Mama Piggy

Well, today is a day that shall be forever etched in Melodie's memory. I remember when our hamsters had babies when I was a kid. Poignant memory there (you remember that Camilla?) I don' think I've ever seen Melodie so totally elated and at the same time totally speechless. She seemed to want to scream, but screaming wouldn't do her happiness justice. She said she wanted to faint. She went out to take care of her piggies then came running in to scream to her brothers "THERE!!! IS!!!! A LITTLE BROWN THING!!!! In the guinea pigs cage!!! AHHHH!!!"

Joseph couldn't tell if she was happy or terrified, and questioned further ~ "Uh, something in their cage... that ate them?"

"NO!!! IT'S A BABY GUINEA PIG!!!!!!!"

Yes, Eve is a mother and Oreo is a daddy.

She was looking in their pen, and said "Hey Oreo, here's some hay..." then a little brown thing moved and startled her like some mouse or rat had gotten in their cage, and then her elation began and she started to heave-ho like SpongeBob (if any of you have seen him breathe like that) it was pretty funny.
And we've named him Brownie. He is stinkin' cute. And "he" might be a "her", we'll figure that out when we get a chance...

(He's so cute!!!)

The Lego Story

Have you seen this video? Thanks Dad for sending it along. It's 17 minutes so a little long for a short film, but we liked it.



It reminded Corey and I both a little of his experiences so far with his company - You just have to keep pressing forward when times are tough, that's the great story behind so many great and successful people ~ George Washington, Thomas Edison (great talk there!), Walt Disney, Steve Jobs ~ You have to keep pressing forward through the dark times with trust that there's something bigger than yourself behind the wheel, keep trusting in Him and you'll come out okay.

S. O. S.

My house is such a wreck. Anyone want to come help me clean it? Come on Nicole, just go get in your car, you could be here in 2 days. :)Junk junk everywhere! I command you, be gone! I'm sending out an SOS, sending out an SOS -

sigh.

That's my laundry room/office through the door there. It's probably the messiest of all the room, I'm gonna go attack it. Charge! (I Hope I win...)

Pretty Butterfly

The first of our butterflies came out today - It is so amazing ~

We all love it

Hard to believe that a mere month ago that butterfly was a little egg then a little caterpillar, both of which could have fit inside one of the spots that now decorate it's wing.

Such a miracle -

Legos: The Killers

My kids made some Killer Legos today, literally. They made the Killers. I thought it was pretty funny, and a pretty good likeness ~ They were having a contest - these ones are Joe's version which he finished first so he says he won.
Brandon Flowers - so lucky he get's the Lego Indiana Jones' jacket!
Mark's got the best likeness award with the outfit and facial hair (with Ron Weasley's hairpiece and a pirate's face)~
Sorry, Dave, they had to use the"girl hair" for your guy, donated from Mrs. Weasley.
I think Ronnie's Lego minifig was my favorite - looking off into the distance ~
And here's Hyrum's version - he made instruments with Mel's help,

Brandon even had a mic!

Good job on the drums, Hyrum. :)

We're all excited to listen to their new album next month!

Scrunchy Nose

Sophia has been doing the funniest little face lately - we call it scrunchy nose. She breathes in and out through her nose really fast while scrunching it up and puckering out her little lips, sometimes squinting up her eyes, it is soo stinkin' cute.
Tried to catch it on camera, but the camera usually distracts her. That one above is pretty close, minus the squinted eyes. Here are two other blurry attempts at it.

Sophi, you're the cutest!

"Who, me? Why thank you very much."

Sauerkraut Battle

It began Sunday evening with Joseph downstairs being weird and howling like a really bad Tarzan for some reason. Corey's getting annoyed at the noise and tells him to knock it off to which Joe replies "Chase me!"

Joe recruits Ethan "Hey Eth! I'm getting dad really mad! Wanna come help me?" Yeah, let's go!

Corey'd had about enough of being harassed by the boys and sends them this verbal warning "You guys want some Sauerkraut?" Translation: Come near me one more time I'm gonna shove something nasty down your throat.

A challenge they were eager to provoke, and the battle began. Hyrum joined in too, so there were 3 boys running circles around the house and trying to break in while Corey tried to chase them and simultaneously lock them out. Mel and Abi were on Dad's team. When Corey caught one of the boys he tied them up the chair so they could eat their prisoner surprise...
Corey had both of Eth's hands tied ~ then Ethan got loose and teased "Haha!! I got a hand out!!"

Hyrum's turn in the chair and Corey with the Jar of torture food...

I was in the backyard with the girls and the guinea pigs, and after a good 40 minutes of battling it out, Corey came and joined me telling the boys he was done, and since he didn't have his Sauerkraut jar, the kids thought they had the upper hand and provoked a little more... and as Joe taunted and got closer, Corey grabbed him, pinned him, and then pulled out a sandwich baggie of Sauerkraut that was in his pocket - he was able to force it in his mouth by plugging Joe's nose - Point Corey!
Joe tries to warn Ethan "He's got it in his pocket! He's got it in his pocket!" but it was too late, and Corey grabbed him scoring his second point, Corey:2 - Kids: 0
And Eth just happened to have been pinned down on a hidden pile of guinea pig poop, so he had that on his back too - bonus point Corey. The kids loved it. I was glad to not be involved and just watch and laugh. :) Corey didn't get Hyrum cause Hyrum was ready to defend himself with a 4-tine cultivator...
Then Eth got the hose, that's when I, the true referee, called the game. Can't get the baby wet. Don't mess with your Dad, boys! It was funny. Corey is the fun one. I'm the boring ref.

Just as it should be.

17 Miracles

We watched this movie last night with the kids, It's been on my list for a while, it's always fun to know there's a great movie waiting for you - I knew it was going to be good, (I might be one of the last people in Utah who hasn't seen it)



Of course I cried, (...when the kids could hear me choking up I could see their little heads in the dark quickly turning to see the level of my choking up, silly kids) ~ I don't know how anyone couldn't cry considering their dire circumstances. It's a true story!!! Miracles along the way, but they still suffered and many died, I want to be like them, Levi Savage is my hero.

Craft Time

At Park City, Corey's mom has a cute craft planned for all the grandkids everyday, it's one of the highlights of the whole vacation for the kids, they all love it ~
They colored visors, made bracelets, glued and painted wooden cars/boats/airplanes, painted houses and ceramics, they each made a little name plaque that are now displayed proudly on all their shelves, fun stuff.
The Mountain Side Resort also has "The Mine" which is the little play and craft area for all the guests' kids. The kids go to be creative there too with fingerpaiting, coloring, etc.
- the kids signed up to do Origami, but we adults decided it was funny and a bit of a stretch to call this simple ladybug "origami" - but it was right at the level of the toddlers, so it was perfect. Abi colored the dots on her ladybug...
Then Lily drew two dots on her ladybug. ...then a nose, smile, and hair. Close enough!
I think it's a self portrait, not bad for a 3 year old you cute todder you!

Paso Doble

When we went to the concert I missed this dance part cause we were out in the hall, so I just watched it and thought I'd share. Fun stuff.



A comment on YouTube mentions how they "Mormonized" her costume, I thought that was funny :)

During Katherine's first song, I sat there thinking that she looks so much like my little 4 year old Abi - they have the same big gorgeous eyes (got those from Corey) pretty smile, cute short blonde hair ~ and then I was having a vision of my little girl as adult and was getting a little choked up thinking "My little Abi - a grown woman! How did that happen so quickly?"


Then Ethan turned to me and whispered "Mom! She looks like Abi!" and I almost could have cried. I've got a house full of adults with amazing talents and abilities, they are just all currently trapped in tiny kid bodies. But they won't be this way forever so we better treasure each day with them. Childhood comes with an expiration date. Enjoy your beautiful kids.

Pool Time

Rub a dub dub, 8 kids in a hot tub

Well, we're back from Park City and the kids are already experiencing pool withdrawl. We went swimming everyday, and the kids loved it and I was able to read. They were very chapped by Thursday night which helped turn down their non-stop "Can I go swimming?" question, voted the most frequently asked question of the week. I'd be sitting in the room reading in the chair, when these two little eyes would pop over the back of the chair and peek down at me...
Then as she looked down into my face her little voice says "Can I go swim-ming?" saying swimming super quickly with a little upbeat skip in it there on the last syllable.

I usually let the older kids just come and go, I'd go out with the three little girls. I got in the pool a few times, but usually had the older kids help and I kept moving around my little chair so I could stayed safely hidden in the shade.
Lily liked the lady bug floatie
In the pool or out of the pool, she could figure out a fun way to play with it...
(For some reason it gave me the impression of some lady Gaga costume?)

Sophi loved the water, and the kids loved seeing her splash and squeel
Joe made sure to keep the upper hand over Ethan/Hyrum/Wes by retaining possession the ever coveted nose plugs that he guards with his life, sigh, do we really have to continue with these petty power struggles?
Some swimming goggles that their cousin's shared helped ease Ethan's pain - but they always make their upper lips look so goofy ~
Wes lost another tooth while he was swimming ~
Abi and Lily in their twinner swimsuits - there was one point on the first day where there were my two girls, a cousin, and 2 other little girls in these exact suits, funny.
Nothing says little girl like pink and tutus.

Ethan and Joe enjoyed competing in the MountainSide Olympics - Below Ethan just had his turn to compete in the "Yoga Ball Rodeo"
Joseph won the gold in that competition for holding on to the exercise ball for his record breaking 12 seconds of keeping his upper body, arms, and elbows all above water as he held fast to the ball - (his abs were sore for 5 days.)
But totally worth it for that gold plated plastic - ah, Victory is sweet!