Happy Birthday Grandmas

I have two wonderful grandma's who have birthdays one day apart! Grandma Hansen's birthday was yesterday, and grandma Allen's birthday is today. You would think this should make it easy on me to remember, but I wrote them on the wrong days on my calendar, and so I called grandma Allen a day early, and grandma Hansen a day late! Doh! I sure look up to both of these wonderful ladies. They both have made a tremendous impact on my life and what kind of person I want to be. As you can see by the pictures, they are both wonderful to my children, and they both have the touch, all my kids love them dearly.
Grandma Carma Allen is who Hadlie Carma is named after, and Grandma LaRayne Hansen is who Ryllie LaRayne is named after. We want our kids to know that we named them after these two women because they are so important to us, and we would love them to grow to emulate them.
Grandma Hansen: thank you for all the fun visits, and for helping me with my kids, and for making me toast during the girls dance classes, and for unforgettable Sunday dinners, and for all the cooking lessons, and for the pep talks! We always listen, because you always have good advice! We love you!
Grandma Allen: thank you for all the times you took care of me, and for life lessons that will NEVER be forgotten. I still remember the family home evening lesson you taught me when I was 11 years old on finding good in others. You are a wonderful example to me!

Bling Bling

Cy & Grandpa Hansen modeling some gorgeous clip on earrings! Never a dull moment with grandma and grandpa Hansen.

The Rock Show!

"Who's playing?" I thought the same thing too when dad invited me to a Rock show. But wrong kind of rock, it was literally a rock show with rocks and fossils of all kinds, and it was seriously cool! While Casey & Ryllie were out at the shooting range last Saturday, my dad, Kenice, and I took the kids to a rock show and afterwards to a park for a picnic and playtime. The rock show was really fascinating, and dinosaurs roamed the big room. My kids loved it, and even got to take a bag of rocks home along with some rock candy. I use to do cool stuff like this all the time with my dad when I was a kid, and it was so fun to go with him with my kids. It seems that time keeps slipping by and I don't get to spend as much time with my dad like I use to. Thanks dad for more wonderful memories with you. I sure love you!

Ryllie is a Dead Eye!

Cute Ryllie got to spend a day with dad, Grandpa Mike, and Uncle Brady at the shooting range. She always has fun with her dad, and Casey loves that she likes to do so many of the things he likes to do. I love this picture with her ears poking out from the hat. So cute! Anyway, Casey said that she was a dead eye at the shooting range, and they had a great time.

The Daring Deacons!

Casey is the deacon quorum advisor in the Young Men's program for our ward, and the past six months, the boys had been trying to earn a party. Well, the party finally happened at our house last Friday, and the boys were so fun! They had a major game night with a TV set up out on the deck for video games, and guitar hero and Rock band set up inside, board games at the table, pizza and drinks on the bar, the hot tub out back, a soda chugging contest, and to top it off the jumping off my ledge into the giant love sac event. Check out the pictures, these boys really know how to have fun!

Averi's & Kleoy's Fiesta!

Happy Birthday Kloey!

Happy Birthday Averi!

The St.George crew (minus dad who had to work) came up for a quick visit, so we decided to celebrate Averi & Kloey's birthday at Crysta's house. Crysta made us some awesome fajitas and tacos, and these White Chocolate dipped cookies that were sinfully delicious. We all had fun fighting over hand me downs from Kaysha's kids (they always have the cutest clothes), jumping on the tramp, checking out all the cute decor in Crysta's new house, and watching mom be the cutest grandma ever (Hadlie was loving her).

McKenna (Ashley's), Averi (Crysta's), Maddux (mine), Kaylie (Mitsy's), Kloey (Mitsy's), Nora (Kaysha's), Ryllie (mine), Dallin (Kenice's), and Cy (mine).

Jannell, Javin, Kenice sportin their cool glasses!

I'm Not Irish- But Kiss Me Anyway

That is what the shirt says that my cute, single friend Breanne is wearing today. The Folkman's had us over for a St. Patrick's Day dinner on Sunday. We had green jello, green rice krispies, green pasta, green salad, green punch, green key lime pie, and pink ham. Can't do much to make ham green, and if you did, I don't think anyone would eat it, except maybe Dr. Suess. Laura planned a coloring contest, and each person won a green treat and a card. One lucky person got a card with $20 in it. Who do you think got it? Yep, Ryllie as usual. She always seems to get the money! It's hilarious! Rachel and Breanne were laughing and rolling their eyes when Ryllie got it again. Rachel says, "You have got to be kidding me!" Ryllie has found the egg with the money in it at their Easter hunt the last 2 or 3 years. Pretty funny.

Corbin has started playing drums and his set is in the unfinished basement. My kids love going down there to play dressups, and by the time we found the kids, they were in dressups AND playing the drums. Cy was loving the drums. This is the first time I've tried blogging a video clip, so here goes. I think this clip is hilarious!

Now here is Hadlie and the fam jamming. She's got some skills too!

9 Years!

Casey & I had our 9 year anniversary on March 7th. We decided that because we just came home from a sweet trip to Costa Rica that we were not going to do our traditional weekend getaway to Manti. We were able to go to the temple in the morning, and then Casey took me to Thanksgiving Point's The Harvest Restaurant. I LOVE their butternut squash soup there, it is HEAVEN! Afterwards we went to Cabela's.......

Okay, I should have seriously stopped the story there because it makes me sound like a rockin wife! Going to Cabela's on our anniversary date, how cool am I? No really, we actually enjoy going there every once in a while. But, when we got home, I got to pick the movie, so all really was fair, and I'm not that rockin... oh wait, yes I am!

Well, here is a picture of our blissful day 9 years ago. The day was gorgeous, it apparantly snowed the day before we got married, and the day after, but on our day it was beautiful. I'm thankful for a temple marriage, I'm thankful for marrying such a good man, and I'm thankful for all Casey does for our family.

Good Friends

I mentioned that my family was sick for a couple of weeks. We have all been feeling better for about a week now, and I have been thinking a lot about my friends and neighbors, and have been feeling like I ought to write my thoughts down. While I was sick, I was brought bread by my dear friend Darci, I was called and checked up on by my other dear friends Renee, Kristin, and Julie. My friend and neighbor Michelle is always willing to help me out with Cy. Renee picked up some chicken at the store for me so I wouldn't have to leave the house sick. My friends and neighbors Sara and Julie let Maddux play at their houses for hours. Etc., Etc., Etc.,

I could go on & on about the service and love I have received by all my good friends in the neighborhood. I feel so priveleged to live in this neighborhood and to have friends that look out for me, and I want them to know how grateful I am to have them in my life. When Casey and I were looking for homes, we drove down the street to look at this house, and neighbors were out waving at us as we drove by. We knew instantly that we needed to be here.

I know Heavenly Father has blessed our family so much through the actions and love shown by our ward family.

4 birthdays on March 5th- I know, I know, it's crazy, but true!

I have 4 very special people in my life who all share the same birthday, so here is a birthday shout out (a couple days late) to my BFF Erin, to my sweet sister Mitsy Angel, to my 2nd mom Laura Folkman, and to my Uncle Carey.

Erin: You have been a true friend since we were 11! Holy cow, it's been 22 years of pure Erin heaven! I couldn't have asked for a better friend and influence in my life, I feel very blessed to have you as my friend. You have always inspired me to be a better person. Thank you for loving me and all my wierdness! I love you.

Mitsy: My baby sister! I really thought you were my baby when we were young. I was always so proud to show you off to my friends. And now you have as many kids as me! Where does the time go? I am 8 years older than you, so while I was off to college you were still in jr. high, but now that we are older I am grateful that we are such close friends. I love you Chinny Chin Chin!

Laura: You have treated me like a daughter! I will forever be grateful for Terry's call to me when I was 19 years old asking me if I could help out her boss's wife with tutoring her children and light housework. We met, and we just clicked! There are few people that you meet and KNOW that they are meant to be in your life, and that was you for me. I love you!

Carey: Casey always has fun stories about you and Kelly growing up. I wish I saw you more often! You ought to come on the deer hunt this next year. I would love it! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!