...

looks like my "new attempt" was not so successful. i suppose i could blame it on being busy, or reading other cool blogs, the fact that Bryce had another birthday (darn that kid, stop it!), the laundry continuing to pile up...even though i don't want it to, or maybe the fact that that i did Christmas cards, made awesome gingerbread houses at kindergarten with Chase and Oakli, reading hordes of Christmas cards (thanks!), took Chase to the ER on Christmas Eve to get "glued" back together, had a great Christmas, cleaned up Christmas, put away all the Christmas decorations and celebrated New Year's too. maybe it is that i've re-discovered crafting again...in many different forms, swimming lessons for Chase and Oakli, scouts for Bryce, Achievement days for Ambri, 5 miles a day for me (still), sewing projects (only the necessary ones - darn those scout shirts!), movies, a messy house that i haven't cleaned, jewelry projects that i want to get done, messes that i don't know how they got there, a new church calling that is giving me "panic", major kid drama, ice skating on our pond, Doug's new High Council assignment with the Spanish branch, Ambri's (I mean Bryce...) careful planning each day to get her hair and clothes just right for school... maybe just maybe it is one or two of those things... or maybe it is just sheer laziness.

in any case, i'm still here, in one form or another.

Day 24

I guess I forgot to post the inside of the Birthday Invitation. Here it is:

Please scream that you’ll come to my birthday party!

Chase is turning 5 on July 29th. 1:00~2:30

Please come to a water party at his house. (bring your suit and towel)

Don’t forget to scream a RSVP 791~9126

Now I just have to get them finished and delivered. Chase asks me about every 3 minutes if the "paper popsicles" are finished yet. Better get to it!

Day 23 ~ It's gonna get hot!

Here's the birthday invitation that I am doing for Chase's birthday party that is coming up. I decided against a car or train invitation because it is going to be so hot next week.

Poor Oakli doesn't understand why she isn't having a party with friends. My kids start their friends parties at the age of 5, and then they only get a "friends" party on the odd year. She turns 4, 10 days after Chase turns 5. I guess we'll just have to try to figure that one out 10 days later.

On another not so happy note, Doug chopped Oakli's glasses up in the lawn mower today. The kids have been swimming in the pool every day, and I guess she got too lazy to walk up to the deck with her glasses and just laid them on the grass. I guess that right there sealed the deal for the glasses. They would have either been lost or stepped on anyway. All the kids brought me were the lenses. No frames, just 2 lenses with small chunks missing from each of them; just past the point of the lenses being salvageable, and at the same time my mind (note the word MIND, not lips) is screaming, "why are you bringing these to me?" I guess I can't say that I'm that mad, Chase hasn't been able to find his glasses for the last two days, and I haven't done a thing about it. It must be summer.

Hunh.

Happy Birthday ~ Day 18

Happy Birthday Doug!

You are the most awesome husband ever. Thanks for all you do for all of us, and especially for your hard work. We all love you!

Today: (maybe, if I get to ev3en half of it) - I'll come back and "check" the things I did.

~ woke up with a headache, go back to bed (check)

~ woke up again without a headache, had to seriously talk myself into getting dressed into my walking clothes (check)

~ help with breakfast for the kids (check)

~ walk/run 5 miles (don't want to today, seriosly don't want to and am trying to find every excuse NOT to do it today (check)

~ shower and get dressed after walking (check)

~ wrap birthday presents for Doug (check)

~ lunch sometime today, I guess the kids need some, if I don't remember to get it for me (check - I think)

~ make birthday cake for Doug (check)

~ sit in the sun for a few minutes (got to enjoy the summer while it is here...) (check)

~ clean off jewelry table ~ I'm having seriously pangs to make "stuff"

~ make at least 3 jewelry items

~ list said items in Etsy shop

~ Harry Potter 6 (Doug's request - plus we have a free babysitter - thanks Jamie!)

~ pick bluberries for the freezer (check)

~ pick raspberries for the freezer - if I don't they'll fall on the ground and then I'll just feel guilty (check)

If I put anything else on the list I'll seriously be over scheduled for the day. I wonder how much will spill over to the next few days. Probably a lot, except for the birthday stuff.

Hunh.

Happy Birthday ~ Day 17

Today has been exceedingly long. I won't blog much today because I am so tired. Maybe more tomorrow, except that my sister commented "...there is no tomorrow, there is only the NOW." Maybe not.

Today was my birthday.

Tomorrow is Doug's birthday.

Yesterday was the fair.

Today was the stake Pioneer Picnic (we were in charge of).

Tomorrow is a blueberry picking day.

Tomorrow is (maybe) Harry Potter 6 day.

Tomorrow is apple pie making day, maybe. I want to enter one in the fair. There is a contest and the 1st prize winner gets $100.

Here are 2 very different but quite the same pictures from the fair yesterday. My girls on 2 different rides, having a great time. (Oakli is only on the top of the ferris wheel, but it may as well be the top of the world!)

Ambri's Baptism

Ambri~

Mom and Dad are so proud of you! You have made the decision to be baptized. You have looked forward to this day for so long and you finally did it! You looked so beautiful in your new dress. So many family members and friends came to support you. We all love you so much!

Ambri's 8!

Happy Birthday Babe, I Love You!

Ambri finally made it. She had a great day, even though she didn't have a "party" with friends. We took her out to dinner with Uncle Tom and Aunt Maria. We went mini-golfing and she loved it! She's turned into a little (sweet) diva and proudly admits it. Many of her gifts were geared toward her baptism but Uncle Tom and Aunt Maria gave her a gift card for Claires and she asks almost every day if we can go to the mall so we can get more earrings. I think that she forgets that I can make hear earrings almost instantly, but that just wouldn't be as cool as actually going to the mall and buying them. I can't make some of the other things that you can buy at the store. What can I say, she's obsessed with earrings. Maybe while the boys are on their camp out this weekend. Here's one of the pictures from her photo shoot with her new clothes: Had to make sure we got the "wings" on the back... wouldn't want to miss those!

Now that Ambri has turned 8, she is very excited to be baptized. Each time she says a prayer she prays for when she can be baptized (even though she already did that, she especially does now). She is planning on being baptized the first Saturday in June. She can't wait!