Ambulance Chasers.....literally.

 So Chance and I officially became ambulance chasers.  We were just settling down for that long winters nap, when we heard some sirens...they were a little loud, but not too noticeable.  The thing that WAS noticeable was the fire engine that drove by our window with it's lights flashing.  I looked at Chance, he looked at me, and I said, "Well, that's not good."  So we threw on a jacket, locked the front door and ran down the street after the ambulance.  Turns out, it stopped right in front of our good friends home.  

It was really scary to get down there and hope that everything was okay.......and turns out, it was.  They had a fire erupt down in their basement, but LUCKILY were able to put it out before it spread through their entire home.  I'm not downplaying it though ~ the firefighters kept telling them how lucky they were.  They usually don't see this type of outcome from that type of fire.

So there was a little singed hair (that John brushed off into my nostrils) and a few jokes about the fact that they needed to stop home-repairs ~ and everything was okay.

But of COURSE I had to run home to get my camera and take some shots.....a little morbid?  Maybe.  Here they are...

 This purse was the only thing they could grab before running out of their home.  

Crazy!

 

Happy Birthday Morgan!

 Wow.  I really AM getting old.  I can't believe I have a 9 year old.  This year we wanted to shake things up a bit and throw a "surprise party" for Morgan.  The thing is this though........she totally knew about it ahead of time.  It's a good thing that I'm married to the king of "awesome tricks up his sleeve".  Morgan saw an invitation that was taped to her friend's door the week before her party.  (You turkey, Morgan).  So we told her that none of her friends could come, so we had to cancel the party.  The tricky part about this though was that her friends were talking about it at school TO MORGAN (FYI, 9 year olds don't keep surprises too well) saying, "yeah, it's not cancelled, I'm totally coming!".  So we had a few phone calls from parents and had to assure them that "Yes, we ARE still having the party" while telling Morgan, "I don't know what your friends are talking about.  They obviously haven't talked to their parents."

Nice.

So all that lying totally came in handy....as you'll see in the photo's below.  It was FUN.  NEE. 

Morgan's favorite things:

reading

playing with friends (and deciding which to crown the all-coveted BFF)

making crazy faces and sounds

eating cold pizza

and downing any form of sugar given to her

did I mention reading?

Anyway, here are her photo-journalism birthday photo's.  Don't you love the candle in her toast?  Yes, I'm an amazing, creative Mom....I know.  (ha!)

You'll also note her mark on the wall gauging how tall she's gotten, her chocolate milk courtesy of Dad, and her birthday treat she took to school....

Aw...she's happy.

You work it......

The boys helped me out with the cake....

 Grandma even came to visit.  We love Grandma.

She's nuts.  Morgan LOVES those crazy poses and crazy faces....just wait till you see some more below.

He's got rhythm......

Love this girl.

 

 I think she got 3 different tries to blow out her candles, and this was #3.  Hence the exaggerated eyes...

 As Morgan was eating ice cream with Dad, we got ready for the big moment.  As you can see, each and every child was riveted ~ on the edge of their seat ~ just wai........oh nevermind.

 So do you think the surprise worked?  HA!!

 Yep, that's our Morgan

We love you bug!!

Bike rides

 This will forever be known as the day Crede learned to ride his 2-wheeler.  His PINK 2-wheeler.  It was a proud day for all.  Chance had to get him to stop crying long enough to pedal.  Once Crede figured out that he was going to do this whether he liked it or not, he actually enjoyed himself!

Way to go Creder.

But then...

He tipped over.  Chance convinced him that an ace bandage was the way to go ~ and he wrapped him up pretty good.  Chance ALSO got out the ol' camcorder and recorded this little episode.  It's pretty funny.  The bandage kept falling off, so Chance found more creative ways to put it back on.  Needless to say, the last "wrapping" made Crede look like a mummy.  I don't think it even made it on his hand.  

Crede was a little ticked off, but that treat afterwards made it all better.  I'm sure glad our kids have a Dad with a sense of humor.  They would slowly die of stress if they were raised by me alone.

Here are pictures of our "wounded".

 

 

 Sad, sad Crede.

Vegas Workshop

I don't know how I did it, but I talked Chance into letting me go to a workshop in Las Vegas ~ by myself.  That means he was home with the kids.  By himself.

I went to high school with an amazing photographer named Jean Smith.  She lives in Detroit, and I was mourning the fact that I would never be able to attend a workshop that she hosted due to the fact that it was in MICHIGAN.  She announced in December that they would be holding one in Vegas, so after a little pleading, and persuading ~ I went!

Can I just say how nervous I was?  I'm such a dork, I know ~ because I'm sure all you women out there are rolling your eyes and asking yourself, "what is the big deal?".  Well I haven't traveled anywhere since I was 12 by myself.  Plus you throw in the fact that I have 5 kids at home, and a husband who I love dearly, and my "what-if" conscience kicks in full gear.

So Chance dropped me off at the airport, I got through security fairly simply (that was another cause of some anxiety...) and I waited.  Here's a photo of the plane next to mine that was being loaded (I knew my kids would get a kick out of that.)

I got on the plane, got my isle seat, and got comfy.  The man who sat next to me started chatting up a nice conversation (which was great) but then quickly started asking me personal info that I wasn't quite so sure I wanted to give out.....ie my hotel, whether or not I was going to go party......you know ~ pretty much I'm a little, um......over-sensitive to that kind of thing.  So I just kind of tried to ignore him, put my ipod ear buds in and didn't really talk the rest of the flight.  

Oh, and I forgot to mention ~ I heart Dramamine, but I forgot to buy any.  So.  I was a little concerned that I would need that doggie bag.  Turns out, I figured the only way I felt sick was by looking out the window.  Go figure.

Here is the view from my hotel window (and what a view it was ladies and gentlemen), and here's our group of workshop attendee's on the Vegas strip just outside of the Venetian.

PS ~ that's Jean in the coral top.

My oh-so-luxurious room.....

And yes, as we were outside Treasure Island, we all noticed this cute mama duck with her babies.  I thought my kids would love this too. :)

Well it was a good 3 days, but I was SO SO glad to be home.  When I got home, my family was at church still, so I had a little quiet time to unpack and enjoy some solitude for a minute before the chaos began once again.  I have to admit ~ when I landed in Salt Lake City, I shed a tear or 2...

Next vacation?  I need my family there with me.  I missed the heck out of them.

Here are the cute signs made by my family.  How do you like the water balloons and painters tape?  Thank you Chance.

Crede's sign...

Grace's sign....

Morgan's sign...

Aaaand Chance's sign.  Really?

Happy Valentines Day!

After taking these photo's of our kids, I got a little nutso and thought it would be "cheap and easy" to make some valentines for our kids.   Morgan, Grace and Crede could take them to school ~ what could be more easy than that?!

Let me just tell you though, it's NOT cheap, nor easy.  I had to buy envelopes (not cheap) and then the printing of the actual photo's was a lot more expensive than I had planned.  THEN there was the fact that I had to still buy candy.

Sheesh.

Let me just say, this MIGHT be the only year that this happens.  I'll see what I think about it next year.  At least they turned out pretty dang cute. :)

Gage:

 Grace:

 Lilah and Morgan:

and Crede:

 

 

Our kiddo's.

 It had been awhile since taking all my kids photo's.  And lately, I have to be honest, I have stressed out about this quite a bit.  I used to be so worried about getting all those "milestone" photo's (3 months, 6 months, 9 months, a year......) and now I realize that it's actually OKAY if I don't.  I try to take photo's of my kids throughout their life, but I have to admit.....it's HARD getting them all together.  These took me an entire day seeing as we have to coordinate lunches, naps, bottle feedings and baby food feedings and then coordinating the "perfect" time when everyone is in a good mood....

This is what we got. :)

Here are all my cute kids.  Enjoy!

 Here's Grace.  She was struggling with this outfit....she basically struggles with ANY outfit.  I was lucky to get some of her actually smiling.

My beautiful Morgan.  She's getting so grown up...

 And of course....Crede.

 

 And Gage ~ he's trouble.

 

 Yep, this is pretty much the expression I got the entire time.  She would NOT crack any kind of smile.