So this summer got off to a rocky start.  Jeremy went out of town on a business trip the day after school ended, which isn't too big a deal now that there are no babies to contend with, plus it's nice to not have to feel guilty about how I don't keep a very clean house or cook very good meals.  He left last Saturday and the next day as we were getting ready for church Zack was being such a pill.  I finally got very angry at him and next thing I knew he had hit me.  Now I hate to sound all indignant because I've spanked him a million times, but I was probably feeling unsettled with Jeremy gone because my feelings were SO hurt that I started bawling.  A half hour later when it was time to leave for church I was still bawling.  I considered just staying home but couldn't bear the thought of missing out on the 2 hour break I'd get from them during primary, so I tried to pull myself together and we left.  When we got to the church we walked in next to my darling friend Becky.  She cheerfully asked how I was doing and to my horror I started bawling again.  She looked at me so tenderly which only made it worse.  I cried all through sacrament meeting and then managed to pull myself together enough to be able to play the piano in primary.

That was the worst day, but the next couple days didn't go much better.  The kids just want to do what they want when they want to, and if I have the audacity to ask them to do a chore I am the biggest jerk in the world.

I earned several day passes to Lagoon by working there during the school days they were open, so I decided to try and take the kids on Wednesday.  That day reminded me why I love them and why it's all worth it.  First of all it was a very exciting day because FINALLY all the kids were big enough to go on most of the rides.  We kept discussing when we would split up like we normally do so the big kids could go on all the big scary rides, but after several hours I realized, we don't need to split up!  I was excited, so excited that I kept going on rides that I knew I shouldn't due to a severely queasy stomach.  After several wild rides I wasn't feeling too hot, but then we discovered yet another ride we could all go on together.  So we went on the roller coaster and right away we went on it again.  For some reason that's when my stomach hit a wall.  My head started spinning and I was sweating bullets.  I had to sit down perfectly still. The kids went on some rides in the general area where I was sitting.  Suddenly I knew I couldn't hold it in anymore and I hurried behind a planter and puked.  This was the moment when I realized that my kids really do love me.  Trev saw me bent over and came running over.  When he saw the puke he demanded my phone so he could call someone.  In hindsight this was so funny.  I asked who he was going to call and he said he didn't know, but I was really sick and he needed to call someone (I wouldn't give him the phone). He ran and told the other kids we needed to leave immediately.  They all gathered around all concerned.  The little kids, bless their hearts, weren't quite sympathetic enough to be willing to just leave.  So I told the big kids I would be so appreciative if they would just all go together on a few more rides.  So they all stuck together and went on several more rides, checking in with me in between each one.  At one point Trev could see I was chilled from my drying sweat and he draped his jacket over my shoulders.  We finally convinced  the little kids it was time to go (it was 9 at night, it's not like we were being unreasonable!).  The kids were all so solicitous and tender  the rest of the night.  They all got showered and ready for bed and they let me go right to bed.

By the next morning things were back to normal (fighting, crying, whining, lazing about), but I'll always remember that day that they took such good care of me.

DISNEYLAND!!!

This year we, unsmartly (?), went in March. We'd gone in February the past few times and it was perfect weather, no crowds, just perfect. People tried to warn us but we soon found out for ourselves that just because you verify that the area immediately surrounding Disneyland will not be having spring break the week you're going does not mean that every other district in the WORLD won't be having theirs. So while there were still good times, it was my least favorite trip so far. And while there's always fighting on trips, this trip seemed to have a lot more fighting. But it was because there was a lot more boredom from standing in a lot longer lines.

There were some pleasant surprises, like corben making the 85 pbj's that I normally make.
And they were very excited and the buildup was fun. These are our suitcases all lined up and the twins were desperate to get a photo of everyone by their suitcase but no one would cooperate at the same time so we just got this cute one of Brody & Jace.

As is custom, this is the pg-13 rated ride home where no one can keep their clothes on!

When we got home we found that Lance's Nintendo DS was missing. We had looked EVERYWHERE. We finally called the hotel in California and asked if anyone had found it in our room. They hadn't. This is the part that I can't stop laughing about. So Jeremy had to admit to the girl at the hotel, over the phone, that he had ditched our brokendown stroller in their parking garage because we didn't want to pack it back in the van, and could she maybe check in there? Boy was his face red when, sure enough, that is where the DS was found.

Vacations are a funny thing. I always have the fondest memories after a vacation and had wondered if this one would be different since we all got on each others nerves a bit more than normal, but no, it's no different. I got to spend an uninterrupted week on vacation with my boys, just playing and having fun with no outside stresses. I can't wait to go back.

In gym class this morning everyone was oohing & ahhing over this girl who had run a half-marathon last weekend. Well, I am forced to toot my own horn since I ran a self-organized, single person half-marathon a month ago. I decided to run to Zack's soccer game in Ogden. I didn't think I'd make it but figured I'd just have Jeremy & the kids pick me up on their way. Less than 2 1/2 hours later I was at the arena. I wore Jeremy's Garmin & I had gone 13 1/2 miles. I couldn't have been more proud. I couldn't even run a mile until I was 30. I repeated the same run again 2 weeks later. I want to enter an actual half-marathon so I can brag & get all the accolades, but I can't bare to pay the hefty entrance fees. Guess I'll purchase my own trophy.

TOP 10 REASONS I LOVE HAVING 6 BOYS

in no particular order

10. I will get to have 6 daughters-in-law.

9. All the holes in the walls give our home character.

8. I am never bored as every day there are new puddles of urine pooled at the bottom of the toilet for me to clean.

7. I don't have to pay for dance classes.

6. As no one has EVER pointed out to me, I have a basketball team + 1 sub.

5. I don't have to worry about being skinny because I don't have anyone who would want to borrow my clothes.

4. I get to hear about all the inner-workings of the Nintendo 3DS.

3. I'd rather referee physical altercations than emotional drama.

2. I do not have to go clothes shopping all the time.

1. They smell so good.

Happy birthday a month late, Zack! Poor thing, I still feel guilty for having him so close to Christmas. He definitely helps us make the day his own, though! We try to completely forget about Christmas for his one big day & solely focus on him. This year he chose to go to Famous Daves & Nickelcade. We took the whole family & had a great day together. I especially had fun during Nickelcade, since while they were all glued to the video games for 2 hours I strolled the streets & did some window shopping. They didn't miss me at all! We had a family birthday dinner about a week before his birthday. He had asked, begged, for a guitar and a radio control car. Easy enough, so we got him both, and ended up returning both. The guitar had a broken string and the RC car had something wrong with it, so we took the easy road & combined the money from the returned gifts so Jeremy could take him to pick out his own present. He picked out a double edge light saber thingy, which he enjoyed for about 20 minutes before becoming bored with it. He's never really been into toys. I swear he was born with the mind of a 14 year old, he talks like one, sasses like one, plays like one. When I picked the kids up after school today I couldn't find him anywhere. I had long since collected Lance, Brody & Jace, so we started driving around looking for Zack. I finally spotted him at the schoolyard basketball court, shooting hoops with about 15 6th graders as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I had to explain to him that although he thinks he's big, he's still small & a 7-year-old cannot go wandering off wherever & whenever they please.

Zack is currently playing basketball & indoor soccer & LOVES both. He gets so excited for every game & practice. I love watching him, it is so much fun to see his passion. I am so proud of his abilities. Can't wait for him to start football this fall!

Despite his "maturity" in most areas, I like to think he is still a mama's boy. I volunteer as the library helper for his school class. The kids are usually getting lined up in the classroom when I arrive to take them down to the library & every time I walk in Zack's face lights up & he runs over to give me a huge hug. It absolutely melts my heart. I hope he never outgrows that part!

Side Note: First lost tooth, right before he turned 7. Don't know what took him so long. And it still needed prodding via string & doorknob. He was brave!

Dear Dad, please do not go out of town anymore. Mom feels way too justified to take us out for junk food when you're not here. She's determined to not even use the microwave until you get home.

Corben purposefully shuts his eyes everytime someone points a camera at him. Well Corben, hope this is better.

Next we went to visit great-grandma and also got to see grandpa Greg while we were there. We were able to knock out our week's requirements of cookies and candy while we were there.

Then we went down the street and watched the Christmas parade. For once, we thought a parade was too short! That pleased Mom because it made for less whining!

As we drove home from the parade Lance said, "I wish Dad would've been there," and all the kids agreed.

We ended our 13 year tradition of trick-or-treating in Kaysville this year. Missed seeing Gayla. The kids have been phasing it out as they get older & this year they all insisted we go in our neighborhood. Jeremy started a Halloween tradition last year (stolen from his old friend). He puts a movie on in the garage and grills hot dogs to give to friends/neighbors who come trick-or-treating. He's loved doing it and a lot of the neighbors get a kick out of it. The kids also loved it when they got done with trick-or-treating. They never last very long, which was a good thing this year since I'm trying so hard to diet & I usually steal over half their candy.

Brody is dressed as a Power Ranger, though unless you're a hardcore fan you can't tell what he is because he wouldn't wear a mask or let me come within 10 feet of him while holding Halloween make-up. Jace is, of course, Spongebob. This costume has served us well. Glad Kira bought it for our exclusive use.

Zack was changing his mind about costumes until the night before, and this is what he decided on. He kept saying he was a dead zombie & I kept lecturing him not to say dead zombie, as zombies are already dead. I just don't want my kids to sound unintelligent. Corben had the great idea that he could go as a living zombie, no costume required.

Lance was pretty much the best Frankenstein I've ever seen. He's got the perfect tall lanky body, and he was a champ with getting the make-up on. Usually they're such squirmy worms that it's all smeared, but he is one patient kid.

This was hilarious. Trev & a bunch of his friends dressed as evil looking clowns. Trev went one step further & brought his unicycle to school & rode it in the school costume parade! It was so funny. His uni skills are aMAzing.

No picture of Corben because despite the fact that he completely disobeyed my insistence that he is too old to trick-or-trick & went anyway, to make matters worse he didn't even wear a costume! What a geek. And he wouldn't even share his candy with me. Jeremy finally found it hidden in his school backpack which I was then forced to accidentally rip in my struggle to get it from him to get some candy.

I don't know why (fear of my kids with knives, I guess), but I really loathe pumpkin carving. I loved that Jeremy was walking on thin ice with me just in time for pumpkin carving night. He INSISTED I take a nice long bath while he supervised the carving. I missed the whole thing! Yay! The kids did a great job. Their pumpkins looked awesome & we had delicious seasoned pumpkin seeds for days.