North Mountain Park

The Clares invited us to go out North Mountain Park and have breakfast last weekend. The park backs up in the little mountains behind CAC, only a 15 minute drive from here. We took our large grill and Sarah made yummy pancakes and bacon! Then Beau took the boys hiking and Sarah and I took the girls. Since Sarah is 8 months prego, we took it easy.

Just 3 1/2 months apart, Lauren and Cora are good buddies. They love to play together and say and do the funniest things. As adorable as they are, their mothers' often compare stories of frustration and exasperation. This picture shows that although these 2 year olds are different in size, their personalities are equally larger than life!

Beau was really impressed with the size of this saguaro cactus.

Ressa and Isabelle are almost 3 months apart too! They are good friends and they love to hike as much as the boys.

At the very top you can just see the boys at the top of these boulders.

Here is Carson! I didn't get any pics of Hyrum and Jackson. They were little monkeys, always climbing and out of site!

Valentines Dinner

A little late, but I am finally blogging about our 2nd annual Coolidge 2nd Ward Valentines Dinner. This was bitter sweet since this will be our last ward activity with Lois Pew as the committee leader! She has built a new home nearby, but outside our ward boundaries, and will be moving next month. We are so sad to see her leave! These past 2 years have been so fun together and our ward family has really grown closer, I feel partly because of the activities we have had. Here is a picture of Lois (middle), Lisa, and I.

The after dinner entertainment was a spirited version of 'The Newlywed Game', with our guest host, Bob Eubanks (a.k.a. Trent Woods). He does such a great job and is somewhat successful in keeping the dialogue "PG". Last year we had the whole bishopric as the contestants. This year we asked a few of the table host couples to participate. I thought it was a nice way to say "thank you" for all that they did. Not sure if they saw it that way or not!

We had so much fun last year that we decided to repeat our Valentines Dinner. 4 couples are assigned to each table, one couple being the host. They decorate their own table with their own place setting and theme and the other couples help prepare the various dishes of the meal. It is so fun to see the different styles and menus. This year there was lasagna, cornish game hens, pork loin, dutch oven chicken/potatoes, and chicken fettucini, to name a few!

Here is the table Chad and I sat. Poor Chad! For 2 years, I never get to spend much time with him at a ward activity. He is usually on his own or wrangling with the kids while I run around doing activity stuff. He is such a good sport!

Greg and Dee Dee Merrill were our newlywed game winners! They thought they were at a disadvantage because they were older than the rest of the contestants. Turns out they new eachother very well!


Josh and Amber Wilkins scored the worst as far as points go, but definitely scored the highest for entertainment! This couple is so charming and fun! Their faces were red most of the time!

Couple #3 -Mike and Tiffany McGee!

Couple #2 - Lyneal and Marlena Malicdem!

Can you tell which table was set by my in-laws? Frank made dutch oven chicken and potatoes, his specialty! It turned out so cute!

My 25 things...

My sister, LeaAnn, asked me how I was able to come up with 25 things about myself. Truth is, I could add at least 10 more easy. So what does that say about me? At age 34, I have really come to know myself or is it that I am just opinionated? Probably both. So be grateful this isn't a list of 100 things about me...

1. I never make a shopping list or to-do list. Even if it takes me 3 trips to Walmart to remember trash bags.

2. I do not like the physical act of writing, which may account for #1.

3. I love to organize things, but don't keep it up very well so I have to re-organize often.

4. I get annoyed when people claim they are just being honest to justify rudeness.

5. Sometimes I don't understand my 2nd grader's homework directions.

6. I wish my dad knew how truly wonderful he is. I wish telling him was enough.

7. I loved my wedding day so much, that sometimes I wish we could just get married again for fun.

8. I wonder what kind of a person I was when I was young. I honestly can't remember much of my youth.

9. I can't believe that I have broken so many of MY motherhood rules with my 4th child.

10. I pray that my children will always know they can talk to me and I will listen.

11. I don't like to think about food and wish we didn't have to eat so often. Once a day would be great!

12. I think face wrinkles are fine. What's the big deal?

13. Enjoy laundry, hate dusting.

14. I do not bake because I do not crave baked goods.

15. I miss Washington and the color green.

16. I can eat a whole carton of ice cream easy, but don't. That is just selfish.

17. I love movies.

18. I hope that one day I can say I truly deserve the children I have been given.

19. I have never seen an episode of Little House on the Prairie. My brothers wouldn't allow it.

20. I make my bed everyday.

21. I say my prayers everyday, and a plead for more patience is usually included.

22. I have a hard time crying when I feel sad, but cry watching movies, t.v., or commercials all the time.

23. Feel guilty for making my son get his tonsils out, especially when it didn't really help much.

24. I find it curious that mayonnaise itself is so disgusting, but makes so many foods taste yummy.

25. I love it when Chad asks me on a date BEFORE Friday!

Princess for a Night

My neighbor and friend, Shona, is on the Chamber of Commerce Cotton Council Pageant Committee. Say that 10 times! This year's pageant they added "cotton blossoms" to the program, which includes girls ages 3-13. The girls don't compete, just dress pretty, wear a tiara, and "do a little turn on the catwalk, yah, on the catwalk". So I registered Ressa and tonight was the BIG night! Now, I know those of you who know me are aware that this is not my "thing". I know, but I am willing to stretch myself in order to help my daughter experience new things and hopefully increase her confidence along the way. And in this instance, I am proud to say we were successful! Here is our little girl, wearing a Jennifer Larson orginal from her 2008 Easter collection. Thank you, Jennifer! Earrings and necklace are from the White Stage line, exclusive to Walmart. And finally, hair is courtesy of the Amber Wilkins salon for girls. Thank you for making our special girl feel even more special! I really do have great friends!

Mother and daughter

She was really all smiles the whole night. Very quiet but you could tell she was taking it all in and loving it!

These are all the "cotton blossoms", over 30 girls! Pretty good turn out for the 1st year. All the girls were so precious.

Here is Ressa next to her friends, Mimi and Daisha.


So dads could be their daughter's escort out onto the stage. I asked Chad to do it, since I was pretty sure Ressa would get scared when the time came. He stayed back with her behind the stage while I came out in the audience to take pictures.

Here are the girls waiting for their moment to shine!

Then much to my surprise, here comes Ressa all by herself. She walked right out, then right up to the very front of the stage, stopped and smiled, then turned right around and walked right back! Way to go, sis! She told me she wasn't even scared and had fun!

We had such a nice night and stayed to watch the rest of the pageant since we had a few girls from our ward competing for princess and queen. None of them won, but they all did such a wonderful job! So proud of our young women! We were all so starving since we didn't have time to eat dinner. Chad left the pageant with Lauren and the boys a little eary 'cause he was tired of chasing Lauren around. I was so thrilled to get a text from him to meet them at Pizza Hut. Thrilled because it is the first text he has ever sent me, and second, the food was already there when Ressa and I arrived. Thanks, babe!

Angie's Baby Shower

Chad's cousin, Brad, lives in Casa Grande and he & his wife, Anige, are expecting their first child this month. We are their only family here so we have really enjoyed getting to know them better. They are one of "those" people who are not finding out what sex their baby is. Those of you that know me, know I am not a big "surprise" person. Probably something to do with control issues... Anyways, I talked Elaine into helping me throw a baby shower for Angie, which is kinda rude since Elaine is in the middle of tax season. Oops! But who else can make such yummy homemade rolls, chicken salad, and fruit pizza? In this picture, Angie is in the middle, and Chad's sister, Crystal (also pregnant!) is on the right.
I took on the rest of the work, making invitations (which turned out to be fun!), games, decorations, and the rest of the food. I decided that I wanted to try making a diaper cake, but my friend Laura took pity on me and helped me out. I brought her the stuff and this is the masterpiece she created. Thanks, Laura! I really do have great friends! The theme for the shower was "bring-a-book" so that is why I made little books for all of the stuffed animals to read. Angie got so many fun books to start her baby's library! I sort of forgot to take any pics during the shower since I was a little busy. Sorry, Angie!