The Lehi Jolleys

Dog Over Board

2010-07-11T20:51:00.006-06:00

We took Evie out for her first outing on the water! She was so freaking excited!!! She loved her life jacket and was in and out of the water non-stop.

By the end of this little adventure poor Evie seemed more like a nervous wreck rather then excited. So I guess her trips out on the will not be too often.

Boating - Day 1

2010-07-11T20:37:00.005-06:00

We survived our first day of boating!!! We had an absolute blast!

We are now the proud owner's of a '98 1950 Bayliner Capri. We have talked on and off about wanting a boat. We found a great deal on KSL and decided to take the plunge (pun intended)!

It was raining when we launched and as we came back in, but other then that we had perfect weather. We bought a yearly pass for the Saratoga Springs dock, which is only 10 minutes from our house.

Shakierra was a trooper and kept trying to get up on the wake board.

I kept trying too, it might take a while before I get the hang of it.
Myles made us all look like goobers. He made it look so stinking easy!
I love this shot of Brad. Doesn't he look like a natural!?!

As we were starting to come in for the day we saw a stranded family on a boat. They think their fuel pump was to blame. So we jumped into Search & Rescue mode! We towed them to the AF marina (which took a while!) Then Myles and Brad jumped out and guided their vessel to the actual dock and helped push it onto their trailer. It was a good experience for all of us!

Mountain Biking

2010-07-11T20:18:00.003-06:00

Myles decided on a new Mountain Bike for his b-day. In Eagle Mountain they have a great biking park. He and his friend Josh have been hitting the trails there pretty regularly lately, so I know the gift will get good use!

Myles went in for his driving permit test the first day the DMV was open after his b-day. He passed the test on the first try! Great Job Myles!! So he has become our chauffeur. It is great to have a driver, plus I am getting to spend more time with Myles then normal :)

4th of July aka Myles' B-Day

2010-07-11T20:04:00.005-06:00

We had a wonderful 4th of July Celebration at Heather and Joe's house. We had delicious food, crazy games, birthday presents, and beautiful fireworks. We were able to sit in front of their house and watch the Thanksgiving Point fireworks show.

We played the same games as our Memorial Day BBQ. So there was no shortage of laughs and blackmail photos!!!

Here is Dave, Joe's Dad, shaking it!

Here is little Micah. The kids love this one, cause even they can do it!

Mckenna was really getting into the booty shaking!

Here is William, he loved this game and kept asking to do it again :)

Cute little Tawny!

Rob has quite the shakin' skills!

And now for the pantyhose game. Here is Sri giving it her all!

Joe broke to the peer-pressure and played along this time around!

Rob doing his best to keep his balance :)

Dennis was all over this game!

And good old Grandpa even volunteered to start this game, too show everyone how it was done!!

It was wonderful to have so much family around to celebrate our nations birthday...oh, and Myles' too. We were even able to finalize Mom's headstone while we were all together. Cant wait to see how it turns out!

Great Dane

2010-06-21T21:46:00.004-06:00

Say hello to Daphne, Lincoln, Peyton....well just say hello, we don't really know what her name is yet :)

I love this picture, you can tell she is totally thinking "ok tell this freak to lay off for a minute!"

She was exhausted after sniffing out her new home and meeting her sisters.
Brad and his baby! He is head over heels for this girl!

Whats-er-name and Lucy getting to know each other.

And there you have it folks. The crazy Jolley's got another four-legged family member. Leave a comment with a name suggestion!!

Memorial Day BBQ

2010-06-01T19:40:00.003-06:00

This year's BBQ games came from the game show "Minute to Win It!" We played Junk in the trunk; where you have to shake out 8 ping-pong balls from a tissue box on your rear end, Elephant March; where you put panty-hose, with a baseball in the end, over your head and knock down gatorade bottles, ; We tried the can stacking one with no success, and the sorting game with 4 different colored M&M's. It was a riot to watch everyone concentrate so hard on such silly games.

Here is Shakierra doing the Elephant March.

And Jen marching away too :)

Here is Sadie shakin' it. The kids were best at this, I guess I just can't shake it like I used to!

Myles took all of these games very seriously. Maybe he can go on the show and earn money for college?!?!

We had lots of yummy food and great family bonding time, what more can you ask for?!?!

"It is one of man's curious idiosyncrasies to create difficulties for the pleasure of resolving them." -- Joseph de Maistre

Boys Will Be Boys

2010-06-01T19:34:00.002-06:00

When the cat's away the mice will play... or in this case... When Mom's away the men-folk will play. This is the heart warming image that was texted to me while I was out of town for work. Brings a tear to this mother's eye...a tear of fear that is!

The boys went paint-balling and loved it! Now all Myles wants for his birthday is paint-ball gear. We are going to all go for his b-day, so if anyone wants to join the fight, I mean fun, then let me know :)

Good Self-Esteem

2010-05-21T10:48:00.002-06:00

Puerta Vallarta May 2010

2010-05-16T21:29:00.006-06:00

We had a wonderful week in Mexico. It was just Brad and I, and there was never a dull moment...at least for me, I am sure Brad could have done with a little less time spent laying out :)

The resort had a swim up bar, that we took advantage of many-a-time!
Here is a cute self portrait of us out on the Boardwalk. Behind us you can catch a glimps of all the great sand sculptures. They were truly amazing.

This is the private beach that we took a boat to. We had a yummy lunch and lounged.

This is one of my favorite shots from the entire trip. Doesn't Brad look like he should be on the cover of a Kenny Chesney CD?!?!

Brad wanted nothing to do with holding this iguana. But the guy just put it on his shoulders, so I rushed to capture this perfect Kodak moment :)

I on the other hand wanted to bring the little fella home with us. The iguanas were so sweet, I think Lucy and Evie would have loved the company.

Brad was psyched to go Jet-Skiing in the ocean. I opted to stay on land be the camera-gal. And sneak in a Henna tattoo while he was away :)

This was at a resort restaurant. We ate there for at least one meal a day. It was delicious and the scenery could not be beat!!

Here I am soaking up all the rays possible. The weather was so perfect!!

After zip-lining they had a small zoo for us to enjoy. I wasn't too eager to hold this snake, but once I did it was kind of fun.

This was some sort of scorpion they had at the zoo. This little guy had the weirdest feet that clung on to you, it was totally creepy!

We got to get into the monkey cages and feed them baby formula. They were busy little stinkers, but very friendly.

Here I am coming in on one of the zip-lines. The Los Veranos Canopy tour was the best!! The guides were hilarious and the lines were a thrill a minute!

While out on a shopping tour Brad enjoyed a little coconut milk. After finishing the milk they cut it open and scraped out the meat and spiced it for Brad to eat.

Here I am in the gardens that lead to the pools. It was so pretty. They had peacocks, cats and iguanas wondering around the gardens.

A huge thanks to Joe and Heather for taking Myles for the week. And to Rebecca for holding down the fort and keeping the girls in line.

Braces

2010-04-22T17:49:00.003-06:00

Myles had his braces put on today!!! He should only have to wear them for 12-18 months.

Myles was all ticked afterwards and asked the orthodontist why he put them on so croaked :) The doc nicely explained that it is Myles' teeth that are croaked and not the braces.

I have started Myles on Ibuprofen, but I am sure he wont be a happy camper come morning. So feel free to FB Myles and rub it in that you can eat all the no-no's... apples, candy, corn on the Cob... that boy is going to be missing out!

2010 SLC Bike Tour

2010-04-22T17:34:00.004-06:00

On Saturday 4/17 Brad, Myles , and I rode the SLC Bike Tour. We used the same route as the marathoners (26.2 miles). We had to start at 6am, in order to be off of the course in time for the runners. The morning started off a bit rocky, but ended great.

You can tell by this picture just how happy I am to be done riding :) Myles of course couldn't pass up the opportunity to ham it for the camera!
Here is a shot of us waiting at the TRAX station to get lift back to our car. The race went from the U of U, south to 62nd S, and then finished up at The Gateway. We don't ride together on long rides... Well Myles took a wrong turn and wound up lost in downtown at 615 in the morning. Thanks to Joe and Heather for getting him back on the course. Myles ended up doing 41 miles that morning, that shows just how off course he was!!

After going home and taking a nap we went shopping for vacation clothes for Brad. Apparently his legs took a beating on the ride, because he wanted me to push him in a cart at Kohl's :)

Unwanted Spring Cleaning

2010-04-13T19:20:00.002-06:00

This past weekend we had a little unexpected version of spring cleaning. Turns out that the outside water spicket has cracked. We didn't know this until using the hose this weekend. Turns out that water was spraying into the basement when the hose was turned on. I walked downstairs to do some laundry and stepped onto soggy carpet.

Myles and his friend Seth were tasked with using the shop vac to suck up the pools of water in the crawl space. Then they had to take all the soggy boxes outside to be sorted thru, dried or thrown away. Derick came over and helped Brad pull up the carpet in the family room. They then had to cut out the soggy carpet padding. And yes, this is where our entertainment center usually sits, so this was no small task.

Lucy was too funny. She refused to leave the action. She thought this was the most exciting thing to happen around her in months :)
The restoration company came and checked things out today. The good news is they will fix us up, good as new. The bad news is it wont be complete for 3 weeks.

So be sure to disconnect your hose during the winter so that this little adventure doesn't happen you next year!

Scrub-a-dub- Doggy

2010-04-07T21:24:00.002-06:00

You know you live in a small town when a new gas station is BIG news! Well, this new gas station is the king of 'em all. It has a car-wash, store, restaurant, RV dump, propane, and ..... a Dog Wash! So of course we had to try it out. Grace was not so convinced that bathing a dog was what she wanted to do with her afternoon, but she was a good sport.

Lucy was nice and fresh for at least an hour after her spa treatment. After that she pretty much just smelled like an old dog :) Go figure!

So if you live in Lehi, be sure to support the new King of the Gas Stations!!

Lisa Jan Gentry

2010-03-31T20:10:00.005-06:00

My Mother Lisa Jan Gentry passed away on Monday March 15, 2010. All of her children were able to be there with her during her last days, and I know that would have meant the world to her. I am so grateful for an amazing family that pulled together and made Mom's graveside service just perfect.

Thank you to everyone who sent all of the lovely thoughts, flowers, and offers for help. Mom was so very loved and will be so very missed. But I know her body is finally at peace. She is with other loved ones now, that have waited ages to be with her again.

The pal-bearers were Rob, Dennis, Joe, Brad, Dusty and Myles. Mom loved being surrounded by all of her handsome men :)

I would like to thank the staff at the LDS Hospital that took such great care of Mom. Near the end her nurse Ben even gave Mom Pepsi in her feeding tube and swabbed her mouth with Pepsi. It was gestures like this that showed how much they had gotten to know and love our Mother.

I want to thank Brad for taking care of/putting up with me through all of this. He was always patient even when I was short and snippy with him. I love you babe!

I also want to thank my place of work, AFA. I have received a huge outpouring of support from by boss and my department. They have covered so many of my duties in order for me to spend the necessary time with family and making arrangements.

"Don't worry about the future,

The present is all thou hast,

The future will soon be present,

And the present will soon be past."

- William R. Evans III & Andrew Frothingham

Growing Up

2010-03-31T19:50:00.003-06:00

We truly don't have little ones anymore. Both Myles and Shakierra are growing up faster then I can blog about it :) For having to teenagers I think we have it pretty easy (knock on wood), but tell them that!!

Myles got to work at the South Town Expo Home Show for Grandma and Grandpa Jolley. He loved the chance to earn some moola (which is going towards clip-less pedals for his new bike). He also loved the chance to talk to people non-stop for two days. If you know Myles you know he is blessed with the gift of gab!

After Myles kicked our trash on the last bike ride, we decided he had earned a true road bike. So we went to the bike swap at the state fair grounds and found a killer deal. Brad totally wants to trade bikes with Myles now :) Just the wheels alone make us both green with envy! Our next ride is in April riding the SLC Marathon route.

Shakierra may not be getting as tall as Myles, but she is growing up quickly too. She is enjoying her first year of Jr. High. We had her hair cut for her b-day and I think it looks great on her!

Myles had his first school night dance. He insisted he needed a tuxedo, but we were able to convince him that his church clothes would have to suffice. Here he is stiking a sexxy pose! (Looks more Jim Carey-ish if you ask me!)

Do all the good you can

By all the means you can

In all the ways you can

In all the places you can

At all the times you can

To all the people you can

As long as ever you can.

- John Wesley

Zion Century Bike Ride

2010-02-28T21:40:00.002-07:00

Well we survived the cold and rain in St. George! Brad and I each completed a 30 mile ride. The hills killed me! But Myles schooled us both...Myles completed 108 miles!!!!!!!! It took him a little over 6 hours.

Here we are just before starting the ride. Please keep in mind that it was stinking cold and I had a lot of layers on (I am not that puffy!) And where did Myles get those legs!?!?!?

Myles and Brad enjoying the murphy bed at the time-share :)

I told Myles to take the luggage cart back down stairs and turned around to find this. Boys will be boys!

Here is Myles coming in after 108 miles. Brad and I were so proud of him!!

We had the greatest time on our weekend getaway. We played ping pong, hot tubbed, ate until we thought we would pop, did a little shopping, and laughed our butts off!!

Still Alive

2010-02-17T13:23:00.002-07:00

Yes, we are still alive! We have just busy little bees, but not to worry nothing is wrong :)

Mom will be getting her first dose of Bone Marrow on March 5th. They will do 4 days of Chemo starting on 2/27/10, then one day of Radiation, one day of rest and then BM. It is going to be a really rough spell, so please keep her in your prayers. She has been eating better and seems to be getting a bit stronger.

Today is Shakierra's 14th birthday!! She will be at our house this weekend to celebrate. I even bought her some make up this year, guess it is time to accept that she isn't a little one any longer :)

A week and a half left until our St. George bike ride. I am getting way excited. Brad had been busy prepping each of bikes for the trip. He taught me how to change my tire in case of a flat, I don't know why I just can call for road-side-assistance :)

Roller Coaster

2010-02-03T08:29:00.003-07:00

Our lives feel like a roller coaster these days. Here is a quick update for you to enjoy the ride with us :)

Mom's siblings are not a bone marrow match
A BM match is found on the international registry

Get a new dog
Give back the new dog

Brad gets a cold
Brad gets over a cold
Brad gets yet another cold

Myles has his ipod stolen
Myles asks how he can earn money for a new one (Wow... he didn't just ask me to buy it!!!)

So, lost of ups and downs. But on the whole we are doing great!!

Bone Marrow Registry

2010-01-19T17:01:00.003-07:00

Turns out that none of Mom's siblings are a Bone Marrow match. (Well Crap!) So I have a task for each of you. Please (if you are able) go online to www.marrow.org and register to be on the National Bone Marrow Registry. It is completely FREE! They will mail a swab kit for you to use and return in order for them to map your BM.

See what an easy task! Now get to it!!

Bike MS: Best Dam Bike Ride

2010-01-14T21:31:00.003-07:00

Brad, Myles & I (Team - Jolley Bikers)are all registered for the 2010 MS bike ride! Myles and I are going for 40 miles in 1 day, and Brad is going to try the 70 mile route. It isn't until June, so we thankfully have time to get ready physically.

This is an annual fundraising event for the Utah MS Society. Our team goal is to raise at least $3,000. So don't be surprised if we ask for a donation. Brad and I also have links for donating on our profile pages on Facebook. :)

So far our biking schedule is as follows:
Feb 27th - 30 miles in St. George
April 17th - 26.2 SLC (marathon route)
June 26-27 - 40 & 70 miles MS ride

Let us know if you hear of more rides we would be interested in. Also, let us know if you can join us for any of these rides. We would love the company!!

"The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle." -- Author Unknown

Calories

2010-01-14T21:23:00.002-07:00

So I finally broke down and have started actually looking at my caloric intake. Jen (Brad's sister) sent me a great website to help me out www.livestrong.com They have nutritional information for about every dish that you can think of. So I will keep you posted on how this goes. All I can tell you after having a Dr. Pepper and a Red Bull today is that I take in WAY too much sugar!! But I am getting better about drinking water. :)

"More die in the United States of too much food than of too little." -- John Kenneth Galbraith

Hospital Update

2010-01-11T16:07:00.002-07:00

Mom is now at LDS Hospital (room E811). She was transferred there because that is where all Bone Marrow Transplants are done for this area. Right now we are waiting to find out if one of her siblings has compatible BM that they could donate to her. That takes 14 days, so right now it is a waiting game.

The doctors believe that her CLL (leukemia) has morphed into a form of Anemia (forget the full name). She is receiving blood or platelets around the clock at this point. The hopes are that if she gets some healthy BM in her, it could spread and she could start producing blood again.

She isn't eating, so we are trying to get creative. Today I am taking vanilla wafers, as that is as bland a snack as I can think of. I am going to try apricot baby food as well, which she actually likes. So keep you fingers crossed that we can get her to eat something!! Or we might have to resort to protein shakes through a beer bong! :)

Mom does have her laptop with her. So be sure to email her or write her a quick note on FB. I know she would appreciate it.

"The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness." - Honore de Balzac

Tuscon, AZ

2010-01-01T09:39:00.003-07:00

We decided to go someplace warm for Christmas this year. So we flew to Tuscon on Christmas day. We stayed at one of our timeshare resorts and got in some much needed R&R. The weather was perfect. The scenery was gorgeous!! I have an all new appreciation for desert landscapes now. We sat on the balcony of our room and watched a variety of birds and jack rabbits forage for food, it was great.
We went to Tombstone for a true western experience. We both thought it was a bit corny, but it was still fun.

We went to the Arizona - Sonoma Desert Museum, referred to us by Aunt Nan. It was incredible!! There were every variety of cactus and dessert animal imaginable. Brad liked all the cactus's so much he even bought one to bring home! This place is a must-see if you are ever down in Tuscon.

In Tombstone there was a small petty zoo, where Brad fell in love with this donkey. He stood and talked, petted, and fed him for the longest time. Brad was very sad when I told him he could not bring his new friend home with us :)

We saw tons of cyclists out and about in Tuscon. So we decided that we would surely have to take a trip back down there, but drive so that we could take our bikes. With all the snow here, I am ready to jump in the car and head back down south today!!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T19:18:00.004-07:00

This year it was the kids turn to spend the actual holiday with their other parents. So we had our Christmas celebration on 12/20/09 instead. We went up to the Hoggle Zoo on our pseudo Christmas Eve for Zoo Lights. It was perfect weather for walking thru the zoo and spying on the slumbering animals. We would highly recommend it for next year!

Shakierra got a new iPod, Myles got a "touch" phone, Brad and I just got plain spoiled :)

Brad and I spent Christmas Eve with the Alexanders. Heather made the most delicious ham!! So we ate until we could eat no more and then moved onto the gifts. Both Jane and Grace are into Princesses, so that was the theme of their gifts. I think you can tell by this picture that Janie approves of my gift selection :)
Mom was admitted into the hospital on Christmas Eve. Her platelet levels were so low that she was bleeding internally. The bleeding in her brain was causing pressure and terrible pain. They are giving her tons of platelets and whole blood. She will be having a bone marrow biopsy tomorrow to give the doctors a better idea what they are dealing with. Mom is doing much better then when she was admitted, but still no word on when she can come home. So keep her in your prayers and get out and Donate Blood!!

Indoor Training

2009-12-28T18:52:00.003-07:00

Our goal for 2010 is to try and participate in a cycling event at least once a month (during cycling season). Our first ride is in St. George in February. So Brad got us this great indoor trainer. It is took stinking cold (and slick) outdoors for riding, but now we have no excuse.

The indoor trainer has been great for Myles to learn to use the clipless pedals. He is hooked now, guess we know what he will be getting for his b-day :)

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of county you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle." Ernest Hemingway

Poor Heather

2009-12-28T18:45:00.003-07:00

After viewing these few pictures, I think you too will be thinking "poor Heather". Here is undeniable photographic evidence that she lives with a bunch of crazies!! Good thing we all love them so much :)

Here we have Joe sporting some of the magnets from Brad's groovy Christmas gift. I think this is a great look for Joe!!

And here the girls are lapping up all the ketchup that they can :) We took them to lunch at Chadder's and they started in on the ketchup, I couldn't resist taking a pictures. I think our fellow diner's thought I was off my rocker!

Time Fly's

2009-12-02T21:15:00.003-07:00

Time fly's when your.......stressing to the max, working to many hours, running around like a chicken with it's head cut off!! Take your pick, and that will explain my drastic lack of blogging. Work has been insanely busy due to ill employees. Everyone seems to be on the mend, but I will be losing another employee to maternity leave any day now. I am blessed with work, that is what I keep telling myself!

Thanksgiving was great. I actually cooked and the only thing that didn't turn out was the gravy. So I was pretty proud of myself. We had Brad's family over for a total of 14 people. It was fun to finally host a Thanksgiving dinner at home :)

Thanksgiving was also Evie's birthday. She is 3 now. Our little devil is growing up! :) She got a new sweater and powdered donuts for her b-day. I think she would have preferred no sweater and more donuts, but she is only a dog after all!!!

Tomorrow night is my work Christmas party. I will breathe a huge sigh of relief once that is over with. We have lots of people in from out of town, making for an extra stressful time for me.

Brad is driving to Cedar City and back everyday this week. So he starts at 12 midnight and gets home around 2-3 pm. The poor boy is working his tush off!!

"Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes everyday. Rich people cant buy more hours. Scientists cant invent new minutes. And you cant save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you have wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow." - Denis Waitely

Halloween 2009

2009-11-07T15:50:00.002-07:00

Work Halloween Pics

2009-11-07T15:48:00.002-07:00

Paperwork

2009-10-26T20:46:00.002-06:00

Who knew that getting hit by a car can cause so much darn paperwork?!?! We have finally been able to gather all of the bills from Myles' medical treatment from when he got hit by a car in August. Sheesh! Some places take forever and a day to bill you!! But I regress...tonight I am gathering the last of the documentation for Myles' claim. I have printed out pictures and everything. So watch out for this mad Momma!

Work is insanely busy right now. The boys have been troopers and not complained about all the extra hours I am having to put in lately. I am hoping that this coming Sunday will be the last Sunday I have to work for a long while. Myles has even been coming in and working with me. He thinks I am a bit of a slave-driver, but I think that is a good thing :)

We are getting excited for Halloween (can't believe it is nearly here!). This year I am going to be a black cat, Brad has a very realistic Gorilla mask, and Myles is Captain America. I will be sure to post pictures.

"I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween." ~Author Unknown

I want a Giraffe

2009-10-19T08:33:00.003-06:00

I saw this pictures while checking the news this morning. Isn't he the cutest!! I totally want one. So Brad, take note, this is what I want for Christmas :)

Things have been non-stop busy for us. Brad's shoulder is slowly healing. He is back to work. He wears his sling whenever he isn't working. Myles had 4 lacrosse games this Saturday. He scored two goals!!! He is getting more aggressive, which is fun to see. And I am just crazy busy with work. So there you have it. We haven't fallen off the face of the earth, just barely have time to come up for air let alone blog these days. :)

Fire!!

2009-10-12T09:54:00.004-06:00

ok, first off I just have to share this...I am getting logged in to do this post and Johnny Cash singing "Burning Ring of Fire" comes on my ipod. LMAO What timing!!!

Anyway! Friday night after Myles' lacrosse game we decided to take advantage of being in Provo and decided to hit our favorite Chinese food place. We had delicious sizzling rice soup at China Town. Then as we were driving north on State street ande we saw smoke. Well Myles insisted that we pull over and see what was going on. We got a front row seat to an amazing fire show!! It turns out it was an old barn/garage. No one was hurt, so we felt ok being total gawkers!

Here is a shot I took with my phone. The power lines were right above the garage, so their were sparks flying like mad! Myles was walking around talking to everyone, trying to get the full scope. He could so be a reporter :)

Busy Weekend

2009-10-08T20:30:00.003-06:00

As if this week hasn't been busy enough, we have an even busier weekend planned. Tomorrow Myles starts things off early with a lacrosse game in Provo at 330pm. He is still looking for a kind soul to get him there early if possible, so give me a shout if you want the honor of driving Myles to Provo :) Then he has at least 4 games on Saturday, with the possibility of 6 games. They will play more games if they keep winning. So the poor boy wont be worth much by the end of all that!!
Saturday I am going to Myles first 2 games and then Brad and I are heading up to SLC. We are going to go to the Gateway for the afternoon and then a charity dinner in the evening. It is a fundraising dinner to build schools in Mali, Africa. This will be our 3rd time attending this function, it is always a very nice event!
Sunday we are joining up with Brad's family at the Zoo......ok that came out totally wrong!!! Sadie and Seth are having a b-day celebration at the zoo. We are excited to go, as we haven't been in years. I am hoping for improvement. The first time I went to the Hogle Zoo I thought it was soo sad. I guess after growing up near the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park it kinda spoils a girl :)

"It is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons." ~Douglas Adams

Myles the Man

2009-10-05T19:37:00.003-06:00

Myles' nick name of Myles the Man has new meaning now.... drum roll please....Myles has started shaving!! Recently Myles' peach fuzz has gotten to be a bit much. His upper lip was driving me crazy. So we broke down and bought a full shaving kit. Brad thinks I went a bit overboard, but heck I don't shave my face, so I wasn't sure what he "needed". So Myles now has a top of the line razor, extra blades to last till he graduates, shaving cream, after shave, and steptic (SP) stick. So next time you see Myles be sure to admire his baby soft, freshly shaved face!

This weekend we did a whole lot of nothin and loved it! I have been crocheting my brains out. I have a baby shower for twins on Friday. I waiting a little too long before starting the blankets :) Brad caught up on his sleep. The kids cooked us dinner one night. We watched Pet Semetary. Just a great "quality time" kind of weekend!!

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." ~Irish Proverb

Dog Lake

2009-09-27T21:36:00.004-06:00

A man and his dog...need I say more :)

Look at this view, totally worth all the huffing and puffing!!

Here we are at Dog Lake. I loved all the colors as the trees are turning for fall.

Brad and Evie

Saturday afternoon Brad, Evie, and I headed up Mill Creek Canyon for a hike. We hiked to Dog Lake, which is 3.6 miles round trip. It felt more like 10 miles, but at least I survived. I am sure Brad could have made the hike up in half the time if it weren't for me needing to take a breather every 10 steps!! The weather was perfect, Evie was well behaved, and there was no fee for going up the canyon that day...who could ask for anything more!

After the hike Brad, Myles, and I went to dinner at Outback. It was soo yummy. This was Myles' request for having perfect parent/teacher conferences. His history teacher said "Myles is a handful, but he is also one of the brightest students I have ever taught." Wow!! That is music to this Mother's ears.

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth." ~Dan Rather

LAX

2009-09-27T21:30:00.003-06:00

Myles played his first two Lacrosse games this Saturday. It was fun to watch him play a new sport. After watching I think lacrosse can best be described as soccer meets football with a lot of stick hitting!! Myles did great and even scored a goal in the second game.

Myles is # 30. And look at the sky in this picture. Was it a gorgeous day on Saturday or what?!?!

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." ~Vince Lombardi

FFA

2009-09-25T20:48:00.003-06:00

Seeing how Myles is such a country bumpkin it only seemed natural that he would want to join FFA...NOT. I was a bit surprised to say the least! But he paid the club fee himself, so I knew he was serious. Then I find out he gets to miss several days of school while out on field trips with the club...ah ha now it makes sense. Here's a shot of him after coming home from playing football in the mud with the group. (How this applies to farming I don't really know)

"In youth the days are short and the years are long; in old age the years are short and the days long." ~Nikita Ivanovich Panin

Racing Cane 3K

2009-09-25T20:41:00.003-06:00

On Saturday the 19th Brad and I ran in a 3K in Orem. This was part of the weight loss group we are participating in. It was a gorgeous morning and we had a great time. Shakierra went along to take pictures, but the batteries died :(. After the race they had different activities for runners and their families. Brad got a great massage and Shakierra got her face painted. Then they had a kids race that was two laps around the track. It was too cute to watch some as young as toddlers running their little hearts out!

"Jogging is very beneficial. It's good for your legs and your feet. It's also very good for the ground. It makes it feel needed." ~Charles Schulz, Peanuts

Books

2009-09-16T21:22:00.003-06:00

I am proud to admit that I am a book worm. I don't read much non-fiction. I read to escape reality and to be entertained. It would be interesting to know how much I have spent on books thus far in my life. I am sure the figure would be astonishing!! The last book in the Outlander series comes out next week. I was actually looking at my calendar today trying to think when I could pencil in time to read (pathetic, I know). Here are a few of my favorite authors in no particular order:

Dean Koontz
Judith McNaught
Patricia Cornwell
Mary Higgins Clark
JD Robb / Nora Roberts
Diana Gabaldon
Thomas Harris
Tami Hoag
There are tons more, but those were the ones I thought of first.

I will pretty much read anywhere; at work during lunch, in bed, in traffic, while giving blood (doing that tomorrow).

So tell me, who are your favorite authors and where do you prefer to read?

Quickie Post

2009-09-15T16:49:00.002-06:00

Life seems to moving along a light speed these days. So sorry for the drastic lack in postings. But here are the haps around our house:

1- Brad and I are in a Biggest Loser group. The children are already complaining over the lack of goodies around the house.
2- Myles is playing Lacrosse now. Hopefully he likes it, I had to sell a kidney to buy all the gear!
3- My office is leaking from all the rain. If this place gets anymore ghetto I will have to start packing heat!

Almost time to head home and change for Step class. See ya!!

Barbie!!

2009-09-07T21:25:00.002-06:00

Every time the girls come over they have to find miscellaneous household objects to play with, seeing as we don't have little ones anymore. So Brad and I have been trying to build a small toy stash for them. So this weekend we bought Barbies!! It was so fun to watch the girls play for so long with the dolls. It brought back great memories for me. Grace and Jane loved their dolls and now have real toys to play with when they come over!!

Here Grace is playing with the bathroom set. Barbie even has a flat panel screen to watch TV in the bathroom. And my personal favorite was the purple and pink toilet..man, where can I get one of those!!

We have had a fab long weekend. Friday night we went over to Becky & Derick's for a Rock Bank / Phase 10 Party!! And then Saturday night we went out with B&D to Cucine Toscana, where we ate until we thought we might die!! The food was oh so yummy!! Then we hit the Tavernacle for some duelling pianos. Nothing like see Brad get his groove on to make it a truly wild weekend!!

Tomorrow starts another round of Willowpark Fit. So we are back on the wagon as of tomorrow. We will be eating right and sweatin' to the oldies. We have totally been feeding our faces all weekend long in anticipation of the upcoming diet. So wish us luck!!

Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake. ~Author Unknown

Course De' Lure

2009-08-30T21:04:00.006-06:00

Today we took the dogs to a cool fundraiser for the Utah Humane Society. They brought in a group that sets up an obstacle course for dogs. This course has been on Animal Planet. There is a lure that is pulled through the course to encourage the dogs to run at top speed. It was a hoot to see all the different dogs running the course. Lucy ran the course once and Evie ran it 4 times. Evie got the best time of the day, finishing just over 11 seconds.

I loved seeing all kinds of people with their furry little friends out having fun for a great cause!

Sorry, didn't realize I didn't get any good shots of the actual course. But trust me, it was way cool!

We had a nice quiet weekend. We watched all of season 3 of Dexter and of course, some NCIS. Brad is back to working nights starting this week. So we will actually get to have dinner together again :) Myles is feeling much better. He was able to get around for short spells without his crutches. He will still need them to get through a full day of school, but the improvement is good to see.

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. " ~Josh Billings

2009-08-26T16:21:00.001-06:00

Xterra Vs. Myles

2009-08-23T15:14:00.002-06:00

Most of you have heard by now, but Myles was hit by a car on Saturday. He was out skateboarding, heard the car approaching, pulled over to the left of the road and kicked up the nose of his board and stood to wait for the car to pass. The driver of the car wasn't paying attention (lighting a cigarette) and cut the corner. Myles looked up just as the car was about to make impact. Myles' left side took the brunt of the injuries. His board got lodged under the wheel of the car and is pretty much toast. His shoes don't look too bad but the inside of the left shoe is torn up (that is the foot that was run over). His shoe was thrown off, he hit his head on the hood, his hip broke the blinker light, and Myles flipped before landing on the street.

Colton heard the accident and came out to see Myles on the street and came running to get Brad and I. Lots of neighbors showed up to see if they could help (thanks everyone!!). Myles was taken via ambulance to American Fork Hospital where they did a slew of x-rays and CT scans. Miraculously no broken bones!!! His foot and ankle are very swollen and banged up, so he will be on crutches for a while to let that heal up. His elbow and hip got some road rash and nasty bruising. But the doctor was amazed that his injuries weren't worse.

I took some pictures with my phone, so I will post those as soon as I figure out how :) Being how school just started, Myles had brand new clothes and shoes on. He was so peeved about his clothes being cut off and his shoes being ruined!! But I promised him insurance will cover all damages and he can go out shopping for a new board and a new outfit :)

We have had many concerned friends and family calling and stopping by. Thanks for all of your concerns and offers to help. Myles is currently happily doped up on Loritab. Tomorrow will be worse I am sure, since I wont give him the "good" meds during school hours.

"If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself." ~Leon Eldred

First Day of 9th Grade

2009-08-22T11:16:00.002-06:00

Myles is officially a Freshman now!! Thursday the 20th was the first day of school. He is in his last year at Willowcreek Middle School and then will be going to Lehi High School next year. He loves his new classes...well except for seminary. But honestly, who really ever "liked" seminary???

Shakierra started school on Friday the 21st. She is going into 7th grade, so it is her first year in Jr. High. It was confusing, but the first day usually is. Her goal for next week is to make it to the correct lunch break :)

Today we are deep cleaning. So our house smells oh-so fresh. Now only if it would stay that way! Later we are taking Grace and Jane for a while. It has been a bit since we had them, so we are looking forward to spoiling them all afternoon :)

"As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools." ~Author Unknown

2008 Ford Edge

2009-08-17T21:49:00.003-06:00

Big news at the Jolley house.......we bought a new (well new to us) car!! I was so very sad to say good-bye to my dear Sequoia, but it was the right decision. Financially it was just the right time to make this jump. It is great to drive and roomy for all passengers. I love the metallic red color and Brad loves that I gave-in and bought a Ford.

So if you see a sassy young blond cruising through Lehi.....well give me a call because that means Myles has hi-jacked my new ride!! But if you see a frizzy haired lady driving around who looks like she doesn't know how to turn off her wind-shield wipers, then that is probably me :)

Plus, a huge HAPPY B-DAY to my Mama!!

"Put a grain of boldness into everything you do." ~Baltasar Gracian

Torrey 2009

2009-08-11T18:43:00.004-06:00

We survived another Family Reunion. Those things can be touch and go at times...but no worries, we made it thru unscathed! :)
As usual we camped down in Torrey, Utah right outside of the Capital Reef National Park. We spent 4 fun filled days getting dirty, eating too much food, and getting to know everyone even better.

Here we find Myles stuck trying to get down form a rock he had scaled. We were all busting a gut watching him try to get down.

This is a good shot of most of the gang.

Myles, Riley, and Shakierra on the "Chimney Rock" hike.

Daddy-o making another of his miraculous no-match fires. Bear Grills would have been so proud!!

The potato-sac race

The Wheel Barrel race. Notice how Joe decided to carry his wheel barrel aka Gracie.

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

Youth Conference

2009-08-04T21:56:00.003-06:00

Things are crazy busy around here. This past Friday and Saturday Brad and I helped out with Youth Conference. It was exhausting but rewarding. We did a Service Project Thursday night and had a camping retreat on Fri & Sat.

Here is a shot of the kids staining a fence for the service project.

Saturday the kids did an awesome ropes course. Here's Myles jumping for the trapeze.

There are tons more pictures to come. But my keyboard batteries are dieing, so that's it for now folks!!

Moving on Up

2009-07-27T21:43:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday Myles was ordained to the office of a Teacher within the Aaronic Priesthood. Now Myles gets to help set up and prepare the sacrament. He is stoked, but can't wait till he is a Priest and can actually bless the sacrament. But that isn't until he turns 16, so he has a while to wait still. Brad even got to do the blessing, so that made it extra special!

We went out and bought Myles all new church clothes this weekend. That boy seems to grow out of things before he even breaks them in. He is now in a size 9 shoe and 30x30 slacks. He isn't a little boy anymore by an stretch of the imagination.

Tonight Shakierra was a good sport and helped me with a project. We made 3 dice for a game for this coming weekends Youth Conference. You know when you envision how this grand idea will turn out ... and then once you are done it is nothing near as cute as you had planned. That is how the dice turned out. At this point I am just hoping they survive the game.

Tonight when Myles got home from riding his bike he mentioned he wanted a haircut. So I grabbed the car keys and drove off with him before he could change his mind. It was 830pm, so I knew we didn't have much time to get in before everyone closed up for the night. We hit 4 barbers before getting in. But the Great Clips by Albertsons did the best job on his hair that I have seen in a long while. So I am happy that I have my clean cut boy back.

Poor Brad is working non-stop these days. He is still at work as I am typing this. He has been there for 13 hours already. So my hats off to all those truck drivers out there delivering all the goodies so that I can keep shopping:)

"Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter which fork you use." ~Emily Post

Kenny Chesney Concert

2009-07-24T19:01:00.002-06:00

Last night Heather, Becky and I went to see Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert (yuck-o), and Sugarland (they were a no show due to a sore throat). It was a million degrees outside, but we had a blast, so that made the heat more bearable. Here we are pre-concert getting our beach groove on. (We so look like we know what we are doing...not!)

Kenny was a great preform er. At one point during the show a fan gave Kenny his U of U hat. So when he came back on stage for his encore he was sporting the good old U. He got huge cheers for that. He stuck around after the concert for a long time signing autographs for those close to the stage.

This concert definitely got two-thumbs up!! I would for sure go see him again!

"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." ~Confucius

Weiner Mobile

2009-07-21T16:56:00.000-06:00

AND YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD A BAD DAY?!?!?

Cycling 101

2009-07-20T20:28:00.002-06:00

We survived the 20 mile ride on Saturday!! It was great! It was a challenge of course, but we really enjoyed it. Brad did great and stayed with the main group of riders for the majority of the ride. I on the other-hand fell behind early. Those hills just kill me! But the up-side of being the hill-flunky was that I got tons of 1 on 1 advice.

Apparently I have a ways to go in proper riding form. First off I let me knees fall to the sides, a big no-no. Next my seat was way too low. Also my saddle (aka seat for you non-cyclists) was totally wrong for me. I sit too far forward and thus put too much pressure on my hands (hence the sore hands and neck).

So now I am carefully monitoring my form when riding. I am the proud owner of a new ladies saddle. They even measured the width of my sit-bones to make sure I got the rite size seat. I went out on it tonight and what a difference!! So much better!!

So we are for sure joining the group ride again this Saturday. It is every Saturday morning at the AF Trek store. If anyone else wants to join in feel free, anyone is welcome.

"Ideals are like stars: you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you reach your destiny."~Carl Schurz

Friday Rundown

2009-07-17T19:16:00.002-06:00

I haven't blogged all week because I don't think anything wildly exciting has been going on around our house. But yet it seems we are on the go non-stop... so we must be up to something. If any of you know, please let me know!!! :)

The work week is through (thank the stars!) and I am fully into my weekend routine. I am already in my jammies (@7 on a Friday night, sad I know), have started laundry, started the grocery list, blah blah ... you get the idea. It will be a nice quiet evening with just the dogs and I :) Myles gets home from camp tomorrow. I have missed him, but I am sure he is having a blast!

Tomorrow Brad and I are going on our first official "group-ride". We are going with the group from the Trek store. They have someone bring up the rear so that no one is left behind and lost (I am sure we will be buds with that dude!) It is a 20 mile loop through American Fork and Alpine. It should be a fun ride!

Well off to switch the laundry...oh what a glamorous life I lead!!

"Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia." ~H.G. Wells

Biker Brad

2009-07-13T19:49:00.003-06:00

Brad doesn't get to spend near enough time on his bike as he would like. The poor guy works non-stop. So the other day when we had the girls over, he wasn't about to let that keep him from hitting the road. Grace jump on board with a bag of cheez-its & her water bottle and was game for anything. They hit 3 different parks before they returned!!

Myles is off at Scout Camp. He has been looking forward to this for months. The boys always have so much fun out there doing Man-Stuff!

Brad & I are helping out with Youth Conference this year. We are excited for the challenge. Though Myles wasn't too keen on his parents tagging along. Oh well, he will just have to get over it. So if you know of any totally awesome games for the youth to play in the great outdoors let me know. We don't want to be know as the "boring jolley's"!

"Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation. If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you." ~Erma Bombeck

4th of July Birthday Bash

2009-07-10T20:32:00.005-06:00

This year for Myles' 14th birthday we went to a 4th of July BBQ at Rob & Sri's home in Mantua. It was absolutely gorgeous weather! We had tons of family to hang out with, which made the day perfect. As you can see, Myles wasted no time getting down and dirty on the trampoline!

McKenna & Sierra were great to share their horses. Shakierra absolutely loves horses, so she was in hog heaven!

It took Myles three shots to get this picture. He kept cutting our heads off in the photo and thinking he was stinking hilarious for doing so. Heather and I were about ready to give him a tag-team beat-down!!

I loved this shot of Grace and G-pa. Dad looks just as happy and carefree as Grace!!

Jane loved being on the horses. She loved all the different animals the Kline's had. (goat, horses, dog, bunny...)

And you can tell that Grace loves her Uncle Brad. He was protecting her from candy thieves while she munched away on sweet-tarts.

I still cant believe that my baby boy is 14 years old already! He is a laugh a minute...(most of the time.)

Thanks again to the Kline's for hosting this great shindig!!

"A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn't act that way very often." ~Author Unknown

Blame my Mother!!

2009-07-09T09:19:00.002-06:00

So yes, I admit it, I am a blog flunky! No I have not fallen off the face of the earth. But I have become addicted to a new TV show. For those of you that know me well, you know I don't watch TV. But my Mom got Brad & I watching NCIS and we haven't been worth a wooden nickel since!! Last night I watched 4 hours of NCIS!! I should be ashamed!! I have been sick though, so that is my excuse for planting my rear-end on the couch for the evening.

So what TV shows have you been addicted to?? Not just a show you casually watch, but are emotionally attached to.

Here are the shows I have been sucked in by (and still love)!
ALIAS
Six Feet Under
Dexter
NCIS

"Today, watching television often means fighting, violence and foul language - and that's just deciding who gets to hold the remote control." ~Donna Gephart

MS - Best Dam Bike Ride

2009-06-28T18:24:00.003-06:00

This weekend we went up to Logan and volunteered at the 2009 MS Bike Tour aka The Best Dam Bike Ride (seeing as the bike on the dam). Our shift started at 5am... you can just see the excitement in the children's faces.

We helped set up and server breakfast to all the bikers. Then we headed to the first rest stop to help replenish the riders as they came thru. It was so freaking cold and windy in the early morning (we were at the mouth of Logan Canyon) and of course none of us took sweat-shirts. We have never appreciated the warm sun more!!

The ride varied in lengths but the longest trek was 175 miles over two days!! It was so fun to see all the different people and read all of the jerseys (there were tons of teams). Brad is psyched to try this next year. Myles and I are game, but only for the shorter route (80 miles over two days). So don't be surprised when we hit you up for a sponsorship next year :)

On the drive up to Logan on Saturday we stopped and had dinner with Jen & Seth and the girls. That was a fun visit. Due to the distance we usually only see each other at larger gatherings. So it was great to have a more one on one visit!

Saturday morning I ran the Lehi Roundup 5k. I am so glad that is the last race I am signed up for. My shins would like nothing more than to never see my running shoes again. Any shin pain experts out there that wanna share a secret cure...lay it on me!

This week Brad starts his new shift starting at 11am. We are keeping our fingers crossed this will be a positive change. We will see each other less now, but we are scheduling to the hilt to try and get around that.

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." ~Cynthia Ozick

R.I.P. MJ

2009-06-25T19:46:00.003-06:00

So if we were to be honest Michael Jackson hasn't look "alive" for well over a decade. But it was still sad to hear that he passed away today. I loved him as a kid!

Weird thing is I was on the phone ordering flowers for a funeral and was on hold, so I took the down time to jump online and that's when I read the news. Weird ain't it?!?!

On a much more positive note... Today was the first official "Taco Cart Thursday" at AFA. I had my first taco cart experience and I have to say it was way yummy. And Cheap!! So I will even volunteer to drive the next Taco Cart Thursday Fun-Bus!

"Beat It!" - Michael Jackson

Gadgets Galore!

2009-06-22T20:40:00.002-06:00

This weekend we splurged on some new gadgetry!! Brad is starting a new shift at work next week and will now be doing Pick-up & Delivery in the city. So he thought he better invest in a GPS system to help him out. It must be a total Man-Thing, because I think it is kinda boring. But he and Myles start to fight when it is time to put in a new destination! Can you say Control Issues?!?!?

I have been wanting a new phone for a while now. Mine is a couple of years old and has served its time well, but I was ready for a phone with a key pad. So Brad and I both got new Nokia E71x's (like a blackberry). So we can now text like the pro's! Myles was a bit miffed that he didn't get a new-phangeled phone too...sheesh you would think the kid has to talk into a tin can the way he was going on! And of course with getting new phones we both opted for new blue tooth headsets. So we came out of the AT&T store with two bags of loot! BTW- Grace and Jane have been black-listed from the AF store. Sheesh, it was only one display... it wasn't like they burned the store down!

We dropped Myles off at YMCA Camp Rogers yesterday. The counselors totally remembered him, not sure if that is a good or a bad thing??? After we dropped his stuff of at his cabin he came up and gave me a hug goodbye but made it clear that a kiss was out of the question! Next year he can go up as a counselor in training!!

Myles had a physical last week in preparation for his summer camps. the boy is officially taller than me. He is Five feet Six and a half inches tall and 117 lbs.! Life ain't fair I tell you!! So next time you see him, if he gets really close and is looking you up and down..no worries. He is just comparing height. He likes to find anyone shorter then he is and rub it in!

Well I am off to read my book in my QUIET house. Prayers are answered!!! :)

Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them." ~John Shirley

Photo Overload!!

2009-06-18T20:12:00.003-06:00

So I narrowed down our over 400 pictures from our trip to 3 slide shows with a total of 111 pictures. So if you love us, get comfy...and if you don't, well phooey on you!

Enjoy!!

2009-06-18T20:11:00.001-06:00

2009-06-18T20:07:00.001-06:00

2009-06-18T20:01:00.000-06:00

Oregon

2009-06-15T20:40:00.005-06:00

I don't even know where to start with telling you about our road trip. We had a great time, but man are we happy to be out of the car!! We left at 8pm Saturday 6/6/09. We drove all night and morning and got to Newport, Oregon around lunch time on the 7th. It was pouring rain for a large chunk of the drive, so that slowed us down a bit.

At one truck stop at about 4am we were buying munchies and Myles is just being himself (goofing off and dancing around) and the clerk says (as only a crotchety old man can) "That boy don't get out much, does he?" We all got a good laugh out of that!

We got checked in and settled at our fist hotel and Brad went out to stand on the balcony...only problem was he didn't see that the screen was closed. He walked right through it! I wish I had that on film. I was laughing so hard I was crying!!

On Monday we went Deep Sea Fishing. We caught 24 fish! Shakierra caught 10 and kept reminding us all that she caught the most! :) We also dropped crab pots while out fishing. So when we got back into the dock they steamed the crabs right there for us. They also cleaned the fish for us and we had them freeze packed to bring home. While we were out on the boat it was getting a bit choppy. We had on borrowed jackets for us wimps who get too cold, and Myles says as the boat it pitching too and fro "Great I am going to die in an ugly jacket!!" He wasn't worried about the dying part, he just didn't want to be found in unfashionable attire!!

Monday afternoon we went to the Sea Lion Caves. I think that area had the most beautiful scenery and wild life of the entire trip. We saw a bald-eagle, dear, birds, and tons of sea lions. You couldn't use your flash in the caves, so the pictures didn't turn out too great, but it was cool to see!

Tuesday we went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It had some great unique fish to look at. My favorite tanks had the environment all made from blown glass. The tanks were just as cool to look at as the fish were.

Wednesday we went to the Tilamook Air Museum. This was Myles' favorite stop of the trip. We all loved climbing in the old cockpits and playing with all the gadgets!!

Then it was off to the Tilamook Cheese Factory. Brad thought he had died and gone to heaven! That boy loves cheese!! It was way cool to see the factory and taste the different cheeses, and the ice cream was to die for!!!

For the remainder of the trip we stayed in Ocean Park, WA. Just north of Long Beach. This was a little more remote then we had expected, but it worked out just fine. We had lots of fun hitting the local shops, building a sand castle, collecting shells, climbing light houses, visiting the Cranberry Museum, and running/walking in a 5k.

We must have consumed gallons of clam chowder on this trip!! Even Myles is burnt out on chowder now and he loves the stuff!

"A vacation is like love - anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia." ~Author Unknown

Mermaid Lucy

2009-06-04T21:52:00.003-06:00

So obviously Lucy has been watching entirely too much "Little Mermaid". I mean, just look how obsessed she is!!!!

It isn't the clearest of pictures, seeing as I took it looking through the screen. But I saw this and just had to share.

We have been busy preparing for our upcoming road trip. Myles is enjoying summer and working his tush off at Basket Ball Camp. Brad has been working crazy amounts of overtime at work. Brad has also started selling his plasma. So if you see him with needle tracks, no worries, he hasn't become a junkie! :)

"When the earth floods from global warming, the swimmers will rule the world." ~Author Unknown

Date Night

2009-06-01T20:40:00.003-06:00

Now does this look like a Good-Time or what!?!? Becky and I drug our men folk kicking & screaming to the pottery store for some quality time. We had a blast painting our pieces. You can learn a lot about a person when the creative pressure is turned on. We kept all the insults G-rated :)

Becky was by far the most detail oriented painter in our group. Her striped mug will turn out the best I am sure. The boys projects on the other hand....well...they were good sports! :)
I can't wait to get the finished products back. They keep your pottery and glaze and fire it for you. Then it is dishwasher and microwave safe. I will try to remember to snag a few shots of our finished artwork later in the week!

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." ~Henry Ward Beecher

Happy B-Day Baby!!

2009-05-28T09:24:00.003-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAD!!! He still isnt even 30, big baby!!

Better Late Then Never

2009-05-27T12:56:00.002-06:00

Ok, finally got a slide show of our Vegas trip put together. I uploaded the pictures forever ago, but it was giving me technical difficulties (couldn't have been user error!!). So here are a bunch of shots of us horse back riding, zip-lining, touring the strip and enjoying the pool.

I will get a slide show of the BBQ pictures on here ASAP. I promise I will be quicker getting those posted than these :)

Oh and if you were wondering, Bruce made it to the summit of Everest!!!! Is that cool or what?!?!

"A year from now you may wish you had started today." ~Karen Lamb

2009-05-27T12:53:00.001-06:00

Bruce Parker

2009-05-20T09:00:00.003-06:00

So here I am perusing the headlines on KSL this morning and I see a family members name!! It seems my cousin-in-law Bruce Parker has been a busy man. He is currently climbing Everest!! Crazy!! When he summits Everest he will be part of an elite group to climb the highest peak on all 7 continents! Wow, and here I was being all proud of my stinking 5k!!! :)

So here is the blog link for all you family members who didn't know about this either. http://bruceoneverest.blogspot.com/

and here is the KSL article http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6548439

Way to go Bruce. And hang in there Janet. I am sure waiting for word on how this adventure is panning out is absolutely nerve racking!!

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir

Dirty Boys

2009-05-18T21:29:00.002-06:00

This weekend Myles went to the Sand Dunes at Little Sahara with his Scout Troop. Here are some pictures I snaked from Bro. Allen. As you can see the boys didn't have a moment of fun...NOT!!

Colton & Myles catching some air

Colton, Myles, and Josh
Colton doing a gainer

Myles doing a gainer (this one makes the mother in me cringe!)

Some of the boys catching air on their Sand-Boards. They made these and got to decorate (spray paint)them as they wished.

We are so lucky to have such great Scout and Youth Leaders. Myles loves all the different activities he gets to experience.

"Camping: The art of getting closer to nature while getting farther away from the nearest cold beverage, hot shower and flush toilet." ~Author Unknown

Running with Angels 5k

2009-05-16T19:42:00.003-06:00

We did it!! We all survived the Running with Angels 5k at Thanksgiving Point. The weather was perfect and the gardens were beautiful!! What a great run ! Team Purple was sooo color coordinated!!

April, Becky and Maria

Debbie, April, Julie, Becky, Maria, Jen

Sheryl, Jen, Sara

(Way to go Willow Park Ward Gals)

We decided that after our great efforts on the run that our feet deserved a little pampering....

Can you tells who's toes are who's??

Numb = Happy

2009-05-15T14:58:00.003-06:00

This morning I had yet another doctors appointment with my ENT. He started in with his probe and tweezers to clean out more build up in my sinuses from my surgery. He was really digging (lovely image, I know). Well I am sitting there with tears running down my face and I start kicking my leg. He is like "are you ok?" I said "Yes, but man not being numbed first is a killer." He looked all shocked and then gave his nurse a very your-in-trouble look and asked her "You Didn't Numb Her?!?!?" The nurse didn't even say anything, she knew her ass was grass. He apologized and quickly got the numbing spray to ease my pain. Not the best way to start off the day!!

I am about to run outta here for a busy evening. On my way home I need to stop and pick up Shakierra, then it is the rock wall competition at 5, and then to Provo to pick up our race packets. Myles is off to the sand dunes with scouts tonight. Shakierra is doing a 5 mile hike with Young Women's tomorrow. So it is already looking like another busy weekend :)

"To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." ~Emily Dickinson

Lunch Post

2009-05-13T11:42:00.002-06:00

Life has been so crazy busy, that by the time I am done with my tasks for the day I don't have an once of energy left to type a post for the blog. So I thought I would jump on and do a quick lunch post.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. Brad and Myles helped me get a bunch of planting done. I love quilt free help in the yard, so it was a perfect present. I asked Myles to go to the nursery with me earlier in the weekend and he got all worried looking and told me "you are not allowed to buy flowers today!" I asked why? He said "that's all I can say about it. Just don't go buy any flowers!"

Monday night Team Purple (Becky, Branden, Maria, and I) went on a run thru the neighborhood. Let me tell you... 2 miles feels like less work on a treadmill! A bunch of us are running a 5k at Thanksgiving Point this weekend. So wish us luck!! (Believe me, we need all the luck we can get)

So I decided the other day that my life revolves around "lists". I have to make a list for everything, or it doesn't ever get done. I have lists for everything from groceries, dinners, errands, head count for the upcoming BBQ... the list goes on and on (yes, that pun was intended)!! So I want to know who of you out there are like me and cant do anything without a checklist. Do share so that I don't feel like a total freak :) (Well any more than usual anyway)

"It has ever been my experience that folks who have no vices, have very few virtues." ~Abraham Lincoln

Brown Haired Boy

2009-05-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

Myles has been asking to dye his hair for months now. So we made a compromise. If I let him color his hair, then he will get a hair cut before our family road trip in June. So this morning we went to work at Myles' makeover. Take a look!!

I have to say that I still prefer my blond little boy. But the dark brown wasn't as bad as I had feared. So if you see a somewhat familiar looking dark haired boy out and about in our neighborhood, it is probably Myles.

"Had the price for looking been blindness, I would have looked." - Ralph Ellison

Free Advertising

2009-05-06T21:59:00.004-06:00

I will never be considered at "Runner". I have been trying to be more versatile in my exercise routine lately, so I have been throwing in more running then previously. I don't know about you but I have two major problems when I run (aside from the fast that I look like an uncoordinated moron!). One- my instep always blisters Two- my thighs get raw (sorry if that was TMI) I have found two products that have made running soooo much more bearable for me. So with no further ado... I introduce my running buddies!!

Moleskin is definitely nothing new. But I always thought it was more for hikers. But it has been a live safer for my insteps. No more unsightly and tender blisters!! I did have to experiment a bit to figure out the right size and placement of the patch...but now it is smooth sailing!

Body Glide is heaven sent. No matter how much I work out my thighs are always going to touch, it is just how I am built. But at least with the body glide my raw thunder thighs are a thing of the past! You swipe this on like a deodorant stick before heading out for your run and it last at least the 3 miles that I need it to.

So it is nice to know that I am not the only one out there with blistered feet and raw inner thighs, if I were I really don't think they would be selling this stuff! So yeah for all of us non-athletic built folk who are getting out there and actually needing these things. I guess that means at least our butt isn't glued to the couch! :)

"There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be." - George Sheehan

"If God invented marathons to keep people from doing anything more stupid, the triathlon must have taken Him completely by surprise." - PZ Pearce

Back to Life

2009-05-04T19:17:00.002-06:00

After being in Loritab Land for the past 4 days, returning to real life today was a bit of a challenge. I made it till 3m at work today, then had to come home and take a nap. This whole being awake for more then a couple of hours at a time is for the birds!!
Tonight I am trying to convince myself that I "want" to work out. I do enjoy working out. But exercise is one of those things that is so hard to get back into when you take a break. (At least that's the case for me.) So even if I am dizzy, tired, have an upset stomach from swallowing blood...nothing is gonna stop me tonight. Then tomorrow I should feel right back in the swing of things, at least that is my hope! :)
I am in the process right now of putting pictures from our old computer onto a jump stick and then organizing them on the new computer. While making sure to run the virus scan before loading anything. So hopefully I will post a slid show of Vegas later tonight. I know you will be waiting up all night in anticipation!!!

"A promise is a cloud; fulfillment is rain." Arabian Proverb

Spring Hair Cuts

2009-05-02T21:22:00.002-06:00

Today Lucy and Evie got their spring spa treatments. Evie is pretty easy to keep up on. So she only goes to the groomer once a year. Lucy is much harder to maintain and goes about 3 times a year. This time around Lucy got a full shave. She looks great! She is always so adorable after a shave. I will have to post some pictures soon.

We have been having major computer issues. So sorry for the lack of posts lately. But we have done some major upgrades and things should be running smoothly. Now Brad just has to convert our iTunes files over to our new hard drive and we will be good to go!

My surgery went awesome! All of the doctors and nurses were extremely nice. It took me a loooonnngg time to wake up after the surgery. But I wasn't nauseous at all, so I was happy about that. Brad has been waiting on me hand and foot. The afternoon after the surgery he brought me flowers and Starbucks ice cream. I couldn't ask for a better hubby!! Well I am down to taking half a loritab at a time. So I should be clear headed by Monday.

Ruling the Rock-Wall

2009-04-29T21:30:00.004-06:00

A few of us Biggest Loser Chicks attacked the Rock Wall at the Lehi Legacy Center this past Monday. Wow, it was sooo much harder then it looked. Then we all hit a Zumba class after climbing. Sheesh I am tired remembering all the sweating we did that night!!

Maria Peck, Becky Pulham, April, and Amy Easley

I promised Amy 'no booty shots". :)

Becky showing off some fancy harness skills!

Maria schooled us all in climbing!! Branden was a trooper and tried a couple of climbs even though she was going in for shoulder surgery today.

Our next team challenge is the rock wall. The past challenge was kick ball. I have pictures of that too. But things have been so crazy busy that I just haven't had time to get online and do posts.

Tomorrow is the big day...sinus surgery. I am so looking forward to having this done and hopefully feeling so much better. I will be sure to have Brad take some pictures tomorrow to share my lovely hospital glamor to all my fans! :)

"The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side." ~Margaret Carty

Nothin' Much

2009-04-23T21:50:00.002-06:00

Nothing too wildly exciting to blog about tonight. But it has been a few days, so I thought I better at least make an effort at it.

Brad has been diligently biking each day and is now highly efficient with is pedals. I on the other hand still need a little practice. Monday night I went for a ride around the neighborhood and actually did pretty well...until Evie got involved. Lucy was running along with me while Evie towed Myles on his skateboard. We were almost home and Lucy ran off into the park to go frolic with another four legged friend. Being as she is deaf, of course calling her back really doesn't work. So I unclipped my feet and straddled my bike to take Evie's leash from Myles so that he could go catch Lu. I even wrapped her leash around my hand a few times to make sure I had a good grasp of it. Well Evie decided that she wanted to go and frolic too, and she wasn't going to let little old me get in her way. So she took off like a rocket!! I was pulled off my feet, my bike dragging between my legs, I land on the curb with my knee, and continue being dragged by Evie aka The Incredible Hulk. Finally the leash unraveled from my hand and I was free to lay on the ground and take inventory to make sure I was still in once piece. As if this little experience weren't enough on its own, their were of course people at the park looking at me like I had two heads. I am sure they were wondering how such a skinny dog could drag such a large gal!

"I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves." ~Author Unknown

Clipless Pedals

2009-04-19T21:07:00.003-06:00

Brad and I made a large investment and a huge jump in the world of Cycling to Clipless Pedals. So we went out and spent a small fortune on biking shoes, cleats, and Speed-play pedals. The salesmen was great at explaining what to do and told us to be sure and practice in a secluded area before hitting streets with actual cars and other people. Sure no problem....yeah right!

We drove to AF to a route we wanted to ride this afternoon. We got geared up and set out to practice in the parking lot. Long story short, we never left the parking lot. We spent over an hour learning to clip and unclip ourselves as efficiently as possible. I only fell once. Poor Brad fell 4 times. When I would ride over to see if he was ok he was like, "don't worry about me, did my bike get scratched?!?!"

So we have promised ourselves to get in the saddle and work on this new skill everyday this week. Then hopefully by next week we can go for a real ride. So next time you see us and we have road-rash, that is why. Also, if you live in our neighborhood and happen to see us biff it and then flail wildly on the ground while trying to dislodge our shoes from the bike. Just wave and keep driving!

Brad and I definitely have a greater appreciation for those hard core cyclist. This new hobby is more of a challenge than either of us anticipated!!

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live." ~Mark Twain

A Room with A View

2009-04-15T22:01:00.002-06:00

You know you are bored when you are taking pictures of yourself!! No, but seriously, my view here is beautiful. I see Red Rock Canyon (hence the name of the resort) and the pool area. The wind has been insane here. Yesterday I sat by my window and watched the life guards scurry after blowing lounge cushions and pillows. It was highly entertaining (as I mentioned, very bored). Classes have been very informative so far. I can already tell I will have a huge implementation list by the time I go back to work. They are keeping the class rooms very cold (I think it is to keep us awake). Maybe I will take a blanket to class tomorrow... can you image the looks LOL!!

Brad was home from Vegas less then 24 hours and his work sent him to Elko, Nevada for the rest of the week. So a huge thanks to Andrew for looking after our dogs yet again. The poor pooches probably think we have abandon them!

Las Vegas part-I

2009-04-13T22:37:00.004-06:00

We have had a blast the last few days. But now it is just little old me still in Vegas. The boys flew home tonight. We have tons of pictures to share, so I thought I better get on the ball and start posting some ASAP. So sit back, relax, and enjoy these Kodak moments.

Here we are after Zip Lining through Bootleg Canyon. Total adrenaline rush!!

Here I am just hanging out!

Here is Brad-the-Bear in his harness.

Myles hamming it up it for the camera. What a shocker!!!

My men are armed and dangerous!!

Yeehaw!! Here we are on our Cowboy Experience.

Easter done "Vegas Style" - Yeah Baby!!

Viva Las Vegas

2009-04-10T17:07:00.002-06:00

Las Vegas....ready or not...here we come!! Tomorrow Brad, Myles and I are off to Sin City. The boys will stay with me thru Monday evening and then return home. Then Myles will be jetting off to Tennessee to see his father. I will be staying in Vegas for an Accounting Software Conference. Shouldn't be too bad, might even learn something :) Even if I do have to sit thru classes all day long, the pool will still be there after class!

We have some fun activities planned for this weekend...not your average Vegas weekend. We will be horseback riding, riding a zip-line, and of course shopping at the outlets!! I am taking a laptop with me... So don't you worry, I will post pictures throughout the trip. (Oh, aren't you the lucky ducks!!)

Myles is a true teenager and that being said, will do anything to get out of school. He called me yesterday and explained that he really shouldn't be going to school on Friday "You know mom, It is Good Friday!" I about fell over laughing. The child doesn't even know what Good Friday is, but once he caught wind of it he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

I had my year doctors appointment this week and (drum roll please) I am down 11 lbs. from last years visit!! But my blood pressure was even higher (crap)! Apparently 153-104 isn't a "good" thing. Whatever! So they are going to start treating me for hypertension. I tell you...getting old is a real b****!

"Youth is a disease from which we all recover." ~Dorothy Fulheim

I Love me some SUNSHINE!

2009-04-07T21:55:00.003-06:00

Oh how I love the sunshine!! These past two days have been absolute heaven. I have been happier and had more energy thanks to that fiery sphere floating above us!

Yesterday I went to the park to eat lunch. After eating I just laid on the grass soaking up some vitamin D and I had a funny thought. It was 54 degrees at my lunch break and I was laying there in a t-shirt and capris with my shoes off. Growing up in California I would have been like "What, its only 54 degrees, where is my parka?!?!" It is amazing what living thru a real winter will make you appreciate.

I wanna give a shout out to my niece McKenna. Happy B-Day!!! Oh to be 14 again...I remember being...no wait a minute, I don't remember. I have completely blocked out my teenage years. So good luck to you little lady! Believe me there is life after being a teenager :)

"Dream Big,
What is the point of dreaming small? If you attain something, it wont be of any value to you. SO DREAM BIG. It wont always work out, but you'll be able to walk a little taller for having tried." -- Jody Wright

Don't quit your day job!!

2009-04-05T21:32:00.002-06:00

There is a reason that I work with numbers for a living. There is always a right or wrong. Things are black and white with no room (or need) for interpretation. I am comfortable in such a setting. I like the feeling of control and safety that numbers bring. So when this evenings baking project turned out like this....I just thought to myself "Well don't quit your day job!"
Heather gave me dough starter for this yummy Friendship Bread. So we have been dutifully taking care of the dough for 10 days and then we just had to dump it in the garbage. The problem stemmed from my interpretation of "makes 2 loafs" in the text of the recipe. I always use the smaller loaf pans. Well seeing all the dough I had I prepped a third pan as well. Well after cooking the bread for the full time I found it still bubbling over and soupy. Note to self, clarify loaf size before trying any new recipes!!

"I think housework is the reason most women go to the office." ~Heloise Cruse

Routines are Good

2009-04-01T21:12:00.002-06:00

Ever since Brad has been back working the extra board things have been anything but routine around our house. With Brad never knowing when he would be working it was close to impossible to plan anything. The poor guy would even get called in while we were at church. So it is with a great sigh of relief that he returns to his night shift. Now we can actually talk face to face, instead of always on the phone. We can even have dinner together as a family again. So it is with a big smiley face that I say Routines are Good!

This week is Shakierra's Spring Break. So she is at our house now for an extended weekend. It is always nice to get to have her around for longer then a quick weekend visit. Her and Myles have Spring Break at different times. That is one of the challenges with having kids in different school districts. But we try and make the best of it.

April will be a busy month for us. I will be gone for a week to Las Vegas for an accounting software conference (I know... you would rather gouge your eyes out). The weekend prior to the conference Brad and Myles are coming down to join me for a quick vacation. I can not even begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to the sunshine and warm weather. Then my nose surgery at the end of the month. And don't even get me started on how busy things are at work right now!

"For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work." ~Doug Larson

Ice Breaker Triathlon

2009-03-29T21:39:00.004-06:00

We Did IT!!! Myles and I competed in the Ice Breaker Triathlon yesterday. We swam 600 meters, biked 11 miles, and ran 3 miles. It nearly killed me, but Myles schooled us all in the art of triathloning.

Here is one of Myles swimming. It was an indoor pool, so the lighting was really bad. Zoom in on this and you can see how big his mouth is. That boy was serious!!

Here I am leaving the transition area and heading out for the bike portion of the race. Wow, I am looking foxxy in that helmet!!

Here is Myles running. You notice that he is running while others are still biking. That kid was kicking a** and taking names!

This is Myles after crossing the finish line. Have any of you ever seen Myles so tired!?!?! (It didn't last long.)
It's a whale, It's an elephant.... No, It is just April crossing the finish line! Can you see my "Peeps" cheering on the side of the picture. Thanks again to Heather & Joe (and the girls) and Becky & Derick (and kids) for being to awesome and coming to support us and cheer us on.

Myles rocked this race, finishing in 58 minutes. He came in 1st for the 14-19 age group and 5th place overall!! I finished in 1 hour 45 minutes. It was a great course. We lucked out and got the only sunshiny in a long spell of cold weather. Our next race is in June in Riverton. We are trying to convince Brad to compete in that one with us.

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." ~Harry Truman

Debate

2009-03-26T16:33:00.003-06:00

Myles is taking a debate class this semester. His current topic that he is researching is the "Right to Die". This has opened up some interesting conversations (to say the least). So I thought I would put this topic out there and get your feedback. Be a sport and leave a comment to help Myles strengthen his debate info. You can even leave the comment anonymously if you are shy about it.

"We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love." ~Madame de Stael

Skills

2009-03-22T20:42:00.005-06:00

Don't you hate it when you have half of a post written and your computer craps out on you?!?!? I sure do! Any-who...

We are at the close of another splendid weekend. How I wish they could last a little longer, but oh well. Saturday Brad and I went for a great ride. We really need to get a speedometer on our bikes so we know how far we ride. But take my word for it, it was long! We even saw Heather out on the bike path. The weather was too perfect to stay indoors!

When we got home from our ride the kids were outside skating. Here is a shot of Myles showing off his "skills".

Here Myles is using his friend Conner as support to show his front flip skills. It is really a pity that he is such a couch potato, NOT!!

Saturday night we went to a fundraising dinner for the Youth to earn money for Youth Conference. That was lots of fun! They had a silent auction and all we ended up winning was a riding yard toy for Grace and Jane. So I guess we will have to plan a play date very soon :)

Today in Primary we had extra kids in our class for a grand total of 12 4-year-olds. Brad and I seriously felt dizzy by the time church was over. The kids were great overall. I don't think the fact that I was handing out jelly beans left and right was helping matters. But I had to have something yummy in order to keep their attention!

Well I am off to get my two munchkins to bed. Brad is working tonight, so no I am not referring to him as a munchkin!! :)

"Faith makes things possible, not easy." ~Author Unknown

Nose Drama Continues...

2009-03-20T16:28:00.003-06:00

I met with the ENT (Ear Nose and Throat specialist) today. From what he could see externally he said my polyps were larger then they would like, but nothing too terrible. But he decided to do a CT Scan to have a look-see inside of my face. Wow, what a different story that was. My right maxillary sinus (right cheek) is complete impacted with infection. The left had some infection but nothing compared to the right side. So he decided it was time for surgery.

So I will be having my first-ever surgery on Thursday April 30th. They will remove the polyps, remove a small piece of bone from each sinus and clean out the infection within each sinus cavity. I am so looking forward to not having constant pain in my face!! I wouldn't care at this point if the doctor where to say he had to lop off my nose completely!

I should only have to take one day off of work. But I scheduled it so that if I was in too much pain I could just take a 4 day weekend. :) The doc says I will have some swelling but shouldn't have any facial bruising. I think that is amazing. Of course I will believe it when I see it!

Thank heaven for great insurance!

"I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose." ~Author Unknown

St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T18:20:00.003-06:00

I pulled this T-shirt out to wear to the gym and had to chuckle. What a perfect St. Patrick's Day shirt. :) I totally forgot to wear green to work today. Luckily my bracelet had green in it. So I am redeeming myself with my GreenDay shirt. I know, it shows what a goober I am that I find this shirt so funny today. I really need to get out more!! :)

"When Irish eyes are smiling,
'Tis like a morn in spring.
With a lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing."~Author Unknown

Dog-Surfing

2009-03-15T19:30:00.005-06:00

Kind of like Wind-Surfing we would now like to introduce the world to Dog-Surfing. Take a look at this video clip to further understand.

Anyone that knows our sweet Evie knows that she has boundless energy. So Myles has resorted to skate boarding with her. This definitely helps deplete her energy at a faster rate then a normal walk. At first Lucy can keep up. But in this clip she had already been walked, so please excuse her laxidazical participation :)

This evening our friend and neighbor, Andrew, helped walk Lucy. I thought this was too cute to pass up taking a photo.

We had a very productive weekend. We got out biking, which was the highlight of the weekend. The weather was just perfect outside. This coming weekend is supposed to be even warmer...YEEHAW!!

"To change one's life, start immediately, do it flamboyantly, no exceptions." - William James

Size Matters

2009-03-11T18:59:00.003-06:00

We have been shopping around for a new church bag. Being in Primary, we often carry lots of extras. Things like art supplies, snacks, our binder, stickers.... So the cute little bag I had sewn just wasn't cutting it anymore. Brad mentioned that he liked the Lands End bag that I have for work, so we decided to just order our new bag online. So I placed my order, being sure to order a gender neutral color (or Brad would refuse to carry it). A few days later our package arrives and boy oh boy what a surprise. This bag is flippin HUGE! I had no idea I ordered such a large bag. When Brad saw it he just rolled his eyes and said "You sure have an issue with Size don't you?!?!" So there you have it. We are back to square one and still need a new church bag. As Brad says "We cant bring that thing to church, they will think we are moving in!"

Here is a side by side comparison of our two bags. Now if I can just find one right in between the two :)

"The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her." ~Marcelene Cox

New Wheels

2009-03-08T19:03:00.004-06:00

We hit the Bike Swap at the SL Fair Grounds on Saturday. What a madhouse!! We found some great deals on biking apparel and a new bike for me. Brad went head to head with another shopper for a bike that he really wanted... nope, the other guy wouldn't budge. So we ended up getting a bike for Brad at Bingham Cyclery. Brad got a Specialized - Sequoia. He is so in love with it I was surprised he didn't bring it into the bedroom a night! :)

I got a FELT z-90. Brad insisted that I name my bike, so let me introduce you to Big Bird. You can tell quickly how the name was inspired :)

After spending the day bike shopping we headed home for one of Myles' basketball games. This was the most intense game ever! The other team scored in the last seconds and won the game. But our team played an awesome game! I loved this shot of Myles in action.

Here is Myles scoring on a free-throw. There were fouls getting thrown around left and right!

After the game we dropped the kids off at Jump on It while we did the weekly grocery shopping. It always amazes me to see the tricks Myles can do on those trampolines! Then we came home for a late dinner and an episode of Man vs. Wild. So it was a very busy Saturday, but very productive.

Today after church we all mounted our bikes and rode over to Heather & Joe's house. We have just discovered that the Jordan River Parkway comes all the way down to Utah Lake. It is a perfect place to ride and is a great change of scenery.

Attention all ZUMBA enthusiasts!! Laura (the best teacher) is now teaching at Dance Academy on Main Street in Lehi. Classes are every Tues. & Thurs. night at 830pm. The drop in rate is $5 or you can buy a 10 class punch card for $30. I promise you will be addicted as soon as you try it!!

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." ~Joyce Brothers

I love ICE CREAM

2009-03-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

New Toy

2009-03-01T18:51:00.004-07:00

With some of the money we got back from Uncle Sam this year we decided to buy a new toy. Now that Myles has a fancy shmancy new bike and we are all trying to bike more, we thought it was about time to invest in a car bike rack. Both the bikes and the cars were taking a toll from trying to fit them in the back. So I already feel more active just having the rack!! Who needs to really ride the bikes when you can drive around with this fancy new rack and just look so cool?!?!? It holds 4 bikes, so we are set to become a cycling family. We are going to go to the Bike Swap at the fair grounds next weekend to look for a steal of a deal on a bike for Brad or I.

While I was loading the pictures from the camera I found these two cuties! Brad and I love it that we can steal Grace and Jane away and spoil them. Janie is on thin ice though... she can say all of our names except mine! How rude!

"When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race." ~H.G. Wells

Maxillary Sinus Disease

2009-02-27T14:28:00.002-07:00

I went back to the doctor this past Wednesday because my sinus infection just doesn't seem to be getting any better. So this time they took x-rays of my face. The Dr. said things look fine but swollen. So she gave me a new allergy prescription and a steroid spray to take down the swelling in my sinus'. Well the x-rays were sent to the U of U hospital for a Radiologist to read them and make sure the doc didn't miss anything. Low and behold.. I still have a nasty infection!

Well Duh!! That is what I was trying to tell the darn doc!

So they called and told me I have Maxillary Sinus Disease. They are going to try another round of antibiotics on me. This round will last longer and be stronger then the last round. If that doesn't kick it, then I will have to see an ENT. I have polyps in my sinus' that are the major problem. As soon as I get any sort of infection and thus swelling the sinus' cant handle it because they are already dealing with the blockage form the polyps.

Myles is now on antibiotics because he has a sinus infection too. He has the worst cough at night. It keeps us all up when those coughing fits start up!

So steer clear of our house for a little longer. Never know when we will sneeze or cough on you!!

"A smart mother makes often a better diagnosis than a poor doctor." ~August Bier

Man Vs. Wild

2009-02-24T21:09:00.003-07:00

For Christmas Myles got seasons 1 & 2 of the Discovery Channel's "Man vs. Wild" from my parents. I had only seen a bit of one show before. This week we all started watching the show and it is a hoot. It is so amazing the things this guy, Bear Grylls, can make, eat or do in the wild. He is British, so it is a hoot to listen to him talk and hear how he pronounces things. Plus, he seems to have a real liking for getting buck naked on every show! Don't worry parents, they do blur the naughty stuff out. But we have started yelling out during the show "I think he is about to get naked!!"

So if you are looking for something new to watch give it a try. The worst thing, you could learn some new survival skills. (Though lets be honest, I will die before eating a live snake!)

"Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that's bad for you!" ~Tommy Smothers

The Nasty Cold Returns

2009-02-22T19:42:00.004-07:00

Well it seems our reprieve from this nasty cold was short lived. We woke to Myles hacking up a lung this morning. So between all the coughing, sneezing, blowing our noses, etc. etc. we decided we better stay home from church. No sense going and spreading this lovely virus. So we had a mellow day at home. Brad and I read and each of the children stayed in their rooms listening to books on CD most of the day.
This evening Sis. LaFranca stopped by with dinner for us! I thought that was so very sweet. I cant remember ever having dinner brought to me. It was so great to have a warm yummy meal instantly appear! So, thank you so much to the LaFranca's for keeping this infected family nourished.
Myles and I have dental appointments first thing tomorrow morning. I am sure we will be just lovely patients, what with our snotting all over the place! :) But I didn't want to reschedule because getting the right time slot takes forever. Plus, the Dentist is one of Myles' favorite things...Seriously! He always asks if he can get the fluoride treatment twice because it tastes so good. I feel very lucky to have such a great dentist. So if you are in the Lehi area looking for a new dentist we highly recommend Dr. Ferrell.

"Just as being in jail or in exile will produce a loneliness of spirit in a human being, so, it seems, will captivity produce the same in a wild animal. Perhaps even dogs, the most domesticated of all domestic species, long for their original lupinelike freedom." -- Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson