Girls Cruise!

I had the chance to break a way from my normal crazy life, to spend four days with all of my sisters and parents!! We decided this year, instead of a big family reunion we would go on a cruise! All seven of us sister(counting my sister-in-laws) and my parents stole away, boarded a carnival cruise to mexico and played! It was so fun to not have to worry about kids, bedtimes, homework, cleaning, and just have fun together! We ate as much ice cream, pizza, and snacks as we could, stayed up late talking and laughing, going to shows, and playing in the freezing cold! We all flew into California to board the boat but with my luck i was the one who almost didn't make it! I had boarded a shuttle in st george at 4am shuttled three hours to the Las Vegas Airport, getting there at 6am i had plenty of time to catch my flight that left at 8 but at 8:15 they cancelled my flight and told us that we needed to go to the front desk to reschedule your flight! it was my main fear coming to life and i rushed to get in line! Being the 10th passenger in line (of almost 130) i was nervous if they could get me there and after waiting in line for over an hour with out any movement i was almost in tears! i had to arrive in california by 3 or the boat would leave without me! I luckily had some people around me who felt sorry for me that i was potentially going to miss this huge even after leaving my five children home and got me to the front of the line! The man at the desk was skeptical that i would make it there in time but was able to get me a flight at noon and i took it! i still stressed about making it to port but my sisters set up a shuttle (because i had already missed mine to the port) and with only a half an hour to spare i made it on to the ship! i was so happy to be on that boat!! We had three rooms fairly close to each other (mom and dad in one, cristeen, Marie, and caralee in another, and kari, caetie, devey, and me in the last) the boat was super rocky and a few of us got a bit sea sick but it was such an amazing weekend! i would do it again in a heartbeat and i loved the chance that i was able to spend it with all of famiy! I had some friends, karen allen, and jessica seal watching the kids when i left friday morning, brandon was home on the weekend and Minnie wilkins watched them on Monday as i traveled home, We left 32 kids at home, seven husbands, and lots of housework!

Mothers Day!

It was bright outside! it didnt go well!

 I got the adorable out door bench that we were all sitting on! i love it!!

Coletons Baptism!

Coletons Baptism!

Coleton was Baptised!!

The day turned out wonderful! we had Brandons parents and grandparents attend, the McIllraths family(who drive the boys to school), Brians and Jessica Seal Family, Karen and Mike Allen family, and one of coleton's best friends and school, Ornesto!

We had Brandons dad speak on the holy Ghost, Brandon spoke on Baptism, Lorna Wiser (Coletons' great-grandmother did a beautiful musical number and played the piano, I lead the singing (and was asked to do a surprise bearing of my testimony), our primary president Anna mead said a few words,  and Brother Bryant of our bishopric conducted! I was so sweet! We came back to the house and had a luncheon even though it had been crazy rain weather but it turned out wonderful (though it was freezing out!)

Door Decorating

Since my boys attend a charter school down the street, I am expected to volunteer 40 hours through out the year! Though it might seem like a pain, I have actually loved that I am pushed to go and help the school my kids attend! I know everyone is busy and I can say that it's hard to find a sitter for my three girls at home while I volunteer but I have loved helping the teachers and seeing my kids and their friends at school! Normally, I help in the lunchroom but today I got to decorate Coletons classroom door for teacher appreciation week 😉 We love our boys teachers, Ms. Woodcock and Mrs. Lebaron!

Walker

I am not one to get emotionally attached to things! I love de-junking my house and throwing things away but for some reason this item is catching me! Madi is officially walking everywhere and since I have loved getting rid of all this baby stuff I won't use again, I know it needs to go, but... This is the only item that we have had that every kid used, and A lot!! Coleton would run in it as fast as he could then lift his legs and slide across the floor like a car racer, Hayden would give Coleton rides with it, Brooklyn would try following me but cry and cry because she would get stuck in the tile grout and be taken different directions, Kenzie explored our new house in it while I unpacked, and Madi sat in it to be kept safe from Kenzie! It's always been around and I feel like it's been a huge part of our life, which is crazy! I am sadly going to miss it, though i am so excited to have it gone! I won't have to continually push it out of my way, I won't have siblings use it as a rocket and ram it into my walls while a kid is in it, and I will never have another child run over my feet again! (man does that hurt) As things change and my kids get older, I get more excited that they are growing up because having 5 kids in 6 years has been sooo hard but then getting rid of things like this that make me think about how much fun we have had! So even though I feel like it's part of the family, it's on to better days with a new little family that hopefully will get some good use out of it!❤️

Pizza Eaters

Took my kids to pickup pizza tonight. Made a ten minute stop at a friends house, and when we got back in the van we found two empty boxes, and five kids with messy faces but no idea what happened.

#lifewithfivekids

Coletons 8th Birthday!

He is 8yrs old!! and he even made his own birthday cake!