Spriiiiing...Where Are You?

Spring anyone? These next two pictures are what we get to look forward to come spring time. It's our peach tree (that we LOVE). Wouldn't you be pining for this right now. . . in the depths and blahs of winter. I feel extra cheated because I just barely had Rhyan when Summer began last year, so I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I would've like to. I'm hoping on Monday (Groundhog Day), that furry little creature will provide me with good springy news!

These are just some pictures from a couple summers ago when we were visiting McKay's parents. Morgan and her cousin Grace always have to pose for a picture in the tire swing. I haven't seen it yet, but I hear the old tire swing has been done away with because the tree it was unfortunately attached to had to be cut down. . .sad:(

Look at my cute witto Emms!!

Classic!

Me and my white momma skin are waiting for you Spring and Summer. . . Whenever you're ready!

Memories from "The Happiest Place on Earth"

We went to Disneyland in March of 2007 for the first time as a family and it was definitely our best trip so far! Mckay had to go to St. George for work, which he does about every 6 weeks or so. Anyway, he found out that driving to Disneyland is only 6 hours from there. So, we thought, we'll all go to St. George for a day and a couple nights then we'll head to California on a Friday and go to the Beach and Disneyland, then come home Sunday. It was a fast trip, but also surprisingly cheap and a ball of fun!! Well, we plan to go again this year sometime. We are thinking about Christmas time, but we would really like to go with some friends this time if we could just get them (the hubby) to see the fabulousness of it all! We will go for sure sometime this year and thinking about it made me want to see some pictures from the last time we went. Here are just a few of the pictures we took. This was when we still had a crappy camera, so the pictures aren't the best. Can't wait to take good ones!

This is Morgan in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle when we first got there. She was sooo excited as you can tell!

Of all the wonderful rides for kids at Disneyland, The carousel was what Morgan wanted to ride first! CRAZY!

We were lucky to catch Mickey and his band as soon as they started a little show!

Morgan waited in line to see Mickey outside Mickey's house for a long time. . .I think she was a little irritated by picture time.

We saw this guy taking a picture with these weights and we couldn't figure out the catch, until he walked away and the weights were still sticking up in the middle, so I just HAD to have a picture of Mckay doing the same thing!

Here are a few of the pictures from the parade they do a couple times a day.

This is Beauty and the Beast

Lion King, I liked that float!

This float has most of the princesses on it as well as Mickey and Minnie at the top in the back!

The girls and I waited for almost an hour and a half extra for Mckay to ride the Indiana Jones ride, which he said was amazing, and he was actually gone for a total of 3 hours (long story)! This was before I had a cell phone, and most of you that know me can guess I was pretty panicked waiting in our designated area for so long and not being able to go anywhere just in case he showed up. And it was , obviously, getting dark and we were getting a little cold (I almost broke down and spent $150 on sweatshirts for us)! If you can't read Morgan's shirt, it says, "My Dad Rocks!" Well, he wasn't rockin' then! Other than this little incident, we had an amazing time and want to go back for a much longer vacation.

After seeing Mickey and princesses, parades, riding rides (that are all bi-lingual now), spending way too much money on food, watching the fireworks at closing time and just being there for 14 hours, we were all pooped. . .even Morgan!!

Now, when we go, Emmie will be the age Morgan was, Morgan will be 7 or close, and Rhyan will be the same age as Emmie was. I can't believe it has been that long! I am so pumped to go again, It truly feels like no other place on earth!!

"HEY BABY WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?"

Up until this morning, I, like so many other sensible people I know thought that astrological signs were a bunch of nonsense. WELL, I have changed my mind. My friend Kim called me this morning and said she stumbled on to this interesting article and was reading part of what her sign meant and then read some of mine. . .I was actually surprised. A good portion of it was pretty accurate. Of Course, it can't be one size fits all. We all come from different genes and family surroundings that make us all a little different, but, I tell you what, all the different signs I've read today have proven to me that there really is something to the alignment in the stars when a person is born. And why not? As my friend Marrya pointed out, God made EVERYTHING in the universe including the stars, moons, galaxies; all being subject to the same laws. And I have always thought that birth order makes a difference in the characteristics of each child. And as a side note, Every time I delivered a child, it was always within a day or two of a full moon! I just thought that was interesting because Morgan was born the night before a full moon -4 days before her due date, Emmie was the night of a full moon -2 days before her due date, and Rhyan was the day after a full moon -2 days after her due date! Interesting!! So here is most of what this particular article said about the Taurus sign, which is April 21-May 21. Like I said before, not everything is accurate, but I found a lot of truth, good and bad, with what "they" say about my birth sign. I'm curious to know what everyone else thinks!!!

*Strong, dependable Taurus leads the way when it comes to reaping the rewards of hard work. Lovers of everything that is fine and beautiful, Taureans surround themselves with material gains. This is a sensual, tactile sign. Touch is very important in everything from work to romance. Stable and conservative, Taureans are among the most reliable of the zodiac. While sometimes viewed as stubborn, this sign will plod along on a task until the very end, ensuring that everything is up to standard. They're highly creative and thoroughly enjoy making things with their own hands.
*Friends and Family:Domestic affairs are very important to the Taurus. Values surrounding family are usually strong and fixed to the point where the Bull will do anything to protect them. Intelligence and a good sense of humor make this sign great company, and Taureans are often sought for advice on the practical way of doing things. Once a friend is made and trusted, this relationship will last for a lifetime. They're loyal and always willing to lend a hand. In fact, many friendships for the Taurus start in childhood. Promises and oaths to others are taken seriously. Time spent with family members is also prized. Taureans adore children, and will be the first at family events such as reunions and holiday gatherings. They love to entertain in their own homes and don't think twice about having a house full of friends and relatives to celebrate life's events.
Career and Money:Stability is the keyword for this sign. The key phrase for Taurus is "I have." Taureans love money, and they're not afraid to work hard to get it. On the job, the Taurus is dependable, patient, and thorough. Once they set their minds to a project, they will stick with it until completion, regardless of how long or complicated it might be. Taureans are on time, up for almost anything, and diligent. A sense of one's values is a huge motivator when it comes to the Taurus. Second to that is the love of the rewards that follow hard work. Because members of this sign love to surround themselves with material finery and enjoy the better foods and luxuries that life has to offer, work is very important. It is the means to an end - and the Taurus is always aware of this. Taureans are excellent managers of money. They will pay their bills on time and will keep a reserve tucked away. On occasion, you can see some overspending, but this is only once in a while. The Taurus will plan for the item they desire and save until they have the additional resources to attain what they want.

*Ruling Planet: The ruling planet for Taurus is Venus. This planet's action is gentle and harmonious. It governs beauty, charm, emotional contacts, possessions, unions of all kinds, singing, art, culture, sweets, and moral character.

*Color:The color of choice for Taurus is pink. (a lighter version of RED, one of MY favorites)

*Gemstone: Taurus' star stone is the Emerald. (I'll go with my birthstone. . .DIAMOND!)

*Lucky Numbers: Taurus' lucky numbers are 2 and 8.

*Compatibility: Taureans are most compatible with Virgo and Capricorn.

*Opposite Sign:
The opposite sign of Taurus is Scorpio.

*Perfect Gifts: Soft fabrics, floral scents, cookbooks, flowers, candy (especially the last. . .mmm)

*Likes: Gardening, cooking, working with hands, music, romance, high-quality clothing

*Dislikes: Sudden changes, complications, insecurity of any kind, synthetic fabrics

*House Natural- sign of the Second House. This house focuses on values, freedom, earning ability, possessions, and inner and outer resources.

*Famous Taureans: Randy Travis, Jack Nicholson, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, David Beckham

*Best Travel DestinationIreland, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia

*Strength: Dependable, patient, musical, practical

*Weakness:Stubborn, uncompromising, possessive

*Charismatic marks:Solid, big bones, tendency to gain weight ( I object!!!!)

*Best environment:
A secluded home close to nature. Good food is also important. Beauty and comfort are a must.

*Careers that suit this strong sign are farming, banking, medicine, education, and building.

This is from a connecting article on the same website!
Taurus - Strengths:
Your strengths lie in your decision-making abilities; you don't make snap judgments or jump to conclusions. You engage in careful consideration, as hastiness and impulsive actions do not appear in your script. In your relationships, you are fully committed and faithful, and you seek harmony and inner peace.

Taurus - Weaknesses:
But you too have a few weaknesses. One trap you may fall into is that of obstinacy and self-righteousness. Due to your firm beliefs, you are deaf to any kind of criticism. This inflexibility can cause you to resist change and procrastinate. You run the risk of becoming lazy, overindulgent, or convinced of your own infallibility.

*Winter Time*

I have a back log of pictures from the last month or so that I was feeling really overwhelmed about! Now they are here for everyone to see and they are out of order but I don't give a care!!



Here my girls are on the top bunk of Morgan and Emmie's bunk bed. I was trying to take a picture that I could use for Christmas cards. . .you all know how that turned out!

We went to Temple Square a couple times this year to look at the lights, which are beautiful. This time we were with friends and Mckay took this picture of my, usually, cute little girls, looking like rag-a-muffins!

Me and my long time friend, Marcee. Thanks for coming down Marc! We had a good time. Now the rest of you know why I always felt like a giant among my friends. . .here's just one example!

Mckay and I don't have very many pictures with just the two of us. Even in this picture, we're not completely alone with Emmie and Lucas (Marcee's son) in the background climbing the snow pile.

Little Rhyan patiently waiting while the rest of us pick out a Christmas tree. She is almost always patient. . .One day the patience will run out and the "Spicey-ness" will begin.

We got all clothed in winter clothes to get in our car and drive up to Home Depot! I know, we're pretty rugged people! Mckay and Morgan standing by "THE" tree. Emmie wanted nothing to do with Pictures!

Our girls got to see Santa at our ward Christmas party. Here's Rhyan doing pretty well with her first Santa experience.

For Christmas, Morgan asked Santa for a four-wheeler! Thank goodness Santa was on our side and told her she had to be "this high" to get such a big present. I'm thinking she has to be a lot taller though. Like an adult living on her own, so she can buy it and pay for the insurance herself, kind of tall!

Emmie was definitely the most excited about seeing Santa, as you can tell!

For New Year's Eve, our family went over to our friends, the Kienow's, house. Our other friends, the Corbett's were also there. We had a good ol' time. Here is me and Kim after many a photo taken, and this is the best we could do. We never realized how unphotogenic we were. We'll blame it on the lighting and the fact that we were using my new camera, which I still know little about.



Here are Matt and Kate being cute and cuddly on the couch.



Mckay and Sam (Kim's hubby) rockin out on Guitar Hero. I thought this was a pretty awesome shot of our rock star husbands. I think they decided to name their band Kitty Killers, or did they decide on Kitten Slayers. . . I can't remember. You get the idea, they're tough!




Mckay showing off his fabulous strumming skills!


The infamous "ab roller" that brought out the competitiveness in all of us. The guys had to see how far down they could go, with out killing their backs. I think Matt went down the lowest. Mckay was struggling the next day. . .back and abs!




The Kienow's bought some fireworks and we decided to set them off about 10pm and have a mini celebration for the kids so we could lay them down to sleep after. It worked pretty well! Mckay and Sam trying get the party started. It was Freezing. Morgan said, "This isn't the same as the fourth of July!"




The kids were loving the sparklers! Especially sticking them in the snow when the crackling got too close to their hands.

I don't know where the rest of the kids were, but here is Jackson, Reese, Elle, Reagan, and Morgan.

The girls go to open jammies on Christmas Eve, which they loved. Morgan's are about two sizes too big. oops!

Rhy was wondering what the heck all the excitement was about on Christmas morning.

Here's Emmie sailing down our sledding hill. She was so brave! I was really proud of her for going down by herself.

Morgan and our nieghbor Joshua about ready to go.

Morgan with a hat that is way too big!

Mckay and Emmie pausing to take a picture. Of course, they're aren't any of me and Rhyan. I was holding her and taking pictures and freezing my butt off!

The last photo. You made it!

I LIKE OLD MUSIC , OKAY?!!

I know if you've looked at my blog and you suddenly hear something that is from the 80's, 90's, country , rock. . . and so on, you're probably thinking, what the heck is she doing? Well, I like old music, almost any kind of music. I have been made fun of since I was young for liking the "old people music" I like. I don't care! AND, even if you don't like her, I know everyone has listened to Delilah's radio program, otherwise, you wouldn't have a clue who I was talking about, but you do don't you?! I like new music too, I just have a lot of healthy memories attached to the "older people" music. Not to mention, I know all the words! It's always more fun to sing along when you know the words!! And, boy, do I like to sing along!