today I am thankful for swings.

And the endless joy they bring to my kids.

And to have a the best swing set in my own backyard.

Thankful Day-2

Today I'm grateful for my sweat shorts. I've lived this these babies for the last 2 days. I probably ate too much junk this weekend and Halloween...though I don't know why, it's not like there was candy everywhere I looked. I've felt awfully fat and gross and these just call my name. So very comfy. Attractive? Not in the slightest, especially not the green ones I'm sporting at this very moment. They've been loved and are beyond worn out. I'm actually embarrassed to be seen in them, but they take my mind off my bloatedness, and for that, I am thankful.

Thankful

Today I am thankful for this lady

Also known as Mom. She is unstoppable! The best example of love and service I've ever known. She never stops doing good and is such a hard worker. I look pretty pathetic standing next to her. She knows how to have fun and really, cannot help herself from helping everyone and anyone.

If it weren't for her, my little family would probably be living on the streets. She's the best "land lady" you could ask for and has put up living with us for 3+ years. I am so grateful to have my kids be so close to her. She is the best grandma, my kids adore her.

So today, Mom, I am grateful for you!

A Princess Party

Macey had a Princess party for her birthday this year. Can I just say I had SO MUCH FUN planning and putting this party together. I'm pretty sure she and her guests had a good time too. I got some fun ideas from pinterest (love!) and others from friends, family and myself. I came together pretty well. Lots of pink and purple and sparkly everywhere!! I even got my craft on and made tiaras and princess wands for party favors.
Ok, I've tried like 5 times to upload more pictures to this post, but it errors out every time. So I'm just gonna wrap this up, especially since I started this like 2 weeks ago. Sorry, Macey.

But, really, the party was perfect! All the little princesses had a ball-( ball, get it?), dressing up in princess dresses, eating tea party and finger foods, dancing, playing musical pillows, and eating princess cake. It was adorable to see it all. The little princes got shields and swords specially made by King Benton. It was all very royal. I kinda wish I would've had Benton and I dress up like a King and Queen, how fun would that have been?

Thank you, everyone for coming and showing Macey and us some love. She LOOOOOVEEEED IT!!!

The Cake. I thought I did a pretty darn good job, if I say so myself. It was adorable!

Cousins Annabelle and Addy above. Macey and Brie below doing their usual sing/dance/be really loud on the living room table. We have video. It's pretty entertaining, these 2 girls are hilarious together!

THE Princess. Wearing the beloved Belle dress (she and Jane are at constant war over this dress) We know what Santa is bring her this Christmas. She also wanted her hair to be "long" so she wouldn't let me or a comb near it.

Pooped after the party, or maybe from trying on dozens of dresses

Sweet Crew capitalizing on the left over fruit. Smart boy.

Success! and then not so much

Tonight marks the third night Macey has gone to bed without her happy!!! She didn't even ask for it tonight. After she did fine without it the first night, I never took the thing out of time out. I don't know how she even kept that thing in her mouth, it had been cut down to almost nothing.
But boy oh boy she sucked the thing to death. Second night was better than the first, and tonight, not even a mention!! Ahhhhh!!!! Sooooo glad to be done with that! Next project: Potty Training. If only that could go just as smoothly. Here's hoping.

This is a big month around here. Benton and I will celebrate our 5 year anniversary, and 2 days before that, Benton will officially be done with school!!!! Let me say that again. Benton will officially be done with school!!!! Done. Done, done done! I'm not excited at all. Neither is he.
So, too celebrate, we thought we'd take a little trip. We've booked a cruise to the Caribbean! So, so excited!! Can't wait, really. There's just one thing that is looming over my head. I have to wear one of these:


In roughly 2 months. I'd sure like to tone up a bit. Lose a couple pounds. Not a lot, just like 4 or 5. Trouble is, I was in a pretty darn good exercise routine up till around July. Then I went out of town for 2+ weeks and pretty much didn't do anything to keep up the habit. Then I came back home to the hottest August on record, and getting up at 5:30 am to run in 85 degrees was less than appealing. In short, my good habit was gone. It's finally cooling off and I'm starting to get back out there running again, but it's like pulling teeth getting my fatty rear-end out the door.
Then there's my eating. Is there a harder time to diet than fall? This is when all the best food comes out and I Looooove to make it all and love eating it equally as much. I can usually wrap my mind around eating well, steering clear of sugar, white flour and other such evils, it's not coming so easily this time. With my luck, I'll probably put on a few pounds before we disembark.
How do you motivate yourself? Especially during the season of the best food ever? Help, please.

I'm done being a mom today

Soooo done. It's been one of those days. The type where you feel like an awful, grouchy person because you've put so much energy into getting after your little angels all day. Though, I wouldn't exactly call them angels today. Let's see. Little missy refuses to pick up her toys and books and insists that she "doesn't know how". She does, believe me. I tried to explain to her that Heavenly Father gave her 2 hands and 2 feet so she can do things like pick up toys. She didn't buy it. So, her happy (pacifier) went to the time-out bucket. I knew what I was getting myself into, but I gave her a chance to get it back before bed. She chose not to take it.
Later, I was on the phone with my brother and thought Macey was playing in her room. Well, she wasn't. She was playing in my room. With bright pink nail polish. And my jewerly. And now our dresser has a new paint job, as well as some of my jewerly. I'm also missing a few earrings. grrrrrr. I managed to calm myself after a time and got as much of it cleaned up as I could, kids fed and bathed and ready for bed. Then the fun started all over again. She refused to pick up the toys, there was a LOT, I mean a LOT of obnoxious whining and then crying and me all but losing my mind from it all. I had to put her to bed with no happy. This has never happed before. We're in the process of eliminating it, it's been slow going. There was a lot more crying. A lot of trying to explain why she didn't get a happy. She gets another shot tomorrow. We prayed to Heavenly Father to help her sleep ok and to know how to pick up toys by herself, since she apparently doesn't know how. It took a little longer, but she did just fine and went straight to sleep when I left her room. Mostly I had to leave because Crew had been screaming for the last 20 min, because his crazy-brained mom forgot to turn his night light on. So, I got him calmed down and back to sleep. It's now too late for me to go to my class at the gym, trust me, I could really use it! So, I'm here, venting. Hoping tomorrow will be a little less chaotic and trying to find the joy in it all. Who ever said 3 years old is easier than 2 yrs old is off their rocker. This has been my biggest challenge yet. It's all worth it right?
If nothing else I am pretty ecstatic that Macey is sleeping with NO happy! This is HUGE!
And hopefully she got a little something from learning that we can and should pray for help.

Here's to a better tomorrow......

Here We went a Camping

Almost two months ago actually. We did, indeed, go camping. This was a first for our little family. Call us crazy, but Benton and I have never been camping. Thankfully we have family who are more camping enthusiasts and were able to supply us with everything we needed for a night camping. We did bring our own camping chairs and we do own a sleeping bag. That counts for something right?
I don't know why we've never been camping, but when our friends gave us an invite, we jumped at the chance. We went to a cool little spot just past Payson. There were 5 couples and lots of little kids running around. The kids loved being in the great outdoors and the dirt. Crew liked it so much he kept trying to eat it. The biggest and best surprise was that both kids went to bed and slept like rockstars! ahhhhh.
We had some good times and good laughs hanging out with just us adults sitting around the camp fire, eating s'mores and playing games.
Thank You, Adamson's for inviting us and making campers out of us. We had a great time!!

note the jackets! in August! May have been the biggest perk of the trip



Poor Hudson got sick and the Hatch's had to head home early. :(
Benton and Macey hanging out by the Willy Wonka chocolate creek
Macey and the boys trying their hands at Mexican horseshoes
We did a lot of this. It was quite relaxing.

More Utah

The next couple of days in Utah were just as packed as the first couple of days. We drove up to Salt Lake, the Beast actually made it, yay!, to visit Temple Square. We couldn't ever seem to get ourselves and the 8 plus kids ready and in the car at a decent hour, so by the time we got there we had a very small window of time before kids were grumpy, tired and hungry. Needless to say, Temple Square didn't last long. Macey was going a little loco and running all over. We were up by the Christus and she ran down the giant ramp, across the entire building to a roped-off flight of stairs she spotted earlier. By the time I got down to retrieve her two sweet sister missionaries had corralled the "little, lost child". Oh man. She got back in the stroller after that. We then braved the Joseph Smith Building. One of the highlights was squeezing us ALL in to One elevator. 3 adults, 10 kids and 3 strollers, two of which were double strollers. You couldn't move in there. It was hilarious. While there I ran into not one, but two of my old college friends. My old roommate, Stephanie, and one of my best buds from BYU, Andy. So fun to catch up with them!

The next day was Pioneer Day. This is no ordinary day in the land of Utah. So, we celebrated. Provo throws a pretty good celebration, we we went. They transform a park into a Pioneer village filled with all things pioneer: candle making, tomahawk throwing, city jail, pony rides, and lots and lots of other great stuff. Silly us didn't bother checking the time so we showed up an hour before it ended. Sad. But we fit in plenty of good stuff. Macey went on her first "pony carousel". We met up with Marissa and fam and had a blast letting the kids run around and got some cute pics of it all.











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THREE!

3 years old. That's what Macey turned last week. Three years ago that this little 5 lb, 9 oz peanut came into our lives and changed it forever. She was the sweetest little thing and the best baby.
We watched her grow and get cuter and cuter, and today she is cuter than ever. She's still just as sweet, but she's mixed in a little fiery spirit, stubborness and attitude along with it. This girl has personality all her own. We love it! Sometimes we wish some of that stubbornness would subside, it's her. We really love it.

Quick Stats:
Weight: 26 lbs (10%** First time EVER to make it onto the growth chart!!)
Height: 34 in (3%)
Shoe size: 5/6
Clothes: 18-24 months

We have a 3 yr old. That's like having a real kid, not just a toddler. And believe me, Macey has taken that to heart. Sort of. She has all the sudden decided she no longer needs naps. ( I completely disagree) She likes the idea of being a "Big Girl" but isn't so keen on the ideas that big girls use the potty and don't use a happy (pacifier). Both issues are works in progress, hopefully to be completed in the very near future.

Macey is ALL GIRL! She is smack dab in the "Princess phase" and I have to say, I LOVE IT!!! Could be my favorite part of having a girl to date. She changes her clothes no less than 10 times a day. Always rotating through different dresses and bathing suits. Sometimes multiple ones at the same time. The other day she had on 3 swim suits and a puffy pink petty skirt. She came out twirling and saying her usual, "I'm so beautiful!" Pretty much the only time she wears "normal clothes" is when we leave the house. But one foot in the door, I'm serious, she is stripping down and putting on her beautiful clothes. She also has a fascination with her long hair. She loves going shirtless so she can put her head back and shake her hair so she can feel it down her back. Hilarious. She loves it. It's like pulling teeth to let me put her hair up sometimes. She likes it long and beautiful best. She's also always acting out all the scenes from her favorite Disney Princess movies. She has those lines and acting down pact.

Macey twirls, dances and sings non stop. All day, every day. No joke. I will be shocked if dance or choir doesn't become one of her "things". It's adorable. Pretty the only time she's not singing and dancing is when she is watching a show or movie. Any Disney, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Rainbow Brite (woot!!), Dora and Winnie the Pooh will put her in a trance. Sometimes it comes in pretty handy. ;-)

This girl is the best!!! We love you so much Macey Sue!! You bless our lives everyday and bring us so much happiness! Happy 3rd Birthday to our little Princess!

Utah- the fun part

We did finally make it to Provo, at approximately 3 am. That first day we took it pretty easy. We were a little tired for some reason. Stacy and I went and visited our good friend Jena out in Saratoga Springs. Holy Crap. That place is far! It's like the San Tan Valley of Utah County. You drive and drive till your in the middle of nowhere then you drive some more, then there's houses. Nothing else. Just houses. Don't know how they do it out there. But, I will say, the view is Ah-MAzing! It's across Utah Lake and up on a hill, so you look out onto the Lake with the beautiful Rocky Mountains right behind the lake. Really beautiful. Jena has 2 cute girls who have lots of princess/dress up clothes. So Macey was in HEAVEN. Jena took us on a fun little ride on their quad.

Macey was in LOVE with that blue dress. That's pure princess joy on her face.


We spent a day at BYU. I love going back there. Brings back soooooo many fun memories! Though, we really didn't walk about campus too much. :( It's a little tough with 8 kids.We hit up the dinosaur museum followed by the Bean museum. Both super cool. Then it was lunch at the Cougar Eat and the bookstore. The kids were sooooo done by the time we were done. So with their souvenirs, candy and bookstore fudge we made our way off campus. But not before we were sure were on BYU campus, no where else. We walked past the ballroom in the WILK where a big variety show was going on so we stopped to watch long enough for the emcee to congratulate 2 students on their recent engagement. haha Stacy and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. Hilarious. I love BYU. There really is no else where in the world like it. Except maybe BYU-I and BYU-H?

Jane and Macey posing by "Shasta" the Liger.
the "big" kids at the dino museum
Mace, me and one gianto croc.

The whole gang, minus Ang and myself.


So, Utah Country has it's crazy but it definitely does a lot of things right. They have the BEST parks and pools! Everything is so family oriented. This park was awesome! It's One HUGE Fort! Pretty much every little boy's dream. The kids could've stayed there all day, but we drug them away to go to an even more awesome pool! Linden Pool is amazing. There's one pool in Chandler that sorta compares, but not really. You'd think AZ would have pools figured out. We had a blast, for the most part. Crew can't decide if he likes the water or if he hates it. He liked the lazy river, but cried every time I put him in the baby area. Go figure.

On BYU day, we decided to drive up the canyon afterwards to let our little kids take naps. Ang had made it up to Park City and we were on our way up to meet them, but the van had other ideas. It was NOT going to make that climb. Again, going 10-15 mph on the highway trying to get to the "authorized vehicles only" U-turn spot is very entertaining, and a sure fire way to get some nasty looks from your fellow motorists. Instead we stopped in Heber and spent some time at the local Farmers' Market. We scored some seriously cute hair clips and bows, fresh produce and the best chocolate chip cookie dipped in chocolate and toffee chips I've ever had. Oh my gosh! Soooo goooooood! I'd forgotten about that thing till just now. I've gotta try to duplicate it. Farmers Markets are always just really cool. It made missing out on park city not so bad. And then we grabbed dinner at Zupas. Oh Zupas, I love you. I think I could eat there every day. Why do we not have one here? Someone really needs to open one here. And soon. I wish I had some Wisconsin Cauliflower soup right now. I have a list of restaurants I make it a point to eat at while there. Zupas, Kneader's, Bajio's, and if I'm lucky, Tucanos. I like food. And Provo has some good food.

Well, that about sums up our first couple days in Provo. There's much more to come of our excited and extended trip to Utah. Woot Woot!