to Tiffany, Keri & Brian

I MISS YOU!!

Remember when we used to go on day trips to the coast or the mountains (I know you miss the car sickness)

Well yesterday Shelby and I took the boys to L.A.and the trip down there reminded me of our trips

Silly music and silly kids

laughing and joking

no video games or dvd players

just a fun drive

of course a little, "are we there yet?" and

"where are we going first?"

and some brotherly arguing about where they were sitting

SO just thinking about you guys and all those road trips we took together. Realizing our first BIG one was when you 3 were these boys' ages.

Come visit SOON!!

Next time you can come with us.

We made a couple other stops, but our main purpose was to visit the Getty Center for Shelby's art class. Jacob and I had been before, but the other half hadn't.

There are some cool fountains at the Getty
And the Gardens are my favorite and the boys really like them too

That's the cactus garden behind them and L.A.

Jacob took this picture. It was supposed to be of Shelby and I, but Ezra had to jump in. He thought he was real sneaky and laughed, "HA, I was in the picture!"

We relaxed on the grass. Actually Jacob and Ezra rolled down the grass hills and Shelby and I relaxed. Thus the grass on Jacob's pants.

On our way out, we realized we hadn't seen one of the main exhibitions. So up the stairs we went. There are A LOT of stairs at the Getty.

It really is a neat place. No big ropes around the paintings. They have skylights so you view all the art in natural light as the artists did. Van Gogh, Rembrandt, El Greco, too many famous artists to name.

A great day with my men!

Full Plate

So a lot to catch up on. I've been just a LITTLE busy.

Because of the busyness, I asked the boys to make dinner. They looked at me like I was crazy and I looked at them like I was serious and they got to work. They ended up making french toast and it was soooooo yummy. It can be scary when kids cook, but this was fantastic. Not a single piece was burnt!

They are my boys... so of course it all started with using kitchen utensils as weapons and goofing around.

But then they got down to business!
I have REALLY loved the weather lately!! I LOVE rain and we don't get too much, but the last few weeks have been so much fun. The boys saw the sun come through the windows and so they ran out to play and a few minutes later they are coming in the house yelling "A RAINBOW!!!" and then a few seconds later "A DOUBLE RAINBOW!!! HURRY COME LOOK!!!" So I did and decide I needed a picture. By the time I got my camera, the sun and clouds had moved so the 2nd one was not as bright. But there were 2 super bright FULL rainbows.
So here is Ezra, our beautiful rainbow, our tumblweed field and our school.
and some friend of the girl who lives across the street-he was taking a pic too
With all the storms, some of the tumbleweeds have blown away and even if they hadn't, that field is still a boys heaven on earth.
Big dirt jumps
Mud puddles
Tumbleweeds
Room to roam
Add that to a 3 day weekend and you get a neighborhood full of happy, muddy boys!

I went to my first Girl's Camp meeting last night with the girls I will be working with. I was nervous for a lot of reasons.

The age group

The gender

Another thing to do

Could I do another thing

And then I went to the meeting. And those girls were sweet and hilarious and just what I needed. And I hope I can be just what they need!

Intramembranous & Endochondral Ossification

Just fancy words for how bones are formed and what keeps me up past midnight tonight. Someone please tell me I'm not crazy for putting myself through this. Shelby started back to school today. If we make it through this term, we deserve a serious holiday!

My love

I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My love

I Love this man!

**He wouldn't let me take a picture of him and I really didn't want to post the booty shot (that's mine), so you get him walking down the hall

I love this place!
Friday night was a great night.

**Also glad Kate and Shelley could come with us!!

And ...I'm going to Girl's Camp.

A little nervous to be working with the big girls. Its been awhile.

I'll be fine if I can remember not to talk to to them like Kindergardeners or Primary Children.

Life is really good right now.

IRRESPONSIBLE FATHER..........

.......With school starting on 20th, I am trying to get in some rides before the crack-down. Over sleeping is a problem when you have no job or responsibilities. I did see my kids off this morning & layed back down to listen to Scott Cox on the radio talking about what he and other callers learned to drive in....
I guess it was boring enough and I fell back asleep.
Oh well, late start.
I told Monica I was going to go up the canyon and ride Cow Flat road, since the Forestry gates are closed and no motor traffic would be up there.
Leaving at 10:00 from home, I figured I would have enough time to make it to Breckenridge Road from the Kern Canyon with plenty of time to pick up Ezra @ 2:05-Didn't happen-I was taking more pictures than normal-making my ride time longer.
Do you remember Presidental candidate Hillary Clinton? Well, in her travel across the country, she commented more than once that, "I't take a village to raise a child...", Well today was my turn to have my village (next door neighbor) pick up my children from school. The only problem was that there was no cell phone reception @ my turn around point-Breckenridge Road @ 1:00-Ezra gets out of school @ 2:05....
Well lets see how far I need to go to get reception-
Posted below are pictures of why I don't mind letting my village raise my kids if I may be late.
Enjoy!

Here we go!!!!!

1st Sign That the first section of climbing is almost complete.

Can you see Oak Flat Fire Lookout?

The cloudy haze where we live..

One of those fancy riding while shooting pics..

OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH-Nice trail & suns out too!

Weekend getaway?

Didn't think it was that cold-ice covered puddles..

Locals..

Hwy 178 & river way down there..

SO WHAT!!!!!

Cow Flat Creek already flowing..

Good thing Bears aren't active from Halloween to Easter-right?

For Sale by owner early model Ford Station Wagon-Needs TLC..

The leader-more Cowbell please..

Gotta love that dark gray layer o' whatever..

Turnaround @ Breckenridge Road..

Cold & Foggy..

Snow-not too close, not too far..

Remember I said, "How long before I get cell reception?"

Well this is the point-just on time to call Monica @ 2:04 before Ezra gets out -1 minute to spare

Another shot of Hwy 178 & Kern River-way down there..

Money Shot$$..

My kind of sign-doesn't look like others like it though..

Almost there-little Suburban all safe and Kozy..

Recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas 2008

Christmas this year was quite miraculous as have been the last few months. When Shelby quit his job and became a full time student, I wondered how we would make ends meet. The math did not work out. The incoming would be much less than the outgoing. Much, much less. And somehow all the bills have been paid and food has filled the pantry. I was amazed at how money came in just when we needed it and we haven't had to touch our savings.

At the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, President Uchtdorf spoke of his most humble Christmases being his most memorable and so I didn't really worry about Christmas. Brian and Tiffany were coming down and my uncle from Florida. Christmas would be good.

We read the scriptures everyday. The Friend (Children's Church magazine)had different scriptures to read for everyday starting Dec. 1st to the 25th. Little did I know they started with the prophecies of Isaiah of Christ's birth through the Savior's life and death and beyond. It was a wonderful way to focus on the Savior this Christmas as a family. And so all month we were focused on what was most important and so the things that are not so important but are fun ( you know... the presents) took care of themselves and our children were able to have a spiritual and fun Christmas.

We were able to teach them of Heavenly Father's love for us.

Of the blessings of tithing.

Of reading our scriptures.

Of Prayer.

And with that... Here's Brian in his stylin' jacket we got him.

And Tiffany with her book and pearls.
And so the funniest part of Christmas. My mom had bought the boys a Wii, but she does not come over with her gifts until later in the morning. Well we had gotten them Rock Band. We always wait for things to get cheaper and they have been wanting it forever. So they come out Christmas morning and see Rock Band and are so excited after realizing its for them...Tiffany and Brian totally pretended like it was for them and the boys are so sweet and naive, they believed it for a minute. Well... then they saw it was for a Wii and I said I guess we'll have to go exchange it.
Jacob: Can you do it today?
Me: Well... no, everything is closed, its Christmas.
Jacob was dissappointed but so sweet about it. They then unwrapped another gift to both of them and it was a lego Star Wars game for Wii. This time I had to apologize and Shelby acted like he thought all the game systems were the same and didn't it work for the PS2. They truely believed their dad didn't know. HA!! A little while later nana arrives and they open their gift from her and start jumping around yelling we got a Wii!!!!! They were genuinely surprised. And relieved they didn't have to wait until the next day to play with their Christmas toys.
They also got books and clothes, but I think Rock Band was a hit with everyone. The whole family got to take turns playing.

And Shelby got me a new bag for school. I needed one desperately that I could use to carry lots of stuff while riding my bike and he delivered like he always does!! That bag is seriously deceiving. It is HUGE inside and totally cool and functional. I am so excited to use it!


Hope everyone had a great Christmas!!

More to come:

Utah

and I guess I've been tagged...again

Thanks Eliza!

I don't normally do them because basically I can be a flake when it comes to things that are not necessary, but I'm really gonna try to do this one, just for you Eliza.