ok i did NOT like last week!!!

So from Casper, Wyoming I was able to stress about not ONE but TWO sides of my family,being held hostage by not ONE but TWO Arizona forest fires!!!

The Wallow Fire has been going on for sometime now and some friends and family had evacuated weeks ago but were settled back in their homes, sooo I thought the drama was done.

ENTER HIGH WINDS and JUMPING FIRE.

 Before we knew it Luna, NM was evacuated. Kelley grew up in Luna and his family has BIGTIME  ROOTS in that place! His mother was baptized in the little pond leading up to the rodeo grounds, Kelley hunts that area, camps that area, we have fabulous family reunions in that area and we were on the verge of losing all those Nicolds family memories. Ma and my sister in laws and their kiddos headed to friends houses while Pa, Sam, and Daniel stayed to do what they could to save what needed saving. Flames got as close as 300 yards from Daniel's home, and in one evening the winds died down and shifted northwest. It seemed like the fire was saying"ok, i'm done here" and decided to go find someone else to torment. While Kelley's friends and family were experiencing all this first hand( traumatic and horrible horrible thing to have to endure!!) We were trying to piece things together via internet,cell phone and news feeds from NM TV stations. UGH!! Talk about some sleepless nights and, in Kelleys case(shiftworker), days.  The evacuation order was lifted about 4 days ago and everyone was able to return home. Apparently there are a lot of charred memories, geographically speaking, but no one lost homes, animals or other THINGS. Thank goodness for Wildland Firefighters!! They are owed a tremendous debt of gratitude from this family!!

MEANWHILE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FAMILY

So all this mayhem is going on in New Mexico, and AT THE SAME TIME in Sierra Vista a brushfire starts, most likely started  by illegals!!(don't EVEN get me started!!).. This thing took OFF!! Well, I grew up in Sierra Vista for a great majority of my childhood. My brother,Billy, is a firefighter there and I have lots of friends and family there. In less than a week this fire took 75 homes, charred several BEAUTIFUL canyons and sent my Sister In Law packing(THE SAME TIME MY MOTHER IN LAW WAS EVAC'D)! It jumped fire lines,highways and just was uncontrollable!! According to Billy, who was not only evacuated but also FIGHTING this thing, they were screwed!! The winds were too high to get a handle on it, the brush was the perfect food, and there was no chance of getting a plane in the air to help out. This went on for days, i think 5 maybe 6, before the winds finally died down. Most of southern SV was evacuated and it was headed for Ft. Huachuca... just totally heartbreaking for me to watch via internet,news feeds and get second hand accounts from my brother(CAN I JUST TELL YOU THAT MY BROTHERS ARE MY FREAKIN HEROES!!!ONE FF AND ONE SOLDIER!! HOW LUCKY CAN ONE SISTER GET!!!)
 I really do LOVE where I live but when this kinda garbage is going on what seems like a world away I just wanna load up a UHAUL!!! Especially when they start saying the firefighters are needing things!! I hated not being able to run down to the firehouse with Monkey Butt powder and energy drinks by the gross to help those guys out!! Those guys finally managed to contain that fire to over 50 percent woohoo!! Some people are still evacuated, but the order in Billy's area has been lifted and they are back settled in pre evac mode,ready to run at a moments notice.

What a rough time!! We(along with most everyone we are related to) have lived FIRE for over 2 weeks now. Kelley and I are so thankful that,tonight, our families and friends are out of harms way. We are so thankful for prayers,fasting, internet,phones,TV, Firefighters.... I think my list can go on and on for days!!!!

My parents came to visit!! but,*sniff,sniff* didn't stay long enough!!

My sister Annabeth went to BYU this week for a music type EFY thingy so while she was there my mom and dad came to partake of the fantabulous place I live! We had a blast! I really wish I could teleport my family up here! I know they would enjoy living here as much as we do!  There is so much to see and take advantage of up here so we tried to squoze everything into a little under a week.
 We fished,caught some trout and cooked them too!!

 we checked out the swollen river,

we walked around the neighborhood to see the flowers and grass and gardens,

all foreign to my mother



and we just hung out and visited.

 and squoze in a tball game and a softball game

 took some naps in the backyard..i really need a hammock 

My mother has been trying for a good 2 years to get some family pictures taken and I have been trying for a good 2 years to avoid them because of my love for everything fried and sweet. But we found a cool red door on the old Coca Cola bottling plant so we did that!(nothing like a family pic to entice me to work out and stop putting everything in my mouth!)But 2 great things came from these pics!! 1-my kids pictures look great!!! and 2-my mom was able to hang them in a way cool grouping over my mantle!! Which means my living room is complete with paint AND pictures!!

                                                                     Connor 7

                                                                 Madalyn 15

                                                                        Megan 13

                                                                    Tyler 17

                                                                    Nerdlets

                                                                   

                                                          my mother made me!...and i started "no sugar"today!

                                                           LOVE MY KIDLETS!
SOO YEA THAT WAS THEIR TRIP IN A NUTSHELL!! I AM BUMMED THAT THEY WERE ONLY HERE FOR A FEW DAYS!




WE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME TOGETHER!!  I HATE TO SEE THEM GO!!

Make Way for Ducklings

Make Way For Ducklings!!! I just love this picture, it makes me want to read the book!! What is on your summer reading list??
I want to read 2 New York Times Bestsellers, The Book of Mormon, one historical fiction and one fluff book... 
Summer reading program starts Tuesday, can't wait to see what books the kids pick!!

it is almost Summer 2011!!!

Well we have one week of school left and then the summer fun begins!!  I won't even approach the subject of the fact that I will have a Senior!! A Sophomore!! an 8th grader!!! and a 3rd grader!!!*sniff sniff*
SWIMMING
Last year I posted on my blog my plans for the summer and it kept me extremely accountable so I figured i would do the same thing this summer
FISHING

First and foremost SUMMER READING PROGRAM!!! It starts May 31st we can't wait!! I have a huge list of books to tackle this summer and I am very excited to spend afternoons reading with the kiddos!!b
of course there is always the POOL!!! We plan to make our presence known on a daily basis!!Connor is just about done with swimming lessons and ready to move up to the swim team with his brother and sisters!
BASEBALL
My painting is just about done in the front of the house so we will be tackling kids rooms this summer! Boy do my children have imaginative colors picked out!!
SOFTBALL
We have our sights set on either Arizona or Seattle for our summer trip! My parents are coming up here to visit so we might just opt for checking our Washington..either way what a fun time!! If we can swing it the older kids will be going to EFY while we are in Washington! Otherwise it looks like they will be Colorado bound again!
GIRLS CAMP
I plan on making the most of my mornings and not sleeping them away this summer..walking,running, gardening and some yummy breakfast experimentation sounds like a great plan!!
LATE NIGHTS,STILL LIGHT OUT
Kelley never reads these blogs so I can comfortably say,without him finding out, he will get a new grill for fathers day and we intend to put it to GOOD use ALL SUMMER!!!
GRILLING

I JUST LOVE SUMMER!!!

What I know...

Last night a dear friend and member of our ward family lost her battle with cancer.

 She leaves behind 5 babies, the oldest graduates in 2 weeks and the youngest is in preschool.
 We were soo hoping that she would be our little ward miracle because there is a lot of CRAP going on here in our little town. It, however wasn't so..

 her girlies are in young womens with me and, though they are the strongest girlies i know, my heart breaks for them

i don't know what else to do besides write,pray,run and  clean(its how i cope)

.... but i DO know these things

• I DO know that Sarah is not hurting any more
• I DO know that Sarah was and is the type of woman and mother that sooo many young women and women will strive to emulate for generations to come!
• I DO know that her husband and children will be comforted with the knowledge they have of eternal families. temple sealings and the plan of salvation
• I DO know that in the coming days so many people,though their hearts are torn wide open, will rely on prayer,blessings, and scripture knowledge to make it through this. And, as a result, testimonies will be strengthened more than anyone can right now realize

Such a strong family.such a good family!! Not once ever wavering in their kindness and knowledge that, through the gospel of Christ,Eternal Families, and the Plan of Salvation everything would be ok....and it will be. I DONT know when , which is why I, along with everyone who knew Sarah, has to rely on the things that we DO KNOW!!

a little Justice

a little Justice

Junior Prom 2011

Customize a digital collage

Camille asked Tyler to Prom this year. Talk about aging a person!! My baby boy at his Junior Prom!!!

Regency Ball 2011 part 1

Regency Ball 2011

Picture collage personalized with Smilebox

ok Mary I am trying the Digital world(which is why there is an add that goes with the collage lol)

Anyway. Each year the Stake puts on a Regency Ball. It is a full on Ball!! They prepare for weeks with dance lessons and all! This year only the kids went but next year Kelley and I are gonna go too!! They learned all types of classic dances.

EASTER 2011

Our Easter was fantastic!! Kelley has been working a boatload of overtime but was able to take a few hours off this morning so we could celebrate as a family. Only had a few hours off though so we didn't get to go to church which is a bummer.

The E.B. came for a visit and left all kinds of chocolate and peeps. They were devoured in half the day, thankfully. Now we just have wrappers and candy hangovers...

Though the kids missed church they did manage to find several movies and clips of the fantastic life and death of Jesus Christ. So glad they know the importance of this day.

We had a yummy brunch and a very lazy afternoon.  Wonderful day with my family! I love the heck out of them and was so thankful to be able to spend such a sacred day with them.

Happy

So I read one of the blogs I stalk and she just put up the things that made her happy that she could see from her couch. I figured I would do something similar.....

So, sitting here on my couch watching the Masters Golf Tourney, this is what makes me happy....

• My pepsi float-enough said!
• knowing my girlies are off doing temple work together
• PROM- i never went so it makes me happy that Tyler is going
• this beautiful, handmade, quilt my grandmother made that I am sitting under
• RAIN--the springtime rains in Wyoming make me so happy and make the countryside look like we live in Ireland
• My little artist sitting on the couch across the room cutting out and drawing a bookmark.

What a happy day!!!!

Today I pray for heroes

Most people who know me know that if it comes in my head it's coming straight out my mouth. Well for the most part I really dont care  because there are some really stupid people out there. But every once in a while it bites me in the butt. This past year it did BIGTIME!.....and now, as a result, one of my brothers and I do not talk. It is how we deal in our family, we are a family of grudge holders. Observing family history and relatives, I am pretty sure it is genetic. That said, I figured I would blog about the fact that my brother is a hero of mine even though we don't speak.
Tomorrow he leaves on deployment to Afghanistan for 12 months. He has already been to Iraq, where he saw several close friends die, he was part of the Pentagon clean up during the September 11 attacks and those are just the major deployments. He is not even 35 years old and has seen things most of us will NEVER see in this lifetime.
 I have so much admiration for him and the love he has for his country and the men he serves with. I have so much respect for the husband and father he has become and it breaks my heart that he has to leave them to go do his job. He is my hero and the hero of my children. I love you to the moon Kyle!!

As I write this I am sitting here thinking bout the big bucks those NFL players are fighting for, and the signing bonuses that go with the NBA and I can't quite wrap my brain around the fact that those are the role models in society today. For me and my family our role model and hero always has and will always be the American Soldier. You guys are IT!! I am so thankful for all you do to ensure that myself and my children sleep well at night, I am so sorry for all you see and endure in an effort to make this happen! Please know,from the admin guy to the paratrooper, YOU are the Hero and tonight just like every other we pray for you!!

My broken Spring Break and "the chair"

Well Spring Break was last week, and it was a doozy!!!

Madalyn and Tyler partied it up at the State Cheer and the State Basketball tourney! Madalyn spent some of her time with all of her cute little girlies! Tyler was already busy with track practice so he spent a lot of time doing that.Megan is very much  at home when she is at home!! She loves to camp out in her bedroom with a nice cold glass of ice water, a rubbermaid full of Lucky Charms and a good book! She stays up late and sleeps in! It was a very beautiful week!!! Weather wise anyway!!

And then there was Connor!
 Connor started of a little sick last weekend and just kept getting worse and worse throughout the early week soooo off to my doctor. Poor little guy had the flu(yep the official influenza one) AND Strep!!! He was  o so miserable all week. I don't like it when my babies are sick, no matter how old they are they will ALWAYS be my babies, so he and I camped out all week on the living room floor. We pulled an extra mattress up from the basement and he slept on the couch and I slept on the mattress. We watched movie after movie and drank lots of gatorade and chicken noodle soup.....


which brings me to "the chair". As long far back as I can remember my family has been a family of recliner lovers. My grandparents always had one for each of them. I can still remember knowing that when I walked into their house in Ruston, one or both of them would be sitting in one of those chairs. I didn't dare sit in them unless it was on Maw Maw or Papa's lap. It was their chair!!!

 My mom and dad always had one as well until recently. I remember they had the grand idea to get rid of them when Annabeth was young, but then one day she got sick and it was then they realized the importance of that piece of furniture. My father went out THAT day and bought one!!
 You see the recliner is the "go to" guy when you have a sick kiddo. You sit with one knee draped over one arm rest and a baby, big or tiny in your lap,,,,, and you rock.....and you rock...and you nap.. and you rock. I had one with all my babies, and I did the same thing my mom and dad did when we left Tucson. I got rid of my recliner. I thought we were done with that part of our life, done with the recliner years. This week I have realized that my grandparents were smart people. They kept their recliners throughout their lives because you never know when you need to rock a baby, big or tiny!! We are buying a chair this week!!

My Family is sooo way talented!!!

www.shabbypolkadotchic.blogspot.com..... This is my sister in law's new blog! She is so way awesome at decorating and home remodeling and has finally put it into the blogosphere!!!

If you don't do anything else today check her out!!!

MISS MADALYN IS 15

I can't believe my 1st baby girl is 15!!! She can get her permit, she is half way through Young Womens and she is in high school!! A few things about this fantastic girl.

• Madalyn has a HUGE heart!! She loves people. She loves her friends tons. She loves her family.
• Madalyn loves music. She knows pretty much every song of every genre! It is amazing!
• Madalyn makes everyone smile! Her brain is always full of some fantastic pearls of wisdom!!
• Madalyn LOVES the Gospel!!! She is always saying or doing to try and bring herself and those around her close to her heavenly father!!
• Madalyn loves swimming and basketball
• Madalyn loves food!! She loves peppermint vanilla steamers from Starbucks!

She is my best friend and I love her to the moon!! I am so blessed to have all my children but today I am especially blessed to have the fantastic spirit this child has brought into my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU MY SWEET SWEET GIRL!!!
.

The "EVENT"

uh no not the TV show!! Can you say stupid!! I would much rather watch Annie and Jimmy chase fugitives!!!

Ok so new year new me right??? My mantra each and every year!! Most often fizzles around March, but hey it is the thought that counts right?? Anyway, my friend Missy and I have been pretend workout partners for about 4 months now(pretend means just what you think it means, we are always "gonna go" but LIFE happens so we only make it about 30 percent of the time. ...

CUT TO 2011... we decided that we were going to change our lifestyle, not just necessarily to lose weight, but more so we can take better care of our bodies. Don't get me wrong we really really wanna lose weight too!!
So anyway, we decided we were gonna actually sit down and come up with a plan. So I went over to her house and with the help of her monkey..i mean Izzy we set up a plan, a calendar(both weekly and monthly) and a point system. Lemme tell ya it is the BEST!!! So on my way out the door I turned my head and said" you should make an Event on Facebook to see if anyone else wants to join in".... HOLY HANNA!!!! We have,at last count, 26 people taking part in this and IT IS A BLAST!!!!! We have a blog hooked up to it where we do little diddy's on different things having to do with the Event(we don't want to use the term diet, that implies something temporary) I have lost 5 pounds this week and found sooo way much energy!!! 
I also have come to realize the days of early morning workouts are gone, I smooched them goodbye last week when my gym went 24 hours!  I have embraced my inner Vampire and have done fabulous in keeping with my goal of working out 6 days a week, some nights it is p90x in the basement, others it is the treadmill at the gym. Either way I am loving the heck out of this routine!!! Nothing gets done before 8pm and I am sleeping better too! I usually fall asleep between 10 and midnight anyway so I figure why not embrace that and get something productive done! All thanks to the Event!!(because I get a point each day I work out!!)

Oh dear oh dear

I am so far behind with my blogging that it makes me crazy!! Lets just play catch up with the highlights and i will start journaling better this year I promise!!


Since my last blog.......

• 2 fantastic snowstorms! We missed one because of our Tucson trip
• Our Tucson trip!!! We flew from Denver to Tucson and were there for 15 days. Love the desert!! Loved coming back to our neck of the woods EVEN more!!!
• Madalyn is a rockstar basketball player!!
• Megan is taking charge of her Personal Progress and has 3 different Value goals going on at once!! 
• Tyler is 2 seconds from qualifying for state in swimming!
• Connor is a little MONSTER little BOY!!! He is a big fan of LEGOS and sledding!! He would go everyday if I let him
• Tons of projects are in the works for the New Year
• Started a fun fun Event with a friend of mine here in Casper and it has turned into a gigantic happening from hither to YON!! Interested?? check out my Facebook!!
• Sooo thankful for the New Year!! It is gonna be great!

sooo I think that's about it!! Now that I am caught up maybe I will be a little better

Thanksgiving 2010

Welp my parents finally made it up to Wyoming!! They came for Thanksgiving and we had a blast!!! There was no snow on the ground which is a big bummer but it was for sure cold enough to justify hot chocolate!!
 We slept in for Black Friday since there was nothing major that we were interested in. Left around 9 and got everything done we wanted to!! It was great!!

 A very quick trip but It was fantastic!!

 Can't wait to head to Tucson for Christmas!!!

Thirty freakin-five

That would be me on on the 23rd of November.


I promise to be a better blogger....eventually...

My birthday day was FABULOUS!!! Stacy picked me up and took me to brunch where there was a whole group of lovelies there waiting for me to celebrate!! This has never happened to me before!! I was in complete and total shock! We had a blast!!

Got some coolio(Madalyns word) stuff from the kiddos!

ON THE ROTTEN SIDE-----

Apparently my meds and hormones are all messed up. All I want to do is sleep and lay around all day and night!! It is really pretty pitiful, I just have no desire or motivation to do a thing!  I talked to my doctor and told him that I was ready for the nursing home. Apparently that isn't how one is supposed to feel as they turn 35. APPARENTLY  I am supposed to be rarin to go or something... just not feelin it. All I can think is " I have 65 more years to go???!!!???, GEEZ!!" yea not a good thing I guess. So we (my doc and my kiddos) are in the process of tweeking my life a little bit and actually for the last few days I feel a bit better. (which is probably why I am updating this thing, finally!!) I go back in this week so I can have my hormones evaluated and a bunch of other crap soo hopefully I will have some kind of solution for this crummy whatever you call it......


Anyway, I have tons of goals for my 35th year....they are in my brain somewhere!!! Perhaps in another post???