Friends...

My whole life I have been so blessed with good friends. When I was younger growing up in a turbulent family situation they saved me, literally.....I would not be the person I am today without the example they and their families showed me.
And today I still am blessed with such good friends, friends who want to do what is right, be good people. Care about being good spouses, raise their children with the spirit. Help me be a better mom, make me laugh, challenge me to do things, maybe I wouldn't do.
I am so blessed, in every way. Thank you friends, all of you.

Calling all Memories!!

So here is a fun new blogging game:
1. Leave one memory that you and I (or Ben) had together, as a comment on my blog. It doesn't matter if you know us/me/him a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Potty trained??

So yesterday was one of those days you mean to get the kids dressed and stuff keeps coming up. Well I have heard of the method where you just take their pants off and let them pee on the floor or where ever and they learn really fast to go in the potty. Well that is kind of how it worked, Cooper ended up getting Bauer dressed and put big boy underwear on him, and that didn't last very long, he got those wet, but when he realized his pants were wet he was really upset.

So Bauer generally goes the bathroom at the same time every day, I am sure some of you can relate (Lily Boston:) and so we just let him sit there for a while, yeah didn't go..... but ended up going later. I was thinking this is a good start, well this morning he woke up and went right to the potty and went potty. He didn't have a diaper on last night.

So did we make it? I don't know but a good start for sure....

Ben's wardrobe...

I was recently trying to organize closets and this is how Ben's turned out...

Hmm..what should I wear today red and khaki or khaki and red???

Happy Canda Day (July 1) and Independance Day!!

Happy Canada day a few days late and Happy 4th of July.

In honor on Canada day I thought I would post a few things about Ben the Canadian!!

He was born in Kelowna B.C and he grew up in Victoria B.C and Northern B.C.

The town he spent most of his growing up years was in a little place called Vanderhoof. On this map it is about 1 hour and 10 minutes west, of the town of Prince George.Vanderhoof has 2 wards and the Stake there is about the size of Utah.

Ben is still a Canadian citizen and has no desire to become an American citizen. He did consider it once when he found out you had to be an American citizen to try out for the show Survivor;)

We love traveling to Canada, luckily we have only drove there a few times, when we were dating, and it takes about 24hours to get from our house to his parents house.

And of course Ben loves hockey, he even subscribes to the hockey package through our Dish, that is why our license plate on our car says 'Canucks' for the Canadian Hockey team the Vancouver Canucks.

It can get very cold in Canada, it does live up to its reputation. I have on 3 occasions felt what -36 degrees c. feels like, and yes it is cold. I don't like driving there in the winter time, it is not like Utah where you salt the roads and they are somewhat clear in Canada they sand the roads, they pretty much put a layer of sand on ice, and I try not to freak out when we have to drive a ways.

Ben still very much considers himself Canadian and wont even put his hand over his heart when he hears the Star Spangled banner:) ( he usually does that to bug me;)

If you ever get a chance to visit Canada, he are a few tips.

The one dollar coin is called a "Loonie"

The two dollar coin is called a "toonie"

You will have to try the Crush red cream soda, it is nothing like the old crush cream soda from here.

Also the candy bar, 'Wunderbar" and the "Aero bar"

Also very famous the "Old Dutch" potato chips, salt and vinegar (if you don't mind your tongue being numb for a while after eating them)

The all dressed potato chips, there is also, pickle and ketchup, just to name a few.

We celebrate most of the same Holidays, except for obviously Canada Day, Thanksgiving is in October and Boxing day, the day after Christmas.

There are so many neat things that we love about Canada, most of Ben's family still lives there, so we like to visit often.

Happy Canada Day and Happy fourth of July, I consider myself lucky to be able to call both places home!!!

I forget to post this photo

I think this photo deserves it own post, there was this couple on the beach that I thought was so cute. I secretly took their picture. I tried to make it look like I was just messing with my camera.

The wife was so cute she fell over because of a wave, and her husband was doing all he could to help her back up. I was just about to jump up and go help her, she made it up and I think she decided she had enough.

I took this photo as they were walking back up, I am not sure if they are local or just visiting like the rest of us.

I wonder if we all we have photos and opportunities like this when we are their age:) I hope so....

Aloha Oe.....

Home~sweet~home

Sorry to all you Canadians out there that our family vacation didn't consist of Northern or Southern B.C. Thanks for the invites;)
So this crazy family vacation we tried Kauai, Hawaii.

Loads looked good getting there and we found a really great deal for a hotel. Let me tell you that was a highlight for me, it was so nice, the hotel had an awesome kitchen and a washer and dryer the dumb stuff right?

Getting there, was quite the challenge and flying free is one thing, but flying stand by with a party of 6 is CRAZY!!!

So we made our first flight to LAX. The next one, to Kauai was another story. We were the first stand by's to be called, but they wanted us to split up. Basically Ben or myself sit up in first and the kids sit in the back by themselves. (someday, I will sit up in first class and let the kids sit in the back:) not yet, I don't know if people would appreciate that;)

So we went over to United and caught their flight to Kauai.

That is the great thing about working for SkyWest since we fly for both United and Delta we have benefits for both.

So here is a couple of pics of the way over.

Once we got there, Alivia was in her swimsuit in about 3.2 seconds from getting to the hotel and they were out searching for sea creatures.

This side of the Island is very rough surf, most beaches are blocked off by big lava rock so you can swim in calm conditions.

The other side of the island is more calm and has some really pretty scenery.

It didn't take Alivia long to find all the pretty flowers. Lots of good times playing in the sand and just playing in the warm water. Alivia has turned out to be a really good little snorkeler. She swam in this little cove all the way around with Ben, she could float by herself and did a great job.

The flight home is pretty hard, it is an overnight flight and so you don't get much sleep. Then when I finally fell asleep, there was a page overhead, if there was a medical Dr.

on board....ahhh...a passenger 2 rows on front of me was having convulsions, how scary. We were still about 1.5 hours out over the ocean. Luckily there was a nurse and they gave him oxygen and he was okay the rest of the flight.

It is so nice to be back, We definitely love Hawaii, it is such a great place to go and play. It is very kid friendly, I think some people looked at us like we were from outer space, bringing all the kids and then carrying little Kessler around. He did do very well, he dictated our schedule a few times, cutting some things short, but he would sleep so good I think the sound of the waves would put him right to sleep. The hotel had a lazy river and a water slide, the kids loved. We were right across the street from a grocery store. I loved Kauai for the scenery and the beaches. It is so green and beautiful.