Spring Break--City Creek and Temple Square

I think this was right before or after Colby turned 12 because I remember buying his first suit at Mr. Mac! City Creek had just opened that year and we were visiting from Idaho.

March Update

March has been a fun and busy month for us. I have to admit that Monday and Tuesday are my least favorite days of the week because I'm so busy, but things are working out! I'm grateful that most of my day is still spent with my cute kids and that we are making it.

Brett is plugging away at school each week. Unfortunately, the weather in Idaho has not been cooperative lately so his flight hours have been low. Hopefully that will change in the next little while. We've been blessed in so many other ways, I'm hoping that his hours will increase in the sky!

I'm working every morning at the bakery and then on Monday nights I work at the gym. Tuesdays, I go to the bakery, take Jolie to preschool, babysit at Debbie's and then work at the gym. I also work at the gym one or two Fridays and Saturdays a month. I can take the kids with me which is nice--It usually gives Brett some free time to study or chill. I've also been training for the Ogden half marathon that's coming up in May. I'm excited for that and also for Little Red and the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay in June. I've also taught a couple of classes at Rush's (Pastry 1 and 2). Both classes went really well and I have one more at the end of April.

Colby is doing great. We are completely impressed with his music skills. He has really excelled since starting piano in September and guitar in January. I posted a video below so you can love and admire him as well! He has also been spending more time with his friend Eli on the weekends. They have a lot of fun playing video games together and hanging out. Eli is a good kid and I like having him around too.

Jolie is having a ton of fun in preschool. She loves all of the crafts and fun activities that Mrs. Deru has them do. She is very interested in letters right now and she wants to know what things say. She'll read the letters to us so we can tell her what they say. She is also quite the little artist. She loves to color and paint and she just keeps getting better and better. One of the cute things she says that we love is, "Bescuse Me". Bescuse me means "excuse me" and it's so funny. She'll say, "Bescuse Me, I farted 2 times." We then tell her that she's "Bescused".  

Luke is a little talker and climber these days. He is so smart--I say that like 20 times a day. He repeats most everything we say and he can even say prayer when it's his turn. He loves to watch cartoons with Jolie and he loves to play with everyone. He dances and says "HI YAH!". He gives high fives and fist bumps and he melts my heart on a daily basis. He'll put glasses on or one of Jolie's head bands and say, "I cute!". I couldn't agree more. He is such a sweetheart.

Jolie coloring at the counter

Luke wearing daddy's safety glasses, "I cute!"

Luke having a popcorn snack at Debbie's

Luke wearing Jolie's Easter Ears from preschool

Jolie putting all of her clothes on

Me and my pal--he's having a cracker

Here's Colby playing "Sweet Home Alabama". He needs to stick with this, he's doing great so far. He is taking guitar at school but he teaches himself a lot!

Women's Heart Health Awareness Month

Okay pay close attention to this one....Today Colby's aunt's brother came into Downtown to get some breakfast and he asked us if he could paint our thumbnails to pay tribute/remind/in honor of  women's heart health awareness month. His sister Brady (who is Colby's aunt) has some really severe problems with her heart. Recently she traveled to Georgia to see some specialists (and is hopefully getting the help she needs to help her feel better, so she can live a normal life.) She's a good girl and Phillip is a sweetheart too.

Anyway--go get a physical. Have your blood pressure checked etc. Eat a little better, exercise a little more and be healthy so we can stick around a little longer!

Layla and Lola with red thumbs! (Names have been changed for identity protection--but Lola really would be my stage name if I were famous..or if I ever become famous (since there's still time). Don't we look so cute at the bakery! We make stuff together EVERYDAY!

Phillip and Brady Meline (Colby's aunt and uncle!)

http://www.am-news.com/content/former-blackfoot-doctor-helps-sick-local-woman

More Random Yancey Fun...

Have you noticed that the moustache is kind of in right now? Well here's Luke with a moustache--he sports it so handsomely! I think I popped it out of a happy meal box in St. George on our way back from California. Good times!

This was awhile ago--but too funny! He was checking himself out in the mirror. Notice that his shirt says "cool"!

This is how I found Jolie and Luke sleeping/snuggling one morning

This is the birthday cupcake that Jolie frosted and decorated for her toy elephant "Elephee". We celebrated big time as soon as Jolie told us it was his birthday.

On Thanksgiving I ran a 10K with my sister Andy. It was so fun! My only complaint is that  I wish she were my running partner on a regular basis! We ran a comfortable talking pace and ended up at about 1:01. It was the perfect way to start the day. Hilerie (middle) ran the 5k with her son Ty, my mom, Hayley, and Colby!

This is our whole group! Andy was able to register most of us through eBay. She has worked in HR in Draper for a year and a half and they do the coolest stuff for their employees. They gave us the funny turkey hats and the drumstick headbands. We loved it.

Colby and I after the race! I'm so glad that he was able to come and run his second 5k. He did great.

Yes I'm a nerd--here's a self portrait via camera phone/mirror ha ha!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream...for a Valentine order. I decorated these with pink sparkles, pearls and heart sprinkles.

Jolie: Mom, can I make a snowman?
Me: Yes! Let's get your snowing clothes on (that's what Jolie calls boots, gloves, etc..)
Jolie: Mom, I made a snowman, can I have a carrot for his nose?
Me: YES!
Isn't this snowman irresistible!

We got creative with some felt, googley eyes, and some goldfish crackers after that...Jolie was so excited. Jolie loves the snow. She doesn't seem to get cold, and she loves to stomp and make tracks. She asked Brett to teach her how to make a snowball this year too. She cracks me up.

Inevitable Change...and A New Job!

Well, Brett lost his job at the end of January. There have been hundreds of lay offs out at the nuclear site that he has worked at for the last 7 years.What a pain. I'm glad that he is already training to be a pilot, or else I think we would be really stressed out. At least something is in the works. When we found out it was happening for sure, I called my friend Kaylynn Gorder at Downtown Bread Co. because I heard she might be short handed. I asked her if she had anything for me, and a week and half later I was baking again! 

I go in early Monday through Friday and just work a few hours. I help the morning baker with the bread a little bit and then I have list of stuff that I have to get done too. Turnovers, muffins, pumpkin and banana bread, cookies, soup...etc. I like it a lot. The ladies I work with are amazing too. I feel fortunate to have made such an easy transition into a great little company. 

I'm still working 7-12 hours at Gold's Gym and babysitting once a week too, but I feel fortunate that the majority of my day is still spent with my kids. The perks of the bakery are great --except for the effect on our waistlines ha! Hopefully we can adjust to that too, but I don't think I'll ever stop loving the things that we make there. Everything is good. We are still trying to adjust to the schedule, which has been a challenge. I feel confident though that everything will work out. Say prayers for us though...for now, Brett is going to try and push through with his training and I am going to try and make up the difference that unemployment won't cover. Hopefully we can keep our house and Colby and Jolie can continue in the schools they are going to until Brett is done! Only time will tell.

I found this picture of Kaylynn pulling Cinnaburst Bread out of the oven! The other picture is of the bakery. It's a really cute store with lots of yummy surprises inside! Come and see me in the mornings if you're up super early and need some type of breakfast pastry delight!

Oral Surgery...What!!

My sweet, sweet Colby had to have surgery to get his wisdom teeth out! They were blocking his 12 yr old molars, so they had to come out. He wasn't quite prepared for what the actual surgery would be like. I felt so bad for him. He wrote me notes all the way home from Pocatello because he couldn't talk with the gauze in his mouth. Just before we got to Blackfoot I had to pull over so he could puke. Poor puker! We took good care of him and kept him iced and medicated, but he was pretty miserable that first week. After two weeks he could finally eat again and everything is healing well and his swelling is gone.

Surgery on my mouth sucked--big time

Don't take my picture

Listening to Brian Reagan--got a smile out of those chipmunk cheeks

While Colby was resting, he had plenty of time to find instructions online to make Origami Axes and stuff...wow

Winter Camp Out with Grandpa Hank

 My dad called me up right before the weekend and asked if he could come up and camp out in our backyard with Colby. Colby got a really nice sleeping bag from his mom and dad (Nikkei and John) for Christmas and my dad got him a lot of gear to go with it. He gave him a dry bag cover, a fleece liner, and some pads that go under it so you're more comfortable sleeping on the ground. He gave him a bunch of stuff to take camping too, like a flashlight, some fire starter etc...

My parents ended up bringing all of my sister's kids. All of them. So, we had ten kids running around, Grandma and Grandpa and my sister Andy! We had dinner when they got here Friday night and they set up the tent and got their sleeping bags ready. In the morning we had breakfast...Homemade hot chocolate to defrost everyone (it was 13 degrees when the kids started coming in the house!), we also had pancakes with buttermilk syrup, scrambled eggs, and bacon.

I felt so lucky that I got to go to the gym with Andy. We ran, and lifted upper body. I sure love it when we get to spend time together. I wish we lived closer. I would love to have her as a workout partner everyday! Anyway, when we got home it was lunch time so we fed everyone and got things cleaned up. Then we hung out for awhile, which was surprising because usually my dad gets up and gets ready to GO! I was glad they came for a visit and I think everyone had a great time!

Jolie next to Grandpa...she lasted about three minutes before she started complaining. She wanted Grandpa out of her sleeping bag, which was actually his sleeping bag. She was too hot! She came in the house and watched movies and slept with Grandma.

Colby, Ty and Emily getting ready for bed! Emily and Grandpa were the last ones to come in the house the next morning!

Jaxson, Hayley and Ali snuggled in

Lily coming up the stairs, she had to sleep in the house with her mama.

Grandpa and Jax in the morning. It was a bright sunny day but woe--it was so cold in the morning!

Grandma helping too