My funny kid!

Tanner is on track break this week. The other day we went shopping to get a few t-shirts and a couple pair of shorts for summer and he chose all his own clothes. It was a little scary for me to let him loose since i am a total control freak about what my kids look like in public. And Erin thanks me for this since she gets all my super awesome hand-me-downs. Anyway he came over to me in the girls department all excited and holding a pair of plaid shorts with a t-shirt that actually matched and two other t-shirts that had these two sayings on them, "Dad thinks he's in charge" and Sorry girls, Mom says no dating." How funny is that?!! Oh and the the plaid shorts and t-shirts were on the manikin.

We went to dinner the other night at Marie Calanders. When we were all finished and walking out to the car I notice Tanner had some french fries in his hand. I thought he just grabbed a few off his plate as we walked away from the table. he stuck them in his mouth and we continued walking to the car, which I had parked really far away for who knows why, and I look back behind me to checked that the kids were still close and Tanner had more french fries in his hand and is eating them. Come to find out he had put all the fries left on his plate in his pockets!!

Yesterday he was in the office and I could here him playing with a bag and couldn't remember shat I had in there is a bag but just let that go because he wasn't in my face telling me for the millionth time he was bored. a few minutes later me emerged in a toilet paper bag, the size you get from Costco. He jumped in it toward me dropped to his knees and tucked his entire body into the bag. I can't believe he can fit.

I love that kid!! He keeps me laughing all the time.

Memorial Day Monday

Tanner playing in the water balloon fight.

Jenessa, Mom (Lori), Cristen

My love, Tanner, and me

A few of the kids after the water balloon fight. Getting them all together proved to be too hard since we only have 6 out of 16 in this picture.

Mike at the grill. We were all starving thank goodness his hamburgers were good.

Madisen after sliding down the slip n slide would stand up and smile at the camera every time.

Memorial Day was fun. Mom and Mike decided to have a BBQ in their backyard. They bought a three lane slip n slide which was a huge hit. The kids played on that for 3 hours when it got a hole in it. Between the slip n slide and the spa the kids stayed wet and cool. Earlier in the day Mike, Mom and Hailey spent an hour filling water balloons for a water balloon that lasted about 7 minutes. Only two injuries occurred and all had a blast. At the end of the day the kids were happy and the adults were ready for some quiet time.  If you want to see all the photos you can see them at our family website  http://web.me.com/justind36/Site/Welcome.html

Thanks for Mom

I grew up with the most amazing mother in the world. Now many of you are probably thinking that your mom was pretty great and we all feel like our own mother's are the best but mine really is the most amazing!! If there was a contest for the most awesome mom in the world mine would win hands down. I'll list just a few reason's why...

1. She survived raising 4 children on her own after a tragic car accident sent her husband and son to heaven.

2. My baby brother, who is probably mad I just called him baby, had a cyst on his brain about the size of my fist. He was diagnosed at the age 9 or 10 and had 15 surgeries over the course of 9 years on his brain. The closest doctor qualified to treat him was in Salt Lake City, we lived in Las Vegas.

3. She was always there. If we had a play, concert, ball game, whatever. She was there. 

4. She worked full time and still managed to do all the mom stuff. Grocery shopping, homework, laundry on and on. And she managed all the Dad stuff too.

5. She answered any and all questions we asked her with complete honesty. Even the inappropriate ones asked in very public places. (Pea can explain that one)

6. If we needed to talk about anything we just had to go sit on her bed and wait for her there. It didn't matter what time it was or what we wanted to talk about her bed was as good as any shrinks couch. I shared a room with her for a while and on many occations was shooed out when a sibling need her.

7. She had a testimony of the gospel and shared it with us regularly. 

8. Friends were always welcome. We even had a few strays stay with us. If a friend had a fight with their parents and needed cooling off she would phone the parents and tell them their child was safe and welcome to stay until morning.

9. She had wore out scriptures. And has since bought new ones. The worn ones are in my sons room. I catch him reading them on almost a daily basis.

10. She helps me remember my Dad and older brother who are now my special angels. At only five years old when they died I have very few memories of them but she helps to keep them fresh and shares new stories with me whenever she thinks I need one.

I am happy! For real HAPPY! Life isn't always peaches and cream but because of her example I push through the hard days and bask in the glory of the great days. This weekend has been great. The kids are getting along, the house got clean, we have great friends and family. This week end is always hard for me. It surprises me every year how hard it is still. It will be 24 years since we got that terrible knock at the door telling us that there had been an accident. My heart still feels heavy thinking about that day. How weird it was to have everyone around the house crying. Strangers coming and going. Feeling very small and somewhat lost without Michael their to help me understand what was happening. But that day also changed my relationship with my mom. We were a team now. All we had was each other. That was the gift that the Lord left the day he called Dad and Michael home. So I guess all I want to really say is thank you Mom for teaching me all I need to know to be half the mom you are. Be grateful for you blessings and count them everyday. Even if it is just a bowl of ice cream after you put the kids to bed. 

New Music

So I got a call from my mom yesterday and she said, "you have to change the music on your blog." At first I thought what is wrong with the music on my blog? I choose good clean music and always have. However, it turns our that she listens to the music while at work. So, Mom, if there is something you don't like let me know and will change it for your listening pleasure!!