It's a first!!!

Thanks to her father, who is a dentist, who told her that this tooth was loose AT LEAST 9 months ago...it has been very, very hard to wait for this little tooth to finally fall out! But, the day finally came and this little girlie didn't walk anywhere the rest of the night...she skipped! She pulled it out all by herself after a few "technical" tips from her father (twist around and pull up)!

The very special "Glow-In-The-Dark-Norris-Family-Tooth-Pillow" that has lovingly held every tooth both of my girlies have lost, plus a few extras from cousins who decided to loose teeth while at our house.

One question...is it ok for the tooth fairy to borrow a dollar from Aunt Linda because she was a little unprepared for the big event and honestly & truly didn't have $1 in the house?

I love...

I love every year when "Kamie Day" rolls around. Once a year my aunt Kamie hosts a backyard gathering extraordinaire. We were so sad this year because the party was scheduled back in June and there was no way(because of this crazy office :) that we could make it. We were thrilled, to say the least, when Kamie changed the date to the 4th of July because then we could make an ultra quick trip up and be there! By ultra quick I mean...leave Friday, party Saturday, come home Sunday. But we LOVED every minute of it and we were glad we went! Also, a giant thank you to Zane and Jamey for letting us stop in for a last minute visit...we LOVE YOU GUYS!

This year's Kamie day began with family photos...gotta love those :) There was a smudge on my lens so they look a little cloudy, but luckily we were using KayLynn's camera for the "for real" pictures not my little smudged one.

All the grandkids....seriously can we freeze this moment in time?!?

How they REALLY feel about standing nice and still for a photo when they'd rather be jumping in Kamie's pool that was calling their name!

Oldest to youngest...

Kamie...the hostest with the mostest and her great friend Peggy!

Loved the waterslide...

Loved the cookies that I ate WAY too many of...

Loved the neighbor who let the kids play on their swingset (even though they'll never know...let Sydney steal one of their beautiful raspberries...she couldn't control herself :)

Love that the adults are as into the BINGO game as the kids...

Love that KayLynn's face looks so serous in this picture...she REALLY wants to win one of Kamie's prizes (come on...who doesn't want a giant pen from Staples)!

Love that Bryleen loves this doggie and spoils him like there's no tomorrow. I also love that he loves her right back!!!

Love craft projects of many shapes and sizes for kids of any age!

I loved this day...I really did! I loved hanging out with my family. I love the 4th of July. I love a giant shady tree to relax under. I love a huge delicious bowl of fruit salad and corn on the cob. I love sparklers and I love Kamie. Thank You!!! Can't wait 'til next Kamie Day :)

Tradition....Tradition!

For many years now my entire family has been meeting for a mini-vacation down in St. George. Exactly how many years has this tradition been happening? I can't quite remember, I do know that Kallie was a baby when the annual gathering began (I think...). But we look forward to it all year long! Each year my sisters and our spouses go to the plays at the outdoor Tuacahn Theater while grandma & grandpa keep all 9 grandkids in their hotel room. They do projects, they watch movies, they walk to McDonalds for ice cream...my girls LOVE going to grandma & grandpa's hotel room. This year we saw the plays "Annie" and "Footloose". Very fun and we are already excited about going next year. THANKS GRANDPA & GRANDMA!!!

Kallie & Syd have been dying for some snorkeling gear & Target just happened to have some on sale for a really good price down in St. George. I walked all the way back to our room to get my camera because I couldn't pass up this photo!

Glad I went and got it or I would have missed this cute face too! I tried to get one with all the girls together, but they didn't turn out so well :)

I didn't really take any more pictures of the trip until Sunday when we met my parents in Zions. We have an annual pass that expires in August so we figured we had to get at least one more trip in before then.

Here we all are just hanging out in the shade & enjoying the entertainment of rushing tour busses that stop & unload tons of Asian people with cameras. They take a few shots & a quick look around and fast as lightning they are back on the bus and on their way. Very fun to watch!

You just can't quite grasp the magnitude of this overlook. It is AMAZING! No photo can do it justice...just head down and see it for yourself!

My girl is growing up...sniff...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again- Dan is freakishly strong for his small size :)

What a fun trip, we're so glad we got to go and get away from our craziness even just for a couple of days! Thanks again Mom & Dad!

Things I've learned...

**I've learned...that I've really been neglecting my blog. Things have been so busy lately, but I know we all feel that way about our lives. No matter where we live, no matter how many kids we have, no matter how big our house is, no matter if we work or not...life is crazy! I find myself wondering how to fit all the "most important" things into each day...I have yet to find the answer.

**I've learned that when you're out at 6:00 in the morning jogging with your hubby you need to keep an eye out for rattle snakes that might be sitting right on the side of the trail. You might not even know they're there until they start shaking their rattler at you. Just when you think you can't jog another step...somehow you muster up the strength to do it :)

**I've learned that it's probably not the best idea to try and cut your own children's hair just to save a few dollars. There is a reason that people go to school to do this. Also, if it doesn't look quite right, stop...and drive to the nearest salon...DON'T KEEP CUTTING!

**I've learned that this is the reason I love Sunday afternoons...

**I've learned that just because your kids save up their very own money to buy hermit crabs that you just might leave the pet store with something totally different. You just might wonder what your hubby will say when he gets home to find these very different looking "hermit crabs"... (meet Sunshine & Sky)

**I've learned that pet birds are actually pretty fun to have around. They weren't that fun hanging out in the kitchen, but they're perfect in the front room where we can see them and hear them but it's not quite as loud as the kitchen.

**I've learned (especially over the last year) how grateful I am for my dad & Dan's dad. Sometimes when you're feeling a little lost it's such an amazing, reassuring blessing to know that there is always someone you can call. Even if he's in the middle of something at work, he always seems to have a minute right when you need him to. To quote Elder Ballard: "Some of life's most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before you. They have walked where you are walking & have experienced many of the things you are experiencing. If you listen & respond to their counsel, they can guide you toward choices that will be for your benefit & blessing & steer you away from decisions that can destroy you. As you look to your parents & others who have gone before you, you will find examples of faith, commitment, hard work, dedication, & sacrifice that you should strive to duplicate." Dan said as we were driving away from church on Sunday, "My dad & your dad are two of the best people I know. They are true examples of hard work, dedication and total honesty." Dad & Lanny...we love you and consider you and your beautiful wives some of our very, very greatest blessings.

(I stole your picture Rach...I hope you don't mind :)

**I've also learned that I love this guy A LOT! Sometimes struggles bring you way closer than you were before. Sometimes working together makes you proud of your hubby for what he does and how he does it. Sometimes you need someone to make you laugh when you're really not in the mood. Sometimes your kids miss him a lot when he's gone late at night and it's a very touching experience hearing them sincerely pray for him. Happy Father's Day!

**And last but not least...I've learned that even when it's 102 degrees outside the hot tub still fills good after a swim in the pool! Come visit me and see for yourself! Happy Tuesday :)

Another day at the office...

Let me begin by apologizing for the poor quality of these pictures. They were taken with Dan's 'office' camera which is specialized for intra-oral pictures and you can tell! But it was the only camera around so I took them anyway! Also...Photobucket's site was out on maintenance so they're little too!

Anyway...just thought you'd like to know what my girls do on Saturday mornings at the office. They shut the door to the break room, tell us not to come in and find ways to entertain themselves. As you can tell from the extremely proud expressions on their faces, they are pretty thrilled with their work of art!!!

Their "castle" had a store inside, just in case you wanted to buy a rice krispie treat :)



Then they migrated to the waiting room. We only had one patient left and he is in his 70's and he thought the girls were adorable and he was fascinated with their "projects". Syd's castle...

Kallie's castle complete with a flag and everything. Wait a minute (you say) what IS Syd doing in that picture???

Let's zoom in for a closer look! We all laughed & laughed and laughed some more over this one. (Don't tell her I put it on my blog)


Here is Syd laughing at herself over the whole "captured on film" moment!
Word to the wise...don't drink out of the cups at our office!

You need a...

BUDGET!

Keep reading...don't give up on this post just because I said the "B" word!

For the last few months I've been on the hunt for the perfect budgeting software. Up to this point I've been using (you guessed it) a good old pen and paper. And while there's nothing wrong with this method, I figured I might as well take advantage of the ease and accuracy of modern technology.

The only problem was that after I asked a bunch of people what program they used, I didn't find anyone who LOVED their current system. I found people who were using Microsoft Money, Quicken etc...but everybody I talked to had certain concerns about the various programs they were using.

So I got online and Googled "Microsoft Money" and began a search for a budget program that would work for my little family and our oh-so-tight budget.

I quickly came across a program called "YNAB" or You Need a Budget. I got on their website and read about it, watched a bunch of the tutorials, read the testimonials etc, I even sent an email to my mom so she could check it out and give me her opinion.

Anyway...I ended up spending the $50 to buy the YNAB Pro software, downloaded it immediately and I have been LOVING it ever since. No, I am not being paid for this advertisement, I just know how great this has been for Dan and I over the last few months and I wanted to share. I know there are a lot of us out there who are having to be really careful with our finances right now and this program is very user friendly, the tutorials are very helpful and I've even emailed a few questions and have gotten a reply very quickly.

If you already have a system that is working great for you then ignore this post, but if not I would go check this website out:

youneedabudget.com

I wanted to use it for a while before I felt comfortable recommending it to others, but now I can safely say that I love it and it has made my life so much easier!

Wait for it...

A few months ago I heard the announcement that Taylor Swift was coming in concert to Mandalay Bay on May 23rd. I thought to myself, "Oh man...would my little girls love to go to that concert!" As soon as the tickets went on sale I got online 'just to check'. But when I saw the ticket prices, even for the nose bleed section, I knew it wasn't going to happen. Poor us...

Last week I even got an email from Amanda telling me that someone was advertising 2 Taylor Swift tickets in the Mt. Express. I checked it out...$175 for 2 tickets. My response was, "I'm sure my girls would love to go, but I'm buying two weeks of groceries with that money instead."

However, for the past couple of days I've been a Craig's List stalker...just checking to see if anyone got desperate to dump their tickets. Last night the prices started to drop, I even woke Dan up from the dead of sleep to tell him how low the prices were and to beg him to agree to going. He said, "I love you honey, but we can't afford it." (name the conference talk)

All day the prices dropped, but I kept getting the "NO" from my wise hubby. Then at 7:15 (the show started at 7:30) I saw a posting that said 'cheap, make an offer'. So I called. I asked, "How much?" He said, "$55 a ticket". I said, "Ok, no thank you." He said, "Hold on...it's late make me an offer. $100 for all four tickets and they're yours." I said, "I already found some for $100 and my hubby said no." He said, "Name a price." So I did, and he declined and I hung up and gave up. Two minutes later my phone rang and he said, "We'll take it. I'm emailing you the tickets right now."

Ha! Yay! So we ALL went to Taylor Swift for the original price of ONE ticket! Can you tell I'm a little proud of myself. True we shouldn't have spent any money on the tickets at all, but I will just "borrow" it out of my grocery budget next month. Who needs to eat anyway? Besides...memories last WAY longer than food! If you could have seen my girlies faces (and I must admit mine too) you would have agreed with me that it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! If we look a little thinner next month you'll know why :)

Even though we were making the mad dash...we had to stop in front of the bus for one photo!

My girls are a little....shall we say, 'sound sensitive'. Ears were plugged for the ENTIRE concert!

But they were happily plugged that's for sure!

Pretty darn good seats for 15 mins before show time...

And low and behold in the middle of the concert, who should appear right at our sections entrace?!? I know it's a bad picture..but we couldn't believe she was singing right in front of us.

Lesson learned...never pay full price for tickets. What a great show, we loved every minute of it! How fun that we can all enjoy a concert together...will we be able to say the same thing when the girls are teenagers???

Yoo Hoo...

We're still alive and well, just a little too much coming and going and not enough time to blog it. My girls are off track and we've been here a little and there a little...just wanted to let you know we were still kickin'.

The happenings that I haven't blogged about (yet)...

*Dan's 35th b-day
*Mother's Day
*Quick visit from Diane and family
*Girls trip to Phoenix
*Dan & I trip to Phoenix to pick up girls
*Iowa friends passing through town :)

And right now...I'm in Utah for a few short days for Dan's brother's wedding. (Poor, poor Dan had to stay in Vegas and work :(

I'll update (with photos) soon!

Turned 9 in '2009'!

Kallie did it. Without permission from her mother, she went and got another year older. Why? Why must these little ones grow up too fast? Can we please just freeze this moment in time forever? I probably won't say that when they're teenagers...but for now I wish time could just stand still.

So the festivities went as follows (in chronological order):

Friday (May 1st) we skipped out of work a little early (after a major chemical spill at the office courtesy of Syndey- but that is a WHOLE other story for another day...or not). At Kallie's request we packed up the car and headed for a 1 1/2 day, 1 night mini get-a-way to St. George! I must admit we were all ready for a fun change of scenery.

Here is Kallie opening her present that Grandma Patti & Grandpa Charlie mailed her. She was too excited to wait until her birthday and grandma gave in and told her she could open it early.

'BOLT'...yay! A new movie to watch during the drive :)

We were so excited to have Sam & Maci come stay in the hotel with us for the birthday celebration. By the time we made it through Vegas traffic and visited with Nate and Jeni for a while, we were too late to go swimming on Friday night. We walked across the parking lot to Wendy's and got frosties instead. But first thing Saturday morning, you can bet what was on these girls' mind! They swam and swam until we had to check out of the hotel :(

For lunch Kallie picked Pizza Factory and I wasn't complaining! Yum! Had to get a picture of their matching hair do's! (courtesy of the hair blog once again)

This one's for you Amy...a picture of beeeeeautiful Jeni 29 weeks pregnant with little girl #3.

Next we were off to Fiesta Fun for a little minature golf (look online...buy one get one free coupons, hooray)!

Dan being the golf "bumper". Let's just say we didn't necessarily play by the rules :)

Last stop at Fiesta Fun...the bumper boats! These were hilarious, they shot water out the front and by the end everyone was SOAKED! I wish you all could have witnessed them in person.

Look at Syd's face, she has been taken over by the bumper boat demon :)

Sunday, as is tradition, breakfast in bed! This was tough to make on fast Sunday (we decided the b-day girl didn't have to fast on her b-day).

Sydney was the honored guest at the breakfast in bed party!

Sunday night we invited a few friends over for cake & presents. Don't ask me what's wrong with me...I forgot to get pictures of the whole crew. Here is Kallie working hard on her barbie cake. No comments from those of you out there who are professional cake decorators (you know who you are), Kallie had tons of fun with the frosting.

Finished product...Kallie was thrilled to say the least! And if she's happy...I'm happy!

Happy Birthday dear Kallie...Happy Birthday to you!

Can't help but think about life exactly one year ago, it feels like a whole lifetime ago. Kallie got baptized, we put our house up for sale and we were preparing for the big move. What a crazy year... Oh how we love you Kallie Ann!!!