Skipper & Coco

Meet Skipper

Meet Coco







Brooklyn and Brenton got their rabbits a while back. The rabbits are mini-rex's, which are known for their soft fur. Brenton picked out a black one and Brooklyn a chocolate one. It's cute because the bunnies personalities match the kids'. Coco is fiesty and kinda a stinker, Skipper is so friendly and cuddly. If I would've known how clean and cute they are, we would've gotten rabbits a long time ago. Chad, being the awesome dad that he is, made the rabbit hutch. He made it to hold three bunnies. I love being married to a handy man! As soon as Brooklyn and Brenton get off the bus, they go and feed their rabbits. They have pleasantly surprised me. I think we may have found something for Brooklyn to be passionate about!

My Baby Sis

My sister finally decided on a guy. I think she went through a couple dozen. Jeff is great and absolutely perfect for Kammie. The weekend was perfect. Perfect weather, beautiful ceremony, quiet reception, fun with family, visiting with Jeff's family, and Kamm was actually the most chill and happy brides out of all five of us sisters. (I might live to regret that statement)

Kamm was always such a happy little girl. She would take over Chad when we were dating. If I would get up from being next to him, she would snuggle right in. She was my kids' favorite person for years. Now I look forward to being her kids' favorite person.

Just Call Me Senorita Betty Crocker

I came back from a long weekend out of town to messages on the answering machine. One from Jackie/Chad's aunt/RS president/good friend. I love Aunt Jackie, so I was excited to call her back and talk for hours like we always end up doing. Well, she was hesitant to ask because I have a busy week with Kammie's wedding coming up, but she asked me to not go to the store for a week. The point, to see how prepared I am. Ha!

My first thought, "How can I get out of this? I have so much going on this weekend."

Second thought, "Okay, I'll do it because I love Jackie. But if I need something, I'll ask my awesome friend, Shelby, to pick it up for me. It's not ME going to the store." See Shelby is my grocer anyways. She calls me all the time to ask if I need anything from the store. Thanks Shelby! I love ya!

Then I find out Cindy is doing it also. So I call her and she is getting ALL into it. They were even talking about making their own dog food!!! Talk about putting me to shame! I felt like a lazy *$%. Cindy inspired me and she doesn't even know it. So I bucked up and tried to take this like a pioneer woman!

Last night the kids wanted tacos. I was thinking, "Perfect, I know I have everything for that." I started cooking the meat and beans, chopped up the toppings, and pulled out my TWO tortillas. I break out a sweat. We can either each take a third of a shell or make them. Then I remember that Cindy gave me her recipe for homemade torts. I was actually excited to try it. The kids are so picky and always like the same stuff, so I expected them to complain. So I told them that the church asked us to do this and I need the practice with this Swine flu going around. I begged them to be good sports and expect the worst! They were awesome about it.

I made the torts and it was fun. VERY proud of myself! Can't imagine doing it everyday like these awesome mexican women - I was plum tired after rolling and rolling to get them thin. Not to mention as round as possible. It's hard to get those suckers round. I remember Cindy saying that she got elephants and giraffes when she rolled hers out, and she has the royal mexican blood in her!
Anyways, I have to say that it excited me to be more brave and that MAYBE we could survive on tortillas if needed. BTW, the kids loved them!


Oh yeah, check out those babies!

The Dreaded Science Fair (Mom's Opinion)

There are certain blogs that I refuse to read because I feel like all they do is brag. That's one reason why I took a while to start a blog because I didn't want to look like one of those people. Saying that, I don't want to brag but am proud of Trace. He has entered the science fair almost every year, and every year it is the SAME kids that win. (Of course, it really isn't the project. It's how you present it and what all you know. Trace is a shy and nervous kid so this is rough on him!) He has a very competitive class. He wanted to win so bad this year. He presented his project, mummifying a hot dog, to 50 kids and two teachers. He felt like he did great until I asked his science teacher how he did. She said he didn't answer a certain question right and it might have costed him going to the final round in front of the judges. He was devastated to put it lightly. But he found out the next day that he made it to the judges. Well, so did all the SAME kids. He spent all night practicing, while I spent all night reminding him that his chances were nill and not to get too excited. I was trying to make it easier on him when he lost, instead of being the good supporting parent of believing that he would take it all! The next morning I found him in the corner going over it. I reminded him again to just do his best. He presented it to the judges that day, and later that night we went to the science night to see how they did. Brenton made it to the judges also. They normally pick two winners from each grade. This year they gave a Grand Champion and it was TRACE!!! One of the judges came up to me and said that the judges were so impressed by his knowledge of his project, that they actually went to the teacher in charge and told her that he deserved something more than first place. So they decided to do Grand Champion. I thought it was a simple project but she said that his knowledge behind it was at a jr high to high school level. I think him screwing up earlier, caused him to strive to be better and it paid off.


Brenton won in his grade! His was "The Camouflaged M&Ms". He threw ten of each color of M&Ms on colored construction paper and had Conrad and NiCole eat as many as they could in ten seconds and see how many of each color were left over. So the red paper would have the most red left, the yellow paper have the most yellow left, etc.


Brooklyn's project was to see if an alka-seltzer would dissolve faster in cold, warm, or hot water. Brooklyn tied with another girl to go to the judges and so the teacher did something to decide who went on. She didn't get to go on, but she has won the last three years so it's all okay!

Chad Who?

Brenton - Go Cougars!

Trace - Go Cougars

Brooklyn - Go Fireballs
The last four months have been busy. Like never talk to the husband busy. I think it was two or three days before I told Chad my uncle had to go in for brain surgery......bad I know. But Trace is a soccer lover, so he had to play spring soccer. Brenton wants to follow in Chad's footsteps so he did wrestling for only a couple weeks, because then soccer started and he wants to follow in big brother's footsteps. Brooklyn has been begging and begging to do soccer but I reminded her how she started t-ball twice, and both times wanted to quit after a week. I reminded her that it's all running, but she didn't care. So she did soccer and dance. Hallie just doing dance. Then 4H and scouts!!! Chad reminds me that this isn't good. Oh, not to mention that he coached middle school wrestling January and February. But the boys are done with soccer and Brooklyn will be done tomorrow. Now me and Chad time! (Oh, with Hallie in the middle. She sits between us when watching tv, squeezes between us in the middle of the night, squeezes between when we hug so she can have "family hugs", and comes on dates with us because she won't stay with a babysitter unless it's Uncle Nate or Kelly!)

Boys to Men

I've always loved the classic movie "The Sandlot". Been a long time since I've seen it last, but I found it in the $5 Wal-mart bin (actually Britt bought it for Nate and that gave me the idea). Anyways, we brought it home and the kids were excited to watch it, Brooklyn and Trace having already seen it. I thought it would be this fun little show and enjoyable of course. But Brenton was scared bonkers by the dog, I think they call him "The Beast". He had his blanket over his head the entire dog parts (half the movie) and had it ready just in case for the rest of the movie. Somehow we have to toughen up our two boys (Trace would cry watching Lion King and Winnie the Pooh). Chad says I did it to them......... but I guess I always liked a guy with a sensitive side. I figure we need to work them more and give them more responsibilities, so they joined 4H. Trace doing pigs and Brenton showing the rough and tough bunny. I know it'll take much more than 4H, but I hope we can eventually turn them from boys to hard working men.

The Skunk & the Snobby Countess

Brooklyn wanted to try for the Missoula Children's Theatre again. No suprise there, but her chances were pretty slim of getting a part. She was now eight and was going for the bigger parts instead of the kiddy parts. So we weren't holding our breath, but she was practicing the night before saying her name loud and being dramatic. (Her everyday life is dramatic, but when doing this she fights us to practice.) Brenton was coaching her and Chad asked if he wanted to do it, boy did he light up! I didn't really consider him just because, well anyone that knows him knows that he is too easily distracted and I knew this was a major commitment. So that night he was in bed, and Chad and I were watching tv and Brenton kept yelling out his name and age. Long story short he definately got the part of a skunk. Brooklyn had to really fight for her part, a snobby aristocrat! What perfect parts for both of them! They both did awesome at show time, until Brooklyn didn't show up on stage for pictures because she was backstage puking from the aweful bug going around!