What's The Big Idea...

First day of School 2011

2011-10-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

How is Andrew in the 3rd grade? His teacher this year is Mrs. Baur and he is out in a portable for the first time. He likes his teacher, her name is Andrea and she is from Texas. The best part is she doesn't believe in sending home a load of homework, yay! It takes Andrew a couple of weeks to adjust to a new school year, but is doing great now. Already he has made improvements with his reading. He loves learning about World War II so we have gone through a lot of stories with him. He earns "Cool Kid" points at school and the other day he told me that he and the girl next to him share their points so they can get better stuff. He is a clever kid and I am proud of him.

Ella is now going to school all day with her brother and she loves it. Her teacher is Mrs. Barbano and her best friend is in her class, lucky girl. She loves taking her lunch and going out to recess. She is always happy to go to school in the morning and happy when she returns. Which is very refreshing! Ella is great at making friends. She is making progress with her reading too, I'm hoping to get her to love reading so it's not a struggle.

Time sure does fly, I'm trying to keep up. Sure do love these two kiddos :)

I have a Cub Scout

2011-10-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

This last pack meeting Andrew earned his Wolf in cub scouts. I am pretty clueless when it comes to scouts and I am grateful for Steve who takes the time to help Andrew. Lucky kid gets to go to scouts with a great group of crazy 8 year olds! We are proud of you Drew, good job!

OB

2011-10-07T13:33:00.001-07:00

Ya pretty much this kid is the cutest

Hiking the Y

2011-09-29T11:18:00.001-07:00

I'm tellin ya, Steve is a fun dad. One evening he said "I want to take the kids to hike the Y." I said "That would be fun. When?" His reply "Now." So he rounded up the kids and a couple of the nieghbor kids and took them "down ta" Provo. One of the boys is a major Ute fan so its up to the U next time.

tupper where??

2011-09-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

This is where I keep my tupperware. Do you see a problem?? How is it that I have all lids and no bowls? I have no clue where my stuff goes but eventually it all disappears!

some of summer

2011-09-24T09:17:00.001-07:00

Andrew and Ella got to be in a childrens pioneer parade downtown around the 4th. Steve walked with them and Ivy, Owen and I watched. This is the only picture I got because I had Owen in my arms and Ivy on my leg the whole time. I think they had fun :)
The hospital has a swim party and dinner each summer and thanks to Grandpa Warner we get to go. The kids loved the swimming and the food was great.
I thinks she looks so cute in her "wimsuit"
Marcia and Owen
Love this picture
Beautiful day up at Silver Lake
bad lighting but oh well

Even with baby Owen we managed to do a few things as a family this summer. Mostly Steve took the kids out and about to movies, dinners, hiking, the park. It was so great of him to keep them busy while I was busy with baby. But to be honest after a while I missed my family! and I was tired of being left behind. I am already looking forward to next summer when things will hopefully be a little easier.

Owen's Blessing Day

2011-09-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

(I ran around at the last moment with my camera and this is what I got... no family picture duh! I think Larry has some and so does Kate...maybe I will get those later)

Owen was blessed August 7th by his dad Steve. It was really a beautiful day and I was so glad to have family and friends around. I am grateful for Steve and the blessing he gave. Marcia was very thoughtful and wrote down what was said...

Recognize the gift of the Holy Ghost and its power in your life: use it, follow it, learn from it. Grow in the gospel. Turn to the scriptures, pray. Blessed with a kind heart, serve others, especially family. Prepare to receive priesthood. Prepare for a mission. Blessed in schooling, ask questions. Understand gospel and strive to gain a testimony.

I am so grateful to know why we are here on the earth. I know I have a Heavenly Father. I know that His son Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. I know that if we follow Christ and what he taught that we will have joy.

ok game on

2011-09-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is gonna take me a while to get caught up.... but well worth it I hope. I have tried keeping up this blog so my family would have a journal, and so with that I better get back to it! Lets see now, Owen came to us in June and it has been a major whirlwind since. He is wonderful and completes us beautifully, kids love him and have welcomed him so nicely too. I have to say that I was quite naive to think that life would go on as usual and I could pick right back up. Life is now officially busy and I don't think it will ever be the same. Slowly I have been able to add a few things to my list to accomplish, but try not to stress to much when I just can't do it. Some things will have to wait. So here are a few pictures of my baby Owen and soon to follow will be what we have been up to the last few months.

36 weeks and 4 days, June 9, 2011

2011-06-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

So it was a Thursday, the kids had just finished up school the day before and we were off to the mall to get gifts for their teachers. After the mall we stopped off at Wendy's and then headed home so I could get ready and go out with my good friend Jenny. It was Jenny's birthday and we were just going to do a little shopping, get a treat, and chat. Rachel came to babysit and I headed out with Jenny. We went to those cute old houses on Pioneer St. in Draper and looked around. Afterwards we went to Golden Spoon and then took our treat home to eat it. Now at this point I was feeling a little funky. I thought for a moment in the car that I might throw up but that passed. I was having contractions but that wasn't unusual. We took our yogurt to Kathy's house (long story) and sat on her couch eating and chatting. I actually talked about what else I needed for baby, I was not ready. And then the first big contraction hit, my eyes watered and I was like ouch.... and then I had another one. I said to Jenny that I should probably start paying attention to what was happening. So we got up to head to my house which was just across the street. When we walked in the door I felt what I thought was my water breaking. Jenny said no, that's blood hun. So after a quick change and a prayer Jenny and I were off to the hospital. I called Steve to let him know and he met us there just a few minutes after we arrived. So what was the blood about? It kept coming, they were weighing the pads, it was kind of nuts. My doctor arrived, he is amazing and I am grateful for him, he was calm and just great. He told me that my placenta had torn away and that is why I was bleeding so much. He also assured me that I would be fine, the baby was fine, and since I was progressing he wanted to wait and not rush into a C section. The bleeding slowed and pretty much stopped. I got my epidural, yay! My mom, Peter, and Ashley came. We hung out, laughed, listened to a girl go through natural childbirth in the next room (heinous!), teased the nurses, and after 3 hours and 42 minutes from arriving at the hospital I had a baby! So on June 9, 2011 at 6:42 pm our baby boy Owen Benjamin was born! He weighed 6 lbs 10 oz, and was 19 inches long. He was beautiful, perfect, healthy, and so calm. It was such a fun, crazy, exciting day. What a blessing that the bleeding stopped. What a blessing that I was able to have my family there. What a blessing that my dearest friend Jenny could be apart of it (and on her birthday!). What a blessing to have such an awesome husband that is so loving and supportive. What a blessing to have great neighbors that I trust with my kids. And what a blessing to have Owen arrive when he did. I am so grateful for him. He is an angel. When I think of this day I think "that was so fun!".

36 Weeks

2011-06-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

So today I am 36 weeks and dilated to a 3. I should probably have Steve take a belly shot of me for family history purposes, even though I have a feeling I will not like it. So here I am, the home stretch to my last pregnancy (at least that is my plan!!! no surprises please Lord) It is actually weird to be in this place. I always had in the back of my mind with all my babies "there are more to come" and now that feeling is gone. I feel very blessed and lucky to have the beautiful, crazy, fun, smart kids that I have. I can not wait to meet the caboose, cuz frankly I can feel that this one will be awesome too. I feel ready to be a mom to a baby again, not that I won't be exhausted I'm sure, but it's time. With Andrew 8, Ella 6, and Ivy 3 it is apparent to me that time flies. It has been a goal of mine for the last few years to "live consciously" and not wish away time. I have dear friends that have children that are now leaving the home for college and missions. Watching them has made me realize that these little ones will someday be big and move onto new and exciting things. I look at the family pictures on my wall and try to imagine the next one to join the gang. We'll see how much longer we are gonna have to wait until that happens. I'm hoping not too much longer! Cuz let's be honest, love having the baby, hate being pregnant with the child! xoxo

excuse my potty talk

2011-06-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

The other night at baseball Ivy came up to me holding her bum and in a panicked voice said she needed to go potty. So I hobbled with her to the port a potty as quickly as I could and got her on the pot. After she went she looked down and said "my poo looks like mud", ya it was gross. I was glad to get out of that place and back in my seat to finish watching the game. Then on the way home she grabbed her bottom again and said "mom, my bum is being annoying!". Needless to say it was a mad rush to get home.

Sloppy Joe

2011-05-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love a good sloppy joe, my mom's recipe to be exact. I have been making them probably for half of my marriage, Andrew likes them, Ella likes them, (miracle!), and Steve.... well yesterday for the first time he told me he does NOT like them. Hahahahahahaha..... I had to think that was totally funny. I make them pretty often since they are easy and the kids will eat it and poor Steve has eaten how many sloppy joes that he does not like? good grief charlie brown. :)

almost 34 weeks

2011-05-21T11:04:00.001-07:00

You know how if you don't have anything nice to say you shouldn't say anything at all? I think that is why I have not blogged much about this pregnancy. But I would hate to not post my excitement for another baby to join us. I am very excited to be at the hospital and get this kid out! I am praying for the patience and energy I will need to take care of 4 kids. I think I had about 3 or 4 weeks of this pregnancy where I actually felt good. But now??? ya remember, nothing nice to say. I am definitely on survival mode. I have started getting a few things ready, purchased new onsies, binkies, and stroller. I got me some jammies for the hospital. I want to take the whole family out to get the rest of the things on my list. I think the kids are all pretty excited and I think it's a good idea to involve them in the prep.

which is better, reverence or smarts?

2011-05-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Andrew has really the coolest primary teachers. They are so nice, laid back, fun, smart, and they love teaching primary. They have been in there for years and years. I guess at one point they got released and they got so mad that they were put back in. Anyway, they own a golf course and have told the kids that if they earn enough "reverence points" they will be able to go and have a party there. The other week Sis. Schneiter came up to me and said something to the effect of... Your son is so smart, I love having him in class. He hasn't been able to earn any reverence points but I have to give him points for knowing everything. This made me laugh. I thanked her for putting up with him. I know he is constantly talking and wanting to have fun so I'm sure he is not the best kid they've had. But at the same time I am very proud of him. He is smart. He pays attention and loves to learn the stories from the scriptures. I know that he will be blessed for it.

Spring Break, Moab

2011-04-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

For spring break this year we packed up and headed to Moab. Steve and I haven't been there since we have had kids and that is a LONG time . It was such a great trip and great place for the kids. I love the red rock! We went to Dead Horse Point and Arches. The kids loved climbing on big rocks, Ivy is nuts and thinks she is 25 doing this, and hiking the trails. We were able to make it up to Delicate Arch, so very cool. Ella practically ran this hike, I was so proud of her for being such a trooper. Ivy did well walking half of the time and hitching a ride on Steve's back for the rest. We also swam at the hotel and watched jeeps climb a crazy hill. Steve road Slick Rock and said that was awesome. All in all it was a fun trip for our family. We definitely plan on going back, so much to see and do. Andrew wants to raft down the Colorado next time.

my dog is cuter than your dog

2011-04-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

sorry but it's true

Let's Play Ball

2011-04-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, despite the lame weather... snow?! Hopefully we are done with all that stuff, now if the rain would just stop. Anyway, spring means baseball and Andrew is at it again. He has had 2 games now and they are a lot of fun to watch. He is a great player, coach said the only one who has always gotten on base. He has been playing 2nd base and last game he got 2 kids out. He is on the same team as last year and it is so fun to see all the boys again, they are so cute and all do great. I love to cheer him on. And did you notice my cute girl in her baseball hat? Ella let me know that she would rather play baseball than soccer so I signed her up for t-ball. She was super nervous at first but quickly warmed up and is doing great. She is on a team with her friend Isabella and the coach loves having the girls there. They definitely add some cuteness. He told them after their first game that they were the best hitters. Ella was proud. So here's to the next few months of pure madness and running around. Cheers!

Baptism

2011-04-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

On April 9th Andrew was baptized along with 3 of his friends. So grateful for Steve that he honors the priesthood and was able to baptize Drew. It was a great day, Andrew was happy and excited. I am sooooo grateful to have the love and support of family. Thank you to those who came to see Andrew, it is such a blessing to be surrounded by such love. I love the pictures of these boys, they are as cute as can be. I know it will be so fun to watch them all grow up together and accomplish things together. What a blessing to have these buddies. I am grateful for the gospel in my life, it brings me peace and happiness. I know Christ lives and that he is my Savior.

jump start

2011-04-11T07:38:00.001-07:00

Ivy is getting a jump start on preschool. When I signed her up a few months ago for this coming fall I told the teacher to call me if she had an opening come up. Ivy has had a hard time watching Ella and Andrew leave everyday. At the beginning of the school year there were a lot of tears. Then she moved onto telling me that "tomorrow I get to go to school". So you can imagine her excitement when I got a phone call letting me know that Ivy could start this last week. When I told Ivy she was so excited she smiled and shook haha. So for the next few months she will be going twice a week in the mornings. We went and picked out a backpack, Hello Kitty on wheels, to get her ready. When I dropped her off on her first day she walked right in, sat down on the rug, and started meeting her new buddies. I said goodbye and that I would be back when she was done, she said ok and her teacher looked at me and said "wow, somebody's ready". I love my Ivy Lu and I am proud of her doing this next little step in life. She is a joy!

Andrew is 8

2011-04-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Andrew has turned 8 and man does he look old to me. He is such a funny guy, I love his sense of humor. Now all we have to work on is when it is appropriate :) We just had a small family party, dinner at Costa Vida (he now orders a big burrito), and then homemade icecream sandwiches for dessert. Aunt Amy joined us and all the kids were super excited when she showed up at dinner. Andrew is smart, sometimes too smart, funny, friendly, a thinker, a sports fan, likes to accomplish projects, loves to play with friends, a tease to his sisters, dad's new campout buddy, and mom's favorite boy. We all love him, he is a great kid. Andrew will be baptized tomorrow, I am excited and know it will be a great day. Love you Drewpy

Ella Bell is a whopping 6

2011-03-28T10:14:00.001-07:00

Can this girl take a bad picture???

Ella turned 6 on March 18th. She shared a birthday party with Charlotte and Victoria and went swimming. She invited a couple of friends and had a great time. Ella loves to swim (would like to be a swim teacher when she grows up) so it was a great day for her. Thanks to Kate for helping me get a party planned :) it was the easiest most relaxed kid party yet. So what is Ella all about these days? She is still loving dance. She is in a cheer tumbling class right now but has told me that she would like to switch to Jazz. She can't help herself from getting her groove on when there is music playing. She loves school. She is doing great with her reading, I am very proud of her. And she has made many friends in her class. She is always happy to get up in the morning and get ready for school, thank goodness. She loves to do puzzles, paint, color, play computer games, and ride her scooter. I just signed her up for T-ball so we will see how that goes. She is pretty shy and timid at first with most things so I'm hoping she enjoys it. She gives the best loves and loves to snuggle. Her bed is full of stuffed animals, pillow pets, blankets etc, and she loves to burry herself in them to sleep. Love you Ella Rose Roger Bunzarellie :)

classic

2011-03-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ivy has her friend Max over, she said "Lets go to the temple and get married". His response "I hope they call me on a mission".

Down ta George

2011-03-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

Steve had his first mt bike race of the season a couple of weekends ago and lucky us it was in St. George. The kids were out of school friday so we took off around lunch. Jared also did the race and since he is working in Phoenix he drove to St. George and Jenny rode down with us. The kids loved having Jenny in the car and now Ivy talks about our "next trip when Jenny can come". The weather was beautiful! Yay, I have been so sick of the cold this winter that it made it that much more fun to be outside at the race. Steve and Jared had a great time. Steve got a flat tire which slowed him down but he kept at it. I think he just enjoyed the fact that he was riding again. The kids had a picnic in the van while they waited for dad to come in. We got to swim a couple of times, go out to dinner with Jared and Jenny, we also went out with Brian and Cheryl, visited snow canyon, and pretty much just had a great time. Thanks to the Allens for sharing their condo with us, we love you so much. That race will definitely be a tradition for us :)

goodbye winter

2011-02-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

I want to work in my yard so bad! I want to sit out on the grass. I want to get the slip n slide going for the kids. I want to go to the pool. I want to see leaves on the trees. I want to see green mountains. I want to be warm. Actually I want to be hot. I want to see my neighbors again. I want the kids running around outside. I want to attempt a garden again. I do love the seasons and the feeling of change in the air, it feels exciting to me. And I actually love a snowy night when the world is bright as day outside. But I am a sunny, warm weather, blue sky, no shoes, girl. So GOODBYE winter!

tricks of the trade

2011-02-22T10:25:00.000-08:00

Andrew showing off his new scout book, he will be 8 next month.

When Andrew woke up this morning he told me he was not going to school. I said okay thats fine but you have to come to the gym with me. (he hates the daycare) Then he said he would go today but not tomorrow, and asked if I was going to the gym tomorrow. I answered yes, he got out of bed, put his clothes on, ate breakfast, and was out the door. I will never stop going to the gym.

Ivy Lucile had a birthday

2011-02-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

So I am almost caught up, yay. Ivy Lu had her 3rd birthday on January 18th. I am sure I have written this down before but when I was pregnant with Ivy I could feel how sweet she was. I think that is the perfect word to describe her, sweet. She has been a great part of our family and is loved by all. She is a happy and friendly little thing. She loves people and has loads of friends of all ages. We celebrated her birthday by getting her a big girl bed, having friends over for cupcakes, going to McDonalds, and having cake with family. It was quite the week and she wasn't willing to accept that her birthday had come and gone. I can't believe she is already 3, no longer my baby. Ivy I love you to pieces and always will. Happy Birthday babe!

warm fuzzies, or are they?

2011-02-10T11:52:00.001-08:00

Today while picking up Ella from kindergarten her teacher poked her head in my car to let me know of a problem she had been having. In Ella's class they all have "fuzzies" and if they are naughty they lose them. Apparently Ella has lost a fuzzy every day this week. And what for you might ask? What else, Talking. I had to laugh inside, she is my child. Oh the memories of being sent to sit in the hall, moved to another desk, even sent to the principals office and all for talking. So, we had a chat on the way home from school, which she hated, and I told her I would be checking in with her teacher to see how she was doing. This is Andrew's biggest problem at school too, I guess we will see if Ivy follows suit.

update

2011-02-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

I need to get Christmas posted but for some reason I don't quite know what to say. I think my xmas post is the same every year, thats what you get with traditions :) Anyway I just realized that I have not yet posted what's going on with me and my fam in a long time. So what's with me? I'm el prego. I am 19 weeks and feeling pretty darn good. This is by far the best pregnancy I have ever had. It is normally an event we just try to survive. I cry a lot and ask "why?!!!" a lot. I did have morning sickness and was so tired and yucky but it wasn't as bad as others and it left much earlier than the others so I am grateful! I am very excited for this final kid to come to us. I was day dreaming yesterday of being in the hospital snuggling my new one. I am due July 4th, which I think would be a cool bday. The kids are all growing and doing just fine. We are learning that kids in school is a lot of work. Just trying to keep up with that is keeping our evenings busy. Ella is still doing dance and enjoys it. Ivy would like to join her, so maybe in the fall. Ella also loves school and is doing great with her reading. Andrew is always involved in some sport, right now is basketball. He can't sit still a minute and is always looking forward to the next thing. He is a smart kid and does great at school, but lets be honest, he would rather be almost anywhere but school. Ivy is a doll, seriously she is. I am having fun with her. She is a good buddy for shopping, cleaning, story time, and occasionally the gym. Steve is enjoying work and scheeming with his buddies about the next venture. He is already looking forward to the first mountain bike race of the season in March. I am so very grateful to be able to be home with my kids. It is hard and redundant but at the same time sweet and fun. I think that's just life, a mixture of all emotions, always changing and moving ahead. Life is good. I am grateful for awesome family and great friends. So that's my update, and I will check it off my list. peace out brotha!

Thanksgiving in George

2011-01-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

The kids had a whole week off for Thanksgiving and so we decided to take a trip to St. George. The weather was cold but I guess warmer than Sandy, at least the sky was blue. We played games, watched movies, played mini golf, got in the hot tub, went to see Tangled, and Steve took the kids to Snow Canyon. We also planned to go to Chuck-o-rama for Thanksgiving dinner but when we drove by the line was all the way out into the parking lot. So we went back to the condo and had hoggies and chips, it was great. The kids were disappointed they didn't get to go to Chuck-o-rama so we went there the next day. They had heard from friends how great the place was haha. Anyway it was a fun trip, nice to spend time together, and nice to fill such a long break with something fun.

A day at the Lake

2011-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Sounds lovely right? If I told you it was The Great Salt Lake would you change your mind. I had never been out to that lake in my life, and with nice weather coming to a close and the kids out of school for some lame reason we went on a field trip. We drove up to Antelope Island, checked out the visitors center and the old ranch they have. While at the ranch a woman told us that on the other side of the island they had rounded up the buffalo, so we went to check it out. Apparently every fall they round up the buffalo and check them out. See who's prego and if all is well. They are huge crazy animals! It was cool to see the worker get the buffalo into a tight cage where only their head stuck out. Then they would attach a rope the lovely nose ring and pull their head to the side while they did their "checking on stuff". The buffalos were going nuts and banging around, it was crazy and loud! Anyway made a trip to the lake cool and exciting for us. On the way home we stopped at the Dibble Farm to see the house and pick up some potatoes.

Dude, you've got a disease

2011-01-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Ella went over to her friend Ashley's house to play one day. When I called to let her know I was coming to pick her up Ashley's mom Carol said "you are going to kill me". Apparently Ashley and Ella colored all over their bodies with a pink (non-washable) marker. It was all over her clothes and her. She had colored all the way up to her knees, all over her hands, arms, and face. I tried not to laugh at her so I could let her know that it was soooo not okay with me for her to color all over herself. Before she jumped into the bath to scrub and scrub and scrub I took a few pics.

Halloween 2010

2011-01-16T12:34:00.000-08:00

the pictures are backwards, but whatever...

Boo! did I scare ya? Now that its January I think I'm ready to talk about October, jeepers! Halloween is always fun with the parade and parties at the school, family over for dinner, and trick or treating. So this year Andrew was an army guy and was outfitted by a neighbor is some cool duds. Thanks to Amy! Ella was Ariel and also was outfitted by a neighbor, with the red wig and all. Thanks Kari! That wig was a major hit for all and was passed around the house for picture taking. I think I might need to get my own just for parties. And then sweet Ivy Lu was Minnie Mouse and was outfitted by her aunt "Cake" (Kate). She was so dang cute! Did you catch the fact that I had one of the easiest Halloweens ever? I didn't have to come up with one costume haha.

poor blog

2010-12-16T13:29:00.001-08:00

just a note to say that someday I will update this thing when I'm feeling a little better.

Miracle's Do Happen

2010-10-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

How this came about I do not know, but I caught my children doing a puzzle together and had to capture it. I must have needed a special blessing that day, it sure made me happy.

Crap

2010-10-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ivy and I went for a walk to pick up Ella from a friend's house. Ivy was getting tired and whiny. I told her to step on the cracks and say "crack!". She said "I don't want to step on the crap mom".

Birds and "Nature"

2010-10-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend was UEA and that means I had to think of something to do. Steve had a camp out and Andrew was lucky enough to go along. They had a really good time, Andrew loved playing capture the flag, and the weather was lovely and warm so no on froze. Meanwhile back at the homestead I took Ivy and Ella to the Aviary and then for a small hike up Corner Canyon to see the leaves or "nature" as Ella would put it. We stopped off and got donuts on the way home and a drink for mom. It was a great day. The weather has been so beautiful and warm and I have loved that we are not cooped up inside yet. Ivy is a crack up and said "hi Bird!" to the birds and "hello friend" to a mt. biker on the trail. It was really fun to spend time with just the girls. Funny how the dynamic changes so much with just one missing. Ella really steps up to be the big sister and is sweet and helpful with Ivy.

Andrew in the Kitchen

2010-10-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

For a couple of years now Andrew is my helper whenever I make chili. He knows how to brown the meet, add spices, tomatoes and beans. He likes it spicy and so we add red pepper flakes. This week when we made it he told me not to tell anyone the recipe, it's that good. :)

Are You Ready For Some Football?

2010-10-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

Andrew receiving the hike
3 boys I love... Cole, Andrew and Carson
Andrew is #10

Andrew had been talking about playing football for months, and finally the day came when he got to play. He and his buddies at school play it everyday at recess. He is already talking about when he gets to play tackle (deep breath). I was and still am a tad reluctant about the whole thing. Mostly because there is a field by my house and I see daily the parents watching their boys practice, in rain, in snow... doesn't look fun to me. But I guess it isn't about me right? If Andrew wants to try something I want him to too. Anyway, he got on a team with friends from school and for 5 weeks he had 2 games a week. If I remember correctly he scored 2 touchdowns, pulled many flags, played quarterback, was an excellent blocker and most importantly loved every minute of it. His school teacher Miss Saadeh even came to watch a game, he thought that was cool. Andrew also had awesome support from grandma's, grandpa's, aunts, cousins and even the neighbors. His team did awesome and was undefeated, Go Saints! I am proud of him and love cheering him on. Oh ya, one funny thing he said was that when he plays for the Naval Academy he is going to go by Drew.

2nd Annual Panguitch Trip

2010-10-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

We made it "down ta Panguitch" Labor Day weekend with the Gibbs Girls and Co. and had a fabulous time. The kids are all getting bigger which makes it a little easier on us mom's and dad's. We did a hike, went to Ruby's Inn for a treat, relaxed, played in the yard, walked to the gas station for another treat, had lunch at Henrys Drive In, played games, watched Karate Kid and relaxed some more. I love my family and I am so glad we got to do this again.

Funny Ivy

2010-10-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Ivy loves to play with baby dolls, she is an excellent mother. She pats, rocks, hushes, feeds and naps her baby. I love to watch her 'cause she gets this serious look on her face, like she is so concerned for her baby. The other thing that cracks me up is when she is playing with her dolls SHE is the mom and I am "Andrea". Lately she will even call me sister, but mostly I am Andrea. She is 2, how in the world did she figure that out in her head?

This morning I told Ivy that she was a big girl and to put her binkie in her bed. I explained that she may have it when she sleeps but not when she plays. 30 minutes later she came into the kitchen asking for it, she said "I'm not a big girl, sorry mom".

Phone Call

2010-10-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Today I got a phone call. The little voice said "who is this?" and I said "who is this?". Hahaha, it was Andrew asking me to please bring him a cold lunch. Ooops I guess I forgot about that this morning and the schools spaghetti didn't sound too good to him.

September, Where Are You?

2010-09-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

K, seriously this month has disappeared! What in the world? When I go to the store and see Halloween candy and decor it makes me kind of panic. I feel like the summer was a total jip and went by too fast. And now we are a month into school and the leaves are turning, wow. Andrew and Ella are doing great with school. Ella loves it a bit more than Andrew but he is happy everyday because he gets to play football at recess. And speaking of football the kid is playing flag football right now and it is awesome. He loves it and is super happy about it, and for those of you that really know Andrew this is big. He has made a touchdown, caught a pass (at age 7 this is a big deal) and has pulled a number of flags. He told me yesterday when he plays football for the Naval Academy he is going to go by Drew. He has a game tonight I will remember my camera this time. Ivy is still adjusting to the kids being gone. As soon as they leave in the morning she wants to go somewhere too. Mostly we go to the gym, run errands and attend story time at the library. But through all of it she asks about the kids and wants to go get them. I have a feeling that she will be excited to start preschool next year. We had family pictures taken on Saturday and I can't wait to see them. Kate's neighbor took them and she has beautiful pictures on her blog so I'm excited to see how ours turned out. Steve is the Scoutmaster in our ward and is super busy with scouts and the young men. The boys love him and he is enjoying it. I got released from yw a little over a month ago and now teach Ella's class. It has been a hard thing for me to lose but I love that the girls still come find me and give me plenty of hugs on Sunday. Oh another thing that I did this month was go to New Orleans and see Michelle. She moved into a new house and so I went out to help her paint and clean. In return she took me to the yummiest food spots, it was great. I love her, she is a crack up. It was so fun to go on a little vacay and get a break from mommyhood. So that is September in a nutshell. I got 2 years of my blog printed and it is awesome to have, definitely motivates me to keep this up.

Back To School

2010-08-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

This year was exciting for us, Andrew is in the 2nd grade and Ella started Kindergarten. Andrew had a tough time adjusting to a new class without any of his friends but he is making new ones and really likes his teacher. It's all about attitude with that kid and we try our best to help him stay positive. He is a smart boy and does well, loves recess and lunch. Sometimes if I'm out running around I can catch him at recess. I love watching him play soccer or whatever with his friends, so cute to watch. Ella LOVED her first day of kindergarten and has told me it was cool and a piece of cake. She walks down with Andrew and some friends and is happy as ever to go. I am so grateful for this. I did tear up a bit when she went in the doors for the first time. I am so proud of my kids and happy to be their mom.

This Girl Is Just Plain Cool

2010-08-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

The other day Ella said "I just love farting". And tonight when she looked at me, squeezed out some toots and laughed I believed her.

summer is over

2010-08-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

Today was Andrew's first day of school. This means the alarm was set, waking kids, dressing kids, feeding kids, walking Andrew to school and then off to run errands to get Ella ready for kindergarten in a week. I can't believe I am saying this but it felt good to get up and get going. I'm thinking this will wear off soon but I'll enjoy it for now. I looked at my kids last night and thought wow, they are growing up. How weird... with babies and toddlers it's hard to imagine them any bigger but now here we are. I have a 2nd grader and kindergartener, 2 kids in elementary school. So here's to life (taking a swig of my dr. pepper), growin' and learnin' and lovin'.

boo boo

2010-08-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

the morning after, still a little puffy

Ivy got a boo boo, and as I just typed that I am realizing how dorky it is to call it a boo boo, lets just say she got hurt. At my birthday dinner with my family Ivy fell off a chair and hit her face on another chair. She screamed, got a bloody nose and then her face swelled up. We took her to Urgent Care because her nose was huge and after an x-ray and an otterpop they sent us on our way. The doc said she had a small hairline fracture at the top of her nose but that there was nothing we could do about it. Quite the adventure. I should keep tally of how many Urgent Care visits we have had, it seems like a lot lately.

San Diego 2010

2010-08-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a whole week in San Diego the last week of July. We rented a little house on Mission Bay and met up with 2 families from Mesa, the Hawley's and Thomas's. Everyday we packed up our stuff and headed to the beach. It was pretty cloudy most of the time but we still managed to get sunburned. The kids loved digging in the sand and made huge holes to play in. Andrew tried boogie boarding and few times. Ella played in the water and sand, loving to get buried in it. And Ivy was so good and had a great time. We loved seeing our friends and catching up with them. All the kids got along so well, it was really a great vacation. 2 of the days we went to Legoland and that was also loved by the kids. We are thinking this beach vacation needs to happen every year, especially with our Arizona friends. I am so grateful to have a husband that loves to vacation and hang out just as much as I do. He was a fabulous boogie boarding teacher.

A Summer Miracle

2010-08-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

A miracle why? Mostly because Ella learned to swim. She was so afraid of the deep water, she would not leave the steps, and she would scream if you tried to make her. I found an awesome swim teacher named Linda. She has been teaching for 31 years and worked wonders with Ella. The first session was a fight! Screaming, yelling and crying. But Linda was so firm with her telling her to "Stop talking", "No more funny Ella noises", and my fav. "who's boss of this pool?". Although she was firm she was also so loving and kind to Ella. So after 3 sessions (and a lot of tears by Ella, mom and Linda) Ella loves to swim and told me that she would like to be a swim teacher when she grows up. I am so proud of her and so thankful to have found someone that could handle Ella and help her grow.

Summer Time and the Livin's Easy

2010-08-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

Golden Spike

Silver Lake

Kennecott Copper Mine

This summer has been a fun one, going too fast as usual but we have tried to enjoy it. We have taken the kids around a bit to see some of the things that Utah has to offer. Exciting stuff like... The Golden Spike, Silver Lake and Kennecott.

Hi Horsey!

2010-07-22T07:44:00.000-07:00

We all love Ivy, how could you not? She is so dang cute and sweet and silly. So on Saturday we were picking up Steve's truck at the Draper rodeo grounds... lost key... long story... anyway. While we were waiting for the tow truck we sat in the stands and there were 2 horses in the arena. Ivy started yelling "Hi horsey, hello!" we laughed and thought she was so cute. Then she said "Hi horsey, hello! I'm 2". Then on Wednesday we were all at Ella's swim lessons and a kid there had a toy turtle and she did the same thing. "Hi turtle, hello! I'm 2."

Triathlon

2010-07-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

In June I did a triathlon. It is something I have always thought would be cool to do, so I am super happy to check it off my list. It was a 300 yd swim, 11.5 mile bike and 3 mile run. It was a cold and rainy morning and I was soooo nervous. Mostly for the swim part. I discovered that swimming laps is hard for me and not my favorite thing. So I was anxious to get that part over with and get on with the race. Luckily the rain stopped right before the race started. I got all my stuff set up in the transition area and then went and waited by the pool. Steve came with the kids and I was happy to have them there. The swim wasn't that bad, I made it through without stopping but my body was so tired and I felt like I weighed 500 lbs as I got myself out of the pool. Then I was off to ride my bike. The bike went well, I was just cold from being soaking wet and it was a cold wet day anyway. And then the run.... I had a bit of a side ache at first but then I got my groove on and felt good for the run. It was my favorite part and I was happy that I could do it, a lot of people were walking by this time. I am proud of myself for doing it. Andrew was the photographer for the event and I think he did an excellent job. But for some reason the computer made a "error" and half the pictures were lost. So this is what we have.

Memorial Day

2010-07-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day has always meant that we go down to Grandpa Sargents grave. It is cleaned with a brush and water, the grass around it is trimmed, the urns are washed off and then in go the flowers. We then all stand behind the grave and take a picture. The last few years we have sang Love At Home, grandpa's favorite hymn. I love this tradition. I love being with my family, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins and now all the grandchildren that have joined us. It is good for me to remember where I came from. I have amazing grandparents that worked hard in life, they are an example to me and I love them. I will be glad to meet grandpa again.

Stitches Round 2

2010-06-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

Ella got stitches for the 2nd time in her life over Memorial weekend. It was Friday evening and we were waiting for Steve to get home from work so we could leave for Glenwood. Steve got home and so I said "okay guys, lets go in and get ready". Ella ran ahead of me into the garage and the next thing I know she is screaming bloody murder. I grabbed her and notice the big gash on her forehead. She tripped and hit her head on the tile step going into the house. So it was off to Urgent Care for us. 2 hours and 13 stitches later we finally hit the road for Glenwood. That Ella girl is a bit clumsy I'm afraid but man is she brave!

Ella Rose Graduates

2010-06-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

Last month Ella graduated from preschool. It was a cute program where she had a part that was 4 lines long. She memorized it and then when it was her turn to say it she spoke so quietly no one could understand what she said. Oh well, I knew she knew it and did great. Before the program I took pictures of her and her friends and I had this feeling that before long I would be taking the same pictures but she would be 18 in them. Time goes by fast I am realizing and I am hoping that I can take in all the moments I have with my kids now. I love Ella and I am proud of her. I keep thinking of her as my little girl but I need to let her grow up. Andrew came home from school with a form in his backpack for all new kindergartners to fill out. I threw it away thinking I didn't have anyone going to kindergarten.... hello?! I had to laugh at myself when I realized that duh, I do, her name is Ella. So in the fall she will be walking to school with her brother and I will probably cry a little. But it's a good thing. I love my kids.

Cute

2010-06-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

While Ivy was lying in my bed this morning she looked up on the wall at a picture of Steve and I and said "Daddy is so cute". She is a daddy's girl for sure.

He Said What?

2010-06-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Andrew "Step on it Woman"

Mom "Who are you? And Where did you come from?!"

Andrew "I'm a man! and from your belly!"

Baseball, Orioles to be exact

2010-06-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Andrew played his 2nd season with coach Bo this spring, this time they were the Orioles. So for a month and a half we were at practices and games 2 days a week. I am so proud of Andrew. He is a good little player. This year they were finally allowed to get kids out and he was excited to do so. He played great and helped the team out by hitting the ball almost always. Steve thinks, and so do I, that he was the most consistent hitter on the team. He learned a lot this year and is already asking about next year. I love to cheer him on and hope he doesn't mind have the loudest mother on the planet.

my girls

2010-06-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

This post is mostly for me, so I can have this memory documented somewhere. I am in the young womens in my ward and I LOVE it. My girls are the beehives and I have been with them for almost 2 years. I have had a few leave me, sigh, and a few come in and I love them all. I honestly am excited to have our activities and to see them at church. I think about them all the time. I want them to be happy, feel loved, learn the gospel and choose what's right. They are so much fun to be around and keep me feeling young. Steve teases that sometimes I do act like I'm 13, but whatever. So here are my girls at the moment, minus one named Brooke. I have Rachel, Megan, Ellie, Danielle, Eliza and Corrin. They honestly fill me with love, I know cheesy but it's true.

Faster than lightening

2010-05-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

I can already tell that this month is going by fast, so quickly I will write down some things we have been up to. Andrew has been all about baseball this month with 2 games a week! He is doing great and I think really enjoying it. He is a great hitter and most times gets on base. It is fun to see him grow and learn and improve. I love to watch him and as you might guess I am a pretty loud supporter. He is also winding down as far as school goes. He is practicing for his 1st grade program that will be next week. He is playing a frog so I will definitely get pictures posted of that. I am anxious for summer to be here so he can run and play all day long. Ella is also working on a program at school and has her 4 lines memorized. She is always happy to run out the door for school and I am glad she loves it. She will have her dance recital in 2 weeks and has been practicing very hard for it. She is a funny little girl and told me today that she does not want to be a grown up but would like to be a baby. But she also said that she doesn't want me to call her a baby haha.... And Ivy Lou is still the focus of the neighborhood. She is growing up so much and talking up a storm. Today at the IFA she told everyone about her chocolate milk, her sister Ella, her pink shirt, her shorts.... and many other things I have no idea. She is a crack up and sweet as sugar. Steve is training for another mountain bike race and I have a triathalon in June. sigh.... busy busy, but life is good and I love it.

Mt Bike Race

2010-05-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

Steve and a couple of his friends did a Mt. Bike race this Saturday at 5 Mile Pass out past Eagle Mountain. He did a 11 mile loop in an hour and 12. He said it was harder than he thought it would be but made it through looking great. Myself, Jenny (wife to friend and my dear friend) and the kids went out to support the boys. The weather was actually awesome considering the crappy spring we have had. It got cold the last 15 minutes of the race but we survived. I am now aware and will be more prepared for the next race. In a mad rush to get the kids in the car so we wouldn't miss the start I forgot the water bottles and snacks. Also my kids don't believe me when I say it will be cold! Andrew refused to wear a long sleeve and only took a light jacket. Ella picked her pink denim jacket instead of her coat despite my nagging. Anyway we survived and had fun. Oh and after we had tasty burgers for lunch. Now for the picture part. I just want you to be aware that these pictures were all taken by Andrew except for a few of Steve while he was coming in. I think Andrew has a talent for picture taking.

We've got the Spirit

2010-04-30T16:49:00.001-07:00

While driving in the car on Wednesday Ella asked "Mom, do we get our spirit when we are babies, or kids or when we are moms?". I said "You are born with your sprit, its who you are". I love that she is thinking about her spirit. She has the biggest spirit of anyone I know. In fact her spirit is so large and intense that when she was born she scared the crap out of me.

Privacy Please

2010-04-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

Am I gonna have to go private? Cause I keep getting retards commenting on my blog from who knows where.... jeesh. I will think about it.

So today in the car Ella was crying and I said "Ella, stop Crying!" and she yelled back "I'm not crying! my eyes are just wet!" ya, whatever....

2 Birthdays

2010-04-15T12:06:00.001-07:00

Ella and Andrew had birthdays in March and as a good mother I didn't take pictures. I know, Im a retard. Its a boring story why but we did video them opening their presents. I am glad we captured Andrew saying "is it clothes.... oh". What a joy my kids can be. With their birthdays being so close we had family come over just once for cake and icecream. And on their birthdays we had them choose their dinner and dessert. Ella asked for nachos and doughnuts. Andrew asked for ribs and icecream cake. Who has the more expensive taste??? I also let them pick an activity to do so Ella and I went and got our toes painted and Steve took Andrew and a friend to lazer tag. I told Andrew that his birthday is a special one because it was the day I became a mother. And now look at me, mother to 3 kids.... wow. I love my kids and I am grateful that I can celebrate their births. They try my patience but also give me joy. One exciting thing that is worth writing down.... Ella has been wearing pull ups at night. I wondered how and when she would ever be a "big girl" and not need them. A week ago we had a girl talk and discussed the plan of wearing underwear at night. She was understanding and excited to give it a go. We have had 2 successful nights of dry sleeping and I couldn't be prouder. What a girl huh? Love you Ella and Andrew! Happy Birthday to you both!

What's with the song?

2010-03-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

I am actually wondering what's with the weather, but when I think that I have to think "what's with the song?" which is from a movie that I will not say cause it is embarrassing that I know lines from it. wow long sentence... I am so tired of the weather! Its cold and snowing, oh wait nope its sunny and warm, oh no its cloudy and windy... oh nevermind it's raining... and now we're back to some sun, nevermind it's totally cold and crappy outside. I am ready for the warmth. I am ready to plant my garden. I am ready to work in the yard. I am ready for a tan. I am ready to sit on my grass and watch my kids play. I am ready for school to be out. I am ready for it to be light out till 9 o'clock. I am ready to go swimming. I am ready for the hot, hot sun!

Ragnar Del Sol Pictures

2010-03-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

So here is our the pictures from the Ragnar. Did I mention that we had soooo much fun? My team was the best, love you Kate, Ashely, Carol, Keri and even you Keith (hahaha).

ahhh sisters
Keri and Carol (awesome)
at Chilis in Kingman, kate had a date... Kate, Keith and Keri
Team Poison, Van 1, Runners 1,2,3,4,5,6
At the starting line, Carol was up 1st

aiaiaiaiaiai
Ashley 2nd, waiting for Carol at exchange 1

goooo ashley!
I love, love, love this picture

Keith had a major mountain to climb!
tooch your bootay

and off goes Kate
she's feelin' it
um... some help please
and off I go
peace out brotha
comin in!
ya, Keri was freakin
love this of Keri
after our first run, aren't we cute
had to stop and take a pic
cooking pasta
resting
Kitten and JaRule
let the night runs begin, Carol was "freaking out!"
Ahhh I love Kim! Poison Team, Van 2, Runner 7 :)
Ashley was doing awesome
aiaiaiaiaiaiai Carol! boy did she run fast
my 7.4 miler...

we were loopy in the car

Man I love my team!

Ragnar Del Sol 2010

2010-03-16T15:15:00.001-07:00

I had been planning on running the Del Sol for about 9 months, plenty of time to prepare, so far off. And now it is an awesome memory, funny how time is. I was the captain of our team, and honestly my first time ever to be a captain of anything. I promise I won't let it go to my head, there was nothing qualifying me for this position. What was awesome is that my 2 sisters Kate and Ashley were on my team, along with some super funny characters Keith, Keri and Carol. We laughed and laughed all the way down to Prescott Arizona with a brief stop in Vegas to pick up Keith. The race was 200 miles from Prescott to Tempe. Things didn't go completely to plan due to a runner getting hit by a car. The race was put on hold for a couple of hours and by the time we made it to exchange 24 to sign up for a new start time we had been up for 24 hours. So a team decision was made and we stopped. I was bummed not to be there the next day in Tempe to cross the finish line. But mostly because the finish line was at a park I used to take the kids to. It was my old stomping ground yano? But other than that I was extremely happy with the race. We got to run 2 of our 3 legs. My first run was 5.3 miles and I did it in 48 minutes. I was super excited by the progress I had made in my running, way awesome. My 2nd run was 7.4 miles and I completed that in 1 hour 13 minutes. I still tell myself that I am not much of a runner, but I think I should just go with it and claim that I am. I was so proud of everyone on my team, they all did great and we had an absolute blast. We now have some other races that we are planning on (go team Poison!) I have found something I love, something that I am pretty good at, something that is mine.... that is cool to me. As soon as I get my pics from the race I will post them, cause they are pretty darn awesome.

I'm Working On It

2010-03-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

I had a total of 5 little kiddies at my house this morning and thought it would be a good idea to go outside. I am pretty sure I yelled at them half the time. So to you neighbors who are wondering what the heck my problem is just know that I am working on it.

Laughed and Laughed

2010-03-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to quickly write down how much I love my sisters. We ran the Ragnar Del Sol this last weekend along with some stinkin awesome people and it was a blast. I love laughing with them and it was so fun to hang out. We were just missing 2 other siblings.... I wish they could have been with us. I am glad we are all friends and so close. We are all so different from one another with different personalities but that doesn't matter. I love my family and I am grateful for the love they give me. We will have to do another over nighter and this time with Amy and Pete along. And promise this time I won't make you run. Love you Ashley and Kate, thanks for being on my team!

Being Polite

2010-02-22T11:30:00.001-08:00

I am trying to teach my kids to be polite and to have some manners. Aren't all moms? One of the things that I have tried to teach my kids is to respond when someone is talking to them. This has been a hard thing for them because for some reason around other people they are shy. So, the other day I was at Costco in the check out line with the kids. Ella was sitting in the cart with her sister wearing her favorite pink cow girl boots. (Thank you DeAnn) Anyway, while I was paying the women was talking to Ella about her boots and telling her how cute they were. Ella said "ya, they have butterflies on them, they are barbie". I finished up and we started to walk away when Ella said "I was good mom, I talked back". Oh I was so proud :)

My baby turned 2!

2010-02-16T11:48:00.001-08:00

Ivy Lucile Warner was born January 18, 2008 at St. Marks Hospital at 2:22 pm. She was 6lbs 12oz and 18 1/2 inches long. I have a hard time thinking that was 2 years ago. I am finding that time is going by faster the older I get. So not to sound like an old lady I am going to stop saying "man, time goes by so fast". We celebrated Ivy's birthday with family and I am so glad they are near by to do so. I made Ivy a square cake to look like a present and little square cupcakes to match. Ivy was excited to open her gifts. She got some cute toys, a Cinderella Book, her own leotard, and some cute dresses. We love Ivy so much at our house. She is turning out to be quite the funny little girl. She loves to sing and dance. At her party she went on for 10 minutes dancing in circles and "rapping". She speaks well and copies everything I say. She loves her family and plays games with Ella. She is very independent and wants to do everything herself. Including opening up her string cheese, putting on her clothes and shoes, washing her own hair, opening and closing things... it goes on. She also has a feisty side that just kills me. She will yell "stop it!" or "don't" if she doesn't like what you are doing. She does this when I sing and has even put her hands on my mouth and said "Shhh". Oh how I love my Ivy Lu. Happy Birthday Babe!

What to do in January?

2010-02-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

Steve and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary on December 17th and decided a cruise was in order. We went on a 7 day cruise to the western Caribbean and it was awesome. We stopped in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and back to Mexico. The weather wasn't the best pretty cloudy most the time so we didn't come back too tan but it still was great! In Mexico at both ports we took cabs to the beach and lounged, ate, swam and snorkeled a bit. The water was unbelievably blue and clear, it was so pretty. In Guatemala we took a river boat tour. The mountains were covered in trees, it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. We loved the tour because we felt like we got to see how people live on the river. We stopped at a school and saw the children. It was amazing to see children as young as 4 out on the big river in their own canoe. In Belize we did a jungle zipline tour and that was soooo fun. We did 5 separate zipline and 2 repels. I loved this! The jungle was beautiful and it was awesome to fly through the air. The cruise was great and it was so nice to spend time together without any distractions. How lucky I am to have a great husband!

Picking snuggies

2010-02-03T18:43:00.001-08:00

Ella's preschool put on a Christmas program where they sang about 20 different songs. Ella really has a great talent for memorizing and singing songs and it was fun to see her perform. Ella has this little habit (and now that I am thinking about it I don't think she does it as much) of picking her snuggies. Sometimes she does it sooooo much that it makes me insane! If I have her sit on my lap to read a book she can hardly sit still, she just has to pick. So at the program while singing all the cute songs Ella probably stood up and picked her snuggy at least 20 times and I am not exagerating! After the performance her teacher said to us "Was Ella wearing new tights tonight?"

Christmas

2010-02-02T14:16:00.001-08:00

We have had Christmas at our house the last couple of years and it has turned into quite the party. Christmas Eve we have a nice dinner with all of my family and Larry and Marcia. We also had Becky, Nate and the Chritensen Family over on Christmas Day. It is busy and a bit chaotic but I am so happy that we have family close by. Santa brought the kids a Wii and they all love playing it. Andrew is an excellent sword fighter and Ella rocks at bowling. Ivy likes to hold a controller and "play" too. Andrew kept saying "I just can't quite figure out Santa Claus", which makes me worried we may be on our last year of believing for him. It was such a fun time and I love the excitement from the kids.

Ella is on stage again

2010-01-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

3rd from the right

It is pure joy for me to watch Ella dance at her recitals. I am so happy that she has found something that she loves. Getting ready for the big night she is full of excitement. She is patient while I do her hair and takes special care not to mess it up. I loved the purple costume she got to wear and she posed ever so well by the fireplace while Steve took her picture. Her recital was at Cottonwood High School. Kate, Charlotte, Amy and Grandma Susie all came to watch. She did so well and knew her routine, I was so proud of her. How is such a shy girl not afraid to get up on a stage in front of hundreds and be just fine? Great Job Ella!!

Andrew Try's His Foot at Soccer

2009-11-25T20:27:00.001-08:00

This fall we signed Andrew up to play soccer for the first time. He joined a team that had 3 of his friends on it. He had a great couch that helped them practice and was just a lot of fun. At Andrew's first game he was a little shy, he kept up with the ball but didn't want to get too close. None the less he had a great time and was happy to be there. So for the 2nd game after maybe the first quarter Steve gave him a little pep talk about getting in there and kicking that ball. And then from the sidelines we yelled our hearts out! It was so funny to see him! He started going for the ball more and giving us side glances after he would kick it or block it and then try not to smile. I was so proud of him for trying and feeling the love from the sidelines. I am also so happy that my fabulous family is such a support and comes to his games, it means a lot to me and him. We even had our awesome neighbors the Allens come watch one. Andrew is such a fun kid and I am happy to be his mom.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-23T15:11:00.000-08:00

Our 3rd annual Halloween party was a success with homemade tomato soup, gourmet cheese sandwhiches, lots of candy and cute costumes. I love having family over even though it means lots of noise. Costumes are as follows... Andrew - Stormtrooper, Ella - Kitty Cat, Ivy - Clown, Charlotte and Victoria - Witches, Wyatt - Puppy Dog, Henry - a Pokemon.

Labor Day Weekend in Panguitch

2009-11-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

I am trying to catch up...

For labor day weekend we went with the whole fam damily to Panguitch, we were grateful to have Grandma Susie supervise us. We went on a fabulous hike near Bryce Canyon, fished up at the lake and just lounged around. It was fun to be together. There are quite a few little kiddos when we get together so it can be noisy but they are all so cute!

Fall means school

2009-11-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

This fall Ella started her 2nd year of preschool with her best friend Paige at The New Sunshine Preschool. Ella loves to go to school and is happy to see her teachers and learn. Most of all she can go with Paige and she would say that is the best part. Ella is now learning songs for he Christmas program and is doing great with her writing skills.

Andrew started the 1st grade and so far is thriving. His teacher is Miss Turner and his best buddy Cole is in his class. I am so pleased with his happy attitude with school and homework. I actually couldn't believe how happy he was when he would come home, I thought it would end but he continues to love it. We just had his first parent teacher conference and he is doing great academically, he's just a little roudy sometimes. This is no surprise, look at his dad :) He also loves school lunch and recess. He plays kickball and most recently football. He was so proud of himself because they have been playing with the 3 graders and he "got a hand" on one of the 3rd graders during their touch football game.

Dating?

2009-10-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Andrew and I were watching "Life on Deck with Zack and Cody" and yes I was laughing. Anyway on the show Cody has a girlfriend and every time they hugged or were cheesy Andrew would cover his face in embarrassment. I said....

"You may not have a girlfriend Andrew" he replied "Maybe can I have a girlfriend when I am a teenager? Or when I'm person who needs a person?". "Sure" I said

good intentions

2009-10-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

I have good intentions of blogging, you know a family history right? But time gets away with me and I like to put pictures on but they are still on my camera that is downstairs, the excuses go on and on. It is not my favorite thing to be at the computer. Today while watching a morning show they were talking about technology. ("I love technology, but not as much as you and me...") And they did a piece on a girl here in the valley that writes on about 8 different blogs, follows 80 blogs, twitters and follows tweets, and facebooks. She said "I try not to spend more than 2 hours a day on the computer." As I am trying not to judge I couldn't help thinking "holy crap, what a waist of time". It is important for me to get some blogs done so I can remember some of the fun things we have done and cute things that have been said. I wish I was better at it, but at the same time I am glad it does not consume me. What is important here is our interaction with people right? Am I nice to Steve and my kids. Do I spend time with them? Do we have fun and laugh? Am I a good friend? Do I watch out for my neighbors? Am I being responsible with my time? It was definitely something to think about.

Ivy the Great

2009-08-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

Since Ivy was born we have all enjoyed her sweet personality, she was calm and nice and just what I needed! Ivy is now 19 months old and is growing up so fast. Lately it seems that we are always laughing at Ivy and talking about how cute she is. This even from Andrew, who isn't all that generous with any compliment. I think Ivy and Andrew have something special going on... She will let him tackle her and wrestle her and even pick her up, normally she screams when others try to do this. Lately I have been thinking about how wonderful and fun she is and I am so glad she is mine. One of her new "tricks" is folding her arms at dinner and mumbling while someone says a prayer, it is so cute. This winter she will be 2, I can hardly believe it, but it is so fun to see her grow into such a fun little kid. I can't wait to experience more of life with her.

keepin' it real

2009-08-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

sometimes you read peoples blogs and they are all peaches and cream.... "oh, my kids are the best and we are always happy...." whatever. I would just like you to know that my kids can be toads, my laundry is not done, I just got a shower in (3:00pm), the dishwasher needs to be unloaded, my room is a disaster and I don't want to cook dinner tonight. Don't get me wrong, I am happy right now at this very moment, but there are times when I scream, yell and cuss like a sailor. My life is crazy with 3 kids and on some occasions 4 and sometimes I want to cry. And I have this hunch that there are many out there that feel the same way. Even little miss "my life is perfect" blogger. So here is a shout out to Keeepin' it Real!!!! Booya! I don't believe anyone that "seems" to be swimmin' in sugar and I don't expect you to think I do.

I forgot

2009-08-06T11:45:00.001-07:00

I forgot to post some pics from our 4th of July BBQ. My awesome neighbors Jenny and Jared Allen host a bbq for the 4th and luckily invited us this year. I thought I should have a fun activity for the kids to do while we waited for night to come and fireworks to glow. So after much thought I settled on shaving cream. Here's what you do.

1. Buy lots of shaving cream.

2. Set up a large tarp on your lawn.

3. Get the hose ready.

4. Let the kids loose with a can.

5. Watch and laugh.

18 months

2009-07-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

18 months means.... welcome to nursery, addicted to her binkie, can say Mom, Daddy, Drew, Ella, Daisy, Cookie, all done, binkie, car, baby, no, poopy, outside, uh oh and others I can't think of right now. Loves to play outside on her bike (oh that's another word she can say). Loves to play in the water even if it is just Daisy's water bowl or the toilet. Gives great kisses and hugs. Is loved by the whole neighborhood. When I go outside with her all I hear is "it's Ivy!". I love my Ivy Lucile, she is sweet as sugar. Here are a few funny pictures that Steve took of her the last time she went swimming. Notice the purple lips, she wouldn't get out of the pool even though she was freezing. I can't believe how big she is getting, she is now one of the kids, not so much my baby.

something cute Ella said

2009-07-20T11:50:00.001-07:00

The other day I asked Ella how she got to be so pretty and her response was "I don't know". Then I ask "Did Heavenly Father make you pretty?" and she said "No, you did. Heavenly Father doesn't know how to do ponies". I laughed and then wondered if he could do a good ponytail or not?

Ella's New Bike

2009-07-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

For Ella's birthday back in March we gave her a bike helmet and told her that we would go and let her pick out a bike. 4 months later we did. (What is our problem?) So off to the store we went and Steve lined up 5 bikes for Ella to choose from. There was the princess bike, one that said Cutie, a Barbie bike and a few others. Without hesitation she chose the Barbie bike and it was a great choice. It is pink and purple, has a backpack on the front, tassels on the handlebars and a Barbie bike that attaches to one of the handles that she can put her own Barbie in for a ride. Doesn't she look great?

Follower

2009-06-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

on my blog it says I have 1 follower, is that supposed to make me feel good?

sales pitch

2009-06-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

this morning Andrew came up to my room and woke me up with this... Mom, there is this vacum on tv you should get, it cleans using steam. And did you know our mop doesn't clean the floor? It just spreads around bacteria. You can use it on carpet and wood floors, you know how you want wood floors? It also cleans tile. Meanwhile I am saying "wow, really, cool" and when he told me about all the bacteria I laughed.

fun with cousins

2009-06-09T11:15:00.001-07:00

Ashley babysat for me a few weekends ago and I found these cute pictures on my camera. It looks like everyone had fun. Thanks Ashley for your help. I love and appreciate you so much.

see me climb

2009-06-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

I am hoping we can get through the summer without a broken arm or leg. Andrew loves to climb. I think he thinks it is manly and tough to do it. Sometimes I just have to look the other way when he is on his way over the fence to the neighbors, scares the you know what out of me. So I am just praying that he will be safe and survive the summer. I used to climb my fence all the time. Remember Ashlee? If I am correct I think it was on that fence that I said my first swear word... Remember Ashlee? My best buddy lived behind me and it was back and forth all day long. Poor fence, we would pull out boards and then hit them back into place. Oh the joys of being a kid.

Spring Recital

2009-05-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite poses. To me it says "I'm rockin"

Oh my heck Ella, you were awesome! I think we can all recall the sad story of Ella's winter dance recital, the tears that were shed... So Wednesday night was Ella's Spring Recital. She was excited. She had shown me a few of her moves and we had talked about being on stage and not getting nervous. So lucky us she had a dress rehearsal and then the performance which meant we got to see her do her dance 3 times and when I say she rocked the stage I mean she was absolutely awesome! She danced her little heart out, she did all the steps and knew just what she was doing. I couldn't be more happy for her. I have taken her to a few recital's of our neighbor girls and Ella dances all around, she just loves it. So yipee for Ella, it was a fun night. Love you Ella Rose Roger Bunzarellie!!!

playing catch up

2009-05-19T11:52:00.001-07:00

okay, I am going to try and catch up.... here is what we have been up to for the last month or so.

Andrew turned 6, I guess you already knew that but here are the pictures to prove it. 1st he had a family party.
   We played a cool game that Grandma Susie gave him.
   Then he had a friend party.
  Here he is scaling a wall, I was so proud.
We got to go the the dinosaur museum with grandma Warner and the "other" Warner family.
   Andrew and Ella are digging for bones.
   Ivy and cousin Ben playing with grandma at the water table.
   Then came Easter and of course coloring eggs.
   Andrew and Ella happy with their Easter baskets.
   And here is Ivy with her chocolate marshmallow bunny which I ate, thanks Ivy.
   I forgot to take their picture in their Easter clothes before church so this is as good as I got. Andrew in his undershirt.
   Later that day we went to the park for a picnic.
   And the kids searched for eggs, is that some sharing going on?
   Steve went on a trip so I took the kids down to Glenwood and dragged Ashley with me.
   Wyatt enjoying some lemonade in the shade.
   Silly kids, we had so much fun playing in the yard and going on the 4 wheeler.
   Andrew really handles the 4 wheeler well.... just kidding mom.
   It's so hard to leave, Ivy was really upset about the whole thing.
   It was a crazy car ride home, we needed another vacation after that!
   Ella freaked out and took her clothes off.
   How she can be so crazy on minute and cute the next is beyond me.
Andrew is signed up for baseball and having a great time. He really gets into the games yelling at the other kids to get the ball, throw the ball....
   He actually likes to play catcher and asks if he can, what a cool kid.

okay so now I am caught up.... few.... I will try to keep it that way :) Check ya later.

Happy Birthday Andrew (a month ago)

2009-04-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

on March 31st Andrew turned a whopping 6 years old, how crazy is that? He was very excited for this day to come and talked a lot about it and what kind of party he would have. Andrew was spoiled rotten and had a couple of parties and birthday cakes. We had family over for one of them and then Andrew and his friends went rock climbing for the other. What an awesome thing it is to see 6 year old boys scaling a 30 foot wall and ring the bell when they got to the top. You know me, I got a little teary eyed, I was so proud of them. It was a fun party. The best was driving the boys over to Dimple Dell, there was a lot of talk about poop, pee, throw up, butts.... Anyway... we love Andrew and it is great to see him grow. He is reading and writing sentences. He even wrote a book and read it to his class. It was called "The Man in the Dip". He loves to play legos and watch Indiana Jones. He has great friends around, we are so happy to have about 6 6 year old boys within a couple of streets. He just started playing baseball and does a great job hitting the ball. I would also like to brag that on most days he makes his bed in the morning before school. He is a good brother and watches out for his sisters and is always willing to have Ella tag along with him and his friends. I love Andrew, he is my buddy. I'm afraid that all his sarcasm has come from his mother, I am trying to work on that. Happy Birthday Andrew!

(why do I always have trouble uploading pictures? those will come later I guess)

creepy

2009-04-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I was at the gym running in the the Media Room, this is where they play movies in a dark cool room while you work out. So "Laura Croft Tomb Raider" just ended when I got there and "White Noise 2" was the movie that followed. Holy Crap! I am sorry but running in a very dark room where you can't even see the person next to you clearly while a scary movie is playing is ridiculous! my 30 minute run seemed like an eternity, I couldn't wait to get the heck out of there.

Dear Golds Gym,

Maybe next time play a movie that doesn't scare the crap out of people.

Love, Andrea

Happy Birthday Ella

2009-03-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

On March 18th Ella Rose turned 4 years old. She said "look at me mom, I'm bigger. I'm just like Paige except I have bangs." I just don't quite know what to say about this girl. She is beautiful and fun and crazy and ornery all at the same time. I love watching her grow up, it seems life gets a little easier for her as she gets older. She is a smart cookie. She loves Preschool and has done so well with her teacher and classmates. She is independent and loves to get her homework done. She loves to sing and dance. She knows all the words to all the cd's I have in the car, including "Senorita" by Justin Timberlake. She loves her dance and tumbling class. Her teacher told me that she was frustrated with the other girls because they were goofing off. She said "Nobody is listening!" with her arms folded across her chest. I took her to the highschool dance concert and after every dance she turned to me and said "more?", it lasted 2 hours and she couldn't get enough of it. She is sweet to her sister Ivy and try's to help out. I love it when I hear her call her "babe". The funniest thing Ella has said to me and keeps repeating everyday is "I don't like you mom, I love you, but I don't like you". This is usually yelled at me after I get made at her for being naughty. I find myself thinking the same thing about her sometimes..... Anyway, this is my Ella and one day she will rule the world. Believe me, she could.

Lame O

2009-03-13T10:28:00.001-07:00

I was at Target the other day picking up a few things, toilet paper, soap, you know just stuff. When I went to go get some razors I noticed the kind I get had a few new ones to choose from. I get the Bic Soleil disposables, their nice. So here were my new choices, I could go with the Twighlight, the Bella, or just their normal one. Hmmmm..... what a decision I had on my hands. So after some prayer and thought I chose Bella. The strange thing is after shaving my legs I started to feel extremely self concious and clumsy. I even slipped while exiting the shower and smacked my head on the towel rack.

global warming

2009-03-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

the kids and I went to the library recently and one of the books we got was called "The Wumps". It is a cute little story about the Wumps who are furry animals that live in a perfect world of trees, grass and streams. One day they are invaded by the Pollutians from the planet Pollutant, the wumps are scared of them and hide in a cave. While they are in the cave they hear a lot of noise above. The Pollutians are busy building freeways, sKyscrapers, apartment buildings, offices and more roads. They are dumping their garbage into the streams. Anyway, soon the Pollutians are coughing and sneezing and having a hard time breathing and so they go to their World Cheif. He sends guys off to find another world to live in and once they find it the Pollutians pack up and leave. the Wumps come out of the cave and are sad at what happened to their world. Cheery story isn't it? anyway, when we were reading and we got to the coughing and sneezing part Andrew said "that's because of all the carbon dioxide".

I am I am

2009-03-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

when Ella goes to the bathroom it is an ordeal... she takes most if not all her clothes off, hops on and off of the toilet, uses gobs of toilet paper, yells at me and refuses to wash her hands. We are all now happy that she understands that privacy is important and at least closes the door. We have a hall bathroom that is right off the kitchen. On most nights during dinner she has to use the toilet. What used to happen was she would go in and not close the door and Steve would have a straight shot of her "tenders" (that is what Andrew has named his privates), this is of course not good for the appetite. Anyway... tonight after using the potty Ella came out with just her flower stretch pants on and no shirt. This is unusual because it is normally shirt and no pants. I decided to let it go 'cause I get sick of fighting her. okay, no joke, at this very moment Ella is out of bed and on the potty! ha! okay back to the story. Tonight we were watching Nacho Libre and Andrew says "hey Ella, you look like Nacho Libre". We laughed and then just a few moments later she stands with her legs apart, twists her body to look at us and sticks out her butt. She is a crazy crack up.

the sun'll come up

2009-02-23T18:48:00.000-08:00

This last weekend I watch Annie with the kids, isn't Punjab the best? The embarrassing part is that I cried through most of it. "Let's go to the movies!" "We've got Annie!" oh the memories....

We got to take a trip to go see Steves' awesome sister Michelle and her family in New Orleans. I am so glad we went it was a great time. We walked the French Quarter, ate bengiette's (I don't know how to spell that), played at the park, had Po Boys, toured the 9th ward, and just hung out. It was a lot of fun and we love the Kohler family, thanks Michelle, Rob, Sam and Wesley!

out of his mind

2009-02-03T08:26:00.001-08:00

poor andrew is sick and a little out of his mind. it started with a fever sunday night, at one time in the night he called me in his room and said "I told them to stop fighting", I said "okay, go back to sleep". then yesterday while he was sitting on the couch he pointed to the wall and said "I think the house is falling apart right there". I was hoping he would be better by today but it looks like we have another day to go.