It has been a long time

Well, well, well. It has been a very very long time. Unfortunately not alot has happened. (dang it) Birthdays, holidays and trips have all been a part of our lives.

August started another school year. Emily joined the ranks of being in the oldest grade in elementary school. The big 6th grade. She is enjoying being able to tell the younger grades what to do, how to do it and when to do it. (JK) She is really blossoming into a beautiful young lady. Kayla joined the ranks of 4th grade and is quite the math quiz. She is sailing right through school. She thoroughly enjoys it. Hannah is in 1st grade and LOVES it. She adjusted really well in going all day as well as her Mom. She loves to read and does very well in math. (She has to keep up with the older sisters and refuses to be out done.)

October brought another birthday for Hannah. I can't believe that she is 7. (almost 8 now) She is absolutely hilarious and keeps us laughing. She is very charming (and knows it), at times, too big for her britches. She is beautiful with her long blonde curls and has beautiful blue eyes.

December brought Emily her 12th birthday and the privilege of entering Young Womens. Wow is all I can say about it. She is taller than her Mom now (which really isn't tough to do) and is quite a beautiful young lady. She babysits and like do it. She is also a huge help around the house and is an awesome big sister.

Kayla will turn 10 February 1. Again....Wow. She is beautiful, as well. She is very loving and kind and is always looking for hugs. She has lots of friends and is always looking to play.

Mark just got back from a week long business trip to Seattle. He was missed in our home. We are glad he made it back safely. While he was there, Seattle received 5 inches of snow and just about shut the city down. (lightweights) He brought back t-shirts for his girls (including his main girl.....that would be Me) and they loved them. He is so thoughtful.

Well...this has been our life in a nutshell. not too exciting but enough to keep it interesting. Until next time........

Time Away

This past weekend, we traveled to Mount Pleasant to spend time at my cousin's cabin with my parents. What a lovely time. We were able to 4-wheel and enjoy each other's company. Squirrels and chipmunks were everywhere. They would come up to you and you could feed them right out of your hand and we saw several deer.

Saturday night, we went to Manti to see the Morman Miracle Pageant. It was spectacular. Mark has never seen the Manti Temple and he commented on how beautiful it was. The girls enjoyed every minute and the weather was fabulous. It is amazing how much the girls know about the gospel. It must be their great Primary teachers. The gospel is true, my friends. You can not watch the pageant and not feel the spirit.
Emily and Kayla are able to spend a couple of extra days with the grandparents. Hannah was not happy about this and still reminds me about it. Her time with come. I have enjoyed spending time with just Hannah. She has been my little friend. I can't wait for Em and Kay to get home. I miss them.
Enjoy summer why we can. It's over before you know it.

Hannah wants a twin brother

Last Saturday, we were on our way to Hannah's soccer game and we stopped at McDonalds for a drink(best DC ever and for a buck..can't go wrong). We told the girls that we (Mark and I) were only getting drinks and no food. Kayla started to whine. Mark said to her, "Whining about it isn't going to change the fact that you are not getting anything." Hannah promptly said, "Yeah, I want a twin brother but that's not going to happen." Mark replied, "Yep, that ship has sailed." Hannah said, "Can that ship come back? " We thought we would die laughing.

Does Heavenly Father love Satan?

The other day while waiting for school to let out so I could do my job, Hannah and I were talking about the gospel. I was asking questions like, "Does Heavenly Father love you more than me?" She said no, that Heavenly Father loves everyone the same. I thought that was good.....at least she is listening in Primary and at home. We continued our little conversation and then she asked, "Does Heavenly Father love Satan?" I was dumbfounded for a moment and chickening out said, "You know Hannah, that is a very good question. Lets talk to Dad about that." What 6 year old would ask such a question. We asked Dad later and we decided that Heavenly Father loves everyone including Satan but He is very sad about the choice that Satan made. She was satisfied with that answer.
Absolutely love my little Hannah.

Hannah's new language

One morning this week, Hannah announced to me that she had learned a new language. I said,"Oh really? What is it?" I was thinking that she was talking about German due to the fact that Mark knows German and speaks German often to the girls. She sat at the counter with a big smile and very proudly said,"It's fartenese." I had to mop up the pee off the floor.

Car trouble

Last Monday, I was coming home from Salt Lake and was stopped at the light at the off-ramp from I-15 to Antelope Drive. The light turned green and I pushed on the gas pedal and the van died. Fortunately the van started and I was able to get around the corner (out of the intersection luckily) and it died again and would not start. People were honking and no one would stop to help me. I knew that there would be a benefit working for the Syracuse Police. I called them and they put me in contact with Layton City who contacted the Highway Patrol. This is the kicker......I think I was old enough to be the MOTHER of the trooper that showed up. He was very kind and pushed me into the parking lot of Davis County Hospital. I can imagine the conversation that night when this nice trooper went home.... the 20 year old wife, "How was your day, honey?" The 22 year old trooper, "It was boring..I did help a little old lady with car trouble get her van out of traffic."

It was determined that the fuel pump was out on the van. It was replaced and back on the road the next day.

Kayla's Birthday

Kayla celebrated her 9th birthday on Monday. Time passes by so fast. Kayla was very excited about her birthday this year. She said that this was her best birthday ever. She thanked us over and over for her gifts and for her party. She is so sweet and loving. She is our little "Brownie". She is the only one of our girls that has brown hair and she has hazel eyes. She is quite the beauty. She is doing very well in school. She is a whiz at math and is very creative with her art work. She loves to help when I make dinner. She is rather comical as well. We are very blessed to have her in our family. Love you, Kay.

Emily's Birthday

Monday, December 21 was Emily's 11th birthday. Where has the time gone?? She has grown so much. She is taller than me which doesn't say much other than the fact that she is only 11. She has grown her hair long and she has bangs now which is new to her. Her hair has been one length for a couple of years now. She looks even more grown up. She is loving towards her sisters and takes good care of them. She is soft spoken, most of the time. She enjoys art and is very crafty. She enjoys playing soccer and is good at it. She loves small children and enjoys playing with them. She is a good and loving girl.

Emily received a stereo for her birthday and has played it every day. She can listen to her mp3 player, cd's or the radio. She was thrilled. She also received 3 shirts and a pair of boots.

We are very blessed to have Emily in our family.

Happy Birthday, Emily. We love you.

Merry Christmas

I am thrilled that Christmas has come. I love getting ready for the holiday. The season is filled with joy and good tidings and I wish it would and could last all year.

About 2 months ago, I had the girls write a list of things that they would like for Christmas. I told them that they needed to write down three things that they really wanted. Emily asked, "Why only three?" I replied, "Would you rather receive three things that you really want or would you rather receive ten things that you could care less about?" She thought about it for a moment and then replied, "I think that I would like to have three things that I really want." Good girl. They received all the things they really wanted.

Emily received a Liv doll, a hair beader and a Taylor Swift cd that she can play on her new stereo that she received for her birthday. Kayla also received a Liv doll, a sleeping bag and a skateboard. Hannah also received a Liv doll, a sleeping bag and table and chairs. The table is also a whiteboard. All the girls loved their gifts. After the gifts were opened, (it took all of about 5 minutes), Mark received a text message from Santa saying that there was another gift that was too big to put under the tree. Santa had put this large gift in one of our storage rooms. The girls went on the hunt. They found it. It was Guitar Hero for the Wii. They were stoked. We got it hooked up and rocked out. Emily is quite the guitar player. It was impressive. We had a fun time.

We had a great Christmas and I am sad to have the day come to a close. We have enjoyed receiving Christmas cards and yummy neighbor treats. I have enjoyed baking and giving the goodies to friends.

We have been very blessed this holiday season. Thanks to all of those dear family and friends who have brighten our lives with friendship and love.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all.

Wow.....Long Time

It has been a long time since I blogged. Alot has been going on so hang in there with me as I update you.

October 9th was Hannah's 6th birthday. I can't believe that my baby is 6. She is bright, full of fun and is very cute. At school, the student council announces birthdays for the day and on her birthday they announced her name. I asked her if she heard her name and she said, "Yeah, I heard "blah blah", Hannah Bradford, "blah blah blah". She is dang funny and always keeps us laughing. We are so grateful. We are very blessed to have her in our family.

We are done with soccer until the spring. It was hairy but we made it and got to see most of the games together. The girls are sad that soccer is over but are looking forward to the spring.

We went to St. George a couple of weeks ago and loved it. It was warm and sunny. My Dad plays softball in the Senior Olympics and we went down to see him play. Thanks to Mark's sister and brother in law, we didn't have to pay for a hotel room. Thanks guys, we appreciate it alot. Bless you.

We sold our red van that we have had for 8 years. Sad to see it go however we need a more economical vehicle. We haven't been able to find anything yet. It has been crazy trying to get everyone to where they need to be with only one car, but some how we have managed. I told Mark that I feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when Richard Gere sends her to buy a cocktail dress and no one helps her and she has all this money and is unable to spend it. Geez.

Thanks for hanging in there with me and catching up with us.

Yea!! I passed

I am so very excited. I took the final mortgage loan officer exam and I passed!!! I am so glad to be done with the class. It took me an hour and a half to take the exam and I was all stressed out about it and it turns out that it was very easy. Now, all I need to do is submit for the license. My family has been very supportive and encouraging and I am very grateful to them. Shameless plug....if anyone needs a mortgage loan, let me know.

Birthday, Soccer, and On and On and On

Life lately has been rather hectic. Mark's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and we had 2 parties for him. One party was a friend party and the other was a family party complete with dinner for both. Crazy, crazy, crazy. The soccer chaos has begun and with back to back to back games. Mark and I have had to split up with one taking two of the girls and the other with one of the girls.
I have completed my 20 hour mortgage loan officer course and now need to take the "BIG" exam that takes 3 hours to complete. After the completion of the exam, I can apply for the license. I'm on the verge of insanity. The only thing that is keeping me sane is the 2 and a half hour morning break of having all the girls in school. It is very nice to have the house stay clean and having it quiet. I don't know what I will do once the chaos is over. Have another baby??? Just kidding!!!!!

Chaos

What chaos is going on right now in the family. This week the girls started school. Yea!! Emily is in 5th grade, Kayla is in 3rd grade and Hannah will start kindergarten next week. Wow, what will I do?? Well, I started working on getting my mortgage loan officer license yesterday. It is a 20 hour course that has a three hour test after completion of the 20 hour course. One would think that after 10 plus years in the mortgage industry that this would be a cinch. Ah, no. Most of the info I do know but, wow, a lot of things have changed. I am also doing the crossing guard thing again. That is a cinch.
This week the girls are doing the "Future Falcettes" at Clearfield High. My niece Samantha is on the drill team at the high school and they do a fund raiser which boys and girls learn a dance and then they perform at the first high school football game at half time. The girls did this last year and had a blast. It is a lot of fun for their Dad and I to go and watch them.
Also, they all start soccer this Saturday. We haven't heard anything about Kayla's team yet but Emily and Hannah will overlap some of their games. They all play at different fields, too. I know.....what was I thinking??
Let the chaos begin!

Boating

Our cute neighbors/friends asked us to go boating with them yesterday. Mark had to work so I took the girls and we went to Pineview Reservoir for the day. We had so much fun. The girls haven't been boating before so they were way excited. They spent most of the time in the water swimming and jumping off the boat. Emily got out of the water maybe three times all day. Kayla was pretty much the same way and Hannah got out a few more times. We had lunch on the beach. Kayla rode on a huge tube and was a real trooper and brave. The tube broke and no one else was able to ride it. It was a bummer. The girls slept all the way home and we nursed sunburns last night. We had a great fun.

St. George

We took an opportunity to go to St. George last week thanks to Mark's awesome sister and brother-in-law (we love you guys). Mark's brother-in-law's family owns a condo down there and they let us use it. We left Thursday morning and arrived back home on Saturday night. It was a quick but great trip. We loved it. The weather was perfect. We went to the outlet stores (duh) and I love the Old Navy store down there. We ate at the In-N-Out burger (the absolute best burger hands down). The girls were dying to go swimming so we took them to the Green Valley Resort. They have 3 outdoor pools and 1 indoor pool which the girls played in the most. We had a great friend loan us her portable DVD player so the ride down wouldn't be too miserable for the girls. We are grateful for the opportunity for this quick but relaxing trip.

Anniversary Part 2

For our anniversary, Mark surprised me by taking me to Park City on a little overnighter. It was great fun. He arranged for a babysitter for the girls (thanks Grandma and Grandpa Stratton) and we took off on Thursday evening. We stopped in Salt Lake and had dinner at Macaroni Grill and continued on to PC. We stayed at The Yarrow, very nice hotel. We just hung out which was very, very nice. We wanted to go to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory but we didn't make it there. Love their carmel apples. Friday we spent the day at the outlets. Torture, torture, torture. Found a couple of bargins at Eddie Bauer (my favorite store ever). I haven't been up there for a while and did not know about a couple of new stores like Columbia Outfitters and Lucky Brand Jeans (my favorite).
It was nice not to hear or answer to the name "Mom" if but for a small moment but I missed it, too. It was great to see the girls come running out of the house when we arrived home. Love those girls of ours. Lucky to have this life of mine. Well, more like blessed.

Anniversary

This Friday will be our 22nd anniversary. Wow. 22 years of marital bliss. Seriously. Total and complete bliss. Thanks Mark for 22 wonderful years. I wouldn't change my life with you for anything in the world. I think anyone who can remain with me for that long deserves a medal.

Now that the serious stuff is over we can talk candidly about the 22 years together and give you a glimpse into our life together (whether you want to or not.) I remember one Christmas, about 19 years ago, that Mark went by himself to get us a tree. Let's just say that he hasn't done it since. He came home with what he thought was a fantastic and beautiful tree. Needless to say, I DID NOT agree with his choice. I said to him, "That is the ugliest tree I have ever seen." He promptly picked it up and threw it out the front door into our front yard and that is where it stayed for a couple of days. We laugh about it now, but it wasn't funny then. Also I remember when we were just barely married and I was brave and I had to...lets say...toot. One would think that I would retire to the bathroom but it was late and I was already in bed and too lazy to get up. I tried very carefully to do it quietly. Not so fortunate. I tooted. Mark sat up in bed and said with all seriousness, "Was that a shotgun?!" I laughed so hard that it took a solid two minutes before I could tell him that it was me. We still laugh about it to this day.
I hope that you have enjoyed this little glimpse into our lives. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past years of my married life. We are very blessed to have 3 beautiful and bright girls. I hope that we are fortunate to have many many more years of happiness.
I love you Mark.

4th of July

Happy 4th of July, everyone. Sorry it's late. Always a day late and a dollar short. Isn't everyone?? We had a great holiday. We had a BBQ with our neighbors and did fireworks. Most of our neighbors came. Our neighbors across the street were able to get a giant BBQ and we were able to BBQ all the meat at the same time. People brought salads and desserts. Mark and I made home-made ice cream. The best ever. It was great fun. The party was a great success. We will make it a tradition.

Sorry but I do need to complain. What is with these "pop-its"? They (manufactures) fill small white paper with gun powder and pebbles that pop when they hit the ground or a person. Then they market it to children. WHAT??? Hannah threw one at me and it popped when it hit my leg. It hurt. Then I caught Hannah popping one in her hand. She thought it was great fun. I'm sorry but gun powder, rocks and children???....great combination???....I think NOT. My Hannah loves the 4th of July. She asked me all last week about it. She loves the fireworks. I think she is a pyro.

Privacey?? What's that??

I am always bombarded with questions by my lovely girls when.... 1) I am on the phone trying to have an adult conversation, 2) Talking with a neighbor/friend face to face or 3) Using the restroom (my personal favorite). They (every Mom) say that if you want your children's attention, do one of these things and you will have it. This is so very true. Every single time I get on the phone, the girls always find me and ask questions like, "Mom, can we have lunch?" or "what are we having for lunch/dinner?" It's 10 in the morning. Or, "Mom, I NEED to talk to you." What makes matters worse, is that they compete with each other for my attention or they compete with the person I am conversing with. But since the girls got out of school, my favorite one is, and it always happens when I am in the restroom.... "Mom, can we go to Lagoon today?" Are you kidding me??? Can't you wait one small, tiny moment so that I can do what I need to do before we start the questions??? Mom?, Mom?, Mom?. Sometimes, I don't answer hoping that they will give up and stop looking for me, but no such luck. I have always told them that I am changing my name and not telling anyone what it is. That will teach them. What I wouldn't give to get a little privacey.

The Rules

Mark finally let me in on the rules of our little contest. (See previous entry) The rules are very simple. Who ever loses the most percentage of body weight wins. We have until September 1 and I have a head start. Knowing Mark, he will catch up fast. Those dang men loose weight faster than us women, so I need a head start. I'm still getting up at 5 am (shocker....I'm even surprised) and walking. I think I have lost maybe a couple of pounds but I hate getting on the scale (we are not friends) to find out for sure. I know I will need to come September 1 but that is a few months away. (Maybe we'll be friends by then.) I will let you know the results of the contest. Stay tuned.