He's Home!!!

Joey came home last Friday, and what a reunion we had at the Boise Airport! I got there a little early, to make sure that we didn't miss the all important greeting at the door. Due to our promptness, the kids took the opportunity to ask me one million questions and basically drive me and every other person in the waiting area insane. Here's is a sampling of what I heard... Do you think his plane has landed? What does his plane look like? What seat was he sitting in?

Do you think Dad will come home with a goatee? What present do you think he brought us?

Do you think he will remember Blake? Has his plane landed yet? How much longer?
Are those people coming out the door from Dad's plane? Do I have time to go to the bathroom?
Let me run this stroller all over the airport!!!! Has his plane landed yet?
I'm starving!!! I don't have any food! But I am really starving!!! Mom, I am so starving!!!!!
Mom can I see your new phone? Can I take 120 pictures and use up all of your memory?

What happened to my phone? Oh, I think I left it on that chair way over there! Has Dad's plane landed yet!!! Oh, wait, there he is!!! Let's all yell and run and be totally crazy in front of 100 people!!!!






Daddy's home and we couldn't be happier. It is so nice to be together and have a regular family meal and do regular family activities. And, I haven't even had to rock in the fetal position in the corner once since he has been home! Hurray for me! Now all I have to worry about is repairing the damage I have done to my children's psyche (sp?) for the last 8 weeks.

And, by the way, his plane did finally land, we got Hayden some food, they did get some presents, and he didn't come home with a goatee! I couldn't be happier!

2 days and 12 hrs......

I am not counting down or anything. But, I CAN'T WAIT for this whole experience to be over. I can't say it has been entirely horrible, but it hasn't been the easiest thing I have ever done. Here is a rundown of the highlights and low lights of my summer vacation...

The Highs:
Camping in McCall with friends
Celebrating Brendon turning 10 and Blake turning 1
Enjoying a relaxing week in Heber with Karen, Steven's family, April and Mom & Poppy of course
REALLY relaxing in San Diego for a weekend
Tuesday lunches with my girlfriends
Reading 4 books and counting..
Staying up late to read or blog or just catch up on "Days of Our Lives"
Switched Blake from formula to milk!


The Lows:
Blake having 3 ear infections in 6 weeks and a fever of 105 that lasted for days
The most miserable 6 hour car ride home from Heber. (Still brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.)
Hayden throwing up all over the hallway at 2am the night we got home from Heber (a few hours after the miserable car ride)
Bedtime being a nightmare, so I took beds apart and moved Hayden into the nursery and Blake with Brendon.
Making sure the yard gets mowed every week. (Thanks Brendon)
Feeding kids 25 times a day and them cleaning up after them.
Giving all baths by myself and changing a million diapers by myself
Dealing with the messiest house I have ever seen (I don't have enough energy or time to do it all)


All in all, I guess you can say we survived. It has been a long 8 weeks, and we are Soooooo excited for Joey to get home. We just are not complete without him.

Here are a few pictures from Blake's B-day. (Note to self, too much light right near the sliding glass door for a good picture.)

My Baby is ONE!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Blake!!!Born July 20, 2007



We love you!

Heber City, Utah/ July 2008

The kids and I headed to Heber for the 4th of July. We had such a great time playing with cousins, talking, eating, drinking and relaxing. The kids had fun on the four wheelers, the water slide and on the electric cars. The crew- Brendon, Summer, Parker, Steven, Marmie and Hayden
Wow, look at that crazy hair. Time for a hair cut!
I love this picture. Nicole is always taking care of Blake.
Too cute.
Hi, Baby!

Aubrey's dimples are just too much. Also, love the earrings!
Hayden's one and only time down the slide.
There is that one piece again!
"Summer, is that a Diet Coke? Did your mom say you could have that?"
Hey, a normal picture of Hayden.
Mr. Blue Eyes!
Karen and little Paigey!
She is solving world hunger!
Macy and Zack.

The girls gymnastic show. Nicole was the commentator. Now tricks for her!

Aubrey's hand stand.
There is that Hayden again!
What in the world has gotten into these two boys. They head off on a nice four wheeler ride with Steven and come back looking like this. They said something about Steven burning rubber and yelling, "Eat my Dust!!!!" I guess they did.

That looks like a mustache, but make no mistake, it's dirt. Aren't those ski goggles?

Hayden decided to be a dare devil. He would start at the top of the hill and come flying down on his scooter.

Fireworks.
Cousins, Nicole, Summer and Aubrey
The only one token picture of myself from the whole trip.

Well, there you have it. We had a great trip. Thanks Marmie and Poppy for the fabulous hospitality. Can't wait to come again!

San Diego

While I was in Heber, I decided to make a weekend getaway to San Diego to visit the old man. It was our anniversary on July 9th (14 years! Whew, that is a lot!). I left SLC on July 10th for beautiful San Diego. So I kinda had it in my head that Joey was living in a dumpy apartment and spending most of his time studying and going to school. I certainly didn't want to believe that he was living in the lap of luxury while I was in Boise taking care of our four children 24 hrs a day! But, I was dead wrong. This guy is living the ultimate bachelor life. He is living in an amazing apartment right on the bay side of Coronado Island. The weather is amazing and the beaches spectacular. I am not quite sure he is coming home. He kept telling me he could live in San Diego. I had to remind him that if we lived in San Diego, we would be living in the slums, not in a million dollar house on Coronado Island.

Anywho, we had a great weekend. We slept in, laid by the pool and read, went to my favorite restaurants (Islands, Pei Wei and In and Out), shopped and went to a San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves baseball game. It was a nice break from the daily grind of single parenthood.

Thanks Aly and Steven and Marmie and Poppy for watching the kids while I vacationed!

Visitors!

While in Heber, April (my BFF from middle school) came with her two beautiful children, Courtney and Parker, to play for a few days. We had a blast. We had a great time catching up and tending to our 6 children. I learned all about organic food, and how I am probably poisoning my children with the Skippy peanut butter and non organic fruit. Who knew!? I am going to make a conscious effort to purchase food with 0 grams of Trans Fat and maybe, if I am feeling like I have a little extra money to burn, organic fruit! Here are some pics of our fun week together.... Courtney learning to drive her first Hummer.
"Courtney, you had better drive. This car is pink and I am a manly, man!"

He is definitely scheming a devious plan in his head!
Courtney loved the water slide!
Watercolor painting on the deck. Isn't Parker adorable?
Nicole's new shirt from the gap. It is really a size 5T dress! I love it!
Why in the world does a camera bring out the retardedness of my son!? If you need more, see Karen's blog.

Ok, April really didn't want to get on this machine! But, she was a good sport, and she didn't even flip over once!
Parker and Blake going for a ride. You can't see it, but this wagon is attached to a small John Deere tractor being pulled by none other than Mr. Hayden!
My attempt at some good photography.
I am trying to decide if I like this picture. Sometimes I think it is cute, and then I look again and think, "Not so much!"

Anyway, it was a great few days. I loved having a friend to play with. Shh, don't tell April's husband, but she did have a two hot chocolate chip cookies from McDonald's. I am such a good influence!