Getting ready for Christmas and what was to follow it...

Smiling big for Chirstmas!

Okay, so this year has been really hard for my husband and I to get into the spirit of the season. But bless my sons heart he wasn't about to let that happen. When we finally got our tree up he always wanted to to turn the lights on. But we didn't get our Christmas lights up outside until a week before Christmas. Cash would ask why we didn't have our lights up like everyone else. It finally got to me and I did them. Almost killing myself in the process.

Trav makes a cute Santa. Yevette and her smile!

Big boys in little coats. Go Benni, Gary and Trav.

Ben and I had the opportunity to go up to Cedar to have a little Christmas/Benni b-day bash with our friends. We had a great time (as always). We want our friends there know that we really appreciate them and love them with all our hearts. Gary and Linda, Trav and Yevette are two of the greatest couples we know. They bring so much to our lives and we cherish them.

That following morning Ben and I went to go pick up his boss's tractor from Trav's house. What a adventure that was. It wouldn't start so they had to pull it with the digger. Funny cause Ben got stopped half way up. Those two men are children at heart!Ben and the tractor event. Fun stuff!

So as the season neared us I did not go shopping until a week before Christmas. I did it all in a couple hours. I know I am so lame for waiting but that is how it worked out this year. My dad helped me get it all together for Cash and thank goodness Kandiss helped me out with Gabby. She got the cutest water baby and sent it here a week before Christmas.
Now, as for Christmas Eve, we went to Ben's family for a couple hours and then headed over to Grandma Greats. We decided as a family that we would stay the night and open presents with Grandma. It was kind of a long night. First off, Grandma would not go to sleep and needed to go to the bathroom every half hour but didn't do anything. And for all of you that know, it got harder and harder to lift her. Plus, she was not very nice. She was really agitated. Finally, she got to sleep around 11:30. We had to do Santa and so forth. We finally got to bed around 12:30 and then my son was having nightmares all night. And it was really freaking cold at my Grandma's. So the kids woke up around 6:30 and we did presents. Cash wanted to open everything all at once. It was funny cause he wasn't into Santa this year. Acutually, Santa freaked him out when he say him. So he kept saying "Ask Nana and Papa to buy it," with everything he wanted. Gotta love it.

So we got ready and went to Ben's family for breakfast and then headed back to Grandma's. We spent the afternoon there. Kids dd not get a nap at all. So by the time we left around 6pm on Christmas the kids were exhausted. Cash was acting sick. But we finally got home and settled in. Cash was up all night coughing. So I thought he was sick. I was wrong!

Which brings us to Puke Feast 2009! Gabby woke up around 6am and started vomiting every 20 minutes. It sucked. I felt so bad for her. She finally started to vomit blood. So I took her in around 3pm because she got so lethargic and not really responding well. The doctor she had the flu but she was vomiting blood. He sent me home with phenagran suppositories and to give her a tsp. of Gatorade every 10 minutes. If she can't keep that down to take her to the hospital to get hydrated. Well, we didn't go to the hospital. Just a really long night once again. So the next day we did the same of more puke. She started to slow down with the puking and we thought we were over the worst. Then around 6 that night Cash started puking. It was SOOOOOOOOO much fun!Sick kids. Felt so bad!

They are on a slow mend but Cash might have the chicken pox. We will find out tomorrow. But it was funny to see all the towels and laundry we had to do and the little beds we made for the kids in the living room.All the laundry and the sickies!

All in all, besides Puke Feast, it was a good Christmas. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and I hope it was as wonderful as ours. (PS We did video of our Christmas so I will get pics up later of the kids and new toys.)Linda Lou and Benni. Happy 32 BDAY!

Last, but not least, I want to tell my husband a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, today! I want him to know that I love him so very much and I appreciate that he works really hard for our little family. Times have been tough for us but he is our rock and our provider. So with that "HAPPY 32 BIRTHDAY, BIG DADDY!"

Thanksgiving and more...

Gabby saying, "CHEESE" as we get ready to leave for SLC.

It has been a while since I last blogged. Just been real busy and getting ready for Thanksgiving. But we went up S.L.C. for Thanksgiving. We had dinner with the Millgate's this year. We had it at my sister's ward house in Stansbury. It was a good time. It was mostly my dad's brothers and sisters. While, we were there we had news reporters show up because there was a press conference for the guy that got stuck in the Nutty Putty Caves. His family was in my sister's stake. So we got talking to Max Roth with Fox 13 News and he wanted to do a segment on people who had been in the caves. So my dad, Jeff (brother-n-law), and myself all have been in them. So we got interviewed. And on Thanksgiving evening we were on the news on Fox 13. Crazy to see myself on TV. It is sad to know that someone died in that cave. The whole thing is scary and very sad.Family pictures.

On Friday morning our family got up and went and did some family pictures. It was hazy that day. So everyone who knows when it is hazy in Salt Lake, means COLD! We were out by Great Salt Lake and my daughter and the other kids were whining about being cold. It was a good time but stressful. When you have that many people it is hard. Then Benni flew home that afternoon and I was left alone with kids. Fun for me! No, it wasn't bad because my family helps me a ton.

Whitney, Kandiss and I. The 3 sisters.

Kandiss getting eyelash extensions.

On Saturday, my dad, Kandiss, and Jeff got ready to got to the Holy War game. My brother-n-law is a huge BYU fan and the rest of us are born and raised Ute fans. So it is rather interesting to have a game of both teams.

Talmage decked out for the game. We took it off after Jeff left! :)

So my mom, Whitney, and myself had all the kids. 5 kids under 6. Um, not fun at times. We took them to the Living Aquarium and lunch. They loved it. Especially, my kids. Cash loves fish. And Gabby loved the octopus. It was active that day. So we watched it for a while. Then that evening I had a chance to go out with my friend Jes. We had a really good time. It makes me really glad that I am not single. Man, how lame people are when they get drunk. We sat back and laughed at how many people act like idiots.

Gabby and Nataly on the frog.
Nataly, Gabby, Squid, and Cash
Cash loving the fish.

Sunday we returned home. Thank goodness my sister who drove because I was so tired cause I only got 3 hours of sleep from getting home late and kids waking up early. We had an awesome time. I want to say one thing that I am grateful for, and that is my children. They are my blessing and answer to my prayers during this hard time. I truly love being a mom. So I am thankful this year for them and the sweet smiles they give me every morning.

With that I want to tell everyone Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween '09!

Our Halloween was not all that exciting. Cash was a skeleton and Gabby was a fairy. Her favorite green shoes matched. It was so cute. She liked to steal Cash's mask and go and scare everyone with her cute growl. We did go to Tuachan to the Farmers Market during the day and walked around for a bit and Gabby went on the train. She cried for a minute and fell backwards. It was so funny. Cash didn't go on it. He was to much of a wimp to do it. Then Cash went down the big blow up slide. Of course, not by himself because when he got to the top he started cry. So this guy that was at the top took him and his kid down. So Cash was a serious pain in the butt. So we decided to go home and take naps before we went and spent most of the evening with Ben's family.

Cash as a skeleton.

Gabby the fairy and her green shoes!

Gabby and her scariness!

Cash and Gabby having fun in their costumes.

When we got to the family's, there was some serious food. Wendy made two kinds of soup, pigs in a blanket, rolls shaped as a finger, and a cake like a spider and some serious trick or treat candy. So we chowed some food and took our kids trick or treating. It was such a nice evening. Warm! Wendy came with us to show us where to go and not to go. It was fun to watch Cash get all excited. Gabby just liked to copy him. Maddie and Dave caught up with us. We had a pretty good time.

Cash, Mommy, and Gabby enjoying the market.

Then we went back to Wendy's and just hung out with the family. All in all it was good time. It is getting me excited for Thanksgiving. It is my most favorite holiday and I get to go up S.L.C. for the first time in 6 years. So I am really excited.Cash, daddy, and Gabby at the market.

We are all doing well. I just took Gabby to her 18 month check up. Good news! She is back on the charts. She is in the 3 percentile in her height and weight. It is funny because she is barely over 20 lbs. By only a half a pound. She is doing well and is a serious trouble maker. She is into climbing every thing. She some how is on my table or counters. It is crazy how fast she gets in trouble.
Cash is doing well also. He is really into Dora and Diego right now. Those shows make me NUTS! But he is such a grown up. He makes comments that only grown ups say. It is funny! So we have to watch what we say.

Gabby and Cash trick or treating.

Happy Halloween to everyone!

Potty training funnies....

Okay, I just have to write this because it is hilarious. So my son has been potty trained for about 6 months (note; still working on the night time stuff). So on Tuesday I took my children to get some shoes at Payless. Well, I always unbuckle Cash first because he is all about doing it himself these days. So by the time I got Gabby unbuckled and out I turned around there was a sight that only happens once, hopefully. My son pulled his pants down and was PEEING! And not just peeing, drawing with his pee on the asphalt. Yes, my friends, my son peed in the parking lot. I freaked a little but not to bad to embarass him. I happened to notice a old couple in the car staring and glaring. Gotta love them old people. So I walked into Payless and the lady working there was cracking up. Due to my embarassment I hurried and got some shoes and left as fast I could. I didn't take the time to get a good laugh from it until, I started the truck. I was crying with laughter. I had to call my family and tell them wonderful news. Yes, my life is so absoulutely crazy but my children are here to remind me that we as adults sweat of the stupidest stuff. Yes, I am a proud mom of a public peeer! I love my children and I hope that I get more oppurtunities like this with them.

Crazy and scary few weeks

Talmage, cute as always.

This is what my daughter does every morning in 5 minutes!

Okay, I have not had time to blog because my mother has put us through the ringer these last few weeks (not on purpose). To start off the day after the Frampton concert my parents flew up to S.L.C. to be with Kandiss and her family. So that night they took my mother into the emergency room up there because they thought my mom was having a heart attack. It was a long night because we all know how well the emergency room takes their time. I finally got a phone call at 2 am saying my mom had A LOT of gall stones and one was blocking a duct to the pancreas and that was causing pancreaitis and it was all swollen and infected. They said it was life threatening due to the condition of my mother (still in the middle of chemo and gastric bypass). So she had to stay at the U hospital for a couple days. She then had her gall bladder out 5 days later. She came home on a Thursday and went back to the hospital again due to the fact she couldn't keep anything down. They said it was due the medicine. So the following week my sister came down with her family to help out with my mom because she was going to have chemo on that Wed. and my dad wouldn't have been around due the marathon. He has to help because he works for the city. So my sister gets her and my mom's doctor told her to wait a week to have chemo since she just had her gall bladder out. So the following day my sister took back to the hospital because my mom was having serious pain in the lower region. Well, they found out that she had a kidney stone. They sent her home and 4 days later she still hadn't passed the stone and so they went to a urologist and he said she needed surgery. So they did the surgery 2 days later. And she seems to be doing better. So as you can see my family has been dealing with a lot.

Gabby and her favorite food, COTTAGE CHEESE!

But with all that I managed to catch some pictures of some good times. Cash is getting bigger and he seems to be older in so many ways. Gabby well she is growing like a weed and she is like a weed. SHE IS EVERYWHERE! Man, that little girl is going and learning and going and going and doesn't stop. She is saying a lot and getting into everything. She opens doors and shut off lights and TV and computer. She is a LOT OF WORK! She has so much personality for a little thing.

Syd, Cash, and Nat doing pumpkins.

We are doing okay as a family. Same ol', same ol'. Just getting ready for Halloween and all the big holidays. I do have to admit I love this time of year, fall, I mean, not the holidays but just the weather and the spirit it brings.

Cash pouting, a new thing.

"Do You...Do....You Feel Like I Do?"

Ben and I had the opportunity to go see Peter Frampton last Wendsday at Tuachan. We love going to see older bands. We think they put on better concerts. I really was not big fan of Frampton. But after that concert I love him. He can rock on all his guitars. It was crazy how old he is and still can jam. That is why I like to go see older stuff because it is not all glam and lights. Just some lights and some serious jamming. It was cool to only drive 2 minutes to go see them. And it was a nice, cool evening. It makes me really appreciate my parents and them liking the music they do. I think the older generation has better music with more meaning then now a day stuff. It was an awesome concert.

Uncle Dan Syphus and Kim @ Frampton

One of the younger couples at the concert and Frampton jamming away.

Not a whole lot has been going on except the kids are getting big and so much older. Gabby is saying a whole lot more and is a big ball of attitude. Gabby has found her favorite pair of shoes. They are a lime bright green penny loafer shoe. She always wants them on. Cash is still loving Thomas the train but he has a new love for Monster Trucks. Him and Ben watch it on the computer every night.Kids always want a ride when daddy gets home!

My mom had to have her gall bladder out on Tuesday in S.L.C. It was kind of nerve racking not being there. But all is good and she is back home sore and kind of sick. She only has two more treatments to go and one is next week. So we are on the down part of this sucky slope.

Gabby and her green shoes running away so she doesn't have to got to bed!

Gand Canyon Camping

Let it snow stuffing!

Let me start off of what we have been up to the last few weeks. Ben and I have been helping my mother clean storage units and the RV part of the storage units out. It was a 3 day job and lots of brush and weeds to clean out. It was an opportunity for Ben and I to spend time together, since we don't do it much. Even though, it was hard work it was fun. When we leave our house we shut our dogs in the laundry room and they still have access to the house and that is where their doggy door is. Well, we came home one day to find this mess. It looked like snow had fallen in our laundry room. I remembered why we don't have a dog bed because this is what happens. Gotta love dogs and their ways.

North Timp Point, Grand Canyon view. Awesome!

We also had finally gone camping. It has been exactly two years since we have gone. We went with Ben's family to the Grand Canyon on the North Rim on the Kiabab Plateau. It is called the North Timp Point. And it is a wonderful site. It is so beautiful where we camp. We camp a couple hundred yards from the the edge. So every night we watch the sun go down.

Sunset at North Timp Point.

We had an awesome time. Laughed, played, and watch the kids get so dirty. Gabby was the dirtiest of them all. She was hilarious but very irritating. As soon as you wiped her clean she was dirty. We got to the point to stop trying to clean her but it always got in her eyes. Then she got mad so we wiped her down again. We had to bath her every night. It was caked in her hair and had to comb it out a couple of times.

Daddy and dirty Gabby! She looked like that all day long every day!

Gabby bathing and oh, so tired!

Cash had a good time playing with cousins. He and Gabby loved to ride the 4-wheelers. Every time someone would start one, they would go running. When you got going a little fast, Cash would say, "Slow down." It was a good time.

Cash and all the cousins watching the sun set.

On Saturday all the guys went fishing at Lees Fiery. They said fly fishing was awesome. That same day my parents drove up and surprised me. They got a room at the lodge at Jacob's Lake. They spent a couple hours with the kids and I. My parents never had known how pretty it really is.

Clean Gabby and daddy at sunset on the point.

All in all it was good trip. I must say though with no running water and no toilets for 4 days is way rough. Fun but that was my max. The dogs also had a good time. But on the way home Ben and I found out that their harnesses had dug into their skin and got infected and rank. It was from all the dirt and kids pulling on them. We felt so bad but they have fully recovered and we are all trying to recover, especially me. I can't get enough sleep.

I do recommend going there. It is so pretty and the temperatur is cool. Nothing like the south rim. I want to say thank you to the Syphus family for being who they are and enjoying the outdoors as much as they do. They really know how to camp. We never go anywhere near campgrounds. They really teach you how to camp. Truck everything in and out! They truly are a awesome bunch. And the good times they bring to my life. Even though I don't see eye to eye all the time with them. I truly love them and have so much fun with them. I can be me with them and not have to worry. Thank you, Syphus's and I love you so very much!

Papa turns 54 and every day comics!

Cash and his infamous backpack.

I want to start out with the every day comics and why I call them that. So we were driving over to clean storage units out for my mom and Ben turned around and saw Cash hiding behind his backpack. He laughed and said "We should document all these little things because we won't remember them". So what was funny about Cash and the backpack is this, he packs his pack every time we leave with his trains and Monster trucks. He holds them on his lap and hids behind it as we drive. But at every light he will yell, "Stop! Red means stop!" or "Go! Go Now!" when the light is green. It is funny. Cause you don't see him till he says it.

Gabby being Godzilla to Cash's trains!

He also loves his choochoo's. He takes them every where he goes and pulls them out and lines them up. Even at bed. It is nuts.

Gabby being so grown up and the load shoes!

Gabby is getting so big and is absolutely the most crazy little one I know. She keeps me on my feet. I took this picture of Gabby climbing on our new coffee table and tapping her feet because the shoes our platforms and make loud noises. She thought she was the coolest kid ever. When we got to my mom's she was doing it through out my mom's house because it is all wood floor.

Gabby loving the grandma jammies!

I also caught a picture of her in Cash's old jammies. My grandma made them for him. I didn't think she would fit in them but she did and she was just beaming in them. I just picked her up and hugged and kissed her as I began to sob. It just shows your kids don't stay small forever. I love my babies. I am lame and don't have much going so I talk a lot about them. But they are my life and they are what I do all day long.

Nanna, Papa, Cash, and Gabby. Cash wanting to blow the candles out.

On another note. We got the chance to celebrate my dad's 54th. I love my dad with all my heart. We got to be with him and sing to him, even though he didn't want to. I want him to know that I am very grateful for him and the fact he is my dad. I wouldn't want another person on this earth to be my dad. He is my hero and even though he is a nut job, he still makes me smile. I love to be with him. So, dad I love you, and I know my babies adore you. Thank you for everything and I hope it was an okay 54th.

Papa, Gabby, Whit, Ben, Cash, and me celebrating 54 years of life.