30 IS NOT SO DIRTY

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY YOU FILTHY & SEXY ANIMAL.THE DREADED DAY CAME AND YOU TOOK IT LIKE A CHAMP. YOU SMILED EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE FORCED TO CELEBRATE WITH BRETT MICHAELS.IT'S OFFICIAL... YOU ARE A REAL GROWN UP NOW. I LOVE YOU!

DEAR PAUL, PLEASE HURRY ALONG WITH YOUR ORAL SURGEON PROGRAM. I'D REALLY LIKE THE CRAZY TOOTH THAT MY DAD GAVE ME FIXED ONE OF THESE CHRISTMAS'S.
THANKS IN ADVANCE, SNAGGLE TOOTH...

My favorite SNow BuNNy"s

THANKS AGAIN

I am so THANKFUL.... for healthy children, an amazing family, freedom, and..

Great friends. I don't have many but I sure do love the ones I have....

Thankful for this funny little boy of mine who loves to dress up in 5 costumes a day. This is him dressed up as a "DAD"....

Thankful for my babies daddy. Double thankful for the drawer organizing he pulled off today.

Thankful that I am almost done with Christmas shopping thanks to the ad hunting-crowd fighting momma of mine. We seriously did'nt go to bed on Thanksgiving night. Ross, mom and I headed out at midnight. Ross kinda got into it. We told him it was a competitive sport and he was in the Championship game. This time there were no balls involved though. The balls have been swapped for wild housewives, zhu zhu pets and a whole bunch of other strange characters that only a Wal Mart store on Black Friday can bring toghether. My mom and I battled out the last few hours on our own in a two hour long line that she seriously forced me to wait in with her. Did you know that they make men's Shape Up shoes? Yeah, Neither did we. Needless to say we were horrified and had the whole line talking about this creepy shoe that somehow makes your buns tight and your calves slammin just by walking. I thought the womens ones were scary enough. I can only dream of the day I get to spot a real man wearing these suckers. Please take a picture for me if you find one.

I am very thankful that I don't really have a lazy eye or semi Tangerine tinged skin. Just in this picture....

Mammy makes me thankful for so many lessons learned. Thanks to her I can bake bread, make jam, and drink a (cool one) all at the same time.

I am thankful for Blaykers and the sweet way she has finally captured Jaxons heart. (Finally). She is getting so close to walking and we can't wait till we can chase her around.

Thankful that IVY can tell us what she wants these days. Its truly life changing. This is her talking to Grandma on the phone. She asked Santa for a cell this year.

And very thankful that my kids are turning into the cutest friends. This is them performing dance routines while we watch DWTS. And yes, Ivy loves wearing Jax's Undies. I could go on and on forever and a day with all the blessings in my life I am so THANKFUL for today. GRATITUDE..... Here's to hoping we can all express it more and more.

Cat lady's need turkey too.....

For a former "Cat Hater" I seem to have turned over a new leaf. This one has been living with us for a month or so now and we all secretly love her. We named her Lizzie and hope she is a girl. She is the sweetest thing and a killer in the mouse department. She just showed up here one day and never left.

I promise I'm not turning into a cat lady. Please stop me if she makes an appearance on our Christmas card. I realize that may be crossing the line.

Every day Jaxon has been talking about how he needs to practice painting daddy's face. Practice for what? I don't know.. I'm just hoping it's a phase. Ross finally gave in and I can't believe how great he did. Jaxon's career hopes of being a Power Ranger are somehow looking better than a face painting clown or a makeup artist.

The Griffins had us over yesterday for the most delicious pre Thanksgiving dinner. It got me so excited for the real thing. The turkey was better than any turkey I have ever had. I think resting the bird for a good amount of time may be the secret. Jordy knew how to make, "real gravy". I believe the gravy can really make or break the whole dinner. Gravy should never ever come from a jar or a packet as far as this girls concerned. Lauryn's mom made the most amazing cream cheese pound cake once while she was in town. (I frequently fantasize about it). Lauryn made it just like the one her southern mama made for me. It was amazing to say the least.

Ivy and Whit trying to figure out what is "MINE" "MINE "MINE"

Jaxy and Jenzi.... They were adorable together. They almost made up for the bad behavior Ivy was recklessly throwing around.

Jazz and park days...

My mom got some Utah Jazz box suite tickets from work. She could'nt make the game so Ross and I took full advantage of them. We had such a great time at the game. I'm spoiled now and never want to have to sit in a regular seat again.

small pleasures

Where have you been for all these years? I'm so happy that you came back...

The longest Halloween ever....

When you have the most costume loving five year old in the world, everyday resembles Halloween in our house. Is it just me or does in seem like Halloween has lasted a month already and its not til tomorrow. Jaxon dressed up for three days in three different costumes. He said, "mom, did you you know that some kids only have one costume"? every year I'm starting to feel more like a "grown up mom". It's official now. I made my little girls Halloween costume! If that doesn't make me OFFICIAL... I don't know what does. She was the cutest little poison Ivy. I did a witches brew thingy at Jaxon's school where I was dressed as a ugly green faced witch in the morning. Never again will I paint my face green. NEVER! It is still sorta green and nasty in some spots. Rachel came and helped control Poison Ivy at the school carnival. Thank goodness she did because lately this little girl is outta control. She used to be so sweet. I'm praying it's a short phase. I miss the sweet version.. More Halloween pictures to come.

The weekend

While sweet baby Laynie was at Primary Childrens Hospital working on getting better so she and her mom could come home....

We were having such a great time with her big brother Drake. Ivy and Drake became the cutest little buddies. There were a few fights and lots of laughing....

MAKE THIS TONIGHT...

Dinner in a pumpkin


1 medium pumpkin
1 chopped onion
2 pounds ground beef
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2can cream of chicken soup
4cups cooked BROWN rice (or you can use white…I prefer brown since it’s healthier)
2 can sliced water chestnuts drained(optional)
2 can slice mushrooms(optional)

Cut off top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp. If desired draw a face on outside of pumpkin with permanent marker or acrylic paint. (This is a great thing to let kids help you with)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet cook onions and hamburger until hamburger is cooked and onions are tender.
Drain drippings. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and soup.
Simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnut, and mushrooms.
Spoon mixture into cleaned out pumpkin shell.
Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin with filling on a baking sheet.

Bake 1-2 hours (depending upon the size of the pumpkin) It will be done when the inside of pumpkin is tender. Put pumpkin on a plate. Remove pumpkin lid and serve meat and some of
the cooked pumpkin.

Listening in on my kiddo's

Ivy can pretty much say anything these days and I love watching her put words together now. Besides this new awful high pitched growl she does now at anything that does'nt go exactly her way these are some of her favoites...
* "Ivy do it"
* "push play momma"
* "no pee pee in the potty"
* "Diaper on please"
* My favorite is when I catch her talking on her play phone and says,"hey,baby"!

Jax is so full of new ideas and insights into the ways of the world.
here's a few of my favorites......
* Jax told my mom the other day that there is a boy at his school that washes his hands and they are still black. (Only in Idaho).
* "When I grow up do you think I'll have hairs on my nipples like dad"
* He looked at me in the eye yesterday and said, "Seriously, mom. Who do you think you are".

Why I can't make mom friends

We are so glamorous....

Drakes birthday was on Friday. These little cousins are becoming the best of friends.

I realize that most pictures you try to take of yourself are most likely going to turn out hideous. That's just why I keep on trying to get a good one. Maybe next time.

Today I painted Jax up like Frankenstein. I can't believe how scary he looked.

So......While there is no target store, most women my age are a little hairy and pimp out their Subaru's,people still say,"Ain't", and last week several people called my car an, "OUTFIT". It sure is a beautiful little spot in the world.

So beautiful that I have resorted to making homemade mouse traps. This is very advanced indeed. All you need is a bucket, coke can, peanut butter and a couple sticks. Thanks Deseree for sharing your mountain mama wisdom with me.
This is the before picture of Roscoe's hair. I forgot to take the after when I finished cutting it into a semi normal looking coif. You get the idea....