Hiking!!!

Our family LOVES hiking. Aliesha kept asking us when we can go hiking again. So yesterday (Sunday) We decided to take a hike up big cottonwood canyon. It was SO beautiful!!!!! THe girls had so much fun! McKenzie didn't want us to hold her, she loved just walking around, jumping over rocks, smelling flowers, throwing rocks, etc. And Aliesha just loves being out doors and loves the Mountains. She'll ask almost every day if we can go in the mountains. As we were hiking Aliesha said, "This is the best day!" That always makes a mother feel great!
Anywho... I took pictures and wanted to share with you all. Sometimes I wish I was better at taking pictures! These pictures don't do the scenery justice!

We really love going to the mountains and looking at all the beautiful scenery! I am so glad that my girls sove it as much as I do. Lets hope there will be more hiking trips before the snow comes.

 

Finished project...

Awhile ago, I posted that I was making a quilt. A tossed nine patch quilt. It was a easy pattern. And thanks to my Aunt Kari, and Aunt Becky I finished it. Kari helped me cut all the squares and how to sew them together. and taught me that nothing is going to be perfect (Amish law!!!!! Haha) I went home all happy and full of knowledge, but I let it get to my head and messed up with the seams. Instead of sewing 1/4th of an inch I sewed like an inch... thus creating different size blocks. I soon became frustrated with myself. I just wanted to do it fast and have it turn out good like the "pros" I was frustrated with my ability to sew straight and fast. But I still hung in there and finished the face of the quilt. I soon stopped, being, once again, discouraged with the seams not matching up! I labeled them packed them away and put it in my closet. Well just this last weekend my mother in-law was making a trip out to Roosevelt to visit her dad and Becky. Becky called me and asked if I wouldn't mind her taking a look at it to see if she could help me. I jumped on that offer quick! She, being the pro that she is, fixed it and then quilted it with her AWESOMELY HUGE quilting machine, binded the edges for me and left about 2 feet of the binding undone so I could learn how to do it... I quickly came home and started to finish up the binding. Any who, that's my little adventure with starting a new hobby. I seriously couldn't have done it with out Kari and Becky! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO much! I really appreciate it! And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how it turned out!!!!  Here see for your self! I'm quite proud of it...

See don't you think it turned out great!!!!! I love it! I'm really proud of myself, though I cannot take all the credit, I'm sure that if I didn't have Kari or Becky I'd have a mess of a quilt! I will be making more quilts and thanks to this one I learned a lot, like to be patient, and not to forget about the Amish Law.  And that I need to slow down the sewing and pay attention to where my seam is...ETC.  Well anyways Just had to post and brag about my new talent! :)

Grandma Lloyd! Till we meet again.

Today we lost a very sweet, caring, loving, beautiful woman. Greg's Grandma passed early this morning. Though I didn't know her for very long, she made an impact in my life. When we'd go down to Roosevelt she was alway quick to complement me, to tell me that I was a good mother. She'd say your girls are so precious and beautiful, and you too are so beautiful. You are a good mother, you play with them and you punish them. :) She loved to joke around. She'd be in the hospital getting tests done and she'd still joke around with the doctors. One time she had to be numb from the waist down for a test, so they gave her an epidural. When she heard the doctor say that she turned to him and said: On no I better not be pregnant. haha.
Another time we went down she once again complemented my girls and myself as well. She was always so excited to have company in her house. My girls saw where she would put her gram crackers
and they'd go in the cupboard and steal  gram crackers. Grandma would laugh it off and say: It's okay I always sneak more then what I should have! :)
Grandma was a big BYU fan! She loved watching the games on T.V. Before the basketball game even started, she heard the announcers say "Jimmer" and boy did she move! That was the fastest I've seen her move to the T.V!  As she was swiftly walking to the T.V she says "Jimmers on!!" We kindly told her that they were just talking about him, to her disappointment. But later that night we were all huddled around the T.V. watching the basketball game, really intense game. She was all into it, the announcers cut into the game and just kept talking, and talking. To grandma's frustration she yells, Oh shut up and get back to the game!  SO funny. But after she yelled she felt bad and said. Oh maybe I shouldn't have said that.
Grandma, we will miss you greatly. I know you are on the other side healthy and happy. I'm so blessed to have had you in my life for the short time you were. You are loved by so many! Miss you Grandma Lloyd, and Till we meet again.

Help!!!

So I'm stuck in this situation. I'm feeling like the worlds worst mother right now. I feel like all I do is yell orders, punish my kids, tell them no, send them to time out, put them to bed, and give them spankings when they're really acting up. I want to be a good mom that enforces rules, and has order in her house. But I also want to have fun and play with my kids and make good memories. This whole week hasn't been very good and it's taking me all of my strength to not burst out in tears. I hate crying, but when you feel like a failure, and feel like you're not living up to what is expected it's a little discouraging. I hate writing negitive posts and I hate showing my weaknesses, but I just don't know what to do to become a better mother. I am not happy with myself right now and I need some advice.
    I can tell that my grils get bored at home, even when I take them out side to play they're not enjoying it as much as they should. I admit I don't take them out every day, but it's been so hot and Kenzie has fair skin, sunscreen or not she'll turn bright pink within seconds of being outside. I've looked around for some fun craft Ideas to do with the kids, but most of them require money. What Ideas do you have that will help? I'm up for anything... I just want my kids to be happy.

The day has come!

Well it's Tuesday and if you've read my previous post, you know that today is Aliesha's first day of preschool.  She was SO excited to go. :) I cannot believe how much she has grown up, not to mention how fast!

Dear Aliesha,
    
     You have grown up to be such a beautiful little girl! You are such a fun, sweet person to be around. You are mommy's big helper at home. Your little sister loves you so much as well! When you left today Kenzie cried for about 5 minutes, she just stood down stairs and cried, Leisha, Leisha. :) It's so cute to see how much she loves you and cares for you. You are the best big sister. I know you will have lots of friends, and be a good example to those friends. You are such a smart girl and you will love this new adventure. Mommy and Daddy love you so very much and we know you are capable of great things. I love you and I am so excited to see you when you come home and talk about your first day of school. I love you so much, you are a great example to me, your dad and to you sister. Have the best first day of preschool!

Lot's of love Mommy and Daddy.

Here are some pictures of Aliesha on her first day of preschool. (Of course Kenzie had to get in some of the pictures.)

I love you Beautiful Girl!

School.

So a while ago I posted a post about trying to make decisions, specifically Aliesha's school. We had been wanting to put her into a good school that has a good curriculum, and that would teach her many things. She's a smart girl and I want a school that will fulfill her potential. One of Greg's co-workers puts her kids in Challenger, so we looked into that and decided that that's where we want Aliesha and McKenzie to go. It was spendy so we were really second guessing our decision, but we finally just went with it. We set up an appointment to go in, tour the building, ask our questions and get some answers. Aliesha loved it. We filled out an application and that was that. Aliesha was really upset when we left. Her exact words... "But I didn't even learn anything! And I wanted to play with friends!" haha. Silly girl. After we explained to her that we were just looking at the school, and that if they accept her then she can go to school, she was fine. A couple of weeks passes and then we got a letter in the mail saying that they accepted Aliesha! WAHOO! We were so excited! And so was Aliesha! :)

So yesterday Aliesha asked about school and when she's going to go. I walked her over to the calendar and pointed to the day we were at and the day her school starts! And can you believe it! Only two weeks left!!!!!! WHAT! I couldn't believe it! Every day she get's closer and closer to school, and every day she gets more and more excited. She'll tell people, "I'm going to challenger skoo..." Yeah we're still trying to get her to say, School, right since the "L" isn't as pronounced as, Love, Look, etc she often forgets that there is one. haha. We're working on it. And I'm mean and say to her if you can't say schooL right then you're not going to go to schooL. Then she starts saying it right. :) So mean I know.

Anyways, we are all excited for her to start, and learn new things. But most of all we are excited for her to gain a social life. So lets hope she learns and has a lot of friends.

Date Night!

Since last week was not a good week for my family. Greg and I decided to have a fun date night. One of Greg's clients bought him and me tickets to the Demolition derby up in Heber/Midway! We've never been and thought it would be a fun experience. So Greg's mom came over to our house to watch our girls, who are still sick. And we were on our way up to Heber. We ate at the Dairy Keen, which is really good! And the we went to the Derby. Here are some pics...

Some of the derby cars in the pit.

 As you can tell the car's aren't kept in the best condition.

That is a hose all duct taped up.

 One of the derby cars

 Greg and me

 These cars were really loud. I loved seeing them just slam 

into eachother. :)

 The first roll over! YEAH!!!

 Don't worry the guy was just fine. He even went over and hugged the guy 

rolled him over.

 One of our friends Andy! He had just gotten done running 26.2 miles!

He finished it in like 5 hours! Way to go Andy!

 These two guys rammed right into eachother, and then were stuck 

like that till the end of the round. They had to literally pry them apart.

 This purple truck rolled over the black one and was stuck ontop of it. 

They had to bring in a tractor to pull the purple one down

cause it didn't have reverse.

 This picture looks like it was a fire but it wasn't. Just a ton of smoke

coming from a car.

If you can't tell the back tire is off, and the car was still driving along slammin' 

into cars.

This was seriously a lot of fun! I would love to go again for the next time they do this. Now here's some videos for your own enjoyment...