Summer Vacation Stop #3

NIAGARA FALLS

We love Niagara Falls!!! It's so pretty. Behind us you can see Canada and the waterfall is called American Falls.
Earlier in the day we took a jet boat ride down some rapids further up the river. By far was one of the best parts of our trip. (Thanks Beth for the idea). We got drenched. No pictures sorry.



Maid of the Mist boat takes you under Horseshoe Falls. It really makes a horse shoe from Canada to the United States.


Under Horse Shoe Falls


Top of Horse Shoe Falls.


We had a lot of fun. It was super super hot this day. We rode the two boats, ate ice cream, took a trolly to the different touristy places, watched an IMAX movie about the falls, stayed at a brand new hotel on a local Air Force Base. Next time I hope we have passports to go to Canada. Every one we talked to said Canada is definitely the funner side. But I thought the American side was fun.

Summer Vacation Stop #2

We left Iowa early in the morning and headed to Kirtland, OH. It was a long day in the car so we let the girls swim at the hotel. I think everytime they got to swim was the highlight of that day. Who knew all you have to do to make a vacation successful is stay at a hotel with a pool. The kids will always be happy.


Dylan hobbling along with the Sister Missionary. He has a hairline fracture in his ankle from a fun little game of "monkey in the middle" with his friends in Iowa. (More to come on this little nightmare soon).


The Newell K. Whitney Store

The Kirtland Temple. The first temple built in this dispensation. The Community of Christ Church now owns it but we were able to tour it. It is very beautiful and stands as a reminder of the sacrifices the early saints went through to build it and then leave it.

Just for Amy and Sam

When we visited the Lofthouse's in Indiana, Amy and Samantha started making fun of me for not updating my blog. I told them how frustrated I get when I work on it because I can't figure out how to put the captions under the pictures and how to get the pictures on right. They taught me how to use Picasa. So watch out, my kids are all going back to school in a few weeks and I will have nothing to do but blog. You might be sorry you taught me how to do this :) Love you guys.

Some of our Favorite Iowan's

Dylan and his BFF Aydan

Do boys really call their friends BFF's? I wonder sometimes because whenever I say something about his friends to Dylan he looks at me funny. Anyway, Dylan had a ton of fun hanging out with Aydan.


The Thacker's and the Fluckiger's

We got to visit one of our favoritest families in Iowa and the kids had a blast playing outside in the rain.


Some of our favoritest people, minus the May family, in Ames.

The Taylors, the Thackers and us all went out to dinner at Valentinos in Ames.



Mark, Adrian, Suzanne and Bishop Tyler (hahahaha, he was called as Bishop the week after we visited. What a lucky ward). We love you guys.

Can I just say I LOVE Ames (and Nevada). We were so happy to spend a few days with our friends. I had so much fun. It really does feel like home to us (well the kids and I, not Mark, he didn't live there long enough to consider it home). We were so happy we got to see so many other friends too, and sad we didn't get to see everyone. Hopefully soon we can visit again. Thanks for playing friends.

Random Mumbling

Why is it we have a greater appreciation for things we can't have?

Mark has worked so hard to finish our basement since we moved here, and we should be done in the next few weeks. YAY!!!! We just need more space. My girls are sharing a room and I'm afraid they might hurt each other before they are separated. They need their own space. Well, we hired someone to come in a mud and tape the sheetrock. My washer and dryer is in the basement and the workers have unhooked them. We haven't done laundry since Monday night and I really miss it. My house feels like it threw up dirty clothes everywhere. I really don't like doing laundry but there comes a point when I need to and today has past that point. Hopefully the workers will come tomorrow so hopefully in a few days I can spend the day (or more)reconnecting with the two machines I share a love/hate relationship with.

Also Mark left this week for California for the next three weeks. I hate, hate, hate when he leaves. You would think that I would get used to it but I never do. I miss him tons but three weeks is way better than a year and I am truly grateful for that. He is such a great husband and daddy. I know I can call him whenever I want to or whenever the kids want to talk to him but still he's not here.

Anyway side note: update on a few things. I went skiing yesterday for the first time. I can't move today. I am so sore. Advil and I have become best friends. I have to realize I'm not 21 anymore. And, Kylie only tore a tendon in her ankle, so she is on the mend. No more cast but no more tumbling for a few more weeks. We were so relieved to know that it wasn't the growth plate.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!!!!

Mom of the Year Award

I have definitely EARNED the MOM OF THE YEAR AWARD during the last 2 weeks.


Kylie informed us about 2 weeks ago that she has never built a snowman. "WHAT, are you kidding me?!!!!" She is almost 6, why hasn't she built a snow man yet? I thought all of our kids have particiapted in this great activity, but I guess not. So Mark took her outside that afternoon and they built a snowman. She thought it was the best day ever.

Next Dylan's friends mom stopped me in the school parking lot and asked me what time the boy's party was that night. I had no idea what she was talking about and felt about as big as a rock. I should know what my kids have planned, most moms do. I went home and talked to Dylan. He informed me that he had asked if it was ok, told me his plans, what he needed to bring and who was going to be there. Where have I been? I don't remember any of it until he reminds me of our conversations. Ok so I obviously did know and didn't remember. I guess I need to pay more attention.

Then Kylie had tumbling class on Thursday night and comes to me crying, "I sprained my ankle and it hurts really bad." Well, she is drama beyond belief. Every little scratch or owie needs the most careful attention or she is going to die. So I rub her ankle, give her a kiss and send her on her way to finish class. She hobbles around all night but I didn't think any more of it. Mark and I were in the basement and when we came upstairs she's sitting in a chair with a golf ball size ankle. We took her to urgent care and she now is sporting a very beautiful cast. They think it might be a torn growth plate but won't know for sure until the swelling is down in a few weeks. But she earned the good listening award in class so that counts for something doesn't it.

Skiing

We've moved from the warm weather in Texas to the cold artic of Montana. We decided we needed to find something that will entertain us since winter is long and cold. For Christmas we gave the kids ski lessons. They each get three lessons with rentals and all day ski passes. They LOVE it. So now since I'm the only one that doesn't ski and totally afraid I have to take one for the family and learn.


Kesley and her sweet moves!!!


Dylan showing off for the ladies :)

Kylie looking like a pro :)

I've lost my mind

So around Thanksgiving I was on a pity party and decided I need to do something with my life besides laundry. (I know it needs to be done and I am the mom of the family so it defaults to me but seriously how many clothes can a family of 5 wear in one week. I swear I am doing about 2 or more loads a day). So any way I signed up for the GRE to get into grad school. Idaho State just started an online program for speech therapy. So, here I go. I take the GRE on January 18 and all my paper work must be turned in by February 1. I will be able to do everything online except for 6 weeks one summer on the Pocatello campus and 6 weeks the next summer on the Boise campus.

Quote in the study book "The GRE doesn't measure anything and it won't make or break your life. It's just a little test that universities like to use because they don't trust transcripts." What's the point!!!!!!!! I have been studying all week long and haven't figured out how it all works. I'm in trouble!!!

Pigs really do fly!!

I know you are all wondering where we have been but I am lazy and get frustrated very easily with this whole blog thing. But my new years resolution is to keep it updated. Mark will be so happy because he is always on my case to do something about it. I hope I can make it through a whole year, so my goal is to update on Sundays since we have morning church. Wish me luck!!

Mark says good luck!!!