Tooth Fairy

Remember when you lost your first tooth and you got to start having the "tooth fairy" visit your house. It is such a fun and special time!
The anticipation of putting that tooth under your pillow for the first time and falling asleep with visions of all that you will buy with your newly acquired windfall of tooth cash.

My baby, my last child with all of his baby teeth lost his first tooth on October 30th (technically it was Halloween because it fell out after he had gone trick or treating due to the 31st being a Sunday) He was tearing open a piece of his new trick or treat candy with his teeth and out it fell.





With a grin full of tissue to stop the bleeding he ran up to get the little wooden tooth he had
before now only watched his brothers use (we got it after Karli had lost all of her teeth). He placed his tiny little tooth in it and put it under his pillow.



The next morning he came down stairs and the minute I saw his face I knew that he fell prey once again to the stupidest tooth fairy in all of the land...... SHE FORGOT! I wish I could say this is the only time we have been "not visited" by this most lamest of fairies but I am afraid I am getting pretty good at covering for her mental lapses. I made up a pretty good one this time I believe. The fact that she was probably over worked since so many kids had probably lost teeth from all of the sticky and hard candy given out the night before.
Never fear I am sure if you put that back under your pillow tonight that fairy will surely visit you I told him.
The next morning as soon as I saw him I said soooo did the tooth fairy come visit you last night? NO he told me. WHAT I said I am sure that she did (for I knew that that most forgetful pare... I mean fairy had not forgotten again). Are you sure? Did you look really good? I asked. Yes he said. I decided I would go have a good look for myself. On the way up the stairs I was thinking I should probably go get some vitamins to help with memory during Kindergarten free time today.
I lifted up the pillow and sure enough no dollar. I moved the other pillow, no dollar. I moved the blankets, no dollar. Then I looked behind the mattress between bed and wall and there on the floor was a crisp dollar bill.
Whew!
Wouldn't life have been so much happier if that aged, forgetful tooth fairy had just remembered us in the first place!

It's Great to be 8

Brody just turned eight years old. I can hardly believe how quickly the time has gone. Eight is such a special birthday.
Because he was eight Brody got to learn all about what being baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would mean. After some family home evening lessons and some great Home teachers who came and taught a baptism lesson Brody was ready to meet with our Bishop. He talked to the Bishop about this special time of his life and if he was ready to be the newest member of our Ward.
Brody decided it was just the thing for him.
Congratulations Brody!

Happy Anniversary to me!

Well today is mine and Aric's 17th wedding anniversary. How are we going to celebrate you ask......
A quick late lunch squeezed in after a staff meeting Aric has at work.
I know we are just too adventurous of a couple.
We have a 4th grade back to school night tonight and my niece is getting married this weekend so we will take advantage of the time we have this afternoon and remember that it is not the actual day we need to celebrate but the fact that the last 17 years we have made a life and a home together with our 4 beautiful kids!
I am truly the luckiest of women. I love my husband more with each year and I would not change the last 17 years for anything!

Great Aunt Jana

After nine long months and one week. My great niece Mckynna Jo Mark is finally here. She is 7lb. 9 oz.
It is so hard to believe that my sister is a grandma and that my sweet niece Rikki is a mom! WOW!
Life is flying by..

Can it be?

WOW! How fast this year has flown by. I can not believe that there are only two weeks of school after this and than Summer is here already. The weather has played a significant role in helping this time sneak up on me. It can be hard to dream of summer days basking in the sun by the pool when you are still wearing your rain boots and long johns. I am looking forward to lazy mornings and NO HOMEWORK!! These last few months have been a little crazy around here trying to juggle 4 active kids playing baseball and soccer. Karli is done with her regular soccer season and now will just be doing practices to get ready for the summer games in Cedar City, Utah coming up the week after school gets out. Mack, Brody and Jake are still in full swing with baseball. They all really love to play and it is so fun to see how much their skill and confidence grow with each practice and game. Jake had his preschool graduation last night and he finishes up school today so I am glad that I will have a little time with just him at home with me for the next two weeks before the "big kids" get out of school. I can hardly believe that my time with pre-school is over and that all of my kids will be in reg. school next year. Time really does fly by! Hopefully we will take the time to enjoy the busy summer we have planned and I am sure that September and another school year will be here before I know it!

One week and one day!

Yes. One week and one day that is how long it took for Mack to throw away his retainers at lunch at school!
We knew it would happen. We warned him not to put them down on the table or his lunch tray. We came up with the brilliant plan of leaving them in his desk and not even taking them to lunch with him.
One week and one day!!!!!!!!!
Anyone feel like dumpster diving?? J/K.
Even if by some miracle we could find two small clear plastic teeth trays in all of that garbage I do not think I could stomach him putting them back into his mouth!
That orthodontist is going to be thanking us for his new car for years to come!
Thankfully Karli will have permanent retainers after her braces come off in 18 months.
Someone remind me again why I care if they have straight teeth!

Disney days

We had a wonderful vacation last week in the land of Disney. It started off just a little rough when we stopped for the night in St. George and realized we had left our Disneyland passes at home. Luckily my niece and some good friends saved the day. Our friends were leaving on Sunday and driving straight through to Disneyland so my niece Rikki met up with them Saturday night and delivered our tickets to them they brought them down and we picked them up at their hotel. Yay disaster averted!
We celebrated Aric's 40th Birthday on Monday at the happiest place on earth. The weather was great and the lines were not too crowded. What a fun day.
Mon. Tues. and Wed. were filled with fun, Mickey, rides, and of course TIRED FEET!
Thursday we headed down to San Diego and the land of legos (that's Legoland just in case you thought i was dyslexic). We had a good time and it was pretty cool to see some of the things they were able to build with legos but after 3 days at Disneyland the rides were a major disappointment. Aric, Karli and I enjoyed watching the boys, excitement though. I think one visit there was enough for us.
We headed home on Friday with another stop off in St George and arrived home safe sound and tired from our vacation on Saturday.
How lucky we feel to be able to go and enjoy time together with each other. We are so happy to be able to make such fun memories together.
This is Lego New York city, They also had Vegas, New Orleans, and Washington D.C. made entirely out of Legos.