ZAPINATOR

I was busy raking leaves today when Camden came out and said "Get ready to be impressed"! I was scared of what he was ready to impress me with. I went to the garage to find the ZAPINATOR! No camera to prove the insanity of the zapinator. All I can say is that I'm just glad my boys are all still alive. This thing had a cardboard box full of water and other random things. It looks like he put soap in it. He had a cord running from the box up to the plug in the wall! Craziness in this house!

SOME STUFF....

Keaton has this cute little face that you just can't say no to. He also sucks us in to giving into his every need with his soft little voice. When we sit down for dinner or tell him to go to bed he always politely tells us "no thank you", while smiling the cutest smile & showing his dimple (the one that his Aunt Heather said she could eat a bowl of cereal out of). His cousin Tanner once said "I just love how random Keaton is". I've paid attention to his randomness ever since. Today he said, "I don't like Dr. Laura but I love Hannah Montanna" & "I can feel the water dancing in my tummy". He's my little buddy that pretty much hangs out with me & talks to me ALL day long. I love him!

Kody & Lady have become best friends. I'm convinced that Kody doesn't realize that Lady is not human. He talks & plays with her like he does with his brothers. Kody has also been a very nice two year old! I hope he keeps it up because it's really not fun for any of us when he's not happy. He has a Batman action figure in his hand at all times. DO NOT try & take of his "cake" (cape) or he'll freak out.

Camden is in desperate need of a hair cut & maybe even some extra one on one attention. I was getting after Caleb in the car today because he was losing his temper on Camden. I warned Camden to quit bugging Caleb because Caleb freaks out. A Caleb freak out usually includes a very red & angry face along with some hair pulling, throw downs & punches. He does NOT hold back! Camden said "Mom, I just can't help my teasing temper right now". He's definitely been the teasing machine lately & sometimes I think this is a cry out for some extra love and attention.

Caleb made a great a shot at the basketball game tonight. I wasn't there to see it because I was at New Moon. He was so cute and even a little shy when he told me about it. He's loving reading. I'd keep blogging but Jason is waiting in line for the computer so I must go.

HAPPIER IN A MESS- WE STILL HAVE SHADY LADY- CHEESE

LAME that I have to use Jason's phone to take a picture to blog, hence the poor quality. I've known for about 5 years now that Camden is happier in a mess. I took an hour out of my day yesterday to clean it MY way. This is what it looks like this morning! I knew he was making a mess in there last night but I had to let it happen because apparently it makes him happy. I can't complain too much though because he let his brothers in his room & entertained them with craft time for a few hours. The TV is off limits right now because it's just been on way to much & the noise of it was bugging me.

I've had some people ask if we still have our dog & the answer is YES. She pulled up some landscape tarp in the back yard & she's been a little naughty here and there but we still love her! She's really cute and has the best personality. She only gets to run around free in the house once in a while. For the most part she's outside or in her kennel. The kids LOVE for her helps me forgive her when she does something naughty. This is also the first dog we've ever had that listens to ME & not Jason. She's run out the door a few times & she stops when I yell. None of the other dogs respected me. She's a keeper.

Just have to blog this for my memory. Kody thinks all food is called cheese. He loves cheese sticks so whenever I'd open the fridge I would say "want some cheese". Now he brings me food from the pantry and asks me to open the cheese. A few things he says lately are...
what ya doing, Keaton hit me in the head mom, good dog lady, I fawt, I ya you, I awake, don't hurt me, be nice to me. He's still a stinker but lately he's been a much nicer two year old! Thank goodness because he was pretty mean & pissy to all of us for quite a while.

GRANDFATHER

This morning Keaton kept asking for Fadooo. I had no idea what he was talking about until he said "I just want my Grandfadooo to come back". I guess he's decided calling him "Pa" was too short. Keaton is missing Grandpa. It looks like we need to make a trip to St. George to see him.

DINNER TIME

I posted 14 EASY recipes here. They are all recipes that my family likes! I'm not a big fan of beef or cream of mushroom & chicken soups, but after interviewing my family I've learned that the things they love have those ingredients in them. I'm sick of wasting my precious time & money cooking things I like but they don't like. I'm just going to rotate through these 14 EASY recipes. I'll change it up here and there, but for now those will be my basic recipes for easy reference. If you want to try them go here. They all have 14 day menu in the title & are listed throughout the blog. I made a list of every single ingredient those recipes will need so I can refer to it when I'm going to the store. I was happy because today I went to Walmart & the cream of chicken & mushroom soups were on sale and so was the stuffing mix. Every single fall I come up with a new grocery shopping plan. I think this one will save me time & money. Hallelujah! Praise ME:). You are welcome;)!

RANDOM (this is what my blog has become)

Still no camera:(. We have been busy but as I sit here to blog I'm really not sure why I've been busy. I like to blog on the spot. The kids do something cute or funny, I grab the camera, I instantly load the picture & blog about it. I don't find blogging fun when I can't blog on the spot.

Caleb & Camden are playing basketball & are really get into it this year. Camden made his first basket at what he calls "a real game" last week. The whole team seems to be really excited and aggressive this year. They also got their grades and both did great so they each got to pick out a gecko at Petco. Camden is hilarious because he came to the kitchen and was talking to me and Jason about random stuff for at least 5 minutes before we noticed that he had his lizard on his head. Tanner & Collin slept over this weekend. They provide great entertainment for my boys. I heard Keaton say "Tanner, you are so funny". Tanner & Collin are both awesome kids! Me & Jason left them while we went & picked out some new carpet for our family room & stairs. We came home to a family room with mud prints, mud on the kitchen floor & on the kitchen counter. I guess Collin & mostly Camden decided it would be a great idea to build mud tunnels to put in the lizard cage. I'm just glad I have new carpet coming! I've always dogged on you clean people that make people take off their shoes but I think that at least for the first while of having new carpet that I'll be making the kids take off shoes. I'd like it to stay nice for at least little while.

We took the entire family to my Uncle Ron's viewing on Friday night. We talked with the kids about how they should behave at a viewing, but unfortunately they must not have been listening because they were not cooperating. The funeral on Saturday was beautiful. Everything about it was perfect. Unfortunately while we attended the luncheon a Son of Bitch (whoa I think I just had a turrets moment;)) decided to break my brother Justin's window and steal his wife Angie's purse. Luckily the alarm scared them away so no other cars were victims. Nothing pisses me off more than people that steal. I hope to never catch someone in the act of breaking into a car because I don't think I'll be able to refrain from freaking out on them. Let's just hope they don't have a weapon to hurt me because it will really be hard for me not to attack & since I don't own a gun it will just be me & all my strength against them. The only way they will win is if they have a weapon. Anyway, at the funeral they talked about a game called spank butt that Ron played with his grand kids. Today, in honor of Uncle Ron, the kids played a great game of spank butt.

I've been in a rut lately with cooking so I came up with another one of my grand plans (they usually last a month or two & then i get bored & move on to a new plan). I interviewed the kids & Jason to see what they like me to cook. I now have fourteen dinners that they all seem to like & actually eat. I'll be listing all the recipes on the dinner time blog. They are... Spaghetti & Meatballs, Chicken Enchiladas, Crock Pot Chicken, Tilapia with rice & steamed broccoli, Beef Stew, Chicken Casserole, Chicken Curry, Homemade Pizza, Hawaiian Haystacks, Taco Salad, Taco Soup, Cheese Vegetable Cream Soup, Tuna Noodle Casserole &BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. I'd also like to freeze lasagna & a few other freezer meals to have on hand. I'll build up my pantry & freezer to have everything I need to make those fourteen meals & we'll just rotate. I hope this will get me out of my cooking rut! Any ideas on what works for you?

Have you ever tripped on a sidewalk, or had your concrete sink? Check out this Concrete Lifting Company. They do some amazing work! It's way cheaper than replacing all of your broken concrete & there is no down time. You can walk and drive on it right away! Very impressive.

Uncle Ron

My Uncle Ron passed away last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Linda and their kids. Dignity, Determination & a sense of humor are perfect ways to describe Ron.


Our beloved husband, supportive father, adored grandfather, Ron W. Smith, age 63, passed away at his home in Sandy, Utah, November 3, 2009, after a valiant two year battle against Mesothelioma. He passed away with dignity, determination, and a sense of humor, the same way he lived his life.

Ron was born December 5, 1945 in Richfield, Utah, a son of Wayne Alfred and Shirley Louise Taylor Smith and spent his childhood in Bicknell, Utah. Growing up on the family farm, Ron learned the value of hard work at a young age, a value which served as a guide throughout his entire life.

Ron graduated from Wayne High School, Class of 1964. He married his high school sweetheart, Linda Gae Turner, September 9, 1966 in the Manti LDS Temple. They are the proud parents of three children.

Ron graduated from SUU in 1968 with a degree in Accounting and was then drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam conflict. He was honorably discharged after serving his country for two years. After his military service, Ron spent his life working in the accounting profession where he was a partner in his own firm, Smith Powell & Company.

Ron was not only an accountant, but also an advisor and friend to his clients. He conducted his practice with integrity and has left a legacy as an example for all accountants.

Ron lived his life full of love for his family, friends, and everyone he came in contact with. He had the ability to light up a room with his quick wit and sense of humor. Ron loved traveling, reading, playing tennis, and mountain biking, but spending time with his family was his greatest joy. He especially loved time spent with his grandchildren and had the unique ability of making each grandchild believe they were his favorite.

He is survived by his sweetheart of 43 years, Linda and their children: Jodi and Matt Mills, Roger and Jennifer Smith, Kristen and Russell Vinik; six grandchildren: Raquel, Samantha, Jared, Andrew, Alayna, and Lauren. He is also survived by his mother Shirley Smith and his brother Ted and Camille Smith; and his father-in-law: Mark Turner.

He was preceded in death by his father Wayne Smith, his younger brother Don Smith, and his mother-in-law, Rula Turner.

The family extends our deep appreciation to Dr. Akerley and the nurses at the Huntsman Cancer Institute for their kind and loving care during Ron's fight against cancer. We would also like to sincerely thank Jay Johnson and the staff at Rocky Mountain Hospice for their compassionate care in Ron's final days.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. in the Falcon Park LDS Ward Chapel, 9119 South 1300 East in Sandy. Friends may visit with the family at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary, 1950 East 10600 South in Sandy, Friday evening from 6 to 8 P.M. or at the ward chapel Saturday morning from 9:00 to 10:30 prior to the services.

Burial with military honors will be in the Larkin Sunset Gardens under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations made in Ron’s name to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, 500 Huntsman Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108 or huntsmancancerfoundation.org.

I DON'T CARE..

if I sound cheesy because tonight I'm just feeling happy with my life and I want to blog about it. Last week I had a freak out. I cried and cried. I felt blahhhh. I'm not one to do that often so Jason was quite concerned & wanted to make it all better. I love him! Tonight he is at a Jazz game with Caleb, Camden, a few neighborhood Dads & the rest of their basketball team. It was just me, Keaton and Kody at home tonight. We roasted pumpkin seeds and danced in the kitchen. When I'm having a rare depressed day I need to stop and remember what is important. I have a husband that would do anything for me. I have four boys that make me happy! I can't believe they are all mine! Life is good. That's all. Have a happy Halloween!

GLEE (i'm not gonna let camera problems stop me from blogging)

RANDOM

I don't have my old computer system working so I have to use Jason's computer & the pictures are annoying to load. One day I'll be back to blogging on the spot.

I was having a horrible day on Saturday. I was feeling ugly and blahhhh. It must be getting close to that good old time of the month again. Jason is the kindest and most caring husband in the world because he just wanted to make me feel better. I bought this apple green paint for the laundry room last year but I just haven't gotten around to painting. He got me out of my rut and we got to work (he did most of it). I love the end result. I know apple green isn't for everyone but it's my favorite color and I need a good color that I love in the laundry room since I spend so much time in there!
I found Caleb hiding in the dryer so of course I made him stay so I could grab the camera.
We LOVE fall! Camden would not cooperate for this picture.
Can you see the stinkerness in this kids face? He's still obsessed with Batman. If I let him he'd watch Batman Brave & Bold all day long. He says "turn on Batman Brave & Bold" all day long and he yells at me if I don't do it.

We still have our puppy & we still like her!

STITCHES...

I'm a BIG wuss with these three little stitches. Thanks to Kody I also have a big canker in my mouth from where it went through. I should have taken a picture the first day but I had a HUGE zit right on my cheek and I just don't need to remember my ugliness this week. I had a fat lip and a bruise. I wish I could say that Kody learned his lesson, but nope he's still enjoying hitting and throwing things at me.

MONICA JOINS THE PEACE CORPS

Monica (sister in law) left us for the the Peace Corps. We are so proud of her and can't wait to hear how it's going in Niger.
My boys have told Monica that they think she's tougher than their Dad. She'll get right in and wrestle with them. They all love her so much and light up when she's around. Camden broke down and cried when I told him how old he'd be when she got home. He's worried he'll be too old to like the things she does with him. It will be interesting to see the changes in her when she gets home in two years.

We miss her so much already! We have a long time to wait:(. Jason is going to visit her in Niger one day.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

DIE MICE DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just googled images of mice to go along with this post but I got way too freaked out, so there will be no picture! Jason is in BIG trouble because he just told me that he saw a dead mouse in a trap under our kitchen sink over one month ago. This is information that I need to be aware of ASAP. It's Friday night and I'm now going to spend my evening making sure everything in the pantry is in a container. I like to find the positive in crappy situations, so the positive here is that my house will now be a lot cleaner. Mice are not allowed in our house & if they get in they will find that this house is not a fun place for them to live.

I should also report that the boys started basketball. Jason and his law school friend Greg are the coaches. They had their first game last night. I was not able to watch any of the game because I was too busy keeping Kody off the court. Caleb's friend Easton passed the ball to Caleb & Caleb made a basket! Caleb & Camden are so excited to play this year. This year all the kids on the team know each other. Alivia is the only girl. It's cute because she's not one bit intimidated by being on a team with all boys. We have Jared, Caleb, Camden, Trey, Mitchell, Kurt, Easton, Alivia & Cole on the team. I'll be getting a babysitter for Kody so I can watch the next game & take pictures.

-k enough procrastinating. It's now time to spend my night cleaning so the mice will not find any crumbs.

KING OF TERRIBLE TWO!

I've dealt with some terrible two situations in my kids before but I'm thinking Kody is as terrible as they get. Today he hit me hard with a little toy car and cut my lip wide open! I went to a plastic surgeon and got three stitches put in. It HURTS! He experienced his first spank & time out! He's always had a temper. I wonder if this means he'll be a good teenager?

How could a sweet face like this be so mean?!

THANKS AGAIN FOR THE PICS MARCI;)

I still don't have any way of getting pictures from my old camera to this computer! It's driving me crazy because I love to blog about things right when they happen or I never end up doing it later. Marci just put these pics on her blog so I just copied them. This was Keaton when he was 18 months old. It was taken the day before I had Kody. I've always just loved this boys eyes and this picture really shows the cuteness of them!
This is my nephew Collin. He has always been a bit of a celebrity at our house. Caleb gets a certain happy look when Collin's around. This picture actually made me sad because it seems like it was just yesterday when Collin and my boys were obsessed with squishy toys. They are all growing up so fast. I feel like I appreciate almost every moment of their young childhoods because I know I'm going to miss it as they get bigger.
This picture is just hilarious! It was the day before I delivered Kody. I'd forgotten how I looked pregnant. Just imagine this picture but with an extra 25 pounds on me because that's how much I gained with Caleb & Camden (a nice and plump 60 pounds). Pregnancy is seriously nuts. I've done it four times and looking at this picture I'm still amazed that I've ever had babies growing in my belly.
I have pictures of our lovely Aunt Monica to blog but it will have to wait 'till I get Jason's work computer. She leaves tomorrow to begin her 2 year adventure in service for the Peace Corps! She is such a great example to all of us. We will all miss her so much but we are also excited to keep in touch while she's gone and hear about Niger. If you want to see what she's up to click her blog here.

A LITTLE OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO....

Keaton is usually n a k e d, wearing only a Batman backpack FULL of random items from every corner of the house! I just love it when he decides to dump his backpack treasures all over the floor! We still never put this kid to bed at a decent hour. We tell him it's time for bed and he says "oh I'm so sorry but I can't go to bed right now". One of the many things that makes the insanity of being a parent rewarding is picking this sweetie pie up from pre-school. He yells, "mom" & runs to me, wrapping his arms around me! If the rest of the kids would learn how to look at us with puppy dog eyes and say things in a sweet voice instead of yelling, maybe they'd get away with as much as Keaton does!Kody is still wearing a cape 24/7. I can't ever get a decent picture of him because he's always running.
Once in a great while I can get my kids nice and groomed. Don't they look CUTE?

This is how Camden dressed himself today. We can't deny that this kids has some cool style going on!

From the looks of his eyes in this picture you'd think he'd gone crazy! This is what happens when Jason is "watching" him while I take a night off. He even had his private places colored.
Why is it that when boys get together they must wrestle?! They were whipping eachother with their shirts. I watched my niece Halle the other day and I could see that girls are SO much different than boys! Halle found some lotion and was softly squirting it on her hands and rubbing it on her legs. If my boys had found the lotion they would have made a skating rink in the Kitchen to slide on.
We had some fun visitors stay at our house. Monica's friend brought her dogs. The kids thought it was pretty cool.Kody loved his birthday party at ChuckEcheese.
More pictures from the party..Jason had fun chillin' with Ander (my best friends Suzi's little boy) at the party.
And more party pics...
I found this picture on my camera. I think Camden was trying to get some shots of his tatoos.

I HAVE....

My selfish list of wants got me thinking of what I have. The following list is in no order of importance. Obviously I love my kids more than a tree.

-two peach trees that gave me lots of peaches.
-an apple tree that is currently full of apples.
-a beautiful yard with lots of trees.
-a big garden spot.
-four healthy little boys.
-a home that i love.
-a husband.
-a husband with a job.
-a husband that makes me laugh so hard that i nearly pass out because i can't breath. really this happens.
-ONE husband.
-a pantry full of food.
-friends.
-a mom & a dad that are still married.
-siblings that i'm close with and love.
-the church to help guide me in this crazy world.
-a sweet mini van that runs and gets us from here to there.
-in-laws that are my family & i love.
-an extra freezer and fridge in the garage to store all the food i need to feed all the kids.

Dang, I think my want list might be bigger than my have list. I'll have to work on this. Again, I'm just procrastinating. I wish I had my camera so i could blog some of the cute pics and videos of them.