2nd Snipet, BIRTHDAYS GALORE!! OK so it's the whole story...not a snippet

I don't know what happens 9 months before June 30th but it has become very popular to have your birthday on this day. I know 6 people on this day including myself. and LOTS AND LOTS that are close to it. So There are lots of double birthdays, and cake calories times six, and fun times a dozen. My brother Tom and I share a birthday, My good friend Kirk, and my good friend Sarah's daughter Courtney and a few other people who I know but don't ever see. So between the bunch of us we party hard and eat a lot. Not to mention We get fireworks right after.

This summer has been one of the busiest I can remember in a LOONG time. It started for me about May 1st and hasn't stopped. Just to give you some idea of what I'm talking about- the oil in my car isn't due until 9/8 but I have already put more than three thousand miles on it since June 8th. that's a lot. I'm definitely not complaining I'm happy to go, and do, and have so much fun.
This weekend I drove down to Eugene, OR for the Oregon Country Fair. It is a Ka-RAIZY craft fair with dozens and dozens of vendors, maybe a couple hundred. (our booth was 282- I don't know if they start one or what) My friends have a food booth and make burritos, tacos, taco salads, breakfast burritos and all things burrito. The Grand parents started the booth 30 years ago this year and the siblings and grand kids run it together now. It is a weekend of hippies, greeners, crazies, love, peace, political agendas, partial noodies, masks, dirt, costumes, parades and all things tie-dye. This is the 3rd time I've gone and hope the invitation is open for future fairs because it is a blast. The food is alllll amazing and there is plenty of things to choose from. I mostly eat at our booth because frankly it's just stinkin yummy. Some of the family and friends camp behind the booth so they can get an early start on breakfast, they also take care of all the behind the scenes things that you know are being done but you never see. So that is a short intro for you non-country fair goers who have no idea what I'm talking about. however there is no explanation complete enough to give you the country fair experience without experiencing the country fair first hand. And if you ever decide to see the country fair you should go hungry and have cash for the trinkets cause you'll most likely leave with something unique you didn't know you needed. (most likely it's organic!!) :) Anyways wasn't this post about birthdays.....that was just part of the summer fun the kids and I have been having.

OK, my birthday was shared with lots of friends and some family all over the course of a week.

Justin got me a new knife set which I asked for and was really excited about. My M-in-law got me my bathroom towel hanger set I've been eyeballing for 2 years and I am enjoying a variety of other goodies which were all thoughtful and special just for me. Can't beat that. I think that birthdays when you get to be an adult somehow turn back into the celebration of one's life and less of about what gifts you received and having a party. But I got gifts, parties and ate cake three times and I'll take that kind of celebration any day!!! Yeah for cake and lots of people I love to share it with. Here is a picture of my new knives. Oh so pretty. thanks sweetheart darling face, you did good. (He thought knives were not very exciting for a birthday gift) oh contrare!!!

A long snipet. Zach and Debbies wedding

There is just too much to post all at once.... When am I going to have time you ask? I know not... But here is a snipet and it might be the only snipets from these events so... read quickly there is a lot.
Manda and I drove down to my brother Zach's wedding on the 27th of June, we had some puking in the car, some puking the night before the wedding, some puking before the wedding and puking at the reception, Harley in the car on the ride down, then Lucas a day later and through the night, with a little of Jacey the night before the wedding. Taylor didn't get it and Emily and Manda helped catch puke from my kids while we were spralled out with towels and bowls all over the room until all hours of the night. Everyone was mostly better by morning and we were all smiles for the wedding day. Everyone looked adorable. The lethal combo for Lucas who seemed to get the worst of it was sprite on an empty stomach. The wedding went smoothly Debbie and Zach looked great, we took some pictures and were off to a cute reception behind the church with great shade and a beautiful cake and good food. We got to catch up with family, enjoy the sunny day, feel the grass on our barefeet, hold babies, and just enjoy being together for this happy occassion.

On the car ride down to Utah we were attacked by HAIL the size of marbles, NO JOKE!! we took pictures cause we knew they were blog worthy pieces of ice. It came out of no where and hit us so hard that we thought at first rocks were hitting the windshield and rooftop. It wasN'T raining or anything...just BAMMM into the glass and then another. and then for a LOOONG couple of minutes it was sheets of ice. We pulled over and so did most of the cars behind us. With every piece that hit I winced a little, I was sure my poor car was going to look like I parked it at the driving range and let people use it for target practice. But it sounded a lot worse than it really was and my car was unscathed. Next we hurdled a lone CHUNK of a blown deisel tire that didn't quite clear the frame of the car and again made us cringe a little as it kind of thunked under the frame of my car. Again no damage just some black rubber to wash off the paint and she looked good as new. So my car was put through the road trip worthiness test this trip and... GOOD NEWS... SHE PASSED. What a keeper. I sure do like my car. I think it's time she got a name....I'll let you know when I think of a good one. We have "LOLA" the GPS and Mom and Dad have "Tilly", their new camper. Em has names for all her trucks I think my trooper of an SUV needs a name. YUP it's time.
A quick side note. We were headed to Yakima to pick up Harley and Manda. Lola(the GPS) was leading the way and after a while Jacey asked me, "mom why isn't she saying anything to you?" ME "who, Jacey?" HER "that girl" ME "what girl?" HER "LOLA, why isn't she saying anything to you?" after I laughed and laughed and LAUGHED, I explained "Lola" doesn't talk until I need to turn onto a different road. BUT it was HYSTERICAL. I still giggle a little bit writing it down. Oh man, she has always been funny. My cute girl. always so observant.

As always I got on here to do a not so quick post and I can't help but take just a quick peek at what you have all been up to. So my not so quick post is taking ever so much longer but I am going to type fast and hope for speed to accompany me. These last couple months with Justin gone all week and only home on the weekends have been some of the most trying times of my life. I don't know what it is about him being "gone" that is so much different than him being gone at work all day and only seeing him for that few precious hours before bed. None the less it is harder. My hats off to alllll you army families that go without your spouses for 6-18 months at a time and have children your husbands have never met until their 1st birthday. I applaud you. You are truely a unique kind of people who do this year in and year out alone. HOWEVER, I didn't sign up for this and it has been trying. That's all I'm saying, it's been a long spring. All of this is just backround for why Justin came home from Canada Tuesday to save me from........everything!! Chaos, kids crying, me yelling and frankly just me being exhausted from being with those babies 24/7. We had talked earlier in the evening about the kids just being themselves and how I was fed up with their fighting. The next phonecall I got was from him saying he is on his way home, which was good news but frustrating because it made me feel like I couldn't hack it without him. I felt bad for whining but really, I needed some relief that only a parent of the same children can give. I have generous friends that offered to rescue me on several occassions. That being said I think we just needed our Daddy home for a minute. They are big enough to miss him (and not just when they are sent to time out-though they cry for him a lot then too). SOOOOOooooo We packed ourselves up and headed for the coast. We returned to a place that Justin went lots of summers when he was a kid so he was especially excited. It was a pretty drive and a break from the house and our first family vacation in 5 years. He made some calls and got a little 2 bedroom apt type motel room right on the water, we looked out the windows and saw beautiful oregon coastline complete with the twin rocks. It was a lot of fun and just what we needed. Thursday was beautiful, (prettier than the forecast said- a special blessing just for us I think :) we got wet, made castles, splashed, wrote our names in the sand, Taylor ate sand, we laughed, hugged, talked, watched the waves, took walks and cooked some meals ALL together. it was Heaven on earth.
Here are some pictures of our spontaneous adventure. ENJOY, we sure did.







Then Friday it rained allll day but it was ok cause we took a trip to the Tillamook cheese factory and I got to add a squished penny to my collection which I like. We tasted cheese, saw cheese, had icecream, and bought the kids new favorite thing "squeeky cheese" those weird but fresh cheese curds that weren't my favorite thing but I tried them. Mostly it was a tribute to a memory for Justin. In the gift shop Justin found me a double butter tray and surprised me with it, (I had been looking for one off and on for a while). I got a penny and a present. :) Can't beat that.



After that we stopped at a pre-world war two blimp hanger that was an air museum of one mans very expensive personal collection of old planes and things. It is the largest wood structure in the world still standing. It could fit the Hindenburg inside for length but not gurth, if that tells you how large that dang blimp was. It was like seeing the 8th wonder of the world being in a space that large. the kids enjoyed it and we had a good time being together. Here are some pictures of the cheese factory and air museum. Had I more time I would have made a slide show for you. sorry you have to wade through them this way.




Then when we got back and got the kids some naps we it cleared up just enough for one last walk on the beach. We drew our names in the sand and called her a day!! Yup just what momma needed. To see my family happy all together. soon enough, Justin keeps telling me. Soon enough. He is my lighthouse in this storm always giving me a postive light to see through the darkness. I love you my sweet Justin. Thanks for whisking us away on an adventure. If we were a toasting family we would toast our apple cider glasses to many more adventures as good as this one. Here's to being together as a family. HERE HERE!!

Wet Cronctete makes quite a mess...of a friendship.

So we had a less than perfect trip to our dear friends house yesterday and on the way home Jacey tells me crying, "Going to Jills house was not delightful, because Lucas stepped in the concrete." It was pretty funny. So yes, the trip was not delightful, I told them if they couldn't stay out of the concrete (freshly laid sidewalk project they took all day doing and just finished) we would have to leave. So we talked about how sad it would make everyone if they touch it and about 30 minutes later Lucas stepped on it. AND guess what, it made everybody really sad. LUCKILY it was in a spot that was still wet enough to fix however that didn't stop the frustration from pouring out of me. We all anticipated it happening but hoped that it wouldn't. Those who were doing the fixing were gracious and didn't say much even though I know how frustrating that was for them. So to follow through on my threat of having to leave, we had to leave. I was really sad that I trusted him to remember and that it had to be him who did the damage. I asked him in the car why he stepped on the wet concrete and he didn't know, I said, "did you forget?" and he so sad and sweet said, "yeah." So really it was my fault for not preventing the whole thing. So I felt dramatic that I was leaving crying (frustrated with myself and my kids) and I felt awkward and sorry that we made them worry and fix their hard work after they JUST finished it. Later Jill came over with a banana cream pie blizzard (my favorite) and we smoothed things over, they were kind and generous the whole way and it just proves what good friends they are. I thought it to myself a few days ago before this happened(after another nice thing Jill did for someone else) that Jill is a better friend than I am and this just confirms it. Thanks for forgiving us so willingly and we're sorry we stepped in it big time!! :)

Oh where oh where have my bloggers gone???

(This book cover has many inside jokes, Mike Piscopo would know, Eric you might remember this assignment.)
My hand and foot, which is actually a good drawing of my ugly foot. Does that make sense?
a CHARCOAL piece,(which I hated but ended up loving the end result.)
This is a glimpse into my highschool art folder, much of which was produced quickly to get a grade for some assignment that I couldn't decide how I wanted to do it. I have more that are waiting for a full post and explanation. Ohhh good times. good times.

I'm here to see what all my darling bloggers have been up to and find that you must be swamped with great adventures that aren't on your blogs yet cause you are still on them. RIGHT? you must be getting ready to post them realll soon cause it has been weeks and weeks many of you.... yeah you know who you are. I changed my blog list to show the last updates you guys have done and let me just say...IT AIN'T pretty. 4 and 5 weeks between posts? absurd!! this is the part where you go onto your blog and start writing your adventures cause, "inquiring minds want to know" who can name what that is off of? anyone? Love you all can't wait to see your new blog posts hopefully SOON.

The Mother of Me, and Me being a Mother.

My momma reading to my babies. fitting that they are reading "are you my mother?" on mothers day.

Here is the Love of my Life. The Father and the Mother.

Justin says, "say chucky cheese." Lucas did with some enthusiasm. We almost got all of us smiling. Lucas is such a handsome devil like his dad. On Sundays he likes to put gel in his hair, then he goes and picks out one of daddy's colgnes to put on. Then after Justin finishes shaving and puts his aftershave on he rubs the rest on Lucas. Without fail Lucas excitedly bounds up to me, for me to smell him. He tells me, "I'n hansum" and I sure assure him he most definately IS "hansum."

And my beautiful girls. Jacey was holding her up instead of holding her hand. We prepped Jacey that she might be going up front with her class to sing to the mommies so she would be prepared for it. She didn't want to on the way to church but once it was her turn she went happily and found her way to the front (with her elbows) and waved so sweet at us. They sang my favorite mothers day song. "I often go walking" and once I heard the music start that was the end of dry eyes for me. She has turned into a girl who is so fun to watch and so easy to be proud of. Bless you Taylor Jane for rolling with the punches. May you always be so delightful. I love you my sweet babies and am so proud to be your Mother.

Mother's day now holds new meaning. I have gained much appreciation for my mother who raised lots and lots of babies. The fact that I didn't start washing my own laundry sooner than I did floors me. Sure, I folded lots, but the copius amounts of washing and hanging (didn't use the dryer a whole lot- can you imagine 11 people's laundry in the dryer, what an electricity bill that would be). The amount of food we must have consumed, the scheduling of activites and arranging transportation. Yet with all that she had on her plate (getting her degree on top of it all) she still managed to plan family home evenings, attend our events, take us on family vacations and teach us all lifes lessons on the way. (I realize she has a great sidekick and whose sidekick she will be on Father's day, ;) I love my kids but being a mom right now isn't all easy breezy and flowery. IT'S HARD work. I look at these pictures and see those sweet faces all ready for church and I do count 3 little blessings sitting on that couch with me. I do realize the importance of being a good mother to my children as my mother has been to me. I know all the ways I try to teach them, I see all the successes and failures along the way but hopefully in the end, when they are grown, they will look back as I do and think "I sure do love my mother." Not a kitten, cow, dog, chicken or a snort. You are a bird and you are MY mother. Happy Mother Day Mom, and to All the Moms and future Mommies.

Once upon an April in a State far far AWAY!!

To make this readable to everyone who wasn't there to enjoy all the adventures the kids and I enjoyed I will give you the semi condensed version. Now that I got to down load pictures I am sad that there isn't more of them. I hope the other pictures of this trip will make their way to me. The best part of a trip like this one is that there is no plan so you can go where you want when you want with whomever is available. I left for Nampa Thursday morning and made it on almost one tank of gas, 2 stops, with 3 kids, 4 and under, by myself. The kids watched 1/2 a movie in 8 hours and entertained themselves the rest of the time. we packed some p & j and toys and they were AWESOME. I learned that I can reach Lucas if I HAVE too but a faceful of wind worked better than yelling. I just rolled down my window and let him have a little bit of "fresh air" when he wasn't listening. It worked like a charm. I have been traveling with these little bitties their whole lives so they don't know anything different. If you HAVEN'T ever planned an adventure with 3 kids by yourself I would recommend getting help, it isn't for the weak of heart. Even if your kids do awesome in the car, I got several looks of pity when we stopped and I was alone. We got to see Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunts and Uncles in Nampa as well as some friends that I haven't seen in about 5 years so it was a good stop.
Then onto Idaho Falls where my college roommates awaited me. Sarah met me in Nampa sunday night then we caravaned over to IF monday morning to visit the roomies. I am pleased to have found them just the way I left them. Sweet, spiritual, and just a touch sassy! It was everything I had hoped. The one fear, well two fears I had were that I would have tired cranky kids that wouldn't adjust to a new house and that my college memories of these girls would be just college memories and things would be different around them. BUT it was just like old times. Ashlee, Chris, Lenny, Sarah, and I (minus a few beloved girls who we still adore and wish we could have seen) were just like "peas and carrots again." We stayed up late talking and laughing, watched the kids play, put out fires, fixed rolled ankles, had F.H.E., visited houses, went to dinner, broke up fights, rocked babies, gave kisses and hugs, learned everyone's REAL name, got out of our comfort zone (playing basketball), listened to firealarms, saw the midnight garbage can fairy, caught up, washed pee pee clothes, and learned we loved the girls we were back then and love the women we've become since college. And though we are all catching up on our sleep now that we're home I think I can say for everyone that it was worth the effort on everyones part to have these precious couple of days together. I will be cherishing these memories as fondly as the first.
This isn't every detail but the stories require detail that I don't have the time to write. So hopefully those involved will all blog their version and we will have multiple insights to this adventure. Thanks to Sherri for letting us use the trailer it was perfect, Christina and Hondo for the adorable F.H.E.(on the good samaritan which proved useful later in the week when Lenny rolled her ankle and Alexa tried to help her up) and BBQ, you have a beautiful home. Ashlee for the lunch and vinyl ideas. To Kristen who housed us and fed us. Jason who helped and entertained us. All those babies whose personalities I now know. I will enjoy seeing on the blogs and smile because I know you a little bit better now. Thanks for making yourselves and homes available to us. May you all leave happy.I love ya to bits. And love is all a girls needs. :) AND THAT as they say IS THAT!!