Join the Party!

Come on people. I know there's at least a few of you out there that actually read my blog. I know because you comment or actually talk to me about them later. So will you please "follow" it? That way I will feel like I'm posting to more than just Tamara? :) Sometimes I feel like I'm writing to myself about my day and what I've been up to...which I'm pretty sure I already know. So come on people, join the party! Follow my blog, and tell anybody else that you may think will find it interesting to follow too. (Just an example: family members) The more the merrier! LOL

Kindergarten

*tear* My baby, Daija, (who is actually not a baby anymore) is going into Kindergarten. Where has the time gone? I can't believe it. We went school shopping for the first time last night. We don't have a list of what she'll need so we just got a bunch of stuff that I will keep at home if she doesn't need it. It's a good time to buy anyway because of all the sales! Her backpack is so cute and pink. She already got her stuff in her pencil box and put it in her backpack. We hung it up in the coat closet because I know if I let her she'll carry it around for the next month before school starts! LOL We get to go clothes shopping in a week or so. Have to get paid first. Why isn't there a fund for school stuff? I feel unprepared. I appreciate much more my parents getting 5 kids ready for school every year! It's a lot to do! And a lot of money! So thank you mom and dad for making sure we had what we needed! I also feel unprepared emotionally. I'm not like..."O my baby! Don't go away from me!" like a crazy mom. Just unsure of how she's going to fair without me. I've acted brave and excited in front of her. I worry about the influence of other people's children. I worry about germs. Let's start school at the beginning of flu season shall we? Oh what a great idea! And now we have the swine flu to battle too? Awesome! *sigh* So I bought a bunch of hand sanitizer. She is taking one with her to school. I have two at home. We don't play the piano unless our hands are clean. After school we wash first thing in the door. Not OCD, just careful. She used to get pneumonia a couple of years ago. One year she got it twice. I just need her to stay safe. She loves to wear skirts. Not going to happen without shorts underneath. How sad it is that we have to worry about such things? Dumb, I say. Dumb. But I know I can't keep her in a bubble. She will do great at school. She's so smart. She knows her ABC's. She counts to more than 20...only needs a little help sometimes. She can write her name, and can read all of our names. And writes all her ABC's. So if I spell it out she can write it. So she'll be great. And I'm looking forward to giving a little more attention to Kyla.

Fam Pics

We went a couple of weekends ago to take family pictures. None of them turned out great. But a couple of them turned out good enough I suppose. So this is the best family one. Daija is really photogenic when she isn't doing her "cheesy" cheese! :) It was soooo hot! In the 100's. So I guess we're lucky anyone would smile. I love this scene with Chase. He was sitting precariously on a log "fence" off the side of the canyon road. Hence the not really looking at the camera or smiling. But I think it's still cute!

Us Lately...

Nap on the couch!

Swimming lessons!

Taking a break from the water!

Chase had so much fun. :)

We've had a fun week. Daija's finished her first summer of swimming lessons. We went to Ogden and played in an outdoor water park. We had a good 24th. My sister, Raeanne, is here until tomorrow. We did a fire pit tonight with her and the neighbors, Taylor and Shayla and their son Bronson. We had sweet corn on the cob! And hotdogs. I'm getting sick of hotdogs. But I'm so glad we put in our fire pit! We love love love our new yard! And play every day. :)

My Best Friend

I would like to make a tribute to my best friend, and hubby, Chad! Instead of taking Friday off for the 4th Chad took Monday, Tuesday, and got Wednesday "off" to take a test for a certification for work. So a 5 day weekend! :) It was awesome! Although I'll admit it made me quite spoiled and Thurs and Fri have been boring and long without him here. I know. Pathetic.

Chad is the best husband and father ever! I know he's rough around the edges. When I first got engaged/married to him people would ask me why? Why did I love this intimidating, mean, and unsocial person that made them feel uncomfortable? I suppose to anyone who doesn't really know him he can seem offish and at times even appear mean. It's true, he doesn't go out of his way to involve himself with others. But once you crack through the tough outter layer (that's not nearly as thick as it appears) you will find a loving, wonderful, caring, protective, concerned, and even sensitive man. I know he would do anything to make sure his family is properly cared for. The bare neccesities aren't enough. He always tries to out-do himself to give us the "best" of everything. And he still feels like he could do more. I don't mean to say these things in a bragging way, I just want to paint a picture of the man so few know well.

He always wants to play with the kids. He jumps on the trampoline with them. He helps Daija practice her tumbling. He runs around the yard with the soccer ball while the kids chase him. He wrestles with Chase, and doesn't even hurt him. :) He's always thinking of new things to do with them. He loves being a Dad! He loves being a good husband. He works hard to do well at work. He's worked hard to get his education and continues to improve himself so he can keep being successful. I love how he is always looking for ways to improve himself. What is this life for than to better ourselves? Mediocrity is not what we should settle for, and Chad definately doesn't! He finds joy in my happiness. Like only a husband can he knows how to make me happy. (And I'm not talking dirty here, although he's good at that too...) I mean, like helping me clear the table after dinner, which doesn't happen all the time, but often enough that I notice and appreciate it. Like vaccuming. I know this is because he may get sick of waiting for me to do it (LOL) but I really appreciate the help. Like watching the kids outside while he's mowing the lawn so I can lock myself in the house by myself and get the laundry actually put away! And he loves to listen to me play the piano. And I love playing the piano. And I find great joy when he lays on the couch in the living room and just listens to me play song after song. And he likes it. :)

I know I could write a lot more about him. But I will quit for now. I love Chad. He loves me. He loves our children, and loves watching them grow. I love that he honors his priesthood and is a good example. He's my best friend. He's my whole world. And I think that sappy enough to end this blog. :) Love you baby!

4th of July pics!

Daddy waiting for the parade to start.
Chase loved picking up candy and trying to eat it through the wrapper!

My girls on their float!! Yay, Daija and Kyla!!!

They did such a great job! And they are excited to do it again on the 18th for our city's parade!

I love July! Go Freedom!

4th of July

I know I'm horrible but I don't even have pics to post for the 4th yet! I will soon. We had a blast! The girls were in a parade for West Point and got to throw Tootsie Rolls! They did so well. Daija had a hard time eating breakfast (which means didn't really) and when we got to the parade and found her float she told me her tummy hurt. I think she was nervous! :) She did well though and her and Kyla smiled and threw candy to everyone! We got some cute pics. When the parade was done we went down to the park to find them. The got to play on those bouncy toys that are filled with air and we had baby races. There was a random piece of carpet with 4 rows on it and racing flags on either side. We had Chase and Brendan (Chad's brother, Spencer's, baby who is 2 1/2 weeks older than Chase) crawl "race" down their lines. It was hilarious and we were cheering and screaming so much that a small crowd started drawing around. I think they thought it was an actual event. We did best 3 out of 5 and Brendan won. But only because Chase thought it would be best to play with the flags! In his defense it's because he had an outside lane. :) We also had some YUMMY pulled pork sandwiches. Mmmm! The kids got to look at some wild animals. They had a venomous snake guy there with lots of snakes for the kids to look at. Daija likes to look at them ok, and we've always known Kyla loves them! She would probably try to pick one up, which is a little scary. Chase has never seen them...he loved them! He was leaning from his stroller and pushing his hands and face on the glass of an anaconda cage! He loved the littler ones because they were moving around and I'm pretty sure he would have tried to grab it if he could. My crazy children are just like me. *sigh* What am I going to do? It was so fun and we had a great nap time when we got home. :) Then we had Hobo dinners on our fire pit with family and s'mores later. Chad's dad and friend brought some fireworks and it was a perfect ending to the 4th! :) I hope you all had a great 4th. I am so grateful for our countries freedoms and for all those wonderful men and women and families that are willing to sacrifice to keep it free for us! I also pray VERY HARD that our country will be able to stay free and that our forefathers wisdom will not go ignored.