The last few months have been a blur, we have had a lot going on, Talmadge had his 2nd Birthday along with his Grandma on Thanksgiving day, Zoie also turned 4 On Dec. 4. We had Thanksgiving at my home which consisted of 15 adults and 14 kids from 8 years old and younger, it was chaos but a ton of fun. We celebrated Grandma, and Talmadges birthday later in the evening and he was super excited about opening gifts, he loved all his gifts, his favorites were the big truck that made noise and the train set from Grandma Lashmett. He loves action hero guys so he got them on top of his cake, fighting with the candels he kept saying "Cool guys". (By the way his eyes are really crossed in the picture)

Zoie wanted her party at the Pietros Pizza in town which she calls the "pirate place", there was lots of games, miniature golf, and prizes at the end, she was so excited and counting down the days for her birthday. She wanted a cupcake tower, with purple frosting, and insisted on helping frost all the cupcakes. She also recieved plenty of gifts, and loved, loved, loved her new jewlery box. Thanks for all the gifts they recieved and the good times we had.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.........

Although this day took place a while back I am just now getting to the post. But it was definitely a day to remember. As I was finishing up cleaning lunch with the kids all at the table, I had my back turned in the kitchen. All of the sudden I hear a terrible crash with a shatter of glass and the girls screaming. To my horror I turned around and the window behind Talmadge was shattered and no Talmadge. To paint a picture the window is 5 x 8 feet and sits roughly 20ft. off the ground with cement steps below it. You can only imagine the thoughts running through my head when I didn't see Talmadge or hear him. I was expecting him through the window in a mangled mess on the concrete, and dead. Well to my surprise he only made it through the first pane of the window and was on the floor covered in glass. There was blood everywhere and I didn't even know where to begin looking for the major wounds. As I inspected him luckily the worst of it all was his finger he just about took it right off, along with tons of little scraps and cuts all over his body, so off to the ER we went. Luckily Scott was able to come with me, I don't know how I would have drove there while holding his finger in place and not having it bleeding everywhere. Thank goodness it was only 5 stitches. After telling the doctor and both the nurse what had happened they were shocked he did not have any major damage done with shattereing a huge window right on top of himself, they expressed how lucky he was,and they have seen terrible accidents with people and children going through windows and he was very fortunate...........note to self move Talmadges chair away from the window...........
While at the ER my sister in law watched Zoie, when I returned to pick her up this is what her face looked like, she was a scabbed up bloody mess herself. She was on the swing set and flipped off backwards hit the ground on her face and proceeded to drag it on the ground. It's a good thing kids don't remember events like this when they get older, but as a mother you never forget excited events like this. Both are happy and all has healed up...................until next time.

Election is over

It is a sad day for those of us Americans who believe in the Red, White, and Blue and TRUE capitalism......heaven help us all.

TONIGHT

GO VOTE..........MC CAIN/PALIN

Such a big girl

It's hard to believe as I continue to send by little girl off to Kindergarten everyday that she is just not so little anymore. She loves school and is ready every morning very early even though she doesn't go until 12:30. She is learning so much and wants to constantly be working on her homework, alphabet, and numbers. She is so close to reading. I'm so very proud of her. She has so many friends, I walked her to school one day and at the door she met up with a little boy in her class he grabbed her hand and they walked all the way down the hall to class together, hand in hand. I later asked her "Is that your boyfriend", her response, "Huh no mom, he is just my friend that happens to be a boy"


Most of the time I let her dress herself, but if I need to help out it is a total nightmare, she actually has a really cute sense of style and comes up with very creative outfits, I'm not so sure where she gets that from. Her teachers call her a Diva with all her different things she wears, hopefully it stays cute and appropriate through the teenage years.......


She is so excited and ready to have another brother, although she expressed "A girl would be better because a girl is better to dress up. I can put head bands on, paint her fingernails and toenails, get her ear rings, and lots of other cute things, boys are kinda boring."

Well I suppose it's time

It has been a very long and eventful summer, that's mostly why I didn't post, too much going on and not enough time. All you moms out there who continue to post and have your children give yourselves a pat on the back, I'm definatley not one of them. Being on the computer drives me crazy.

We spent lots and lots of time at the lake on our boat, lot's and lot's of time working in our backyard, yeah it's finally done. Ton's of time with church callings, and church duties, service projects to wedding plannings. My 30th Birthday party, I'm definatley starting to feel old. To top the summer of we were able to go to Vegas for Scott's little brothers wedding. It was a really good time and extremely hot. We were able to see family and the girls were able to reconnect with their cousins they don't see very often. We visited the strip, swam, went to a majic show, ate lots of yummy food, danced, had a WWF fight with all the girls cousins, did I mention my girls are tough and won both fights........we had alot of fun, if I get around to it I will post pictures. Lucy starts her first day of Kindergarten tomorrow, she is growing up so fast, I can't believe she is already off to school and she couldn't be more excited about it.

And last but not least we just decided that a party of five in our family wasn't enough, yes that's right we will be having baby #4 at the end of March. We are really excited as are the kids. I feel really good thanks to a pill I got from the doctor, if I don't have it I'm sick, sick, sick. I am not looking forward to when I start showing and I have to go out and about. I already get looks from people like "do you believe in birth control", it will be interesting to see the heads turning as I walk down the supermarket isle. You mothers with lot's of small children know exactly what I'm talking about.

Youth Coference

What a wonderful opportunity Scott and I had this last weekend to attend the Stake Youth Conference, we had signed up months ago to be a parent couple to a group of children that were assigned to us, thanks to my mom she watched the kids so we could be a part of this great experience. This youth conference was the Pioneer Trek, we were assigned 8 children whom we did not know to be their parents for 3 days, we traveled by foot for about 8-10 miles pulling a handcart full of everything we needed for those 3 days. We had different tasks including me being pregnant, delivering a child on the trek, and a day later the baby died, one of our children broke a leg, and we had to help carry them along the path. The first night we arrived at camp 3 of our boys were taken to join the Mormon Battalion, and left our family, then the next day Scott (the Dad), and one of our son's died as well along the trek, so we were left short handed to pull the cart.

This whole experience with our "children", and the handcarts has given me such an appreciation for what the pioneers did to bring the true gospel of Jesus Christ to Zion and the hardships they faced they could have only done it with Heavenly Father there with them along the way. It was a remarkable experience and the children we had we amazing, strong, dedicated, positive, and were great leaders, I learned so much from each of them. I could not have imagined the difficulty the pioneers experienced we had a glimpse of that just in a few days, and we had much better conditions to travel in, and our carts were in better condition with metal wheels, not wood. When we had family members die along the way it really hit home that you would have had to leave them behind and continue on, how difficult that would have been, as a mother and a wife. Their faith was remarkable, Scott and I would do it again in a heart beat.

We are back to life and leaving again tomorrow to go camping for the 4th of July, I can't believe it's already July.

Happy Fathers Day

To my wonderful husband. Words can not express the love and gratitude that I have for this wonderful man in my life. The most important and best decission I ever made was to marry him for all eternity. I love him so much, we were going to do something fun today, but we woke up to our pipes in the whole house being clogged.........so we had to call and emergency 911 plumber, hopefully it will be an easy and inexpensive fix. We may have to postpone our Father's Day of fishing until next weekend. Love you Scott. And to my wonderful Dad even though he does not read my blog, I love him and am so lucky to be close to him. He is one of Scott's best friends and I appreciate the relationship they have and the relationship he has as a Grandpa with my children they adore him.

You would think it would get easier......

The more times your children go under general anesthesia but it's not. This will be the 3rd time one of my children gets to experience this. It's really not that big of a deal, but I just feel bad there is nothing I can do to help, watching them wheel them away on the bed screaming, and then bringing them back asleep and waiting for them to wake up, which is never a pleasant thing if you have never experienced that.

I will be glad when this is over, tomorrow Talmadge gets ear tubes put in, lucky genes, right.....
Unfortunately unlike Lucy he has had an infection that has been with him for a month, no antibiotic has cured it, not only that but the puss and fluid have not drained. So they will make an incision to let it drain before they put in the tubes the bad part is it's very painful, so the doctors tell me. Luckily Talmadge is a tough little boy, most of the time during his ear infections (9 since November) he never really cried, or woke up a lot at night, the only indication I ever has was a fever and loss of appetite. So hopefully he will not be to miserable when it's over.

I'll let you know how it goes.......yea to modern technology

Lots Going on

We have been having a very busy month of May, and I can't wait for June hopefully things will slow down a bit.

The girls had there dance program last weekend it was so much fun to see them in their costumes and watch them perform on the big stage. Zoie was so cute, and was nervous in all her practices, but when it came to the real thing she got out there and had a smile on her face the whole time. Before she went up I said "Be sure to smile to everyone", did she ever it was great. She is so graceful and is a good dancer.
These pictures are not in order at all sorry, Zoie's dance was the 4th of July parade, and Lucy's was the candy store. Her prop was a lolly pop that she made for the big day. I always knew Lucy was a great dancer and had rhythm but I had no idea she was by far the best in her class. That is no exaggeration. She was a que the whole time, knew what came next to the music and was so percise in all her moves. It was a lot of fun to watch all of them. Grandma and Grandpa Lashmett came for the dance and they were here a week, it was nice to have them here and spend time with the kids. Thanks for coming the kids really enjoyed that, also Grandma and Grandpa Gray were there to see the girls in all their glory.




Of course I can't forget this little guy, Scott stayed home with the sick kids a few Sunday's ago I came home to a mo-hawk spiked and all it was so funny. It has remained the same, it's just so fitting for his personality.


My sweet Lucy is getting so big, she graduated from Preschool on Friday, and starts Kindergarten next year I'm so proud of her. She loves school and is sad to not go , I hope she continues with that additude throughout the next 15 years of her life, good luck, right........

Well summer is here and I just fininshed my last enrichment night for my calling and the next one is July 8 one day after my 30th Birthday, yes I'm feeling old. We will be just as busy this summer our theme is Summer of Service and we have a ton of projects going on I'm very excited.

In the midst of doing all these things we finished most of the bathroom remodel I will post pictures, and got our garden planted, I love to garden and work outside, that seems to be all that we do this time of year and the kids enjoy it as much as I do.

Today

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms out there. I'm especially greatful for the mom's in my life and the grandma's in my life that have paved the path for myself, and that I can instill those same things in my girls.

I'm greatful for my Grandma Eastwood, her charity and service is amazing and has been through out her life, she is the most generous person and selfless person I know she has around 27 grandchildren, and around 38 great grandchildren, she never misses a birthday song. She had 9 children of her own and has been married 60 years, she is wonderful.

Grandma Gray who lived a hard life, a single mom for alot of her life and finally met my Grandpa and have been married 50 years, they are wonderful and have alot of trials and hardships over the years and have stayed true to the gospel and to one another. I'm greatful she taught my Dad the importance of husbands and the priesthood in a home.

Grandma Lashmett what a sweet spirit she has and a huge heart, she is a remarkable women always thinking of others and not herself, she raised a wonderful daughter and as a result has wonderful grandchildren. I'm greatful for her strenght and testimony in the gospel. She has faced trials as well and I'm sure is excited for the time she is reunited with her love. Until then we are glad she is around to share with us stories, and always keeps us on our toes with her sense of humor.

Shirley, I'm greatful for her, I know she doesn't hear that much from me and sometimes having a daughter-in-law may be a little harder than a mother-daughter relationship. None the less I'm glad to have her in my life, and greatful she loves me and my children. I wish we lived closer so she could be around us more and share special moments that we have in our lives. She is a great entertainer, loves to be around people, enjoys working and working hard. She is a great listener and always has advice for me when I have questions or concerns. She loves to take charge and always helps out so much when she comes to visit us. She did and fantastic job raising her son to seek out what is important to him, follow his dreams, respect women, and to cherish his family, and most importantly puts me in front of all else. That he learned from his mother, and father. They have been married I think 35 years, what a great example to us. She has 3 children and 2 step children all of which are great individuals with wonderful families as well. 8 Grandchildren and one on the way anyday. We love her very much and pay tribute to her on this day of Mothers.

My mother certainly last but not least has been a constant role model figure in my life for the last 30 years. When I grew up I always wanted to me a mom "just like my mom". She has taught me so many things, and continues to help me on my pathway of motherhood. I have learned by watching her example to love my husband, and allow him to be the Priesthood leader in our home. She has taught me to be selfless with my children and husband and to put there needs ahead of mine. Along my journey she has put up with my type "A" personality and has shown me that, those traits are great qualities and not all bad :-) She teaches me continually to find the good in others, and to be patient. She is very talented, knowledgable, smart, creative, charitable, and has a testimony of Christ that she shares with others around her. She has 14 Grandchildren and hopes for more, she treats them all as if they were her only ones and makes them each feel so special and individual. Mom and Dad have been married 35 years and have shown me patience and long suffering, through all the trials and tribulations of finances, wayward children, jobs, health issues, family issues, ect. What a wonderful example she is to me and how lucky I am to live close to her.

To all you mothers out there, I know it is not easy but it is well worth it. Happy Mothers Day

Grasshopper

With all this beautiful weather we have been having we were outside working, and by the door was this grasshopper.
Zoie was scared to death of it, after a while she warmed up enough to look at the camera with this "i guess it's o.k." kindof a face, she is so funny. Loves all bugs but if they move and jump quick she freaks.



Talmadge on the other hand the typical boy smears bugs into the ground or pavement, smashes them with his feet, bangs them with his toy hammer, rips legs, and wings off, and smushes them in between his fingers, this all happens after he has man handeled it for so long, it' begging for mercy............

I would say boys are trouble, but........

It seems like not that long ago I was dealing with Lucy doing all sorts of fun things like this. I have a journal of just things my sweet Lucy did. She was TROUBLE, she now is wonderful, but I could not leave her alone for one second and things were in serious condition. I know most of you probably think that of your child at one point in time but now that I'm to #3 I am seeing Lucy was really a handful, and her brother is not too far from being the same way.

How could I be mad at a face like that when I got out of bed this morning. Scott had gotten up and took Talmadge out of bed, changed his diaper and got him ready for the day, while I was sound asleep still. When I woke up it was really queit and I heard a little talking out front, so I got up and to my amazement my whole cupboard was on the floor emptied with Talmadge in the middle of it all. Apparantly Dad didn't know he was hungry.
The picuture does not do it justice but, 3 different types of cereals all poured out on the floor, instant oatmeal packages opened 8 to be exact. 3 hot chocolate bags opened. Saran wrap unwound, all of my ziploc baggies scattered along with the brown lunch sacks for Lucy, and the start of aluminum foil being torn and thrown all over. I really am a good mom, it just seems when I try and take a moment to sleep, relax, work on the computer, clean, do laundry, cook, I turn around and another room is destroyed........but I really love my children. They keep me on my toes, and to think we still want more, sometime I wonder about my sanity.

And so it begins.......

It has been a while since my last post but we have been really busy. So much has been going on and we just can't seem to help ourselves by starting new projects. Scott and I both like to rip things apart and put them back together but,...........we are both terrible at finishing projects before we move on to the next so as you see here this is our new project.

Our basement bathroom is gutted just down to the bath tub, we are putting in heated floor system, new countertops, new flooring, lighting, sheetrock, ect........our goal is to have this done before my in-laws come which is May 21 or somewhere around there. Keep in mind we have already started ripping apart the only other bathroom upstairs, it has no flooring in the part we have to shower in, and a sink is gone, but hey it has 2 toilets still

In the meantime we have many other projects that we want to finish before then also, including grouting my kitchen countertops(which have been tiled now for almost 2 years), tiling my backsplash behind my stovetop (which has been partly my fault because I haven't found a cool design I would like to do, now I'm ready) tile my outside entry way (we have had the tile in the garage for almost 2 years). As you can see the list goes on we still have a ton of projects that are on going, I think that is just normal for homeowners.

I thinks Scott and I both look forward to the day we can build our own house and have everything done just the way we want it, although we both like to do projects and change things often so, that wouldn't last very long either.

All in all my poor husband is so busy and the last thing he wants to do is come home and work on his own home doing what he does all day, I must not be too bad of a nag, but it seems when family comes he gets a little spark under his butt and things get done. Hint hint, grandma and grandpa, mandi, jeff, chad, family come see us more often. :0)

America's Next Top Model

Here are just a few photo's of the girls. I guess I watch a little to much of the annoying Tyra Banks show. But the girls love to pose for the camera. Zoie has just started to really like taking the pictures and looking "so beautiful" as she tells me all the time. "My I'm so beautiful aren't I".

Well and then there is Lucy who is a Diva in her own little way, can you just say DRAMA. The pictures of her turned out a little dark, but I'm sure there will be many shots left to take.









Sorry for a lot of people who visit my blog but I do my posts and most of my blogs on my children and give updates to my family who live far away and don't get to see the kids, so this is a way for them to see pictures and hear about updates.




Strike a pose

I'm really excited for the end of the year dance recital that they will be involved in May it will be so much fun and they are both really looking forward to it..........pictures will be posted for sure

Cute Kids

Just a random picture I took the other day before Lucy went to school. She was dressed so cute in some of her new Easter cloths, as was Zoie so I took some cute pictures. Didn't realize till after the fact that Talmadge was still in his sleepers, either way you can't really tell. Mornings around my house are a nightmare, I love the days that we don't have to rush off somewhere. Next year everyday we will have to take Lucy to school, so after this summer the rest of my life begins with School, School, and more School.

Yo Yo Boy

I love this little boy. He is so funny, he will sit and yell in my room at my closet door. When I finally go and let him into it, he comes out wearing lots, and lots of Dad's hats. I got one of his own for him and he wears it all the time, but still loves to hit up the closet for a different look. This is how he spends most of his time with hats that are 5 times the size of his head and running into thigs because they cover his eyes.

Aflac anyone??????????

Beware, graphic picture ahead. So I have been told by numerous people, that us, "the Lashmett Family" would benefit greatly from the Aflac insurance. Between Scott and Zoie, we are at the doctors alot for these sort of things. This is a picture of Scott's finger, in his line of work he comes home with many cuts, and sometimes really big ones that well, require stiches. I don't have a picture of Zoie's head, but she had just one stich put in it yesterday, she was playing outside with Lucy, and Lucy was swinging a sharp, metal tool of Scott's and Zoie walked right into it. Luckily it was in her hair so it won't be that bad of a scar. That was not on my agenda for the day. Funny how the day can change at the snap of your finger. Good Times

Thing about me

believe it or not..
.place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not, and send it to your friends (including me). This is for your entire life!


( x) Gone on a blind date
(X) Skipped school - yup and got busted, many of times
(x ) Watched someone die- a little girl who was 6 when we were camping, drowned and I was the last person to talk with her, they tried CPR for 30- minutes before the ambulance arrived. VERY SCARY, and sad
( ) Been to Canada
(X) Been to Mexico-7 day cruise, it was Awesome
( ) Been to Florida
(X) Been on a plane, and I hate every minute of it
(X) Been lost
( ) Been on the opposite side of the country
( ) Gone to Washington, DC
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Cried your-self to sleep, if your a girl, who hasn't
(X) Played cops and robbers
(X) Recently colored with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only? Isn't that why Taco Bell was invented? I conquer with this one
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
(X) Made prank phone calls
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose- Pepsi in the middle of Taco Bell(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Danced in the rain
(X) Written letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about. With my husband of course, but also many sunrises with all 3 of my kids nursing, sick, or other reasons, they were nice quiet moments
(X) Blown bubbles
(X) Gone ice-skating, on a 5th grade field trip, tripped and cut my lip open on my friends ice skate, in front of me. What are the odds of that, have not been since.
(X) Been skinny dipping outdoors, to many times to count, I was once very wild and craxy
(X) Gone to the movies

1. Any nicknames? Mom- Dinky
2. Mother's name? Suzie
3. Favorite drink? Red Bull
4. Tattoo? No - I wanted one for years, I'm glad that phase passed
5. Body Piercing? Yes, alot (9), but they are all out now, thanks to the words of the Prophet
6. How much do you love your job? For the most part I love being a Mom? Some days I would love to go get dressed up, and leave for work, I know I would miss my children right after I got there though
7. Birthplace? Mission Viejo, California
8. Favorite vacation spot? Anywhere around a beach
9. Ever been to Africa? No
10 Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Of course
11. Ever been on TV? Nope
12. Ever steal any traffic sign? Yes
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes, but I have never been the driver in one
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle?
15. Favorite salad dressing? ranch- Or Zesty Italian
16. Favorite TV show? Law & Order, CSI, or American Idol
17. Favorite number? I've never really understood the favorite # thing so no, I don't have one
18. Favorite movie of all time? That's a tough one, I loved Braveheart, and the Notebook
19. Favorite holiday? Christmas
20. Favorite dessert? I don't have one, I don't really care for sweets
21. Favorite food? Anything Mexican
22. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
23. Favorite brand of body wash? Whatever, I'm not picky
24. Favorite toothpaste? Closys2, Rowpar
25 Favorite smell? Scotts Cologne
26. What do you do to relax? read books, and weird I know but vaccum
27. What would you want to change in your life? To have all my family and Scott's family live closer to us
28. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Older, wrinkled and still taking care of my children


Anyone feel free to do this yourself

Vacation

Thanks to my wonderful husband we had
a great time.
He surprised me with a house on the beach for the weekend. I love to go to the coast and it was so much fun. We stayed at a friends beach house that is 1.2 million $, so I felt like royalty as you can imagine. It was 3 stories and the third floor had a game room with a pool table. We played tons of pool, and games.



We ate at lots of yummy restaurants of course and acted like tourists. The picture above was at Depot Bay, and it was the only day it was storming so we got to see the big waves come up and make it through the blow holes. We were in Newport and saw the Sea Lions, no fishing boats came in to feed them, so we only saw a few. We went to the tide pools, which was a ton of fun. Scott had never done that before.





We went to the lighthouse and walked around there as well. We did some shopping
and went to the antique stores, we both love to do that

All in all it was a great get away with my husband and we decided we defiantly need to do this more often. The kids were in good hands and hardly missed us at all.



Thanks for the best 6 years of my life Scott, and were off to lots more of those years.