The life of the PARTY!!

Who knew that this girl had so much stinking personality??? I'm sure for those that live close and see us often, you have probably seen a change in either our family as a whole, or in Natasha. There is not a day that goes bye, that we don't have a good hard laugh. She may be 18, but her maturity level is pretty close to mine (maybe 14ish??). She thinks it's hilarious to bump my elbow every time I try to either put lip gloss on or take a drink. Which could be frustrating but her laugh gets me every time. And, while most of the time she is the peacemaker in our home, there are those moments when she is the cause of chaos. . . like when she decides to play soccer in the front room with Josh. Or, when she plays Truth or Dare with the kids and dares them to lick the toilet seat. Or, when she swings Erin around in circles until Emma starts crying because she isn't getting a turn (no kidding - even though Emma is almost as tall as Tash, she thinks she should get a turn).

Or how about last Friday night (at midnight) when she decided to find some grub for the pet spider she's been keeping in a Powerade bottle. And, her favorite thing to do is take my cell phone and start texting all of my "contacts" all kinds of gibberish. Yesterday she and Josh sent out a "master text" to 10 or 12 people in my phone that said: "You guys are crazy" and "I am a lunatic." And, she sends me texts of just a bazillion letters - her record is 7 pages worth.

(above) This is me trying to photoshop some engagement shots - while Tasha bumps my elbow every 2 or 3 seconds. . . all while she tries to take pictures of me getting mad at her. :-)

(above) Tash with her first paycheck!

I could go on (for probably 7 pages) but I think you get the point. Natasha is figuring out who she is and what she wants in life. . . and that it's okay to have a sense of humor. Besides all of her craziness, she has decided to change her life in a serious way. Just after she moved in with us, she started taking the missionary discussions. I know a lot of people assumed she had already been baptized (which tells you she's a great kid anyway), but she hasn't. On Sunday, April 11th, the missionaries asked her to be baptized. She started to cry and of course said "yes." And, then they asked her to be baptized on April 24th. Her eyes lit up and I'm still not sure if it was panic or excitement or shock, but she said "yes" again. So, we have spent the last week preparing. She needed to finish the discussions, plan her baptism program, have an interview and shop for a dress. For the most part, things have come together for her. There have been a couple of very small bumps along the way. It's amazing how there is opposition in all things - and yet she continues to overcome it all.

It has been such a blessing to have Tash in our home! I knew it would be, but I had no idea it could be this amazing. We've not only seen her grow and become a beautiful young woman, but our other kids have grown and learned so much as well. We've all been able to learn from the missionaries along the way and the Spirit has been so overwhelming in our home. I'm so grateful for the opportunities the Lord provides us as life can seem so hectic and busy. The Gospel is still true and amazing and brings a happiness that nothing else can. I've seen it. I've felt it. Thanks, Natasha, for being the "opportunity" that we obviously needed in our family. We LOVE you more than words can say.

Spring Break

There were lots of fun things we did during Spring Break this year. Just not what I thought we might do. Didn't mow the lawn. Didn't plant a garden. Didn't clean the garage. Nope. Instead we endured the crappy weather and tried to make the most of our time off.

On Saturday, we had the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. We were in St. George last year for Easter so this was our first time at the egg hunt. Besides the cold weather, it was fun. I felt a little like we were in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with all the parents running around saying "look for the golden egg."

Kiwi Bakery helped out with the doughnuts and my were they yummy! I love that place. If you haven't tried one of their doughnuts, you must. And then a cream puff. And a meat pie. And the fish n' chips. And, if you go in the morning, not only does it smell amazing, the doughnuts are still warm.

Of course, we had to color eggs. This is obviously a very serious thing around here.

As I was cleaning up the egg mess, the kids decided to play Truth or Dare. See what happens when you have an 18 year old in the house!? Josh drank some vegetable oil, Emma has never kissed a boy and Tasha had to learn how to do the "Josh dance."
(above) This picture is of the kids that wanted to actually get out of bed to see what the Easter Bunny brought (I think that one kid that loves sleep was slow to come upstairs).

(above from left to right: Josh, Brynlee, Atley, Gauge, Cambree, Erin, Alexa, Kailee, Emma)

On Easter Sunday, we went to Grandma B's for the Easter Egg Hunt. This one was a little warmer than the one the day before. This picture makes me laugh because some of the kids chose to wear Easter outfits while other kids were just happy to be there. I had a little some of each.

We were able to accomplish one thing on our "to do" list. We got the trampoline set up. Good thing - now it can snow on it.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

Dear Grandma(s) and all other SOCCER FANS,

My mom listed my Spring Soccer schedule on the side of the blog. She listed the dates and times as well as the address for each field. I hope you can come see me play! It's going to be a good year!

Love,
Josh
(USA goal KEEPER)

p.s. When you see me, make sure you check out my new keeper outfit - especially my shoes (you can't miss them given my feet are the size of TEXAS).

"I feel like I'm in Russia again"

Last weekend while we were out running errands, we decided to stop in at the Russian Deli that has been a favorite of ours for a few years. Jer was excited to take Tasha there. It was so fun to watch her take it all in. It was like the memories of home just started coming back to her with everything she saw. When she was a little girl, she and her baby sister would have to go out into the fields and find mushrooms. Her mom would hang them above the stove to dry. At a young age she was taught how to hunt mushrooms and how to know which one's are poisonous. So, Tasha hates mushrooms. The first thing she did was point and gag at all the shrooms in the deli. She found the little doughnut shaped biter crackers that all the little kids chew on, drooled over all the cakes and baked goods, read all the Russian cards out loud to the kids and then jumped for joy when she found the fish behind the counter! When Jer asked the lady behind the counter to get whatever Tasha wanted, you'd have thought it was Christmas Day. She was so excited. She held on to the fish all the way home and then saved it for a couple of days waiting for the perfect time to eat it. Wednesday provided that perfect time. It was snowing outside. While the rest of us were whining about snow in April, Tasha sat by the window and gnawed on her salt cured fish. "I feel like I'm in Russia again. It's snowing and I'm eating my favorite thing!"

Must Be 18 or older...

It's official! Natasha finally turned 18! It was such a fun day! On Monday, March 15, we moved her in. And the next day was her BIG DAY!! At school she was surprised in her English class by a few of her friends. They made a giant card for her and presented it to her in front of the class (which is kind of funny because she absolutely hates having all attention on her). When she got home from school, Jenna came over (her bff) to spend the day with her. Unfortunately, I had a doctors appointment and had to leave them with the girls for a bit. It didn't take me long to use her to babysit. I felt horribly guilty about that, but didn't have much choice given I had an ear infection and sinusitis. By the time I got home, the girls had finished unpacking most of Tasha's boxes and actually started making her bedroom look like a teenage girls over sized decorated locker.

When Jer got home from work, we all headed to meet Hillari's and Jill's families for dinner at Sizzler. To my surprise, not only had Tasha never been to Sizzler, but neither had Jenna. What kind of sheltered lives do these girls live? I had to laugh. Once Tasha got a little tipsy from her Mountain Dew, we decided to give her the gifts from everyone. Oh she was a happy girl. We happen to have a little connection with the phone company so we couldn't resist giving her a purple cell phone. And she got money and lots of little happy birthday drawings from all the kids.

After dinner, we told her we were going home and said goodbye to everyone else that came to dinner. But, much to her surprise, we went to the church for a little PARTY there. She was the cutest darn thing! She walked in and just as quickly tried to walk back out. I didn't realize how hard it is for her when all eyes are on her. I keep telling her it's because she's so dang cute that people love to stare at her, but she's not uglying herself up much to make it stop.

All of this may seem a little over the top to some, but there are so many people that love this girl and for heavens sake - a girl only turns 18 once! We invited everyone we could think of that has had an interest in her so that she could see just how many people love her. Tammy made a darling cake for her and everyone there showered her with more gifts. I don't think she knew how to take it. It makes me cry every time I think about it. She came to me in the middle of all the chaos and whispered "I have that thing in my throat that makes me cry and it won't go away." I know the whole day was overwhelming for her and she was worn out by the time it was all over, but she's so deserving.

Once home from the surprise party, Jenna had 18 more gifts for her. She had gone through all their memories from the last 4+ years and gotten gifts for every little inside joke. They are great friends and I'm glad they have each other. It's been so fun to watch the two of them grow and change in the last year and to appreciate the friendship they have.

It took me forever to post this, but I have been so emotional about everything lately, I had to wait until I could keep it together. :-) Having Natasha in our home has been the biggest blessing in so many ways. I love her so much I can't even put it into words. I hope one day she is able to recognize all the good that she has done for us. She is a beautiful girl inside and out and I feel so blessed to have her. Love you, Tash and welcome to the family!!

My Number 2 Turned 9

Per Emma's request: cupcakes, mini samwhices, chips n salsa...

(above) Alexia, Emma, Sidney, Abby, MeShell, Erin

So serious.

(above) Sidney, Emma, Sarah, Alexia, MeShell, Abby, Alyssa

Oh too fun. Emma turned 9 last Sunday so we had a little party with her friends on Saturday night. While her emotions are all over the place and she still hates homework or doing anything I ask her to do, this is a fun age for girls. They made me laugh all night. Who knew that Disney's Dance Dance Revolution and Sing It for the Wii could be so entertaining... for me? Ok so I have had fun playing the games myself, but watching the girls was hilarious. Apparently The Climb by Miley Cyrus is a bigger hit than I realized. Every single one of them knew the words. So funny. And I think that for the most part they all had tried some kind of dance mat game so this was no scare for any of them. You find out, too, what kind of rockers their parents are at a party like this.

This video is a couple of minutes long, but kind of funny. Feel free to skip out on the end if you get bored, but otherwise crank up the volume and rock out with them! :)

Sunday was her actual birthday so after church we went over to the B's for cake and ice cream. And this Sunday we will go to the J's (we obviously have no qualms about stretching it out for the whole month). We gave her those little fashion mannequins that you design your own line of clothing with (can't remember what they are actually called) and they were a hit. Emma hasn't stopped "designing" since she got them. And all her cousins had a great time playing, too. Okay - and so did Tasha and Cari and I. It's addicting.

Emma has decided since you have to take them all apart after you put so much into it, she'll take a picture of every outfit first.

p.s. I know there are many of you out there that are very happy this time of year due to March Madness (my hubby included), but I hate waiting for Survivor! Ugh!

Catching up with..... Depeche Mode?

So last August, one of my all time favorite bands came to the Salt Lake City place they love so much and performed yet another out of this world concert. My sister (being a bigger fan than I - crazy, I know) ordered a copy of the nights performance on cd. She actually stood in line after the concert and paid for it then (this was last August, remember?). It came. Finally. The best part of this story is that to make up for lost time, they sent 2 copies and I, being her favorite, got the second copy. I love it when dumb companies make mistakes and I get to reap the benefits. Thanks Care! You are a cool sister and I do appreciate you sharing with me.

This post is actually supposed to be a "catching up with" post because I have been lost for a while, but my title reminded me of my new little gift from Cari.

Saturday was one of those days - you know, the kind that come and go and you wonder where it went as if it were never here. It was Brynlee's FIRST Birthday Party. Her Birthday is today, but the party with all the family was Saturday. She has been so fun. We were tending her in the beginning 3x a week but after I had my almost mid-life crisis, we cut back to one day and let grandma help out (which has been much appreciated). The kids absolutely love having her around. As of late especially. She has so much personality. I have given her the nickname "The Princess and the Pea" with much reason. She is the boss. She tells it how it is. If she doesn't want to nap, she's not going to. If she doesn't want to be held, she's not going to. If she doesn't want the rest of her banana, watch out 'cause she will let you know. She is most definitely loved by all. But, lucky for me, I am her favorite.

Cambree, Atley, Emma, Brynlee, Alexa, Kailee

Emma and I were the only two from our little family that went to the party. Erin has been sick so Jer stayed home with her. Josh was a good sport and stayed with them so that Emma and I could make it to the next part of our day - America on Stage at Thanksgiving Point. We had to be backstage at 4:30p.m. They had two performances and then we were headed home. It was short and sweet this year. Last year seemed more like an all day event so I was excited to not have to entertain Emma all day again. She, on the other hand, was a little disappointed at the lack of shopping done between performances. She left wanting more, but fortunately for her there's only a month until the next competition.

I'm not sure why or how and I know I am biased, but isn't she gorgeous?

We had to stop at Iceburg for a shake on the way home! If there's no time for shopping, there must be time for a shake!!

Josh had a soccer game at 7pm Saturday, but with Erin being as sick as she has been, Jer opted to stay home and miss the game. I don't think Josh has ever missed a game during his entire soccer career, but sometimes the little sister comes first. Like I said, he is a good sport.

Josh and Emma started piano lessons at the first of February. I'm enjoying the process. Emma loves it and takes practicing seriously where Josh still pretends to practice and then somehow gets distracted. He is giving it more than I thought he might. He's still bitter about me "making" him learn to read music. This is one of those things where one day he will thank me. I know it. Maybe when he's on his mission? Or perhaps when he sits down and plays October by U2 and the girls start drooling?

We made it so far this winter without sickness. Unfortunately, Erin started 8 or 9 days ago with a nasty cough and before I knew it she had strep. Poor thing has been on the antibiotic for 5 days and still sounds terrible. She got to go outside today for the first time in a week. A part of me was hoping the 55 degree weather would help - a little sunshine never hurt anyone.

She doesn't even look sick, I know. But if you heard her, you would understand.

We did finally make a dent in the amount of gerbils we have. We took 5 of them to a little girl in Sugarhouse that places them in schools for class pets. And, our cute cousin Noah took 2 of the boys (dad being one of them). The picture of Erin above is the day we took them to their new homes. We cleaned the cages out and did a head count. Erin has no complaints about having a new litter as soon as the previous litter gets to be 4 weeks old. The idea of having 16 pets is rather exciting to a 5 year old. Not so much for the mom and dad, however.

Our biggest priority these days has been getting ready for Tasha to come be a part of our family. I don't know that I have talked about her much on my blog as to not step on any toes or hurt any feelings, but we pretty much have no secrets at this point. :) Natasha started out one of my Young Women in our Ward, but quickly became like family. She was born in Russia and came to America almost five years ago. She has had a rough few years with all that has changed in her life. Fortunately, with all life has handed her, she has become an amazing young woman. She will be living here and adopting us as her family soon. On Monday, March 15th, she will be moving in so we have been using every minute to get her bedroom ready. This is a huge thing for us and has been so exciting, but hard to talk about. I get so emotional about her and the person she is. Josh, Emma and Erin are counting down until she will be here all the time instead of off and on. Jer and I have felt things changing for us for a while. The Lord most definitely has a plan for all of us and I have learned to stop questioning things when they "fall into place." I will surely be posting more about her in the near future.

Emma, Natasha, Erin

So there is the update in the biggest nutshell out there ... you should be all caught up (or maybe I just feel caught up now).