To: You, From: Arden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOMgDbcA84A&feature=related

Arden watched this at school today and couldn't wait to share it will all of us at home. We loved it so much we just have to share it with you. Thanks Arden

Play Dough

My kids have been fighting a lot. When someone is crying or screaming, or yelling I think we might as well have a drill going or a table saw in the house. I can't hear anything. So when Alexis made this sign for her Dad while he was in the backyard with some power tools, I got a really big kick out of it.

I thought to myself, this is how I have felt all week, and not only with the kids but with myself. I can't even hear myself think. We have a really loud children.

Today is better. I turned on some nice soft music about our Savior. I made play dough with the boys. Everyone is at the counter completely indulged in the play dough, for some reason they are helping each other, I think it's the music, it must be having an effect on them.

I love my kids, especially when I am alone with one of them, it really doesn't even matter which one, because when we are alone there is no fighting...

And here is my PLAY DOUGH recipe:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

4 tsp cream of tartar

*mix in sauce pan

*add

2 cups water

2 tbs veg oil

food coloring

*stir and put on stove, keep stirring, when it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, remove immediately, put on counter and knead until cooled.

Alexis runs her first 5k with Girls On The Run

Way to go my little runner. Alexis has always been a great runner. I told her someday she will run marathons. It was hard to keep up with her, she's a maniac. 

What would our lives be like without Arden and Mango cheering us on at the sidelines. Got Girl? Got Alexis. And we do. 

Purple Reaper

The Piratessa and Mango bird

the Mad Scientist

All my kids on Halloween

LoVe all you amazing Halloweeners!

Sneak Peak Halloween

He put his scuba costume on once and I took a hundred photos. He is darling in it.

LoVe

Mountains

We were invited to a work party up a cabin celebrating some coworkers anniversaries. We had the best time and the light in the mountains was worth taking pictures. I had to beg my kids to pose for me. LoL

Ham

http://caroljoyphotography.blogspot.com/2011/09/di-my-sister-mentor.html

I have never been such a ham in my entire life. I don't really like having my photo taken, but I let my sis go to town and really have some fun. I have also never weighed so much in my married unpregnant life. I guess I just don't care sometimes about all that stuff that I think I should be caring about.

I like these pictures because they were taken so close to my home and somehow that means a lot to me. Also, I am doing more and more photography and the pictures of me with my camera are so fun. My camera is my fifth child, or my sixth, if you count my husband as one of my kids, which he most definetly is this month since he has an elk hunt ( hopefully more on that soon ).

I think every Mom should do this; get a bunch of pictures taken, even if it is just for a good laugh.

LoVe

More eccentric faces

Wo-oh, she's an actor. I think someday one of my kids could really act, although I am not sure which one, they are all so dramatic. They have no idea I blog this stuff. 

Faces from the Fair

I'm not really a big fan of face painting but the lady at the fair this year was so so good, she did an amazing job, turned my kids into eccentric carnies.

Carol and Gav

My sister came to stay last weekend. Every morning Gavin was enamored by my sister sitting by the dining room window doing her make up in the great soft box type light, and every morning my sister let Gavin help her. Love you Carol, you're the best.

And...I love all the crazy little things in the background that tell such a true story of my life with kids and all our stuff. The paintings hung, paint brushes in a mug, the map of the United States, a name tag for a cubby, a staw cup. I'm not sure any journal entry could say more than these photographs say alone.

Forest trip

Bows and Arrows

 I nick named her Joan. As in Joan of Arc.

 Little faces. I get this one a lot these day it means, "Mom, I know you love me, because I am so stinking cute."

 Turbo getting ready for the big Hunt in September.

When I look at this face I am thinking to myself how this is the same exact face she gives me everytime. She is so consistant with her faces. Something more to it and I am not sure what it is exactly. LoVe

Arden's First Day of School

I feel like I am sending her off to college but with a carpool. She wouldn't even look at the camera, that is her new thing, hating getting her picture taken. I took her on a date last night. I try to do that with all the kids before school starts. We went to the Wildflower Bread Co. She loves ravioli, soup and bread. She put her head on my shoulder at dinner, we were sitting on a cushioned bench outside. She told me she loved me and that she has the best life. I told her I was sad she was growing up so fast but really proud of her. She told me she is sad too because now she is too big to go for garbage can rides with Dad in the kitchen. I thought that was really great that she pulled that thought, that memory out of her head as part of the best of her childhood recollections. Then we talked about Dad and how great he is and how much we all love him. We talked about school, 5th grade and her classed and homework and we both promised to work really hard together. I love her so much, it was kind of a teary night for me. I took her to the mall and we didn't buy anything, nothing really there that she wanted, well that just made me love her more. Simple, sweet, flip flops, shorts and a t shirt, lizards, birds, bikes, friends. Never grow up. She is the best. Love you Arden.

My Garden

Our garden this year was almost an afterthought, we just kept putting off planting and then one day we just planted the whole thing. I am always impressed with what we grow with such a short growing season. The kids have been eating peas like crazy. We don't grow peas to can or really even put on the kitchen table but for the kids to just pick and eat.

My Brick House

Built like a brick house and sleeps like a baby. This is my baby, three years old and fell asleep listening to "Gotta get my head in the Game" a High School Musical song. 

Scowl

No one does this better than Turbo himself.

Yogurt U

Yogurt U is now open. My friend Jen Vallecorsa owns it and has been working like crazy to get this place up and running. My kids are so so excited about this it, they love choosing as many yogurts and toppings as possible and weighing it. So go get some yogart. It is located near Safeway on Plazaway and right over there near Chipotle. I took a bunch of photos for her at the Grand Opening for friends and family night and all I can say is that this place is going to be great. Photos from the night will be on a slide show at the shop. Good Luck Yogurt U

Boating

I wanted to thank our friends the Hardings for inviting us to go boating. My kids have never been on a ski boat and now they have all knee boarded for the first time. Thanks a million Hardings, you guys are so much fun.

Bits from Lott family reunion

 Grrr...love you little tiger.

 Gav the ball hog.

 I had not idea so many different kinds of marshmellow existed. Coconut coated...yum!

 This is frost bite, well that is what I named him. He is Aunt Sherry and Uncle Steve's cat, he was a stray kitten during the winter and the tops of his ears got frost bite and fell off, so he has little ears. He is the nicest cat, thinks he is one of use really.

 Meet buddy, the cousin's dog.

 Rubarb pie that Aunt Sherry made from rubarbs in her garden.

 ...us and Aunt Sherry.

My kids only ate like 20 popciles while they were there.