Look WHOO's 1!

Miss Mia Adele
Time to post some birthday pics of my cute baby girlie

Quite the lil poser already

 Owl Cake was my favorite (no I didn't make it, turned to my fave Granite Bakery of course - almond poppyseed, the BEST)

But look what I DID make - this fun owl onesie. Yep, I got crafty and made my babe a b-day shirt. And Daddy topped me and made pink cotton candy for his girl. That's right, he has an old school cotton candy machine from his childhood and it's still in mint condition. What a hit!

Such a happy girl, she thrived on the chaos and hammed it up the entire party.

She's a party girl, just like her mama!

Mia's famous CHEESY smile, love it.

 Look who else is front and center, party hat and all.

 Mia ate her cake so daintily, picking off little frosting beads one at a time.

 Sharing with Daddy

Thanks to all her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who SPOILED her rotten!

Love you all dearly.

 Mia loves her new baby doll and is obsessed with opening and closing its eyes. She tells baby"night night," kisses her and feeds her the bottles and binky
(more like smacks the doll in the face with them).

Sweet Mia girl, mom and dad just adore you! Thanks for bringing so much joy and laughter into our crazy family. We love your cheesy smiles, kisses, sweet voice and sassy attitude. You are too much fun!

Oh and Mia has started walking! She takes several steps and giggles 'cause she's so thrilled with herself.

3 Vents

I will try to keep my venting to a minimum...

1.    Let's start with the obvious. Snow already?? Why am I so shocked? Um, because I'm SO not ready for winter and cold and darkness. Blah. Of course the second the boys saw it at 7:30 am they were nagging to go out and play. I'm so mean, I totally talked them out of it. As if I know where all there snow clothes are in October, especially when I'm half asleep.

2.    Video game obsession at my house. I CANNOT relate. Christian has been nagging for the latest and greatest Wii game. So not knowing what I was getting myself into, I bribed him with it if he could go all month without crying at school drop-off (which has been TORTURE). This date got pushed back several times because the crying would not stop (HAVE LOST ALL PATIENCE). So the day finally came to get the big game. When I say big, I mean a BIG pricetag for a 6 year old ($75) and it’s more than just a game. I should have done my research before I made the bribe in the heat of the moment. I had to buy a portal and characters in a whole package, not just a simple Wii disc. Skylanders is the game, so now you have been warned. And then we couldn’t buy the old version because a new version came out just this week, however I was sick of the nagging so I CAVED. We are now the owners of a new, exciting game and the obsession won’t stop - first thing we talk about in the mornings, last thing at night. When we drive in the car, it's non-stop talk, "and mom, you know what, this guy has powers, and you know what, the other guy can destroy and Matt has this game and Noah hasn’t played it before but he can get to the next level,” and so on, and so on, and so on. Lucky for me he sits in the very back so I just keep the music on and say lots of “yeahs” and “oh cool.” It is seriously annoying as I have zero interest in video games and cannot relate whatsoever! How do I tame this obsession?? We try to limit the usage, make him do homework first, keep him involved in sports and playdates. Only positive is that it works fabulous for bribes. I just hate that technology destroys their imaginations but I really don’t see this obsession ending any time soon. I'm seeing my future for the next 10+ years. Dreadful.

3.    Screaming, fighting, whining boys and full-on attitude (often triggered by the said games - who gets be what guy, who gets to play first, etc.) It doesn’t help when Mason is exhausted from school and super dramatic at all times – screaming at me for 2 big marshmallows and a drink and his blankie immediately. Then yelling, “you're rude” or "you're being like a bully" (his latest) because I didn’t follow his orders fast enough. Yesterday I resorted to locking myself in my office (not a first) while I was on hold with Comcast for the 5th time (whole other vent, HATE, HATE dealing with Comcast). Within minutes, the boys were full on brawling outside the door – screaming, punching and pounding the door down. I finally opened it to deal with the drama and to find my sweet baby happily unrolling an entire roll of tp into the toilet. Oh joy. Then it was time for piano lessons - loaded up the screaming boys just as a neighbor boy was stopping by to see the new game. We didn’t have time to show him the game which triggered an extreme meltdown - crying the entire drive (with me threatening to pull over and make him get out on the side of the road multiple times). “I just can’t stop mom,” he sobbed. Again, all over the GAME!! SO OVER IT.

4.    I know, I said 3 vents but I busted Mia playing in the toilet again at bedtime, all clean and dressed in her jammies. Happy as a clam. How do I get boys to actually flush and put the lid down, let alone close the bathroom door. Yep, back to the tub for my babe.

5.    Then the fighting started again at bedtime over the dang box that the game came in of all things – who could hold it and what guy they could be and what powers, etc. The box got taken away and then MORE TEARS. What have I done buy getting this stupid game? Complete torture.

6.    Okay, LAST vent. I pulled out Christian’s school papers from his backpack and found his journal entry from the day before: “I was late for school today because my mom woke up late.” Mom of the Year Award right there folks. Way to call me out son, can’t a mom just get a break or sleep past 8 am once in awhile?? Too funny and very honest indeed.


There you have it, my last 24 hours in review. Life as I know it. Grateful to go to work today.
On the bright side, I enjoyed a long weekend getaway in sunny St. George with my bestie. Okay, not really a "getaway" with 7 kids in tow (yikes, we really have that many??), however it was 80 degrees and gorgeous and a great change of scenery. Now back to 30 degrees and reality
Blah.

Miss Mia is 1

Where has the year gone?? I remember holding my tiny girl in my arms trying to treasure her at that stage and now it's gone and she's big and sassy. Still darling and so much fun right now but it breaks my heart that she is getting BIG.
Miss Mia:
- Loves her kitty and all animals. Squeals with excitement and doesn't know how to handle her emotion, smacking kitty (who is a good sport) and trying to kiss her with mouth wide open and
"mu-ah" sound effect.
- Loves the bath and shower, climbs all over, splashes, squeals and thows a royal fit when it's time to get out.
- Loves loves loves her food! Eats anything and everything. She screams at us if we don't share at all times.
- Loves reading books and pointing at all the pictures and gibbering about them.
- Thinks all animals make a monkey sound "ah ah"
- Is such a flirt, giving everyone her "cheesy smile" - you know it when you see it. Big gapped 2 front teeth make it even more entertaining.
- Will smack your face if you get too close, yep she's a sassypants!
- Already loves baby dolls (which I ADORE after having 2 boys). She kisses them and shares her binky and pokes at their eyes. Then drags one around with her while she tries to crawl one-handed.
- Is starting to walk...she'll take 3-4 steps especially when there is motivation (FOOD) at the end.
- Climbs to the top of the stairs in a split second and is pretty smooth about getting back down.
- Always sings in the car, especially when the music is on or when her brothers are trying to talk to me. They get so frustrated trying to talk over her singing and she then she laughs like she knows what she's doing. Sassy sister!
- Plays just as wild as the boys - I'm in trouble here, she's learning some bad tricks. I could have many pictures of her chewing on toy guns or swords but they just looked way too bad to even capture.
First Words:
- mama (more like a whining "ma ma ma ma" while pulling on my legs when she neeeeeds me)
- dadda
- cheese
- thank-you (all the time and it's so well pronounced)
- trees
- drink
- nana
And she signs "more" for food, of course. Everything is food-driven for Miss Sassypants :)

And the best, while I was waiting with her at the pharmacy and trying to distract her by showing her pictures on my phone. Every time we'd get to Christian's picture she would light up and point and copy me saying "Chi-chen" and when I'd point to Mason, she'd scream, smack the phone and spit (which he does with her, constant spitting wars). No joke, I tried this over and over and would not say Mason, just screams and spits. Sadly that is how her relationship with him is right now, constantly on the defense. Do you blame her when I find him crib wrestling her and constantly in her face!? Poor girl.

 10 Months

 11 months ~ playing bean bags at Oktoberfest

SOOOO BIG pushing her car around. Nothing I love more than my babe's chunky thighs
in some leg warmers. Yummy.

BUSTED!!

Crib wrestling his sis dressed like this, should I be concerned??

Oh wait, I have been for a long time!

a whole CENTURY old

Back on July 24th my BEAUTIFUL Italian Great-Grandma turned a whole century ~ 100 years old! She even got an official birthday letter from the President. All the extended got together to celebrate which is always a loud, wild, very entertaining crowd (competing for attention, hogging the camera, etc.). How many kids can say they have a great-great grandma?? Mine sure can! And she's totally with it, mentally and physically other than using a walker to get around. She could definitely live many more years. I'm pretty proud of my heritage, we all should be.

 Enjoying her food of course :)

 Here we are, some of the crazy bunch!

Attempt at a girl shot with my cousin's cute girlies but Mia was not having it.

 What a great family shot! Love you all dearly.

Bottom row: sis Paige, birthday girl Carmela Durbano, cool Christian, my mama, the princess, step-dad Jace. Top row: sister's handsome boyfriend Mike, hot hubby, brother (aka Uncle Johnny), wild man Mason, me and my Favorite Gram

School Days

I am mourning the loss of summer, say it's not so. I do love the beautiful fall colors, crisp morning air and fun Halloween festivities but I'm always sad to see the lazy days at the pool end. Never ready to say goodbye to the summer sun.

Time for early mornings, long school days for our big first grader, busy schedules (running to soccer practice, piano lessons, etc.), homework (for mom & dad too) and the sun setting way too early. Back to school is always an exciting, much anticipated change but very BUSY nonetheless.

Here he is on DAY 1
Look, he even has a locker with his name on it. Way TOO grown up!

And Mr. Mason's day finally came a couple weeks later. Preschool, round 2, but with cousins Daxon and Alec this year. SO FUN! And 4 days a week for 3 hours - woo hoo for mom, what will I ever do with myself with no boys?? Oh I will find plenty.

Look at those darling, handsome, oh-so-cool dudes!

 

Side Note: Don't let the smiles fool you. After the initial excitement wore off, it was all tears and anxiety about school every morning (and STILL is most mornings). Adjustment to all-day 1st grade has been brutal for Christian. I've had to deal with him faking sick and actually making himself physically sick, hiding, running, kicking and screaming - all over going to school in the morning. All he will say is "It's too long" and "I miss you." But once he is there, he loves it. He has tons of friends and is really smart. He comes home every day saying it was great and fun, and then the same anxiety appears again in the morn. I expect this behavior from our wild man Mason but this is new with Christian. It's been ROUGH. We've tried bribes, prayers, trickery...any other suggestions are welcome. PLEASE SHARE your ideas. We are desperate here people! Hoping this month will be better.

Mason is full of excuses: "I don't like school 'cause when the teachers make me stand up and sit down, it makes me so tired." It's in the most dramatic, drawn out voice. That's my favorite one.

Island Park Paradise

Checkout these gorgeous views, truly paradise! We went on an end of summer mom/kids trip to our friend's cabin in Island Park and I fell in love. What an amazing place to enjoy the great outdoors. The kids just played and played outside, like kids are supposed to do in the summer time.

 Oh I adore this lil blonde bathing beauty...

Souvenier shopping (aka WEAPONS) in West Yellowstone
Boys can never have too many guns right??

 Miss Mia ready to float the river. That's right, we floated the Snake River in tubes and tiny rafts with 9 kids and 3 of us moms. We looked like a floating circus act to anyone passing by, it was truly entertaining! We were all roped together with babes in tow. That's what we needed a picture of.

Paddle boating dudes!

What a great way to end our summer, fun with good friends on the water and away from the craziness of life. Thanks friends for a GRAND stay at your awesome cabin!

To blog or not to blog

To blog or not to blog, that is the question.

I always have so much I want to share, and vent, and laugh about, etc. but never have the time to actually sit down and document it, let alone load any pics of my camera or even do a single thing for myself. So, do I continue to TRY to blog? Or just put an end to this chapter in my life and be okay with it?

I'm not quite ready to give up yet, so here are some updates, in no particular order:
School started, it's been rough (for all of us).
I'm mourning the loss of summer, as always.
Baby girl turning 1 this week. Can't elaborate or I just might cry. My baby can't be 1 already?? And she's starting to walk (please not yet).
Fun end of summer mom and kids trip to Island Park, Idaho with friends. So fun!
Great-grandma hit a milestone b-day this summer- 100 years - a whole century. WOW.
Family reunion to Manti, I know, so exciting. Highlight included Troy slicing his thumb off with a pocket knife 10 minutes after we arrived. It's still there but severly damaged. So fun.
Threw a baby shower for my first actual sibling having a baby (my cute half-sis Brooke who is in labor as I write this).
Planned my company party at the Hogle Zoo. That's right, we closed it down last Saturday and filled it with 9,000 of my work peeps and their families - a record for us and the zoo. SUCCESS! Whew, felt good to check that one off the list.
Sick kids, sick mom, all somewhere in between.
Also in charge of a church activity the same week, check. Again, so happy to be done.
Still have a big work project due this week + family pictures + baby girl's first birthday party (sniff, sniff).

So there you have it, who really has time to blog in this crazy, busy life we all lead??  I will try to be better. Pictures to come.

Boats, Planes & Pools

Some of our fun summer activities, never a dull moment. We have to soak in the summer sunshine before it's gone. I am definitely a SUMMER GIRL!

Boat Time with Good Friends

We didn't warn the boys about falling off so they had a real shocker when they all got dumped from the tube. Flailing about and screaming...I thought we'd have to dive in to save them.

They were just fine.

La-la-lagoon with cousins - it's where fun is, right?!

We left the sweet pea home with Nana so we could really enjoy the rides. I even took a trip on Wicked and it was just that, WICKED and INSANE!

Just another day at the pool, we spent MANY summer days hitting up all the pools we could.