Youth Temple Trip/BYU Football Game Extravagaanza

I'm not quite sure where to start. From the beginning would be best I suppose. I volunteered myself to go to the BYU football game in Albuquerque with the Priests and Laurels. My original intentions were all about the football, but I learned a lot along the way about thankfulness.

I'm thankful for the strength of the youth, who have to endure a much worse world than even I did (because I'm not THAT old).
I'm thankful to have seen the BYU football team sing "Army of Helaman" at the fireside that the team puts on.
I'm thankful for the beauty and peace of the temple. I was not able to do work in it --they had more adults than needed, and we were there too early to do a session (yeah, we woke up at 4 a.m. to go, not so much thankful for that, but it was worth it:).

Some beautiful pictures of the temple. I think the bottom pic is prettier.

I'm thankful BYU won, because they played really horrendously.


Now, on a different note. I've got a bone to pick with all my marathon running friends and family--you know who you are! You are really chapping my hide, because all your little blogs about marathon running is inspiring me. Because if you know me well, you know I am competative, and I just can't handle that you all are running half-marathons, and full marathons, and I'm not! So some day, NOT today, and definitely not tomorrow--but someday, I'm going to start training. And while I'm training, I'm going to be thinking about how miserable I am, just running for no reason, and I will be cursing your well-accomplished names. So thanks a lot! (And good job, you rock!)

Convict Me of Blog Neglect

Yes, I'm a terrible blogger. I always knew that I couldn't take care of a blog, so I really shouldn't have taken on this responsibility. In my attempt to make amends, here is a short and quicky catch-up post that is easy and fast to read with lots of pictures.

Brian and his brothers went to the BYU vs. Oklahoma game in the brand-spankin' new Cowboys stadium in Dallas. I was not jealous of him when I believed that the Cougars were going to get shallacked. But I'm happy for them anyway (the cougars).

Gwen and Ruby both had their birthdays. Gwen had her friends over, and they made butterflies, played with balloons, and ran around yelling. For Ruby's birthday, Ruby and Gwen dressed up like princesses (with sparkly hair, dresses, and tiaras) went to McDonald's, and then went to Balloons a Poppin (a fun place with lots of bouncy castles). Dempsey enjoyed having a reason to eat cupcakes.

Ruby had her first day of preschool. Here she is all ready to go with her "hokie." She had a rough start of it, but now she looks forward to it and even has a mohawked little friend.
Anyone else having visions of motorcycles revving in front of my house in 15 years?

Gwen and Ruby on their first day of preschool this year.

A Frightening, Thrilling, Fun-filled, Life-Threatening Fourth

When I was packing up the swimsuits, towels, and pink hippo and blue dolphin pool floaties for the annual Fourth of July party at the Volpatos, I had no incling of the evening that was to come.

We arrived at the party and it was stiflingly hot. I was not about to be seen in my maternity swimsuit (the only swimsuit I own at the moment), so I was watching Gwen and Ruby like a hawk as they paddled around in their floaties--mentally preparing myself to jump in the pool fully clothed if the situation called for it. Well as it turned out, luckily, Ruby slipped under the water right by the pool side so I could just reach down and fish her out. But seriously, it was frightening to see my child slip beneath the water and wonder at the implications if I hadn't been paying attention. I grabbed her out and she did not get in the pool (or out of my sight) for the rest of the evening.

Later, we were all preparing ourselves for the awesome show that Jack was about to put on with the fireworks he had purchased. I was standing up, positioning my chair when I hear Jack yell "Okay, run, get away!" He was actually talking to a few little girls who were still standing close to the table where the first firework was going off. One little girl ran away screaming as the candle spewed out a deafening "BOOM" every second, while the other little girl (Dempsey) just stood there watching without even flinching. I stood frozen, and when the firework fizzled and ran and grabbed my baby. Someone had called her brave, I on the other hand, became convinced she is hearing impaired.

As we were watching the rest of the show, the rain started the fall, then lightening, then thunder, then pouring. The lightening became close. We all thought we were fine outside in it until the one particular strike surprised us by being close enough to shake the earth, but far enough not to set anything or anyone on fire near us. This is when we all frantically ran for the doors of the house. I had Ruby and Dempsey, and was looking for Gwen. I scanned the yard and found Gwen and Grace gleefully swinging on the metal swingset teeter-totter. I yelled for them to come to the house in a loud and authoritative voice that usually only comes out when I am in teacher-mode, and the two girls caming giggling in.

The storm died down, and we all stood on the back deck with the falling rain drenching us as we watched the big fireworks over the river. There would be ooohs, and aaaahhs, and it seemed the biggest expressions of awe were for the competing lightening show (now a safer distance from us). God's power is still bigger and more inspireing than anything man could create.

A Wet 'n' Wild Memorial Day

When Brian and I drove up to my brother-in-law's house, I became quite worried. You see, I recognized the cars that were there, and they were the Sullivans (7 boys), and the Felts (4 boys), and of course my brother-in-law has 4 boys (okay one is a newborn). I was worried that my little girls would get roughed up and be crying the whole time.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised! The boys were gentle around the girls (what little gentlemen!) and the girls didn't cry hardly at all! Dempsey cried a few times, but I chalk that up to her being 16 months old and falling on her tookus a few times.

Gwen and Cort are best buddies.

Not sure why Ruby is making that weird face, but it's kind of intriguing.

Poor Dempsey, she fell down in the mud and instead of hugs and kisses she had her mom shooting a picture for this blog--hey I should make that into a T-shirt!

Why I Don't Particularly Like School Buses

Need I say more?

Givin' the People What They Want

Okay, so I've gotten a request for pictures with this post, so here it is.











Here I am in the morning before make-up, also known as "Sack-o-Potato Face":

And here I am after make-up:

What? You didn't really think I was going to put my morning face on the internet did you?

Sack-o-Potato Face

I think part of my problem with blogging is that I feel like I have to upload pictures with each post and that just seems like a lot of time--so I'm going to try one without pictures and see if the people are okay with that.

Sack-o-Potato Face showed up shortly after my first daughter was born. After several nearly-sleepless nights (a never before occurence, I am a famously good sleeper), I woke up one morning, went into the bathroom and saw a frightening sight . . . SACK-O-POTATO FACE! You can imagine how my terror quadrupled when I realized that the face I was looking at was not some paranormal psychotic being come to chop me to bits, but was actually MY OWN FACE! Yes, my own face in the mirror was so puffy and mangled from sleep deprivation that it looked like a plane of shapeless lumps with some eyes.

Sack-o-Potato Face does not visit too often anymore, but I find that when it does, I rely on the good people of Revlon, Maybelline, and Cover Girl to work their magic. Usually I can get a mouth, cheeks, and nose to appear along with the eyes, terror subsides, and I can be out in society.

My First 29th Birthday

I turned 29 last week. My birthday was a great day due in large part to my wonderful husband, and a much needed "personal day" from work. Freedom from work was good enough for me to have a relaxing day--but when my husband suggested I go out shopping on my own without children I jumped at the chance. See, on any other day but my birthday, leaving home without children is a guilt-and-anxiety-ridden outing. I feel terrible for leaving my children when I could be spending precious qt with them, and I feel anxiety about leaving Brian with the children because he spends all his time with the children and he may be reaching that breaking point where sanity completely leaves him and I'll come home to a lump of defeated husband on the floor.

My birthday on the other hand, is a guilt-free do-whatever-I-want-day, so I went to the mall .... BY MYSELF! On the drive there I'm sure I got some sideways glances. People probably thought it strange to see an almost thirty-year-old woman with the windows of her mini-van down blasting Weezer, but it felt really good to me. And the lady working at Claire's probably hasn't seen such a stupid smile on the face of woman buying hair barrettes and trinkets, but it felt really good to me. Thank goodness for birthdays, and thank you to my family and friends for making it great.

THAT BETTER BE CHOCOLATE!

p.s. Does anyone know how to rotate pictures in these posts? I cannot figure it out!

Firsts

First Steps!

Dempsey started taking her first steps a few weeks before her birthday. My girls are all different, but they all three are the same in two ways: they all took their first steps at almost exactly 12 months of age, and they all starting sleeping through the night at 2 months of age. The latter is more priceless than that big diamond in the Titanic movie.

First Awesomely Crazy Hair Moment!

If Dempsey has my hair genetics, she will be blessed with many, many, many more moments like this--and they won't all be awesome. (Whose that crazy man behind her?)

First Birthday!

Dempsey had her first birthday. A good time was had by all. And of course, like always, the cupcakes and balloons were the hit of the party.

(Ignore the granny flap arms).

First Word

What might you guess our baby's first word is. Mama? Because after all, I did carry her for nine months while getting my Masters degree, and labored 3 1/2 long hours with an epidural to deliver her. Dada? Because he is the one who feeds her and lovingly cares for her all day? Oh no, her first word is . . .

That's right, Rocko, the dog. Well little Missy, I don't think "Gocko" is going to pay your college tuition. Chew on that!